NBCC were pleased to interview Louisa Stewart, CEO of Blue Ninja.
In a world where innovation and creativity reign supreme, Blue Ninja emerges as a dynamic force, poised to revolutionize the landscape of digital solutions. With a commitment to excellence and a passion for pushing boundaries, Blue Ninja stands at the forefront of delivering cutting-edge strategies and inventive approaches tailored to meet the evolving needs of its clients.
Background and Introduction:
Can you provide a brief introduction to yourself and your role at Blue Ninja?
I am Louisa Stewart, CEO and Founder of Blue Ninja, leading a team of experts who provide guidance and implementation of custom requirements based around business data, automation, information workflows and business promotion.
Blue Ninja is an innovative company based in The Netherlands providing expertise and advice for systems and software.
Blue Ninja has recently undergone a new identity. What inspired this transformation, and what are the key aspects of the company's new profile?
I felt that there was a growing shift in how companies want to be supported, as Blue Ninja were initially focused on system implementation, my area of specialty. With small teams it can be challenging to find the time to fully think through, understand and develop workflows fully, or to really identify goals and visualise the bigger picture where a lot of the time, you are only paying attention to one or two parts of a delivery plan.
With this in mind, we pivoted to a project management centralised focus and structured delivery that aligns with implementation and reporting to give clients a better overview of what their requirements are, what’s been delivered, how we’ve done it, how they can do it themselves, and what the data tells us. We were doing this in part under the old Blue Ninja structure, but the clients weren’t seeing us as part of their own strategy. Now, we shape their ideas and goals more comprehensively in partnership with them.
This has had significant success already with our client base in the UK, USA, and Europe, and we hope to work with new clients on building up projects that fit within the overall scope of the business, with project management at the heart of delivery, and implementation and reporting working hand in hand. For businesses who are not used to a more detailed reporting mechanism it can be very eye-opening to see how data can be used to enhance and guide decisions for new business opportunities.
Evolution of Blue Ninja:
How has Blue Ninja evolved since its inception, and what factors led to the decision to redefine its identity and profile?
Initially, Blue Ninja had a small team that were primarily business support staff. As the needs of clients became more apparent, and with the pivot from implementation to project management, we moved the focus to a expert based team that had specific skillsets, who together provide a comprehensive and customisable service.
I believe we are in a unique position with our offering as we are in a business space where a lot of companies only provide services that are related to a specific product or type of service. At Blue Ninja, we provide a more diverse support package, particularly with our understanding of CRMs, automation and online marketing.
Our goal is to provide the right systems and software to fit the requirements of clients, rather than imposing our own recommended tools onto the client as it may not be what they need. We specialise in some systems such as ActiveCampaign, MailerLite, ClickUp, Signable, Meta ads, Zapier/Make, and WordPress to name a few, but we do not limit what we recommend to clients, and actively work to align systems to the client, rather than pushing the client to fit into a particular system.
We have had great success in developing and implementing systems where the tools were new to us, but we knew the requirements. After testing a new system thoroughly with one client, we delivered a project with confidence that met their goals and grew the business by 25% in the first 6 months after implementation, saving at least 15 hours a month on administrative time alone.
It's a balancing act for businesses, as it can be a leap of faith to step back and bring in a company that comes in with a lot of questions and ideas, but investing in the right software is a long-term strategic plan. Get it wrong and you will need to fix the issues down the line, so our focus is to present options to help businesses make the right decisions on their systems at the point where they need honesty, something we take very seriously.
Can you highlight some of the key changes or developments that have occurred within Blue Ninja leading up to its new identity?
Our audience has changed, as we found solopreneurs did not have the time and availability for us to engage with them to implement robust Project Management structures and good system implementation. It requires investment of time and money, and whilst the software costs were covered, we weren’t able to have the right impact in terms of the flexibility needed to bring in the right team and provide the scope to grow.
By focusing now with businesses of at least 5 employees (and ideally 10-50) that have an interest in investing in collaboration and growth, and are willing to try new things, we can provide the right support to have a long-term impact, with quality data and an alignment of goals.
New Identity and Profile:
What elements define Blue Ninja's new identity, and how do they reflect the company's values, goals, and vision for the future?
I see Blue Ninja as THE place to come to get advice and knowledge for systems and software. We are committed to understanding the way business data works, advising on the right systems to use, aligning with the goals and budget requirements, and being willing to step into the unknown to see what could be possible.
We believe the more transparent we can be with businesses on their data and data needs, the better it serves their long-term plans.
A lot of business teams are stretched beyond capacity right now and are less likely to say yes to new initiatives and opportunities. Blue Ninja are there to work alongside teams to take those new initiatives and develop them into a plan of action that give the team control but remove a lot of the pressure of having to add ‘yet another thing’ to the long list of tasks and responsibilities already in place.
How does Blue Ninja differentiate itself from competitors with its updated profile, and what unique value does it offer to clients and partners?
We work with clients on identifying what their requirements are, then build the plan around those requirements. Additionally, we provide the flexibility of bringing in experts as needed for delivery, and building good partnerships with collaborators we trust to deliver on time and on budget.
We work with clients on identifying what their requirements are, then build a comprehensive plan around those requirements. This may mean outsourcing for the right expertise, but we are committed to being clear with what expertise we can provide and what we may need to find to deliver.
Services and Offerings:
Could you provide an overview of the services and offerings that Blue Ninja provides under its new identity?
There are three key areas that Blue Ninja provides our expertise:
Scalable Business Implementation. We look at the priorities and goals of a business and build information workflows and strategies that will grow the business. We see this as a tool that allows CEOs and leadership teams to work with an external company who are curious about what could be done for them, and to take ideas and develop them into strategic plans that are then implemented and reported on.
Blue Ninja Membership Academy. We have built a platform that provides advice and knowledge to a wide audience, covering a range of systems and software. If we don’t have the answers ourselves, we’ll help to find the person who does. Our Academy is a place where businesspeople can ask questions and learn in a safe environment, away from pushy sales and misinformation.
Partnerships. We build strong relationships with systems and software providers and give them visibility to our clients and members, as well as ensuring we are keeping up to date with our own knowledge and expertise. We provide opportunities for webinars, partner courses, and software advertising in the Academy, as well as developing useful resources, and we may bring partners onto client projects when their level of expertise is required.
How do these services align with the company's updated profile, and how do they address the evolving needs of clients in today's market?
We have learned from experience how to provide the right scope for companies to scale their business, set realistic expectations and develop quality, well-structured projects. We also recognise that some business owners are not ready for collaboration but still have questions, so we provide multiple places for them to get advice and access our expertise. It allows us to ensure businesses to get the right support on their own terms.
Future Vision:
What is Blue Ninja's vision for the future under its new identity, and how does the company plan to achieve its goals and objectives moving forward?
I see Blue Ninja as a collaborative partner for businesses that want to explore new opportunities but have limited scope with their team or are unsure of how to scale. We are excited to speak to CEOs and leadership teams on their vision, goals and build a plan with them to develop good data practices, understand how their systems fit into the overall strategy, and collect information that helps them scale.
We will continue to grow the Membership Academy to provide knowledge and insight to business owners and teams so they are able to learn and make smart decisions on software choices.
Innovation and Creativity:
How does Blue Ninja foster innovation and creativity in its approach to serving clients and solving their unique challenges?
We approach each project with curiosity and positivity. We want to inspire and support new ideas and we offer the opportunity to ask what else could be done. We work best with companies that are marketing agencies and companies that provide products and services that use online marketing and promotion as a baseline for growth. We see CRMs and systems as tools that enhance business operations, supporting teams to change and build confidence with their systems.
We can automate many business practices and use integration as an effective business tool for promotion via ads, information segmentation, resource development and best practice.
Got a project you’ve been stuck on for months? We are excellent at working through the requirements and inspiring you to make those projects happen. Are you overwhelmed by your data, or feel your data is not telling the right story? We can review your CRM system to understand your data and provide suggestions to optimise and enhance its performance.
Closing Thoughts:
Is there anything else you'd like to share with our audience about Blue Ninja's new identity, your role in shaping it, or the company's aspirations for the future?
Blue Ninja looks forward to seeing new opportunities emerge for scalable businesses and building up a strong Academy for businesses to get trusted advice and support for their systems and software needs. We are always learning and growing with the latest technology updates and are excited to share those with our clients and members.
We are excited to be a member of the NBCC and be part of conversations taking place, as a small business, discussing emerging technologies and new innovations and learning from other amazing businesses.
How can individuals or businesses interested in Blue Ninja's services get in touch or learn more about its offerings and approach under its new profile?
You can find out more about Blue Ninja via blueninja.eu or set up a call with Louisa via https://linkaroo.me/louisa-stewart. You can join the Blue Ninja Membership Academy (free for 12 months with Orange Belt Ninja) via academy.blueninja.eu.
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