Self-founded business · E-commerce · 2023
I founded and ran Hydrofic, an e-commerce brand selling portable ice baths and related cold-water recovery products. I handled the journey from sourcing and supplier communication to branding, the Shopify store, marketing and customer support.
- Role
- Founder and operator
- Project type
- Personal business
- Platform
- Shopify
- Scope
- Product to customer
The opportunity
As interest in cold-water immersion grew, I saw an opportunity to build a direct-to-consumer brand around portable ice baths. Hydrofic let me take an idea through the full business journey, from choosing products and working with suppliers to building an offer and reaching customers.
I ran the business myself, bringing together product sourcing, purchasing, branding, sales and day-to-day operations.
Both figures are approximate and refer to 2023.
What I handled
Running Hydrofic meant managing the full chain from product to customer. Each part of the business informed the next.
Sourcing
Product selection, supplier communication and purchasing.
Store
Brand identity, Shopify, product pages and bundles.
Growth
Paid video advertising, creative testing and offers.
Customers
Customer support, feedback and product documentation.
Building the brand and offer
I created the Hydrofic identity and built the Shopify store, working with the website, product pages and customer experience. The black-and-white brand gave the products a clear, consistent presentation.
Most customer acquisition came from paid video advertising, mainly through Meta. I tested creatives, messaging, offers and product pages to improve performance.
I expanded the offer with different ice baths, accessories and bundles. The goal was to give customers a more complete setup and increase average order value.
Supporting the customer after purchase
I also created the product manual and handled customer support. Clear product documentation was part of the customer experience, helping people understand what was included and how to get started.
View the product manualWhat I learned
Running Hydrofic gave me practical experience of the whole product and business journey. I learned how sourcing, pricing, positioning, marketing and customer experience affect each other, and how decisions in one part of the business show up in another.
- Skills I developed
- Product sourcing, supplier communication and purchasing.
- Building a brand, an online store and a clear product offer.
- Testing marketing ideas and managing customer experience.
- Tools & methods
- Shopify for the store, product pages and bundles.
- Meta advertising and paid video creative testing.
- Product documentation, customer feedback and business operations.
Why the business ended
After running Hydrofic alongside my studies, I chose to close the business to focus on completing my master’s degree in engineering.