How Paperlike Scaled to 500K Customers with Just Six Team Members

Introduction

Paperlike set out to solve a simple problem: drawing on an iPad feels slick and plasticky compared to pen on paper. They designed a matte screen protector that mimics paper texture, and turned it into a global business. What sets them apart is how they scaled to half a million customers with just six team members, all working 30-hour weeks.

Background

Founded by Berlin-based designer Jan Sapper in 2016, Paperlike began as a side passion. Jan wanted to sketch naturally on his iPad and tested dozens of surface coatings. Early orders poured in from fellow digital artists. Demand grew fast, but Jan kept the team lean, refusing to sacrifice flexibility or creative focus.

Challenges

As sales climbed, manual order handling, shipping, inventory checks, support tickets and marketing tasks started eating up more hours. Hiring just to cover busywork would bloat costs and slow decision-making. The team needed a way to automate routine tasks without sacrificing site performance or customer experience.

Solution

Paperlike moved to Shopify Plus and integrated three key tools: Flow to automate workflows, Scripts to customize checkout logic, and Launchpad to schedule promotions and product drops. They also combined several apps for email, customer service, and fulfillment. Automations handle order tagging, back-in-stock alerts, inventory reorder triggers, and discount application. Support tickets route automatically, leaving reps to focus on complex inquiries.

Results

In one year, Paperlike achieved 180% year-over-year growth, served over 500,000 customers in 176 countries, and maintained 30-hour workweeks. The six-person ecommerce team now spends more time on product design, marketing strategy, and high-touch support. Automations eliminated hundreds of manual hours per month.

Key Learnings

Paperlike’s focus on automation allowed them to scale rapidly without ballooning headcount. Choosing the right platform (Shopify Plus) and leveraging built-in tools can transform a small team into a global operation. Even creative brands can benefit from systematic workflows.