Embark

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Communications and Advocacy Manager of Global Social Service Workforce Alliance

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are an inclusive, representative network of members working together to build a world in which a well-planned, developed and supported social service workforce is better able to address the needs of at-risk individuals and communities. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Upgrade website from Drupal 7 to WordPress
• Upgrade the look and feel of the site

SOLUTION

How did you find Embark?

Online Search

Why did you select Embark over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Embark were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Our organization's website was using Drupal 7 and hadn't been updated since 2013. We hired Embark to rebuild our website on the WordPress platform as well as to refresh the look and feel of the site using template page designs. This included working with Embark to plan the major elements of the website that needed to be re-created on WordPress, create page templates upon which to build the site, and launching the site.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Given that we just launched the site, we do not yet have specific figures to demonstrate its impact. However, we have received a lot of great feedback from our members that they find the website to be much more user friendly and visually appealing. For our team, the website is also much easier to maintain.

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

All items were delivered on times from their side. Often our team was the delay in getting the website launched faster. They were always very responsive and addressed our needs.

What was your primary form of communication with Embark?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I greatly appreciated working with a smaller company that took the time to understand our needs. I also appreciated that they understood nonprofits. 

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

They could have done a few more quality control checks on certain elements before the launch. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Project Manager of NFCYM

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The mission of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) is to support and strengthen those who accompany young people as they encounter and follow Jesus Christ.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Assist our team in creating a brand identity for our new initiative to partner with parents in raising kids in faith.
• Develop full style guide and logo assets for the brand.
• Create a 4 year marketing strategy for our OneTable Initiative to partner with parents in raising their kids in faith

SOLUTION

How did you find Embark?

Referral

Why did you select Embark over others?

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

How many teammates from Embark were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

NFCYM hired Embark to assist us in developing a brand identity for our new initiative which focuses on helping church ministry leaders to partner with parents in raising kids in faith. The project is a multi-faceted initiative with complex layers of leadership and a large number of stakeholders. 

Embark helped us navigate this complex web of leadership and united us in focusing on our mission and goals, resulting in a brand that everyone could support. After a complete consultation process, Embark guided us in naming the initiative, developed a logo for the initiative, and produced a complete style guide for it.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We now have a brand for our initiative which everyone has embraced. Our conversations with potential partner organizations have been enhanced by the imagery the name and logo evokes. We were able to recruit 10 bishops to serve on our advisory council because the brand made our vision clear.

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

At each stage of the process, our entire leadership responded to the deliverables with a resounding, "Yes!" The staff at Embark took the time to listen well, ask deep questions, and refine the product until it met our needs. 

Some items took longer than anticipated, but that was because of our complicated leadership structure and ensuring everyone felt heard and included in the process. It would have been easier and faster for Embark to just work with 1 or 2 staff members, but they honored our structure and were patient with us.

What was your primary form of communication with Embark?

Virtual Meeting

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

The staff at Embark understood our organization extremely well. We have worked with them on other projects previously, but I was new to the staff. They took the time to get to know me, my project, and what was important to me. They didn't rush the process. In a fast-paced world, their slow and thoughtful approach impressed me the most.

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

None that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Principal of Quincy Catholic Academy

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Quincy Catholic Academy is a co-educational Catholic Elementary School, serving students in grades Pre-K through grade 8.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Update our school website
• Create a website that has user-friendly, practical navigation
• Create a website that captures the essence of our school mission

SOLUTION

How did you find Embark?

Referral

Why did you select Embark over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Embark were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The process began by reviewing our current website, which contained some useable content, but needed a significant overhaul with design, current content and practical navigation. With the guidance of Conoon Kim, who was excellent from start to finish, we discussed our overall goals and branding. Together, we made decisions about Website pages, tabes, links, etc..

We worked methodically through each page on the website, reviewing and rewriting content. After each weekly zoom session, we all were tasked with follow-through assignments, which helped to keep us focused and moving forward. As we got deeper into the project, Conoon began to share design ideas and samples. We chose pictures, videos and other media to enhance the site. Each session had a relevant and manageable agenda which kept us accountable and productive. 

As we got closer to the final product, Conoon shared the working website with our team along with a laundry list of details that needed to be addressed before launching the website. Finally, we receivedsome basic training showing us how to make edits and changes to our new website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• weekly goals and task assignments
• Email follow-through with detailed support
• Reasonable timeline (adjusted as needed)
• Working Draft Website, allowing us to visualize the final site while making edits and changes
• Final product - excellent

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

Working with Conoon was fantastic from start to finish. He was personable and professional. He guided us with expert advice but also allowed us the freedom to make our own final choices. The created a timeline that was ambitious, but not daunting. He followed up every meeting with a summary of tasks to accomplish by the next meeting and offered support to achieve the tasks on time. He presented the final product with mutual pride.

What was your primary form of communication with Embark?

Virtual Meeting

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

I was most impressed by the balance of professionalism and the personal touch.

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

It was a very positive experience. The only piece that felt incomplete was the actual training, but I am confident we will receive the support we need in the future. Thank you

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Director of Camino Schools

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Camino Schools is dedicated to the cultural renewal of California through the founding of great schools that collaborate with parents in the intellectual, moral, physical, and spiritual education of their children.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Branding design
• Website refresh
• Google for nonprofits

SOLUTION

How did you find Embark?

Referral

Why did you select Embark over others?

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

How many teammates from Embark were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Embark audited our existing materials and facilitated a brand sprint to help us strategize the best way to position our brand. The main focus was to improve our website experience with more relevant content, a streamlined navigation, and updated visuals to reflect the updated brand.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Embark delivered a new logo for us that we were absolutely thrilled with - it was sleek and professional looking, yet deep in meaning as well. After the new branding was established, Embark overhauled our entire website and took us to an entirely new level in terms of professionalism and user experience.

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

First of all, the timeline for the project was super tight from the start. But not only did they deliver on time, they delivered some key milestones ahead of schedule as well. They were extremely responsive every step of the way.

What was your primary form of communication with Embark?

• In-Person Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their creativity and professionalism. They literally rebranded us overnight and created an entirely new and impressive look and feel for our organization.

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

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at CCEDA

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (CCEDA) serves as a clearinghouse for information and action that advances the field of community economic development through training and continuing education, technical assistance, and advocacy on public policy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Website Development
• SEO
• Branding

SOLUTION

How did you find Embark?

Referral

Why did you select Embark over others?

Other

How many teammates from Embark were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Embark maintained CCEDA's website for years with updates, page development and design. Recently, Embark helped us re-brand CCEDA's identity and also website experience.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

CCEDA's website is now a beautiful success. It creates an experience for the visitor who is just discovering CCEDA. We have so many compliments on our website and it's easy link accessibility. Embark did a wonderful job at creating a gorgeous web design and also provided us support as we needed it for web help and other requests. 

The website was fully equipped with helpful plug-ins and also adapted to our needs as an organization. Embark provided full support as we transitioned into our new branding strategy and provided us with mockups for logos, branding manual and web design.

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

Embark completed our re-branding and website development within the time frame of contract. They have supported us as we moved forward in the new stages of our website and to the final stages.

What was your primary form of communication with Embark?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their design skills and branding ideas were impeccable. The website experience is very user friendly for the staff along with visitors to the website.

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

n/a

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at Seed Education

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a learning facility providing an alternative education for K-6 students in the LA area

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Creating a brand and logo
• Creating a website
• Initiating social media promotions
• Developing deliverables for parents/families

SOLUTION

How did you find Embark?

Online Search

Why did you select Embark over others?

• Pricing fits our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned
• Very accommodating & fast-paced

How many teammates from Embark were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Embarked helped us from scratch. They came up with our brand name, logo, colors, stylescape, and most of all content strategies to get us started. With that, they developed our website, website design, social media accounts, a program guide, leads ads and its management, and continually provided consultations along the way.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A brand name, logo, colors, and a full content-filled website + 50+ leads that came from the two ads that were published in a very short time frame. We also solidified a program that was marketable.

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

Embark team members were incredibly accommodating, fast, quick-witted, collaborative, communicative, and supportive. Not only was everything done in time. They were able to execute things thoroughly and according to our needs. They were incredibly flexible with some challenges we faced along the way and came up with creative ways to mitigate our issues.

What was your primary form of communication with Embark?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We were very thankful for the beliefs and values that each of the Embark team members held, as they were similar to ours, and they were very personable, realistic, and supportive. The vibe and synergy that was developed significantly helped our project get going very quickly. Not only is the company great at what they do, but each individual is great as well!

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

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Director of (a/an) Non-profit

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide services to special needs youth and their families.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Rebrand the existing company logo and style, create a company Brand Guide
• Create a new, updated, & compliant company website
• Optimize SEO and create/monitor online KPI's.

SOLUTION

How did you find Embark?

Clutch Site

Why did you select Embark over others?

High ratings, Great culture fit, Good value for cost, Company values aligned

What was the size of Embark’s team?

2-5 Employees

What was your primary form of communication with Embark?

Virtual Meeting, Email or Messaging App

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

• Branding overhaul (logo, colors, typography, and brand guide)
• Custom landing pages for targeted Google ads or other campaigns
• Search function (robust search option to more easily find content on the site)
• Advanced SEO (content optimization, keyword targeting, META tags, SEO blogs, etc.)
• Advanced analytics tracking (social media integrations, conversion tracking, etc.)
• Email marketing automation (DRIP emails, audience segmentation, etc.)

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Successful launch of new website within the contracted time frame
• A company brand guide with new logo, colors, and typography

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

It was very easy to work with Embark. They are responsive and personable. The weekly zoom meeting check-in's provided an excellent way to stay updated with project progress. Embark was willing to listen to our needs as an organization and turn those needs into a professional and polished final project.

We would hire Embark again, many times over!

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

The team is small enough to provide individualized attention but possesses the knowledge and experience of a large firm. We felt listened to and respected as individuals during the six months we collaborated on the project.

Though Embark is not from the same industry as our company, they conducted extensive market research to ensure the project exceeded industry standards.

Are there any areas for improvement or something {provider_name} could have done differently?

No issues or concerns, Embark was great to work with!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the communications manager for the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry. We’re a membership-based organization that works all over the US with people and leaders that work with high school students. We focus more on training the adults that work with the teens.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Embark?

We needed to focus on physical and digital marketing, social media, and event branding. We’d had the same branding since the 1980s.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started by rebranding our organization as a whole, including a new website, logo, colors, letterhead, PowerPoint templates, social media templates, and anything else that fell into branding. Since then, Embark has brought on all social media evergreen content for the organization and the events we host. One of them is a national conference for high school students. We also have a membership meeting, and they’ve just rebranded and created a new logo for that specific event.

Additionally, Embark has rebranded a member platform we’ve been working on; it’s a platform where our members can go in, do a directory search on other members, and look for certain resources and webinars.

What is the team composition?

We work with four people: Conoon (Strategic Director), Dominick (Execution Director), Carolina (Marketing Director), and Melissa (Digital Coordinator). Dominick works on our website, backend, and coding, and Carolina does our social media and newsletter. Melissa comes here as needed depending on our needs, but she also works with the event aspects. Finally, Conoon and Dominick are our main contacts; they oversee all the projects from the organization.

How did you come to work with Embark?

Our executive director met Conoon from a previous employer about 10 years ago. Six years ago, when our executive director took on this position, he decided to bring on Embark for the original rebranding in 2019. Little by little, we started to give them more tasks.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent about $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our relationship in 2019, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In 2020, we officially launched our new branding. We also launched a brand-new website for one of our main events in March 2022. Since the launch, we’ve had a total of 48,000 new visitors. We’re currently at an 82% engagement rate throughout the different pages, whether they’re blog posts, basic ticket information, or clicks to our social media pages. In the three years since they took over, we’ve seen a monthly engagement increase of about 43%, including Facebook and Instagram.

How did Embark perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is excellent. They’re quick to respond, and the team is always willing to redraft and make edits to meet our needs. Moreover, we always reach our end goal with straight requirements and details.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their main strength is their responsiveness; we know they’ll respond to all our needs. They solve our issues as soon as possible; we never have delays. Moreover, if a member comes with a case versus a staff member, Embark can immediately find the problem and address it. If the issue might take longer, the team is transparent and lets us know it’ll take them more time to figure it out.

Overall, they have a grassroots mindset. They’re always willing to look at the user's point of view.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t know; I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come to them with ideas and share them. Also, give them some wiggle room to run with your ideas.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of GDP, Inc., a financial and life planning firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Embark?

We needed to update our site and improve its copy to communicate our message to our audience better.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Embark has redesigned and developed our website on WordPress to make it easier for us to use, and they’ve changed all its imagery. For the latter, they helped us take photos. They’ve also worked closely with us on its copy.

Now, Embark is in charge of maintaining our site and ensuring everything is working properly. Additionally, they constantly make sure our site’s information is updated, backed up, and protected.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked closely with Conoon (Founder & Director of Strategy), who manages the project and his team. We also worked with a photographer, but I believe he outsourced them.

How did you come to work with Embark?

I found Conoon through a friend of a friend. We hit it off when I met him, and I felt he was honest, trustworthy, and knowledgeable. Thus, when we started getting bids for this project, I asked for a bid from them, and it was the most compelling one.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $7,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Embark has provided us with good value for the money, and working with them has improved our website and its copy. Although they didn’t develop a custom site from scratch, they delivered the site we wanted, a site we’re now very proud of.

How did Embark perform from a project management standpoint?

Embark is a very clear communicator. From the start, they provided us with a development timeline, and they delivered on all those targets and milestones on time and on budget.

Moreover, Embark has always been responsive and helpful. We’ve run into a couple of glitches when things have changed, and they’ve always owned the issues and fixed them quickly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Embark is very knowledgeable and honest, and they excel at problem-solving; I can’t recommend them enough. Another thing that we really like about them is that they’re a boutique shop, so their service is very tailored to our needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any constructive feedback for Embark — doing business with them is a pleasure.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Hire them! They’re very honest, and they deliver good work on time, so I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of the Colorado Catholic Conference. We’re the united voice of catholic bishops in Colorado and help determine public policy and government relations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Embark?

We needed someone to redesign our website and overhaul our branding. Our interface was very out of date and not user-friendly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their work was done in WordPress after meeting with our bishops several times to learn what they wanted out of the site. On our main page, we have a video that pops up immediately. It’s a reel of b-roll footage that you can click on to be taken to an informational video about our brand. Below the video is our mission statement.

Embark built a sliding scale on our website that people can slide through 1–10 and see our different policy priorities. Users can click on each stage and go to different pages to learn more about other topics.

We handled the general design in-house, but they implemented our design and advised us on our logo design as well. In terms of the branding, they advised us on our color scheme and logo placement on the website.

Embark was able to create the site in such a way that we can update the website on our own. We’re also able to contact them going forward if we encounter any technical issues.

What is the team composition?

We worked with their director of strategy and their director of execution.

How did you come to work with Embark?

I appreciated their background and success with past organizations. Additionally, I found them through my previous organization; we had a mutual connection with another religious organization. Their experience in the Catholic sphere really stood out to us.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost was around $25,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March–June 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen a lot more traffic coming to the website thanks to its enhanced user-friendliness compared to our previous website. The site itself is very beautiful and easy to understand. Additionally, letters written by our bishops are much easier to find, as well as other types of information. Overall, the feedback we’ve received has been very positive.

How did Embark perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a very tight turnaround to be ready for a Supreme Court decision was coming down during the time period of the project. Embark had to have the content up on our site immediately after the decision, and they were actually a couple of days earlier. Not only were they able to launch the website in time, but they ensured that our email communication features were up and running. This not only met, but exceeded our expectations.

Regarding communication, we manage the project over email and regular Zoom meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They invested time upfront to understand our mission and how it related to the broader community that we serve. Additionally, they’ve been able to strategize the best way that our website can meet our community’s needs. They combined this focus on functionality with beautiful aesthetics.

Moreover, they’re flexible and personable in their client relations. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with them, and even now, post-launch, they’re receptive to our communication.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not that I can think of. I appreciate their work a lot.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take the time to speak with their two directors about your organization’s mission and how it relates to your customer base, as well as your broader outreach goals.