From Startup to International Operations

PROJECT SUMMARY

As Co-Founder and Operations Manager of VidaLearn, I helped grow the business from a small international education agency into an organisation supporting students across multiple countries. As the business expanded, I led the operational side of the company, designing scalable processes, implementing CRM systems, building international partnerships and creating workflows that allowed the business to grow without compromising customer experience. Between 2017 and 2019, revenue increased from approximately €190,000 to €680,000, supported by more efficient operations and the expansion of our partner network.

THE CHALLENGE

Rapid business growth created increasing operational complexity. As student numbers grew, manual processes that had worked for a small business became inefficient, increasing the risk of delays, inconsistent customer experiences and administrative bottlenecks.

The challenge was to scale operations while maintaining service quality, improving internal efficiency and supporting a growing international network of education partners.

MY ROLE

As Co-Founder, I was responsible for the company's operational strategy, customer journey and internal processes. My responsibilities included designing workflows, implementing CRM solutions, managing international partnerships, coordinating admissions with schools, improving customer communications and supporting a multidisciplinary team across Brazil and Ireland. I also led continuous process improvements to ensure the business could scale efficiently while maintaining a personalised customer experience.

MY APPROACH

Rather than solving problems individually as they appeared, I focused on creating systems that would prevent them from happening again.

I mapped the entire customer journey, identified operational bottlenecks and standardised repetitive processes wherever possible. CRM automation reduced manual administration, while clearly defined workflows improved collaboration between internal teams and international partners.

As the business continued to grow, I regularly reviewed operations to identify opportunities for further simplification, allowing the company to scale without proportionally increasing operational complexity.

THE OUTCOME

- Increased annual revenue from approximately €190,000 to €680,000 within two years.
- Built partnerships with 80+ international education providers.
- Scaled operations across Brazil and Ireland.
- Implemented CRM systems and operational workflows to support business growth.
- Improved customer experience through more structured processes and communication.
- Created a scalable operational foundation that supported continued expansion.

A RESPONSIBLE EXIT

Like many businesses in the international education sector, VidaLearn was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the long-term disruption it caused to international travel and student mobility.
Rather than closing immediately, we prioritised supporting every student already enrolled, honouring our commitments to partner schools and ensuring ongoing cases were successfully completed. Only after fulfilling those responsibilities did we make the strategic decision to wind down the business.

Although closing a company is never the desired outcome, this experience reinforced the importance of responsible leadership, transparent communication and making difficult decisions with integrity when circumstances change.

KEY LEARNINGS

- Sustainable growth depends on scalable systems, not simply increasing workload.
- Process design should evolve alongside business growth.
- Strong partnerships require operational consistency as much as good relationships.
- Automation creates capacity for higher-value work rather than replacing people.
- Customer experience improves when internal operations become simpler and more predictable.
- Responsible leadership means making difficult decisions while protecting customers, partners and your team's trust.

KEY SKILLS DEMONSTRATED

- Business Operations
- Operational Strategy
- Process Design
- Business Scaling
- CRM Implementation
- Workflow Optimisation
- Customer Experience
- Partnership Management
- Business Development
- Project Management
- Process Automation
- Leadership
- Change Management
- Crisis Management

IF I WERE DOING THIS TODAY...

Looking back, I would invest in operational infrastructure much earlier. AI-powered workflows, modern CRM automation and business intelligence dashboards would provide greater visibility into customer behaviour, operational performance and team capacity, allowing decisions to be made faster and with better data.

I would also introduce standard operating procedures (SOPs) and performance dashboards earlier in the company's growth, making onboarding faster, improving consistency and reducing dependency on key individuals.

Finally, I would strengthen contingency planning from the beginning by documenting business continuity processes and building more diversified revenue streams. While no business can predict a global pandemic, preparing for uncertainty makes organisations more resilient.

Most importantly, this experience taught me that scaling a business is not only about growth. It is about building systems that are resilient enough to adapt to change, supporting people through uncertainty and making responsible decisions when circumstances demand it.