Location/Region: Philadelphia, PA
Industry: Manufacturing
Apps implemented: Manufacturing, Inventory, Invoicing, Accounting
Software Replaced: N/A
Number of users: 5
Company size: 10
Hosting type: On-premise
Being a kid means having an imagination with endless possibilities– a piece of paper can become art or an origami animal, and a sidewalk can become a hopscotch court or a colorful masterpiece. One piece of chalk or a paintbrush covered in paint in the hands of a child can be the start of a beautiful, creative endeavor. TWEE, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, wants to give kids the tools that allow them to play and spark their creativity.
Founded in 2016, TWEE finds its beginnings as a classroom project that went awry. Margaux DelCollo was hoping to have her son and his preschool classmates make homemade chalk with a few ingredients. But what started off as a promising idea ended up being quite a “fail” as Margaux realized that making chalk was not as simple as the DIY project appeared. Driven by a desire to successfully finish the project that she’d started, the idea for TWEE was born.
Today, TWEE makes art tools for “little hands and big imaginations,” including sidewalk chalk in fun designs, vegetable-based paints, and art supply pouches. TWEE’s products are not only appealing to kids and parents alike but are also child-safe and non-toxic. The company also prides itself on being an environmentally friendly brand with sustainable packaging and materials used in the manufacturing process. Margaux’s goal as CEO is to someday fill an entire shelf at the store with TWEE’s designs and products for kids.
As Margaux learned the ins and outs of running a business, TWEE grew with her. Eventually, the company needed a comprehensive ERP to properly manage its operations. This is where Odoo comes in.
Chalk and challenges: navigating TWEE’s early growing pains
When TWEE started in 2016, Margaux had no experience with the manufacturing process of a business. She explains that it was a “learn as we go” mindset. At first, Margaux estimated inventory levels visually before eventually switching to tracking inventory with Excel spreadsheets. As the company grew, so did her knowledge of what the numbers needed to be in order to meet demand. TWEE’s inventory management needs started becoming more complex, and the spreadsheet method of tracking information simply couldn’t keep up. Margaux knew at this point that the business needed an ERP solution if it was to continue growing.
In the process of exploring options, Margaux says “Odoo seemed like the most functional for us.” Specifically, Odoo seemed like a platform that was adaptable and intuitive enough for a smaller business such as TWEE. She explains that other big-name ERP options seemed like they wouldn’t be able to meet TWEE where it was at and instead only catered to bigger company sizes. Odoo stood out above the rest for this very reason:
Odoo was simplified enough that it could help us where we are now and grow with us. And that's what we really needed, we didn’t see that in anything else we were looking at.
Once Margaux decided on Odoo, it took TWEE about three months to become fully implemented and for her team to feel confident within the software. A game-changing decision that Margaux feels she made in the implementation process was purchasing a success pack with Odoo to get additional support from a dedicated consultant:
I found that to be so incredibly helpful. We’re not the most tech-savvy group, so having someone who could meet with us, walk us through the process, and provide us with deliverables every time we ended the conversation was incredibly helpful. If left to our own devices, yes we could have done it, but it really helped us expedite the process.
In 2022, TWEE officially went live with Odoo.
Drawing outside the lines: TWEE’s growth with Odoo
Odoo has been game-changing for managing TWEE’s day-to-day business operations. Having used pen and paper and Excel spreadsheets prior to Odoo, the software’s intuitive design has made it especially easy for Margaux and her team to become comfortable using the database. The module design and the way it organizes related tasks make using Odoo understandable for individuals unfamiliar with ERP systems. Margaux says that Odoo has been great for internal communication, especially because notes and messages can be linked to specific tasks.
I love the idea that everything is an app.
Odoo has been particularly impactful in terms of insight into inventory and manufacturing numbers, offering better organization than a multi-spreadsheet system. The software’s integrated nature means that changes to data in one module, such as inventory, are reflected instantaneously and effortlessly in another module, such as manufacturing. Additionally, Odoo’s automated reordering rules have been critical to the business’ workflows as a manufacturing company. With handmade pieces, there can often be inconsistencies and variations in the amounts of ingredients used for a product. Odoo, Margaux says, allows her to account for these discrepancies while still maintaining inventory accuracy.
[They say] ‘you have to know your numbers,’ and how true that is with your inventory, and your manufacturing numbers, and your COGS. Instead of going to, like, 17 different spreadsheets, Odoo makes it possible to have it all right there. And what I love is that they’re talking to each other. Each app is feeding off the next one.
For a small company determined on getting its creatively designed products into the little hands of children across the country, TWEE has found ideal partnership in Odoo. With comprehensive and intuitive software on its side, the Philadelphia-based business is prepared to continue to grow, giving kids the tools they need to let their imaginations run free.
TWEE: Painting a Colorful Future with Odoo