1. Focus on ‘Traction’: In the launch phase, many businesses spend a lot of money on paid ads only to see little return. Instead, Noë advises placing focus on gaining ‘traction’ through SEO and organic marketing.
2. Use Proactive CX Strategies: Noë believes companies learn little about their customers from Google reviews and generic surveys. CX Teams and leaders must actively reach out to customers to gain a clear understanding of how people are experiencing a brand and its products.
3. Listen to Customer Feedback: Noë maintains that by listening to customer feedback, companies can improve operations at all levels while gaining insight on product innovation.
4. Value Your Customers: Noë feels that E-Commerce companies should place the highest value on customers – that people are choosing to buy a brand’s products and services is an honor. A company doesn’t exist without the support of its customers.
5. Be Transparent: In a growing global E-Commerce landscape, there is a movement to support brands that are honest and open about business practices, production, and materials. Noë believes being transparent with customers from the beginning is a key factor to a company’s growth and success.
After her first visit to Indonesia 20 years ago, Noë Scherrer had dreams of returning one day and opening a business that promoted the work of the local artisans. Dreams became a reality when Noë founded Mojo Boutique, an E-Commerce furniture company, in 2020. Be inspired by how Noë and Mojo Boutique blend traditional Indonesian craftsmanship and Swiss quality to create handmade furnishings that are elevating homes around the world.
Meet Noë Scherrer, Founder of Mojo Boutique!
Born from a desire to fuse Swiss precision with the magical artistry of Bali, Mojo Boutique is driven by a passion for sustainable design and timeless craftsmanship. Working with local artisans, Mojo Boutique makes furniture using sustainably sourced materials such as recycled wood, bamboo, and rattan. Its mission is to inspire people to elevate their home with handmade unique treasures and live in true harmony with their space.
Originally from Switzerland, Noë’ and her husband first traveled to Indonesia 20 years ago and fell in love with the food, culture, and landscape. With dreams of returning, they decided to move there 10 years ago and buy a small scuba diving shop with money they had saved (Noë was working as a lawyer up to this point). Within 10 years, they scaled the business from 3 shops with a team of 20 to 6 shops with 60 employees. Reflecting on how the experience was preparation for her next entrepreneurial venture, Noë says “it was good to learn the language and how a business there works. And we always had in mind to do something with Indonesia’s traditional craftsmanship – they have generations of artisans who know how to wrap and bend natural materials.”
Noë was especially drawn to the natural beauty of handmade furniture made in Bali by locals. As someone who views the home as sacred, she was moved by how these pieces had the potential to elevate the living space. In 2020 just after selling her first business, she had the idea to launch an E-Commerce company that offered unique and exceptional furniture products made in Indonesia to people around the world. “The founding of Mojo Boutique is to merge the worlds of Swiss quality and precision with traditional craftsmanship Balinese artistry,” Noë explains. “The goal is to influence people to transform their homes into sanctuaries where they are filled with meaningful and sustainable pieces that spark joy while fostering connection.”
Noë leads a fully remote team and describes the company structure as “not like standard E-Commerce, because we are also the manufacturers.” Supported by her assistant who is based in Pakistan and two other core members in Bali overseeing marketing and customer, she works closely with 50 local artisans.
Mojo Boutique’s customer service philosophy is guided by 3 core values – authenticity, connection, and care. “The idea is to come from a giving place,” Noë says. “Because we are truly honored that people choose us to enhance their interiors.” She goes on to note how their CX philosophy is rooted in their products – each product is unique, handmade, and sustainable. “Because we have direct sourcing of material and our own artisans, we can be transparent with our customers – they know exactly who made the furniture and décor and which materials were used,” she adds.
Proactive CX: Connection Leads to Innovation
Mojo Boutique’s launch coincided with the start of COVID when people, forced to stay at home and unsure of the future, were looking for ways to make their environment inspiring and serene. This gave the company the opportunity to take a more proactive approach to CX, engaging with customers on a more personal level that moved beyond Google reviews and check-the-box surveys. Meaningful connections with customers fostered innovation. Noë elaborates, “Customers’ feedback on our furniture gives us ideas on how to improve on the next design while allowing them to be a part of the community.”
At Mojo Boutique, there are 2 key factors driving innovation – artistic integrity and current trends in the furniture industry. Noë reveals they strive to create beautiful pieces that use traditional craftsmanship and ‘noble’ materials while considering the aesthetic tastes of the modern world. Understanding that customers want options, she says we ‘innovate in the styles that we provide. We can’t just offer furniture referencing the 60s and 70s. We have adapted and are now one of the first companies to offer Japandi style pieces that work well within a modern interior.”
Leveraging SEO Strategies and Organic Marketing
As a new E-Commerce company trying to get its name and products out in the world, Mojo Boutique heavily invested in paid ads. “We had the feeling that if we didn't spend $15k on Google Ads, we were no one,” Noë admits. This was also during the first wave of COVID when everyone was glued to their phones and mindlessly scrolling – online ads lose effectiveness on a smaller screen. Seeing little traction and returns, the company shifted to a more organic approach to marketing. Noë elaborates, “We focused 100% on SEO strategy and on posting a lot of articles on our blog and this has really paid off.”
Peak Season in the Furniture Industry
While most E-Commerce companies experience peak season during Q4, the online furniture industry is busiest between the months of November to January. The calendar period correlates with the start of the holiday season (Thanksgiving in the US) when homes become the place for hosting dinners and entertaining. There is a desire to invest in the interior, Noë says while pointing out, “more friends will be coming over, and during the winter, you have more people coming into your home.”
Asked about how they manage business and profits, Noë reveals “the first two years, we lost money.” At that point, Mojo Boutique underwent a positive turnaround and has continued to grow with all profits going back into the company.
Customer retention plays a crucial role in Mojo Boutique’s revenue model – 58% of customers are returning. Noë believes that people continue to shop from the company because of its ethos and distinctive designs. “We realized that once a customer buys a second item from us, they want more because we offer a certain style and all the pieces go well together,” she notes.
Through its blog, Mojo Boutique has cultivated a calm, aesthetic driven lifestyle that caught the attention of the hospitality industry. Restaurants and hotels around the world have reached out to the company to elevate their interiors with furniture and home accents. Looking ahead, Noë wants to expand their B2B (business-to-business) partnerships and says, “we’ve started to furnish Mövenpick in the Maldives, and restaurants and hotels in Italy and other parts of Europe. We want to continue focusing on these types of clients.”
Selling mainly to Switzerland in the beginning, Mojo Boutique’s market eventually expanded to the US, which continues to where most of their customers are located. Regarding the company’s position in the global E-Commerce landscape, Noë is excited for this next phase. “It’s allowed us to offer our pieces worldwide. Now we have clients in Saudi Arabia – it’s changed everything for us,” she notes.
Noë speaks from experience when offering advice to anyone planning to start an E-Commerce business. She says Mojo Boutique started to grow once it moved away from paid advertising and began investing in strategies focused on gaining “traction.” She goes on to recommend the book, ‘Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth’ by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares. “It’s important to really know your customer in order to reach them,” she adds.
What excites Noë most about E-Commerce? The limitless potential.
Can’t live without tool? SEOWRITING.AI
Key hiring trait? A positive person who can think outside of the box.
AI or no AI? It’s a blessing. We don’t use it to reply to our customers but use it a lot in our day-to-day work.
Favorite thought leader in the E-Commerce space? I like Anne Hadley. She’s a writer, digital marketing pioneer, and author of ‘Everybody Writes: Your Go-To-Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content.’
#1 Challenge as a leader? Being a woman boss—whether in Indonesia or Switzerland—comes with extra challenges. I focus on trying to understand the perspectives of everyone, staying positive, and finding win-win solutions. Over time, as we talk and collaborate, we find our rhythm and enjoy the process. The business grows, and we stick together.
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