Jacob Tyler

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing for the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. We’re responsible for supporting the National Naval Aviation Museum.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

We were looking to rebrand and develop a new identity. Our engagement included redesigning our website and branding efforts for both organizations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In terms of deliverables, Jacob Tyler provided a website, logo, and brand guide. They completely built our website from scratch. This included a new logo, fresh designs, and improving the platform’s clarity. Their team came up with all the mockups and wireframes. After that, we reviewed content and gave them basic copyright information and photos.

What is the team composition?

I’ve had a couple of main contacts depending on the project stage. There are about 3–5 people on their team.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

I found them on Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested approximately $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership began in June 2019 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website’s new modern design and ease of navigation are great. Jacob Tyler helped us organize our exhibit and aircraft web pages by enhancing the UI. Our platform is now user-friendly and brings us into the modern era. We’re now in the same competitive space as other museums in our field. Before, it was challenging to get all that information to the user in an easy, navigable way. Now, users can navigate our site with ease.

Jacob Tyler’s rebranding services have enhanced our image. It’s made us more credible and able to stand our ground in the aerospace STEM industry. Our logo and visuals are all enhanced. We can compete with the big players now.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve exceeded our expectations in meeting all the project deadlines. Their team is very professional and organized in their timelines. Project and time management are definitely their strong suit. We use Basecamp as a tool for communication and collaboration.

We have phone calls once or twice a week to set deadlines, and it works really well for us. They’re easily accessible through video conferencing. If I have any questions, they take the time to fully answer them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There was natural ease of communication. The project manager is great about holding us accountable, without being pushy. They don’t get caught up in technical aspects and deliver down-to-earth open lines of communication. I really feel that I’m a part of their team and vice versa.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any areas for improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to provide examples of what you do and don’t like. Setting those standards ahead of time will make it easier for their designer to streamline the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of marketing at PWN Health, a national telehealth company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

We needed to come up with a brand-new website from scratch, with copy and branding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We created a brand-new website using WordPress. Their team created everything from start to finish, from our color palette to copywriting. We used them to design a logo refresh. We completely overhauled our web presence, tying into the branding element.

To speak to the copywriting element, our business model is heavily complex. It’s B2B and B2C healthcare, and it’s difficult to understand. We had to work very closely with them to get the messaging right. In the end, we were very pleased with the product.

Our former site was just horrific. In terms of new features, we have a video that plays when first landing on the page, there’s a “Contact Us” form, a page about us in the news and media, and users can get to our social channels from all pages. Jacob Tyler completely overhauled our website, bringing in a fresh, proper design. Additionally, they’re also hosting our site.

We also got into branding a little bit. We had them design a new logo for us, based on the old one. We’re very particular and didn’t want to veer too much away from our traditional logo and icon image. Les (CEO and Chief Creative Officer, Jacob Tyler) did a fantastic job of keeping us close to what we formerly had, and did the logo refresh in a very smart way. We went through many, many iterations. Their team is very patient and reliable. 

What is the team composition?

We had a project manager, a copywriter, a designer, and two developers. Les was always involved to make sure things were running smoothly, always checking in with us to make sure we were happy and that things were going well. There were around six people involved, and Jennifer (Senior Account Manager, Jacob Tyler) was our main contact. She kept us on track with everything moving along.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

I think a former colleague told me about Clutch, and actually mentioned the name Jacob Tyler. We looked into them and had an interview call. For the price, they were willing to offer us the scope of work that was involved, and w thought they were the perfect fit. It’s also worth saying that we didn’t go with them at first. We had calls with three other similar companies, and we priced them out and had phone interviews. After all was said and done, Jacob Tyler proved to be the right people for us.

 How much have you invested with them?

It’s ongoing, and I don’t have an exact cost. They were relatively fair, compared to the other companies we spoke with. We set a scope for each of their rates, and they went above and beyond every single time, from the logo design to the website iterations. They gave us much more than what we contracted.

I’d say the cost has been $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Jacob Tyler in July 2019, and the collaboration will be ongoing. The bulk of the work was finished right before the holidays, in mid-December 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone is extremely happy with everything, from our CEO to our board members. We have major people from the health tech world sitting on our board, and I haven’t heard one complaint about the site. Everyone’s been very pleased with its functionality, navigation, and everything else.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated through every medium at all times, at all hours. Our company is based in the East Coast, and they’re on the West Coast. They may have gotten irritated with me calling them very early, but they were still always available to answer at any time, including weekends. We used text message, email, phone calls, and video calls.

They were incredibly organized and kept us on track. We were going through Thanksgiving and all the other holidays, and we were asking for a pretty tight deadline. We had very tight turnarounds, and they kept us on track.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One thing I appreciated very much was that the president of their company called quite frequently to check-in, just to make sure that things were going well and we were happy. If there was anything we wanted to be different or that we just weren’t pleased with, he would be very quick to course-correct and make sure we were happy with the final product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m pretty pleased with everything they did for us. We weren’t an easy group to work with. We weren’t really sure what we were looking for, so we really needed some creative direction, and we had them go back to the drawing board a lot. For the most part, they did everything really, really well.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients should talk to them first and look at some of their work. We saw the other websites that Jacob Tyler had created and the brands they helped bring to life. They have some really substantial work behind them. That, combined with the price, was really good for us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of USA Dog Products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

We initially hired them to reconfigure our database, where our customers go to create a profile, upload photos and information about their pets, and receive an ID. We’ve since brought Jacob Tyler on to do work on our website. Our website was a few years old and wasn’t functioning very quickly, so it was getting bad Google PageSpeed reviews.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first project that Jacob Tyler completed was reconfiguring our database. They fixed some issues we were having with it and added more functionalities. Then, they rebuilt the backend of our WordPress website to speed it up. The project they’re currently working on and are almost done with is a complete redesign and rebrand of the website. We’ve approved all of the design elements, so now they’re going to coding.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Les (CEO & CCO, Jacob Tyler). We also have another contact who is more on the technical side of things.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

I’ve known about Jacob Tyler here in San Diego for the past ten years.

How much have you invested with them?

My company has spent about $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in August 2019, and it’s ongoing. We’re hoping to launch the new site in about two weeks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is now performing really well in terms of speed, and the database functionality is significantly improved. The new website hasn’t launched yet, but the design looks really good.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

They have excellent communication. We talk over the phone, text messages, and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their design team is excellent; they’ve gone way beyond what I was expecting on the design side of things. They’re also in contact with us almost every day. Their design and communication skills are better than what I’ve seen in the past working with other agencies. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not that I can think of.

Any advice for potential customers?

They respond very quickly to emails and phone calls, so just reach out, and they’ll respond to you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director for a general engineering and landscape contractor that specializes in habitat restoration.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

We hadn’t updated our site since 2012. So, we needed a more mobile-friendly and dynamic platform that could be viewed from any device, whether it’s a laptop, phone, or iPad.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Jacob Tyler redesigned and built our parent company’s website using WordPress, so we wanted to use the same template and tweak it to fit our business’s needs. We had several discussions with Jacob Tyler about how to customize the template and make it more unique for us, and they built it out from there. We simply had to give them our ideas and they would implement them into our template. Almost instantaneously, I would see the changes on our draft site.

Now, when users are directed from our site to our parent company’s site, they’re going to have a similar UX. It was also really important that we were able to update content so the platform was more engaging. Their team trained us on how to update the platform and advised on content.

What is the team composition?

We had a primary point of contact and a director that we talked to regularly, but the development team has about five people on it.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

They worked with our parent company, who then referred them to us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from October 2018–March 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Now we have a fluid, active, and current site. Giving us the ability to publish new content, they’ve definitely set us up for success even though they’re out of the picture.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Basecamp, which catalogs comments, and information we’ve exchanged, so they’re easy to refer to. I was also able to post questions to our shared site, and instead of going through management, I would get a direct response from the right person. Overall, they have a great team that is super responsive and collaborative.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Even though I knew very little about web design, they made everything really easy. I could ask questions or provide content, and they would respond within the day. Their rapid feedback was very helpful, and we were always able to lean on them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t see anything that they need to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take full advantage of Basecamp— they’re team is very responsive through that platform. We’ve had other experienced where the project got off track, but this tool was very useful in creating a seamless workflow between our teams.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

New Horizons Learning Group is a franchise of New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, an international training and development company. Our firm teaches everything from how to turn on a computer to high-end network security and IT training, as well as what we call leadership and development. The skills we offer include effective communications, project management, how to develop a team, and how to be a leader for tomorrow.

I'm the director of marketing. I manage all of our marketing and sales for our franchise, which is based in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

Our corporate franchisor had rolled out a new product line called the Center for Leadership and Development about two and a half years ago. When they rolled out that product line, their go-to-market plan was sales training. Given the way the consumer buys in a modern environment, that plan was not sufficient for us to grow this product line and to successfully sell that and educate our clients. We were relying entirely on our sales force making calls rather than a true go-to-market plan.

We were referred to Jacob Tyler through a couple of different people, and we decided to work with them to put together a brand guide, a style guide, and a communications guide. We wanted them to guide us through a launch for this product line as an independent microsite with a brand and social channels.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our local website mirrored our larger corporate website but included additional local offerings. The master site directed people down to localities, and then in our local territories, we had over 65 to 70 different product lines. We could not educate our customers about that website from SEO or UX perspectives. That website still lives; however, Jacob Tyler built us a new Center for Leadership and Development site.

Jacob Tyler started with a discovery session. We reviewed their work and gave advice based on our product knowledge. They created a new logo and voice for us, with a communication and style guide for internal coaching.

They built our new website with independent social channels and they continue to run social media marketing campaigns along with Google Ads. Other services included showcasing pages on our LinkedIn account and running digital advertising campaigns. They did copywriting, design, and built and launched the website.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 8­–10 people in total, including a team of copywriters, a team of creatives, and a team of developers and project managers.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

We were referred through a personal relationship with somebody on our team who had been in a professional forum with them. Our sales leader told us we were struggling with sales and needed marketing help, and that’s how the conversation started. We considered other vendors, but Jacob Tyler stood out.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $45,000 on the initial project and we continue to spend $6,000 monthly.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2019 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In the first 30 days, we had almost 10,000 sessions on our site and about 7,500 users. That's a brand-new audience that we've captured. We’ve been able to do this because our new site has allowed us to educate our market and our clients, which in turn has allowed sales to focus on truly qualified prospects rather than cold calling.

According to our team, the new website is unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. We can now connect with human elements in our marketing, and it’s been very exciting to see something of that nature.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management went well. Our communication was open and I received status updates either weekly or biweekly. They gave us an overview of everything that was happening and the timeline of events. We used Basecamp for project management and communicated through email and conference calls on BlueJeans.

We did struggle to coordinate eight people's schedules with a couple of stakeholders on our end. That became difficult at times, and it’s just the nature of working with a lot of people. However, it was something we overcame.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really liked the size of their team and their specialization. A lot of other marketing vendors that we've worked with we had a project coordinator who served as our main interface. With Jacob Tyler, having direct access to the copywriter, the design team, and the creative team was a great way to streamline communications and eliminate those potential barriers for miscommunication. Jacob Tyler offered feedback and group discussion directly with their experts, which made a difference.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would love to be able to come up with a better long-term strategic plan. Right now, we are not at the point where Jacob Tyler and our team are both contributing to content, whether that be social media posts or new content that we can create. As a marketing director, I feel a little bit at the mercy of a vendor right now because we don't have access to the website. If I need to go make a change, I have to submit it directly through them.

That's a Catch-22. We want to preserve the integrity of the site, but if I have to make some changes, I want to be able to just do it. Moving forward, I would like to improve how can each side contributes and how our involvement can scale in that sense.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get all of your stakeholders involved. I pulled in our products team, our sales team, and a variety of different resources to really make sure that our vision was communicated, not just the marketing vision. A lot of times, a marketing team has one vision, product has another vision, and operations and sales all have different points of view. Having all of our stakeholders commit to the time investment upfront made for a much more successful and seamless launch as well as a better buy-in from the entire team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the CEO of a biometrics startup. We pursued eye scanning for identification purposes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

We needed to build name recognition and generate interest in our products. Ultimately, we wanted to stand out from our competition. My team was having trouble wording our messaging.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Jacob Tyler developed our brand guide, messaging, and color scheme. They also created all of our marketing materials, such as business cards and brochures. They augmented this process with SEO and PR management.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Les Kollegian (CEO, Jacob Tyler) through a lot of the discussions.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

Our VP of marketing worked with them in the past. We interviewed them and some other companies, and we chose Jacob Tyler because of their high-impact approach.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from November 2017–March 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Jacob Tyler helped us become a player in the biometrics space. We’d been struggling to come up with the right wording for months, and Jacob Tyler’s unique and compelling messaging resolved this problem. They also provided high-impact graphics that really conveyed our message to customers.

For example, they provided a photograph of a person that dramatically highlighted her blue eyes, captioned “Only DNA is more accurate.” The photograph drew people in like a magnet. It was one of those moments when you saw the potential of the company.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

Jacob Tyler was very responsive and always on time. We typically communicated via phone calls and video conferences.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The compelling, impactful content that Jacob Tyler provided was the real differentiator.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have no complaints from my perspective.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Customers should communicate as much as possible so that they get the best message out.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I was the director of operations, and then, shortly after, a senior account director at a company that managed incentive rebate card programs. We offered mobile phone rebates and other types of discounts via prepaid bank cards and private label—also known as closed-loop—cards.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

Initially, all we were looking for was an updated website. That’s what the initial bid was for.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Shortly after getting them going on the website, we did an overall rebrand with them. The team redid our logo and created a corporate identity package for us. They used the traditional scope format, where they asked a lot of questions at the beginning. Afterward, they sent a creative brief and spent time meeting with the executive team to discuss their vision for the project.

Once they completed the website, logo, and corporate identity package, Jacob Tyler began to function as an external creative team for the company. This included card art and designs for other digital and POS assets.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a variety of people from Jacob Tyler.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

My ex-husband had previously worked with Les (CEO, Jacob Tyler). I was familiar with some of the work that he’d done for different agencies and was always impressed with his creative output.

How much have you invested with them?

The company spent somewhere between $250,000–$500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The company first partnered with Jacob Tyler in 2011, and I know that the engagement lasted after I left in 2017. I believe that the company kept them on until the end of 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In terms of exposure, the impact is difficult to quantify. We were working with some massive international companies, so the exposure with any of our campaigns was in the multimillions. Their card art, which integrated branding that was constantly changing, went out to tens of millions of people.

I can’t speak to the profit margins that we experienced, but the exposure from dealing with well-known brands was extremely high. This came not just from the media, but also through the cards that people were carrying around in their wallets.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

They had a clear, concise methodology that they used to hone in on what we were looking to do. They were committed to following that structure, which was comprehensive and integrated with all facets of the business.

As I said before, they eventually became our creative department and served as an extension of our company. It was as if we had an in-house creative team. We worked with them almost every day on daily or weekly deliverables

They used Basecamp, which helped us track various tasks and served as our main communication channel. The team was great about answering the phone, especially when I had questions or concerns. They were always helpful and responsive. We eventually started to do weekly or monthly status update calls, depending on what our focus was for that month or quarter.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Number one is their consistency in hiring exceptional people. Everyone from Jacob Tyler performed as if they were part of our team. True partnerships like that don’t seem to exist anymore. There’s usually a delineation between the outsourced team and the internal team, but I never felt that when working with them.

I love that Les holds his team to a high standard in terms of work ethic. No matter how busy they were, they finished their work and did it well. With every single person—every account supervisor, every account director, every project manager, everyone that worked on the digital assets—I was so impressed with their work ethic, which was something that I didn’t believe existed anymore.

The team was also very respectful and appreciative. No matter who it was coming into a project, it was always obvious that they wanted to do right by us and do right by the work. That consistency, along with the high quality of the creative work, was impressive.

I also appreciated that, although the team had creative integrity, they understood that some tasks didn’t require an extensive design phase. They were willing to make the process quick and painless when they needed to, especially when we didn’t have time for a sophisticated creative brief. Even when the scope of the project was small, they were willing and able to do an excellent job.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only area of improvement—and they did improve on it when we pointed it out a couple of times—was the turnover within different departments. Most agencies experience these types of problems, with people moving up or moving vertically, especially within the graphic design field. There were times when we felt like there was a slight loss of integrity, and we had to retrain people on rules, regulations, and guidelines.

There was a tremendous amount of regulations that we had to deal with because our clients were big financial institutions. We had to be extremely careful about performing within those guidelines. The rules that we had to adhere to were very stringent, so the stakes were high.

Thankfully, we were able to work with Jacob Tyler to create some documentation for new people. It only took a couple of instances of us noticing the problem until we resolved it. They were able to remedy it quickly once we identified the gap.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would let them know that Les is accessible even though he's an executive. Also, Jacob Tyler has great talent and resources, so make sure to utilize that. Know that you can trust them because they’re great partners. You definitely can count on them and their process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an entrepreneur and small business owner. I’ve founded the SEAL Awards, an awards-driven environmental advocacy organization, and APPEALIE, a customer data-driven SaaS awards and insights platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

I initially hired Jacob Tyler to help me with APPEALIE’s logo design and branding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, Jacob Tyler oversaw the logo design process for APPEALIE. I had a meeting with a designer and account manager to discuss our goals, audience, and vision. We went through three rounds of logo design. They also designed and developed the APPEALIE website using WordPress.

When they finished all of the different design and branding tasks for APPEALIE, I was contemplating a new brand I wanted to launch: the SEAL Awards. I had significant aspirations for how the brand would evolve and the impact it could make, and I turned to Jacob Tyler to provide advice on how to position the brand. They helped me build the brand from scratch, including coming up with a company name. Jacob Tyler also developed the SEAL Awards website, once again using WordPress.

What is the team composition?

I worked with different teams depending on the project. For APPEALIE, I worked with an account manager and a graphic designer; for the SEAL Awards, I engaged with a 4–5-person team, which included Amy (VP, Operations and Project Management, Jacob Tyler). I even worked directly with Les (Co-Founder, CEO, and CCO, Jacob Tyler), who got involved in the naming process and proposed the brand name that we ultimately chose. For the websites, I worked with a web designer, copywriter, project manager, and some technical people.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

I researched several vendors on Google and reviewed their websites and digital portfolios. I did a client intake process with Jacob Tyler that was smooth and professional, and then we had a good first meeting. I felt comfortable moving forward with them.

How much have you invested with them?

My initial bill for the logo design was around $10,000. Then, we combined the remainder of the APPEALIE and the SEAL Awards work into a larger contract that was about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The APPEALIE project spanned September 2017–June 2018, and the SEAL Awards work was from November 2017–July 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When we did the websites, I had high expectations in terms of site performance. I held Jacob Tyler to a high standard of what my Google PageSpeed and GTMetrix scores would be, and they were able to hit them.

The feedback I get on both brands from a design perspective is always very favorable. When one of my friends became CEO of a software company that had an old and tired brand, his first question to me was where I got my APPEALIE logo done; he wanted a logo just like it for his company.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

Jacob Tyler was responsive, which was a very valuable part of the projects we did together. Everything was carefully assigned, and they always followed up on calls with the next steps. They used Basecamp to manage the project, which prevented messy email chains and helped keep the work organized; this was particularly key with the website design, when we often had fifteen issues to deal with at once. I could easily provide feedback, which Jacob Tyler got to the technical people so that they could make the appropriate changes and adjustments. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was blown away by the quality of their work. For each round of logo design, they’d present around 16 alternatives, and the majority of those would be excellent. Even the elements that didn’t make it to the final cut were really good. I went into the partnership with some skepticism since I’ve never engaged a full creative agency like Jacob Tyler before, but I very quickly saw the benefit of working with a true professional.

I was also pleasantly surprised at how accessible Jacob Tyler’s CEO was. Les has significant experience working with some of the biggest companies in San Diego, so I really appreciated the extra level of attention he gave us when he helped us come up with a brand name.

Finally, their responsiveness stood out. About a week ago, I tried logging onto my Google Analytics account to add a consultant to it and found that the account ownership had never been transferred away from Jacob Tyler. I sent an email to their customer service at 9:00 PM, heard back at 9:30, and had the issue resolved by 10:00. I was impressed that even though I’m not a paying client and haven’t been for two years, they still responded quickly.

Any advice for potential customers?

Do a good job communicating with them and give them context. For my two projects with them, I’m glad I spent time delivering a PowerPoint of relevant brands in the industry and what I wanted to accomplish. If you’re hiring someone of Jacob Tyler’s caliber, you should do everything you can to enable them; they can’t know your industry, company, or vision if you don’t tell them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

At the time that I worked with Jacob Tyler, I was the SVP of marketing for the Ken Blanchard Companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

We needed to redesign our website to accommodate a fairly complex product portfolio. My company already had a brand strategy and foundation, but we needed help in deploying them on our website. We wanted to express the brand hierarchy of our product line on the site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

During the discovery process, I held in-house meetings with various stakeholders, conducted card-sorting exercises, and created the first wireframe. Jacob Tyler used this internal information to provide an outside perspective. The team leveraged our brand assets, library, and guidelines and extended them for the web. They helped us connect the B2B and B2C parts of our business. Jacob Tyler also created a navigation design and menu structure.

What is the team composition?

We engaged with a lead strategist, a creative director, and an analytics specialist.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

I put out an RFP to local agencies in San Diego. Of the three agencies that we invited to present their work, Jacob Tyler seemed best-prepared and offered the most economical quote. They also took some creative risks that caught our attention.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent less than $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from March–November 2013.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

By thinking through how different users would navigate the site, Jacob Tyler helped us accomplish meaningful improvements in visitor flow.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

We had in-person meetings since Jacob Tyler was local, but we mostly interacted over weekly calls. They did creative presentations during scheduled milestones, either by phone or virtual meeting. We used Basecamp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They created a web-based user journey with different personas in mind. Jacob Tyler maintained high standards for their creative work. The team strove to understand our business and test new ideas to add value and bring outside objectivity.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Any advice for potential customers?

A client should think through what their goals are. They should also set expectations with internal stakeholders so that they have the proper context when Jacob Tyler presents their creative ideas.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director at Typhon Group. We sell web-based software that collects data and tracks students in nursing and health education programs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

My company was over twenty-years-old at the time, so much of our software was outdated and didn’t work with newer technologies, like phones and tablets. We needed to redesign our interface for both mobile and desktop environments and modify the software’s UX/UI. The challenge was updating the interface while maintaining the data we had in the system.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We held preliminary meetings to discuss our needs and map the project out. Jacob Tyler gathered information on what our needs were and what data students were entering into the system. Then, they optimized our software for the web. They also redesigned the UX/UI for mobile, desktop, and everything student-facing.

What is the team composition?

My team primarily engaged with Les (Co-Founder, CFO, and COO, Jacob Tyler). He worked closely with front- and backend developers to ensure that they integrated new designs with our existing software and data.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

Les is a long-time friend of mine. Jacob Tyler is well-known in the design industry for going above and beyond and exceeding expectations.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from May–November 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still rolling out the software since we’re handling several other redesigns and software updates. However, we’re very satisfied with the work that Jacob Tyler did for us.  

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

Jacob Tyler fostered constant communication. We had weekly meetings with Jacob Tyler’s team, including Les. Somebody on their team kept track of conversations so that we could easily outline the project’s next steps. We used Basecamp to organize meeting notes and monitor things that needed to be changed or updated. We made great strides during these meetings; we were really pleased with how they managed the project and the progress that we made week-to-week. The team was attentive and provided frequent updates.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I don’t think Jacob Tyler’s team initially understood the large scope of our project or the complicated software they’d be dealing with. They worked diligently to understand the software and our needs. If the need arises, I will definitely hire them again.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I didn’t see anything. Since they’re in California, we never had issues with time constraints. Also, Jacob Tyler was experiencing a bit of turnover at the time of our engagement, but they maintained open communication about this and made the project seamless. They got new team members up to speed quickly. I’m sure this was challenging for them, but they handled it well.

Any advice for potential customers?

Keep an open mind. When you’re working with a design company like Jacob Tyler, it’s important to give them everything they need and remain open to their ideas. Even when they propose a big change, remember that they’re the experts.