Thrive Design

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a sales engineer at Industrial Electric Machinery, and we repair and sell electric apparatuses, including power distribution equipment, motors, drives, transformers, switch gears, and more. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Thrive Design?

Our website was dated, and we needed help giving it a refresh and an updated look. We wanted our site’s visitors to be confident that we were legit and knew what we talked about. We also didn't want the site to look like it was from the 90s.

Most of our business comes from word of mouth and industry referrals. We're quite well known within our industry, but not so much beyond that. We wanted our website to present us as experts who can take care of any electrical apparatus problems.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we had discussions about our vision, values, and value proposition. Thrive Design helped us build a site map based on what we wanted the site to look like. After that, they developed the site using WordPress.

Additionally, Thrive Design provided us with a photography package, and their copywriter helped us create content for the site's pages. They also made us 5–6 short how-to videos about adding and changing assets on the site so we could do it by ourselves.

Recently, we’ve enrolled on their care plan for our site’s hosting and maintenance.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Noah (Founder & CEO), Adam (Creative Director), Holli (Photographer), and Susan (Copywriter).

How did you come to work with Thrive Design?

I searched for web design agencies in Seattle and looked at different companies until I narrowed it down to three. Once I talked to the shortlisted companies, I ended up picking Thrive Design as the best one. I felt they best understood our goals and requirements, and they were in our price range. 

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent around $17,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2020, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our audience has commented about how great our website looks and how much more professional it is. We have a Google My Business profile, and we've seen the number of views go up.

How did Thrive Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Thrive Design is doing really well with project management. They're on time and consistent with their deliverables. Because we're a small business, we wear different hats. With that, if something comes up, they are really flexible.

We use email and Google Meet to communicate. Their team is pleasant to work with, flexible, and very professional; they’re doing a great job.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Thrive Design has a lot of great ideas, and they really listen to what we want to accomplish. They take their customers' needs and put them into action.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. I’m happy with their services. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear idea of what you’re looking for. You’re going to get what you ask for, so you better know what you want. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

ACT Capital Advisors is a nationwide M&A advisory firm serving the lower to middle market. We specialize in sell-side and buy-side M&A, as well as corporate finance. I work as a Marketing Manager for ACT, where I develop, implement, and execute strategic marketing plans for the organization. I worked with the Thrive team in developing our new website a lot, as I manage most of the content on there now.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Thrive Design, and what were your goals?

Our website was created years ago and looked outdated. We hired Thrive to create a whole new website for us with a fresh look and feel. The goal was to also make it more responsive, functional, and increase brand awareness.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Thrive was chosen before I started my role with ACT, and they made a great choice!

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had meetings to discuss our goals, received regular updates through meetings (via Zoom) and emails from the Thrive team, and they were available to answer any questions that came up. The key deliverable was the entirety of the new website. They used WordPress for the new site.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Two people worked with us: Noah, the Head Honcho, and Adam Lacey, Creative Director.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

In just the last 7 days, our website user traffic has increased by 148%. Our traffic has continued to increase significantly since Thrive launched our new site.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We had weekly meetings with the team, and emailed regularly. The Thrive team was very responsive, delivered on time, and they had excellent communication.

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

We had a couple unique issues with our site where it was often difficult to find a solution. We had tons of data and needed to figure out the best ways to manage, host, and display it. Thrive rose up to the challenge on more than one occasion!

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

There were some minor bugs on the site when we first launched. However, Thrive had a great feedback tool we could use whenever we noticed one of those things. They fixed every one of these issues as soon as they could in a diligent manner.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the primary physician, owner and director of a unique subspecialty medical practice focused upon optimized individual eye/visual system care, in synergy with cutting-edge integrated preventative medicine and longevity-oriented systemic health support.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Thrive Design, and what were your goals?

Our website had served reasonably well over the last 18 years, but it had become dated--more honestly outright stale. It didn't convey the excitement of what we are doing or inspire viewers to recognize our unique character, mission and abilities.

We knew we needed to renew and enhance it, with the goal to increase our new-patient volume by at least 10 percent. We wanted those finding it (benefiting form search engine optimization in addition) to be inspired to stay...look...read and call us. Under the economic challenges of 2020, though, we also had to be very careful about staying within budget.

SOLUTION

How did you select Thrive Design and what were the deciding factors?

I was initially inspired by the work of a larger Seattle-based firm, but inquiry rapidly revealed our project was too small and our budget too limited for it to be a good match there (their projects started at $20,000 to engage and were generally to be numbered in many more pages than we needed.

One of their principals, who kindly took my call, suggested I contact Thrive if I wished to find similar quality at a scale and price point accessible to us. I was encouraged by an endorsement like that from someone very successful in the industry, and have since felt it was some of the best business advice I have received in thirty years.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Impressive at every step...there was structure and logic present from the get-go. We were systematically walked through a plan, interviewed to understand our needs (and it wasn't just "going through motions," but a meaningfully interactive experience that yielded tangible results).

We were put in touch with experts for photography and refinement of the content copy. Good questions...obvious talent in execution. What an experience. We tried and lost a fair amount of money with two other companies trying to get to this point and it happened seamlessly with Thrive.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

In our case, three... Noah at the helm. "Instant" (not kidding--the guy must never sleep) responses to any concern. Navigated...got us there. Adam: the technical architect of the site. He is in the UK and would arrange convenient timing to meet online. Precise interaction, an expert asking the right questions and executing accordingly.

We arrived right where we wanted to be in a time period only limited by our ability to get back to him with responses to precise and straightforward requests. Brilliant guy and great results. Holli: Native LIght photography was subcontracted for photos and we love the outcome.

Three prior failed attempts to capture "us." She got it first time and very reasonable pricing for the quality. Susan: copywriter. Incredible to see her follow through on Noah's description of her capabilities.

We had a wordy and overloaded old website, coupled with what we felt were meaningful, but kind of "heavy" ideas, philosophy, inspiration, technical concerns...she cut through it and rapidly distilled what we wished we had. Amazing experience, but again what you want from an expert.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Traffic to our site already up by over 15%. Calls coming in from people who found us. Simply put, exactly what we hoped for. Am very happy to have our site maintenance and updating under contract to Thrive, too, I might add. They obviously deliver bang-for-buck and wouldn't want anything else.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Concise, professional, effective...and with just the right sense of humor to survive us (which probably wasn't always easy at their end, requiring a fair amount of patience awaiting response from me in particular to what were always very targeted and reasonable refinement requests).

There's nothing better out there, I'm quite confident to say that. Maybe equal somewhere, but not better.

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

They are the real thing. I say that having been in "small business" for thirty years and having dealt with a whole lot of half-baked efforts and sales pitches which dissolve in mirage-like fashion once you are engaged. At not point have they let us down, and quite the opposite they got the best out of us.

How do you match that? I'm writing this right now because in my heart I know you generally can't and I want others to have the same experience.

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

I think they are perhaps less aggressive in pushing a "vision" for the site concept than I might have initially preferred...we were wanting an "artist" to give us "art" that we would like when we tasted it, even though our ability to tell them what that should be was more limited than I would have liked.

Kind of like asking a Chef to make you a dish you will really like, when they have to figure out what appeals to you (especially since that might be one thing one day and something else another?).

That may result from their approach of using a team to address each aspect on our project--site structure, imagery, copy--without a global vision being provided. Instead, they tried very hard to make it OUR site and not THEIR site. In the end, that really got us where we wanted to be, but I felt it more at the end than at the beginning.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I've owned my own divorce law firm, Truce Law, for almost three years and recently formed a partnership with two other attorneys for a criminal defense firm, Cavalry Law Firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Thrive Design, and what were your goals?

We hired Thrive to build a site for Cavalry Law Firm from scratch, which included a landing page template for advertising purposes. Also, I hired them to redesign Truce Law's website, which should be completed by February. The goal for both firms was to have a professional, well thought out website, that communicated professionalism and competent attorneys.

SOLUTION

How did you select Thrive Design and what were the deciding factors?

After working with other designers in the past, I thought Noah at Thrive did a better job of being responsive and guiding the project. I also like that they use a lot of cutting edge tools and techniques themselves, so I know I can take some of what they are doing to market their web design firm and use it for my law firms.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

They asked me to fill out a comprehensive questionnaire covering my goals and concerns for the projects. Afterwards we discussed budget and narrowed down scope. Once the proposal was signed they started working on a home page design and I was able to review the site. I'll meet with the lead designer, Adam, who will show me a new design and afterwards I'll have a chance to give feedback. They usually respond to feedback through a video, which I like. Whoever is responding will share their screen and talk through style choices, etc. while answering questions.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

2 people worked with me. Noah Britton the owner and Adam Lacey the creative designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

I was happy with the look of Cavalry Law Firm's website. It's professional and I think will allow us to compete with other firms in our industry. Also, I think I'll work with Thrive to expand the site in the future when we have more content to share. The Truce Law project is still ongoing, so I don't have any measurable outcomes, but I've been happy with the design so far.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

They check in weekly, letting us know the project's progress. We also receive quick responses to our questions.

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

I like that they practice what they preach. If you're looking for web design you can see that they put a lot of time into their web presence and it works. That will carry over into your project as well. Like I said before, I think they use a lot of innovative tools, when it comes to video, project proposals, PDF giveaways, and email marketing, which you can learn to do from them to get more clients.

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

At one point the Cavalry Law Firm project fell behind in schedule, but only by a couple weeks. It wasn't a big deal to me, since I checked in with the lead designer at the time and afterwards he kept the project moving forward at a good pace.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of Neo Moving LLC. I run a transportation of household goods business in the state of Washington. We provide local moving and packing services for residential and commercial structures.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Thrive Design, and what were your goals?

I hired Thrive Design for Web Design and Development.

SOLUTION

How did you select Thrive Design and what were the deciding factors?

I did a simple Google search. Their name came up in the map pack and had a high 5 star rating. I simply researched the top two companies in that pack and called one. That company was Thrive and it was a fantastic choice.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The work expanded from simple Web Design to hiring a copy writer to fill in the content as well as a photographer to create. The copywriter and photographer was recommended to me through Thrive who happened to have these contacts accessible within their circle. It made my efforts in researching these critical elements seamless and unnecessary. I was thrilled with their recommendations.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Susan for Copy-writing Holly for Photography Noah for overall Business and Project structuring Adam for Web Design

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The quality of jobs and leads that I have converted as of recent has increased. My website gives me an air of authority and professionalism that didn't exist prior. The site is still very new so the analytics are missing. But recent sales are proven.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Phone calls, emails, videos, and video conferencing.

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

Resourcefulness and one-stop-shop behavior throughout the entire process.

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

I honestly can't think of one thing I would correct. We think it was a flawless job from start to finish with all the moving pieces involved. I couldn't find any way to discredit the magnificent job that was achieved.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Entertainment website based on user experience, owner

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Thrive Design?

Website/e-commerce development

What were your goals for this project?

My goals were to produce an e-commerce site for an idea that was fully developed.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I looked at portfolios from many different developers. Thrive had a very diverse portfolio and each site they had produced was unique.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Thrive took my half-cocked idea and developed it fully, while adding much style and flair. Once they assisted me in teasing out the heart of the site, they developed the site, marketing materials and assisted me with learning how to manage my own e-commerce website!

What was the team composition?

The team composition was with the business contact, web developer, and a content writer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Before working with Thrive, I had nothing more than an idea and a logo. Within a few short months, I had a website, complete with e-commerce capabilities. I also had a business plan, marketing materials and content. The process led to an additional idea that I will work with on Thrive in the future. They are not relegated to web design. This team has a full understanding of current market trends and can guide your ideas without removing the original flavor.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We used zoom meetings which were very effective. They always had an agenda. Email is answered within hours. They are very proactive in communication.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

So, my idea was totally crazy. They didn't judge. They enjoy working on projects that stretch the mundane. I love that they encouraged me to dream while working!

Are there any areas for improvement?

None. Top notch, top shelf, top of my list! I'll never work with other company for my web-based needs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the chief marketing officer at Charisma Management. We have a portfolio of different clients whose operations we manage. I head up digital and retail marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Thrive?

One of our clients is a chain of cannabis dispensaries with multiple store locations all with different website domains. Our main objective was to create a website that had all of the locations on one website, unifying the brand and increasing searchability.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Thrive combined the multiple websites into one domain and provided web design service. The new site is hosted on WordPress. Our teams brainstormed the design of the website together. I came in with a vision in mind, but Thrive helped me refine it. They provided us with a few revisions of the website. 

Their team also developed a custom CMS for the website, allowing the client to jump on and write a blog post or make changes to the site without needing to know any HTML. They also provided SEO services.

Thrive also helped us obtain a photographer, who went our and scoped all of the different dispensary locations in the Northwest. The photographer took over 1,000 photos at the various locations to be used on the website. 

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with Adam (Creative Director, Thrive) and Noah (Owner & Founder, Thrive). Additionally, I briefly spoke with their SEO specialist as well.

How did you come to work with Thrive?

Our company was going through the stages of taking on proposals from different design companies. When I got involved, I started looking at reviews of companies online. I also wanted a company that was more design-forward as opposed to marketing-forward.

Thrive is one of the companies I came across. It was important that they were local to us and I really liked all of the reviews I read about them. They had done previous work in the cannabis industry, which was helpful for this project in particular. From the onset, they were very professional and gave us an hour to review what we were looking for before they gave us a proposal.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested between $10,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Thrive ran from August–November 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I had a vision in my head of what the website was going to look like. We were pushing for a platform that would make it easier for customers to navigate to the menu and place orders online. Thrive made that vision into a reality, but they improved upon my ideas. They provided excellent development work and great designs. 

Their team never just said yes or no, they gave me their opinions on the decision and their reasoning behind it. They are educated and knew when certain things would or would not affect SEO. It will take some time to see the full effects of the SEO they provided, but we’re already seeing some positive results.

How did Thrive perform from a project management standpoint?

Thrive performed really well. They gave me access to a couple of project management skills, but I never dove too deep into them. Our teams largely communicated over email.

Their team was quick to make any changes I pointed out and communicated well. All of our meetings were remote screen shares. They were adaptable and willing to work at off-hours.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Thrive is communicative, responsive, and adaptable. They have great vision at an affordable price point.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s nothing huge, but at times the Internet connection did not work as well as it could, making screen sharing kind of difficult

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have good internet access since they are a remote team. I never made it a point to meet with them in person, but I’m sure they would have loved to. Be as thorough as you can in communicating. They are more than willing to move things around and work within your vision. Explain to them exactly what you’re looking for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT manager for an antiques business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Thrive?

In the past, our website didn’t allow clients to purchase items from us directly. We had products listed all over the web on platforms such as eBay. We found that our clients bought items on other platforms instead of going through us. We wanted a way to let our customers buy products from us through our website

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Thrive set up our WooCommerce website. Initially, we talked with their team about our vision, goals, and what we wanted the site to look like. We also discussed the problems we’d run into with our current platform. Then, they brainstormed and created a plan for us. We went back and forth about the proposal. After, they executed the website to completion. Throughout the process, we provided feedback and requested changes.

What is the team composition?

The owner was our main point of contact. When we had questions, he was the first person to respond. He also gave us ideas. We also worked with a developer. When we wanted changes or to see our ideas come to life, we contacted him.

How did you come to work with Thrive?

The company that had built our website recommended them. We contacted a few other local agencies to see other bids. Thrive caught my attention because of their great communication, response rate, and competitive pricing.

How much have you invested with them?

The whole project cost between $18,000–$19,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We collaborated between April–September 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A lot of clients have said that our new website is much easier to navigate. Our site also has a bunch of photos showcasing our products, which clients have found to be pretty.

How did Thrive perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed well. Communication was great including in emails and calls. Their team responded within a day or the same day. Whenever we had problems with the website, it was resolved quickly. There wasn’t a time when we were left hanging or wondering when they would resolve a challenge.

What did you find most impressive about them?

A lot of companies will tell you the right thing to do or make recommendations. But we told them exactly what we wanted and Thrive hit it out of the ballpark. They made sure all requests were enacted. Their attention to detail was extremely good.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them a call and talk to them in person. Thrive has a great attitude. Their team’s straightforward and down to earth. Talk to them directly to get a sense of who they are and what they offer.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We teach students and families how to navigate the college admissions journey, giving them the tools to drive the discovery process and find the perfect fit. I am the founder of the company and provide the majority of counseling and coaching services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Thrive?

Our old website was in need of a design overhaul, and we wanted to start selling an online course. Thrive developed a new website with a new style, layout, and content. We launching in July 2018. Thrive is also implement a Learning Management System where we sell courses on admission. The website is also used to deliver that content.

What were your goals for this project?

Our #1 goal was to get a more professional online presence and sell our new online course. Secondary goals were ranking higher on Google and streamlining a way to edit/add content to the website.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Thrive was recommended by our daughter. Noah took us through a comprehensive intake over via screenshare and listened closely to our needs and asked all the right questions. His proposal is what put us over the top. He was able to summarize our needs and put forth a plan in a clear and concise format.

Describe the project in detail.

We were surprised that Noah and his designer Adam were so organized and stuck to a set schedule. We first agreed on the pages to create (a sitemap). Adam created a homepage design based on the logo. We had one round of revisions. After we signed off, they created the subpages based on the sitemap. Those were signed off on and then they created the online offering. We tested all of it and we went live and started taking orders.

What was the team composition?

Noah handled most of the intake process and Adam designed and developed the website. Our main point of contact throughout the project was Adam, but Noah would pop in from time to time with ideas.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Since the launch of the website we have about 25% more inquiries from the website, which is almost more than we can handle. Our students (and their parents) comment on how nice the website is.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I met with Adam over video screenshare during milestones such as homepage review, subpage review, and final testing. We met four times during the project. Otherwise, we communicated over email.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was so impressed by their process and expertise. They didn't waiver. They knew exactly what they were doing at all times and I felt safe and supported throughout the project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I usually like to meet in late afternoons, and Noah and Adam were more morning people. A minor inconvenience but I can't think of anything else!

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Thrive?

I needed a new website, since my old Magento website was outdated.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Thrive built a brand-new WooCommerce site for my company. At first, I met Adam (Creative Director, Thrive) and we discussed what I wanted in my new website and how we were going to go about it. He outlined all the steps, including the cost and the timeframe. It was a step-by-step procedure of what we needed to do.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Adam and Noah (Owner/Founder, Thrive).

How did you come to work with Thrive?

I worked with Adam, previously; he took over a company that dealt with my software and backup systems in the past.

I looked into different companies that could work well with our products and I decided to choose WooCommerce since a lot of people use it for e-commerce.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve invested $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project spanned from May – Nov. 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before the new website, I would typically get only three orders on the weekends; now, I get anywhere from 10-15 orders. I don’t have to take orders on the phone anymore and the online system is much quicker. Thanks to Thrive, last month was the biggest month I’ve ever had.

How did Thrive perform from a project management standpoint?

Adam and Noah are tremendously helpful from a project management standpoint. They worked for me whenever I needed them, despite any time differences. They always send me a video on how to do things, just in case I forget. We typically communicate through screen-share meetings and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their customer service was the most impressive part about them. From start to finish, they were pretty superb, especially with helping me make the transition into a new system.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.