Temper And Forge

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and president of Billie & Bird Jewelry Co, a women’s jewelry website.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Temper And Forge?

We wanted to launch an online portal for our jewelry distribution in a cost-effective way while making it look very professional. Although we have a broad skillset, website and online store development are not part of our talents. Thus, we connected with Temper And Forge to get help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Creating a custom template from an existing one was more cost-effective than designing and developing a new website from scratch, so Temper And Forge helped us develop a custom Shopify template for our site. Part of the reason why they recommended Shopify for our site was that online sales were our main focus. They told us that Shopify was a very seamless platform for new businesses like ours, and we would be able to combine a lot of the elements that we needed to run our store.

First, we provided them with assets to create the template, including our logo, primary branding colors, product samples, target audience information, and samples of different websites that we liked. With our input, they got a better understanding of our style. Then, they came back with different template options based on our style and the products we needed to showcase.

After choosing a template to start from, Temper And Forge started customizing it and fine-tuning it. This process was very collaborative, during which they gave us recommendations of different creative elements to add, including imagery, font size, and font design.

We launched the site recently, but Temper And Forge keeps working with us. Currently, they’re helping us with our SEO. These efforts started when they were still building the site, implementing on-site SEO strategies for our product names and listings.

What is the team composition?

Initially, we were introduced to four people from Temper And Forge, two of which focused on account services. However, we haven’t interacted with them a lot. Our main contact points have been Nate (Lead Developer & Owner) and Sam (Developer).

How did you come to work with Temper And Forge?

We were connected with Temper And Forge through a mutual friend, and we really liked the strategy they brought to the table to work with us. It was very attractive to us that we didn’t need to put them on a retainer, so they would work for us as much as we needed them to, and we would pay them accordingly. This approach was very helpful for us as a new business because we would be able to control our costs.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around July 2021, and our engagement is ongoing. Our goal was to launch the site around January 2022, but we were behind schedule and launched in February 2022, which was partially our fault.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Generally speaking, Temper And Forge has met our goals and done what we needed them to do. During the first month of our launch, we were in the top 7% of all Shopify websites that were launched in the same period, which was a great metric to understand how users perceived us. However, it is still early to provide any metrics regarding the site’s performance.

How did Temper And Forge perform from a project management standpoint?

Temper And Forge have been good at meeting timeline expectations. Although we launched our site later than we wanted, it was more our fault than theirs. Additionally, their communication has been good.

In terms of budgeting, we’ve been surprised a couple of times by our bills, but I don’t think it has to do with Temper And Forge. We use a Monday.com board, which tells us how many work hours we’re using. However, we haven’t been on top of it as much as needed, and we’ve ended up going over our budgeted hours. Moving forward, we will be more aware of that.

Besides Monday.com, we communicate via email and text messages. Our communication was especially helpful during launch because we texted them whenever we found bugs, and they fixed them immediately.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Temper And Forge is a very talented team. They run very leanly while being highly professional — that’s a good combination. Additionally, I like that they’re similar to a boutique shop financially speaking, so we don’t have to pay monthly contracts.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Temper And Forge’s communication has room for improvement. It would be great if they were more on top of things and frequently touched base with us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and president of a wine retail company. We have four stores in the Boston area, and we do a fair amount of virtual events.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Temper And Forge?

We had a shoddy website, and we needed help in web and e-commerce development. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, Temper and Forge designed and developed a quick turnaround funnel website for our events business. We would use that as a landing page for our Google and social media ads. 

The site is built on WordPress and contains our company information, services, and some testimonials. It also features a basic questionnaire that allows us to obtain essential details from prospective clients. After development, they’ve hosted this platform. 

Since we’ve liked what Temper and Forge did, we’ve also asked them to revamp our retail website. They’re currently rebuilding our Shopify website from scratch. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with Nathan (Founder & Owner), a designer, and a developer. 

How did you come to work with Temper And Forge?

I found Temper and Forge through Clutch. I was in touch with five web developers for my landing page project. They were the only ones who confidently committed that they could deliver the project in 2–3 weeks. Their price was also very reasonable, and I liked their portfolio. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $10,000 so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve started working together in September 2021, and our relationship is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Temper and Forge’s work has helped us generate close to $100,000 in revenue in just two months. Our customers like the site since it’s simple and represents who we are. The site has also received positive feedback from our organization. 

How did Temper And Forge perform from a project management standpoint?

Temper and Forge’s project management is top-notch. They’ve followed our schedule and even over-delivered; their team functions with very little guidance. We communicate through emails and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Temper and Forge has delivered what they’ve promised — that’s rare. They offer quality and timely work. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to what they have to say because it’s valuable. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of an athlete-consumer marketplace.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Temper And Forge?

We needed help with Shopify migration and Webflow development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve worked with Temper And Forge in creating design templates, which they’ve utilized to craft our platforms. Apart from migrating our site content to Shopify, they’ve also deployed custom development tools and conducted API integration. We’ve then engaged their team to build a Webflow platform for our NFT projects.

What is the team composition?

I’ve mainly worked with Sam (Frontend Web Developer) and Chris (Frontend Web Developer).

How did you come to work with Temper And Forge?

I worked with Temper And Forge on a previous project while operating a different business. We kept in touch, and I reached out to them again to discuss this opportunity.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $35,000–$45,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Temper And Forge started in August 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our primary success metric for Temper And Forge’s performance is our athlete acquisition rate — from an initial 13 athletes, we’ve welcomed more than 200 athletes since switching and optimizing our systems.

How did Temper And Forge perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Monday as our main project management tool. From our team’s perspective, Temper And Forge is a timeline-oriented and collaborative team that works within our schedules and keeps us in the loop at all times.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Temper And Forge hits the nail on the head every time. They’re a transparent and flexible team that works within quick turnaround times.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’ll appreciate it if they include design services in their package to avoid rounds of feedback sessions.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t hesitate to hire their team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of business development for an environmental services company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Temper And Forge?

We needed to establish our credibility in the marketplace and expose our business to more people, so we hired Temper And Forge for their web development services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The web development project started with a clear work plan designed by Temper And Forge that includes the timings, expectations, and tasks. They then implemented the UWP engine as the main hosting platform to create the template-based website.

Afterward, they presented us with a draft using different visual elements for the content and integrated the appropriate technology for people to associate us with.

What is the team composition?

We mainly communicated with Nathan (Founder & Owner) and Chris (Frontend Web Developer).

How did you come to work with Temper And Forge? 

I came across them while researching online and talking with several design firms. We decided to hire them based on their great price point and high-quality design work.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September–November 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Temper And Forge was able to deliver their tasks within the quoted timeframe and garner generally positive feedback from the internal team.

How did Temper And Forge perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was good, and their integration of Monday.com helped us understand the progress of their work better.

We typically communicated through email and input questions related to individual tasks on Monday.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What attracted us to Temper And Forge was their nimble approach to the project and competitive pricing. We also liked their responsiveness, design flexibility, and agility.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It was hard for me to understand the vision for the development initially, so it would've been better if someone had guided me through the project thoroughly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would suggest preparing the necessary documents and materials ahead of the development so that Temper And Forge can build your website quickly and efficiently.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a wardrobe styling company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Temper And Forge?

I hired Temper And Forge to redesign my website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a series of phone calls and feedback loops through email, then I sent Temper And Forge all of my information and available content as they worked on refreshing my website. 

At present, they’re hosting the website, so I continue to be connected with them. They’ve also helped me with SEO. 

What is the team composition?

I primarily work with Nathan (Founder & Owner), and he’s done the actual redesign tasks. Chris (Frontend Web Developer) and other people also work on the project, but Nathan does most of the tasks.

How did you come to work with Temper And Forge?

They were referred to me by a friend. I reached out to Temper And Forge and had a chat with Nathan over the phone. After he laid out their design process, we started the partnership. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m happy with the way the website has come out and the way it looks. 

How did Temper And Forge perform from a project management standpoint?

Temper And Forge’s project management has been terrific. Nathan has been truly communicative and efficient; we’ve had a great partnership. To communicate, we use either email or Google Meet. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness and creativity have been terrific. Nathan has made all the changes that I want and provided great ideas about how to jazz things up. These are the highlights of our partnership. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend working with Temper And Forge.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m Impact Hub Boston’s co-director, and we’re a coworking space and a community for social innovators and entrepreneurs in the Boston area.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Temper And Forge?

We hired Temper and Forge to spearhead our website development and design project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our first project required them to help us with our existing website where they implemented changes and updates on our platform. When a larger project came down the road, they spearheaded our website migration efforts where they helped us set up our pages correctly because we only had a general template of how we wanted things to look. While the migration was ongoing, they made suggestions on the layout of our functionalities, the best platforms we could use, the payment pages we could implement, and more. They presented the cost-benefit analysis of each of the options they proposed.

Some of the features and functionalities of our site were related to scheduling tours, paid membership sign-ups with credit card components, links to event registration pages, and more. In addition, they integrated a blog page where a number of our photos and videos were posted. Temper And Forge also created landing pages, and they continue to provide us with maintenance and are helping us improve our existing site.

What is the team composition?

We’re working with 2–3 members from Temper And Forge, but we only interact with their project manager. 

How did you come to work with Temper And Forge?

They were recommended by other members of our community, and we were able to know them better through that community.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our partnership in July 2018, and we continue to collaborate.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received good feedback about their work, and we definitely experienced an increase in our click-through rate (CTR) and conversions. However, I don’t have any specific metrics to share. The team quickly solves our technical problems, too. Overall, they exceed expectations.

How did Temper And Forge perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re performing very well, and we communicate through Slack, email, and Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What sets them apart is their ability to consider all of the stakeholders' inputs and come up with a solution that meets everyone’s needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m not really sure what areas they can improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear understanding and vision of what you’re trying to achieve. Temper And Forge will definitely support you and even share how your website can support the vision and goals that you have.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior packaging designer at Cultivate Holdings, LLC Group, a medical and recreational cannabis company in Massachusetts. I’m responsible for all the creative and marketing activities of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Temper And Forge?

We  were looking for a company that could help us with our website. We also needed someone to help us with our SEO and to make sure that we were doing all that we could to ensure that our business had a lot of presence on Google.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We already had a Webflow website, and the team helped us implement design and navigation changes on our platform. They ensured that our images weren’t too large and that our links were working accurately.

On top of that, they ensured that integrations were working as smoothly as possible. All of those changes contributed to a high-functioning website, which increased the chances of our customers finding us through Google and increased our chances of improving our SEO presence. We’ve been keeping them on for anything else we need.

What is the team composition?

We’ve only worked with Nathan (Founder & Owner) for a little bit, and we’re now working with Chris (Developer).

How did you come to work with Temper And Forge?

My supervisor suggested working with Temper And Forge, and he helped us be in touch. I then reached out to Temper And Forge through email about our SEO engagement, and Nathan scheduled a call with me. After that, I expressed to him our needs, and we discussed the timeline and the project’s milestones. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $5,000–$10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in January 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Temper And Forge team has done exactly what we asked them to do. Though I don’t have any specific metrics to share, their work has definitely made our website run smoother. The faster loading time has allowed more people to use our platform frequently and that’s important because our customers use our website to place orders.

On top of finishing our requests, they suggest other things that have enhanced our ideas. Overall, we’re happy with the results of the partnership.

How did Temper And Forge perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very punctual, and we keep in touch with them on a biweekly basis. They give accurate timelines, and they’re good at explaining their work to someone who isn’t that well versed in SEO and website design. We normally communicate through email, phone calls, and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their quickness in executing projects has been impressive. They’re approachable and friendly, and it's a pleasure to work with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Approach Temper And Forge with your project’s scope and identify what you want to accomplish right away. You should also recognize that they’re available to support you along the way.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of GRIND Basketball. We make portable basketball shooting machines.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Temper And Forge?

We hired Temper and Forge to develop and design a website for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I provided Temper and Forge with a Google Doc of my requirements and ideas. They took that and brought my vision to life, redeveloping our entire Shopify website from scratch. We’re currently working on the design and visuals using Figma, and the team is just about to get into coding the backend. 

What is the team composition?

Sam (Developer) is working on the project, and I’m also in touch with their CEO.

How did you come to work with Temper And Forge?

I came to know of them through a referral.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve paid them around $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2021, and our partnership is ongoing. We’re still trying to optimize the site and add new features to it. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m really happy with the outcome. Temper and Forge has done a great job so far, and the feedback towards the website has been generally positive. We’ve done a lot of top-line revenue through it, and our conversion rate has gone up by 40% since working with the team. I’m pretty excited about the next phase of the project, and I feel very confident in their ability to implement the site. 

How did Temper And Forge perform from a project management standpoint?

Temper and Forge is great at this front. They meet every deadline and have a good cadence for providing me with weekly updates. If I forget to reach out to them, they make sure to keep us in the loop anyway. We mostly communicate through email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very professional and an easy group to get along with. They seem to care about us being successful, and I’m really pleased with it. They provide their services the way a boutique agency would, and they treat us with great attention to detail despite them having other really good clients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they exceed my expectations. Any dissatisfaction I have with our partnership would be on my own shortcomings of not giving them more stuff to do. I wish I had a little more bandwidth to give them instructions and tasks, but other than that, Temper and Forge has been fantastic.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand their workflow and give them as many hours as they need. They’re definitely going to do a great job. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of an educational tech company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Temper And Forge?

We needed someone to develop and design a forward-facing marketing website to help sell the software we developed.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Temper And Forge developed and design our WordPress website. We collaborated on the initial scoping and told them about our vision and ideas, which they implemented on some of the design pieces.

They're currently providing us with ongoing maintenance and SEO services on a monthly basis.

What is the team composition?

We initially met with the founder of the company and once we got on board, we’ve been primarily communicating with the project manager.

How did you come to work with Temper And Forge?

They were recommended to us by another company.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve invested around $6,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started in August 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While it’s too early to give any specific metrics, the feedback from people who’ve seen the website has been very positive. We feel like they’ve done a really good job of bringing our vision to life and we’re very happy working with them.

Moreover, they’re true experts in the field. Whenever we have ideas that aren't in our best interests, they help by coaching us through those decisions.

How did Temper And Forge perform from a project management standpoint?

I think their team is really organized. They work in a timely manner and they stick to the budget that they initially quoted us with.

We used Monday to manage the project in the beginning, and we mostly communicate through phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We like that they’re able to accomplish their tasks while adhering to our goals and budget. Temper And Forge is customer-centered and they really listen to our needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could’ve had a more uniform way of walking through the design pieces at the start of the process. It would’ve helped if they guided us through the steps of coming up with the design and copy ideas.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to share as much information about your goals and what you hope to achieve with the project as possible. Temper And Forge is great at listening to feedback and iterating your vision, so always be open to communication.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CFO for the City of Everett, Massachusetts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Temper And Forge?

We hired Temper And Forge to revamp our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we provided Temper And Forge a Figma file that we’d developed. We needed them to convert that file into a WordPress website and incorporate all of the functionality that we were missing on our old site. They did the new website from scratch.

At present, we’ve contracted them to move forward into phase two of the project, which is website maintenance. The Temper And Forge team is also working with us to continuously make improvements and develop other areas of the website.

What is the team composition?

We work with Nathan (Founder & Owner), Katherine (Project Manager), and Sam (Developer). Alyssa (Account Manager) is part of the team, but we don’t work directly with her. 

How did you come to work with Temper And Forge?

We found Temper And Forge by searching for top website development firms in the Metro Boston area. Our team didn’t necessarily want a local vendor, but because the project is time-sensitive, we focused on teams that could be local when necessary. 

With that in mind, we interviewed three companies. We were instantly comfortable with Temper And Forge, and their resources were extremely responsive. To elaborate, the team listened to our needs and adapted to every single aspect that we expected from them — they were great. As a result, we hired them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $45,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in September 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. They finished the first phase of the project in October 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received feedback from our residents, who say the website is much more user-friendly. They also accomplish tasks on the website. Moreover, our team has also received tremendous feedback from our department heads and staff. 

Overall, we’re pleased with what Temper And Forge has done to our platform in terms of its searchability and accessibility. On top of that, we’ve had an aggressive timeline for the project’s first phase, but they’ve met it. 

How did Temper And Forge perform from a project management standpoint?

For project management, they use Google Documents and a tracking program that allows everybody in our team to see what they’re working on and where the priorities are. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive thing about Temper And Forge is their dedication to meeting our goals within an aggressive timeframe. They have the ability to adapt to our needs as the project progresses. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take the time to get to know the Temper And Forge team rather than relying on written proposals. Understand their philosophy and approach to the project. Doing this has been helpful in our selection process, which is why our project has been so successful.