Aeolidia

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a solo entrepreneur, artist, and product designer. I created the company Deborah Cherrin Design to expand my enterprise and offer my products on a larger scale. 2020 turned out to be the perfect time to expand into e-commerce and develop a professional brand presence.

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

I hired Aeolidia to customize my e-commerce website on Shopify and to create a brand identity that would position my company as a dynamic, successful, and professional design house.

How did you select Aeolidia and what were the deciding factors?

Soon after the pandemic shut-down was implemented and there were no more art fairs, I knew it was the ideal time to invest in developing the website that I'd been wanting. I was using WordPress and fumbling around on my own but I knew I need professional assistance.

I found Aeolidia when they began offering free online workshops on email marketing and social media in March 2020. From there I decided to test them by signing up for a free website review and then a $500 social media consult.

Those experiences gave me the confidence to hire Aeolidia to help me with a new website. Aeolidia is particularly focused on working with creative/art-based businesses so they knew my territory well.

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

Aeolidia has a wonderful system in place for getting a full understanding of who you are as an entrepreneur, as an artist, and how this will feed into the project.

We met as a team to get acquainted with me and my needs, and then Aeolidia presented me with two budget options for the project. When the contract was in place, I completed several written interview questionnaires. Then I met with individual team members responsible for the different components of my project: web design, brand identity, photography, copywriting, Shopify training.

Deliverables consistently arrived on schedule. Because of the time invested at the start of the project, each piece was bang on! With very little editing I soon had a new logo, brand colors, brand look, target market. The website design went just as smoothly.

During my time with Aeolidia they had just implemented the HIVE platform for tracking everything to do with the project. They also used LOOM for video training, and Dropbox for sharing files.

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

I had 8+ members working on my project:

• Account manager
• Project manager
• Web developer
• Website/brand identity designer
• Photographer
• Web analyst
• Sales and Marketing Assistant
• Shopify consultant/trainer

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

Launched in November 2020, my current conversion rate is over 2%, a huge improvement over my old site. I have already recommended Aeolidia to my friends and will continue to do so. In my case, I was eager to move forward from local artist to artist-entrepreneur.

I was particularly impressed with the rebrand that Aeolidia did for me. The team really "got" me and all that I aspired to become under the new brand. With my new branding and the beautiful new website, I have the tools to significantly grow my design business.

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

All communication was handled through the Hive platform. Phone meetings were also a key part of the project. Responses were prompt and through Hive, other team members could track where we were at any time. Team members were accessible and supportive.

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

I was most impressed with Aeolidia's ability to identify the uniqueness of me and my art business, and to help me develop an authentic voice and look that truly represented my company's personality. My new brand identity is what will ensure my success.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Learning to use Hive and understand its quirks was a bit of an ordeal when you're already trying to learn new email programs and the Shopify platform, among so many other things. I understand that they are not planning to use it going forward.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the sole trader and owner of the company The Curious Pancake. Based in the UK, we sell greeting cards, prints and stationery exclusively online. We sell worldwide.

For what projects/services did your company hire Aeolidia?

Branding/logo re-design & social media graphics.

What were your goals for this project?

I'd been unhappy with my business logo for quite some time, I felt it didn't really express the personality of my business fully, and, although I'm a creative myself, I felt a bit too close to things to objectively do a good job myself.

My goal was to have a logo that showed the personality behind the brand and to have an overall look to the graphics that I felt proud of and could work with in a variety of different scenarios.

How did you select Aeolidia?

As I had been following Aeolidia for years on social media and taking advantage of their free advice and q&a's on all kinds of design and web-related stuff, I felt that their small business focus would suit my needs perfectly.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Aeolidia sent me a form to fill in about my business, with lots of discovery questions designed to get to the root of what my business is about. I completed a core customer profile for them and sent them Pinterest boards with a flavour of the designs I liked. I also had a chat with the designer before work commenced.

When work commenced on the logo, I was kept in the loop with their communications system, Hive, which I found to be a really fantastic way of collating all communication and files. Each round of design work allowed for three alterations, but the designer was so spot on with the work that not much was needed.

Once the project had the final sign off from me I received all the design files and branding check sheets from the designer via a dropbox link. Perfect and frictionless business!

What was the team composition?

I worked with the lead designer, Christine Hughes, mostly on the project. The Captain and founder, Arianne, contacted me at the beginning and end of the project to make sure I was happy with the process.

I also spoke a few times to Sam (director of operations) who organised an initial chat before we embarked upon the project and sent over invoices at various stages of the process.

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

I haven't heard a single negative word about the logo or branding elements, and many of my customers have contacted me to say how much they love the logo. It's early days at the moment, but I'm excited to use the new branding wherever I can!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was amazing. I was never left wondering what the next steps would be, it was all mapped out in Hive. It gave me a huge sense of relief knowing that certain milestones would be reached by very specific dates.

All the communication and files were presented in one place, which made for a very easy life, there's nothing worse than looking for an email two weeks after you've received it!

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their organisation, attention to detail and focus. Professional, creative and friendly, I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nope. I'm 100% a satisfied customer.

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an online retail brand selling kitchen decor and recipe art. I am the owner and founder of the brand.

For what projects/services did your company hire Aeolidia?

Brand Development Logo concepts Brand Stylization Copywriting

What were your goals for this project?

We are a brand new company looking to get recognized by our target market. We wanted to create a brand that resonated with and attracted our audience and drew them in to be loyal fans of the brand.

How did you select Aeolidia?

I knew of several other small business owners that had worked with Aeolidia and had nothing but positive things to say about them.

After discussing their experiences with them and then a quick conference call with Arianne from Aeolidia - I felt confident that I was in good hands and working with the best people for the job.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The process began with a brief conference call with one of the co-owner's of Aeolidia to discuss my brand history, goals and the scope of the work I was looking for. After that call, a few quotes were put together for me and I was able to decide which one best fit my budget and needs.

From there, I met with my Project Manager and was briefed on the basic timeline we would be adhering to for the project. Communication was always prompt and we stuck to the timeline for the entirety of the project. The process was very collaborative and I was able to provide insight or feedback for every piece.

Deliverables were handed to me as they were completed based on the timeline.

What was the team composition?

I worked with a Project Manager that oversaw the logistics and timeline of the project. I also worked with a Graphic Designer and Copywriter for the details.

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

I have not yet launched the new brand, but I have announced the name change and new logo and have gotten numerous compliments on all of the new brand visuals!

I noticed that I have attracted new members of my target audience on social media and have gained new subscribers to my email newsletter list.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

All communication was process through Hive and we had no issues. Questions were answered in a timely manner, responses and project updates were issued on time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I loved that they have worked with large brands that are names I recognized. I love that they work to empower female entrepreneurship.

I appreciate that they never made me or my brand feel insignificant despite the fact that this was not one of their "big ticket" projects.

Are there any areas for improvement?

My only critique is that when we really got to the "meat and potatoes" of the graphic design, that timeline coincided with the copywriter's time and it felt like it was too much to focus on at one time.

I would have preferred those items be handled that different points of the project.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Modern Merrigold is a made in the USA jewelry brand based in Texas. I am the founder + designer of Modern Merrigold.

For what projects/services did your company hire Aeolidia?

I hired Aeolidia to assist with a new visual brand identity, including a new business name, logo, and full brand identity.

What were your goals for this project?

As my e-commerce business has grown over the last several years, I noticed a disconnect between my branding, the customers I wanted to reach, and the type of jewelry I wanted to offer them.

My main goal in working with Aeolidia was to bring all of those elements in line so that going forward, I can offer the best possible products to the right target audience.

How did you select Aeolidia?

I searched for various branding agencies on Google and received recommendations from my peers. Ultimately, I felt that Aeolidia's expansive portfolio and the incredibly unique work that they did with other brands best fit the aesthetic I wanted for my rebrand.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The process began by working with an Aeolidia copywriter to brainstorm a new business name. We found a winner after 2-3 short rounds of ideas & revisions, and finished that portion of the rebrand at least a week ahead of schedule.

Next, the graphic designer that I was paired with began working on the primary logo. I provided her with a Pinterest mood board that contained colors, scenery, font examples, and other ideas to show the direction I hoped to go.

We chatted briefly by video, and shortly thereafter she provided me with the logo she had designed, which was absolutely what i was looking for. She did so incredibly well, I had no revisions to request.

We finished the primary logo process ahead of schedule and moved on to the rest of the brand identity, where we collaboratively worked together for another few weeks to flesh out an alternate logo, brand colors, patterns, icons, and brand seal.

All in all, I could not be happier with how smoothly this process went.

What was the team composition?

I worked with a copywriter & graphic designer. There was also a project manager and the leader at Aeolidia consistently checked in during the process. The team did not change for the duration of my project, and I really liked the continuity that provided.

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

Our rebrand just launched very recently, but all of the feedback we've received from peers and customers has been overwhelmingly positive.

I anticipate a higher than average holiday season stemming from more confidence in my brand and heightened customer awareness from this new, distinctive, colorful brand identity.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The Aeolidia team utilized Hive.co for managing the project, which I really enjoyed. It was very helpful to see the entire project laid out in an easy to follow chronological format with each individual task and all the details for that task.

They performed like a well-oiled machine from a PM standpoint; everyone knew their job and performed it very well. Expectations were clearly communicated and I never felt lost at any point in the process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was very impressed by Aeolidia's dedication to learning about my current brand position and what I wanted from a rebrand. They asked many, many in depth questions and really got to the heart of what I wanted.

I believe this is one reason why my project was so successfully and finished ahead of time. They're incredibly thorough throughout the process. I also very much appreciated their professionalism, cheerfulness, and willingness to help.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I don't believe there's anything that should have or could have been done differently with regards to my project.

I was very happy with how I was treated as a client, how the team took ownership of my project and created a visual brand identity that will last.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Kate Ryan Skincare. We’ve been in business for around nine years and we’re a natural, professional-grade skincare company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Aeolidia?

We hired them because we were in the third iteration of our WordPress platform, but we felt not being built on an e-commerce site was holding back our growth. Our conversion rate and bounce rate were not acceptable and we couldn’t correct it on the WordPress platform. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

The main reason we hired them was to migrate our existing WordPress platform over to a Shopify site. They incorporated functionalities to make check-out more efficient and several qualifiers to build consumer confidence in our brand. We view our home page as our front door since we don’t have a retail shop, so they incorporated our brand into it and personalized the page. 

Even though we had done a rebranding several years before working with Aeolidia, they ended up taking on some of those efforts and made tweaks to it, including our copywriting. We stuck with our logo, but they softened the brand to make it feel more personal and tailored to our products. 

They connected us with a designer to do watercolor artwork for our packaging. Our packaging is more eco-friendly now, so we’re using more glass and aluminum, which they helped us with. Our photography was also updated by their team. They also took a look at where we were in the market and looked at future planning efforts.

What is the team composition?

We had one main point of contact who was the lead designer. There was also someone for copywriting, a person working on email strategy, a project manager. 

How did you come to work with Aeolidia?

Since we decided we wanted to use Shopify, we did endless online research but kept coming back to Aeolidia. One of the reasons is they did an excellent job providing information for small businesses, including emails that anticipated our needs and questions. They had a wealth of information on the website and they seemed to connect with us on a personal level even before we knew them. 

We really liked that they had everything under one roof. Before, we had design, marketing, copywriting entities. Even though we were just looking for a developer, they could take on a lot more. They seemed to understand the challenges of small businesses and had all of the resources to help. It felt very reassuring to go with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent right under $50,000. We spent more than we originally planned, but it was all clear and we were aware of the increases, which were well worth doing. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2018–January 2020. It took a bit longer than expected, since finding the right packaging is a slow process and we changed the scope. 

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

Over the last year, our bounce rate improved 28%, so we’re down to 59%. Our page per session improved by 32% and our average session duration has improved by 45%. The number of transactions has gone up by 55%. Our revenue has increased by 33%, as our conversion rate has improved by 75%

Anecdotally, a YouTube esthetician picked up one of our products and we sold out in a matter of hours, so that has caused a phenomenal conversion rate recently. In the past, we never felt like our welcome page was welcoming people to our store. We now appreciate the ease of functionality for both our users and also our team for the backend. All of the automation has saved us a lot of time. 

How did Aeolidia perform from a project management standpoint?

I can’t say enough positive things about how their project management was. They were fantastic. They were extremely organized to work with, which was really nice. As a small business owner, we wear a lot of hats and we knew how time-consuming a website project could be. Having a team like Aeolidia who knew what tasks they were responsible for and were organized was great. They knew when everything needed to be done and the project moved along well. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are experts in what they do, which is hard to find. They truly cared; from the beginning, we got that sense from their website to their emails. I’m still in contact with their owner after our project because she gets in touch with us. They truly wanted us to succeed and we could see that from start to finish, from the people to the quality. 

They did quality work with very little needed from the business owners, which is not how it’s been with other companies who rely on us to come up with ideas. They told us what we needed to do to grow and were proactive to take our brand to the next level. They were truly cohesive and knew what they were doing. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Off the top of my head, no. With what we’ve seen, we’ve been pleased. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re at the tipping point where you know your products are great but you’re not growing, hire them. Have the confidence in your business if you have products that work and partner with a team that has experts to take you to the next level. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and creative director of Sugar Paper. We’re a retail wholesale business that produces social stationery.

What challenge were you trying to address with Aeolidia?

We were trying to improve their conversion rates on our Shopify website by revamping our site design to provide a more seamless user experience. Since we already had an established brand, it was important for us to maintain a cohesive look and feel throughout the platform.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Aeolidia provided website design for our Shopify site and product pages. We didn’t just want a beautiful site; rather, we wanted an attractive one that was also intelligent and functional. They created a design that adhered to our brand aesthetics before launching our platform earlier this year. Soon, they'll do a six-month check-in to wrap up the engagement.

What is the team composition?

They have a specific person assigned to each task based on their skill set. We had a project manager, an accountant, a designer, and a Google keywords specialist.

How did you come to work with Aeolidia?

It appealed to me that a lot of companies in my industry had worked with Aeolidia. At the time, I had already gone through three site iterations with my previous vendor who wasn't prevalent in the stationery business. Those projects ended up being complete disasters.

Upon the fourth iteration, I reached out to Aeolidia to see how they would approach the design. I was so impressed by their onboarding process and the way they vetted new clients that I decided to move forward with them. They turned out to be a delight to work with.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2017 and launched the site in May 2018. We consider the work to be ongoing as we wait for the six-month check-in.

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

Their process makes designing a new site extremely organized. Their founder has really thought through the pain points of designing a new site and created a process to respond to them. It's been a much smoother experience compared to other companies I’ve worked with.

How did Aeolidia perform from a project management standpoint?

They parsed out the work in a way that kept both sides accountable for deliverables. They always hit their deadlines and kept on top of us, too, making sure that we hit all of their targets. I really appreciated their project management; even though there were certain weeks when I felt I couldn't meet their deadline, I prioritized my tasks so that we remained on schedule.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They hire experts in every field and ensure that each person plays to their strengths. Aeolidia specializes in Shopify product-based websites—they’re truly authorities in this area and don’t try to be what they're not.

Are there any areas they could improve?

This is both a strength and a challenge, but I feel some of their rules are a little stringent. At times, I wished they were more flexible with their timeline, but, in the end, I appreciated that they kept me on track.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Potential clients need to be really organized in order to work with Aeolidia. They require you to have your copy written and your product photography ready to go. They can help if you need to hire a copywriter, but they won’t start the project until you have those things ready.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own a small Mexican folk art import business with a brick and mortar store in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and an e-commerce website. We feature a selection of top-quality handmade Mexican crafts personally curated through visits to artisans in seven Mexican states.

For what projects/services did your company hire Aeolidia?

I engaged Aeolidia to update my e-commerce website and optimize it for mobile platforms.  

What were your goals for this project?

The main goals were to increase conversions, improve the site’s mobile responsiveness, and simplify aspects of backend updating during online sales. 

How did you select this vendor?

Aeolidia built my original site in 2013, and I was very happy with their methods and design. We were able to establish an online e-commerce presence, and I was pleased with the results.

I contacted them again in early 2017 for marketing suggestions to increase my conversion rate and focus more on the target customer. One of their many recommendations was that the site needed to be mobile responsive. I didn't look for other vendors because I had been pleased with their earlier work.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The process began with a lengthy online questionnaire about my goals and desired results, followed by a phone call from the project coordinator to ensure we all understood the scope. Phase deadlines were established as well as what was required of me to keep the process moving.

I was very involved in the process, sharing several calls with them that included information additions or clarifications. They also provided explanations, analysis, and recommendations concerning my existing website. In the end, the team delivered a beautiful, completely revamped and mobile responsive Shopify site on time.

The new website features a streamlined backend for better control of inventory numbers, larger photographs, a well-designed pop-up for encouraging mailing list sign-ups, and an overall clearer picture of the purpose and story behind the business.

What was the team composition?

There were 8–10 people involved, which remained the same for the duration. 

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

The new site is a definite improvement from my previous one. Many customers comment on its visual aesthetics and navigability. However, since launching five months ago, the conversion rate has not yet increased much. Many people, attracted by the blog information concerning Mexico and Mexican folk art, are visiting the site but are not converting to buyers. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very effective. Although the team is spread out across North America, their use of Basecamp facilitates easy communication and quick responses from everyone. This allowed me to track both their progress and my obligations to keep us on task. Scheduling was excellent, and they were receptive to feedback. Each individual’s role was clearly delineated and identifiable. They also coordinated well behind the scenes; my questions were always discussed by the right people and answered promptly. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I have consistently been impressed with their design quality, responsiveness, organization, and in-depth understanding of Shopify’s capabilities. They are a creative team that takes the time to understand the heart of the business. They're then able to reflect that in a visually appealing and articulate design.

I also appreciate the six-month status check to review data and evaluate performance areas requiring improvement. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss solutions with them that we assumed would resolve a problem but aren’t functioning as expected.

Are there any areas for improvement?

This is an excellent, well-run, organized, and experienced company. I can't think of anything that should have been done differently.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner and sole maker for a small-batch, handmade, natural remedies business. I do everything from face and body products, to natural perfumes.

What challenge were you trying to address with Aeolidia?

I wanted a solid online presence and an e-commerce shop to boost my image and overall brand. I wanted to generate more traffic so I could sell more online—both retail and wholesale.

I also wanted to create a user-friendly backend dashboard. I had some trouble with the previous platform and apps I was using, so I wanted to streamline things. Aeolidia offered a good solution to that.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They made a brand new website on Shopify. They helped design a space for wholesale customers to place an order online, along with putting all the different software apps into one place. That made things really efficient. They also created a space for me to start blogging. Plus, they helped me figure out which features and pages I needed on the site to keep me on task and focused on the bigger picture.

They also provided assistance with marketing. I worked with one of their employees, who talked me through homing in a specific target customer and a mission statement for my business. They also provided me with copy for my website.

What is the team composition?

I worked with different people at different times. There was one main person overseeing the whole process. For the initial design phase, I worked closely with the designer. And for the marketing piece, I worked with their marketing person.

How did you come to work with Aeolidia?

I’ve followed the founder for quite awhile. She offers free resources and weekly newsletters, and I'm definitely her target market. I was watching, listening, and learning from her for probably two years before I decided to jump in and work with her. I initially approached them about doing a smaller project, but ended up doing a full website redesign.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $18,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked with them since June 2016.

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

The site looks great and works well, and online sales are up. Also, having the blog has helped engagement and built an audience. Overall, I can see the impact of the analytics. I’ve learned more about how to use them, what they mean, and how to benefit more from them.

​​​​​​How did Aeolidia perform from a project management standpoint?

Basecamp was a home base for us all to communicate, share documents, and schedule things.

They had an efficient system. From the beginning, they had all of the different pieces scheduled out, timelines, and who was responsible for what. Every person on the team was warm and friendly, even though we were just communicating online. It was clear that they were interested and motivated to try and understand what would suit me best.

Nothing was just left open-ended or without a date, so I really appreciated that. There were no delays. They kept things moving at a good pace and they knew what they're doing with their time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They've really zeroed in on who they want to work with. A lot of their resources and offerings are valuable to small business owners. They tailor things to growing makers looking to take themselves to the next level.

​​​​​​Are there any areas they could improve?

I appreciated the fact that everything was online and efficient, but it would be nice to have more in-person gatherings with them.

​​​​​​Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have some business experience under your belt. It’s harder to maximize your work with them if you're just getting started or just developing an idea. It's fine if you don't have a logo, a website, or branding nailed down, but you need to have a clear idea of what the core of your business is, why you you're doing it, who you're doing it for, and what your goals are. As long as you have clear goals and the core of your business is settled, they can really help you move really quickly.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a boutique skincare company called Mafu. We aim to share products that nurture and never harm our bodies. Within the company, there’s a manufacturing side that makes our products and an education side, where I teach public courses on wellness and health.

What challenge were you trying to address with Aeolidia?

Because I wanted to adopt a new name for the company, I needed help rebranding to create a cleaner, cohesive look for our labels and products. The biggest thing for me was to get our look and feel down in a way that aligned with my own vision. I also needed resources to redesign my Shopify website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we started, they gathered a lot of information from me about my company such as the look, feel, mission, and messages as well as how to convey those messages visually. While this process took a long time, it allowed me to clarify my vision and affirm my own thoughts.

I worked closely with their graphic designers and photographers to cement our overall look. During the website development phase, they built my Shopify site, creating the custom design according to my desired specs and adding photos and text.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Samantha (Accounts Manager, Aeolidia), who coordinated communication between the graphic designers and photographers. I spoke directly with her as well as the other team members. They also assigned web developers and writers, but I didn’t interact with them as much.

How did you come to work with Aeolidia?

I’d been researching companies for about a year to prepare for my rebranding, finding agencies that designed logos, others that only did photography, and then companies that offered a full package. It was important to me to find a single company who could complete the entire project internally; I didn’t want to convey my vision to too many people and wonder if everyone understood it.

Eventually, it became obvious that Aeolidia was a good match for me. Despite their competitive prices, they had worked with several smaller companies before, and they offered a comprehensive rebranding package, including web development.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work lasted from September 2016–July 2017.

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

They created a clear identity for my company with a visually appealing logo, giving a cohesiveness to my product labels. Although the final product turned out similar to what I initially had in mind, the branding looked far more polished and trustworthy.

They also built the website exactly how I wanted it, line by line. While I’m satisfied with the site, I do think this could have been more cost-efficient, considering how simple the backend was. I didn’t see a substantial increase in sales, but that was due to my own marketing efforts.

As far as our collaboration, we worked easily together. I knew what I wanted, so I needed their expertise and technical ability. I felt comfortable clarifying my ideas to them when things were not quite what I had in mind, and they knew that they could make new suggestions to strengthen the brand. In that sense, we developed a good working relationship.

How did Aeolidia perform from a project management standpoint?

They were beyond organized and responded to my inquiries right away. They established an effective communication system between us, so we were always in touch. I also appreciated that they set clear deadlines. This helped us keep track of both their tasks and my own. Overall, the process went smoothly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were excellent entrepreneurs who understood their niche, specifically how to help smaller businesses. They delivered professional results in a timely manner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Despite their strong communication skills, there were two moments in particular where I felt they could have been more inclusive. When the website came together, I noticed on the agenda that they scheduled a meeting to discuss the project status. I would have liked to have been included in the meeting to hear their thoughts and give my input. While I understand that a meeting so close to the end might complicate the delivery, maintaining open discussion could please the client and improve their services.

Furthermore, after the site launch, they conducted a site checkup to make sure that everything was in order. They could benefit from slowing down the process and including more dialogue around any concerns. Rather than additional work, I would have appreciated a bit more communication to talk over the loose ends.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If customers already have a concept in mind, they should stick with their ideas. Being open to new ideas is helpful, but customers should know their vision and communicate it clearly to get the desired results. Furthermore, customers should be prepared to incur higher costs in site development.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of Pam Powers Knits. I've been a knitwear designer for about 10 years, selling knitting patterns, kits, and paraphernalia on my website. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Aeolidia?

My sales had been declining over the last few years and my website was outdated, so I figured it was time to redesign the site and target customers more effectively. I needed a vendor that could help me understand my audience better, improve website performance, and refresh the website and overall branding of my business.

What was the scope of their involvement?

At first, I worked with a business coach at Aeolidia who took some time to understand my business and my goals. Through some analysis, she provided me with a report that detailed the demographics of my customers and current site performance.

From there, I started working closely with a graphic designer on branding. After realizing my audience was generally older than I had originally thought, Aeolidia's team helped redesign everything (i.e., logo, product packaging, booth signage, etc.) to better target a more mature audience.

Then, I worked with a web designer to transition the products, videos, and digital files on my Squarespace website onto a Shopify platform. 

What is the team composition?

Depending on the phase of the project, I either worked primarily with a business coach, a graphic designer, or a web designer. I also had a project manager available through each phase who was less hands-on.

How did you come to work with Aeolidia?

I've been following the work of Arianne Foulks [Founder, Aeolidia] for years and had been in touch with her in the past when her company was smaller. I've always liked her work, so I've kept her in mind until I was ready to reach out.

How much have you invested with them?

I'd guess that I've invested about $30,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January or February 2017 and the site launched in October that year.

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

I don't have access to the exact metrics, but I know our website traffic and conversion rates have increased. I'll be promoting the redesign next month, so I expect to see significant improvement after that.

Overall, I'm incredibly happy with the new look of the website and branding. They did a great job in every phase of planning.

How did Aeolidia perform from a project management standpoint?

They've performed incredibly well from a project management standpoint. Each phase of the project was organized and headed by one person.

We utilized Basecamp, which I found to be very efficient for this type of project. Although the process is time-consuming, their team was on top of every stage. I never got the feeling that they were too busy with other clients to cater to me.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Aeolidia is the most cohesive team I've ever worked with. They're very proactive about problem-solving and collaborating amongst their team—they aren't siloed by department. I had a lot of odd features on my website, but their team was able to handle it all seamlessly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, my biggest issue had to do more with me than with them. The website design moved very quickly and required a lot of my time, which I wasn't prepared for.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand that they're very proactive about getting work done in a timely manner. If you're developing a new product or planning to overhaul your brand, it requires a lot of your time. Make sure you're not too busy to commit the time needed to successfully do that. It's not a role that can be delegated to just anyone—it's too important.