Barretto

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am a Manager at Next Street

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

For more than 20 years, corporations, governments, and philanthropies have hired Next Street to strengthen the small businesses they rely on. As a firm, Next Street provides end-to-end solutions — from ecosystem as-sessments and strategies to resource platforms and accelerators — for their clients to propel the small businesses in their communities and supply chains. Next Street solutions ultimately help small businesses, whether they are solo entrepreneurs or advanced suppliers, to unlock new revenue, build wealth, and reinvest in their communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Barretto to accomplish?

• Develop a clear, cohesive narrative for the Initiative for Inclusive Entrepreneurship that articulates its purpose and value proposition
• Effectively demonstrate and communicate the initiative’s impact, highlighting measurable outcomes and success stories across the small business ecosystem
• Strengthen how the initiative is positioned to key stakeholders (e.g., funders, partners, and participants)

SOLUTION

How did you find Barretto?

Online Search

Why did you select Barretto over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Barretto were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Barretto supported the Initiative for Inclusive Entrepreneurship by designing a branded newsletter template to serve as a core communications tool. This included refining the initiative’s visual identity and structuring the layout to effectively showcase program updates, ecosystem insights, and impact stories.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Newsletter engagement, including number of views and click-through rates
• Growth in subscriber base and expanded reach across the ecosystem
• Positive qualitative feedback from ecosystem participants, indicating the content was valuable, relevant, and easy to engage with

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Barretto has consistently been excellent to work with - they are communicative, efficient, and reliably deliver high-quality work on a timely basis. They are alos highly knowledgeable and proactively offer thoughtful recommendations, while also listening closely to our needs and incorporating feedback seamlessly. Their responsiveness, strong project management, and alignment with our mission have made them a trusted partner, and we have continued to engage them across multiple projects as a result.

What was your primary form of communication with Barretto?

Email or Messaging App

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

Barretto’s ability to combine strong design capabilities with strategic thinking was particularly impressive. They don’t just execute on deliverables, they bring thoughtful recommendations and a deep understanding of branding/marketing can drive impact. Their responsiveness, attention to detail, and alignment with our values also make them a uniquely strong and trusted partner.

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

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Communications Coordinator of Ecology Center

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Founded in 1969, the Ecology Center is a nonprofit organization located in Berkeley,
California, that focuses on improving the health and the environmental impacts of urban
residents. Our mission is to inspire and build a sustainable, healthy, and just future for
the East Bay, California, and beyond. We envision a world where human activity
sustains the ecosystems that we all depend on.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Barretto to accomplish?

• Redesign our annual report with a clean and engaging design that we could apply to our other print and digital communications. Work with us to weave together our key organizational messages to tell a compelling visual story.
• Provide a strategy for reaching a larger audience with our annual report.

SOLUTION

How did you find Barretto?

Online Search

Why did you select Barretto over others?

• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• Other

How many teammates from Barretto were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Lead the development of a defining, on-brand, and compelling concept for our annual report. Work with us to weave together the key organizational messages to tell a compelling story.
Oversee and guide all aspects of the look and feel of the design.
Translate the key messages into graphic design, including key infographics, and other illustrations.
Pull all the pieces together in an information flow that is attractive, consistent, easy to assimilate, and attentive to detail.
Execute the final production of the design in multiple sizes and formats for digital and print mediums.
Provide a strategy for reaching a larger audience with our annual report.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The number of views of our online annual report has increased ten-fold. The clean and compelling design was easy to replicate across our other digital and print brand assets. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The project team that supported our project was readily available, professional, and worked diligently to complete our project. They also worked with our delays and a change in our team members.

What was your primary form of communication with Barretto?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The qualities that we greatly value about Barretto-Co. are their ability to offer clear-sighted solutions and to create beautiful design that draws an audience into our work and identity.

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

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Brand, Digital & Marketing Communications of Radiaction Medical

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Radiaction is revolutionizing radiation protection for physicians and healthcare staff by addressing C-arm scatter radiation at the source.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Barretto to accomplish?

• Craft an animated video that showcases of our solution.
• Capture moments during our on-site video and photo shoot at our training center.

SOLUTION

How did you find Barretto?

Used at previous company

Why did you select Barretto over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Barretto were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

This session showcased the Radiaction system through photography and videography. The content will be used mainly for collateral purposes, as well as for advertisements in industry trade publications and web advertising. 

1. We provided a list of specific shots we wanted to capture.  
2. We expected the shoot to take one day. 
3. They helped to designate an actor for the shoot.
4. Summary: We wanted to capture still images of our Radiation system in action, highlighting the diverse range of procedure types (including access types, patient access, and various C-arm angles with the system deployed and retracted). We also needed a close-up shot of the control panel and images showing the draping of the upper and lower shields. We were looking for high-quality photos of the system for marketing materials such as brochures and PowerPoint presentations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

High-quality images and useful b-roll for other projects.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Barretto consistently demonstrates exceptional responsiveness and reliability, always delivering items punctually. Working with their team is a true pleasure. They go above and beyond to support any project I bring to them. Their commitment to client satisfaction makes them a standout agency, and that’s why I continue to partner with them at my current company. I wholeheartedly recommend Barretto to any organization seeking a dependable and dedicated agency.

What was your primary form of communication with Barretto?

Email or Messaging App

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

Barretto can identify exceptional talent for any project and brings together a team of highly creative individuals whose skills far surpass those of other agencies.

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

From my perspective, they are already excellent and need no improvements.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Managing Director of Teaching & Learning Center, University of California Santa Cruz

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Teaching & Learning Center (TLC) serves all members of the UCSC teaching community, using research and equity-minded practices to strengthen the culture of teaching, promote student success and equitable outcomes, and support teacher-leaders at UC Santa Cruz, a thriving minority-serving research institution.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Barretto-Co. to accomplish?

• Create a logo and visual identity for our newly structured center
• Develop a new website for our newly structured center

SOLUTION

How did you find Barretto-Co.?

Referral

Why did you select Barretto-Co. over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Barretto-Co. were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Summary of Deliverables: 

1. Phase 1 Kickoff 
2. Phase 2 Visual Identity
3. Phase 3 Content Audit/Website Information Architecture Definition 
4. Phase 4 Website Visual Design 
5. Phase 5 Development & Launch Training (two one-hour recorded sessions) Project Management

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We got a beautiful logo, along with brand identity assets and documentation. We launched on time a new website with around 100 pages working under the constraints of university-wide website theme and technical limitations.The project was managed by Barretto, and we received training. We also received good communication all along the way.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The project was managed very effectively and efficiently using Basecamp, but Jeff as project manager was key. He is a very good communicator and always has a handle on the big picture. He kept us on target, delivering everything on time, and always had the right people in the room for meetings or in conversations between meetings. We felt like our project was a priority for the company, and that our needs were important and always met.

What was your primary form of communication with Barretto-Co.?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The high touch and individual attention (even from the owner), along with very good work. They were problem solvers and very responsive; they worked quickly and engaged deeply.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Barretto-Co. could have done differently?

Perhaps provided us with some more direction and strategy on the organization of our heavy content site, as well as design ideas for simplifying the homepage and our resources pages. I think with more time we could have done this, but we had them on a tight timeline.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Marketing of a digital healthcare company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Pioneering digital healthcare company offering a disruptive software/hardware platform for remote collaboration with the OR.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Barretto-Co. to accomplish?

• Create a new brand
• Implement it across all digital and printed channels

SOLUTION

How did you find Barretto-Co.?

Referral

Why did you select Barretto-Co. over others?

• Great culture fit
• Personality, empathy, and project understanding by Barretto owner

How many teammates from Barretto-Co. were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Avail asked Barretto to design an entirely new brand voice and look and feel and implement it across numerous channels including the website, printed material, social media, print advertising, event graphics, and digital marketing. 

Barretto began with customer and company interviews to understand product ppvalues and benefits and then presented a messaging matrix and website proposal. Once the website was complete, the new look and feel was rolled out across a number of other channels and campaigns.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Deadlines met 
• Positive customer feedback

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Always on time - turnaround was very quick and they worked overtime or nights/weekend if the need arose. One point of contact who is very easy to work with, highly responsive, organized, and always on time. They use a software called Basecamp that worked very well to keep projects and communications organized. They tracked all projects in basecamp and the monthly billing summaries were very clear.

What was your primary form of communication with Barretto-Co.?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They genuinely care about the customer and went out of their way to make us successful. They were responsive at all times and always turned things around quickly, yet with quality. The team listened to our needs and put thought into designs and projects to meet needs. They have a lean team and were mindful of working efficiently to keep costs down. They are very organized and looked for ways to create processes to ensure the most seamless workflow. 

Overall, it is a pleasure working with the Barretto-Co. team and their work is always of the highest quality for a reasonable cost.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Barretto-Co. could have done differently?

Social media writing/management was the only area that started out with a few bumps and took a bit longer to develop a workflow, because I believe we had been the first client Barretto had worked with to write/produce social media. So not that Barretto could have done much different, but perhaps now they will be in a better position to manage/write/produce social media after learning with us. 

We gave them a few unrealistic deadlines, and were ourselves not aligned internally, which made it tricky for them to wrangle us toward the finish line - but they always did great and always with positivity and patience.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the digital strategist at an educational nonprofit organization. Our organization works on catalyzing change in US education. We provide educational plans for different school levels and look at competency-based learning.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Barretto-Co.?

We needed support with our organization's website redesign. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Barretto-Co. redesigned our website and was responsible for the branding of our annual conference. The team's design work included Microsoft PowerPoint presentations and social media graphics. 

At the beginning of the project, we had a discovery phase where we discussed strategy development, research, and analysis. Barretto-Co. then put together a deck that showed us where we could go with our design. After that, Barretto-Co. moved on to our site's redesign and development in WordPress, including wireframing and prototyping in the backend. Then, the team conducted a testing and QA phase before the site's launch and promotion. 

Additionally, Barretto-Co. assisted me with stakeholder interviews to put the questions together and coached me on how to get the right insights from our leaders.

What is the team composition?

We worked with five teammates from Barretto-Co., including Jeff (Director Marketing Creative Services), Steve (Principal), Nick (Junior Designer), and a web developer.

How did you come to work with Barretto-Co.?

Barretto-Co. was already engaged with my organization when I started working here.

What is the status of this engagement?

I began working with Barretto-Co. on our website's redesign in May 2023, although their engagement with our organizations precedes my time working here. Barretto-Co. completed our site's redesign in four months and continues to provide maintenance services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We had a jump in site traffic after Barretto-Co.'s redesign. The team freshened up and modernized our brand, which was exactly what we wanted. Anecdotally, we received many compliments on the redesign from the public and our in-house team. Our internal team felt proud of being part of our organization, and we wouldn't have accomplished that without Barretto. All of Barretto-Co's team was involved in the project.
 

How did Barretto-Co. perform from a project management standpoint?

Barretto-Co. worked quickly and communicated really well with us via email. We met every week for an hour-long standing meeting in Zoom. Barretto-Co. completed the work on time and was willing to accelerate timelines based on the project's needs. Overall, the team was stellar regarding project management; I had never worked with a vendor that was so on point. Barretto-Co. was very transparent about the budget and ensured we stayed within budget without compromising our vision.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Jeff was very organized and coordinated, ensuring the action steps from each meeting were listed and completed. He also acted as a translator, explaining web design language to our team. On the other hand, Steve was present in all of our meetings, which was great. 

Additionally, Barretto-Co.'s web developer was incredible. We had a very old website with several pages that we wanted to archive and protect, and he was instrumental in ensuring we didn't lose any information.

What did you find most impressive about them?
Barretto-Co.'s team were such professionals, and I'm really easy-going — I think it was just the right combination. We wanted to move to launch, and the entire team was focused on getting to the finish line since web design projects involve a lot of work to handle. Barretto-Co. was truly one of the best vendors I had worked with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?
I can't think of anything for Barretto-Co. to improve on. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Be open to change and different ways of thinking. Be receptive to how your brand is currently being received and have honest talks about where you are and where you want to be. Barretto-Co. has so much experience because they work for different types of companies and have a strong vision about what works in design. If you're willing to let Barretto-Co. lead, you'll be pleasantly surprised because they came up with great solutions for us. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Director of Bay Area Brewers Guild

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Marketing trade association promoting Bay Area craft breweries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Barretto-Co. to accomplish?

• Brand Identity
• Thematic Concepts & Designs
• Design-Driven Strategic Marketing

SOLUTION

How did you find Barretto-Co.?

Referral

Why did you select Barretto-Co. over others?

• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned
• Passion for our mission

How many teammates from Barretto-Co. were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Barretto-Co is a long-time brand and design partner originally brought on to rebrand and assist the Bay Area Brewers Guild's expansion from the San Francisco Brewers Guild. 

The firm developed an entirely new identity that fully captured the diversity of the Bay yet totally harmonized the unique personality of each new chapter (regions of the Bay) with the over-arching mission and strategic vision of this newly evolved organization. 

Since that initial project, Barretto-Co. has taken on many more ambitious and challenging design projects, including complex theme-driven events, collaborative product roll-outs, and region- and state-wide co-marketing initiatives -- in service to our organization and, through us, helping and supporting literally hundreds of small businesses throughout California, always enabling and empowering all of those involved to accomplish the impossible and tell our stories and connect with our communities in meaningful, authentic and compassionate ways.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Delivery of full spectrum of brand identity and organizational design needs.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Barretto-Co. has always shown patience with our limited capacity as a small nonprofit, guiding us across the finish line while making sure parameters were met, and designs, assets and outcomes were delivered on or ahead of schedule, at highest degree of execution, no matter the pressures of the calendar.

What was your primary form of communication with Barretto-Co.?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The level of creativity from ideation to execution, the fact that their design work is drop-dead gorgeous, and their attention to detail -- strategic as well as literal -- have made us count our blessings again and again.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Barretto-Co. could have done differently?

Any improvements would have to start on our side, since we're the limiting factor with the time and resources we have as a nonprofit.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Housing Specialist of a government organization 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We play a lead role in the development of housing and homeless programs to serve the county's low- and moderate-income households, homeless, and disabled populations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Barretto-Co. to accomplish?

• Create a professional look for our communications
• Create a modern and professional series of annual reports
• Create a modern and professional website

SOLUTION

How did you find Barretto-Co.?

Referral

Why did you select Barretto-Co. over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Barretto-Co. were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Barretto was tasked with providing graphic design, copywriting and web development services to support the required annual reports and a website for dissemination of public information about one of out projects. Barretto provided graphic design, copywriting and website design services to augment these Annual Reports, Barretto has also developed a website to provide current information on this project, the programs it supports, and the impact they have had.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our Department Director and Supervisors liking and approving the release of the annual reports and website to the public.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They did deliver items on time. They usually responded to our needs.

What was your primary form of communication with Barretto-Co.?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They have a very modern, sleek look that made our actions look good to the public.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Barretto-Co. could have done differently?

Yes. They were very married to the look that they created, and when we needed to change the look to make the items they were designing more accessible to the public with bigger fonts and more information on each page, they were reluctant to change their design and had to be pushed to do so.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Executive Director of a community benefit district, a special tax-assessment district that is charged with providing supplemental cleaning, safety, and marketing services to a downtown business district.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Barretto-Co., and what were your goals?

Our logo had two main problems: it was uninspired and was too closely associated with the municipality's logo. We wanted a branding system that distinguished the downtown from the rest of the city, did not assume any cultural references, and yet communicated a story. We also wanted a system that was flexible and could easily be modified by someone with few graphic skills to reflect seasonal/special campaigns.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We did an initial inquiry with four firms and requested proposals from three. After presentations from all three, our committee selected Barreto-Co. based on their work with other business districts, commitment to working with progressive organizations, and bold design choices.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

The scope of the proposal included:

• Area research
• In-person focus group with board members
• Initial presentation of three designs and of selected design two subsequent revisions
• Deliverable included two versions of the logo (with and w/o tag line) in four color schemes plus b/w and grayscale
• Street banner design
• Window cling system

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

We worked directly with Steve Barretto for all design conversations and with Jeff on project management.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Barretto - Co's design exceeded all of our expectations. Steve led our committee through discussions that, ultimately, empowered the committee to choose a much bolder design than I ever thought possible. There was positive feedback from the community on the new brand, and we have incorporated it into uniforms, equipment branding, social media, etc.

It has been easy to modify the logo for different purposes without losing the integrity of the design. For instance, we changed it slightly for the holidays, earth-day, and a local cherry festival. We have not been able to utilize the window cling system yet, and we are anticipating the street banners to be implemented soon. We did commission some additional design help for some smart trash receptacles, and they did a great job incorporating the brand with our messaging.

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

We were operating on a very tight timeline and Barretto & Co. was able to keep us on task and on time. Jeff Plank was great at circling back to keep things moving efficiently. Steve Barretto was in the loop on all things though. They also use a web-based platform (Basecamp) to facilitate communication.

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

The design work itself was refreshing, and they weren't afraid to present challenging ideas. But what impressed me the most was their ability to facilitate conversations and drill down to the essentials. This enabled our committee members to find common ground; something I wasn't expecting!

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

I have zero notes to give. They were professional, responsive, and took our brand identity to a higher level than we ever expected. What more could you ask for?!