Donux’s Growth Hack: Redefining the B2B Application Experience
Founders Espresso: Inspiring Stories, Key Lessons, and Practical Tips from Hidden Champion Founders to Boost Your Entrepreneurial Journey.
Founder Shots☕
🚀 Startup Growth Hack
Donux focused on designing efficient B2B applications, ensuring both user and business needs are met with an innovative, holistic approach.
💡 Founder Spotlight
Giustino Borzacchiello, Co-founder, transitioned from software engineering to product design, bringing years of technical expertise into the B2B design space.
🗝 Founder Tips
"Structuring for Balance: 'It’s crucial to maintain other aspects of your life because the market changes, and so will your company.'"
🛠 Startup Tools
Leveraging startup studios and strategic networking to build a solid client base.
☕ Cup of Founders Wisdom
"Always be selling and never underestimate the power of a solid sales pipeline."—The Shift from Technical Precision to Commercial Strategy
🔋 Boost of Inspiration
"Making the World a Bit Better: 'I always aim to make the world a bit better than I found it.'"
🚀Startup Growth Hack
Building Donux: Redefining the B2B Application Experience
Donux, a product design studio, takes a holistic approach to designing B2B applications. Giustino Borzacchiello, co-founder of Donux, started with the aim of bridging the gap between user-friendly B2C apps and the often outdated B2B software experience. He emphasizes that for a digital product to succeed, it must cater symbiotically to both the business and the end user.
Starting his career as a backend software engineer, Giustino was passionate about how technology could meet business goals. His experience in designing applications within a scale-up environment equipped him to identify gaps in B2B user experiences and motivated him to co-found Donux with his colleague Giuseppe Mammone.
Despite the challenges of launching during the pandemic, Donux’s focus on product efficiency and user experience allowed them to double their revenue year after year. Positioned within the startup studio “Startup Bakery,” Donux not only grew independently but also supported the development of other startups in the studio by providing design and product expertise.
💡Founder Spotlight
Giustino Borzacchiello: From Software Engineer to Product Innovator
Giustino’s journey from software engineer to co-founder of Donux was shaped by his passion for improving digital products. With over 15 years of experience in building APIs and backend systems, he shifted his focus to designing entire digital experiences, merging technical know-how with user-centered design.
The idea for Donux originated during his time at MotorK, a Milan-based scale-up. There, he and Giuseppe developed a unique perspective on how B2B products should be created, emphasizing the importance of user experience, even in professional tools.
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🗝Founder Tips
Time Management: Structuring for Balance
Giustino emphasizes the importance of managing time effectively as a founder. Unlike his previous role as a software engineer, where his calendar was mostly open, he now structures his days with dedicated blocks for meetings and deep work. For instance, he schedules meetings back-to-back in half-day slots to keep them concise and ensure time for focused work.
He also sets clear boundaries, stopping work after 10 hours to prioritize family time and personal hobbies. Since becoming a father in 2020, he’s committed to balancing work with personal life, rejecting the 24/7 hustle mentality. “It’s crucial to maintain other aspects of your life,” he explains, “because the market changes, and so will your company.”
🛠Startup Tools
Strategic Partnerships and Network Building
Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, Donux managed to grow rapidly by leveraging a key strategy: building a strong network and relying on referrals. Giustino highlights that for service companies like Donux, connections are the lifeblood of growth, with up to 80% of their leads coming through referrals—a trend consistent among agency founders. By nurturing relationships and consistently delivering high-quality results, Donux has built a solid foundation for sustainable growth.
The effectiveness of this approach is evident in Donux’s track record. Despite the uncertainty of the pandemic, the company doubled its business year-over-year in 2020, 2021, and again in 2022. Giustino attributes this success not only to their robust network but also to his deep technical background and belief that digital products must be a symbiotic entity, benefiting both the businesses creating them and the people using them. This philosophy has allowed Donux to develop products that are not only functional but also aligned with the evolving needs of their clients.
☕Cup of Founders Wisdom
"Always Be Selling"—The Shift from Technical Precision to Commercial Strategy
Giustino’s transition from a software engineer to a business leader required a fundamental change in mindset. Initially, he approached sales with the same mindset he applied in coding—seeking to optimize every process, automate as much as possible, and maximize efficiency. However, he soon learned that sales and business development are different beasts altogether.
In software engineering, the goal is to write code once and leverage it multiple times—an optimized function can be reused hundreds of times without additional effort. Sales, on the other hand, demand continuous and direct engagement. Giustino realized that the principle of scaling through efficiency doesn’t translate directly into business development; it’s all about consistent effort and activity.
🔋Boost of Inspiration
Improving the World, One Step at a Time
For Giustino, entrepreneurship is about problem-solving and leaving a positive impact. Even from a young age, he wanted to be an inventor. Today, that drive translates into improving digital experiences for users, particularly in the B2B sector. "I always aim to make the world a bit better than I found it," he shares, focusing on making incremental, local improvements that can eventually scale and have a broader impact.
Stay tuned for more founders’ stories and updates in the next edition of Founders Espresso!
Sip up and Scale up together.
Andrea Marino - Founders Espresso
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