Referent

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and operator of TapTown, a full-service restaurant featuring a massive self-pour wall, a full bar, and comfort food that gets you a little out of your comfort zone. We’re a place to gather and a place to be yourself.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Referent?

We needed a rebrand for our restaurant, which was a little odd because we hadn’t opened yet. Our project hit construction snags, and during that time, we made some major changes. We needed our brand tweaked and applied across our new building. We also needed our message and tone of voice defined, as well as lots of deliverables.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Referent handled all of our branding elements, including our logo. They also designed our menu, interior, customer flow, and environmental graphics. Additionally, they created our main signage and marketing guidelines.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 2–5 teammates from Referent.

How did you come to work with Referent?

Someone referred them to me. I chose them over other options because they were a great culture fit and offered good value for the cost.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January 2025–April 2026.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We used a slide deck that was updated constantly. Referent gave me access to all the things I needed to coordinate other aspects of our business. People loved our brand and our voice — they nailed it.

How did Referent perform from a project management standpoint?

They delivered on time and overdelivered. We communicated via in-person meetings, virtual meetings, and emails or messaging apps.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their research was impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was nothing they could have done better.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Partner & COO of Alloy Fundraising

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Alloy Fundraising offers grant research and writing, event planning, and strategic fundraising for nonprofit organizations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Rename a firm that was the product of two merging firms
• Develop a logo and visual language for the new business
• Develop and launch a new website
• Develop a content management system for the website

SOLUTION

How did you find Referent?

Referral

Why did you select Referent over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

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

Aaron and the Referent team started from scratch with our small business and led us through a successful rebranding journey! Referent listened intently. They quickly learned about our company and our sector. The first phase was a new company name and logo. We also worked together on a visual library to get us started with marketing (icons, backgrounds, and a simple style guide). Finally, we worked on a new website on a content management platform so our internal team could manage ongoing updates. The website is on WordPress and has exceeded our expectations!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

1) Rapid growth as a result of renaming, rebranding, and marketing a company that was previously reliant on word of mouth.

2) Increased community interest in Alloy's work as a result of the new brand.

3) Opportunities for thought leadership in our sector as a result of a new polished and engaging brand.

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

Yes, the project management made sense. We were able to work with one primary contact, which was very helpful. They are responsive, professional, and wonderful to work with!

What was your primary form of communication with Referent?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Referent took on a complex project for an expanding small business. Renaming and developing an entirely new look and feel can get complicated, but Referent's expertise streamlined the process for us. The result is a new brand that everyone on our team feels connected to and is proud of, setting us up for success in our next stage!

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

N/A

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a consumer products and services company. We track employee labor hours and costs in real time.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Referent?

We needed help with branding, UI/UX design, and website development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Referent has designed, developed, and launched our website. The team has also created our branding and naming and completed the UI/UX design of our product.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with one teammate from Referent.

How did you come to work with Referent?

Someone referred Referent to me. I chose them over other options because their pricing fit our budget, they were a great culture fit, and they offered good value for the cost. Additionally, their company values aligned with ours.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Referent in July 2026, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Referent has delivered weekly touchpoints that give us updates. The team has also completed the website design, brand creation, and UI/UX deliverables in Figma.

How did Referent perform from a project management standpoint?

Referent has delivered on schedule. We communicate via virtual meetings, emails, and messaging apps.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Referent is easy to work with, very creative, and helpful. The team puts a lot of thought into design and recognition.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Co-Founder of Go HQ

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Go HQ provides Back Office Support services for transportation busineses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Brand Porfolio Architecture
• New Visual Identity
• Communication Guide
• New Websites

SOLUTION

How did you find Referent?

Referral

Why did you select Referent over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Comprehensive Approach to Project

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

We were regularly presented with names, designs, website dev previews, copywriting for approval, etc. Each week significant progress was made on the next deliverable - and if any delays were faced, we would add a call to review within a few business days 

We recently went through an acquisition of a well-known brand in our industry. We were uncertain on the strategy of presenting two alike, but distinctly different brands to showcase cohesion but maintain brand equity. Aaron completed the following:

1.      Stakeholder Interviews

2.      Customer Surveys

3.      Competitive Research

4.      Audience Segmentation

5.      Portfolio Architecture and Strategy

6.      Holding Company Brand Strategy

7.      Subcompany Brand Strategies

8.      New Visual Identities Across Family of Brands (Logo Redesigns)

9.      Website Builds (x3)

10.    Development to Communication Guide

11.    Development of Extensive Brand Family Guide

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

To start Referent provided us with a project overview by week that gave us a clear picture of what should be completed when.

Each week Referent had a (1) hours touchpoint to showcase progress, provide options for approval and outline next steps. They did an incredible job of synthesizing information and providing very informed recommendation, making next step decisions simple to make.

We were regularly presented with design concepts, copywriting for approval and website dev previews to discuss or approve. It was impressive the work that was completed on a week-to-week basis with nearly all deadlines being met. In the off chance there was a delay, we would add a call within a few business days to get the project back on schedule.

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

As stated, there was a clear Project Overview by Week presented on the front end. We threw in quite a few curve balls as our business evolved during the tenure of the project and the Referent team took them in stride. Over the course of a yearlong project we were able to close everything out within 4 week of the projected deadline, many delays related to us (client) in getting approvals or information back timely.

What was your primary form of communication with Referent?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We have a complicated business in a niche market. Referent’s uncanny ability to understand our business model and our ideal customers so quickly stood out early, and a major reason we chose to move forward with their firm. They would conduct read-backs on what they have learned and how they interpreted that from a marketing perspective. At times it was a learning opportunity for our executive team to understand ourselves in greater detail than we had previously. That understand only grew deeper over the course of the project. 

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

Referent exceeded my expectations on nearly all fronts. Thorough work on the front end to build a road map was robust, their designs work was crisp and innovative, their attention to the smallest detail really made them feel like part of our team vs an outsourced agent. They have really felt like a true partner throughout the process. Would not have done anything differently.