Condensed

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Development and Communications of Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming is a non-profit organization serving hundreds of food and farming changemakers from New York’s Hudson Valley and beyond.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Condensed to accomplish?

• New logo and branding

SOLUTION

How did you find Condensed?

Referral

Why did you select Condensed over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Condensed were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We engaged Condensed for a full visual rebrand of Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming, a Hudson Valley nonprofit working across farmer training, food access, regional markets, and climate resilience.Deliverables included a new logo and wordmark, a complete color palette, typography and font selection, and a comprehensive brand style guide. Because our organization runs a number of distinct programs and initiatives, the scope also included sub-brands and additional branding elements that could work within the larger identity system. They delivered assets across the full range of applications we needed, from digital and print collateral to signage and merchandise.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The clearest measure for us has been consistency and usability. Before the rebrand, our materials varied widely depending on who made them and when. We now have a single system that our whole team can apply, which has noticeably sped up production of newsletters, event materials, reports, and social content, and made everything look like it comes from the same organization. We've also had a steady stream of unprompted positive feedback from board members, donors, partners, and community members on the new look. And the identity has held up across every application we've thrown at it, which is its own kind of proof.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Project management was excellent. Brent and Teresa were timely and responsive throughout, and they kept the process moving without ever making us feel rushed. They worked patiently through many rounds of iteration, and each round genuinely reflected the feedback we'd given. They were also generous with their time beyond the core scope. When we asked them to present their process and progress to our board of directors, they did so thoughtfully and well, which helped bring an important stakeholder group along with us.

What was your primary form of communication with Condensed?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Two things.

1. First, their ability to solve a genuinely difficult brand problem. Glynwood serves multiple distinct audiences that don't fit neatly into a single demographic or personality, and we needed an identity that could speak to all of them at once. We also wanted something contemporary and bold that still felt timeless, and that honored both our organization's history and the history of the property we steward. Condensed took the time to really understand those tensions rather than smoothing them over, and the result threads that needle beautifully.
2. Second, their authentic enthusiasm for our work. It never felt like we were one more account. Their genuine interest in food systems and regional agriculture came through in the questions they asked and the ideas they brought, and it made the whole collaboration a pleasure.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Condensed could have done differently?

Honestly, I cannot think of anything. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Director of Topfield Center

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

At Topfield we partner with horses to empower humans - we provide adaptive and therapeutic equine-assisted services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Condensed to accomplish?

• Website resesign & update
• Increase site accessibility & user-friendliness

SOLUTION

How did you find Condensed?

Chamber of Commerce

Why did you select Condensed over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Condensed were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

1. Content audit;
2. Website content restructure;
3. Research and find best-fit Wix Studio framework;
4. Homepage & general design improvements;
5. Migrating to Wix Studio;
6. Implementing structure & content updates;
7. Implementing design improvements;
8. Accessibility improvements;
9. SEO improvements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Timely progress

Completed website

Questions answered promptly and accurately

Support provided as needed

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Our project unfolded exactly as we were told to expect. There were no delays or unexpected issues. Condensed responded to my questions and needs in 24 hours or less, even when I had a long list! 

What was your primary form of communication with Condensed?

In-Person Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their understanding of nonprofit organization budget constraints was a huge plus for us. Their clear professionalism and technical skill. We also loved that we were able to find this level of professional website design support right in our local community.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Condensed could have done differently?

No suggestions for improvement, we will continue to work with Condensed for our future updates & online needs! 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Director of a non-profit company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are an artist-endowed Foundation supporting the legacies, collections, and visions of support for two under-recognized visual artists.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Condensed to accomplish?

• Create a logo that unifies two singular and different abstract artists.
• Create a website that will act as THE entry point to all things to do with our artists, their legacies, and our Foundation.

SOLUTION

How did you find Condensed?

Referral

Why did you select Condensed over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Condensed were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Scope 1 - Branding and Logo Production 
  • Deliverables:
    • Multiple brand/logo concepts to analyze for efficacy and implementation. Once decided, a singular style sheet consisting of a cohesive branding strategy across web, digital, and print media. 
• Scope 2 - A unified Foundation and artist(s) website. 
  • Deliverables: 
    • The consolidation of three purposeful, autonomous websites into one design, maintaining the equal and clear representation of both artists and clearly stating the Foundation's role as the primary destination and resources for all things to do with these artists.

Stages included multiple design/layout presentations and then design and programming implementation.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The ultimate outcome was a logo we can use and a website visitors can easily access and delve into. In bi-weekly meetings, we set staged goals and deadlines for each stage and implementation of features. As will all projects, there were many discoveries along the way that required design solutions. Condensed was incredible about receiving these changes and finding answers.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They delivered most everything to meet our ideal deadlines. As with all projects, there are new challenges as you delve into the project and the scope and scale of the project sometimes evolves.The team was incredibly receptive to our feedback and flexible to these needs.

What was your primary form of communication with Condensed?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

What was most impressive was the consistent check-ins and feedback loop. The heads of the team remained consistent throughout and helped bring in the relevant members at the different stages. I was also pleased by the proactive development suggestions. As we built, we were given great advice on SEO, which was extra. 

I also never worked with a company that offered unlimited revisions (re: logo). This took the pressure off and in a way that was quite brilliant, allowed us to come to an efficient solution probably quicker than those companies that insist on a limited number of rounds.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Condensed could have done differently?

Perhaps we could have implemented our workflow manager sooner in the process, but this is about all that I can think of. All in all, as far as these processes go, the level of communication provided the most ideal experience I have had.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Marketing of Crossing Minds

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

SaaS poduct recommendation engine for e-commerce.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Condensed to accomplish?

• Create marketing collateral incl. web design
• Develop visual brand identity

SOLUTION

How did you find Condensed?

Referral

Why did you select Condensed over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Create an entire brand identity: Naming, logo, brand guidelines, visual identity, brand tone, etc. Create marketing materials that align with the brand identity, creating alignment & connections between brand guidelines and specific deliverables including website, print collateral, illustrations, and much more. Partner with our company to be our go-to design partner & creative agency for brand & marketing projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Condensed truly partnered with us to give our brand life & expression, in a timely manner. Key outcomes included marketing collateral such as website, illustrations, brand guidelines, and much more. Even more, Condensed responds and adapts positively to ongoing needs that often change very quickly.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

As a startup, we had needs that changed very quickly. When we gave feedback & new objectives to Condensed, they always asked questions to understand the vision & objectives clearly, and they always took our feedback extremely positively. Really a pleasure to be working with them in such a fluid, ongoing way because they're so adaptable & responsive.

What was your primary form of communication with Condensed?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their ability to adapt & respond. Not many agency relationships will take the time to truly understand & respond to what's happening under the surface. Condensed always went one level deeper than simply executing on deliverables; they took the time to solve problems and strategize based on our overarching goals. This is tough to find in an agency relationship and something we've appreciated enormously.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Condensed could have done differently?

Condensed has been great.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a long-time friend and supporter of an artist. Now that he has been deceased, I work for his family.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Condensed?

We needed a website designed to feature the artist’s work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Condensed helped us design the website we needed to feature the artist’s work. First, they asked for copies of books and other publications that showed the work so that they could get a sense of the kind of atmosphere and mood it created and, thus, design something consistent with that aesthetic.

After that process, we went through different fonts, trying to identify a style that looked good for the site. The artist was a dissident artist during the Soviet Union, so we needed to create the site both in English and Russian. Thus, Condensed spent time ensuring that the font looked good both in English and Russian and fit well on multiple devices. In total, they must have tried around 30 different types of devices and systems.

Then, we worked together on how we wanted the site to be organized, what type of content we wanted to feature, and which information we wanted the user to see. During this process, Condensed suggested various ways to meet our requirements, and we tested some design options before settling on one.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four people from Condensed. The two owners were involved in the initial setting of the engagement, one of which then acted as the project manager. A third person was involved in the design process, showing us various fonts and designs and rearranging the content as needed. Once we had all the content set, a fourth person was involved in the technical work, building our site both in English and Russian languages.

How did you come to work with Condensed?

A friend of mine was part of the board of the foundation of another artist. That foundation had used Condensed to build the artist’s site, and they had a good experience with them. Thus, I knew that, besides working for companies, Condensed also worked for artists and artist foundations.

When we contacted them, they showed me their past work for other artists, and I noticed that each site was very different from the other, which was appropriate to what we were looking for because those artists’ work was very different from each other too. Their work made me realize that they didn’t design sites with a cookie-cutter approach — I really liked that.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2021, and we launched the site in May 2022. Condensed’s work could have been finished about a month earlier, but we needed to hire people that proofread the Russian side of the site to ensure that the transitions were correct, which took some time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Condensed did a superb job creating a special and unique website for this artist and his work. We’ve received great feedback from everyone whom we’ve sent the site, ranging from museum curators and internationally-prominent art historians to collectors and people interested in art. Their reviews have been uniformly positive, praising the elegance and usability of the site.

How did Condensed perform from a project management standpoint?

Condensed did an excellent job managing the project. From the start, they laid out a plan that we could follow. It was specific enough for us to understand where we were going but open-ended enough to take the detours necessary and still get there. Thanks to this plan and Condensed’s follow-up, I had a consistent understanding of the entire project, which was very good.

We communicated via email and had weekly Zoom calls throughout the project, although those were occasionally less frequent.

What did you find most impressive about them?

A unique characteristic of Condensed was that they paid great attention to detail to the aesthetic of the artist’s work, ultimately designing a site consistent with that aesthetic. Other web designers usually have a general approach to projects and tailor them in some superficial way to match the requirements. However, we felt that everything Condensed created was from scratch, designed to match the artist’s aesthetic. They did a superb job doing that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide Condensed with information about the specifics of your project, no matter if it is an artist or an entity, because they do a great job matching the aesthetic of your artist or brand with the site they create for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and creative director of Vessel, a boutique medical art and illustration company. We do medical animation primarily for big pharmaceuticals marketing, but our team also does patient education and healthcare education for hospitals and research institutes. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Condensed?

We hired Condensed for their branding, logo design, and web development services. For context, I left my job at another medical animation company to start my own business. It was a big leap, so I looked for a vendor that understood my vision. After a long search, I found Condensed, and we started working together. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The logo was one of the most important things I did with Condensed. Being a young studio, I needed a mark that could stand the test of time, so the team worked to make my logo timeless, completely unique, and organic.  

We had brainstorming sessions with them before they presented the logo designs; they did a thorough exploration of our options. From there, they delivered my choices on a deck. They didn’t push me in a specific direction; rather, they sent me selections and I had to pick one of them. I ended up using the first logo I chose. 

In terms of our website, they’ve worked on everything for it. We’ve done around four website iterations; the first website they created for me 8–9 years ago was a one-page scroll site. Our company has grown a bit and hired a few more people, so they’ve continued to revamp our website for us. We give them content and artwork, and they come back to us with design options and initial layouts. 

At present, Condensed continues to work with us and on our website. They handle its backend and help us maintain it. I usually receive emails from them about suggestions on blog posts and SEO. The team also designs our T-shirts every year; they provide a different design every year, and our peers and clients wear them. 

What is the team composition?

We work with 4–5 people, but our main contacts are only 1–2 people.

How did you come to work with Condensed?

I found Condensed online. When I decided to start my business, I called big companies from Manhattan to the hills of North Carolina. I was all over the place, and big companies didn’t make me feel important; they were also incredibly expensive. Meanwhile, the smaller teams only had one niche, and I didn’t feel that they could handle a lot of backend work. 

I had those two choices until I found Condensed, which immediately made me feel like a friend and family member. They made me feel that the project was going to be a success because they sincerely felt that way, too. I liked working with people like that, so we started working together. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around February 2013, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve launched the Vessel website, and our main source of marketing comes from Google search results. By the end of its first year, our website has ranked on the first page of search results, blowing us past companies that have been in the business for over 30 years. We’ve received calls from big companies. More importantly, the first bid request we’ve received turned out to be one of the biggest cancer drugs of all time. 

Working with Condensed is like having an in-house graphic design team. It’s nice working with them because they carry the weight of the projects and exceed my expectations; they tell me their ideas and show me things they’ve made for me — they truly go above and beyond. 

How did Condensed perform from a project management standpoint?

Condensed’s project management is excellent. We work well together because we’re similar in that there isn’t a lot of red tape and bureaucracy in our business. I don’t have to talk to a project manager when I call them, so I don’t feel like I’m in a queue. I talk to the artists, and they start to work once we hang up the phone. As a result, we’re not worried about losing our ideas in the process. In simple words, Condensed is an authentic company. They have people who love what they do; they simply happen to make a living out of it. 

To communicate, we use regular phone calls, emails, Slack, and Zoom. We also use Asana and Figma, along with other online tools to share projects and information. Asana is their primary management tool.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Condensed resources are great designers; it’s the core of what they do. They provide great design suggestions, too. They have a good understanding of design fundamentals, and this permeates everything else they do.

Moreover, they know how to keep me in check. I’m fascinated by negative space, and they’re great at telling me what we can take away from the design elements or sentences we use. My mantra is simple and elegant, so it’s nice to be surrounded by resources that protect that for me. I can see good graphic design, but I can’t do it myself, and Condensed respects that. 

Moreover, they’re excited about what we do, and it influences them. The same is true for us, so we play each other off that way. We set interesting boundaries and push each other — it’s been a collaborative effort. Overall, I always appreciate Condensed’s amazing creativity. They truly understand how to help people build their businesses and design aesthetically.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The more information you can give Condensed, the better they’ll work based on your vision. You can’t simply come to them and ask them to make you successful. Instead, they need to work with people who are passionate and have a vision. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of the Woodman Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that handles the legacy and artwork of three deceased artists. We’re a small organization with four team members and a board of trustees. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Condensed?

We needed to build a website for our organization. Our team has reached out to museums, scholars, writers, and artists to help us have a robust website presence. We’ve also hired Condensed for this purpose. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Condensed built our website from scratch, and they also created a logo for us.

At present, we continue to work with them. They continue to build our website while also handling its maintenance. The team is building new site sections, and they’re teaching us how to upload things on the platform. 

Moreover, Condensed is helping us with SEO. We meet with them monthly, and they give us guidance around the things we can do to enhance our presence on search engines to benefit our artists. 

What is the team composition?

We work with Teresa (Co-Founder & Creative Strategy Director) and Brent (Co-Founder). We’ve also interfaced with around three other team members.

How did you come to work with Condensed?

Condensed was one of the companies that were recommended to us. We interviewed them and other companies, and they shone through. That was the start of our engagement. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $35,000–$40,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2019, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

To measure success, we get periodic reports from Condensed. We’ve now moved up significantly in terms of search results; all three of our artists have had better search ranking. Moreover, because of the website’s content, we’re getting more clicks, viewers, and visitors. 

Simply put, we’ve built a website that we’re truly proud of in terms of content and appearance. The team has been thorough and quick. Luckily, we don’t have to be too involved in backend work — they’ve figured out a way to make everything work beautifully. 

Moreover, Condensed has been extremely attentive and creative. They understand our needs, and their resources are sympathetic to our artists and our mission. The team has been fantastic in their aesthetic designs, and they’ve given us plenty of interesting options. On top of that, they listen to our feedback; whenever we want to do something unexpected, they’re excited to do it with us. 

How did Condensed perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is excellent. I can’t give them high enough compliments. They’re up for any kind of challenge, and they don’t shy away from difficulties. They always find creative ways to pull things off. On top of that, they meet our aesthetic standards; we’re extremely in sync. To communicate, we use emails a lot. We also occasionally use phone calls and Zoom meetings. We’ve also had in-person meetings prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Condensed’s design, creativity, and talent are truly appealing to us. They’re outstanding. The team also has a great ability to deliver. They keep in touch with us and follow through on everything. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. They’ve been a complete pleasure to work with, and we’re truly grateful for their help.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You should definitely work with Condensed. They’re extremely talented. If you tell them your goals and ideas, they can design something beautiful that reflects your desires. That’s one of their strongest suits. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of a beauty tech startup called The Good Face Project that was launched in 2018 by two engineers. One of the early initiatives that I did was relaunching and rebranding our website.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Condensed?

We didn't have a marketing head when I joined the company. Our first challenge was that we needed to appeal and create trust with consumers and other brands. Therefore, we hired Condensed to help us rebrand our website. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had an existing website but wanted to reimagine the homepage in anticipation of the release of a new app. Condensed did a brand discovery process, in which they asked us questions and processed the information to create a briefing on our company’s identity. Then, they rewrote the language we used to describe ourselves, which gave us a better idea of how people perceived us. Once we agreed on the company’s brand and target audience, they came up with a final design that they used to rebrand our entire website. The design phase involved them developing visual assets for the app’s icons as well as a homepage. They completely reimagined the design, and we executed it on our end. 

Additionally, we did a quick brand exercise with Condensed to help us express the identity of our company. When we needed help on social media later on, they were happy to lend a hand as well. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with Brant (Lead Designer) and Theresa (Brand Strategist).  

How did you come to work with Condensed?

I found Condensed through the website of a fitness company that I loved. The site made the company’s brand seem approachable to all audiences. I scrolled to the bottom of the site and found their contact, so I sent them an email saying that I would love to work with them. Since then, I've had a long-term relationship with Brant and Theresa. The first project we worked on was back in 2014, and this is now our third engagement together.

I liked them because they asked the right questions and could take my vision into life. At first, they were just tasked with developing a logo and a color scheme, but we expanded the scope of work to encompass a redesign because they delivered exactly what I wanted. Whenever I launch a project, they’re the first people that I call and work with because they’re imaginative and extremely creative. 

How much have you invested with them? 

We spent between $25,000–$30,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

For this particular project, we worked from January–March 2020. We started engaging them in December 2019, but we didn’t kick off until January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We now have almost 75,000 users for our personalized skincare service, and 75 brands have signed up to become our customers. Their agency was successful in defining our brand identity, which is one of the reasons that our customers put trust in our organization. The success we had in branding and launching our website could be definitely attributed to Condensed. 

How did Condensed perform from a project management standpoint?

We talked to Condensed twice a week. We used Google tools and spreadsheets efficiently. We had a project plan with them. However, we didn’t use any project management tools. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were quick and nimble. I never had to wait for a turnaround time that was many months out. They don’t have a large team but they were always in touch and understood my needs, which saved us time and allowed us to accomplish what we needed. They did their homework to understand our brand. All their work was very direct and efficient.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was nothing lacking in their service. I’ve worked with them in many capacities, including both front- and back-end website design. They now focus more on design but they’ve served my needs. 

Any advice for potential customers?

I think future clients should take the brand discovery exercise seriously to find their vision. Then, they should step back and have an open mind because Condensed will show them things they weren’t expecting and expand their ideas. Also, giving Condensed space to exercise their creativity will push the frontiers of any brand.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the COO at Unity Jiu Jitsu in New York City. We're a martial arts studio that teaches Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and we have a world-famous competition team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Condensed?

We first hired Condensed when we opened the company in 2014. At that time, we needed a lot of things, such as a countdown page to announce that we were opening. We also needed a website, which was way over our head. The site had to have many functions, such as schedules that users could print. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Condensed designed and branded our website. We had a logo that we came up with, and then they put texts in it with a font that fitted the design, giving our logo some life. This was a big deal for us because we’ve been using the logo on our merchandise and everything else. On top of that, Condensed created a site section where everyone could see posts and pictures about us. Anyone who posted about us on Facebook or Instagram was put on the page. Unfortunately, we’ve let go of this section because it became harder for us to keep it up. 

The Condensed team also worked to make our schedule page look good. We previously had a complicated class schedule that was hard to understand. Moreover, the team created a kids section on the website. Our program for kids had two instructors with different schedules. Previously, it wasn’t organized, and we didn’t know how to put it together. However, their team worked to put all that on one page. 

More recently, they’ve built a whole new separate website for us that has tons of videos. Jiu Jitsu is super complicated, so the videos have been hard to categorize — there are a million different names for every move. To solve that, they've created a search engine of categories that people can browse. We haven’t launched this website to the public yet.

What is the team composition?

I mainly communicate with two people from Condensed. One of them works on the more technical sides of things, and I go to him whenever I have an issue with the website. Then, I communicate with Brent (Co-Founder) for everything else. 

We’ve also worked with a graphic designer, who’s taken care of our schedule page’s design. Finally, we talk to Teresa (Creative Strategy Director) about financial matters. 

How did you come to work with Condensed?

My husband, who started the business with me, searched online for websites that had a design that could work for us. Strangely, we found Condensed through a site that was nothing like our industry. However, it turned out that they had a lot of experience doing exactly what we needed. My husband got in touch with the team, and we then sat down with them and hashed out everything. In our meeting, they had a good understanding of what we were about, which helped us a lot, so we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $30,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in September 2014, and we’re still working with them. Currently, there’s not a ton to do on our website because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we’ve always had questions about how to do things on the site. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Condensed is a big part of our business because all the artwork, merchandise, and designs that we’ve been doing stem from how they work on our website and brand. The way they set up the site makes it easy to navigate. We’ve made very few changes to their original design of the Schedule Page, and our About Page also looks great. The gallery of gym photos is great and useful — it no longer looks like a mess. Apart from that, the colors they’ve used are fitting to our brand. We’ve used the colors for changes and other things, but we’ve essentially kept the same design; we don’t need to reinvent ourselves.

Our business consists of a community, and the website has been a truly essential part of it. The site makes it easy for people to understand what we’re about. It looks great, and people see who we are and what we’re doing, which means they’re already included in the community. With our previous website, people would come in not knowing anything about us. 

Moreover, we’ve dealt with people who’ve never done Jiu Jitsu before. Now, we have the website to take care of such people; it filters them out, so we don’t have to have long, difficult conversations. In other websites, users go through all the instructors that they have in the gym, and then there would be pages of text and some bad photos. In contrast, Condensed has created an interactive website; all of our instructors have nice photos, cool videos, and dropdown menus that contain their bio and tournament results. It looks really good. 

How did Condensed perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve used Slack for communicating while creating the new website, and we’ve used Asana to organize everything that we need to do and all the questions we have to answer. 

My husband mostly instructs and communicates better face-to-face or on the phone, so he typically calls the Condensed team. Meanwhile, I’m doing a million tasks, so I’m always on my computer. Emails help me avoid losing things. During all these, the team has been super accessible, and I can call or text them any time. They’re always super quick and responsive in any of these methods. 

Moreover, my husband isn’t great at communicating, but Condensed has taken his vision and put it together exactly in the way that he wants. They understand him really well, which is impressive. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s been really easy to work with the Condensed team. They’ve done a great job right from the beginning. Anytime we think something isn’t working for us or is confusing, they have a solution. They’ve been a great part of our business’ success. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not in my experience. They’ve been outstanding on my end of things. There may have been something they need to improve on their end, but it has never affected the job we’re doing together. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of Boundless Adventure, an aerial adventure park that provides recreational activities for people of all ages.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Condensed?

We hired Condensed because we needed someone to brand our company and provide us with digital marketing services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Condensed worked on the branding of our company. They’ve helped us name our company and design the logo for our website. The most important thing for us is usability for our end users, so having the website on-brand from a font, coloring, and messaging standpoint will make it easier to maneuver through.

They’ve done a lot of customization for us, too. They designed a couple of landing pages so that I could create pages myself without having to utilize their assistance, which has been very helpful. It saves a lot of time down the line. 

Currently, they continue to maintain our WordPress site on our behalf. They’ve also helped us with their creativity for advertising some of our marketing materials on social media. 

What is the team composition?

There are around five people from their company who are working on this project.

How did you come to work with Condensed?

Figuring out the naming and branding was the first step of our business plan. We called them because they had previously worked with a company whose name and messaging we really liked.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with them started in January 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

What’s great about them, first of all, is they’re very reliable. They have never missed a deadline especially if there was something pressing that we needed to get done. 

I would also say that they’re good at taking constructive feedback. From a creativity standpoint, there’s always going to be different perspectives and views of where things should go or be. For the most part, we agree with everything that they say, but in the circumstances that we don’t, they pivot easily. Basically, they’re easy to work with and they get us what we want when we need it.

Their deliverables are also top quality. We’ve also gotten a lot of compliments on our website and that’s attributable to them.

How did Condensed perform from a project management standpoint?

They like to use Asana, but I personally prefer to just pick up the phone and speak to them. That’s the route that we ended up going based on my personal preference.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Well first, I’m very impressed with how they’re not looking to spend my money unnecessarily. The second point is they take ownership of their work. They speak their opinion especially if something isn’t appropriate to our brand. They’re passionate about our project but are also respectful if we choose to go in another direction.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. They’re really good to work with. In my lifetime, I feel like I’ve dealt with lots of people, and it’s always shocking to me how many of them are trying to get your business. But, then once they have it, they don’t follow up and don’t do what they need to do. With Condensed, I just kind of always know that they’re going to do what needs to be done. I don’t need to be on top of them or manage them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would say a couple of things. First, we never work with a fixed price. Instead, we pay hourly because they’re going to have to price it assuming extenuating circumstances just to make sure they are covering themselves for the rest of it. There are always going to be delays, but I’d say that they’re fair in their pricing as long as you communicate well at the outset. 

Secondly, make sure you set the expectations properly. If there were ever any frustrations, it was because I didn’t communicate well with what I was looking for.