Two business models, one core competency: how to build a scalable platform model out of your core business
This episode was recorded in German.
From event company to scalable platform: how smartvillage is rethinking an entire industry
Many companies grow by opening more locations, hiring more people, or entering new markets. But sustainable scaling doesn't come from size alone. It comes from a business model that evolves intelligently. Lukas Koppitz, founder and CEO of smartvillage, shows on the podcast "Hope Is Not a Strategy" how an idea for modern B2B event locations turned into a company with multiple sites and an entirely new growth strategy.
Customer experience as a strategic competitive advantage
For Lukas Koppitz, the customer experience doesn't start when someone walks into a location. Every touchpoint, from the first inquiry to the booking process to the event itself, shapes how a company is perceived. That's exactly why smartvillage has consistently focused on customer experience and deliberately set itself apart from conventional event locations. The goal was never to please every customer, but to reach precisely those companies that place particular value on high-quality events and exceptional experiences.
Growth through focus, not frantic activity
Many companies try to grow with a constant stream of new business ideas. smartvillage deliberately chose the opposite path. Instead of building up numerous business areas, the company concentrated rigorously on one core competency: exceptional B2B events. That clear focus made it possible to standardize processes, build expertise, and develop a strong brand. The key insight: doing a few things excellently creates the foundation for sustainable growth.
Data as the basis for better decisions
Another success factor is the consistent digitalization of every process. Over the years, smartvillage has collected data along the entire customer journey, from the first inquiry to the booking process to post-event feedback. That produces valuable insights into customer behavior, capacity utilization, sales, and marketing. Data isn't collected for its own sake. It forms the basis for better decisions, more efficient processes, and a continuously improving customer experience.
Turning expertise into a new business model
smartvillage's next strategic move is especially interesting. Instead of operating only its own locations, the company now transfers its experience to hotels and their conference facilities. "smartvillage as a Service" is a scalable model that uses technology, processes, and sales expertise to make existing conference centers more successful. With it, smartvillage is evolving from an operator of its own event locations into a platform that makes its expertise available to other companies as well.
People remain the most important success factor
For all the digitalization, Lukas Koppitz keeps coming back to one point: growth isn't possible without the right people. Technology can improve processes and support decisions, but what counts is a strong team with different perspectives and shared values. Especially in difficult phases like the COVID pandemic, trust, collaboration, and a clear shared vision were the foundation for moving the company forward successfully.
Who this episode is for
This episode is for entrepreneurs, managing directors, and strategy leaders who want to scale their company sustainably. It shows impressively how rigorous focus, excellent customer experience, and data-driven decisions can create new growth opportunities even in an established industry, and why the biggest innovations often don't come from entirely new products, but from intelligently evolving an existing business model.
🚀 Listen now and find out how smartvillage turned an event location into a scalable business model.
SHOW NOTES
Lukas Koppitz https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukas-koppitz-657b35134/
smartvillage https://smartvillage.com/
Christian Underwood https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianunderwood/
Strategic Decision Intelligence: https://strategicdecisionintelligence.ai
"Hope Is Not a Strategy" magazine https://shop.strategyframe.ai/products/hoffnung-ist-keine-strategie-ii-1-strategic-decision-intelligence
All links https://linktr.ee/strategyframe