Black Hawk

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a consumer goods company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Hawk?

I needed help with SEO.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Black Hawk analyzed our website to see where we were lacking and where we could implement improvements. After that, they integrated SEO strategies into our platform. That included designing layouts and pages for our new SEO content.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Black Hawk's owner.

How did you come to work with Black Hawk?

They were highly recommended to us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership ran from April–October 2020.  

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

We were able to use Google Analytics and a few other tools to see if the traffic to our website had improved after Black Hawk implemented their work and it did.  As a result, we’d like to work with them again if we need more things to be done.

How did Black Hawk perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication skills were good, and we didn’t encounter any problems. Once the schedule was set, they met all the deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were really good and easy to work with. Overall, we had no issues.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there was nothing they could improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Black Hawk will try to do more for you than needed — which is a good thing — but it could snowball into other projects that still need to be reviewed. If you’re only looking to do one thing and spend a couple of months doing it, stick to that and then you can review and do other projects later.

Please describe your company and your position there.

The House of Cannabis is a licensed cannabis dispensary in Ontario Canada. We have 7 stores either in development or open across the province. Our brand mission is to educate people on how to incorporate cannabis in their daily lives. This includes creating and upscale and safe retail environment to ask questions, explore and discover.

As the CEO and Founder at the House of Cannabis, it is important to ensure our brand is consistent across every element that we touch including our web and digital presence.

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

Whether you are a multi-store operator or a small independent, most retailers use the same e-commerce solution for the cannabis space. We wanted to set ourselves different from the rest and that starts with our digital presence. We reached out to Black Hawk to create a unique website and e-commerce journey for our consumers.

This includes utilizing multi-pages to blog about cannabis 101, brands, etc to assist with SEO.

How did you select Black Hawk and what were the deciding factors?

We interviewed numerous companies and viewed different solutions. Black Hawk was recommended by our retail consultants and we viewed his work. We followed the founder Christian carefully on Linkedin and had a chance to chat to see if our vision aligned. At the end, we were both onboard to revolutionize the cannabis e-commerce space.

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

We had a kick-off meeting to discuss what we were looking for. At the end, we came up with the scope to create a full website with various pages, site search, FAQ, blog section, chat integration, store selector. In addition, the core piece is the Dutchie Plus development which includes a custom built menu engine, filters, product review, product description pages and additional API integration.

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

5 People from Black Hawk assisted with this project. Christian (President) was the main point of contact and is the president of the company. He was able to convey our vision of the site and our mission effectively to the rest of the team. Luke - Developer. Was coordinating with the site buildout via slack channel and made the changes needed Chad - Page Writer. Delivered great content and blogs that assisted our SEO ranking Eugene - Designed the Site.

Created a great site layout and flow which elevated our site to be above the competitors. Jessica - Helped coordinate everything which pushed the site to be completed quickly.

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

Our team love the page and the flow. We saw an increase in traffic as well as an increase of people mentioning our site.

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

We communicated mainly through Slack but Christian and I spoke regularly via phone and text to keep me up to speed on the project, gave some recommendations/advice, relayed our feedback to the team and much more.

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

They are dynamic and forward thinker throughout the workflow. A lot of ideas that Christian brought on the table was revolutionary. Not just in the cannabis space but also in the retail e-commerce space. Ideas and design had a lot of thought put into it and created an efficient design that also elevated our brand.

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

None. Extremely happy with how everything turned out.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Marketing Director of Village Wellness Spas. We are a day spa, retail boutique and online shop specializing in premium skincare services and products.

For what projects/services did your company hire Black Hawk?

We hired Black Hawk to help us create visual content for our website, social media outlets as well as online advertisements. The beauty industry is incredibly competitive so it's essential for us to have good quality content in order to stand out. Black Hawk was flexible and able to accomplish everything we needed.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to increase our number of new customers by showing them what our spa experience is like through video. Black Hawk took detailed videos of each one of our services to give prospective clients a behind the scenes look of what to expect when they arrive.

They also took high quality photos in the same style for our website and social outlets, so everything now has a cohesive professional look.

How did you select Black Hawk?

Before hiring I always do my research. Black Hawk was the only company we received a quote from that outlined where the costs came from in detail, explained what was necessary for our business, and what wasn't. The conversation was always transparent and I felt like I got value for what I paid for.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

I sent examples of what I was looking for beforehand, to give them an idea of what I wanted. They never said no to me and were willing to do whatever it took to make my vision happen.

On our video/photo shoot days, Black Hawk came to our spa and set up all equipment before the rest of the staff arrived, who were our models for the day. They were extremely organized. There was a schedule of what was being done first and who was involved in that specific shot.

I asked to see sneak peeks of the footage throughout the day, to make sure we weren't missing anything and he was open to change and constructive criticism.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

After our photo/video shoots, the edits were done within a week and provided to us. They also helped to adjust the files we needed for our website and social platforms.

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

After launching the content to our website and social platforms, our Instagram following increased organically by approximately 700 people within a six month time period.

Our online sales have been slowly increasing by the day since we now have quality ads going out on a regular basis. Engagement on our social platforms also increased with our current clients who hadn't interacted on our social accounts before that time.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We worked with one person from Black Hawk from start to finish, so the entire process was pretty flawless. He actually listened to what I was looking for and gave me exactly that. He was very straight to the point and honest so I felt like he valued my time and money.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

He was willing to do anything and everything. Other companies I received quotes from had restrictions on what their capabilities were. Christian made it happen regardless of what it took to figure it out. I appreciate that type of hard work and effort, it really makes a difference especially for smaller businesses like ours who need it.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No we were very happy with the experience!

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of growth at a cannabis company.

What challenges were you trying to address with Black Hawk?

We hired them to build out our website and manage our online presence.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have both an online component and brick-and-mortar stores. They helped build our database and manage our online presence. We operate in a heavily regulated environment, and they helped us reach our customers in a compliant fashion. Their services include social media management, SEO, and digital advertising. 

They also helped with overall branding including designing in-store signage, team uniforms, and videography. We didn’t provide too much information, their team generated most of the creative content and copy. They’re a one-stop-shop for us. 

What is the team composition?

Christian (Managing Director) is our main point of contact. He has a larger team behind the scenes of probably 6–8 people. 

How did you come to work with Black Hawk?

We found them through an industry networking event. However, I wasn’t directly involved in the initial stages of the hiring process. 

How much have you invested in them?

The first project was a bit over $25,000. Once we’re done working on the branding and media for the opening of five new stores, I think we’ll have invested over $50,000 in total. We’re keeping them on retainer as well. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2019. We’re still working with them as we’re opening new stores. 

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

They operated with minimal oversight and still delivered exactly what we wanted. During the COVID-19 shutdown, they managed our online presence and 100% of our sales were online. Prior to the shutdown, we weren’t allowed to retail online. So Christian was instrumental in implementing the necessary tools to enable us to work in this new virtual environment. Prior to COVID-19, our website was just used for exposure and information. 

We have a recognizable and unified brand in-store and online. 

How did Black Hawk perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re fantastic in terms of project management. They can work with a high degree of autonomy. They’re great to collaborate with. We use Asana to manage the tasks, and we also have frequent phone calls. Christian is easy to get a hold of. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their independence is most impressive. With past vendors, I felt like I had to give constant oversight and provide a lot of content for them to work off of. Christian is a self-starter who brings creative ideas to the table that we hadn’t even thought of. It’s very refreshing. I can trust Black Hawk to get the job down without having to constantly micromanage the project. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have any complaints. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

It’s important to communicate a lot and be fairly demanding. They can work with whatever you give them, They brought all kinds of elements to the table that we didn’t even know we wanted.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of business development at Perfect Level Master. We manufacture and distribute building materials.

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Hawk?

We hired Black Hawk to help with all of our video content.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They create a range of videos for us, but mostly focusing on lifestyle and documentary-style videos. We have a testimonial series called Day in the Life of a Contractor, and the video follows contractors to get a sense of their job and why they use our product over others. 

They’re in charge of everything from start to finish, we just find the client for them to film. This includes interviewing, filming, post-production editing and posting. We share these videos across all social media accounts, including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and our website, too. 

What is the team composition?

I have one main point of contact, Christian (Managing Director, Black Hawk).

How did you come to work with Black Hawk?

I searched around and found Black Hawk’s highlight reel, which was exactly the style I was looking for. I went through a few of the documentaries they had done in the past and they seemed to fit the bill. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $100,000 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2017 and our relationship is definitely ongoing. 

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

All of the videos are linked back to our Shopify site, and we always see at least a 25% increase in sales after a video is released. Our internal team is very happy with the work. 

How did Black Hawk perform from a project management standpoint?

Christian sits in our meetings and works well with everyone to understand the direction we’re heading in. They haven’t missed a single deadline yet. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a very personalized approach and become a true part of the company. Christian gets a good understanding of why we do what we do, and it’s portrayed in the content. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, at the moment there’s nothing for them to improve. They’ve been really easy to work with so far and I’ve had no complaints. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open with them and have a lot of back and forth to share ideas. Spend time getting on the same page, then give them the keys and let them take over. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Managing Editor of BBC Future, a digital site on BBC.com

For what projects/services did your company hire Black Hawk?

We commissioned Black Hawk to make a short documentary-style film for BBC Future, an editorial science and technology website run by BBC Global News.

Black Hawk pitched a robust full proposal idea to us about how driverless trucks are poised to change workforce patterns in the US. What Black Hawk offered was access to real people affected by this technological shift, filmed on the ground.

They produced high-quality cinematic footage, including drone shots, and strong storytelling. It met and exceeded the high editorial standards expected of contributors to the BBC.

What were your goals for this project?

We included this film as part of a sponsored commercial campaign of a subsite of BBC Future, called Future Now. As well as meeting editorial needs, it was important that the film was delivered on time and high quality to meet the promises made to the sponsor of the Future Now campaign

How did you select this vendor?

We had worked with Christian Borys of Black Hawk before as a writer and knew him as a journalist dedicated to quality storytelling and high standards in his journalism.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

The video, which is currently no longer online due to a site redesign, told the story of how AI is changing the long-haul trucking industry - in particular how it is affecting people working in the industry.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We provided the usual editor feedback on the pitch and initial drafts, helping to shape the project.

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

The film was a crucial part of a successful sponsored campaign that brought in important revenue to the business

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Highly effective workflow, Black Hawk took on editor guidance and requests professionally and promptly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

High-quality storytelling

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of flowjo.co, a company that creates card decks filled with activities that people can do individually or with their partner. I handle everything from production, to marketing, to operations.

For what projects/services did your company hire Black Hawk?

I hired Black Hawk because I wanted to create a video that introduced my product to the world right before Christmas & Valentine's Day. I needed someone who would be able to understand the vision I had, and be able to help me figure out how to hire actors, where to find a space to create the video, and how to choose the right shots to edit.

What were your goals for this project?

The hope was that we could spread the word about the product that I just created, and really announce our new brand.

How did you select this vendor?

Christian at Blackhawk seemed the most trustworthy person I had spoken with. He seemed as excited as I was to work on the project, and he knew exactly how to get the vision in my head on video. I felt like he really understood what I was trying to achieve.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

In the beginning Blackhawk brainstormed with me to figure out what exactly I was looking for. I had an idea, but it wasn't until he sat with me and spoke about how the different scenes would work together that I got a better idea of what we needed to do. The Video was a 1 minute facebook ad that introduced by product The Couple's Bucket List.

It showed 10 different couples all doing activities that can be found in the bucket list. There was a dining room scene, a couch scene, a bed scene, a pillow fort scene, a dancing in the kitchen scene, and a couple watching the sunset outside scene amongst others. The tricky part was to find a place that we can have most of those scenes and still have it look completely different - which I think we were able to do quite well. Blackhawk was responsible for filming each scene and choosing the style element of each shot. I was there to ensure that the scene followed my vision.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Christian was able to do the filming solo, and had contracted out an editor to help me in post. We worked in an agile manner so most of the feedback was happening as we were shooting and it seemed to work really well. By the time we were choosing shots, we had everything we needed to make the video.

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

The video itself got over 250,000 views of Facebook 90% of which watched the 1 minute video completely. It had a great launch, and we were able to kickstart our project effectively.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was a lot easier than I expected. I had written out what I wanted in the video, and listed all the different shots I needed. He helped me where I asked -- getting a place, finding actors, etc. And then when the weekend came to shoot, he was there to help me film all the different shots. In total, we had about 10 couples in 3 different locations and we were able to get the shots we needed and move on quite quickly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

When we were done filming we had hours of video, and I was a bit overwhelmed. Christian sat with me and we were able to find the right shots really quickly before the editing process began. He was able to give me the feedback and advice I needed to make decisions which is something I find it difficult to get from other vendors and usually when tensions arise.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I think I could have probably made the project happen in 1-2 days but I didn't know what the usual process was going into the project. Christian was totally open to shooting the scenes that we needed, but had I known we could have probably been more efficient looking back. However, the end product was beautiful and high quality so maybe that was the way it needed to be. :)

Please describe your company and your position there.

PM for Digital Marketing Company

For what projects/services did your company hire Black Hawk?

Black Hawk was hired for video production of a promotional video for a contest being held by Purolator for its SMB customers.

What were your goals for this project?

Goal of the project was to add more engagement to the marketing materials being used to capture contest registration and engagement. The video was used in paid media and on the landing page, so videos views and clickthroughs were tracked.

How did you select this vendor?

Recommended from a colleague.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

The video script was already developed internally, and Black Hawk was sourced to help bring the video to life. This included sourcing acting talent, providing the video production equipment, filming the project and editing (pre and post production).

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Black Hawk brought in a camera operator and director. They were involved in several rounds of feedback / editing during post-production.

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

The video was used in paid media and although it attracted visitors attention, results showed that static media proved to be more effective for the channel and promotion. The video proved to be very valuable on the contest landing page though, and was used throughout the entire length of the contest/promotion.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

This was a very fast paced project and the team did a great job at accommodating tight schedules and fast delivery times. They also accommodated multiple rounds of feedback, going above and beyond the planned scope.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Black Hawk was able to accommodate timeline and budget constraints, delivering a project that everyone was happy with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

A bit more pre-production planning would have been helpful but we were up against very tight timelines, many moving pieces and stakeholder involvement, so given the situation they handled the workflow quite well.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Senior Customer Success Manager at a digital professional coaching platform.

For what projects/services did your company hire Black Hawk?

We were putting together a short video to share with prospective hires what it's like to work at Ezra. Our team in the UK had done a session and we needed a local videographer to support with filming segments of our Toronto team.

What were your goals for this project?

We intended to use the video to share with prospective new hires to Ezra what it's like to work with us.

How did you select Black Hawk?

Recommendation from the videographer our UK team worked with.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

Each team member was filmed doing a short interview answering the question what their favourite thing is working at Ezra along with a few hero shots of each team member.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Christian at Black Hawk was our primary contact and he was on top of gathering the information he needed in order to be ready for the session on filming day.

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

The video has not yet been released publicly, but the team has seen it and it received very positive feedback.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

All communications with Black Hawk were simple and effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Black Hawk was very easy to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

NA