In early 2025, I tackled a challenge to expand a leading Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) marketplace, known for its robust logistics, into a B2B wholesale category for small businesses. As a Technical Program Manager with 16+ years in tech (RudderStack, GoalSmacker, IBM), I proposed a B2B portal for Locally-Sourced Wellness Subscription Kits – organic teas, candles, and skincare crafted by home-based mothers in California. This solution minimized manufacturing costs, empowered local artisans, and strengthened the regional economy by prioritizing domestic production. Targeting spas, gift shops, and corporates, the $500K, 6-month MVP leveraged existing logistics to deliver a scalable platform, with AI insights guiding my cross-functional launch plan.
Why This Idea?
California’s wellness market caught my attention due to its post-COVID surge in demand for authentic, eco-friendly products, especially among B2B buyers like spas seeking unique offerings. Research on US markets and my visits to California and Indian tech hubs revealed a gap: no dedicated platform served small businesses with U.S.-sourced wellness kits in bulk, unlike D2C brands thriving online. With potential 2025 economic pressures and U.S. tariffs favouring local goods, this niche offered a first-mover advantage. I validated my concept using AI tools, ensuring alignment with market trends and stakeholder needs for a recession-proof, high-margin category.
Solution: A Niche B2B Portal
The MVP was a streamlined platform enabling B2B buyers to browse, order, and subscribe to wellness kits. Non-negotiable features included:
- Product Catalog: Filterable listings (e.g., organic certification) for easy navigation.
- Sign-Up & Validation: Business document uploads (e.g., tax ID) to verify buyers.
- Bulk Ordering & Subscriptions: One-click orders for 10+ kits with recurring options.
- Fulfillment Integration: APIs syncing with existing inventory and shipping systems.
- Invoicing & Feedback: Tax-compliant invoices and post-purchase surveys.
The $500K budget supported a U.S.–India team (3 frontend, 4 backend devs, 1 designer, 1 QA, U.S. architect, 1 PM), targeting launch by October 2025.
Competitive Landscape
Unlike Amazon Business or Faire, which focus on low-cost, often imported goods, my portal targeted U.S.-sourced, eco-friendly kits. This niche avoided price competition, appealing to 40,000 B2B buyers (spas, shops) seeking authenticity. No clear market leader existed, offering a first-mover advantage.
Execution Plan
- Timeline: Design (Weeks 1–6), frontend (Weeks 7–12), backend (Weeks 13–16), testing (Weeks 20–22), launch (Week 26).
- Team Coordination: Daily standups (9:00 AM EST / 6:30 PM IST), weekly sprints, and Slack channels (b2b-dev, b2b-queries) ensured velocity. I assigned tasks via Jira, with the U.S. architect approving tech decisions and QA starting test cases by Week 7.
- Stakeholder Alignment: Tailored updates – sales metrics for VP of Sales (e.g., “50 orders Month 1”), budget tracking for CFO ($455K spent), bug reports for CTO (90% fixed) – kept all engaged.
Technical Requirements
- APIs: Order placement, customer data (business details), sales reporting.
- Data Model: Added B2B fields (e.g., tax ID) and subscription tracking.
- Integrations: Fulfillment sync and analytics (e.g., Google Analytics) by Week 20.
- Performance: Load testing (1,000 requests) and rate limiting ensured stability.
User Story Example
As a gift shop owner, I want to view wellness kits easily to order 10+ monthly without frustration.
- Acceptance: Homepage loads <3s, catalog <1 click, bounce rate <50%.
- Metrics: 5% conversion (50 sales/1,000 visitors), 3+ page views/session.
Success Metrics & Risks
- Traction: 1,000 visitors, 50 sales, 20 subscriptions Month 1.
- Risks: >70% bounce rate, low sales, >50% D2C traffic, 30+ support tickets.
Projected revenue: $12,500 (500 units at $25/unit) Month 1, with $500K recoverable by Year 4 (50,000 units).
Blockers & Mitigations
- Technical: API tweaks risked delays; mitigated with early testing (Week 14).
- Organizational: D2C-to-B2B shift required new outreach (e.g., trade fairs); planned targeted campaigns.
- Go-to-Market: Potential brand stigma from prior work needed tech-first branding (e.g., meetup talks).
Phase 2 Deferrals
Features like cart reminders, order cancellations, mobile apps, and custom kit builders were deferred to post-Year 1, prioritizing a lean launch based on traction (e.g., 400+ clients).
How I Used AI
I began with my own analysis—market trends, competitive gaps, and technical feasibility – rooted in years of generating results at RudderStack and GoalSmacker. To enhance and cross-check, I used AI tools like Claude, MetaAI and Perplexity as a second opinion. For example, I prompted: “Suggest recession-proof, U.S.-sourced B2B wholesale products with justifications,” which validated wellness kits and sparked ideas like subscription models. AI also helped refine user stories (e.g., catalog browsing) and estimate revenue ($12,500 Month 1), but I rewrote outputs to align with my vision and stakeholder needs, ensuring authenticity.
Outcomes & Learnings
This conceptual exercise sharpened my ability to:
- Identify market opportunities using firsthand insights and AI validation.
- Design a $500K MVP balancing stakeholder priorities (speed, scalability, ROI).
- Lead distributed teams with clear tools (Slack, Jira, Confluence).
The proposal forecasted $12,500 in Month 1 revenue and a path to 400 clients, showcasing my skills in delivering impact under constraints. I’m eager to apply these to real-world MVPs, driving value for health-focused businesses.
Call to Action
I’m Yaju Arya, a TPM passionate about building meaningful tech. Connect with me on LinkedIn or email to discuss product ideas (remote). Let’s create something impactful together!
Yaju Arya Dot Com 