Aeolidia

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner and sole maker for a small-batch, handmade, natural remedies business. I do everything from face and body products, to natural perfumes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Aeolidia?

I wanted a solid online presence and an e-commerce shop to boost my image and overall brand. I wanted to generate more traffic so I could sell more online—both retail and wholesale.

I also wanted to create a user-friendly backend dashboard. I had some trouble with the previous platform and apps I was using, so I wanted to streamline things. Aeolidia offered a good solution to that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They made a brand new website on Shopify. They helped design a space for wholesale customers to place an order online, along with putting all the different software apps into one place. That made things really efficient. They also created a space for me to start blogging. Plus, they helped me figure out which features and pages I needed on the site to keep me on task and focused on the bigger picture.

They also provided assistance with marketing. I worked with one of their employees, who talked me through homing in a specific target customer and a mission statement for my business. They also provided me with copy for my website.

What is the team composition?

I worked with different people at different times. There was one main person overseeing the whole process. For the initial design phase, I worked closely with the designer. And for the marketing piece, I worked with their marketing person.

How did you come to work with Aeolidia?

I’ve followed the founder for quite awhile. She offers free resources and weekly newsletters, and I'm definitely her target market. I was watching, listening, and learning from her for probably two years before I decided to jump in and work with her. I initially approached them about doing a smaller project, but ended up doing a full website redesign.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $18,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked with them since June 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The site looks great and works well, and online sales are up. Also, having the blog has helped engagement and built an audience. Overall, I can see the impact of the analytics. I’ve learned more about how to use them, what they mean, and how to benefit more from them.

​​​​​​How did Aeolidia perform from a project management standpoint?

Basecamp was a home base for us all to communicate, share documents, and schedule things.

They had an efficient system. From the beginning, they had all of the different pieces scheduled out, timelines, and who was responsible for what. Every person on the team was warm and friendly, even though we were just communicating online. It was clear that they were interested and motivated to try and understand what would suit me best.

Nothing was just left open-ended or without a date, so I really appreciated that. There were no delays. They kept things moving at a good pace and they knew what they're doing with their time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They've really zeroed in on who they want to work with. A lot of their resources and offerings are valuable to small business owners. They tailor things to growing makers looking to take themselves to the next level.

​​​​​​Are there any areas they could improve?

I appreciated the fact that everything was online and efficient, but it would be nice to have more in-person gatherings with them.

​​​​​​Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have some business experience under your belt. It’s harder to maximize your work with them if you're just getting started or just developing an idea. It's fine if you don't have a logo, a website, or branding nailed down, but you need to have a clear idea of what the core of your business is, why you you're doing it, who you're doing it for, and what your goals are. As long as you have clear goals and the core of your business is settled, they can really help you move really quickly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a boutique skincare company called Mafu. We aim to share products that nurture and never harm our bodies. Within the company, there’s a manufacturing side that makes our products and an education side, where I teach public courses on wellness and health.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Aeolidia?

Because I wanted to adopt a new name for the company, I needed help rebranding to create a cleaner, cohesive look for our labels and products. The biggest thing for me was to get our look and feel down in a way that aligned with my own vision. I also needed resources to redesign my Shopify website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we started, they gathered a lot of information from me about my company such as the look, feel, mission, and messages as well as how to convey those messages visually. While this process took a long time, it allowed me to clarify my vision and affirm my own thoughts.

I worked closely with their graphic designers and photographers to cement our overall look. During the website development phase, they built my Shopify site, creating the custom design according to my desired specs and adding photos and text.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Samantha (Accounts Manager, Aeolidia), who coordinated communication between the graphic designers and photographers. I spoke directly with her as well as the other team members. They also assigned web developers and writers, but I didn’t interact with them as much.

How did you come to work with Aeolidia?

I’d been researching companies for about a year to prepare for my rebranding, finding agencies that designed logos, others that only did photography, and then companies that offered a full package. It was important to me to find a single company who could complete the entire project internally; I didn’t want to convey my vision to too many people and wonder if everyone understood it.

Eventually, it became obvious that Aeolidia was a good match for me. Despite their competitive prices, they had worked with several smaller companies before, and they offered a comprehensive rebranding package, including web development.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work lasted from September 2016–July 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They created a clear identity for my company with a visually appealing logo, giving a cohesiveness to my product labels. Although the final product turned out similar to what I initially had in mind, the branding looked far more polished and trustworthy.

They also built the website exactly how I wanted it, line by line. While I’m satisfied with the site, I do think this could have been more cost-efficient, considering how simple the backend was. I didn’t see a substantial increase in sales, but that was due to my own marketing efforts.

As far as our collaboration, we worked easily together. I knew what I wanted, so I needed their expertise and technical ability. I felt comfortable clarifying my ideas to them when things were not quite what I had in mind, and they knew that they could make new suggestions to strengthen the brand. In that sense, we developed a good working relationship.

How did Aeolidia perform from a project management standpoint?

They were beyond organized and responded to my inquiries right away. They established an effective communication system between us, so we were always in touch. I also appreciated that they set clear deadlines. This helped us keep track of both their tasks and my own. Overall, the process went smoothly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were excellent entrepreneurs who understood their niche, specifically how to help smaller businesses. They delivered professional results in a timely manner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Despite their strong communication skills, there were two moments in particular where I felt they could have been more inclusive. When the website came together, I noticed on the agenda that they scheduled a meeting to discuss the project status. I would have liked to have been included in the meeting to hear their thoughts and give my input. While I understand that a meeting so close to the end might complicate the delivery, maintaining open discussion could please the client and improve their services.

Furthermore, after the site launch, they conducted a site checkup to make sure that everything was in order. They could benefit from slowing down the process and including more dialogue around any concerns. Rather than additional work, I would have appreciated a bit more communication to talk over the loose ends.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If customers already have a concept in mind, they should stick with their ideas. Being open to new ideas is helpful, but customers should know their vision and communicate it clearly to get the desired results. Furthermore, customers should be prepared to incur higher costs in site development.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of Pam Powers Knits. I've been a knitwear designer for about 10 years, selling knitting patterns, kits, and paraphernalia on my website. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Aeolidia?

My sales had been declining over the last few years and my website was outdated, so I figured it was time to redesign the site and target customers more effectively. I needed a vendor that could help me understand my audience better, improve website performance, and refresh the website and overall branding of my business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At first, I worked with a business coach at Aeolidia who took some time to understand my business and my goals. Through some analysis, she provided me with a report that detailed the demographics of my customers and current site performance.

From there, I started working closely with a graphic designer on branding. After realizing my audience was generally older than I had originally thought, Aeolidia's team helped redesign everything (i.e., logo, product packaging, booth signage, etc.) to better target a more mature audience.

Then, I worked with a web designer to transition the products, videos, and digital files on my Squarespace website onto a Shopify platform. 

What is the team composition?

Depending on the phase of the project, I either worked primarily with a business coach, a graphic designer, or a web designer. I also had a project manager available through each phase who was less hands-on.

How did you come to work with Aeolidia?

I've been following the work of Arianne Foulks [Founder, Aeolidia] for years and had been in touch with her in the past when her company was smaller. I've always liked her work, so I've kept her in mind until I was ready to reach out.

How much have you invested with them?

I'd guess that I've invested about $30,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January or February 2017 and the site launched in October that year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

I don't have access to the exact metrics, but I know our website traffic and conversion rates have increased. I'll be promoting the redesign next month, so I expect to see significant improvement after that.

Overall, I'm incredibly happy with the new look of the website and branding. They did a great job in every phase of planning.

How did Aeolidia perform from a project management standpoint?

They've performed incredibly well from a project management standpoint. Each phase of the project was organized and headed by one person.

We utilized Basecamp, which I found to be very efficient for this type of project. Although the process is time-consuming, their team was on top of every stage. I never got the feeling that they were too busy with other clients to cater to me.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Aeolidia is the most cohesive team I've ever worked with. They're very proactive about problem-solving and collaborating amongst their team—they aren't siloed by department. I had a lot of odd features on my website, but their team was able to handle it all seamlessly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, my biggest issue had to do more with me than with them. The website design moved very quickly and required a lot of my time, which I wasn't prepared for.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand that they're very proactive about getting work done in a timely manner. If you're developing a new product or planning to overhaul your brand, it requires a lot of your time. Make sure you're not too busy to commit the time needed to successfully do that. It's not a role that can be delegated to just anyone—it's too important.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the Owner and Formulator at Handcrafted HoneyBee, an educational skincare product line. We currently have 3 product lines: SmartyPits™Deodorant, SmartGirl® Skin Care Kits, and Thinkers™ Bath + Body.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Aeolidia?

Originally, we were looking to rebrand, which included a complete makeover of our website and some product branding (packaging and logo design). We wanted it all to look fresher, cleaner, and brighter—it needed to speak more to the customers who were actually buying our products.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In our first project with Aeolidia, we were looking to increase the sales of our SmartGirl Skin Care Kits. We were shifting our audience focus after realizing that many of our customers were actually buying the product for their younger kids, grandkids, or nieces and nephews. Aeolidia helped rebrand the product to target that audience and rebranded the site in a way that spoke to the customer and emphasized the kits. They were incredibly good at fulfilling that initial goal.

Our projects with them continue to evolve. Their team has helped redesign the website and works on various design projects (i.e., logos and packaging).

What is the team composition?

I worked a little bit with Arianne Foulks [Captain and Founder, Aeolidia] and Sam Hirst [Accounts Manager, Aeolidia], who communicated deadlines and payments. I also work a lot directly with our designer, Sarah Connor [Identity & Web Designer, Aeolidia]. She has been one of our top-notch, go-to people. Shoshanna Love [Web Developer, Aeolidia] has also done great work with our website as our needs have evolved over the years.

How did you come to work with Aeolidia?

We did a lot of research since this was a big project for us. I had a certain budget set aside and I needed to know that the cost of services would be worth the investment. I researched about 10 different design firms that were well-known within the industry and recommended by my colleagues. From there, I narrowed my choices down to about 4 and conducted phone interviews. After a 2-month research and interview process, I knew Aeolidia was the right choice for what we wanted do.

How much have you invested with them?

I've invested about $40,000-50,000 in the course of 2.5 years. Since my work is ongoing, Aeolidia now sets aside a certain number of hours that we pay for on a monthly basis.

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed our first contract in November 2015, but I continue to work with Aeolidia regularly. We completed our website overhaul in July 2016, and continue to collaborate on smaller projects (i.e., logo, landing pages, packaging, and label designs).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We're incredibly happy with them. We frequently refer to them as game-changers for us.

Within the first 6 months of relaunching the new website in July of 2016, our retail sales increased 1,200%. We've now shifted our focus over to wholesale. They really got our products shelf-ready; wholesale has climbed from around 10% to 50% of our business.

In 2017, our annual revenue increased 150%. We're now on track to meet our 2018 goal of having 70% of the business accounted for through wholesale.

How did Aeolidia perform from a project management standpoint?

They've done an incredible job. When they set deadlines, you can trust that they'll meet them.

We typically communicate with their team through Basecamp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their time management has been stellar. After talking to others about their experiences with design firms, it seems that Aeolidia outperforms others with their ability to hit deadlines.

I've also been incredibly happy with my designer, Sarah. As far as I'm concerned, she's unparalleled in the industry. She's able to envision the experience of the customer and bring that life into her work. She's genuinely concerned with increasing the effectiveness of what we're trying to accomplish and our ROI, yet incredibly open to feedback. It's really made a difference in our experience in terms of design work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our ongoing retainer arrangement is a new endeavor for them, so we're learning together on how to assess projects and get them done in time under the new model. Even though it's thrown them for a loop, they've been very responsive in trying to work on getting those new processes in place.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

One of the things that helped our process was going into the relationship as prepared as possible and explaining what I wanted the outcome to be from a customer's perspective. That required a lot of research on who my customer was (i.e., exact age group), what kinds of design resonated with that customer base, and what other types of brands those customers were drawn to. That information was helpful when Aeolidia dug into the project, because they knew what they were trying to accomplish from the get-go. That helped speed up the process and led to the overall success of projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of Adoren Studio, a watercolor children's and nursery art business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Aeolidia?

We were previously an Etsy-based company without a website. We needed our own site with e-commerce capabilities and a Shopify platform. We also needed some help with re-branding, including a new logo design and slogan.

I sell a lot of different products, so the website needed to be designed in a way that helped clarify and distinguish product types offered on the site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Aeolidia walked us through “dream customer exercises” to hone in on our target audience. They helped us build the brand from there. I had a general concept of what I wanted, and Aeolidia worked with me to develop a new logo and slogan. It was a collaborative process to figure out exactly what we needed.

Their team designed the site in a way that brought clarity to the shopping experience, so buyers could quickly find what they're looking for and distinguish the differences between products and associated timelines.

What is the team composition?

We worked with different contacts at different phases. During the branding phase, Caroline, their business consultant, walked me through the “dream customer exercises” while Natalia worked with me on copywriting. Jess, the assigned graphic designer, worked on the overall brand image/logo before handing off web design to Do-Hee who designed a beautiful website. Then, Shoshanna actually developed the website on the Shopify platform.  It was a really seamless hand-off thru each stage of the process, each team member building from the work of others, and each contributor an expert in their own field.  They really are a dream team.

How did you come to work with Aeolidia?

I had followed them through a number of Facebook pages and creative websites where I had seen their name. I also had a few mentors in the industry who had worked with them, and I just thought their work was really great. I knew when I was ready to build my site, I would want to reach out to them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $25,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2017 and wrapped up our work in October 2017. The first quarter involved branding, while the second quarter involved the web development phase.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We've only been live for a few months, so statistics aren't quite relevant yet. There's also a bit of a learning curve for us in terms of learning how to increase traffic to our site. However, we're already seeing promising results from the Shopify platform. In general, it's opened up all sorts of new sales channels (i.e., Amazon, Facebook, and Pinterest). We're laying the framework of those new sales channels, but, without question, it's going to increase our revenues significantly.

How did Aeolidia perform from a project management standpoint?

They've got project management down to a science. They use Basecamp to manage the progression of projects. They know exactly what they're doing, exactly how to do it, and when everything needs to happen to achieve it. They're able to launch when they say you're going to launch because they hit every mark along the way.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're great in the creative product space. There's a lot of developers who can build websites, but not all are as creative as Aeolidia. They're able to take a small Etsy shop with aspirations and put it in that next category of being a real company and brand.

Their team's creative background is beneficial to businesses like mine. My graphic designer, for example, was also a hand letterer. They have a great team of designers to pull from.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don't have any negative feedback. They're very professional and easy to work with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You just need to reach out. They're good at what they do, but both parties have to see if they're a good fit for each other. They know what they're capable of doing for your business.