My Entrepreneurship Story
During my internship with a multinational corporation last summer, I witnessed superb entrepreneurship. The company is called Seaman Paper Company and it is the leading global supplier of decorative tissue paper. They create the papers found in Hershey Kisses, the confetti used after the Super Bowl, the sheets of pink tissue paper used in Victoria's Secret bags, and much more. The company is family owned and began as a manufacturer of carbonizing paper. However, when the demand for carbonizing paper fell in 1979, they knew that they would need to come up with a different line of products in order to stay in business. So, they settled on lightweight tissue and gradually became the leaders in the niche market.
Last summer, I got to witness Seaman Paper brainstorming ways to keep up with a new trend in the packaging industry: sustainability. Since decorative tissue paper is arguably not a "necessary" product, they had to get creative in how they would market the product. They would brainstorm ideas, like how tissue paper is less wasteful than other forms of void fill like Kraft paper and plastic bubble wrap. They would also test their products and colors (dyes) to see which ones were recyclable and biodegradable, and brainstorm ways to make the ones that weren't eco-friendly more eco-friendly. They even invested in making the manufacturing process more environmentally friendly by opting to use mass amounts of non-virgin recycled pulp, which is actually more expensive than virgin pulp. This made the product much more appealing to potential customers, since they could rest assured that no one would be accusing them of extreme ecological negligence for using the product in their packaging. I really enjoyed this experience of observing the entrepreneurs at Seaman Paper Company since entrepreneurship undoubtedly plays a pivotal role in allowing the company to remain successful over time by making trendy, positive changes to their products.
Last summer, I got to witness Seaman Paper brainstorming ways to keep up with a new trend in the packaging industry: sustainability. Since decorative tissue paper is arguably not a "necessary" product, they had to get creative in how they would market the product. They would brainstorm ideas, like how tissue paper is less wasteful than other forms of void fill like Kraft paper and plastic bubble wrap. They would also test their products and colors (dyes) to see which ones were recyclable and biodegradable, and brainstorm ways to make the ones that weren't eco-friendly more eco-friendly. They even invested in making the manufacturing process more environmentally friendly by opting to use mass amounts of non-virgin recycled pulp, which is actually more expensive than virgin pulp. This made the product much more appealing to potential customers, since they could rest assured that no one would be accusing them of extreme ecological negligence for using the product in their packaging. I really enjoyed this experience of observing the entrepreneurs at Seaman Paper Company since entrepreneurship undoubtedly plays a pivotal role in allowing the company to remain successful over time by making trendy, positive changes to their products.
Interesting first-hand experience! I like how you mentioned that the company was looking at sustainability as a new point of emphasis in their marketing due to its ever-increasing appeal in a world that is much more aware of global ecological issues. Companies that establish themselves in a niche market like this one are interesting because they embody the entrepreneurial skill of finding unmet needs.
ReplyDeleteHey Katherine,
ReplyDeleteIt is awesome that you got to work at a firm in such a niche market. Often times, internships only offer students a mere glimpse into what a firm does. However, the fact that you got to see actual entrepreneurial ideas at such a large scale, and first hand, is an unforgettable experiences. You got to see the small ideas that hold up such a large organization.
What an awesome entrepreneurship experience! Sounds like they are very innovative and smart about staying in business, and in fact, they are doing so well they are now the leaders in the niche market! This is such a cool entrepreneurship experience. I imagine most internships do not deal with such a niche market! I found it interesting how they are incorporating sustainability into their products.
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