Infinia Group

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Research and Relationship Management Analyst at BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group ("TIG").

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Infinia Group?

We have used Infinia for past projects, but this specific project was focused on making our website more compatible with mobile devices.

What were your goals for this project?

Among other, smaller goals, we wanted our company website to look the same on mobile devices that it does on desktops.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We have used Infinia for past projects and, based on those results, have developed a working relationship with the firm.

Describe the project in detail.

The overall scope of the initiative was to overhaul our website to make it more compatible with mobile devices. Our previous website had some glitches that Infinia was able to fix. My role in the project was simply to oversee the project's development to ensure the desired goals were being met. The vendor was responsible for the completion of the project.

What was the team composition?

To my knowledge, two people were involved from the vendor's side (a manager and a developer).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

I don't have the technical proficiency to speak on the website's metrics, but the site functions much more smoothly (as desired) on both desktops and mobile devices. The results meet my expectations and the completion time exceeded my expectations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between our team and theirs was great, despite the project's timeline coinciding directly with the holidays.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The company was friendly and realistic about both pricing and the necessary time for completion.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I have no critiques of the vendor's work. My only comment would be that communication would have been more fluid had we both not been on holiday vacation.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder Cerimani, an online jewelry store.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Infinia Group?

We wanted to have a partner that understands our customers and could rebrand our company to match what consumers in the U.S. market would like to see.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Infinia built our website from scratch. We already had a logo and a tagline, but they elevated our brand in terms of designing the UI/UX of the website.

Infinia provided support in the content creation for the website by recommending outside connections. We had a guy in the news section who needed PR help and Infinia provided a list of PR firms that could assist. We needed a photographer to take photos and video for our campaigns and we selected a photographer they knew from Amsterdam.

We planned to use Shopify for the checkout section of our website; however, they recommended Snipcart based off the company’s technical abilities.

How did you come to work with Infinia Group?

I went to a talk that Chris [Gorges, Managing Director, Infinia Group] was giving about branding. I reached out to him and he understood what we were looking for.

We looked into other firms as well, but Chris walked us through examples of similar startups that were in the same situation.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement started in December 2016 and is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everything from the branding to the website was made from scratch, and Infinia got our startup off the ground.

How did Infinia Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Chris is always available on the phone, and whenever he is busy, he will call back immediately.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their wide network of connections to other service providers is impressive. If Infinia’s services were outside of our budget, then they wouldn’t mind recommending an outside source. If we found someone else for a project, then Infinia would cooperate with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Infinia’s services can be a bit expensive for a startup because I believe they are used to working with large companies. If they want to work with startups more, they should have lower prices.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I co-founded PetWell Partners, a company that acquires and operates veterinary clinics around the United States.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Infinia Group?

Like many startups, we were attempting to improve our digital footprint and branding, but didn’t have the expertise in-house to do so. Infinia was able to help us achieve our goals.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we first began working with them, they did a lot of background research on our competitors, looked at analogs in other industries, and spoke to our partners to compile the key features that make our company distinct. That research and data worked well with our mission to ensure our digital presence stands out from the pack when we partnered with them on two major projects, as well as a few smaller projects.

First, they built our entire website from scratch. A year later, we partnered with them again to update our website, adding more functionalities and a full style guide. They also helped us design our business cards, a few trade show banners, marketing flyers, and a press release template that we’ve used since.

What is the team composition? 

Our primary contact was Chris Gorges, who is the managing director of Infinia Ventures.

How did you come to work with Infinia Group?

We were introduced to Chris through mutual friends. He had a strong business background combined with impressive creative experience. He was building his business at the time, just as we were, so we thought it’d be a good match.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we’ve spent around $50,000 working with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in 2015. They’ve just finished updating our website, so now, any partnership we have with them will be on an ad hoc-basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We didn’t have a website before we partnered with them, so all the web traffic we have today is a result of their work. Since partnering with them, our company has more than doubled in size. Qualitatively, we’ve received a lot of positive feedback on our website and collateral internally and externally. 

How did Infinia Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Chris is very organized and professional. They did a great job of remaining on top of everything and moved quickly to deliver. We communicated primarily using email, text, and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They listen well. We made it clear we wanted to differentiate ourselves in our market, and they delivered on that. They also brought a lot of relevant project experience and were able to deliver high-quality graphics. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We were pretty pleased with their work, so I can’t think of anything they could improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We found examples of things we liked for our various projects and shared those with Chris. Infinia was very responsive and appreciative of that kind of input. It was helpful to them in executing our vision.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Bright Society is a startup backed by a large private equity firm. We are an e-commerce marketplace where independent jewelers and retailers can list their products online, allowing them to sell and ship directly to the consumer through us. I am currently the general manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Infinia Group?

We wanted to distill our brand and develop basic visual guidelines and logos to show who we are through our value proposition. We wanted to make ourselves more appealing to our consumers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a series of meetings, typically at their office. We developed specific copy and content, including our tagline, description of the company and our model, and put everything together into a deck. They were responsible for our logo design, the palette of fonts, and other visual design elements on our website. We’ve been through a few design iterations, but they laid the foundation for us. Our positioning is important, and their work helps to anchor us.

What is the team composition?

Our primary point of contact was Chris Gorges [Managing Director, Ventures, Infinia Group], who runs a lot of their startup practice. Ron Cappello [Founder & CEO, Infinia Group] also joined us for a number of meetings. They both gave us ideas and brainstormed with us, then Chris pulled the resources we needed. We worked with their creative team, a copywriter, and other members of their staff. Chris organized everything and presented their work for our feedback.

How did you come to work with Infinia Group?

We sent out an RFP (request for proposal), and had responses from about eight to ten firms. From there, we narrowed our selections to about four to meet in person. I had a prior relationship with Chris, but we ultimately went with Infinia because their skills matched our needs for this particular project. They are brand focused, and we really wanted a partner who could participate in a long-term relationship.

How much have you invested with them?

Our total, plus incidentals, came to roughly $47,000–$48,000

What is the status of this engagement?

We hired them for a three-month engagement, between March and early June 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

People really like the design, and we enjoyed working with them. It’s a good-looking site, and we’re really happy with the results.

How did Infinia Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They were flexible and efficient. We never had to halt production if we needed to change the scope. They really understood the exploratory nature of the project, and approached it with that in mind. In the end, they over-delivered in a relatively short time. They promised the shortest turnaround of any firm we considered, and were considerate of our needs as a startup.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were extremely responsive, and would sometimes work late to answer our emails. If they knew we had a tight timeline, they made sure to deliver everything within that window. Since we were a small project, we didn’t have a formal project management structure, but we never had to check our timelines or Gantt charts to keep them on track. The whole project went well and ran smoothly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We worked through this in our collaboration with them, but it would be helpful for them to take a more prescriptive approach with suggested header tags and font banners. For instance, coming up with options to match paragraph text with header fonts, etc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the Head of BTG Pactual’s Timberland Investment Group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Infinia?

We recently made a large investment in a new company, so we wanted to rebrand the company’s website.
 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We discussed the structure of the site and provided them with images of what we were interested in. They then made a few proposals. We approved one, adjusted it to our liking, and within six weeks, they built us the site.

What is the team dynamic? 

I worked mainly with Chris Gorges [Managing Director, Infinia Group], but I did get the opportunity to meet their team.

How did you come to work with Infinia?

A PR group we work with recommended two to three different companies for the job. I spoke to all of them, and Infinia understood what we needed immediately. They were extremely responsive and quickly gave us a proposal, giving us the sense that they were going to get the project done in a timely manner.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $30,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May 2017 to August 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received a lot of positive feedback both internally and externally.

How did Infinia perform from a project management standpoint?

They did an excellent job at communicating and providing us with agendas, discussion points, and all the necessary documents.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very professional and organized. They completed the project on time and within budget.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the company CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Infinia Group?

We were looking to create a logo for the Steel Patriot brand.

What were your goals for this project?

A compelling logo that captured our desired market positioning.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected them through a referral.

Describe the project in detail.

Present the term "Steel Patriot" alongside a graphic.

What was the team composition?

We interacted with three individuals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We've received superb feedback on the logo!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent, altogether time efficient.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their innate understanding of our needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that I consider at all significant.