JQ Design Labs

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Strategic Communications Manager of Emerald Cities Collaborative

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Emerald Cities Collaborative (ECC) is a national nonprofit organization founded in 2009 that advances racial, economic, and climate justice to build communities that are more equitable, economically just, and sustainable. Headquartered in Washington, DC, ECC implements replicable place-based strategies in community and worker powerbuilding, economic inclusion, and equitable implementation, in five regions (Northwest, Northern California, Southern California, Northeast, and D.C./Maryland/Virginia) and select cities throughout the US.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire JQ Design Labs to accomplish?

• Improve website user experience
• Refresh website design, layout, and content
• Increase daily website traffic, increase engagement, and produce leads and conversions.

SOLUTION

How did you find JQ Design Labs?

Referral

Why did you select JQ Design Labs over others?

Excellent portfolio

How many teammates from JQ Design Labs were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Over the last four years, JQ Design Labs has completed over $100K in projects for Emerald Cities Collaborative, showcasing their dedication and expertise. Their commitment to understanding our needs and delivering outstanding results has been invaluable to our organization. Projects deliverables included:

• Website UX/UI design
• SEO/SEM
• Branding and strategy

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

JQD Design Labs (JQDL) provided excellent outcomes by showing up prepared. JQDL bridges the gap in website design, campaign strategy, and implementation by providing expert insights, guidance, and collaboration, bringing projects to a successful completion from start to finish. We have worked on website design, giving campaigns, e-commerce payment integration, campaign strategy, and more.

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

JQDL consistently delivers items on time through thorough pre-project planning and strategic meetings. When and/or if bottlenecks arise, there is clear communication with actionable solutions to implement and combat the problem. The project management process occurs on a CRM platform, which allows extreme visibility, tracking, and communication. In the CRM platform, there are items by projects and timeline features to set milestones within the project to ensure deadlines are met.

What was your primary form of communication with JQ Design Labs?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

Early in my career, when I was just starting out and being trained in the marketing field, I learned a concept that the industry thrives on: "How can I help?" This question is vital for businesses looking to expand, achieve a return on investment, and meet various other goals. By asking, "How can I help?" you set yourself apart as a marketer, supporting businesses to compete and thrive within their respective industries.

I have had the pleasure of working with JQ Design Labs for over a year as the Strategic Communications Manager at my nonprofit. I can truly say that "How can I help?" isn't just an expression or even a question for them—it’s a principle they embody. They simply know how to help. They understand and have proven their ability to assist effectively.

Are there any areas for improvement or something JQ Design Labs could have done differently?

There are no areas for improvement that can be voiced at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Manager, Marketing, Communications & Engagement of Black Public Media

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Black Public Media supports the development and distribution of media stories about the global Black experience. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire JQ Design Labs to accomplish?

• Create a dynamic new website for the organization
• Help us grow our online following and site engagement
• Serve as a thought partner in how we might optimize the site to support our institutional goals.

SOLUTION

How did you find JQ Design Labs?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select JQ Design Labs over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• I had used them before on another website development project

How many teammates from JQ Design Labs were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We spent the early part of the contract explaining what it is that we needed, what wasn't working well on the old site,and additional functionality hoped to include in the new site.  Then: 

JQArt prepared a wireframe for the new site 

We worked together to finetune that wireframe 

JQArt began building the site BPM created new content to populate the site 

JQArt trained BPM content management team on how to use the new site 

JQArt archived the old site  

We launched the new site roughly six months after we began the process 

JQArt has been our website thought partner and maintenence provider ever since 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Our site displays video more seamlessly
• Integration with our social media platforms is much improved
• Our site impressions have increased more than 3K% in just the past 7 months
• Staff satisfaction with the site is measurably improved

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

JQArt worked closely with us to create and deliver the site. Though delivery took longer than originally anticipated, this was not because of any delays on JQ's part. The site became more complex as we identified additional features and functionality that we needed. The JQArt team was organized, patient and creative throughout this process. They also helped us identify a tool to help streamline the collection of staff requests for upgrades/changes to the site.  We appreciate their timely responsiveness to our requests for changes and they're never reluctant to troubleshoot and solve problems with the site whenever they arise. Overall, their team is a good fit for our organization.  

What was your primary form of communication with JQ Design Labs?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The personal attention they give us is exceptional. We're a relatively small organization, but JQ never makes us feel unimportant. They treat us as if we're their most valuable client. I also appreciate their attention to detail and willingess to suggest strategies for improving our SEO and UX. Also, as an organization that serves a global and highly diverse community, it is great not to have to constantly explain ourselves or our audience to them. They get it. That's a huge advantage and time saver for us. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something JQ Design Labs could have done differently?

Nothing comes to mind. As we were building the new site, one of JQ's staff members was suddenly  MIA for a few days. It could have developed into a serious problem. But Jeremy took immediate steps to replace that person with someone else who was able to jump in and pick up where his predecessor fell off. It was a relief. Even after the new person came on, the original person who dropped the ball reached out to me to explain what happened and to apologize. That told me a lot about the character of the people JQ hires. Even though that person was no longer a part of JQArt, there was no bitterness or retaliation on either side. We all understood that sometimes life happens and we just kept it moving. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of ZenoVerse Wellness Group Inc., a company that develops wellness resorts that integrate real estate, hospitality, organic agriculture, and med-tech to provide immersive, personalized health experiences and sustainable, long-term wellness solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JQ Design Labs?

We needed help with our initial brand portfolio scoping for logos, packaging, and digital imprint.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

JQ Design Labs provided an initial design strategy and a few conceptual designs. We received the initial logo drafts along with in-depth guidance designed to uncover our brand’s true personality and strategic objectives. At that point, we were able to go forward and complete the branding. Although we ultimately went with another final logo design, the strategic journey allowed us to compare and contrast to achieve a final image.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 2–5 teammates from JQ Design Labs.

How did you come to work with JQ Design Labs?

JQ Design Labs was referred to me at a networking event, and their company values aligned with ours.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June–September 2023.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

JQ Design Labs provided timely reports and consistent follow-ups, supported by conceptual designs and comprehensive management tools to guide the brand development process. Their structured design process, which included brand personality exploration, conceptual development, and presentation of multiple logo directions, helped us gain deeper clarity about our brand identity and long-term positioning.

While we ultimately selected a final design from another firm, the JQ Design Labs process contributed significantly to refining our brand’s visual and strategic foundation. The team demonstrated professionalism, attention to detail, and genuine commitment to understanding the heart of our wellness mission.

Stakeholder feedback on the conceptual directions provided by JQ Design Labs was overwhelmingly positive, particularly regarding their creative discipline, project organization, and responsiveness. Their efforts supported important internal milestones—namely, the validation of our brand tone, color psychology, and audience perception—laying a strong groundwork for our eventual final selection.

Overall, the collaboration was an important step in our brand evolution, and I remain especially impressed by Jeremy’s leadership and growth.

How did JQ Design Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

JQ Design Labs’ project management was great. They delivered on time and provided timely reports, consistent follow-ups, and clear communication throughout the engagement. We mainly communicated through virtual meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

JQ Design Labs presented a thoughtful and professional interpretation of our vision. Their work was well-organized, timely, and reflective of genuine enthusiasm for our brand. I look forward to engaging their team again on future portfolio projects and watching their continued growth and success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

JQ Design Labs fully delivered on the scope of work with excellence, creativity, and integrity.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Prancing Tastebud, a food and beverage company. We create Pawpis Mocha Energy, a high-performance snack that delivers the kick of an energy drink with the nutrition of a protein bar for athletes and active lifestyles.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire JQ Design Labs to accomplish for your high-performance snack product?

We needed help with our initial box design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We needed an image of our mascot presenting the product on the box. We communicated this to JQ Design Labs, and they executed beyond our expectations. Their work focused on creating the mascot image.

What is the team composition?

We worked with one teammate from JQ Design Labs.

How did you come to work with JQ Design Labs?

We met them in college.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together in December 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The design that JQ Design Labs created played a big role in the early development of the Pawpi mascot. Their work provided a strong foundation that helped bring the character to life. The design definitely helped with brand recognition. People always inquired about the dog before trying the product.

How did JQ Design Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

We primarily communicated via email and messaging apps.

What did you find most impressive about them?

JQ Design Labs' efficiency and collaborative ease were impressive. After communicating my idea and requesting a couple of revisions, they translated it into astounding art.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They did a great job.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Professional Speaker | Founder of Confidence Unchained

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Provides leadership communication training. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire JQ Design Labs to accomplish?

• Website Design

SOLUTION

How did you find JQ Design Labs?

Referral

Why did you select JQ Design Labs over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from JQ Design Labs were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

They designed my website and logo. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They created a great website and I love my logo. It was all finished in a reasonable amount of time for a fair price. 

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

Yes, they were very responsive and timely. 

What was your primary form of communication with JQ Design Labs?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

JQ Design Labs' logo design options were the best part of the engagement for me. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something JQ Design Labs could have done differently?

Not that I can think of.