Arquella: Transforming a Tech Startup into a Million-Pound Venture

Arquella was a promising tech startup looking to introduce disruptive new technology into the care sector—an industry historically resistant to change and often wary of sales-driven approaches. Despite an innovative product, the business struggled to gain traction and drive meaningful sales growth.

The Challenge

• Tough Market Environment
  Selling into a tech-averse sector meant Arquella faced skepticism from potential buyers and an uphill battle convincing decision-makers to adopt new solutions.

• Limited Commercial Focus
  While the product was strong, the emphasis on technology development left sales, marketing, and broader commercial activities under-resourced.

The Approach

1. Leadership Shift
   Steven Holmes (Founder of The Growth Curve) was brought on as Head of Marketing to stimulate growth and elevate Arquella’s profile. Soon after, he was promoted to oversee the entire business, shifting the focus more squarely onto commercial activities and revenue generation.

2. HubSpot Implementation
   To streamline operations, Holmes embedded HubSpot as the central commercial software platform, ensuring formalised marketing and sales processes, robust record-keeping, clear pipeline visibility, and eventually, a customer success function.

3. Strategic Partnerships
   Arquella broadened its value proposition by integrating complementary solutions such as falls detection and care planning software. This approach not only tapped into current market trends but also opened a potential funding route through NHSX.

4. Content-Led Lead Generation
   Leveraging LinkedIn for content-driven campaigns and direct-response paid search, Arquella offered newly created sales assets to educate and engage potential customers. Telesales followed up on warm leads to uncover additional sales opportunities.

5. Recurring-Revenue Proposition
   Holmes’s final major contribution was the development of a recurring-revenue model, reducing reliance on capital-expenditure sales. This pivot future-proofed Arquella’s business model and significantly boosted its long-term valuation.

Results

• Consistent Lead Flow
  Over 100 sales-qualified leads were generated each month.

• Revenue Growth
  Monthly revenue surpassed £100k.

• Rapid Scale
  When Holmes took the helm, Arquella’s revenue was in the tens of thousands. In less than two years, it had grown to over 7 figures per year..