Five Years of P2S Management Consulting: A Rollercoaster of Entrepreneurship, Growth & Transformation ????

If you had told my 22-year-old student self in 2019 that five years later, I’d be running a boutique consulting firm, working with 34 clients across 14 countries on 3 continents, leading a 10-person team with 15 spoken languages, and helping manufacturers successfully transition to subscription-based business models, I would have probably laughed, gone back to writing my master’s thesis, and thought, “Yeah, right.”

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Yet here we are. Five years, 30+ projects, 300+ client team members engaged with, 200+ successful subscription case studies analyzed, and countless lessons later.

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As we kick off the new year, I want to take a moment to reflect on this journey – the wins, the struggles, and the invaluable experience gained along the way. So, let me take you on the journey of P2S! ??

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2019: The Accidental Entrepreneur ??

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It all started with a student consulting project on circular economy and new business models. (Big thanks to John van der Linden & Annick Van Put for opening that door.) That fascination led to my master’s thesis under Prof. Sandra Rothenberger , where I explored how manufacturers could shift from selling products to offering subscriptions and Product-as-a-Service (PaaS) models – focusing on the business model transformation.

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Then, in October 2019, came the moment that changed everything:

“Why don’t you start consulting on this?”

24 hours later, I called my supervisor back and said YES, I’ll do it!

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A few weeks later, I found myself in Germany, pitching to 20+ strategic leaders—in business German (which, let me tell you, has some very long words).

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And then… René Schulz , a visionary leader in power tools, saw the potential and just like that, P2S had its first client.

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First project in Munich, southern Germany. Let’s go!

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No office. No business card. Just an idea, a laptop, a ton of motivation, and—most importantly—a pair of skis for weekend escapes.

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I was realizing the true complexity of subscription models. IT, logistics, legal, pricing, marketing—turns out, you need to think about everything. (Who knew? ??). Building a subscription business from scracth and having to deal with all the things and details was defintetly the best and steepest learning experience.

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2020: A Harsh Reality Check—And a New Beginning ??

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2020 was supposed to be the year things really took off.

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I had my first client. I was actively looking for new projects, knocking on doors, driving to every major manufacturing trade fair in Germany, talking to hundreds of people, handing out good old-fashioned business cards, and turning conversations into future projects.

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Momentum was building. The hard work was paying off.

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Then, BOOM.

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COVID.

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Five months into my entrepreneurial journey, the world shut down.

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? Trade fairs? Canceled.

? Client visits? Impossible.

? Manufacturers? Frozen in uncertainty.

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I still remember sitting in my tiny apartment, staring at my laptop, thinking: “Well, that was short-lived.”

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When you’re a one-person business, and the world grinds to a halt, there’s no safety net. No corporate backup plan. No one to tell you what’s next. And when you’re a solo entrepreneur, your only sparring partner to brainstorm with is, well… yourself.

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For the first time, I questioned everything:

?? Had I made the wrong choice?

?? Would manufacturers even invest in new business models right now?

?? Should I just pause P2S and go get a “safe” job?

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For a few weeks, I didn’t have an answer.

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But then, something clicked. I read dozens of books about subscriptions, continued doing dozens of expert interviews of people and companies that went through the development process of subscription models. I realized I had been working on one of the biggest shifts in manufacturing—subscriptions and Product-as-a-Service (PaaS) models.

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Why? Because subscription and PaaS models align incentives.

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? Manufacturers shift from selling one-time products to ensuring long-term value for their customers.

? Customers benefit from performance, uptime, and efficiency instead of just ownership.

? The planet wins, because products are designed for longevity, efficiency, and reusability.

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And if there was ever a time for manufacturers to rethink their business models, it was now.

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So instead of putting P2S on hold, I doubled down.

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Turning a Crisis Into a Game Plan

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P2S Management Consulting was officially born.

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A niche consultancy, fully focused on subscription and PaaS model transformations for B2B hardware manufacturers.

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That’s when the P2S Subscription Action Plan? was created—a structured methodology to guide manufacturers through the 20+ areas impacted by the shift to subscriptions. Areas such as pricing, financing structures, contracts and risk management, IT infrastructure, sales teams compensation models, etc.

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It wasn’t theoretical. It was built from real struggles, real challenges, and real experience.

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And, despite the uncertainty, manufacturers were still willing to invest in the future.

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? My second client signed during COVID—this time in Light-as-a-Service.

? I developed the foundation of our consulting model—one that wasn’t based on selling hours, but on co-building businesses with our clients.

? I defined our mission: to help B2B hardware manufacturers transition from selling products to selling value (output, performance, availability of their products and services).

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And yes, P2S stands for “Products to Subscriptions.” (Obvious now, right?)

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Looking back, 2020 was the hardest year of my life as an entrepreneur. It felt like hitting wall after wall—until I realized it was just a door I had to push through.

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And once I did, everything changed.

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2021: From a One-Man Show to a Growing Team ??

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P2S was no longer just an idea—it was becoming a real company with a real mission.

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But running a business wasn’t just about delivering projects—it also meant building visibility, earning trust, and creating opportunities.

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I quickly realized that if we wanted to bring subscription models to the forefront of manufacturing, we had to educate the industry. So, I started writing. A lot.

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?? 20+ articles published on subscription models and Product-as-a-Service.

?? Featured in VDMA , L'Echo , Manufacturing Journal , Agoria , Trends Tendances Magazine , and more.

?? Speaking at webinars and conferences—sometimes in-person, sometimes with a mask on (which, let me tell you, makes public speaking a real cardio workout!).

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At the same time, P2S was growing beyond just me.

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? Early 2021, Alberto Cendejas Jiménez joined as an intern. (A huge relief—because solo consulting is fun until you realize you have to do everything yourself.)

? December 2021, I met Juan BALDO , then Co-CEO of an HVAC company in Belgium.

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Juan had a bold vision: Ventilation-as-a-Service.

He brought P2S in to help make it happen.

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Client #3. Boom.

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We were no longer just talking about subscription models. We were building them.

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2022-2023: Becoming Real Experts—Scaling, Learning & Expanding Our Reach ??

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By now, P2S had grown into a team.

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? Rafael Girafa became our first full-time hire.

? Senior consultants and industry experts joined us, bringing deep expertise in finance, IT, and manufacturing operations.

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But most importantly, the depth of experience we gained was unparalleled:

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?? 30+ projects completed, across various industries.

?? 300+ client team members engaged with—guiding them through their subscription transformations.

?? 200+ case studies analyzed—learning from the best subscription models in the world.

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With every project and every company, we faced new challenges, which allowed us to broaden and deepen our understanding and expertise —not just in theory, but in real-world implementation of subscriptions at scale.

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And one thing became crystal clear:

To build a great subscription model, you need more than just a strategy—you need an ecosystem.

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? Financing to fund long-term service models.

? IT infrastructure to manage subscriptions and usage-based pricing.

? Legal and compliance frameworks.

? Logistics and operational systems to ensure seamless delivery.

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So, we built that ecosystem.

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?? We launched the P2S Subscription Experts Ecosystem?, bringing together trusted partners across these key areas to help manufacturers build successful subscription models.

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At the same time, we refined how we worked with clients.

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? First, traveling in-person to meet every client—because trust and deep understanding come from face-to-face collaboration.

? Then, shifting to a hybrid model—because much of the transformation can be executed efficiently online.

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?? By 2023, we had built a 10-person team, launched the P2S Subscription Experts Ecosystem?, and worked with clients on subscription models for products, software, spare parts, and consumables.

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P2S was no longer just consulting—it was about co-building the future of manufacturing.

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2024: P2S Levels Up & A Second Company? ??

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Early 2024 marked a major milestone for P2S.

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? Juan BALDO quit his Co-CEO role and joined P2S as a partner to help us scale even further.

Juan is a structured mechanical engineer with 15+ years of experience, and—most importantly—someone who had built a subscription model himself.

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Remember Ventilation-as-a-Service?

Juan had been a client before, working with P2S to develop a subscription-based business model for HVAC solutions. Now, he was stepping onto the other side, joining forces to help build even more subscription models across industries.

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We complement each other perfectly—bringing together hands-on experience, strategic thinking, and a shared passion for business model transformation.

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And because running one company apparently wasn’t enough…

The more I worked with manufacturers to transition from selling products to selling value via subscription models, the more I realized how many industries could benefit from this shift.

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?? I co-founded Loopz.Bike (www.loopz.bike) with Alex Van Sintejan —a kids’ bike subscription business that allows parents to swap bikes as their children grow.

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Because let’s face it—kids grow, but bikes don’t. Ride. Swap. Repeat.

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This wasn’t just another business venture—it was a learning opportunity in itself. It was a natural extension of my passion for subscription-based, value-driven business models.

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? Being personally involved in building and running a subscription business gives us even more credibility when advising clients.

? It’s no longer just theory—we’re living it every day.

? We’re experiencing firsthand the same challenges our clients face—pricing strategies, customer acquisition, subscription management, logistics, and financing.

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That’s probably our biggest differentiation factor:

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We’re co-entrepreneurs, co-doers—not just consultants.

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We don’t just advise on subscription models—we build, refine, and scale them ourselves.

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Expertise Is Built with Time, Experience, and Determination

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Looking back, I’ve realized that building expertise isn’t something you can rush. It’s not about knowing all the answers upfront—it’s about being willing to figure them out along the way.

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? It requires curiosity—because subscription models aren’t one-size-fits-all. Every industry, every product, and every customer base brings its own unique challenges and opportunities. Asking the right questions is often more important than having immediate answers.

? It requires motivation and determination—because transforming an industry means pushing through resistance, challenging outdated thinking, and proving—again and again—that a better model exists. Change is hard, and it takes persistence.

? It requires hands-on experience—because real-world execution is where theory gets tested. The best strategies don’t come from case studies alone—they come from building, iterating, failing, and refining until you get it right.

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True expertise isn’t just about what you know—it’s about what you’ve built, tested, and improved in the real world.

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From power tools to lighting, HVAC to machinery, medical devices to heavy equipment, we’ve helped manufacturers across industries transform their business models.

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?? The Numbers So Far:

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? 34 clients in 5 years

? 14 countries served – 3 continents

? 10-person team with 15 languages spoken

? 30+ projects, 300+ client team members engaged with

? 200+ successful subscription case studies analyzed

? One epic journey—just getting started.

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Final Thoughts (Or, “If I Could Time-Travel to 2019” ??)

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If I could go back and give my younger self some advice, I’d say:

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1?? Just start. You’ll never feel “ready.” Start anyway.

2?? Find great people. No one builds alone. The right team and mentors change everything.

3?? Crisis fuels clarity. COVID forced us to refine our model—and sometimes, the hardest moments lead to the best insights.

4?? Pain is part of the process. Failures, lost deals, tough decisions—it’s all learning. Take the lesson, not the loss.

5?? Enjoy the ride. Business is serious, but if you’re not enjoying the journey, what’s the point?

6?? Building expertise takes curiosity. The best insights come from testing, questioning, and being willing to change your approach.

7?? Stay motivated and persistent. Business transformation doesn’t happen overnight. Real impact takes time, resilience, and patience.

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A Heartfelt Thank You ??

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None of this would be possible without the incredible people I’ve had the privilege to work with over the last five years.

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To our clients—thank you for trusting us to guide your subscription transformations. Your vision and ambition inspire me every day.

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To our partners—your expertise in finance, IT, legal, and logistics has been invaluable in building strong, scalable subscription models.

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To the P2S team—your dedication, insights, and passion make this journey so rewarding.

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To my mentors, friends, and everyone who has supported P2S—thank you for your guidance, encouragement, and belief in what we’re building.

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Here’s to many more years of learning, growing, and shaping the future of subscription-based business models together! ??

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What’s been your biggest lesson in the last five years? Drop it in the comments! ????

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#ThankYou #Entrepreneurship #Gratitude #LessonsLearned #P2S