100 Tree Furniture

My second award-winning startup.

I solo founded my second startup, a sustainable furniture company, which is Net Carbon Negative and donates profits to plant trees. This has resulted in tens of thousands of trees being planted. Beginning with scrap wood in my shed, 100 Tree products have now been sold on 3 continents.

YEAR

2020 - PRESENT

ROLE

CO-FOUNDER & HEAD OF PRODUCT

CO-FOUNDER & HEAD OF PRODUCT

SKILLS

FULL STACK DESIGN, STARTUP, PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

FULL STACK DESIGN, STARTUP, PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

A grid compilation of shots from the 100 Tree Furniture website. They are in mobile and desktop form on a grey background.
A grid compilation of shots from the 100 Tree Furniture website. They are in mobile and desktop form on a grey background.
A grid compilation of shots from the 100 Tree Furniture website. They are in mobile and desktop form on a grey background.
100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being used by a blond girl with a grey laptop.
100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being used by a blond girl with a grey laptop.
100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being used by a blond girl with a grey laptop.
100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter product shot. It is assembled and on a grey background.
100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter product shot. It is assembled and on a grey background.
100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter product shot. It is assembled and on a grey background.
A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter.
A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter.
A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter.
A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk.
A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk.
A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk.

"Really nice addition to my wfh setup. The stand is really sturdy and the 100 trees being planted is nice. Would recommend."

L

Liza R.

Los Angeles, USA

"Really nice addition to my wfh setup. The stand is really sturdy and the 100 trees being planted is nice. Would recommend."

L

Liza R.

Los Angeles, USA

"Really nice addition to my wfh setup. The stand is really sturdy and the 100 trees being planted is nice. Would recommend."

L

Liza R.

Los Angeles, USA

"Really nice addition to my wfh setup. The stand is really sturdy and the 100 trees being planted is nice. Would recommend."

Liza R.

Los Angeles, USA

"My lie-down stand is a perfect stop-gap to long periods hunching over my desk. Great product, would highly recommend!"

A

Anthony M.

Berlin, Germany

"My lie-down stand is a perfect stop-gap to long periods hunching over my desk. Great product, would highly recommend!"

A

Anthony M.

Berlin, Germany

"My lie-down stand is a perfect stop-gap to long periods hunching over my desk. Great product, would highly recommend!"

A

Anthony M.

Berlin, Germany

"My lie-down stand is a perfect stop-gap to long periods hunching over my desk. Great product, would highly recommend!"

Anthony M.

Berlin, Germany

"The stand arrived in good shape and should serve me well. Many thanks for the great customer service and a great product!"

G

Gus K.

Connecticut, USA

"The stand arrived in good shape and should serve me well. Many thanks for the great customer service and a great product!"

G

Gus K.

Connecticut, USA

"The stand arrived in good shape and should serve me well. Many thanks for the great customer service and a great product!"

G

Gus K.

Connecticut, USA

"The stand arrived in good shape and should serve me well. Many thanks for the great customer service and a great product!"

Gus K.

Connecticut, USA

July 2020

The Beginning
The Problem

Laptops are not ergonomically designed. Spending hours working on one is bad for your back, shoulders and posture. Being quite tall, my back pain from working on a laptop all day was acute.

However, lying flat on your back keeps your spine in a neutral position.

In 2017 I began working from home so I decided to build something portable to allow me to work while lying down. After a couple of iterations with some old timber in my shed I built a lie-down laptop stand that worked well for me. I thought that was the end of the story.

The original lie down stand, green timber with a black laptop.
The original lie down stand, green timber with a black laptop.
The original lie down stand, green timber with a black laptop.
The original lie down stand, green timber with a black laptop.
The Covid Opportunity

Covid made the world work-from-home but many of my mid 20s friends had no space for a home office. One was even using his bed and ironing board for a chair and desk!

My friends needed a pop-up office that was comfortable to work at but also quick to assemble or take apart. Their bedrooms, like mine, needed to flexibly transform from a bedroom to an office and back as needed.

100 Tree Furniture logo on a green field.
100 Tree Furniture logo on a green field.
100 Tree Furniture logo on a green field.
100 Tree Furniture logo on a green field.

August 2020

Market Research
Blue Ocean strategy curve showing the competiton and where 100 Tree will sit in green.
Blue Ocean strategy curve showing the competiton and where 100 Tree will sit in green.
Blue Ocean strategy curve showing the competiton and where 100 Tree will sit in green.
Blue Ocean strategy curve showing the competiton and where 100 Tree will sit in green.
Blue Ocean Strategy

My approach to product differentiation applied lessons from the book "Blue Ocean Strategy".

Firstly, I began by searching for competitors in the market. Secondly, I examined the buyer factors (like price, aesthetics, durability etc.) they used in their advertising to sell their products to consumers. I then plotted these buyer factors on a graph. My aim was to identify industry standard buyer factors that were high-cost but provided low buyer value and those that were low-cost but provided high buyer value.

My final step was to eliminate the low buyer value items from my product while excelling in the high buyer value factors. This created a differentiated value proposition curve.

Customer Personas

My customer persona was the yoga generation; environmental and health conscious 20/30 something’s who now work from home, work for some of the big tech companies and who are renting without the space for a home office.

I also explored the B2B market as many companies began to provide WFH budgets and would have the power to buy in bulk.

A Nepalese worker who benefits from donations to Eden Reforestations.
A Nepalese worker who benefits from donations to Eden Reforestations.
A Nepalese worker who benefits from donations to Eden Reforestations.
A Nepalese worker who benefits from donations to Eden Reforestations.
Sustainability

I am extremely passionate about the environment and green technologies. Therefore, I made it my mission to create 100 Tree Furniture as a Net Carbon Negative company.

I partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects and a number of other tree planting organisations and committed to fund the planting of 100 trees for every product sold. I chose Eden because they not only plant trees, but they employ local people to protect forests, elevating them from poverty in the process.

This green commitment extends to FSC certified timber, sustainable packaging and more. Read more here.

September 2020

Rapid Iterations
Feedback for Prototype #1

Positives:

  • Interesting having a 3 in 1

  • Ok to assemble

Negatives

  • Far too much lateral sway

  • Lie-down not effective and no one will use that position

  • People feel it is weird to lie under a desk

  • No adjustability for the lie down position

  • Lie-down can't be used in bed

  • Long legs need to be lifted up to fit second short leg during assembly making it awkward

Feedback for Prototype #2

Positives:

  • Split into two products (a desk and a lie-down stand) making both products better

  • Lie-down is more user friendly & height adjustable

  • Desk lateral sway stopped with diagonal piece

  • Long legs are no longer lifted to assemble (slots flipped)

Negatives

  • Lie-down with dowels is not stable

  • Dowels add to manufacturing costs & are easy to lose

  • Desk diagonal piece is tight making it hard to assemble

  • Slots for the diagonal look messy because CNC machines cannot cut at an angle in the Z plane

  • The diagonal complicated the assembly

  • Still hard to lift the top up for standing position

Feedback for Prototype #3

Positives:

  • Lie-down is now stable, portable and easy to assemble. This product has been resolved

  • Desk side leg filled to create standing desk surface so the top doesn’t need to be lifted up anymore

Negatives

  • Desk diagonal piece is still hard to assemble and detracts from the UX

  • Oversized slots for the diagonal still look messy and make leg pieces non-reversible

  • Original desk top isn't secure in the new standing position

Feedback for Prototype #4

Positives:

  • Lie-down is now stable, portable and easy to assemble. This product has been resolved

  • Desk top now locked in place; this prevents lateral sway and eliminates the need for a diagonal

  • Eliminating the diagonal makes the desk easy to assemble and leg pieces are fully reversible again

  • Desk top stays in place when in the new standing position

  • Both products have now been resolved

"True validation only comes when someone buys your product"
- Mahatma Gandhi

* probably not actually Mahatma Gandhi but still pretty true

A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from deep green to a light green.
A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from dark green to a light grey green.
A lime green circle with a gradient colour ranging from lime green to a darker green.
"True validation only comes when someone buys your product"
- Mahatma Gandhi

* probably not actually Mahatma Gandhi but still pretty true

A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from deep green to a light green.
A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from dark green to a light grey green.
A lime green circle with a gradient colour ranging from lime green to a darker green.
"True validation only comes when someone buys your product"
- Mahatma Gandhi

* probably not actually Mahatma Gandhi but still pretty true

A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from deep green to a light green.
A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from dark green to a light grey green.
A lime green circle with a gradient colour ranging from lime green to a darker green.
"True validation only comes when someone buys your product"
- Mahatma Gandhi

* probably not actually Mahatma Gandhi but still pretty true

A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from deep green to a light green.
A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from dark green to a light grey green.
A lime green circle with a gradient colour ranging from lime green to a darker green.

March 2021

Getting Sales Ready
A grid of screenshots from the 100 Tree Furniture website with lots of product images and forestation updates.
A grid of screenshots from the 100 Tree Furniture website with lots of product images and forestation updates.
A grid of screenshots from the 100 Tree Furniture website with lots of product images and forestation updates.
A grid of screenshots from the 100 Tree Furniture website with lots of product images and forestation updates.
Website Design

I completed a Branding Sprint to identify the tone and theme I wanted the 100 Tree Furniture brand to reflect. Next, I designed a small design system with reusable components and a set of rules to ensure consistency across the site.

I then quickly built a website to sell my products. Simon Sinek’s principle of “Start with why” informed the content of the site. “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

Once the site was live, I used Google Analytics, Fullstory and Wix Visitor analytics to monitor site engagement, run A/B tests and to optimise user flows.

Promotional Content

I used my limited video editing and photography skills to create some promotional content to share on the company Instagram and YouTube pages.

These videos were made using a combination of Figma, Adobe After Effects and Shotcut Pro.

“Purchasing just one of our products can offset the emissions of a petrol car driving around the Earth’s equator . . . . . twice”
A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from deep green to a light green.
A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from dark green to a light grey green.
A lime green circle with a gradient colour ranging from lime green to a darker green.
“Purchasing just one of our products can offset the emissions of a petrol car driving around the Earth’s equator . . . . . twice”
A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from deep green to a light green.
A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from dark green to a light grey green.
A lime green circle with a gradient colour ranging from lime green to a darker green.
“Purchasing just one of our products can offset the emissions of a petrol car driving around the Earth’s equator . . . . . twice”
A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from deep green to a light green.
A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from dark green to a light grey green.
A lime green circle with a gradient colour ranging from lime green to a darker green.
“Purchasing just one of our products can offset the emissions of a petrol car driving around the Earth’s equator . . . . . twice”
A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from deep green to a light green.
A green circle with a gradient colour ranging from dark green to a light grey green.
A lime green circle with a gradient colour ranging from lime green to a darker green.

Present Day

The End Result
Global Sales

100 Tree Furniture products have been sold in 8 countries on 3 continents. Most importantly of all, we have planted tens of thousands of trees!

By implementing the principles of The Lean Startup, these products took less than 6 months and cost less than €250 to bring to market. The self-operating business model that runs itself is based on The 4-Hour Work Week and it enables me to contribute to a cause I am very passionate about (sustainability & the environment) on an ongoing basis and in a meaningful way.

This project shows that I have learned from the mistakes made with Placemate while continuing to practice the process of Build, Measure, Learn, Iterate and to design products where the user experience is paramount.

100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being used by a blond girl with a grey laptop.
100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being used by a blond girl with a grey laptop.
100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being used by a blond girl with a grey laptop.
100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being used by a blond girl with a grey laptop.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being holding a silver Macbook Pro laptop. The background is light grey.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being used by a blond girl with a silver Macbook Pro laptop.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand disassembled and in a neat pile of timber. The background is light grey.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand from the side being used by a blond girl with a silver Macbook Pro laptop.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being holding a silver Macbook Pro laptop from the front. The background is light grey.
  • 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter product shot. It is assembled and on a grey background.
  • A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter.
  • 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter product shot from the side. It is assembled and on a grey background.
  • A woman in black clothes using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter from the side.
  • 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter product shot from the front. It is assembled and on a grey background.
  • 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk product shot from the front. It is assembled and on a grey background in the regular desk position.
  • A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk with the desk in standing position.
  • 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk product shot from the side. It is assembled and on a grey background in the standing position.
  • A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk with the desk in a sitting position.
  • 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk product shot from the side. It is assembled and on a grey background in the regular desk position.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being holding a silver Macbook Pro laptop. The background is light grey.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being used by a blond girl with a silver Macbook Pro laptop.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand disassembled and in a neat pile of timber. The background is light grey.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand from the side being used by a blond girl with a silver Macbook Pro laptop.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being holding a silver Macbook Pro laptop from the front. The background is light grey.
  • 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter product shot. It is assembled and on a grey background.
  • A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter.
  • 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter product shot from the side. It is assembled and on a grey background.
  • A woman in black clothes using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter from the side.
  • 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter product shot from the front. It is assembled and on a grey background.
  • 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk product shot from the front. It is assembled and on a grey background in the regular desk position.
  • A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk with the desk in standing position.
  • 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk product shot from the side. It is assembled and on a grey background in the standing position.
  • A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk with the desk in a sitting position.
  • 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk product shot from the side. It is assembled and on a grey background in the regular desk position.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being holding a silver Macbook Pro laptop. The background is light grey.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being used by a blond girl with a silver Macbook Pro laptop.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand disassembled and in a neat pile of timber. The background is light grey.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand from the side being used by a blond girl with a silver Macbook Pro laptop.
  • 100 Tree Furniture lie down laptop stand being holding a silver Macbook Pro laptop from the front. The background is light grey.
  • 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter product shot. It is assembled and on a grey background.
  • A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter.
  • 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter product shot from the side. It is assembled and on a grey background.
  • A woman in black clothes using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter from the side.
  • 100 Tree Furniture standing desk converter product shot from the front. It is assembled and on a grey background.
  • 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk product shot from the front. It is assembled and on a grey background in the regular desk position.
  • A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk with the desk in standing position.
  • 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk product shot from the side. It is assembled and on a grey background in the standing position.
  • A woman using a silver Macbook Pro on the 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk with the desk in a sitting position.
  • 100 Tree Furniture quick assembly desk product shot from the side. It is assembled and on a grey background in the regular desk position.

Want to learn more?

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Want to learn more?

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An image of the original Placemate homepage. It is a jobs search engine with the words "Jobs that match your personality" in a funky font. The text is which and light green on a navy background.
Placemate

My first multi award-winning startup.

Want to learn more?

Other Work
emagineer

An AI-powered LEGO® startup.

An image of the original Placemate homepage. It is a jobs search engine with the words "Jobs that match your personality" in a funky font. The text is which and light green on a navy background.
Placemate

My first multi award-winning startup.