Aspire Digital Solutions

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an associate executive for a performing arts and music school.

What challenge were you trying to address with Aspire Digital Solutions?

We needed help with website design and development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Aspire Digital Solutions has redesigned our website from scratch in WordPress, although they’ve used the content from our former website. Now, they’re finetuning the site, and they’ll offer maintenance and hosting services afterward. The purpose of this website is lead generation.

What is the team composition?

I have direct contact with three people from Aspire Digital Solutions, including the owner, a project manager, and a senior digital strategist.

How did you come to work with Aspire Digital Solutions?

A colleague recommended them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2022, and our engagement is ongoing.

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

Aspire Digital Solutions has been incredible at understanding my needs, ultimately creating a beautiful and functional website. They’ve exceeded my expectations.

How did Aspire Digital Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

Aspire Digital Solutions tracks the project’s progress and reports back to me on a weekly basis. Thus far, they’ve met all the deadlines and stayed within budget. We communicate via Zoom, email, and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Aspire Digital Solutions’ main strengths are their responsiveness and their ability to help us meet our goals.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have constructive feedback for Aspire Digital Solutions.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide them with all your information and ideas, and let them decide the best approach to bring results.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am an executive at a start-up retained executive search business focused on the institutional commercial real estate business.

For what projects/services did your company hire Aspire Digital Solutions?

I wanted to create a website and business logo that would effectively convey my new company's business focus, industry expertise, and experience in handling executive search focused on commercial real estate. I had a reasonably clear image in my mind of what I wanted my site and logo to look like and the image I wanted it to present.

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

I based my search on google reviews and wanted a firm that was accustomed to working on start-up company sites that were "high end". I also looked for companies that had some presence in the NYC metro area. Aspire's name came up in a google search and had received good reviews.

I took the plunge and hired them after speaking with three other firms that had made my "short list". Other vendors I looked at were flaky "uber creative types" that I didn't think would understand what a business website should have or didn't seem reliable. Aspire gave the (correct) impression of being professional and business-like

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

I supplied Aspire with what I thought was a pretty clear mandate as well as comparable websites that I liked the look of. After a few virtual meetings, Aspire came up with a draft site that looked very close to what I was trying to accomplish. Aspire didn't have to "read my mind" as to what I was looking for. That being said, they did add lots of value in the process and produced design ideas that were very relevant to what I wanted. No time wasted.

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

I worked closely with the owner, Christine, and a couple of her creatives. Christine lead the charge and was very responsive.

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

The website speaks for itself: www.sysadvisorsllc.com. The also designed my logo.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Process was efficient and moved quickly. The delays were on my end as I needed to assess what elements of the web design I liked or didn't like and I also had to create the written content.

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

The process was efficient (granted, I provided what I thought was a clear mandate and had written a lot of the text). Aspire was responsive throughout the process. The process went smoother than I anticipated.

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

Not really. Perhaps it would have been better if her team had more direct institutional financial services experience, but I am overall very happy with result.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Hedge Fund Telemetry is a financial research website and newsletter. We offer various research products, complex data charts all through an online subscription model. Our subscribers are global and highly demanding. I am the founder of Hedge Fund Telemetry which was launched in 2017.

For what projects/services did your company hire Aspire Digital Solutions, and what were your goals?

Our evolution started off with the most basic website and email services. It grew into a Word Press site with other programmers who just could not deliver what we were looking for such as design and more importantly reliability. We hired Aspire Digital Solutions as they quickly understood the problems and importantly the huge upside opportunity for our business.

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

Aspire Digital Solutions were clearly the right developer for our project. I knew it would be a big complex project and I was very careful not to hire another developer who would fall short of our expectations. Bill and Christine were on the task from day one.

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

At first, the plan was to fix the previous website. It became clear that an entirely new website was needed. The plan was set to tackle various steps in order to launch as fast as possible.

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

We worked mainly with Bill who was fantastic as the lead developer. Bill brought in various developers with different expertise saving us a lot of time and money. Christine was helpful with some of the later marketing once the new website launched.

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

Our business has exploded with a 65% increase in revenue year over year and a 180% increase in new subscribers year over year.

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

We were and continue to be in constant contact online and Aspire is quick to respond with any issues. 24/7

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

They really are dedicated to helping my business reach its potential. They go over and beyond and I know they have expanded and have grown their own knowledge for subscription websites.

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

I have a hard time thinking back at what they could have done differently. There were a few issues that took a little longer and I would attribute that to the complex nature of some of the data collection our site required.

Please describe your company and your position there.

The Ridgefield Bicycle Club was founded in 2011 to create a community of local recreational cyclists, and promote the joy of cycling in a fun, welcoming and safe environment. RBC is a member-led non-profit organization that has grown to over 400 members from Ridgefield and surrounding towns in Connecticut and New York.

Cyclists of all skill levels from those new to the sport or coming back after an absence, to experienced/accomplished riders, are welcome and encouraged to participate in our exceptional group riding opportunities. Our members offer peer and group support for cyclists to improve their riding skill levels and pursue their health and fitness goals. Planned group rides designed and led by experienced ride leaders are available every day of the week, and organized to fit the skill levels of the participating cyclists.

While local group road riding is the core of the RBC cycling activities, RBC also offers group gravel and rail-trail options, as well as organized rides at destinations outside of our local area. RBC also promotes social opportunities for members to build friendships with fellow cyclists, and share experiences and fellowship through post-ride social gatherings and special events My position and responsibility for the RBC non-profit bicycling club is as it's (Webmaster and Manager of Technology Related Projects)

For what projects/services did your company hire Aspire Digital Solutions, and what were your goals?

Aspire Digital Solutions was hired via a competitive RFP process to employ their design and development services to provide an enhanced new website that features a simple and elegant design, that is functionally robust, easily navigable, and engaging to our current and prospective members to use. The new website should establish by design and function that it is the primary focal point for club member activities, plans, communications, and all social events which involve the Ridgefield Bicycle Club (RBC).

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

Aspire Digital Solutions was selected via a competitive RFP process from 11 other website development firms. The deciding factors in the selection of the winning web development firm were:

• Demonstration through the completion of prior projects, the capacity to effectively translate very specific goals and objectives in our RFP into a plan of design/development & action that we comfortably felt could be achieved
• An RFP response that was on time, crisply, and professionally done
• An RFP response that did not let a challenging budget impact their ability to deliver the project on time and on budget. We were very impressed by their can do attitude and professional confidence.
• The breadth of website design, development and implementation offered

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

The scope of work was basically the following:

• Project initiated with RFP sent out to select group of firms (Aspire Digital Solutions, included) on 9/13/2021

The project RFP proposal requirements were the inclusion of the following details in their proposal response:

• Overview of your company
• Overview of how you will meet our objectives
• Explanation of your proposed platform/CMS if not WildApricot
• Outline of your website design & development strategy
• Proposed website timeline from kickoff to launch
• Details about your team
• Recent design & development examples
• References
• Any key differentiators about you?
• Pricing with optional elements by line item

Terms & conditions

• Responses were Due: 09/27/2021,
• EOD Finalists Selected: 09/30/2021
• Winner Selected & Contacted: 10/01/2021 – 10/04/2021
• Project Kicked-off: 10/15/2021
• New Website Launch Target Date Set as January 1, 2022

The project deliverables were delineated by a set of objectives established in our RFP broken down by :

• website audience (primary/secondary/tertiary)
• website objectives (primary/secondary/tertiary
• functionality requirements of the newwebsite

website design curb appeal vis-a-vis the design aesthetics

• Simple & elegant design
• Seamlessly integrates functionalities: membership, events
• Easily navigated by visitors & members alike
• Allows for content organization and updates
• Visually pleasing while promoting essence/branding of RBC
• Readily integrated with social media
• Allows for easy content management
• Flexible design allowing for future use and scalability
• Hosted with a stable, responsive web host
• Webhost with excellent service and support
• Search Engine Optimization
• provision of an efficient and streamlined site-map
• provision of a web design that would highlight in a simple, elegant, and informational way our foundational and club business sponsor relationships
• provision of a website designed and developed to work seamlessly within and or with the WildApricot membership management platform which we (RBC) is an existing customer
• provision of a website design that would employ the use of the WordPress Content Management Platform in the management of the content (text, images, video, and functional plug-ins like news and newsletter posting, etc.)

Appropriate web technologies such as HTML 5.0, CSS, API plugins, Security Certificates, SSO authentication, etc., were used as appropriate to accomplish the goals of our project

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

Two individuals from the Aspire Digital Solutions team worked directly with our RBC new website project group. Their titles were CO-Founder /CMO and CO-Founder/Director of WEB DEVELOPMENT

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

I can a summary of quotes up the official launch of our new website. They are:

• President of the RBC (Ridgefield Bicycle Club) ".... team, congratulations on a beautiful, high-end site. I am humbled by your efforts and so proud of the collaboration and fortitude it took to get here. Thank you..."
• Vice President (RBC) - "..This new RBC website is Terrific!"
• VP Safety & Education - " Fantastic!!..."

Raw comments, I would agree, but sometimes visceral, gut reactions to a work product say it best. Aspire did an outstanding job for us. They met all of our objectives and more. They absolutely delivered!!!

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

Very professional and efficient project management style but quite cordial and easy to work and communicate with. They timely and used communication tools (Zoom, text, email, shared drives) as appropriate

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

They exhibited smooth quiet confidence in their ability to deliver on the objectives. Nothing seemed to fluster them.

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

No.

Please describe your company and your position there.

ABGH is a nonprofit organization that exists to promote health equity in Black communities and to foster the careers of current and future Black gastroenterologists, hepatologists, and scientists. I am the Founding President of the nonprofit.

For what projects/services did your company hire Aspire Digital Solutions, and what were your goals?

We hired Aspire to create a website for our new nonprofit that helped to showcase our mission and vision well, and to attract members of all levels of training and post-training, as well as individual donors.

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

I found Aspire through an internet search -- I saw examples of their work that they provided on their website, appreciated their work with nonprofits in the past, and found them to be within our price range and of good value.

They were incredibly prompt in their responses to get back to me and have been very professional throughout our ongoing work together.

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

We had a kick-off meeting with a few of our other board members/co-founders to discuss what we wanted to have on the site, what to highlight, what we could do without/could not afford, and what would best suit our needs as a new company.

Bill and Christine were fantastic about breaking every step down to us, guiding us through the process, providing their expertise while also respecting our vision, and going through different iterations of the site until it was exactly what we wanted.

We had a feature on the site for new members, and we went through advantages and disadvantages of different means to collect application fees from members (WordPress for instance), broken down to us without the use of tech jargon given it is not our area of expertise as physicians.

With changes we made, especially early on in the web development process, they were responsive and worked with us in real time for some elements of the site until it was something we were completely satisfied with; we were incredibly appreciated of this unique service.

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

We worked with two folks -- Christine, the President of Aspire, and Bill, the Director of Web Development. In addition to the web development for our nonprofit's page, Christine also worked with us to create pop-up banners and other signage for an event we were hosting, and in short time.

We loved this additional service, and their ability to deliver to us timely when we needed it.

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

Though we do not have measurable outcomes to share, we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback on our site, not only from a functionality standpoint, but also from an aesthetic one.

Other nonprofits with whom we've worked have been impressed with the site, and have even hired Aspire to take over their web design after seeing our site.

With a few changes to the application process for membership, we were able to quickly and seamlessly sign up new members in less than 5 minutes, which resulted in a noticeable increase in membership over a few days time around an event we were hosting in which it was critical to boost membership.

These changes that Bill worked on with us paid off considerably.

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

The team at Aspire has generally been very available to us, which we appreciate with busy schedules. In terms of communication when we needed a project completed or changes to the site made, they have been primarily via Zoom or email, which have been most convenient.

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

They were knowledgeable, and also able to break down complicated web design topics simply so we could understand what to ask for and how to ask for it to get the results we wanted.

They understood our vision, worked with us well while honoring our budget and mission as a nonprofit with a health equity focus, and have been incredibly professional and friendly throughout.

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

Not at this time. The team is a pleasure and we've been quite satisfied.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of a coaching and consulting firm. We work with companies, academic institutions, non-profits and individuals, mostly in the healthcare, science and technology fields.

For what projects/services did your company hire Aspire Digital Solutions?

The project included the design, copywriting, development and launch of the first website for my business, to support its launch. Aspire also designed a unique logo representing my business name.

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

I did my own research and vetting of digital marketing firms and decided that Aspire was all around best staffed and suited for my business needs. Their local presence in Connecticut also made a difference to me.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

After introductory meetings to align on the goals, we started with the business name and logo design. Aspire proposed 3-5 designs, and we narrowed it down from there and added colors and modern fonts. I had in-depth meetings with Aspire's copywriter to ensure the website's text and service offering were correct, strategically aligned and well crafted. Aspire did its own research to thoroughly understand my business. The next phase included wireframe layouts of the website's home and subpages, followed by a few rounds of revisions and minor tweaks prior to launch. The launch date was perfectly timed with my needs and worked very smoothly.

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

In total, I worked and directly interfaced with four members of Aspires team: President, overall project lead, President, web designer and technical lead, Logo designer, Copywriter

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

The website launch was timed perfectly with my needs and was executed carefully and without any major glitch. Any minor tuning needs were addressed rapidly. I have received numerous positive feedback from my network regarding the professional look of my website and the ease of navigation on PC and mobile device alike. I am highly satisfied with the outcome myself (regarding both look and content of the site) and will look to Aspire for further partnership and website development as my business needs expand.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow and meetings worked very well, all conveniently via Zoom. The introductory meetings with the president were very helpful to me, she provide important advice and feedback to me that I needed with respect to digital branding and design. The web design technical lead was very accommodating to my timing needs and technical questions. Meetings with the copywriter were conducted in a timely fashion and the communication with me was great. 1:1 meetings with logo designer added great value to making sure the final product met my needs not only for the website but also for other digital media.

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

I was very glad to have chosen Aspire for my digital marketing needs because they are a nimble, small firm that is very customer focused. I loved that I was able to interface directly with the experts in each area of the project and to build rapport. I saw it as a partnership from the beginning, not just a one-off product delivery, and I saw that mindset appreciated. Possibly the most impressive outcome is that the website just looks great! It's professional, functional, has a consistent brand image, and doesn't have any cookie-cutter feel. I wanted creativity to speak and it does!

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

At times I noticed that I made assumptions that what was discussed in 1:1 meetings with a team member would quickly filter through to all others on the project who had some part in its execution. That wasn't always the case, or perhaps just not as rapidly as I had anticipated in my own mind. In all cases, though, any intermittent confusion was resolved to my satisfaction.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of a home-based healthcare provider.

What challenge were you trying to address with Aspire Digital Solutions?

We needed their team’s branding expertise.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were looking to rebrand our business to expand our reach, so we engaged Aspire Digital Solutions to reenvision our logo and build our website. We had a brainstorming session to come up with new names for the company and finalize rebranding ideas.

Aspire Digital Solutions then built our website based on our design preferences and their creative structure. We particularly asked them to make it look sleek and simple, so their team integrated design solutions to suit that theme. After accomplishing this, their team also produced other branding materials, which we launched with the website and logo.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Bill (Director of Web Development) and Christine (President).

How did you come to work with Aspire Digital Solutions?

I found Aspire Digital Solutions on Clutch while looking for potential local agencies to onboard for this project. We chose them because they were a responsive group with the skill set we needed.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our rebranding project with Aspire Digital Solutions ran from April–September 2021.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’ve only recently launched our new website and logo, so there are no quantitative metrics to share at this point — however, I could confirm that Aspire Digital Solutions generated impressive branding solutions that mirrored our company vision and impressed our staff and customers.

We saw the marketability of their work, and we’re looking forward to securing higher revenue and traction through this. Overall, they were a skilled team that understood our needs, and we’d definitely consider hiring them again in the future.

How did Aspire Digital Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

Aspire Digital Solutions always went the extra mile to meet our requirements — they were flexible, and they hit our targets without any issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Aspire Digital Solutions’ responsiveness was the driving force behind our project’s success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t encounter any areas that needed improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand what your company needs to stand out in the industry, and trust Aspire Digital Solutions to help you achieve those.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Founder and CEO

For what projects/services did your company hire Aspire Digital Solutions, and what were your goals?

Website design and development, copywrite service, logo development and customized integration with practice management website.

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

We searched online for web designers/developers. We short-listed three vendors. Our decision came down to a few key factors: (i) extent to which we felt the firm would truly listen to our needs and be patient/flexible, (ii) technical competency in web design/development/SEO (validated through reviewing other websites created and checking multiple references), and (iii) price.

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

Branding & identity (logo design, copywriting). Website design (research, design, wordpress theme development, testing, launch)

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

Four primarily: Co-Founder/CMO Co-Founder/Director of Web Development Copywriter Web Designer

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

Fantastic website that exceeded all of our expectations. Traffic to the site and clickthrough rates have been outstanding. Our business is thriving.

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

Frequent communication over email and regularly scheduled conference calls. Aspire did a terrific job at keeping us up to speed on their progress, including us in all key decisions, and executing on our vision.

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

Everyone we interacted with was passionate about making our project a success. They "owned" the project as if it were their own company's website.

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

I struggle to find areas of improvement. They really did an amazing job in all respects and I will continue to use them for all of our website needs.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the cofounder of a travel website.

What challenge were you trying to address with Aspire Digital Solutions?

There are a lot of travel websites out there but we wanted to create one that was engaging that also had consumer support.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did everything for us. I’m not a digital expert by any stretch of the imagination. I came in with an idea, and Aspire Digital Solutions created our WordPress website from start to finish with Divvy. They also taught us how to use the site and build on it as well.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Christine (Co-founder & CMO) and Bill (Co-founder & Director of Web Development).

How did you come to work with Aspire Digital Solutions?

Christine is a friend of mine. When we were thinking of launching our new site, she was the first person I went to. I was impressed with the proposal she drafted and the samples of work they’ve done for other clients.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent approximately $2,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2021, and we launched in May 2021.

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

We’ve gotten a lot of great feedback from consumers. Aspire Digital Solutions was very patient with us since we’re not technically inclined. The team was flexible and amenable. They did an incredible job.

How did Aspire Digital Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They did an amazing job. Christine was really responsive even on the weekends and at night. We had an online webinar to learn how to use the site. Most of our collaboration was through email, phone, and in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re creative and professional.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I was pleased with the outcome of everything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to go in with an idea and let them do their magic.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder. My company provides training, speaking and consulting services within the financial services industry.

For what projects/services did your company hire Aspire Digital Solutions, and what were your goals?

My website was outdated and needed to be redone. I hired Aspire to do all the heavy lifting.

How did you select Aspire Digital Solutions and what were the deciding factors?

I had heard about them from a business colleague. They were professional and the samples of their work looked amazing. I chose them based on referral, featured works, and pricing.

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

They helped me come up with the concept for my site, create a site map, write copy and finally creating the UI.

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

Three I think. Bill - Website developing Christine - marketing/ strategy One other person - copy writing (can't remember her name!)

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

My site looks great and accurately describes my business. that is exactly what I was going for! It's too early to tell about results but I think it'll be a great way for me to land new business.

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

Great responsiveness and communication. Timeline was a bit longer than expected, but that was probably because I was going slow on my end!

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

Quality of work is very high and very easy to work with. They really understood my vision.

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

Perhaps giving a more accurate outline of the timeline. I originally thought it would be up by January. But it didn't go live until March. Like I said though, probably because I was going slow on my side. Everything else was great.