Kadeau

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of multiple companies that deal with landscaping and hardscaping. We do installations and maintenance, and we also have an online business where we sell hardscape products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kadeau?

We hired Kadeau to build our e-commerce website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Kadeau team developed and designed a mobile-friendly Shopify site for The Hardscape Exchange because 80% of our customers were mobile users. The platform allowed us to sell hardscape products online that were normally purchased through a brick-and-mortar store.

We wanted to ship our items to various areas, so they customized our platform by enabling us to separate the purchases of out-of-state customers from interstate customers through the zip code our customers provided. On top of that, the site was able to determine the difference between heavy and light purchases. As a result, if a customer ordered many items, they’d be redirected to my email so that they could get different shipping options.

Additionally, Kadeau integrated a back page for contractors so that they would be given discounts automatically once they were done setting up their accounts. They also secured our platform to ensure that all credit card information was protected. The team was also in charge of our company’s branding which includes their logo, color scheme, and more. Kadeau is now revamping another site for our company named Brookstein Services because our platform's already outdated.

What is the team composition?

I’ve been working with their developers, designers, and their project manager.

How did you come to work with Kadeau?

We contacted Kevin (Founder) because they were recommended to us. We also saw the previous sites they developed.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $175,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership began in June 2016. We’ve also been working with Kevin for 9–10 years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We got higher price points now, and we’re getting over 300 visitors a day. In addition, our average sales are over a thousand. In our best year, we’ve secured around $150,000 in sales. Last month, we’ve had a $100,000 contract and another $50,000 in sales after that. All in all, we’ve surpassed our sales from our best year. Additionally, Kevin has been able to walk me through everything, and he’s capable of delivering our requests on time at a very fair price.

How did Kadeau perform from a project management standpoint?

They have a great project management process, and I can’t ask for anything better. The team really works on our issues as quickly as possible. For example, they've been able to help our customer who couldn't complete his checkout on our site. We mainly communicate over phone calls, but we also keep in touch through emails and Zoom.

For the branding and design project, we’ve given them some notes about our preferences, and they’ve been able to come back with different visuals. They’ve also been upfront about what they can do and if our requested changes can be implemented.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a small company, so they’re hands-on than other companies we’ve worked with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, I can’t tell you if they have things to improve since I’m happy with their work. I’m learning a lot from them including what I need to know regarding developing e-commerce websites.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to Kadeau’s ideas and let them give you feedback. If you choose them, you won’t be following a one-track road because they’ll allow you to see different avenues that can help you achieve your goals.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a Christian ministry that provides ministry resources for international use. We have translations in about 35 languages now. I’m retired from the organization, but I still do some contract work for them. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kadeau? 

We need Kadeau for the development of our website. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I was a webmaster back in 1996 soon after the World Wide Web started, and I thought that a corporate website would be important for what our organization could do. I had a general idea of the function as well as the design of the site, so I worked closely with Kevin (Founder) to know how we could make things happen. 

The website development process went through two major phases, namely the development of the original website and its revamping. A few years after that, we did custom additions to the site, including custom pages and sections. 

Since then, we’ve done a lot of updates as we branch out to different ideas. Kadeau uses Craft to develop the website, and updates are made on an ongoing basis. 

What is the team composition?

I work directly with Kevin, and he has his team of developers. 

How did you come to work with Kadeau?

Kevin previously worked in our organization, where he served as webmaster. Then, he moved to Virginia and started his own business, which merged with another organization. We worked with that organization for quite a few years. After they broke up, Kevin started Kadeau. We’ve continued working with him since then. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $300,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Kevin in January 2008, but our engagement with Kadeau started in January 2018, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received plenty of positive comments for the website, and we’ve never received any negative feedback. Kadeau has done groundbreaking work in terms of the site’s functionality, and I’ve given Kevin a couple of projects that other people can’t do.

Moreover, the website is a major marketing platform for us, and we drive everything that we do to and through the website. With Kadeau’s work, the impact and outreach of our marketing have increased steadily over the years. Overall, the website is done well, and we’ve received plenty of good comments and feedback for it. 

How did Kadeau perform from a project management standpoint?

The Kadeau company is relatively new, but our connection with Kevin has gone through different phases. At present, our work with Kadeau has been great. Projects are done quickly, and Kevin responds well to suggestions. He’s also given us plenty of ideas and inputs. Overall, we’ve had a great relationship, and I have nothing but good things to say for Kadeau. 

Before he founded Kadeau, there was a time when Kevin was frustrated. A few projects were backed up when he was with his previous organization. However, since he’s broken away and started Kadeau, we’ve caught up with our backlogs. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

What’s unique about our relationship with Kadeau is that Kevin has worked for our organization for a long time. He’s been our webmaster, and we’ve known him for his commitment to the values and the Christian principles that we represent. As a result, we don’t have to explain to him who we are and what we do. Above all, this is more than just a job for Kevin. That’s hard to find, especially when searching for a high-quality company that provides what Kadeau offers. 

Moreover, our personal relationship with Kevin is one of the strengths of our engagement with Kadeau. We outsource much of what we do, and vendors sometimes don’t understand what we need, especially as a nonprofit Christian organization. We have goals and policies that not everybody agrees with. However, Kevin truly knows what we need, what we want, and what we do because of our relationship. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. Their price is pretty heavy for the size of our organization, but we’re not complaining. No good alternatives out there can provide the same quality of work that Kadeau provides. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to nurture your relationship with Kevin. You should get to know him through the years. Learn to trust him, communicate what you need, and partner with him through the development process. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of DeFazio Industries and we’re an electrical manufacturer’s representative agency, operating from Maryland to South Carolina. We sell electrical construction supplies to contractors and distributors in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kadeau?

In 2016, we were opening a business so we needed a website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did an entire discovery process where we sat down and talked about our needs for marketing and branding. They came up with several proposals, professional website wireframes, helped us with our messaging, and provided graphic design suggestions on logos. They used Craft CMS for the backend development.

What is the team composition?

I handled the marketing and branding for our company so I typically dealt with Kevin (Founder) directly. I’ve also occasionally interacted with other employees, but Kevin is my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Kadeau?

I found Kevin through Google back when he worked for a previous company, before he founded his own firm. I met with him at their offices up in Alexandria, and they became our web design vendor since then.

How much have you invested with them?

The web development was about $10,000, but we’ve done tweaks and ongoing maintenance since then. I’d say we probably paid over $25,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March–April 2016. The development only took 4–6 weeks so it wasn’t that long. Granted that our website was probably one of the more basic projects they’ve taken on, but it was still a reasonable amount of time. 

They maintained and applied different revisions to the site, but we haven’t had a major project since then. We still intend to continue our relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Kadeau was extremely collaborative and showed us multiple different options and routes we could take. They were also very attentive to our cost since we were a growing small business that just opened the door — they were cognizant of that and we haven’t worked with anybody since. We’ve no intentions of changing providers, and we’ve been very happy with Kevin and his new firm.

They’re a progressive, forward-thinking company that operates very nimbly. I’ve always appreciated Kevin as an owner. Getting to pick up the phone and talking to the decision-maker meant a lot to me. We were always a very personal client and they treated us well.

How did Kadeau perform from a project management standpoint?

They handled the project very well. I can’t speak to the specific systems or methodologies that they used, but the end product was professional and very put together.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were really a great one-stop-shop partner, and I would argue that we have one of the best websites in our industry — they really gave us a first-class product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, no. For the rate they charged and the work they did, I think they did a fantastic job and I have no intentions of making any changes.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would say before working with Kadeau or any other design company, put together your own statement of work document. Try to put as much detail on the scope of your project, because that’ll give Kevin the best kind of jumping-off point to dive in, and come back with a proposal.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of marketing at a global corporation that focuses on the legal and compliance industry. We provide a range of services pertaining to the selection and implementation of technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kadeau?

We needed them to help us rebrand our business and update our main website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our company was originally founded in the US. Over the last years, we acquired seven companies and that really urged us to rethink how we wanted our company to be represented — how our brand must define who we were as a company. We examined the design of our website and other branding materials and thought that it was about time we update these, so they could speak more of the company that we’ve become. Kadeau then helped us come up with a plan that highlighted what must be done to get our brand’s look up to date.

The rebranding process started with our website’s upgrade. One of the main challenges that their team encountered was the old, athletic theme of our site which did not really translate to what we generally do as a company — we are a professional services provider. Their team dealt with that site issue by upgrading the color palette into a more professional-looking version, highlighting our professional services, and showcasing the range of our clients. It was basically a full brand overhaul.

Additionally, they reconceptualized our branding materials by creating more visual and vibrant photos rather than our usual block-type and dull materials. Our goal was to portray our company in a way that is inspiring to our clients, so Kadeau had to add a lot more color and fun to our brand while maintaining a professional look.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact was Kevin (Founder). We also worked with three of his team members.

How did you come to work with Kadeau?

Kevin used to be a part of another agency that worked for our company. When I was onboarded, I got to work with him and witnessed his potential. After he put up his own agency, it so happened that I needed someone to help us with branding work, so I gladly contacted him. I was willing to become one of his first customers because I knew how good he was when it came to marketing.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $100,000 — it’s a pretty comprehensive package that involved two major branding phases and a lot of additional work on migration and updates.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from March–September 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Prior to Kadeau’s intervention, our website was in a very poor state — nobody had proper access to our Google Analytics account, so we didn’t even know what our customers thought of the site and if they even frequented it. After Kevin’s team integrated web and marketing solutions into our platform, we brought in a lot of contacts and improved our site traffic.

They enhanced our SEO, so there’s an apparent and substantial uptick there that we never experienced before. Additionally, we received a lot of customer feedback and inquiries that allowed us to procure potential clients. In general, it was really nice, and we were happy to have had all these revenue-generating opportunities because of Kadeau’s work.

How did Kadeau perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicated with Kevin’s team via email and phone calls. They sent me updates and mockups of products, so I could review those before the implementation phase. Kadeau was always responsive and available. They stayed in touch with us to cater to our needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Kadeau’s team possessed a balance between technical and creative skills. We didn’t find the need to go to a big and expensive agency just to discover that they lack one of those skills — we were happy to have onboarded a team that knew how to view things from an artistic and professional standpoint.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Since they’re not a big agency, there were minor issues when it came to scalability. However, hiring their humble team also worked to our advantage because they shared the same excitement and collaborative vibrancy as ours.