Studio Simpatico

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Marketing of Isaac Health

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Isaac Health is a virtual brain health and dementia care clinic.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?

• Create a beautiful & compelling new brand
• Build a new website

SOLUTION

How did you find Studio Simpatico?

Referral

Why did you select Studio Simpatico over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Isaac Health worked with Studio Simpatico to bring a fresh look to our brand, logo, and website. They did an incredible job – working collaboratively with us to develop a compelling new brand identity, including a new logo, and putting together an intuitive and engaging new website for us. Timelines and expectations were met and all Studio Simpatico team members were super engaged throughout the process, readily answering questions as they came up. We especially want to highlight their web development / UX experience – they were great partners in website creation and we love the final product.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Faster website speeds

Improved website design/experience

Other outcomes TBD - just launched!

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

Yes! On time and managed expectations perfectly.

What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They're a really talented team that understands the digital health and health technology space super well, and are able to bring a very human-centered approach to all their design work.

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

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Communications and Brand of a dental office.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We're a wellness-focused, modern dental office that has been serving the Upper West Side since 1998. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?

• A new cpwdentistry.com

SOLUTION

How did you find Studio Simpatico?

Online Search

Why did you select Studio Simpatico over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We partnered with the team to rebuild our website from the ground up. Our previous site was nearly a decade old and running on a version of Wordpress that could no longer support updates, so we needed a modern, stable foundation. The project included a full redesign that stayed true to our existing web presence, reflected the heart of our practice, and created a clean, simple experience for visitors. Key deliverables included updated architecture, refreshed branding elements, improved navigation, mobile responsiveness, and a backend we could confidently maintain going forward.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were looking for a more modern, responsive site that preserved our existing SEO strength and supported stronger conversions. A clean, intuitive, and beautiful experience was a top priority. My background is in art and design. The finished site feels aligned with our aesthetic, functions smoothly across devices, and gives people a clearer path to connect with our office. It also gives our team a stable foundation to build on as we continue to grow.

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

Tamara's project management was outstanding. I went into the process expecting some stress and friction, but the experience was so smooth! We had a series of meetings, timelines were communicated well, and every deliverable arrived on schedule. I shared a lot of feedback along the way, sometimes in a way that a less seasoned team might have found overwhelming, but the Simpatico handled it with clarity, calm, and great follow-through. Everything just seemed to magically pop into place in the end! 

What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

How easy everything felt! I’m a really visual person and usually have a strong instinct to stay closely involved in every detail, but I trusted Tamara completely. here She intuitively understood the aesthetic and experience we were aiming for, and in the rare moments when something didn’t fully align with my vision, she course-corrected quickly and understood exactly what I was going for! It made the whole project feel genuinely collaborative and I'm so grateful that I could trust the Studio Simpatico team to bring our vision to life! 

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

The only area I would suggest for improvement is payment flexibility. It would be helpful if credit card payments were an option rather than limiting invoices to checks or ACH.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing & Communications Supervisor of Domestic Violence Project

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Domestic Violence Project is a legal services and advocacy non-profit whose mission is to help survivors of intimate partner violence and their children live free of abuse.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?

• Build a unique landing page for a new campaign
• Encourage supporter engagement and donations

SOLUTION

How did you find Studio Simpatico?

Online Search

Why did you select Studio Simpatico over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Great work with other non-profits

How many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

DVP sought a unique landing page for our first paid digital media campaign. The site would be a simple, single page featuring unique DVP branding, highlighting our new animated video leading the campaign, and drawing on design elements of that video to weave in throughout the design of the page. Additionally, the page would host audience-submitted videos, encourage engagement from supporters, and offer a quick option to donate to DVP.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The main goals of this project were focused on creative execution and UX design. We wanted a beautiful, accessible, and enjoyable digital experience for our supporters to engage with, and Studio Simpatico delivered that exactly. Our digital ads drove traffic to this new page, with users spending substantial time on the site and even revisiting with some frequency, showing the final product was successful in being engaging.

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

Studio Simpatico was a fantastic partner on this project. They delivered on-time or early in every phase of the project, and were incredibly accommodating of our not-so-tech-savvy non-profit staff as we learned to navigate the process of setting up and maintaining a new site.

What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?

Virtual Meeting

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

Studio Simpatico clearly shared our passion for the subject matter, which is such a great feeling as a non-profit with lofty, emotional, policy-driven goals. We'd seen their experience with building curated, effective websites for other non-profits and were thrilled to see they delivered, even exceeded, our expectations.

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

Most, if any, hiccups in the process were due to DVP figuring out how to use certain features of the site. I feel that Studio Simpatico made it as simple and intuitive as they possibly could.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Communications of CitizensNYC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

CitizensNYC provides microgrants and support to grassroots leaders and small organizations working to improve their neighborhoods across New York City.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?

• Create a new website for CitizensNYC

SOLUTION

How did you find Studio Simpatico?

Online Search

Why did you select Studio Simpatico over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Portfolio of work

How many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The scope of work included a full website redesign and rebuild—covering discovery and strategy, UX and visual design, custom WordPress development, training and documentation, and ongoing support. Key deliverables included a new site architecture, custom page templates, interactive features (such as a grantee map and searchable archive), responsive and accessible front-end code, staff training, and a dedicated support channel post-launch.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While we don’t rely heavily on web analytics to measure performance, the outcomes of our new website have been immediately clear across our team and network. Internally, the difference has been night and day—updating the site is faster, cleaner, and no longer something we dread or avoid. Our staff has full control over content now, and we value our real-time support. That shift alone has made our communications more nimble and consistent.

Externally, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Funders, grantee partners, and peers have all commented on how much clearer and more inviting the site feels. The design presents our work with a new level of professionalism, and the added functionality—like our grantee map, searchable grant pages, and blog archive—makes it much easier for visitors to find and engage with our programs. We’ve also felt more confident directing people to the site in outreach and partnership conversations, which has translated into stronger visibility and more meaningful connections.

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

Studio Simpatico’s project management was one of the standout elements of the whole experience. From the beginning, the process was clearly mapped out with realistic timelines and clear expectations. No vague deadlines; no moving goalposts. They used tools that kept everything organized and transparent (like Notion and Slack), and we always knew what was coming next and who was responsible for what. Everything was delivered on time—or early—and any time we needed to shift or slow down on our end, they adjusted without missing a beat.

What really stood out was their responsiveness and calm, steady energy throughout the project. We never felt like we were bothering them with questions or changes. They treated every request, even last-minute ones, with the same level of attention and professionalism. Our dedicated Slack channel made it easy to check in, and they were incredibly fast to respond, often resolving issues or implementing changes within a few hours. It was low-drama, high-trust project management from start to finish, and it made what can often be a stressful process feel almost easy.

What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?

Virtual Meeting

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

What stood out most about Studio Simpatico was how consistently reliable and capable they were across every part of the project. They handled design, development, and communication with equal skill, which is not something we’ve often seen with vendors. The design work improved how we present ourselves without requiring a full rebrand, and the development side delivered features we’d been told were out of reach.

Their team was also easy to work with. They listened, responded quickly, and kept things moving without making anything feel rushed. There wasn’t any overpromising or unnecessary back-and-forth—they just did the work well. That consistency is what made the project successful, and it’s a big part of why we’ve continued working with them post-launch.

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

There honestly wasn’t anything we’d flag for improvement. The project moved smoothly from start to finish, and every step felt clear and well-managed. We never hit a point where we were confused about what was happening or unsure how to move forward.

If anything, what stood out was how little we needed to intervene or redirect. The team anticipated what we’d need, stayed ahead of deadlines, and handled even the more complex pieces without issue. It’s rare to come out of a project like this without a list of lessons learned or things we’d do differently—but in this case, we really didn’t have any notes.
We brainstormed pretty hard to come up with some deltas here - we didn't want our review to sound canned or too effusive. But, look. We came to Studio Simpatico with a timeline of 6 to 8 months door-to-door. They were done with their work in 10 weeks and we were launched in 14. What more is there to say?

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Marketing Manager of Oshi Health

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Oshi Health is a virtual digestive health clinic, with an integrated team of GI experts working across specialities (medical, dietary, gut-brain) to get patients back to life without symptoms. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?

• Provide best in class UX/design to optimize and improve user engagement
• Rebuild brand website within custom content management WordPress instance using a modular framework for ease of use and streamline management.
• Refresh visual brand identity

SOLUTION

How did you find Studio Simpatico?

Referral

Why did you select Studio Simpatico over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Website Visual Design Deliverables & Build Setup 
  • Site audit, updated site map, website wireframes and visual designs 
• Dev Infrastructure & Front-end development  
  • A fully functional, responsive, custom WordPress theme based on requirements and final figma design files build using advanced custom fields pro and ACF Extended Pro
• Final Content Population with custom WordPress content management system and quality assurance testing 
  • A fully populated, fully tested, ready-to-launch WordPress install

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was completed on time and within budget, ensuring a smooth transition and alignment with our organizational deadlines. The new modular framework and custom templates have not only improved our team's efficiency but also delivered cost savings by simplifying the management and updating of site content.

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

The project management was highly effective, with all key deliverables provided on time and aligned with the scope of work/expectations. The Simpatico team was very responsive to our needs, maintaining clear and consistent communication throughout the process.

What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What stood out most about Studio Simpatico was their systematic approach to building a custom content management WordPress theme that aligned seamlessly with the vision of design. They demonstrated an impressive ability to combine creativity with practicality, delivering a thoughtfully designed solution tailored to our needs. Additionally, their responsiveness and clear communication throughout the project ensured that every detail was addressed promptly, resulting in a great final product.

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

Overall, we were extremely pleased with the project and the outcomes. If there’s one area for potential refinement, it might be allocating a bit more time for our internal testing. That said, we were up against tight deadlines and Studio Simpatico’s responsiveness and commitment to meeting those deadlines ensured the project was delivered successfully and met our expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director at the Henry Luce Foundation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico?

We needed help with our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Studio Simpatico designed and developed a WordPress website from scratch using Figma. The team also did a mini rebrand for us, expanding our color palette and creating related assets, such as emails and presentations, to ensure our branding was consistent throughout. Studio Simpatico created templates on Canva and updated our branding on all our platforms.

What is the team composition?

We worked with several teammates, including Tamara, Phebe, Bruce, and Angela.

How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico?

I had worked with Studio Simpatico before on a microsite for one of our programs early last year, so I invited them to send a proposal.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July–October 2024.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everybody loved the website delivered by Studio Simpatico, and they did such a fantastic job that we had no complaints. They exceeded expectations.

How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint?

They were top-tier when it came to project management. We never had any confusion about where we were in the process. Studio Simpatico always communicated effectively, sent notes after every Zoom call, and worked within the timeline they gave us. They stuck to the plan and did it without making us feel overwhelmed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were talented and efficient.
Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything they could improve; they were perfect.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend working with Studio Simpatico. They’re a great brainstorming partner, so even if you aren't clear on what direction you want to go, Studio Simpatico is exceptional at untangling your goals and plans. They’re a fantastic and easygoing team to work with. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and VP of a financial services startup. We focus on payroll services using a SaaS product. Our goal is to streamline payroll in a fun, approachable, and whimsical way.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico?

We hired Studio Simpatico to create our branding and style guide. We also needed help finding a name for our product and the visual identity of our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Studio Simpatico and our company initially focused on developing a name for the company. We were going to focus on a specific industry, so we needed help creating a name reminiscent of it but wasn't too closely related. This was important because we wanted to expand outside of it.

Studio Simpatico offered fantastic options reminiscent of the startup trends but also unique and enjoyable for our current industry and new potential industries we try in the future.

We didn't focus too much on marketing and potential visuals for advertisements because we weren't near that phase for the company. Instead, we focused on getting the visual identity and style guide done. This was because we were simultaneously wireframing and working on a prototype. We wanted a style guide that could debut simultaneously with the prototype.

We will potentially engage them to work on our pitch deck and punch that up with the visual identity. We may also do a landing page at some point.

What is the team composition?

We worked closely with the principal of Studio Simpatico, Tamara, and three team designers: Bruce, Phebe, and Angela; she was mainly our illustrations designer.

How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico?

We were widely searching for potential branding agencies based in New York. We wanted to work with a smaller team without going to a larger branding agency. We wanted a more personal feel.

We brought in Studio Simpatico's team due to their experience working with startups. We did a general Google search and looked through some Clutch reviews to understand them. We met with Tamara a few times before we formally engaged with them. We clicked with her management style and interest in our product. It was a good personality and culture fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $10,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We wrapped up the scope of work for the naming and branding style guideline in July 2024.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our response to their work was outstanding. We didn't do much iteration from what they presented to us. The names probably took us a little more time than anything else. We felt that was the most crucial thing to iron out. We can always rebrand or change our colors and visual identity a little easier.

We probably got too focused on the name, so we went through a couple of drafts and conversations. However, the visual identity stuff came through once we settled on the name. They brought an outstanding design and approach that fit precisely within our industry. It also branched out and was more on-trend.

The team brought us up to a more modern image. Payroll might feel old, stuffy, and complex, but Studio Simpatico made it light, airy, trendy, and fun. They did a great job, and it didn't take much iteration. The team definitely met our expectations.

How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint?

We ironed out the scope and budget pretty early. We came in right on budget. The schedule got drawn out slightly, but that was on our end. We had a lot of travel during the summer, which made us push deadlines back. The team was very helpful providing new deadlines to accommodate our schedules.

Overall, the team was communicative and transparent about their timelines and their needs. They also told us when they needed feedback. All of that was very clear and concise. We used Notion for correspondence and Figma primarily as a presentation tool. We also communicated via email and Zoom.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Bruce and Phebe were definitely great. Angela also helped us develop some custom illustrations for the style guide.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive thing was how effortless the process felt. Our first meeting didn't feel like we were meeting with a company about providing a service. It was a good conversation. You could tell Tamara was very passionate about what she did and the work she provided.

Something clicked in terms of what we were trying to do. It felt like such a natural fit. They're a small team, which I love. It makes it feel more personal, and you don't feel like you're getting lost or aren't a priority, which could sometimes happen with larger agencies.

Her team is talented and communicative. You couldn't ask for anything different.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind. We're satisfied with our collaboration and look forward to doing more with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Bring your passion for your business - Simpatico's collaborative energy is an asset!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief Growth Officer of Main Street Auto

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We own and operate over 90 auto repair shops throughout the Southeast.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?

• Improve our existing website
• Maintain our existing website

SOLUTION

How did you find Studio Simpatico?

Previous Customer

Why did you select Studio Simpatico over others?

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

How many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

As a new brand we needed to add content and functionality to our website. Additionally, we needed to launch independent shop webpages for some of our niche automotive businesses.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We successfully added vertical pages to our website, delivering high quality leads for fleet management and retail customers.

Our website delivered nearly 8k online appointments in 2H 2024.

Internal clients praised the quality and speed in which we launched our niche/vertical webpages.

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

Studio Simpatico does an incredible job with project management. They use simple tools that enables our teams to collaborate, and deliver quickly and with minimal guidance.

They consistently delivered items faster than expected, with a solid intake & development process. Additionally, they always dedicated the proper resources to the team.

Most importantly, their expertise in development and web design helped us excel. They filled in technical and knowledge gaps on our side, which we highly valued.

What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?

Virtual Meeting

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

Studio Simpatico had a high bar for quality and creativity while delivering projects on budget and within timelines. This requires a good mix of skillsets and expertise, Tamara has built a diverse and impressive team that delivers.

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

None. They are my preferred website & Wordpress design and development agency, and I will continue to use them in the future.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the lead marketing operations manager at ClassPass.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico?

Studio Simpatico developed a website for us. For context, we had a yearly campaign called Best of ClassPass — we’d create a custom microsite with a different theme per year. Our designs would design the microsite, and we’d look for a web developer to build it. 

For this project, we chose the Studio Simpatico team to build the site. Our goal was to use the site to recognize our partners and give awards to them. At the same time, there were CTAs on the site to increase our user acquisition. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially hopped on a call with Studio Simpatico to review the Figma files we were working on alongside a semi-finished website. From there, the team came up with a game plan on how we could still deliver the project on time. We handed over all of the logins and gave them access to our development environment. 

Then, we did some extensive QA tests and had two rounds of feedback sessions until we could put the designs on the site and launch it on WordPress. We performed troubleshooting tasks throughout the process as bugs and issues came up. 

What is the team composition?

Tamara (Owner) was in charge of the engagement, but we mainly worked with Evan (Senior Developer), who was most involved with us on our day-to-day tasks. 

How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico?

We found them through Google. Our company had a previous web developer, which went out of business during this project. As a result, we had to look for a secondary developer and came across Studio Simpatico.  

How much have you invested with them?

Our investment was around $6,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from March–April 2024. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We beat our 2023 performance and more than doubled our sessions on the first day of this year’s project. Overall, Studio Simpatico’s work met our expectations.

How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint?

Studio Simpatico delivered tasks on time and budget, and they kept us updated on their hours as the project moved forward. We mainly communicated through Slack, where we went back and forth on the tasks. Meanwhile, we used Basecamp for to-do lists. 

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Evan was great. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their open communication was impressive. It was never unclear where we stood on the project. With other developers, I had to constantly ask for updates. However, with Studio Simpatico, I always knew where we stood.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come prepared with what you want to accomplish with the project. Our engagement went well because our designers had a great gauge on the capabilities of our website and designs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The Natural Areas Conservancy is a New York City-based urban conservation nonprofit that works to protect and manage the 20,000 acres of forest, wetland, and grassland in the city. We also have a national network called The Forest in Cities Network, where we collaborate with 19 cities across the country to protect their natural areas. I'm the deputy director of communications and external affairs within the organization, so I oversee things related to communications, marketing, and advocacy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico?

We needed help with a website redesign and redevelopment project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Studio Simpatico handled our website's redesign and redevelopment for us, and we ultimately added some SEO consulting as well. There were three stages to the website redesign, so first, we went through a discovery phase with an extremely involved kick-off call.

During the initial call, Studio Simpatico interviewed me, some key members of our executive team, and other staff members involved in our internal website working group to collect our requirements and desires for the new website. From there, they went into wireframe development, which led to website design.

Their team created designs for almost every single web page using Figma, allowing us to see how the website would end up looking. Then, we moved into the development process.

In addition to the design and development, Studio Simpatico provided us with SEO consulting. For this part of the project, they did full site audits of both our old site and our new site. Then, Studio Simpatico's SEO consultant provided us with recommendations on the technical side of SEO.

Their consulting included recommendations on how the website structure should be and how we should name the pages. Studio Simpatico also developed a list of keywords and blog ideas we could use to improve our search engine rankings.

What is the team composition?

We worked with around half a dozen teammates from Studio Simpatico, including Mingwei (Senior Project Manager), Tamara (Owner), Bruce (Head of Design), and Phoebe (UX Designer & Creative Strategist).

How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico?

We went through an RFP process that lasted about a month. I had already met Phoebe at our fundraising gala last year. Still, we got proposals from 5–6 different agencies, and Studio Simpatico had the strongest proposal by far. Their proposal was very specific, showing a strong understanding of our requirements.

On their proposal, Studio Simpatico specifically called out a complete of things other agencies didn't. For example, we have a nature map on our site showing New York City's natural areas. For this project, we wanted to make changes to highlight that map better, and Studio Simpatico was the only agency that had specific ideas on how to achieve that.

Moreover, I was very focused on finding the right-sied studio for this project, as I wanted an agency where everything was done in-house. That was one of Studio Simpatico's strengths; given that they were not a huge agency, it was clear that their staff interacted tightly.

How much have you invested with them?

 We spent $50,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2023, and we launched the website in February 2024. However, we'll likely continue the relationship with Studio Simpatico as a maintenance retainer contract.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everything Studio Simpatico promised in their proposal was successfully accomplished. The new website has been live for a couple of weeks now, and we're already seeing positive results. Our traffic has nearly doubled, our bounce rate has dropped by 22%, and we're seeing increased downloads of our research.

Moreover, the quality of Studio Simpatico's work was excellent. Their team proved to be incredibly organized, smart, and talented. As mentioned, we desired to showcase the natural areas of New York City, which could have been a very difficult task for an agency to execute.

Nonetheless, Studio Simpatico took our photo library and adapted it in a way that looked beautiful on the new website. Now, we don't have to keep telling people about New York City's natural areas because they can see them when they go to our website. This feature spoke volumes about Studio Simpatico's design skills and ability to listen and process requirements to ultimately deliver a beautiful website.

How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was one of Studio Simpatico's strengths. Ours was the smoothest project I've been involved in, allowing us to completely redo our website in 14 weeks, which was very fast. They also stayed on budget without overages, which was due to their ability to deliver everything on the time originally scheduled. They even exceeded the deadlines for various parts of the project.

Moreover, Studio Simpatico was very responsive and on top of things. Mingwei was on top of our regular communication, using Notion for project management and Figma for design feedback. We also had weekly check-ins over Zoom, and Mingwei checked in with us regularly via email.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Mingwei was amazing. She facilitated meetings in a great way and proved to be a great note-taker, so I never had to worry about something getting dropped from the conversation. Moreover, she always followed up immediately after meetings, and we had a weekly digest of what was going on, what they were working on, and what was expected from us. Overall, Mingwei was a joy to work with, as everything was always very clear and specific.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was very impressed with their designs. During the design phase, we were able to see how the website would end up looking, which was very helpful and inspirational for our staff. Those early designs also helped us with our copywriting and content development process.

Still, website development was one of the strongest parts of the process. I've been involved in dozens of website redesigns, both as a client and on the creative agency side. Nonetheless, this was the smoothest process I've been involved in and with the strongest end product.

When we moved from static designs to web page development, there was no loss of design fidelity. What Studio Simpatico developed looked identical to the designs they had provided, so we didn't have to correct anything, allowing us to save a lot of time in the process. Ultimately, it was very clear that their developer and designer worked closely together and that the developer really cared about the designs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything Studio Simpatico could have improved on. I'm nothing but pleased with our relationship and the outcome.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Be very clear about your requirements and tell them how the new project will help your organization accomplish its mission.