From DTC to B2B: How Moyu Scaled to €1.5M by Shifting Its Sales Strategy with Roel Schatorjé (episode 594)
Roel Schatorjé is the Founder of MOYU, sellers of erasable stone paper notebooks, designed to reduce single-use paper and reforest the planet. Founded in 2019 they now sell via wholesale, and their Shopify store, in total sales are €1.5million a year.
In this returning guest episode, Roel shares how the business has evolved over the last three years – shifting from DTC to B2B, streamlining the team, and expanding internationally in a far more sustainable way. It’s an honest look at what it really takes to scale an eCommerce brand without burning cash or adding complexity.
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Dive in:
[04:42] Balancing current projects and development
[07:30] Streamlining quoting and retail growth
[11:53] Promoting the notebook via sampling
[13:35] Corrugated stone paper packaging
[17:31] Challenges of international expansion
[21:24] Flexible work arrangements for agents
[23:28] Listen to Roel’s Top Tips!
Your Next Growth Channel Might Already Be Hiding in Your Customer Base
Moyu didn’t “discover” B2B out of nowhere. It came from existing customers bringing the product into their workplaces. That created organic demand for bulk and branded orders. This is a powerful reminder to watch how customers actually use your product. The best growth opportunities often come from real behavior, not strategy decks. If you’re only thinking DTC, you could be leaving a high-margin B2B channel untapped.
Scaling Doesn’t Always Mean Hiring More People
Moyu reduced their core team from 10 to 4 while continuing to grow. The key was not cutting corners, but removing inefficiencies. They focused on fixing mistakes in processes like quoting, production, and logistics. Small errors were creating hours of extra work. By solving those early, they saved massive amounts of time. For eCommerce brands, operational discipline can unlock more growth than adding headcount.
International Expansion Doesn’t Need to Drain Your Cash
Instead of building full teams and localized websites in every market, Moyu shifted to a leaner model. They now use commission-based agents and simple localized landing pages. This reduces upfront costs and risk. It also lets them test markets without heavy investment. Many brands overcommit too early when going global. A lighter, test-and-learn approach can keep you in the game longer and improve ROI.
Physical Products Still Win Through Physical Experiences
Moyu found that once someone holds their product, conversion becomes much easier. That insight shaped their strategy around sampling, events, and trade shows. They even invest in giving products away to the right prospects. This shows the power of tactile experience in driving sales. Not everything can be solved with ads and landing pages. If you sell a physical product, think beyond the screen.
Efficiency Gains Often Beat New Growth Tactics
Instead of chasing every new idea, Moyu focused on doing fewer things better. They stopped spreading efforts too thin across channels and markets. They doubled down on what was already working. This included key partnerships and proven sales channels. It’s a strong reminder that growth isn’t always about adding more. Sometimes it’s about simplifying, focusing, and executing better than before.
eCommerce Book Top Tip
- Designing Regenerative Cultures by Daniel Christian Wahl
eCommerce Traffic Top Tip
- Shift back to human-driven marketing. Roel believes real-world, relationship-led sales and physical interactions will become a more powerful way to drive traffic and growth.
Tool Top Tip
- Go analog to stay efficient. Roel swears by using a simple notebook to plan, track tasks, and think more clearly day-to-day.
Carbon Top Tip
- Switch to reusable packaging. Roel believes making all eCommerce packaging reusable is one of the biggest opportunities to significantly reduce carbon footprint while improving sustainability at scale.
Interview links
Related Episodes
- Taking a sustainable, money saving brand to £5m a year with Helen Rankin from Cheeky Wipes (episode 388)
- How to Build Trust in a Crowded Marketplace with Chilly’s Bryony Tagg (episode 501)
- How Cheeky Panda Grew a £15M Sustainable Brand from a Bedroom Idea, with Chris Forbes (episode 569)
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