R&G Strategic

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an account manager and customer experience specialist at a small-to-medium-sized enterprise that specializes in solar science and reporting. We primarily target the US market, but we have some international clients, too.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R&G Strategic?

We hired R&G to design and format our inaugural sustainability report.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially requested a review of R&G’s service package and pricing. Then, we negotiated a package that worked for us. After that, our team sent them the deliverables they needed to put together the sustainability report via InDesign. 

Our teams had weekly check-ins to see the progress of the report and provide feedback on the design we needed. After about a month and a half, they delivered the completed report. A week after that, they delivered the final item, which was also a one-pager item. 

In terms of requirements, we needed the report to be professional and easy to read. A cohesive color scheme was needed, too. Since R&G specialized in sustainability reports, they provided us with some feedback on the report’s content. Overall, we didn’t have the in-house skill to execute the graphic design portion of the report, and their resources worked to fill that gap.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three people from R&G, namely an account manager, a lead designer, and their president. 

How did you come to work with R&G Strategic?

Our marketing lead found R&G via Google. 

How much have you invested with them? 

We invested around $5,000 CAD (approximately $4,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our project lasted from February–May 2022. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our CEO was incredibly impressed by the report’s professionalism; it was more professional and better-looking than he anticipated. Apart from him, many staff members complimented the look and feel of the report. For the most part, people were blown away by the report’s looks. 

We didn’t receive much feedback from external clients, but the general consensus was the same — the report looked nice. 

How did R&G Strategic perform from a project management standpoint?

R&G managed the project well; our lead account manager did a good job of sending us regular status updates. They communicated about the things they needed from us to meet guidelines. We had a tight deadline, and their resources managed us to ensure we could provide feedback for them to deliver the report on time. In fact, they delivered the report a week ahead of schedule. To communicate, we used emails and Slack messages.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What differentiated them was that they specialized in sustainability reporting. They were among the more cost-effective options that focused on such a niche. On top of that, they had the availability we needed; many other sustainability reporting organizations were full.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

R&G offers service packages, but they’re willing to negotiate. If one package doesn’t work for you, they can change it. Note that a change in package scope also comes with a change in price. Other than that, you don’t need to prepare for anything else — they simply do a good job. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Co founder and head of growth for a blockchain development and consulting company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire R&G Strategic?

Improve brand image and build consistency.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

R&G created a new, fresh, and relevant branding for our company and products.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We had some discovery sessions where R&G gathered information about our project and our needs. After that R&G presented different avenues for design so we could choose a couple of options that set the graphic direction.

Then R&G started working on proposals that followed those styles of design, and once we approved one the R&G team developed the whole branding around it that included the logos for the brand family, guidelines, and some templates.

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

At least 5 resources, although I know there were more involved behind the scenes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our internal community increased engagement as the project was finalized, they all liked the outcome and it's having good response in social media as well.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective as communication always worked. I never felt like we were wasting time during meetings.

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

They really operate as a top-level agency in the industry. The processes they have in place, the involvement with clients, the flexibility, and the quality of deliverables.

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

Honestly not, they have very well defined processes and the team is very qualified and professional. Even for people who doesn't know much about marketing, they do amazingly at guiding you step by step.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Growing Forests buys at risk forests and manages them in an environmentally friendly manner to capture and store carbon. I am CEO and lead the company in all aspects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire R&G Strategic?

To build us a website, develop a logo and various brand collateral assets.

SOLUTION

How did you select R&G Strategic and what were the deciding factors?

Introduced with a strong recommendation from a mutual colleague. Their focus on sustainability jived with our corporate ethos, and Sarah Riley presented a very professional, energetic and capable face for the company.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We held weekly team meetings where we worked through the drafting and delivery of one deliverable after another. We started with the development of a logo to get a broad outline of aesthetic direction, then proceeded with the development of our website and finally branded collateral assets. It was a very simple and straight forward project.

How many resources from the R&G Strategic team worked with you, and what were their positions?

4 persons at different times worked on our project, with 2 being the primary contacts and doing the majority of the lifting on their end. Their positions were their Junior Strategist and Creative Director.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All deliverables were delivered on time and on budget. Everything was to our satisfaction and we continue to receive complements on the different aspects of brand collateral that were developed for us.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The RG team was very well organised and coordinated. There was one general point of contact and others only initiated contact when it was obvious as to why. Our team was only me, so that helped to keep communications simple.

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

They have a great ability to coordinate across their distributed workplace and integrate with me remotely. While this has become more standard in the last few years it was still impressive to see it executed so well.

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

Some sub-deliverable deadlines were missed but never by more than 12-24 hours.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an independent consultant and the director of a project for Impact Culture Capital. We’re developing a project that provides affordable housing and workspaces for professional artists, and it’s called Avondale Artist Village.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R&G Strategic?

For this big village development, we needed someone to help us with the conceptual design and business development phases.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started the project with a briefing about the background of our organization and gave them the necessary information and documentation. We discussed our milestones, designed the roadmap on how to achieve them, and set our main goal of benchmarking the project using the internationally accepted criteria.

In terms of sustainability and communication, they provided us with branding and developed our website from scratch through Squarespace. They’re now working simultaneously with us and the governance team to facilitate workshops to align our strategies with the UN sustainability goals, and get a B Corp certification.

What is the team composition?

We work with Sarah (CSO), Liz (Creative Director), Michelyn (Director of Sustainability), April (Designer), and another contracted designer.

How did you come to work with R&G Strategic?

We already established a previous working relationship with R&G Strategic.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve invested around $20,000 CAD (approximately $15,900 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

The ongoing partnership started in June 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve yet to launch our capital campaign so we don't have any performance metrics, but their sustainability strategy is very thorough and clear — our feedback is easily traceable and it comprehensively aligns with our strategies.

Their sustainability strategy is very nuanced and specific to our needs, and we believe it’ll be our prime communication tool with our investors moving forward.

How did R&G Strategic perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication skills are consistent and accurate throughout the partnership. We highly appreciate their flexibility, especially as a startup in the social innovation space where the scope can change at any time.

Furthermore, we’re dealing with a lot of government agencies, so they’ve been very patient and helped us develop a regular periodic communication strategy that works well for us.

They use InVision for the design aspect of the project, and we typically communicate through virtual post-it notes, email, and UberConference for virtual meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Because of their sustainability and communications expertise, we like how they’re able to capture nuances and highlight aspects of the project that we may have missed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Wrangling us was tricky enough because we were dealing with so many parts of the project, so they could improve on pushing us to perform better — but then again, this is more feedback on us than it is to them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would advise you to trust R&G Strategic and be open to their perspective and expertise.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a general partner for a newly formed venture firm that invests in CDR climate technologies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire R&G Strategic?

We engaged R&G to help us with our overall visual brand identity, starting with basic visual assets like logo and landing page.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We were familiar with R&Gs work though we had not directly engaged with them in the past.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We have been working on developing an overall visual branding strategy including logos, color schemes, letter heads, business cards, and a basic landing page. We have since transitioned into larger-scope customer facing marketing materials.

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

We have directly engaged with at least 5 people throughout the project, though there have been two people acting as contact points.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I think the best thing I can say is that we have since expanded the scope of our initial engagement. What better review is there than that?

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very. It was fluid and as dynamic as needed under a tight timeline. They were not only open to feedback but very quickly deciphered and acted on it.

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

R&G's team have been responsive, talented, capable, fun, and incredibly insightful/knowledgeable about our space. It has been nothing but a pleasure to work with them — they always deliver under tight timelines. We gave them little in the way of direction and they returned with what we wanted. Best possible outcome.

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

So far I'd give the project a 10/10.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the marketing lead at the Global Shapers Halifax Hub, a volunteer organization. Global Shapers is a youth initiative by the World Economic Forum that focuses on community improvement in various ways. 

We partnered with the Montreal Hub of Global Shapers and the Canadian government to develop an impact measurement tool to align the Global Shapers community metrics with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R&G Strategic?

For this project, I was in charge of finding a partner to create a website that could host the tool we were building and any other resources we create. We also needed the website to be translated into multiple languages. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

R&G Strategic developed a user-friendly website to host our impact measurement tool that was accessible to the Canadian and international communities. They put together the wireframing in InVision, and we provided input before the design was finalized.

The website has several functionalities beyond tool hosting, including posting recorded events, advertising upcoming events, resources we’ve created and collected, webinars, and a contact page. We only needed a few pages, but R&G Strategic laid them out logically and edited them according to our feedback. 

In terms of the website translation, R&G Strategic helped us put together solutions to create an English- and French-language website. They put us in contact with translators to assist on that front, so everything moved along smoothly. 

R&G Strategic also provided us with some additional resources, including training videos, so that we can handle the maintenance and updates internally. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with Liz (Creative Director), who served as our project lead because she already understood our needs since we had an existing professional relationship. 

How did you come to work with R&G Strategic?

We put out a call for proposals within our network, and we already knew R&G Strategic because one of their key members is a member of the Global Shapers. Their proposal spoke to us and we decided to partner with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $10,000 CAD (approximately $7,900 USD) with R&G Strategic, most of which was funded through a grant from the Canadian government. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with R&G Strategic from May–October 2021.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a nationwide event after the website was finished, and individuals across Canada and the world were able to access our website and the impact tool successfully. The website design was stunning and related to our sustainable development goals — the website really pulled our organization together. 

Impact measurement can be a little confusing, and R&G Strategic made our tool accessible to individuals. Anyone can now put together sustainability data and learn from our previous work.

Feedback is very positive — our whole team is delighted with how the website turned out. We couldn’t have imagined a website as beautiful as the final result. 

How did R&G Strategic perform from a project management standpoint?

R&G Strategic had great project management, even with the remote working requirements of the COVID-19 pandemic. They were very communicative and checked in with us every step of the way. 

Liz was very communicative, and we regularly emailed throughout the project. We also used Google Docs to relay project information. 

They were very flexible with their work times, which matched our organization well since our work capacity fluctuated based on our volunteer base. We occasionally held up the project, but they were able to work around us. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

It was beneficial to have a company that understood our needs, function and capacity, and overall goals working on our project. I also appreciated their flexibility in implementing our feedback and suggestions into the design. 

I was really impressed with their design creativity. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would have been helpful if there was a tool we could’ve used to provide feedback directly and clearly. Since I’m a novice in the web design field, it would have been nice if I’d been given more information on how to deliver my feedback. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Customers should listen to R&G Strategic’s ideas but shouldn’t be afraid to offer their ideas about web design. R&G Strategic can then combine the two ideas into a quality final product.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an advanced ophthalmic materials company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R&G Strategic?

We needed someone to develop a website for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

R&G Strategic built our site from scratch. We first went through a discovery phase where we collaborated on the framework, messaging, positioning, and content. The team created the site design based on our logo.

They continue to maintain and update our site. Additionally, their design team now creates brand collateral for us. 

What is the team composition?

We work with a lead designer, project manager, and one of the managing partners.

How did you come to work with R&G Strategic?

We found them on Google.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $17,000 CAD (approximately $13,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in July 2021, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to R&G Strategic, we now have a website and brand collateral. Their work is beautiful, and I really appreciate their help as we establish our brand. They’re just a great partner overall.

How did R&G Strategic perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is fantastic. We’ve requested the team to work with us using Google Calendar, and they’ve accommodated us. We use it to plot out deadlines and weekly Google Meet video conferences. Additionally, we exchange emails.

The R&G Strategic team is very transparent about any possible budget increases, which we appreciate. They’re also receptive to feedback and tweak the designs when we ask them to.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The project has gone pretty seamlessly. R&G Strategic’s attention to detail and artistic abilities are fantastic. 

They’ve really set a high standard for vendors. We plan on continuing our partnership with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve handled everything exceptionally well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Head of Live Programming for an Independent Music Label. We release music from an international and diverse roster of artists. We pride ourselves on positioning our company at the forefront of creativity and digital innovation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire R&G Strategic?

We were looking to bring on an agency to deliver desk research on the Environmental Impact of an upcoming NFT campaign and platform. We wanted to get a perspective from a company that understood both the NFT market as well as the scientific data pertaining to global energy consumption and carbon emissions for blockchain technology.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

R&G was a referral from a previous credible vendor that we had worked with. Upon meeting with the team at R&G we recognized that they held similar passions towards technology-focused solutions for carbon emissions and climate awareness in a fast-changing digital landscape.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The project was finalized to a Desk Research approach. R&G would conduct research and study on the current NFT market and data available through credible Environmental agencies to determine a range of expected Carbon Emissions for an upcoming project Monstercat is working on. The end product would be a part report and part workable template that Monstercat can input various data points to calculate carbon emissions for future NFT projects.

What was the team composition?

We have worked closely with the executive team from R&G on this initial project. Myself and our Head of Innovations ran point from the Monstercat side, assuring that the key discussions were transparent and relayed to Monstercat’s executive and director team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Due to the nature of this project being for the purpose of internal use, the biggest outcome of success for this was the added confidence provided to our internal team on the scientific data surrounding our decisions. Being able to communicate the Environmental Impact of our proposed project and back it up with a body of research is a big success.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We met virtually on a biweekly basis for updates and transfer of key presentations and documents. In between these core meetings we carried on almost daily conversations through various instant messaging platforms such as Slack. Communication with R&G was quick, clear, and comprehensible.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

One of the most impressive and memorable findings with R&G that stood out to me was their passion and interest to suggest outside-of-the-box ideas. The team seemed eager to contribute to our company’s overall missions and suggest ideas that were out of the box and from a different perspective. Our team also found the depth of research and knowledge that R&G provided on a fairly new and explorative market very helpful and forward-thinking. Their ambition to work with other teams on innovative projects is admirable.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

Due to the complex nature of explaining Science-based concepts, especially when they pertain to Climate Change, and Blockchain technology, some explanations felt they took a long to arrive at the point. Clear and concise answers would aid this area.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the director of finance for, silver and gold mining and exploration company with head office in Canada and operations in Mexico

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire R&G Strategic?

We brought them in to help us create our first investor facing sustainability / ESG update

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We had heard about them through a mutual contact, and after initial meeting moved forward.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

After kick off meeting, we provided them with our internal unpolished sustainability report, which they then converted to a proper format and brought in appropriate consultants to ensure the technical content was done correctly. After a few versions were generated, with meetings and comments given for each version, we arrived at the finished product which was uploaded to our website.

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

We dealt with Sarah, as well as Allison from Upswing solutions who were brought in to help with the content. There were also some other staff who helped.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The report satisfied certain investors, as well analysts stated we were ahead of the curve by putting this report out at our Company's stage. Also, it generated an internal discussion about increasing our resources in properly tracking data related to ESG.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project flowed smoothly, with open lines of communication. The usage of Google Docs / PDFs enabled easy commenting on the multiple versions of the report.

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

Polish of finished report was done well and it didn't require a lot of hand-holding to go from our unpolished report to the final design, which is a weakness of our team.

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

None come to mind

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the operations manager at Clean Clatch Inc. We develop sustainable and biodegradable fishing equipment for the purpose of recreational fishing. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R&G Strategic?

We wanted R&G to develop our brand and that entailed creating a new logo and sustainable packaging design too. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

A big portion of the project was brand research and strategy targeted towards our prospective customers. There were not a lot of brands similar to our company, so we didn’t have an idea of where to go and what to do with our brands. As a result, the R&G team talked to our potential customers and business owners that might sell our product to see what their values were when it came to a brand.

Then, they developed our brand and packaging based on that research. Our potential customers were fishermen and we wanted to convey to them that we were a performance and sustainable brand. For the packaging, R&G also helped us identify a supplier with compostable packaging since we didn’t want to use plastic packaging. 

Furthermore, the team also developed a Shopify landing page for us, and it had an SEO portion to it. The site’s purpose was not to sell products, and it was only a page that featured the products that we have. It would stay that way until we start selling on the Shopify site. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with four people from their team, including April (Designer), Liz (Creative Director), and Riley (Co-Founder & Director).

How did you come to work with R&G Strategic?

We were originally just looking for a company that could create our packaging design. Then, after meeting a few different companies, R&G came up in the search engine. We were both locals at Halifax, and after meeting with Riley, I loved that she was personable and seemed to have a lot of knowledge on brands like ours — especially on the sustainability aspect of our brand. 

We connected with them well and they also gave us a beautiful proposal. The team explained their services and offers efficiently, so we decided to expand the services they'd perform for us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $25,000.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2020–February 2021, but we'd assign more deliverables and that might come in the next few months. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

R&G did a really great job of positioning our brand as a performance and sustainable brand. Moreover, they effectively helped us find a supplier that made our product biodegradable. However, we haven’t started using the brand fully, and we haven’t sold anything yet so it’s hard to gauge metrics. Despite that, we were completely ecstatic about our new brand and we love it. 

We liked that they gave us 3–4 versions of every deliverable they created, and that allowed us the freedom to have more choices. Furthermore, the packaging they designed was eye-catching and beautiful. Above all, R&G made our website look nice, and it had a nice modern take on angling while staying true to what fishermen or anglers were looking for.  

How did R&G Strategic perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicated through Slack and Google for our conference calls. We also had a shared Google Drive. The R&G team was super thorough and flexible whenever we had adjustments to our timeline. They always sent us updated versions of our schedules and provided access to all the materials we needed. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication and their thoroughness in all aspects of the project impressed us. It was also amazing that they talked to our customers even before our project started and that was really a “wow factor” for us. The team put in their best effort at the beginning to ensure that they developed a brand specifically for our customers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, I don’t really have any constructive criticism about the team. Overall, we were thrilled with their work. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you know what R&G needs from you in order to stay on track with their project.