Peacework Puzzles founders used their existing creative agency to cover living expenses. This allowed them to bootstrap their puzzle company without the pressure of fundraising or immediate profitability, giving them complete creative control and autonomy.
While competitors followed the prevailing minimalist, 'beige-on-beige' aesthetic, Peacework Puzzles deliberately chose a maximalist and colorful brand identity. This contrarian approach made them stand out, resonated authentically with a specific audience, and helped build a loyal following.
Peacework noticed customers asking to buy the unique props featured in their maximalist puzzle photography. They leveraged this direct feedback to launch a curated collection of giftable items seen in their 'puzzle worlds,' creating a natural and successful product line extension.
When Peacework founders face a new challenge, one schedules a series of brief, 15-minute 'advice tour' calls with friends and industry contacts. This structured approach provides diverse perspectives and connections, leading to faster, more informed solutions than solving problems in isolation.
The founders credit their successful partnership to an equal commitment to hard work. By dividing responsibilities and working independently before collaborating ('divide and conquer'), they ensure an even playing field and avoid the common pitfalls of co-founder burnout or resentment that often ruin business friendships.
Peacework Puzzles intentionally designed its boxes to look like art books or luxury candles, not traditional game boxes. This strategy encourages customers to display the puzzles as home decor, leading to organic social media sharing as people style them on shelves and coffee tables.
Expanding from puzzles to napkins seems illogical, but Peacework did it to support a marketing campaign for a tomato-themed puzzle. The napkins sold surprisingly well, becoming a major new business arm. This shows that ignoring conventional product expansion advice can uncover unexpected opportunities.
Peacework Puzzles advises that successful brand collaborations require a single, clear objective. Before partnering, decide if the main goal is enhancing brand equity, growing your audience, or driving revenue. Trying to achieve all three at once leads to misaligned expectations and less effective outcomes.