Oh Crap, a company that sells compostable dog poop bags, made the AFR Fast Starters List in 2021. They attribute their growing success to the Deakin Business Development Clinic.

Established four years ago, the highly successful Deakin clinic helps small and medium-sized enterprises grow their profits while providing real-world consulting experience to students. The basis of the program is the 7 Levers Framework, a proven method of growing business co-created by entrepreneur and award-winning author Pete Williams.

A team of five students from the BDC performed a ‘health check’ on the company. They then selected one of the 7 Levers as a focal point, producing a 5000-word report which Oh Crap implemented into their business.

‘Our mission is to help reduce the 4% of landfill that is dog poop. We want to make a difference in the world – one poop at a time,’ explains Oh Crap CEO, Henry Reith. ‘The students turned up with a nine-page report that was a full-blown analysis of one of our business model and profit drivers. I was really, really impressed.’

Student consultants recommended a sophisticated and automated referral program, they provided ideas for the referral incentives and suggested other tools the company could use. 

‘They really broke down everything: from this is why you want it, this is the potential results based on going out there, and looking at some success stories that they found,’ Henry says.

‘They made it easy because I think it's a combination of the 7 Levers. It's not one of those scary situations where you look to grow the business and you think there's a million things you can do. It just hones down on the simple bits.’

The referral program initiated by the students is still going strong. Oh Crap still use the 7 Levers Framework and have seen continued revenue growth as a result.

‘We've had two of our best years ever. It (the 7 Levers) is part of the reason we made it onto the Australian Financial Review Fast Starters list.’ 

The AFR Fast Starters list acknowledges the fastest growing start-ups in Australia and inclusion was a real coup for Oh Crap.

‘It's really cool that we got the AFR Fast Starters award, and we were recognised for that, and hopefully we’ll be in it this year,’ says Henry.

If you have a small business and would like to gain a similar experience and be part of the Deakin Business Development Clinic you can find our more information here. 

If you're a student and would like to know more about the clinci, go visit this page.