Success Stories: Rangana Lakmal & Mobal

Welcome to the highlights of our Growth Hacking Internship program! ✨

The second cohort of interns is about to finish their internships, and another success story is out now.

We interviewed Rangana Lakmal, a student at LAB University of Applied Sciences and a current Growth Hacking Intern at Herizon.

Rangana collaborated with Mobal, a company focused on helping businesses shine and stand out online, and here are Rangana’s thoughts on his collaboration with the company and Herizon over the past two and half months.

Here’s a highlight that Rangana shared with us:

When I think back on my experience, I'm thankful that Mobal and Herizon gave me the chance to work with such amazing teams. I discovered there was a lot to learn from the Finnish working culture, which was very different from what I had encountered before, even though I had over 12 years of experience in the strategy and digital domains. Using apps like HubSpot, Slack, and Notion opened my eyes to new, productive working methods.

How has the collaboration been with your case company? Share your growth hacking progress, examples, learnings and observations.

In June 2024, I embarked on an exciting journey with Mobal, one of Finland's leading startups, thanks to the Herizon internship program facilitated by LAB University.

Mobal offers cutting-edge digital solutions that empower businesses to effortlessly manage their online profiles. My goal was to implement growth hacking techniques to enhance their client acquisition and engagement strategies.

At the outset, we set ambitious goals: to increase Mobal's monthly average sales from €20K to €70K in three months and improve the quality of inbound clients by 30%. Key challenges identified included the level of data quality in Mobal's HubSpot CRM system and the lack of a mechanism to identify high-quality inbound leads. Recognizing that data is crucial for business success, we aimed to use well-researched and analytical data to enhance marketing and sales campaigns.

Have you had any success cases at work that you'd want to share?

Throughout the assignment, my main goal was to clean, validate, and improve the HubSpot data quality in order to improve the CRM system. 52 new outbound leads were identified and the database was improved by 90% because of this exercise. We also created a mechanism for assessing incoming leads so that we could transform high-quality leads into MQLs and SQLs. 

I was able to assist the company in enhancing the quality of their data and ensuring that all marketing and sales activities were directed toward qualified leads over this three-month period. According to Emil, our sales lead, we exceeded our July sales goals by 160% thanks to these efforts, which is a credit to the diligence and teamwork of Mobal's sales and marketing team as well as the Herizon program, and which makes me pleased and proud.

Second, I was able to create an automated inbound lead scoring system that recognized MQLs, SALs, and high-quality leads. It will ultimately result in improved lifestyle value, increased income for the business while enhancing ROI and conversion rates in the near future.

This experience taught me the importance of data accuracy and its impact on business success. I learned to identify opportunities and challenges, test solutions, and implement strategies based on insights. The rewarding results motivated me to continue contributing to the company's growth and success. It is important to test and learn the plans before executing to mass. This will save your marketing budgets, unnecessary complaints, misleading information or decisions and strategies. Once you test your hypothesis, it's clear that the flow and the process are working well and smoothly. Otherwise, there is a big chance that your plans will not deliver the final results that were expected.

How has the collaboration been with Herizon? Share examples, learnings and observations.

My experience with Herizon was just fulfilling. An important source of assistance, Sini and Daria offered weekly conversations covering a range of subjects linked to project improvement and working life. 

These workshops improved my comprehension and collaboration abilities by covering growth hacking techniques, engagement methods, personal branding, and company demands. I had never heard of HubSpot before this project, but I learned a lot about CRM data management and technologies for more effective marketing and sales campaigns.

If you would join the program again, what would you do differently as an intern? All thoughts help us to give better support to other interns.

If given the opportunity to re-enter the program, my main goal would be to rapidly grasp the demands and goals of the company in order to make more efficient plans. To establish solid bonds and trust with the organization, having face-to-face conversations and assuming leadership and responsibility would be important.

Would you recommend other students to join this program as well? If yes, why?

I heartily urge other students, particularly those who are studying in Finland, to enroll in this program. It is essential to comprehend Finnish working practices, equipment, and culture to make a lasting impression on potential employers. This program is a win-win for local businesses and students alike, providing insightful learning opportunities. Which will sharpen your skills and stand strong with other candidates in your career. 

Overall, my growth hacking project with Mobal and the Herizon internship program was a fantastic experience. It allowed me to contribute to Mobal's success while expanding my skills and understanding of different working cultures. I am grateful to Emil and Siri from Mobal, my Tutor Teacher Ms. Kati, and the Herizon team Sini and Daria for their support and guidance. This opportunity not only enriched my career but also provided me with lifelong lessons and memories. Thank you Herizon, Mobal and LAB. 

Mobal’s comment

Working with Rangana has been a great experience. He's been a valuable addition to the team, consistently delivering high-quality work throughout the internship with a real eye for detail. Rangana’s ability to quickly learn, navigate and optimize HubSpot has significantly improved our processes and our CRM. His self-sufficiency and proactive approach made collaboration between teams smooth and easy. I'm very happy with his contributions! 

Rangana, thank you for participating in our Growth Hacking Internship Program and we wish you progress and success in your current and upcoming projects! 💜