Brand New Matter

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of CIVL, a mobile platform for organizations, nonprofits, and charities that effectively manage their volunteers and members.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brand New Matter?

We were looking for management consulting to help us with building a platform, developing its features, and setting priorities.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were in touch with them over email and sent them some documents before the workshop. After that, we did a three-day sprint, going over everything with them: the pitch, the implementation, fundraising, and other details. 

What is the team composition? 

For the first sessions, we met with two people, one of whom was their CEO. During the consultation, we worked with an expert in our field and one assistant.

How did you come to work with them?

We were referred to them by another agency we're working with. I was impressed by their resumes and wanted to hear their thoughts about the platform we were building. We had an initial conversation, which was very productive, so we decided to try their three-day sprint. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $5,000–$10,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

The sprint was in December 2017.

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

The workshop was very transformative. It was a pivotal point for our business and prompted us to change our original business model entirely. They helped us find the best and most productive way to move forward (our original focus was not in line with our strengths). We're launching the platform next month and we'll be using the business model that is based on their recommendations. 

How did they perform from a project management standpoint? 

Email is my preferred way of communication and they've been very responsive, getting back to me right away.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very thorough and the workshop was very intense. Covering everything in-depth, they presented us with facts and didn't sugarcoat anything. Also, they never pushed their services on us. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was some miscommunication and confusion about the cost at first, but that wasn't an ongoing issue.

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I'm the founder of a hairdresser marketing agency.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brand New Matter?

As I was working on a secondary platform, I wanted to find a skilled business consultant to validate my ideas.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I attended their 3–day sprint (a customized workshop) in New York. On the first day, we reviewed my materials and documentation, and they presented the data they had collected about the industry. The actual sprint, which was a full-day in-person workshop, took place on the second day. Krish [Krish Jagirdar, Vice President, Brand New Matter] led the sprint, and another associate in the room took notes and put everything into a presentation. On the third day, we had the follow-up: they presented back to me a full storyboard of everything we discussed during the workshop.

What is the team dynamic? 

I worked with Krish and one other person. 

How did you come to work with them?

I was referred to them by another agency. I had a phone conversation with Krish and decided that he was a great fit for my needs. 

How much have you invested with them?

The 3–day workshop cost $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

The sprint took place in June 2017.

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

I walked out of the workshop with a clearer vision of how to make my business a reality. Initially, I thought I needed an app, but after attending the workshop, I realized that a website would be a better investment for me.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

Krish always responded to my emails and went above and beyond when answering my questions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The atmosphere was very open and creative. They're very knowledgeable, professional, and do an excellent job helping businesses avoid mistakes in the early stages.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go into the workshop with an open mind and you might discover something better than your original ideas.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Beachy, a startup that provides a SaaS platform designed specifically for beachfront vendors and their unique needs.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brand New Matter?

Initially, we wanted to market our platform directly to the consumer. We reached out to Brand New Matter for product and business consulting.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Most of my knowledge of their involvement is regarding the business consulting and not the actual product development. That being said, their consulting team flew to our office and performed a “deep dive.” That’s a 3-day intensive in-person consultation with 6 weeks of follow-up. We disassembled the business plan and put it back together. From there, we put together user stories and laid out long-term goals with a plan to reach them. Essentially, they helped put together my entire convertible note pitch.

What is the team dynamic?

We had 2 people consulting with us and 3 developers working on the product.

How did you come to work with Brand New Matter?

We met them at a business conference while looking for advisors and venture capital. We were attracted to them because 2 of their founders were also on the founding team of Priceline. As a result, they come incredibly networked and well-connected throughout the travel tech industry. We did talk to other groups and freelance consultants but Brand New Matter was the choice we made.

How much have you invested with them?

The consulting services cost around $15,000. That price may have gone up by now and I’m not sure what the price of product development was.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2016, and the relationship is ongoing.

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

We made a massive pivot due to their consulting to go B2B with our platform, as opposed to the B2C route we had initially planned. As a result, we’ve exceeded every goal they’ve helped us set. Their data-driven solutions have been vital to getting us ramped up and ready to scale. They’re always the last checkpoint for us when making major decisions. Our partnership has been so great that we’re trying to get their CEO on our board.

How did Brand New Matter perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ll focus on the product development aspect with for this question. My CTO has spoken highly of his work with them. We use a lot of Agile processes and Kanban boards. They use Basecamp while we primarily use Jira. Overall, our communication styles have mixed well. They’re business professionals that can also develop technology, as opposed to other developers who think they can dabble in business. Having a team of dual-minded individuals ensures that everyone is speaking the same language. This ease of communication has enabled us to employ a “stay in your lane, do your part, and let’s meet at the finish point” strategy.

What did you find most impressive about them?

After becoming an advisor, their CEO has grown into a real mentor for me, personally. I’ve stayed at his house with my family and he's done the same with mine. It’s much more than a business relationship, and that’s positively affected our company.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

SeatBoost is an airline solution and mobile app that hosts live auctions for seat upgrades, when inventory is about to expire. I am the CEO.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brand New Matter?

Our main goal right now is to sign and grow our business with more airlines. We did a beta program with Virgin America and it went really well. Now we’re trying to expand upon that and sign more airlines. Originally, I reached out to Brand New Matter because I started an outsider from the travel industry and they have a wealth of knowledge in relationships that I didn’t have. I had an idea and a plan, but I had no network or connectivity in the area of travel.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The main objective was for them to help me raise smart money from people inside travel and connect us with airlines and other people in travel that could help steward SeatBoost and navigate within that industry.

How did you come to work with Brand New Matter?

I was at a travel convention and I met the founder, Tom [Co-Founder & CEO, Brand New Matter], by going up to him and giving him my business card. He was a friendly and affable gentleman. Brand New Matter really has subject matter expertise in travel, and other verticals as well. They have entrepreneurs in residence at their firm, and they counsel startups as they have a wealth of experience. I looked at other companies too before I engaged them. I was looking for people that could plug me in to airlines and people in travel. I met a lot of different people. Brand New Matter, specifically Tom and Brian [Co-Founder & Managing Director, Brand New Matter] were head and shoulders above every other opportunity that was offered to me.

How much have you invested with them?

I did the Deep Dive product for $25,000. It’s a 30 day, full review of your business. They provide a detailed review, “homework” and significant go-forward plan. It’s a really big undertaking, but was valuable and useful to us. Now, we have a go forward engagement. It’s the best money that I’ve spent.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2016 and the work is ongoing.

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

The crown jewel of SeatBoost is our advisory board. They are the ones who connect us to airlines. All of my most effective advisory board members came from Brand New Matter. I am totally and completely satisfied.

How did Brand New Matter perform from a project management standpoint?

We missed deadlines, but it was probably our fault more than it was theirs. They’ve always been very professional. They not only came up with what they promised, but they were professional and their ability and skill set were a step up from other companies. They’re really useful at making sure we’re on track and defining what was important versus what was/is “noise”.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I am constantly blown away at how generous they are with their time, with resources, and with relationships. There are two things that separate them from everyone else. First, there’s not as much quid pro quo as you get with other consultancies like, “Pay us X and we’ll give you Y.” You feel like they’re friends, that’s their attitude. Secondly, their effectiveness is way higher than I’ve experienced with other consultancies.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Ace Specialties specializes in promotional products. I am the owner and president of the company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brand New Matter?

At the time of reaching out to them, my company was in a transition period. The industry we primarily cater to, oil and gas, had plummeted, and we basically had to rebrand ourselves, identify and study the market we chose to go in exclusively—promotional products.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Brand New Matter was brought in to do a deep dive with us and analyze the market, in order to see what our risk level was. We began to study the promotional product industry—target customers, products which are most popular, the success of promotional products, and what markets would be best for Ace to target.

Most of the work was strategy. Brand New Matter came to our facility 3 separate times, and, for the last deep-dive, we made a product presentation which helped us identify whether our strategy going forward would be successful or not. We came in with product and developed different packages for potential clients, in order to take the stress out of searching for the right promotional items for their company. We identified packages which would help them promote their company more efficiently.

What is the team dynamic?

We worked with Thomas Sparico, their CEO, and John Shaughnessy, their managing director. This is my second dive with them, and I’ve been amazed by the fact that, no matter what the industry is, they do the research, study the field extensively, as if they have been in it for years. Brand New Matter came in knowing everything about promotional products and the industry. It truly amazed me that they were able to adapt themselves and their program to what was needed for my company, in order to give me a true risk analysis.

How did you come to work with Brand New Matter?

I found them through a referral. After meeting the team in New York, I knew they’d be the ones to go with. The expertise behind each member of the team said a lot about the company.

How much have you invested with them?

This last deep dive had a cost of $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the last engagement with Brand New Matter in December 2016, and ended in May 2017.

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

Everything they did was top-notch. The only thing I had a little difficulty with was that, not being a business major, I had to ask multiple questions for some of the tasks and assignments on my end. Everyone in our company was pleased, from an experience perspective.

How did Brand New Matter perform from a project management standpoint?

All the deadlines were met, and Brand New Matter did a great job of keeping us on task. It’s hard to stay focused after the initial meeting, but they did an amazing job of getting all the tasks accomplished and all the research done on our end.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The whole process of analyzing our company was done amazingly. Brand New Matter did research on their own on the industry. Most companies I’ve worked with, which provide similar services, came in without doing the research. They simply do step 1 through 10. Because Brand New Matter did do the research, it was much easier for us to engage in conversation and really know what industries need my services. It was better for us to identify a niche market and go forward with a plan.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.