An Advent Calendar Full of Startups: The Adventsome Story
Volume #27 of "Happy Bootstrapping" Newsletter
Lea and her co-founder Josias have been selling sustainable advent calendars filled with startup products since 2018 - the name: Adventsome. What began with 500 self-packed calendars is now a seven-figure business with thousands of regular customers. They've already donated €194,000 – all completely bootstrapped.
This is a summary of Episode 138 of the “Happy Bootstrapping” Podcast (German).
The Founding Story: No Suitable Calendars Found
In 2017, Lea and Josias wanted to give each other advent calendars. The problem: "Nothing really convinced us." The calendars were either filled only with chocolate, only with perfume, or – if they were fancy – only with gin. "We couldn't find this mix anywhere."
So they crafted their own with startup products. They wondered:
"Why don't companies team up and make advent calendars?"
The idea came so late in the year that they had to wait until 2018. The first calendar cost €85, today it's €139 for products worth over €250.
The Business Model: 20 Startups + 4 Donations
The concept has remained the same since day one:
20 days with startup products (full-size, no samples)
4 days with donations for social projects
Reusable box instead of disposable calendar
Discount codes for all included brands
"We don't even want the products for free," Lea emphasizes. The startups pay production costs but see it as a marketing investment. The collaboration is partnership-based – some brands have been part of it for years, like Jungfeld with new sock designs annually.
Particularly clever: The pre-order phase. 3,000 customers order blind until mid-January – with 800 of them in the "Inner Circle" for direct product feedback. This also solves the cash flow problem: "The years before, it was always such a hustle."
Marketing and Biggest Challenges
The beginning was tough: "2018 was a different situation than today because nobody knew us." Marketing today:
Extremely high repeat customer rate
Influencer collaborations since 2019
Social media ads (significantly more expensive now)
PR successes like Sat.1/ProSieben (website crashed)
New podcast "Stay Curious" in planning
The biggest fails? Soap packed next to chocolates ("now taste like soap") and ordering non-vegan glitter. "I have thousands of euros worth of glitter lying around here."
Operationally, the seasonality is challenging: First products arrive in April, packaging runs through social workshops, shipping starts in October. "The whole year is really filled with this Christmas magic."
Life as a Founder Duo: Studies vs. Business
Lea studied law, Josias business administration. In the first year, they packed 13,000 individual gifts themselves – with only Lea's mother helping. "She even pulled all-nighters."
The division of work today:
Josias: Technology (WooCommerce), finances, logistics
Lea: Customer support, social media, creative writing
Much done together, "we're not clearly structured"
The founder's grant helped initially with €1,000 per person monthly. Josias finished his studies, Lea dropped out: "I've really only been officially deregistered for three years."
Lea's Learnings from Six Years of Adventsome:
Keep costs low – "We weren't too proud for anything"
Authenticity pays off – "Our product is full of heart"
The right team is crucial
Pre-orders solve cash flow problems
Aroma-proof packaging is essential (soap fail)
Look closely at glitter (vegan fail)
"I never celebrated Christmas as a child," Lea reveals. "That I now spend the whole year dealing with Christmas definitely makes up for a lot." With a "win folder" full of customer messages, she recharges energy for the stressful season.
What I Learned as an Interviewer
I was particularly impressed by the consistent donation integration from the start – €194,000 is an impressive sum. The pre-order solution for the cash flow problem is brilliantly simple. I was surprised that despite the high repeat customer rate, they still run ads – "it's also about being generally visible." And Lea's personal story of compensating for her missed childhood Christmases through Adventsome makes everything even more authentic.
Happy Bootstrapping is a German podcast where I interview bootstrapped founders, indie hackers, and solopreneurs about their startup journeys.
Over the years, I've connected with many successful entrepreneurs who have built e-commerce shops, SaaS platforms, mobile apps, content businesses, or hybrid models.
Furthermore I am a bootstrapper myself and growing my DevOps-as-a-Sercice and Web Operations Company “We Manage”.