Mano a Mano

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Marketing of Pairpoint

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The world is moving towards more autonomous transactions between connected devices, systems, people, payments and services ecosystem around them. Pairpoint's flagship platform, delivers secure, fast and low-friction transactions. We are building the new global transaction middleware driving the next wave of economy growth.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Mano a Mano to accomplish?

• To develop our brand design and assets

SOLUTION

How did you find Mano a Mano?

Referral

Why did you select Mano a Mano over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Mano a Mano were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

Mano-a-Mano work on a TTM model with a fixed agreed capacity.
The scope included all tasks design related - from corporate decks to web design to business cards.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All deliverables were accepted by the internal stakeholders.

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

Mano-a-Mano was always on time and proactive about their deliverables. 

What was your primary form of communication with Mano a Mano?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their boutique design firm delivered a truly personalized and distinctive design experience. They quickly grasped our brand, product, and objectives, allowing them to add value from day one. The pace of development and their collaborative approach stood out—they iterated rapidly based on our feedback and consistently refined their work until the final deliverables met our expectations perfectly.

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

I believe if we had more time together we would have included some in-person timeslots to have deeper brainstorms over some key ideas/concepts.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Content & PR of UPTEC - Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

UPTEC is the Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto. It hosts startups, business projects and innovation centres across 3 hubs in the city of Porto, mainly covering areas like science, technology and the arts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Mano a Mano to accomplish?

• Create and design a new website for our School of Startups acceleration programmes.

SOLUTION

How did you find Mano a Mano?

Online Search

Why did you select Mano a Mano over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Mano a Mano were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We hired Mano a Mano to design a brand new version of our School of Startups website. This new digital space would feature detailed information about our acceleration and entrepreneurial development programmes that target students, researchers and startup founders. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The School of Startups website is up and running since September 1st, which was our proposed deadline, in both English and Portuguese.

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

Mano a Mano was amazing to work with and managed the project with ease and confidence! They were in continuous contact with us and scheduled a virtual meeting after each main step was achieved (wireframes, web design, development). They were always available to answer any questions we had, make alterations and work with us to achieve a solution that was more in line with what we needed.

What was your primary form of communication with Mano a Mano?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They transmitted a lot of confidence and assurance to us. Working with them made our team feel like our vision for the website was totally achievable from the start, and that any request we had was possible to incorporate, in some way, so that we could reach that vision. It was extremly easy for us to find solutions together and understand the different steps of the website development. We also really loved the instructions manual provided at the end of the process, which details how to edit the website so that we maintain complete autonomy in most tasks. 

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

For us, the process was really great and we have no improvements to suggest!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief Marketing Officer of Journafy

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Journafy is a mental health company using narrative medicine to improve health outcomes. The financial burden of mental health issues on US society exceeds $280 billion annually. Narrative medicine is the missing piece to address mental health challenges.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Mano a Mano to accomplish?

• Full rebranding of our previous brand Post-ICU to a unique brand

SOLUTION

How did you find Mano a Mano?

Online Search

Why did you select Mano a Mano over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Mano a Mano were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Thanks to Manoamano, Journafy now has a fresh, impactful, and cohesive brand identity that resonates with our audience and sets us apart in the market. The rebranding has already received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our stakeholders and customers.

Key deliverables:

Brand Strategy:

Brand audit report
Brand strategy document (mission, vision, values, USPs)

Visual Identity Design:

Primary and secondary logo designs
Brand color palette
Typography system
Graphic elements (icons, patterns, illustrations)

Brand Guidelines: Comprehensive brand guidelines document (digital and print-ready)

Branding Videos:

Brand essence video
Social media teasers
Tutorial/explainer videos

Collateral and Assets:

Business cards, letterheads, and email signatures
Social media templates
Website design mockups
Print and digital advertising templates

Final Brand Handoff:

All source files (AI, PSD, EPS, etc.)
Brand asset library (organized and accessible)
Final presentation of the rebranding project
 
 
 
 
 
 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The measurable outcomes from our rebranding project with Manoamano have been significant and demonstrate clear progress and success. 

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

Yes, they always delivered on time and with clear responses. 

What was your primary form of communication with Mano a Mano?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Mano a Mano was a talented, reliable, and passionate agency that truly understood how to bring a brand to life. Their strategic thinking, creative expertise, and commitment to excellence made this project a seamless and enjoyable experience.

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

They did all good.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Managing Partner of Laika Ventures

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Laika Ventures is a venture studio focused on creating and scaling AI-driven companies. Founded with the mission of redefining how people interact with digital products, Laika Ventures targets industries where traditional methods have led to inefficiencies, high costs, and limited innovation. The company specializes in building AI solutions that automate routine tasks, enhance human-technology interactions, and deliver more intuitive user experiences.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Mano a Mano to accomplish?

• Rebranding
• Website Development

SOLUTION

How did you find Mano a Mano?

Referral

Why did you select Mano a Mano over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Mano a Mano were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

Mano a Mano was responsible for creating our brand identity from the ground up. The goal was to establish a brand that positions us as a bold venture studio, focused on exploring the unknown, using space exploration as the central theme.

The deliverables included comprehensive branding, from visual identity to tone of voice, as well as the complete design and development of our website. The outcome speaks for itself: an outstanding brand and digital presence that perfectly reflects our mission and vision.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Brand Recognition: A distinct and memorable brand identity that reinforced our positioning as an innovative venture studio. This resulted in increased engagement on digital platforms and positive feedback from partners and stakeholders.

Website Performance: The new website led to a 30% increase in visitor traffic within the first month, with a significant improvement in user engagement metrics such as average session duration and bounce rate

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

Super fast. They delivered everything on time and were flexible in changing some minor things during the development.

What was your primary form of communication with Mano a Mano?

Virtual Meeting

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

The way they can incorporate your briefing and feedback and build something that is very close of what you want in a fast and reliable way.

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

Nothing I can remember to be honest. I just love to work with them!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a communication specialist at a public museum in Lisbon, Portugal. The city museum is managed by EGEAC, a public company that oversees several public cultural venues.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mano a Mano?

We decided to redesign our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mano a Mano redesigned our website. They were in charge of all the layouts and graphic arrangements we needed to do. They also took care of the UX/UI work that our website required and paid particular attention to accessibility issues and essential factors for the museum.

Additionally, they tweaked our brand through digital channels. The team used Figma for the design work and delivered digital materials.

How did you come to work with Mano a Mano?

We found them through a Google search and chose them because they looked the most promising, responsive, professional, and organized from the portfolios we analyzed and the designers we contacted. Additionally, they had an interesting and digital-oriented work. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January 2022–January 2024.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were delighted with the results, and the process went smoothly. Furthermore, they were available, professional, inquisitive, and proactive. They understood our requests and entirely delivered them. Moreover, we launched the website last week but don’t have metrics yet.

How did Mano a Mano perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicated through email, phone calls, and occasional Zoom calls. They used Notion as a project management tool.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their flexibility and ability to adapt to different clients were impressive. Their portfolio was mainly commercial, and we are a cultural institution, which meant quite a different client for them. However, they knew how to quickly respond to that, create according to the type of client, and quickly understand our needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on. It was my first experience working with designers, and I didn’t see any room for improvement because their work was spotless. 

However, they could use tools that help clients visualize the work better because, as a communication specialist, it’s easy for me to understand what is being shown and explained, especially having a design background. But it isn’t complementary; they can improve their visualization tools or resources.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Brief correctly and in a detailed way. Think thoroughly about what you need from the designers before you request it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Innovation Specialist of a food & beverage company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

My company is a leading wine producer in Portugal, with production facilities in five countries and distribuition companies in nine countries. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Mano a Mano to accomplish?

• Development of the graphic identity of an ideation Hackathon
• Development of the graphic identity of the documents of the Innovation department

SOLUTION

How did you find Mano a Mano?

Referral

Why did you select Mano a Mano over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Mano a Mano were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Our collaboration with Mano a Mano is an ongoing path, where mostly the deliverables are related with design of powerpoint templates, creation of the design of an innovation ecosystem and other design related tasks. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The requests are always delivered quickly, and between the time frame defined for each delivery. 

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

They deliver the items quickly and on time. Even if there needs to be adjustments to be made on some of the items produced by them, they do it very quickly. 

What was your primary form of communication with Mano a Mano?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their speed and the flexibility in changing part of the requests. 

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

We have been working with them for almost 2 years. We have not had anything to complain about them. They always greet us with a smile, always looking forward to help us, and if there is something they are not able to do (might I add this rarely happen), they always provide us with alternatives to solve our request.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Oh!My Snacks

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Oh!My Snacks delivers personalized, healthy, and tasty snack options right to your doorstep, making healthy snacking convenient and enjoyable for everyone.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Mano a Mano to accomplish?

• Rebranding
• website
• packaging

SOLUTION

How did you find Mano a Mano?

Referral

Why did you select Mano a Mano over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Mano a Mano were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We hired Mano a Mano for the full rebranding of Oh! My Snacks, which covered: 

• Brand Strategy: Defining the brand’s personality, tone of voice, and key messages to ensure consistency across all platforms. 
• Color Palette & Typography: Choosing new colors and fonts that reflect our brand's values and appeal to our target audience. 
• Packaging Redesign: Creating new packaging that stands out on shelves and aligns with our brand’s new look, focusing on simplicity and sustainability. 
• Website Redesign in Shopify: Building a user-friendly website that matches our new brand identity, improves user experience, and works well on both computers and phones. 
• Application Design: Building a user-friendly App that matches our new brand identity, improves user experience, and works well on both computers and phones. 
• Marketing Materials: Updating all marketing materials, including business cards, brochures, and social media profiles, to match the new brand style.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• A brand guideline document outlining the new brand strategy, tone of voice, color palette, and typography. 
• Final designs for packaging and a template for future product lines. 
• A redesigned, mobile-responsive website in shopify. 
• Application design 
• Updated marketing material templates.

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

Mano a Mano approach was exceptional from start to finish. They excelled in delivering every item on time, demonstrating a well-organized and efficient process that kept our rebranding project on track. Their project timeline was clear and realistic, and they communicated updates regularly, ensuring we were always informed and engaged in the project's progress. 

We can easily tracking all the work via notion. One of the standout aspects of their service was their responsiveness to our needs. They listened attentively during the initial brief and were quick to incorporate our feedback into their designs. We tried some designs before the final version and we are always improving through real customer feedback.

What was your primary form of communication with Mano a Mano?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What truly set this design team apart was their exceptional ability to quickly adapt to our customer feedback throughout the rebranding process. It's not just that they were responsive; they demonstrated an amazing understanding of how to integrate consumer insights into the rebranding strategy in real-time. This agility ensured that the rebranding resonated well with our target audience, making the brand more relatable and appealing.

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

Working with Mano a Mano has been an amazing experience from the start, so much so that what began as a single project has evolved into an ongoing partnership. Their dedication and the quality of their work are why they are in high demand meaning that scheduling and project timelines require careful planning on our side. 

If there's one minor point to mention, it's about the importance of us, as clients, being well-prepared. This preparation ensures that our works move smoothly without waiting time between diferent projects.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Vice-president of ENSICO

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a non-profit association that is creating and implementing a computing program in schools.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Mano a Mano to accomplish?

• Develop our graphic identity.
• Respond to our design needs.
• Improve our communication

SOLUTION

How did you find Mano a Mano?

Referral

Why did you select Mano a Mano over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Mano a Mano were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

It was necessary to create a graphic and corporate identity that reflected the brand's values and positioned it among different stakeholders. Initially, they were asked to create an identity that would work well with students at different levels of education, parents and teachers but that this identity would be modern and represent innovation and credibility. 
To achieve this, we asked for a logo and a corporate image that was identifiable, fun and had personality. It was requested that corporate communication had the ability to communicate differently with its different audiences. 
After we were quite satisfied with this delivery, Mano a Mano was asked to create the design for the website and requested the creation of a notebook, which we called "My first computer", which would serve as a learning tool for the students and, at the same time, promoting the association’s activity.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

From the beginning, demonstrated assertiveness, politeness and the ability to listen without imposing. With few interactions we were able to begin to arrive at a working model, which would eventually materialize into results that exceeded our expectations.

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

This is another of the strong characteristics of the Mano a Mano team; They are always truthful and transparent in the deadlines they present and always comply with the delivery deadlines they have committed to. If we ask for something urgent and they can't do it on the same day, we realize that there is a commitment to trying to find the date closest to our needs. 
We felt their genuine desire to do well; they enjoyed working with us and identified with our brand. We feel Mano a Mano is part of our team, due to their willingness to help, to find solutions, to propose ideas and give consistency to our challenges.

What was your primary form of communication with Mano a Mano?

Virtual Meeting

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

Their willingness to help, to find solutions, to propose ideas and give consistency to our challenges.

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

There certainly must be, but I don't think I'm the best person to say which ones.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Scentify, a brand that started in early 2020. We sell fragrance diffusers that use fragrance oil bottles to make spaces smell good.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mano a Mano?

We started this company from scratch, so we wanted to create an up-to-date and modern brand. We also needed to create a nice, clean, and aesthetically pleasing website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mano a Mano has essentially created our branding and website for us. They’ve also designed our packaging. Someone else has done our copywriting and messaging, so Mano a Mano has mainly focused on the designs. For example, they’ve only created the website design and provided all the necessary documents for the developer to build it.

When we started this project, we had an initial meeting with Mano a Mano over Zoom. On that call, we told them that we wanted a modern and clean brand. Then, they came back with a mood board with different options to see which direction we wanted to go. We immediately liked what we saw, so we moved forward.

The branding and web design project was completed, but our work is ongoing. Now, Mano a Mano constantly updates our assets and adds things as needed.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with the two owners of Mano a Mano.

How did you come to work with Mano a Mano?

They came as a recommendation from a friend.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with Mano a Mano since before we launched our brand. Our engagement started around March 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We started this brand from zero, and we’re now doing a few million dollars in revenue annually, which is a testament to our success. Overall, Mano a Mano’s work has exceeded our expectations.

Mano a Mano has been great to work with, and they’ve created exactly what we wanted — we couldn’t be happier with what they’ve created for us. After almost four years of launching our brand, we still get daily compliments regarding how nice our website and packaging look.

How did Mano a Mano perform from a project management standpoint?

The team is very responsive to our requests. They deliver on time and within budget, and they communicate with us very well. We mainly communicate via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I would like to congratulate the whole Mano a Mano team. From the start, we’ve trusted in them, and it has paid off. Overall, the team is very creative.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have no suggestions for them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re starting a brand or need to go through a rebranding process, you can trust Mano a Mano to do it for you; it’s worth it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of a financial investment bank based in Dubai. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mano a Mano?

We’ve hired Mano a Mano for branding and UX services. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mano a Mano has been responsible for creating a new corporate identity for a product we’re launching and upgrading our digital platform's UX design. They’ve also created a website for a new service product that we’ve launched. 

To start, Mano a Mano ran a workshop to better understand our needs. We also gave them an existing corporate brand identity, including our ideal customer profile, target audience, and our existing digital platform. Webflow is being used for website development, and Figma is used for the design work. 

What is the team composition?

We work with two individuals from Mano a Mano. 

How did you come to work with Mano a Mano?

We found Mano a Mano through Clutch. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2023, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t launched anything yet, but everyone who has seen their work has been impressed with what they’ve done. Mano a Mano’s team is open to feedback and has been able to pivot when we want something different. We plan on engaging with Mano a Mano again in the future. 

How did Mano a Mano perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve been happy with the project management overall. They’ve missed a few deadlines, but we haven’t been extremely strict on timelines. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are highly skilled and extremely knowledgeable. The Mano a Mano team has a very strong sense of design and aesthetics and has been able to take abstract concepts and transfer them into designs that appeal to us. Their team is also collaborative and easy to work with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We wish they were a little more frequent and proactive with communication. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as clear as you can with your expectations. However, even if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, they can help you.