500 Designs

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the administrator for a surgery podcast with five hosts focusing on medical training for medical students and residents. We also have listeners who are out of their training, including surgeons from all over the world.

It started as just a podcast with some YouTube videos, but we've grown globally, increasing our number of listeners and content over the past couple of years. Now, we have the free podcast, our YouTube channel, books that we sell on Amazon, and premium studying materials for tests that surgeons need to take for their specialties. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 500 Designs?

We wanted to work on our branding and needed to update our logo and website. We had a lot of content on our old website, including old podcast episodes, making it difficult to filter specific topics. Our main goal was to create a new website to facilitate easy searches.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

500 Designs developed our branding and marketing materials. We gave them some ideas about the logo we wanted, but didn't have anything specific in mind except that we wanted a knife graphic. They then gave us several different options for logos for us to choose from. We provided some feedback before their team finalized the design. 

Once we had the main logo, we decided to commission a premium logo. We wanted it shiny and platinum, and cooler than the other. We wanted to have a two-second video with a related sound in the background and a glint on the knife graphic. 500 Designs delivered on our new logo requirements and then developed new branding materials. Then, 500 Designs created two short promotional videos. For one video, they produced a five-second video with a surgeon walking into an operating room, with the logo flying in. We also asked them to create some thumbnails for social media and templates for our Mailchimp newsletters. 

They also built a new WordPress website for us from scratch that categorizes all of our 400 old episodes. We needed the site to be user-friendly — because we had different series and categories, we needed the site to be easily searchable. 500 Designs' team gave me access to the site, so I could upload our weekly podcasts and ensure they're added to the correct category and playlist. 500 Designs also linked our merchandise Printify, Mailchimp, Amazon, and Teachable accounts for users to utilize. 

Although the website was completed in September 2021, we've had them go back in and make new changes. 500 Designs has also helped us set up our Google Analytics portal. We've just signed a quarterly maintenance package, where they will check our plugins, ensure the site is up-to-date, and fix any problems that may arise.

What is the team composition?

I've worked with three teammates from 500 Designs from their website development, branding, and troubleshooting teams. 

How did you come to work with 500 Designs?

My former teammate, who developed our original website, found 500 Designs through Google. Their price was better than the other quote we received. 

How much have you invested in them?

We've spent about $22,000 with 500 Designs. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with 500 Designs began in April 2021, and it's ongoing. We've just signed a contract with them for SEO and marketing services. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I regularly check Google Analytics, and since working with 500 Designs, our site traffic has increased every month and user feedback has been positive. We're really impressed with the logos, 500 Designs' creativity, and the new website. The site is easily searchable and has been well received by users. 

How did 500 Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

500 Designs uses monday.com for project management — we can submit requests via that platform. Their team is very responsive to our changes and is available via video call or email if we have questions or need something explained. 

The website development process took longer than initially estimated, but we understood it because of the complexity of the podcast categorization. 500 Designs underestimated how much work it would take to categorize the episodes and ensure they were properly labeled.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were the most impressed by the logo and promotional video ​​500 Designs created. Everything they delivered looks very professional. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were some bugs when the website was released, and while they did fix them quickly, they should've been taken care of before the site went live. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I'd advise customers to have clear expectations about what they want to include on each website page and where they want each link to go. Also, customers should give 500 Designs some leeway for branding and logo design because they're a very creative team, and their options can really open doors. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO. Personal training, fitness and nutrition platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 500 Designs, and what were your goals?

We set out to create an online subscription service where users could access high quality personal training services, access step by step fitness and nutrition education, and to help the members reach their fitness goals.   We hired 500 Designs to create the brand identity, design the user experience, the website and website development.

SOLUTION

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

I met the founders, Steve and Vivienne, through my training. They volunteered to give me feedback on an old website and they blew me away with their assessment as to why the site wasn’t converting as well as it could be. I didn’t need to be convinced any further.

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

• Discovery – we started with a discovery call which was incredibly well organized and fluid. We explored possibilities while focusing in on success factors to be considered in the design of the brand. Their team quickly identified the white space in the market and we all felt confident in the direction.
   
• Research – 500 Designs then took the starting point and put it to the test. Their team researched competitors, persona, market, digital strategy, SEO, success factors, positioning and visual identity, presenting the findings in a beautiful presentation.
   
• Branding – From the research, they created stylescapes to show some concepts for the visual identity. It was hard to choose which to go with but we landed on one I felt captured my personality best and felt confident it was modern, slick and thoughtful.
   
• UI/UX – Their team followed up soon after with wireframes which showed the proposed layouts for my new site. There was nothing to edit, they nailed what we had talked about.
   
• Website Design – A few weeks later the website design was completed keeping more or less in line with the layouts from the wireframes and the style created for the brand. To say it was super slick would be an understatement.
   
• Development – Their team then moved to the development of the website which was done on WordPress. The site was fully checked for high-quality accessibility and functionality; and ready to launch on schedule.
   
• Communication – Sophie was my project manager, and she was amazing! Very communicative, responsive and a pleasure to work with each step of the way!

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

I worked with 2 people. Sophie, the project manager and Steve, founder and strategist on my project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s too early to give numbers since the project is just going live. But I am feeling extremely confident and know they are there in support in both strategy and performance!

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

From the discovery call, I was clear on the steps. They shared a detailed timeline which we stuck to pretty close. Sophie, the project manager, communicated with me at every step of the way and I trusted the process.

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

500 Designs is more than a ‘design agency’. They really cared about the outcome and brought a ton of real-world experience to the project. Their design is very impressive but what impressed me more was the thinking behind the design. Their work is strategic, really well thought through and looks like a million bucks!

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

Nothing comes to mind. I am so happy with how everything has gone start to finish!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a software as a service company, providing financial solutions to small businesses. I am the CEO & Founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 500 Designs, and what were your goals?

We hired 500 Designs to help us with

1. UX/UI design of our software
2. Branding and naming of our product
3. Website Design
4. Logo design
5. Develop prototype of our software
6. Develop an animated video on our software

SOLUTION

How did you select 500 Designs and what were the deciding factors?

We interviewed and had a score card for the (3) agencies we were comparing. We chose 500 Designs because they outscored the other agencies in our requirements and impressed us with their speed and quality.

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

Logos and Product Naming: - 500 Designs presented their approach to product naming with a presentation.

We discussed options and determined best approach as a team. Once we decided, they delivered packages of logos in various formats, including PDF, JPG, etc. We collaborated on colors and styling.

Competitive Analysis: - 500 Designs prepared a comprehensive presentation covering all competitors and the market.

Website: - 500 Designs used PHP to develop a website for our product. We were able to provide feedback through Figma while they were in the development phase.

Project Management was done using Monday, which was helpful for visibility.

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

There were three people from the vendors team that worked with us. However, the project manager was our main point of contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don't have any results yet, because we just launched the first phase of our website. However, they have been helpful with connecting us with potential leads for investors.

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

At first it was a little bumpy in terms of project management. We didn't have a system established or a meeting series set up, which left us wondering. However, as soon as we expressed some confusion/questions about things, they quickly reached out with timelines and created tools to make it easy for us to understand.

Eventually, they gave us access to Monday, which is their internal management tool and this made communication/visibility much more apparent. We were not privy to the hours used, but we we were very happy about the services provided and believe they went above and beyond.

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

We enjoyed their collaborative style and also their friendliness! It was always a pleasure working and meeting with them! Also, the design choices they made were always on mark.

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

I think if they could improve anything, it would be their project management from end to end.

Establish a mutual understanding of what to expect during the duration of the project in terms of meeting frequency, tool to be used, level of transparency (i.e. hours) and an explanation of the overall process to expect.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a co-founder and marketing director for a CPG startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 500 Designs?

We hired 500 Designs to help us concept and design for a new product launch. We had the name and formulation of a product, and we needed 500 Designs to help us bring it to life within the constraints of our existing product portfolio.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to have a product that spoke for itself on shelves but also still fit in with our initial product and USPs.

SOLUTION

How did you select 500 Designs?

We had worked with 500 Designs previously on a rebrand for one of our other product lines. After reviewing a bunch of agencies, we found them to have a firm understanding of how we wanted to move forward, and they also brought wonderful new ideas to the table.

Describe the project in detail.

We had a super short timeline for the new design of our product + launch. 500 Designs was in constant communication. We had a kickoff meeting, where we all shared important information to move forward and made sure we were all on the same page. From that point, we had near daily touch points to make sure things were moving and sign-offs were happening.

They presented our initial round of options in about a week, and we iterated from there. They were always super accepting of feedback, and in the end, I think we ended up with something we were all super proud of. In just a few short weeks they designed new packaging for us + extended it across packaging sizes + flavor varieties.

What was the team composition?

We primarily worked with two people at 500 Designs, who were both very well-versed on the scope of the project, timeline, and deliverables. We worked with the same team for the duration of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

At the end of this project, we decided to adjust our hero SKU to better match the design of our new product, because we loved what 500 Designs had done. They really have an eye for how things fit together.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Every piece was on time, or even ahead of schedule. Their team was prompt with feedback and making sure we had virtual checkins to talk through any issues.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have the ability to merge so well with our team. They step in and try to fully understand the industry and issues, and they make suggestions from a place of understanding. We've begun to turn to them for all sorts of branding, design, digital / web work that comes up that our team can't get on top of, and they bend over backwards at times to make sure everything is getting done, and that it's right.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Perfectly Tea is a tea brand designed to empower women to become the best version of themselves

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 500 Designs?

We needed help with the overall strategy and look of the brand, especially UI/UX design and web development.

What were your goals for this project?

To unleash the real potential of the brand by creating an out of the box web design focused on women empowerment.

SOLUTION

How did you select 500 Designs?

One of my co-founders referred us to 500 Designs. Seeing the team's expertise and passion on our very first meeting made us immediately sign into the project.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We shared with 500 Designs our overall vision for Perfectly Tea, which was to empower women. Their team then wanted to create a brand that would immediately resonate with our target market. From there, 500 Designs came up with a lifestyle-focused brand story that is reflected on all channels, from product packaging to the website.

What was the team composition?

We worked closely with a Creative and Strategy Director, as well as a dedicated Project Manager, but there were several designers, writers, and developers also involved behind the scenes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With their strategic help, we sold out in our first month!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very easy to work with. Whenever we have questions or requests, they are on it straight away. They are also very transparent and always communicative.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team is inventive every step of the way. They really go the extra mile, delivering more than we expect.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Everything worked perfectly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

CliqueMJ is the leading loyalty app for the cannabis industry offering consumers cannabis deals and rewards.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 500 Designs?

We looped in Steve and his team in order to enhance the look and feel of our mobile apps.

What were your goals for this project?

Completely redesign the mobile applications to make them easy and fun to use.

SOLUTION

How did you select 500 Designs?

We searched online for about two months. We landed on 500 designs and had an initial meeting with them. What we took from that meeting was that their team is very well experienced and wanted to come back to us with a plan of their own. It was great.

Describe the project in detail.

500 designs sent us a couple of options to choose from before we went ahead with the green light and redesigned the mobile applications. Once that was done, they kept in touch with us every week in order to make sure the work they are handing over during the sprints was exactly what we wanted.

What was the team composition?

We were directly in touch with a product manager and the owner himself, Steve. Who is wonderful to work with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our users love the new look and find it was easier to navigate.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Seamless. We had no problem reaching out to their team and when we did they would respond promptly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The work, clean and straight to the point. They are not expensive in regard to their offering either.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Can't think of any. We wish them the best of luck.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Marketing/ Business Development. We are headquartered in Newport Beach, California. I oversee all partner communications, client relations, and sales efforts for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 500 Designs?

We needed to take an already successful business and rebrand the service under a new name, reflecting the evolved product offering.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create individual product solutions and create a hierarchy under one umbrella—the Globally Paid brand.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I searched for hours and finally came across 500 Designs website and immediately, I was impressed. After I scheduled an introductory call I knew we had found the right partner with the know how experience who was going to take our ideas to the next level.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The process began with multiple face to face meetings. We really got to know their team, their process and their overall work ethic. Their team was with us every step of the way.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with their CEO, project managers, developers, and graphic designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since working with 500 Designs, we are extremely satisfied with our new website, branding, logo, coloring, etc. It's everything we imagined and better. We will continue to enhance our image, our messaging, and our overall vision with their team's guidance and help.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their project management process was thorough and efficient. Their team was also flexible with our hectic traveling schedules, which we greatly appreciated.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their team's vision and experience made our team really think outside of the box. They pushed us to think like true marketers.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I am confident their team will continue to acquire great clients through their forward thinking culture and through their genuine desire to help businesses succeed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the cofounder and head of product at a startup called Humble Dot. We are a team collaboration software tool built primarily around a web application.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 500 Designs?

We hired 500 Designs in June when our full-time designer left our company. We used to hire them for 20 hours of work a week. We initially thought they would be a stopgap for a few months until we could hire another full-time designer but their work was so amazing we haven't had to do that.

Six months later and we're still working closely with them. We meet weekly to discuss and review designs for UI for our web application.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed design support for developing our web application UI as well as our landing pages.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were referred to 500 Designs by a friend of mine who is the head of product at another software company. He was in a similar position to us and had only amazing things to say about Steve and 500 Designs.

Describe the project in detail.

We had an initial call were we discussed pricing and meeting cadence and then we jumped right in.

We meet weekly on Thursday where Steve and Sheena, our designated designer at 500 Designs, present and walk through their designs from the projects we discussed last week. We give feedback and then we talk about what we need designed for next week.

They always have amazing work and get it finished so quickly. They take feedback very well and ask the right questions to ensure they understand the feature we need designed. We've been so impressed with them.

What was the team composition?

Steve is a founder of 500 Designs and our initial point of contact. Another designer, Sheena, works with us on actually creating the designs and illustrations we need. We meet with both of them for an hour via videocall every week even though it's very late for Sheena as she is located the Philippines.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have loved the work that Steve and Sheena have done for us. They've redesigned our core web application UI as well as our onboarding and landing pages. The results are fantastic. Our signups are up 350% in absolute numbers since we started working together and our signup conversion has doubled.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our workflow was excellent. We meet weekly and we really enjoying and look forward to meeting with Steven and Sheena. We also can tag Sheena in small to-dos throughout the week if something comes up.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I'm very impressed by the level of quality from 500 Designs. They give us the quality of having a full-time designer despite only working 20 hours a week for us. I'm also impressed with their speed. Designs come so quickly! Lastly, I love their attitude. They're friendly and competent—just the kind of people you look to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No! I wish we could work with them more!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the head of medical communications of a prestigious dermatologic medical practice and research group in NYC. I oversee the development and execution of the publication plan, the scientific communication platform and the branding.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 500 Designs?

We hired Steve and their team as our website was updated and needed a next-generation website for the practice and the research group.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to have a website that reflected the cutting edge innovation that takes place in the practice, to educate the patients about innovative treatments and the new research emerging from the research group. We wanted the site to be easy to navigate, felt light regardless of the browser/device and was aesthetically pleasing in an elegant/simplistic way.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A startup CTO highly recommended 500designs as he had used them to design a logo for his startup under a very tight deadline. They delivered and put the startup on the map as the logo really captured what the company was about. We also checked out the 500website and their mission statement and branding were closely aligned to what we were looking for.

Describe the project in detail.

The project was to design and launch from scratch the practice website and the research group website, with new content, new media, new typology, and layout and integrate features such as online booking, online payments, and patient portal. The project was cost-estimated and projected to take around 3 months from start to launch.

What was the team composition?

We worked with Steve and Vivianne directly from the very beginning, they were our shepherds all the way from selecting the layout, the UI/UX interface, the fonts and stock photos to digging out the right plugins for all the features we required, the two of them worked with us the whole way. Another bright star Christine on the team helped build out some pages and stepped in as needed to meet the deadlines and goals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Absolutely, within 3 months of launch, the website traffic had quadrupled, and we received lots of compliments from other members of the team, patients and even competitors. There was great utility and appreciation of the sites' ability to offer online booking and payment which subsequently helped facilitate clinical operations within the practice.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was natural and seamless, they were easy to work with, fun, fresh and responsive. We didn't need any fancy project management software, email, chat and skype worked just fine.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The passion and innovation Steve and Viv bring to the project is evident, a stark contrast to other agencies that are dry and impersonal. They become part of the team and care about the success of the project long term. They are quick on their feet, agile, and fresh. They are a bubbling pot of smart ideas and solutions to all the problems that can be encountered.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I wish they were closer to the east coast!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I'm CTO and one of the co-founders of Fit3D. We sell 3D body scanners to health and wellness facilities. People use our scanner to track their body shape over time and view the results through our web platform. We also have a product in the apparel space that uses aggregate data to help brands deliver better sizing for their customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 500 Designs? 

We're focused on sales and engineering as an organization. We continually need assistance with design. We wanted to build a marketing website that presents a good face to attract leads. On the product side, we need a good UI that works well. We also want to ensure that the design quality is up to the standard expected by our customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

We’ll typically approach 500 Designs with a description of a product that we're working on. For example, we have a scanner app and that's going to be used in gyms. Users need to be able to log in, read instructions, and then be able to take a scan. 500 Designs will go through and give us a couple of ideas on design directions. They might show us a bold color scheme and a more minimalist flat design. That’s a typical process from a product design protective. 

In terms of the website, they look at the interaction between pages. They help a lot with UX in terms of how it might be more intuitive for the user. We also ask 500 Designs for help when we have a spot where we want to put a graphic to convey a message. They'll create illustrations or other artwork that we can use.

What is the team composition? 

One of the founders serves as our project manager. We work with one main designer, and then they’ll bring in an illustrator or another expert to do a specific task as needed. 

How did you come to work with 500 Designs? 

We initially needed design help when we were building a deck to secure investment. They were a reference from someone we knew. Once we got introduced to them and found out they do product design and illustrations, we decided to use them for additional projects. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $25,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

Work began around the end of 2016. We’ve actually transitioned from doing project-based work to now having them on an ongoing retainer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Generally, it's been great. We’ve been really happy with their product design work. Our strength is making products that are functional. The UX wasn’t amazing but users could look past that to see what the product offered. Once 500 Designs came in, they were able to remake the product by putting a nice face on it. The design of the UX is actually now a positive for users. That continues to be the constant for us, and why we continue to grow the relationship. 

How did 500 Designs perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication is excellent. We mostly use email and Google Docs. 500 Designs is always available at whatever time of day we reach out. They’re supremely responsive even if we have little tweaks after they’ve delivered the final version. They’ll quickly follow up with an update. Even though we don’t meet in person, it's nice to know they're always ready to hop on the phone or video chat.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

500 Designs’ dependability is a huge benefit that keeps us coming back. They continue to deliver better and better results as they learn more about our business. We’ve been able to work with the same set of designers for a long period of time. We’ve seen an upward trend in their work, which is great. That makes it even easier to extend the relationship into other areas of design. We feel confident they can take on more of what we want to do. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

Nothing really comes to mind. In early projects, we were still learning the right amount of project definition to put in place. That was more on us to get right on how to convey exactly what we want. It's actually been a really positive relationship throughout. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

They're open to as much communication as you like, so definitely take advantage of that. The biggest thing we've found is that they produce better outputs the more they’re integrated into our products. You will get better results if they’re involved in every piece of the design of your product.