# Studio Simpatico Studio Simpatico Reviews (44), Pricing, Services & Verified Ratings - 5.0 out of 5 average review rating - 3 connections joined Studio Simpatico's Network [Visit Website](http://studiosimpati.co/?utm_source=clutch.co&utm_medium=listing&utm_campaign=directory_listing) [Get a Custom Proposal](https://clutch.co/profile/studio-simpatico) **Consultative, collaborative, creative** Simpatico is a design studio based in New York City. We specialize in creating brands and visual identities, designing digital products and websites, and developing custom WordPress themes. Our approach is highly collaborative and creative. We care deeply about our clients, and partner with companies, businesses, and organizations who are _simpatico_ with our approach. ## Company Information - Minimum project size: $25,000+ - Hourly rate: $150 - $199 - Number of employees: 2 - 9 - 1 Locations: - New York, NY (Headquarters) - Founded in 2014 - 1 languages: English - 1 timezones: Eastern Standard Time (EST) ## Services, Focus Areas, Industries, and Clients ### Service Lines - 45% Web Design - 45% Web Development - 10% UX/UI Design ### Focus Areas - Application Platforms: - 100% Other app platform - CMS Focus: - 100% WordPress CMS - User Experience Focus: - 60% UX Strategy - 20% Usability Testing - 20% User Research - Programming & Scripting: - 50% JavaScript - 50% PHP ### Industries - 10% Real estate - 25% Financial services - 20% Media - 45% Non-profit ### Clients - 20% Small Business (<$10M) - 40% Midmarket ($10M - $1B) - 40% Enterprise (>$1B) ## Pricing Snapshot Average rating for cost based on this provider's reviews: 4.9 out of 5 **What Clients Have Said** *(This summary is based on verified Clutch reviews.)*: Studio Simpatico offers good value for cost, with project prices ranging from $5,000 to over $100,000. Clients appreciate their responsiveness, timely delivery, and effective project management, often highlighting a strong alignment of pricing with budget expectations. **Most Common Project Size**: $10,000 to $49,000 based on 36 reviews *(Pricing information for this provider is based on reviews where the project size was available.)* ### Pricing by Service - Web Development: $10,000 to $49,000 based on 22 reviews - Web Design: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 18 reviews - Branding: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 8 reviews - UX/UI Design: $10,000 to $49,000 based on 6 reviews - Other Design: Less than $10,000 based on 4 reviews - Custom Software Development: Less than $10,000 based on 3 reviews - Graphic Design: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 1 review - Logo: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 1 review - Mobile App Development: $10,000 to $49,000 based on 1 review - Search Engine Optimization: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 1 review - Content Writing Services: Confidential based on 1 review ## Reviews Clutch investigates each reviewer's identity and work history. Every review goes through a rigorous, human-led verification process to confirm the reviewer's identity, and reviews that we verify are visibly marked as 'Verified' so you can trust that they come from a real client. [Learn More](https://help.clutch.co/en/knowledge/how-clutch-verifies-reviews) ### Studio Simpatico Review Insights Overall Review Rating: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.9 - Cost: 4.9 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 ### Top Mentions - Timely (21 mentions) - Communicative (14 mentions) - Great project management (13 mentions) - High-quality work (13 mentions) - Collaborative (9 mentions) - Exceeds expectations (9 mentions) - Creative (8 mentions) - Easy to work with (7 mentions) - Accommodating (6 mentions) - Efficient (6 mentions) - Professional (6 mentions) - Well-organized projects (6 mentions) - Flexible (5 mentions) - Helpful (5 mentions) - Transparent (5 mentions) - Exceptional results (4 mentions) - Personable (4 mentions) - Knowledgeable (3 mentions) - Patient (3 mentions) - Passionate about their work (2 mentions) ### Review Highlights **Commitment to Quality and Client Satisfaction** Studio Simpatico is committed to delivering high-quality work and ensuring client satisfaction. Their dedication to understanding client needs and delivering on promises is a recurring theme in reviews. **Minor Suggestions for Improvement** Some reviews suggest minor areas for improvement, such as enhancing payment flexibility or allocating more time for internal testing. These suggestions indicate areas where client experiences could be further enhanced. **Strong Project Management Skills** Clients commend Studio Simpatico for their excellent project management, noting timely deliveries, clear communication, and a structured approach to handling projects. Their use of tools like Basecamp and Slack ensures organized and efficient workflows. **Positive Client Feedback on Final Deliverables** The final deliverables from Studio Simpatico often receive positive feedback for their quality and alignment with client expectations. Their work is noted for enhancing client brands and improving user engagement metrics. **Effective Problem Solvers** The team is recognized for their problem-solving abilities, often finding innovative solutions to challenges that arise during projects. Their proactive approach ensures smooth project execution. **Successful SEO and Content Strategy Implementation** Clients report successful SEO and content strategy implementations that improve website visibility and engagement. Studio Simpatico's efforts in this area are noted for driving positive business outcomes. **High-Quality Branding Services** Studio Simpatico excels in branding and identity services, helping clients establish strong visual identities that resonate with their target audiences. Their branding work is creative and impactful. **Highly Responsive and Communicative** The team at Studio Simpatico is recognized for being highly responsive and communicative, often addressing client queries and requests promptly. This fosters a collaborative environment and contributes to successful project outcomes. **Collaborative and Engaging Process** Clients appreciate the collaborative process facilitated by Studio Simpatico, which often includes brainstorming sessions and active client involvement. This approach ensures that client visions are accurately realized. ### Studio Simpatico Reviews #### Web Dev & Branding for Homelessness Support Organization (Featured Review) **The Project** - Services: Branding, Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Dec. 2023 - Apr. 2024 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico rebuilt a website for a homelessness support organization. The team also conducted a light rebranding for the client. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Chief Dev & Communications Officer, Urban Pathways - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Jun 11, 2024 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico successfully refreshed the client's website and branding. The team delivered all tasks on time, performed stellar discovery sessions, and assisted the client in augmenting their internal staff. They also were highly attentive to feedback and helped seamlessly implement tweaks. ""They did a great job helping us keep things moving."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the Chief Development & Communications Officer of Urban PathwaysDescribe what your company does in a single sentence.We're dedicated to our mission of combatting homelessness through housing and support services while advocating for systemic change. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?Rebuild Urban Pathway's websiteLight rebranding **SOLUTION** How did you find Studio Simpatico?Online SearchWhy did you select Studio Simpatico over others?Pricing fits our budgetGreat culture fitGood value for costCompany values alignedHow many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.Studio Simpatico was contracted to fully rebuild the Urban Pathways website and, as part of that process, to perform a light rebranding for the organization.  **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?We have a fantastic new website and our brand is more fleshed out, with a nice update.Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?They delivered the project on time and worked with us as we were down staff on our side. They did a great job helping us keep things moving.What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?Virtual MeetingEmail or Messaging AppWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?They were great listeners, and really got what we were looking for through early discovery conversations. They received feedback well and worked with us to tweak things along the way so we ended up with an exceptional finished product.Are there any areas for improvement or something Studio Simpatico could have done differently?No suggestions here --- #### Web Dev & Branding for Virtual Brain Healthcare Clinic **The Project** - Services: Branding, Web Design, Web Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Aug. - Dec. 2025 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico developed a new website and created a new brand identity and logo for a virtual brain healthcare clinic. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director of Marketing, Isaac Health - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Dec 16, 2025 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico successfully delivered a faster website with an improved design and UX. The team has met all timelines and expectations and has been highly engaged throughout the process. Moreover, their understanding of the digital health and health technology sector is truly remarkable. ""They're a really talented team that understands the digital health and health technology space."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the Director of Marketing of Isaac HealthDescribe what your company does in a single sentence.Isaac Health is a virtual brain health and dementia care clinic. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?Create a beautiful & compelling new brandBuild a new website **SOLUTION** How did you find Studio Simpatico?ReferralWhy did you select Studio Simpatico over others?High ratingsPricing fit our budgetGreat culture fitGood value for costHow many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.Isaac Health worked with Studio Simpatico to bring a fresh look to our brand, logo, and website. They did an incredible job – working collaboratively with us to develop a compelling new brand identity, including a new logo, and putting together an intuitive and engaging new website for us. Timelines and expectations were met and all Studio Simpatico team members were super engaged throughout the process, readily answering questions as they came up. We especially want to highlight their web development / UX experience – they were great partners in website creation and we love the final product. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?Faster website speedsImproved website design/experienceOther outcomes TBD - just launched! Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?Yes! On time and managed expectations perfectly.What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?Virtual MeetingEmail or Messaging AppWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?They're a really talented team that understands the digital health and health technology space super well, and are able to bring a very human-centered approach to all their design work.Are there any areas for improvement or something Studio Simpatico could have done differently?N/A --- #### Web Redesign & Redevelopment for Dental Office **The Project** - Services: Web Design, Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Aug. - Nov. 2025 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico redesigned and redeveloped a website for a dental office. The team redesigned the site to reflect the heart of the client's practice and create a clean, simple experience for visitors. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director of Communications & Brand, Dental Office - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Dec 8, 2025 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico delivered a modern, responsive site that functioned smoothly across devices. The team provided outstanding project management and communicated well during the project. Studio Simpatico understood the aesthetic and experience the client aimed for and brought the vision to life. ""I'm so grateful that I could trust the Studio Simpatico team to bring our vision to life!"" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the Director of Communications and Brand of a dental office.Describe what your company does in a single sentence.We're a wellness-focused, modern dental office that has been serving the Upper West Side since 1998.  **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?A new cpwdentistry.com **SOLUTION** How did you find Studio Simpatico?Online SearchWhy did you select Studio Simpatico over others?High ratingsClose to my geographic locationPricing fit our budgetGreat culture fitGood value for costCompany values alignedHow many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.We partnered with the team to rebuild our website from the ground up. Our previous site was nearly a decade old and running on a version of Wordpress that could no longer support updates, so we needed a modern, stable foundation. The project included a full redesign that stayed true to our existing web presence, reflected the heart of our practice, and created a clean, simple experience for visitors. Key deliverables included updated architecture, refreshed branding elements, improved navigation, mobile responsiveness, and a backend we could confidently maintain going forward. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?We were looking for a more modern, responsive site that preserved our existing SEO strength and supported stronger conversions. A clean, intuitive, and beautiful experience was a top priority. My background is in art and design. The finished site feels aligned with our aesthetic, functions smoothly across devices, and gives people a clearer path to connect with our office. It also gives our team a stable foundation to build on as we continue to grow.Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?Tamara's project management was outstanding. I went into the process expecting some stress and friction, but the experience was so smooth! We had a series of meetings, timelines were communicated well, and every deliverable arrived on schedule. I shared a lot of feedback along the way, sometimes in a way that a less seasoned team might have found overwhelming, but the Simpatico handled it with clarity, calm, and great follow-through. Everything just seemed to magically pop into place in the end! What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?Virtual MeetingEmail or Messaging AppWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?How easy everything felt! I’m a really visual person and usually have a strong instinct to stay closely involved in every detail, but I trusted Tamara completely. here She intuitively understood the aesthetic and experience we were aiming for, and in the rare moments when something didn’t fully align with my vision, she course-corrected quickly and understood exactly what I was going for! It made the whole project feel genuinely collaborative and I'm so grateful that I could trust the Studio Simpatico team to bring our vision to life! Are there any areas for improvement or something Studio Simpatico could have done differently?The only area I would suggest for improvement is payment flexibility. It would be helpful if credit card payments were an option rather than limiting invoices to checks or ACH. --- #### Web Design & Development for Nonprofit Organization **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design, Web Design, Web Development - Project size: Less than $10,000 - Project length: June - Aug. 2025 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico designed and developed a landing page for a nonprofit organization. The page featured the client's branding, an animated video, audience-submitted videos, and a donation option. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Marketing & Communications Supervisor, Domestic Violence Project - Industry: Non-profit - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Aug 28, 2025 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico delivered a beautiful, accessible, and enjoyable landing page that engaged users, who spent substantial time on the site and revisited it frequently. The team was a fantastic partner, accommodating the client's needs and delivering on time or early. They were passionate and skilled. ""Studio Simpatico clearly shared our passion for the subject matter."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the Marketing & Communications Supervisor of Domestic Violence ProjectDescribe what your company does in a single sentence.The Domestic Violence Project is a legal services and advocacy non-profit whose mission is to help survivors of intimate partner violence and their children live free of abuse. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?Build a unique landing page for a new campaignEncourage supporter engagement and donations **SOLUTION** How did you find Studio Simpatico?Online SearchWhy did you select Studio Simpatico over others?Pricing fit our budgetGreat culture fitGreat work with other non-profitsHow many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.DVP sought a unique landing page for our first paid digital media campaign. The site would be a simple, single page featuring unique DVP branding, highlighting our new animated video leading the campaign, and drawing on design elements of that video to weave in throughout the design of the page. Additionally, the page would host audience-submitted videos, encourage engagement from supporters, and offer a quick option to donate to DVP. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?The main goals of this project were focused on creative execution and UX design. We wanted a beautiful, accessible, and enjoyable digital experience for our supporters to engage with, and Studio Simpatico delivered that exactly. Our digital ads drove traffic to this new page, with users spending substantial time on the site and even revisiting with some frequency, showing the final product was successful in being engaging.Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?Studio Simpatico was a fantastic partner on this project. They delivered on-time or early in every phase of the project, and were incredibly accommodating of our not-so-tech-savvy non-profit staff as we learned to navigate the process of setting up and maintaining a new site.What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?Virtual MeetingWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?Studio Simpatico clearly shared our passion for the subject matter, which is such a great feeling as a non-profit with lofty, emotional, policy-driven goals. We'd seen their experience with building curated, effective websites for other non-profits and were thrilled to see they delivered, even exceeded, our expectations.Are there any areas for improvement or something Studio Simpatico could have done differently?Most, if any, hiccups in the process were due to DVP figuring out how to use certain features of the site. I feel that Studio Simpatico made it as simple and intuitive as they possibly could. --- #### Website Dev & Redesign for Nonprofit Org **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design, Web Design, Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Feb. - June 2025 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico redesigned and rebuilt a website for a nonprofit organization. The team created a new site architecture, custom page templates, UX/UI design, responsive frontend code, and interactive features. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director of Communications, CitizensNYC - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Jul 9, 2025 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico's work received positive feedback from the client's partners and peers. The team provided reliable and capable service, handling design, development, and communication with equal skill. They were responsive, quick, reliable, and timely. This led to an easygoing collaboration. ""Their team was also easy to work with."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the Director of Communications of CitizensNYCDescribe what your company does in a single sentence.CitizensNYC provides microgrants and support to grassroots leaders and small organizations working to improve their neighborhoods across New York City. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?Create a new website for CitizensNYC **SOLUTION** How did you find Studio Simpatico?Online SearchWhy did you select Studio Simpatico over others?High ratingsClose to my geographic locationPricing fit our budgetGreat culture fitPortfolio of workHow many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.The scope of work included a full website redesign and rebuild—covering discovery and strategy, UX and visual design, custom WordPress development, training and documentation, and ongoing support. Key deliverables included a new site architecture, custom page templates, interactive features (such as a grantee map and searchable archive), responsive and accessible front-end code, staff training, and a dedicated support channel post-launch. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?While we don’t rely heavily on web analytics to measure performance, the outcomes of our new website have been immediately clear across our team and network. Internally, the difference has been night and day—updating the site is faster, cleaner, and no longer something we dread or avoid. Our staff has full control over content now, and we value our real-time support. That shift alone has made our communications more nimble and consistent.Externally, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Funders, grantee partners, and peers have all commented on how much clearer and more inviting the site feels. The design presents our work with a new level of professionalism, and the added functionality—like our grantee map, searchable grant pages, and blog archive—makes it much easier for visitors to find and engage with our programs. We’ve also felt more confident directing people to the site in outreach and partnership conversations, which has translated into stronger visibility and more meaningful connections.Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?Studio Simpatico’s project management was one of the standout elements of the whole experience. From the beginning, the process was clearly mapped out with realistic timelines and clear expectations. No vague deadlines; no moving goalposts. They used tools that kept everything organized and transparent (like Notion and Slack), and we always knew what was coming next and who was responsible for what. Everything was delivered on time—or early—and any time we needed to shift or slow down on our end, they adjusted without missing a beat.What really stood out was their responsiveness and calm, steady energy throughout the project. We never felt like we were bothering them with questions or changes. They treated every request, even last-minute ones, with the same level of attention and professionalism. Our dedicated Slack channel made it easy to check in, and they were incredibly fast to respond, often resolving issues or implementing changes within a few hours. It was low-drama, high-trust project management from start to finish, and it made what can often be a stressful process feel almost easy.What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?Virtual MeetingWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?What stood out most about Studio Simpatico was how consistently reliable and capable they were across every part of the project. They handled design, development, and communication with equal skill, which is not something we’ve often seen with vendors. The design work improved how we present ourselves without requiring a full rebrand, and the development side delivered features we’d been told were out of reach.Their team was also easy to work with. They listened, responded quickly, and kept things moving without making anything feel rushed. There wasn’t any overpromising or unnecessary back-and-forth—they just did the work well. That consistency is what made the project successful, and it’s a big part of why we’ve continued working with them post-launch.Are there any areas for improvement or something Studio Simpatico could have done differently?There honestly wasn’t anything we’d flag for improvement. The project moved smoothly from start to finish, and every step felt clear and well-managed. We never hit a point where we were confused about what was happening or unsure how to move forward.If anything, what stood out was how little we needed to intervene or redirect. The team anticipated what we’d need, stayed ahead of deadlines, and handled even the more complex pieces without issue. It’s rare to come out of a project like this without a list of lessons learned or things we’d do differently—but in this case, we really didn’t have any notes.We brainstormed pretty hard to come up with some deltas here - we didn't want our review to sound canned or too effusive. But, look. We came to Studio Simpatico with a timeline of 6 to 8 months door-to-door. They were done with their work in 10 weeks and we were launched in 14. What more is there to say? --- #### Branding, Web Design & Development for Healthcare Clinic **The Project** - Services: Branding, Web Design, Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: July - Dec. 2024 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico was hired by a healthcare clinic to rebuild their brand website with custom content management WordPress instance using a modular framework. They also refreshed the client's visual identity. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Senior Marketing Manager, Oshi Health - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Jan 22, 2025 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico completed the project on time and within budget, ensuring a smooth transition. The new modular framework and custom templates improved the client's efficiency. The team was responsive to the client's needs, maintaining clear and consistent communication throughout the process. ""We were extremely pleased with the project and the outcomes."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the Senior Marketing Manager of Oshi HealthDescribe what your company does in a single sentence.Oshi Health is a virtual digestive health clinic, with an integrated team of GI experts working across specialities (medical, dietary, gut-brain) to get patients back to life without symptoms.  **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?Provide best in class UX/design to optimize and improve user engagementRebuild brand website within custom content management WordPress instance using a modular framework for ease of use and streamline management.Refresh visual brand identity **SOLUTION** How did you find Studio Simpatico?ReferralWhy did you select Studio Simpatico over others?Pricing fit our budgetGood value for costCompany values alignedHow many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.Website Visual Design Deliverables & Build Setup Site audit, updated site map, website wireframes and visual designs Dev Infrastructure & Front-end development  A fully functional, responsive, custom WordPress theme based on requirements and final figma design files build using advanced custom fields pro and ACF Extended ProFinal Content Population with custom WordPress content management system and quality assurance testing A fully populated, fully tested, ready-to-launch WordPress install **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?The project was completed on time and within budget, ensuring a smooth transition and alignment with our organizational deadlines. The new modular framework and custom templates have not only improved our team's efficiency but also delivered cost savings by simplifying the management and updating of site content.Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?The project management was highly effective, with all key deliverables provided on time and aligned with the scope of work/expectations. The Simpatico team was very responsive to our needs, maintaining clear and consistent communication throughout the process.What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?In-Person MeetingVirtual MeetingEmail or Messaging AppWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?What stood out most about Studio Simpatico was their systematic approach to building a custom content management WordPress theme that aligned seamlessly with the vision of design. They demonstrated an impressive ability to combine creativity with practicality, delivering a thoughtfully designed solution tailored to our needs. Additionally, their responsiveness and clear communication throughout the project ensured that every detail was addressed promptly, resulting in a great final product.Are there any areas for improvement or something Studio Simpatico could have done differently?Overall, we were extremely pleased with the project and the outcomes. If there’s one area for potential refinement, it might be allocating a bit more time for our internal testing. That said, we were up against tight deadlines and Studio Simpatico’s responsiveness and commitment to meeting those deadlines ensured the project was delivered successfully and met our expectations. --- #### Rebranding, Website Design & Development for Nonprofit Org **The Project** - Services: Branding, Web Design, Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: July - Oct. 2024 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico designed and developed a WordPress website for a nonprofit organization using Figma. The team expanded the brand color palette and created email and presentation templates on Canva.  **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director, The Henry Luce Foundation - Industry: Non-profit - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jan 21, 2025 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico delivered a website that exceeded the client's expectations and received positive feedback from their team. The team showcased impressive talent and efficiency and was an easygoing team. Studio Simpatico's project management was top-tier and communicated effectively via Zoom. "''They were perfect.''" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there.I’m a director at the Henry Luce Foundation. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico?We needed help with our website. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement?Studio Simpatico designed and developed a WordPress website from scratch using Figma. The team also did a mini rebrand for us, expanding our color palette and creating related assets, such as emails and presentations, to ensure our branding was consistent throughout. Studio Simpatico created templates on Canva and updated our branding on all our platforms.What is the team composition?We worked with several teammates, including Tamara, Phebe, Bruce, and Angela.How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico?I had worked with Studio Simpatico before on a microsite for one of our programs early last year, so I invited them to send a proposal.How much have you invested with them?We spent over $100,000.What is the status of this engagement?We worked together from July–October 2024. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?Everybody loved the website delivered by Studio Simpatico, and they did such a fantastic job that we had no complaints. They exceeded expectations.How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint?They were top-tier when it came to project management. We never had any confusion about where we were in the process. Studio Simpatico always communicated effectively, sent notes after every Zoom call, and worked within the timeline they gave us. They stuck to the plan and did it without making us feel overwhelmed.What did you find most impressive about them?They were talented and efficient.Are there any areas they could improve?I can't think of anything they could improve; they were perfect.Do you have any advice for potential customers?I highly recommend working with Studio Simpatico. They’re a great brainstorming partner, so even if you aren't clear on what direction you want to go, Studio Simpatico is exceptional at untangling your goals and plans. They’re a fantastic and easygoing team to work with.  --- #### Branding & Product Naming for Financial Services Startup **The Project** - Services: Branding - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: July 2024 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico provided branding and naming services for a financial services startup. The team developed the client's product name and created a branding style guide and visual identity for their company. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Co-Founder & VP, Financial Services Startup - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jan 15, 2025 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico's work resulted in a modern and trendy visual identity for the client's company, meeting expectations. The team was communicative, passionate, and talented, providing a personalized approach. Studio Simpatico ensured an effortless process throughout the engagement. ""Payroll might feel old, stuffy, and complex, but Studio Simpatico made it light, airy, trendy, and fun."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there.I’m the co-founder and VP of a financial services startup. We focus on payroll services using a SaaS product. Our goal is to streamline payroll in a fun, approachable, and whimsical way. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico?We hired Studio Simpatico to create our branding and style guide. We also needed help finding a name for our product and the visual identity of our company. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement?Studio Simpatico and our company initially focused on developing a name for the company. We were going to focus on a specific industry, so we needed help creating a name reminiscent of it but wasn't too closely related. This was important because we wanted to expand outside of it.Studio Simpatico offered fantastic options reminiscent of the startup trends but also unique and enjoyable for our current industry and new potential industries we try in the future.We didn't focus too much on marketing and potential visuals for advertisements because we weren't near that phase for the company. Instead, we focused on getting the visual identity and style guide done. This was because we were simultaneously wireframing and working on a prototype. We wanted a style guide that could debut simultaneously with the prototype.We will potentially engage them to work on our pitch deck and punch that up with the visual identity. We may also do a landing page at some point.What is the team composition?We worked closely with the principal of Studio Simpatico, Tamara, and three team designers: Bruce, Phebe, and Angela; she was mainly our illustrations designer.How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico?We were widely searching for potential branding agencies based in New York. We wanted to work with a smaller team without going to a larger branding agency. We wanted a more personal feel.We brought in Studio Simpatico's team due to their experience working with startups. We did a general Google search and looked through some Clutch reviews to understand them. We met with Tamara a few times before we formally engaged with them. We clicked with her management style and interest in our product. It was a good personality and culture fit.How much have you invested with them?We've spent between $10,000–$20,000.What is the status of this engagement?We wrapped up the scope of work for the naming and branding style guideline in July 2024. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?Our response to their work was outstanding. We didn't do much iteration from what they presented to us. The names probably took us a little more time than anything else. We felt that was the most crucial thing to iron out. We can always rebrand or change our colors and visual identity a little easier.We probably got too focused on the name, so we went through a couple of drafts and conversations. However, the visual identity stuff came through once we settled on the name. They brought an outstanding design and approach that fit precisely within our industry. It also branched out and was more on-trend.The team brought us up to a more modern image. Payroll might feel old, stuffy, and complex, but Studio Simpatico made it light, airy, trendy, and fun. They did a great job, and it didn't take much iteration. The team definitely met our expectations.How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint?We ironed out the scope and budget pretty early. We came in right on budget. The schedule got drawn out slightly, but that was on our end. We had a lot of travel during the summer, which made us push deadlines back. The team was very helpful providing new deadlines to accommodate our schedules.Overall, the team was communicative and transparent about their timelines and their needs. They also told us when they needed feedback. All of that was very clear and concise. We used Notion for correspondence and Figma primarily as a presentation tool. We also communicated via email and Zoom.Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?Bruce and Phebe were definitely great. Angela also helped us develop some custom illustrations for the style guide.What did you find most impressive about them?The most impressive thing was how effortless the process felt. Our first meeting didn't feel like we were meeting with a company about providing a service. It was a good conversation. You could tell Tamara was very passionate about what she did and the work she provided.Something clicked in terms of what we were trying to do. It felt like such a natural fit. They're a small team, which I love. It makes it feel more personal, and you don't feel like you're getting lost or aren't a priority, which could sometimes happen with larger agencies.Her team is talented and communicative. You couldn't ask for anything different.Are there any areas they could improve?Nothing comes to mind. We're satisfied with our collaboration and look forward to doing more with them.Do you have any advice for potential customers?Bring your passion for your business - Simpatico's collaborative energy is an asset! --- #### Website Dev & Maintenance for Auto Repair Company **The Project** - Services: Content Writing Services, Web Design, Web Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Jan. 2024 - Jan. 2025 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico improved and maintained an auto repair company's existing website by adding content and functionality. They also built and launched independent webpages for their niche automotive businesses. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Chief Growth Officer, Auto Repair Company - Industry: Automotive - Client size: 501-1,000 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Jan 15, 2025 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico helped the client generate high-quality leads for fleet management and retail customers and nearly 8,000 online appointments in the second half of 2024. They also delivered the vertical pages, which internal end customers praised for their quality. Moreover, the team was punctual. ""Studio Simpatico had a high bar for quality and creativity while delivering projects on budget and within timelines."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the Chief Growth Officer of Main Street AutoDescribe what your company does in a single sentence.We own and operate over 90 auto repair shops throughout the Southeast. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?Improve our existing websiteMaintain our existing website **SOLUTION** How did you find Studio Simpatico?Previous CustomerWhy did you select Studio Simpatico over others?High ratingsPricing fit our budgetGood value for costReferred to meHow many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.As a new brand we needed to add content and functionality to our website. Additionally, we needed to launch independent shop webpages for some of our niche automotive businesses. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?We successfully added vertical pages to our website, delivering high quality leads for fleet management and retail customers.Our website delivered nearly 8k online appointments in 2H 2024.Internal clients praised the quality and speed in which we launched our niche/vertical webpages.Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?Studio Simpatico does an incredible job with project management. They use simple tools that enables our teams to collaborate, and deliver quickly and with minimal guidance.They consistently delivered items faster than expected, with a solid intake & development process. Additionally, they always dedicated the proper resources to the team.Most importantly, their expertise in development and web design helped us excel. They filled in technical and knowledge gaps on our side, which we highly valued.What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?Virtual MeetingWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?Studio Simpatico had a high bar for quality and creativity while delivering projects on budget and within timelines. This requires a good mix of skillsets and expertise, Tamara has built a diverse and impressive team that delivers.Are there any areas for improvement or something Studio Simpatico could have done differently?None. They are my preferred website & Wordpress design and development agency, and I will continue to use them in the future. --- #### Custom Microsite Dev for Fitness Solutions Company **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: Less than $10,000 - Project length: Mar. - Apr. 2024 **Project Summary**: A fitness solutions firm hired Studio Simpatico to develop a microsite. The team used the client’s existing designs and took over from a previous developer. They were also involved in site testing and launch. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Lead Marketing Operations Manager, ClassPass - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 501-1,000 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Apr 25, 2024 **Feedback Summary**: Thanks to Studio Simpatico, the client’s custom site performed better year-over-year, doubling their user sessions. The team managed the engagement well through close communication with the client and constant updates. They also met deadlines and budget requirements while delivering quality work. "“Their open communication was impressive.”" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there.I’m the lead marketing operations manager at ClassPass. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico?Studio Simpatico developed a website for us. For context, we had a yearly campaign called Best of ClassPass — we’d create a custom microsite with a different theme per year. Our designs would design the microsite, and we’d look for a web developer to build it. For this project, we chose the Studio Simpatico team to build the site. Our goal was to use the site to recognize our partners and give awards to them. At the same time, there were CTAs on the site to increase our user acquisition.  **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement?We initially hopped on a call with Studio Simpatico to review the Figma files we were working on alongside a semi-finished website. From there, the team came up with a game plan on how we could still deliver the project on time. We handed over all of the logins and gave them access to our development environment. Then, we did some extensive QA tests and had two rounds of feedback sessions until we could put the designs on the site and launch it on WordPress. We performed troubleshooting tasks throughout the process as bugs and issues came up. What is the team composition?Tamara (Owner) was in charge of the engagement, but we mainly worked with Evan (Senior Developer), who was most involved with us on our day-to-day tasks. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico?We found them through Google. Our company had a previous web developer, which went out of business during this project. As a result, we had to look for a secondary developer and came across Studio Simpatico.  How much have you invested with them?Our investment was around $6,000. What is the status of this engagement?The project lasted from March–April 2024.  **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We beat our 2023 performance and more than doubled our sessions on the first day of this year’s project. Overall, Studio Simpatico’s work met our expectations.How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint?Studio Simpatico delivered tasks on time and budget, and they kept us updated on their hours as the project moved forward. We mainly communicated through Slack, where we went back and forth on the tasks. Meanwhile, we used Basecamp for to-do lists. Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?Evan was great. What did you find most impressive about them?Their open communication was impressive. It was never unclear where we stood on the project. With other developers, I had to constantly ask for updates. However, with Studio Simpatico, I always knew where we stood.Are there any areas they could improve?No, there weren’t any.Do you have any advice for potential customers?Come prepared with what you want to accomplish with the project. Our engagement went well because our designers had a great gauge on the capabilities of our website and designs. --- #### Web Design, Dev & SEO for Urban Conservation Nonprofit **The Project** - Services: Search Engine Optimization, Web Design, Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Oct. 2023 - Feb. 2024 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico revamped an urban conservancy nonprofit's website. Their work included discovery, wireframing, design (using Figma), development, and SEO consulting for content development and keyword usage. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Dir of Comms & External Affairs, Natural Areas Conservancy - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Feb 28, 2024 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico delivered on their promises, creating a beautiful website that led to double the traffic, a 22% decrease in bounce rates, and an increase in information download. The team's project management was outstanding, as they were timely, responsive, clear, and on top of the project. ""This was the smoothest process I've been involved in and with the strongest end product."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there.The Natural Areas Conservancy is a New York City-based urban conservation nonprofit that works to protect and manage the 20,000 acres of forest, wetland, and grassland in the city. We also have a national network called The Forest in Cities Network, where we collaborate with 19 cities across the country to protect their natural areas. I'm the deputy director of communications and external affairs within the organization, so I oversee things related to communications, marketing, and advocacy. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico?We needed help with a website redesign and redevelopment project. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement?Studio Simpatico handled our website's redesign and redevelopment for us, and we ultimately added some SEO consulting as well. There were three stages to the website redesign, so first, we went through a discovery phase with an extremely involved kick-off call.During the initial call, Studio Simpatico interviewed me, some key members of our executive team, and other staff members involved in our internal website working group to collect our requirements and desires for the new website. From there, they went into wireframe development, which led to website design.Their team created designs for almost every single web page using Figma, allowing us to see how the website would end up looking. Then, we moved into the development process.In addition to the design and development, Studio Simpatico provided us with SEO consulting. For this part of the project, they did full site audits of both our old site and our new site. Then, Studio Simpatico's SEO consultant provided us with recommendations on the technical side of SEO.Their consulting included recommendations on how the website structure should be and how we should name the pages. Studio Simpatico also developed a list of keywords and blog ideas we could use to improve our search engine rankings.What is the team composition?We worked with around half a dozen teammates from Studio Simpatico, including Mingwei (Senior Project Manager), Tamara (Owner), Bruce (Head of Design), and Phoebe (UX Designer & Creative Strategist).How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico?We went through an RFP process that lasted about a month. I had already met Phoebe at our fundraising gala last year. Still, we got proposals from 5–6 different agencies, and Studio Simpatico had the strongest proposal by far. Their proposal was very specific, showing a strong understanding of our requirements.On their proposal, Studio Simpatico specifically called out a complete of things other agencies didn't. For example, we have a nature map on our site showing New York City's natural areas. For this project, we wanted to make changes to highlight that map better, and Studio Simpatico was the only agency that had specific ideas on how to achieve that.Moreover, I was very focused on finding the right-sied studio for this project, as I wanted an agency where everything was done in-house. That was one of Studio Simpatico's strengths; given that they were not a huge agency, it was clear that their staff interacted tightly.How much have you invested with them? We spent $50,000 with them.What is the status of this engagement?We started working together in October 2023, and we launched the website in February 2024. However, we'll likely continue the relationship with Studio Simpatico as a maintenance retainer contract. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?Everything Studio Simpatico promised in their proposal was successfully accomplished. The new website has been live for a couple of weeks now, and we're already seeing positive results. Our traffic has nearly doubled, our bounce rate has dropped by 22%, and we're seeing increased downloads of our research.Moreover, the quality of Studio Simpatico's work was excellent. Their team proved to be incredibly organized, smart, and talented. As mentioned, we desired to showcase the natural areas of New York City, which could have been a very difficult task for an agency to execute.Nonetheless, Studio Simpatico took our photo library and adapted it in a way that looked beautiful on the new website. Now, we don't have to keep telling people about New York City's natural areas because they can see them when they go to our website. This feature spoke volumes about Studio Simpatico's design skills and ability to listen and process requirements to ultimately deliver a beautiful website.How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint?Project management was one of Studio Simpatico's strengths. Ours was the smoothest project I've been involved in, allowing us to completely redo our website in 14 weeks, which was very fast. They also stayed on budget without overages, which was due to their ability to deliver everything on the time originally scheduled. They even exceeded the deadlines for various parts of the project.Moreover, Studio Simpatico was very responsive and on top of things. Mingwei was on top of our regular communication, using Notion for project management and Figma for design feedback. We also had weekly check-ins over Zoom, and Mingwei checked in with us regularly via email.Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?Mingwei was amazing. She facilitated meetings in a great way and proved to be a great note-taker, so I never had to worry about something getting dropped from the conversation. Moreover, she always followed up immediately after meetings, and we had a weekly digest of what was going on, what they were working on, and what was expected from us. Overall, Mingwei was a joy to work with, as everything was always very clear and specific.What did you find most impressive about them?I was very impressed with their designs. During the design phase, we were able to see how the website would end up looking, which was very helpful and inspirational for our staff. Those early designs also helped us with our copywriting and content development process.Still, website development was one of the strongest parts of the process. I've been involved in dozens of website redesigns, both as a client and on the creative agency side. Nonetheless, this was the smoothest process I've been involved in and with the strongest end product.When we moved from static designs to web page development, there was no loss of design fidelity. What Studio Simpatico developed looked identical to the designs they had provided, so we didn't have to correct anything, allowing us to save a lot of time in the process. Ultimately, it was very clear that their developer and designer worked closely together and that the developer really cared about the designs.Are there any areas they could improve?I can't think of anything Studio Simpatico could have improved on. I'm nothing but pleased with our relationship and the outcome.Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?Be very clear about your requirements and tell them how the new project will help your organization accomplish its mission. --- #### Web Design for Youth Arts & Activism Nonprofit **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design, Web Design, Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Mar. - June 2023 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico redesigned a website for a youth arts and activism nonprofit. They used WordPress and helped create the design and structure and choose the content for the site. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Communications Consultant, Girl Be Heard - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jul 4, 2023 **Feedback Summary**: The client and their funders were pleased with the final results. Studio Simpatico created a visually appealing site that the client was excited to share. Their project management and communication skills were excellent. They worked quickly and responded with the hour during weekdays. ""Studio Simpatico's team was efficient and talented."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there.I’m a communications consultant for Girl Be Heard, a nonprofit that supports and promotes the arts and activism to girls and gender-expansive youth. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico?I was hired to rebrand and refresh our website and needed Studio Simpatico’s help. There was too much content on the site, so we wanted to streamline it to make it align with our goals. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement?Studio Simpatico helped me completely redesign our website in WordPress. We provided them with one-pagers about the organization and a breakdown of our programs and events. We also gave them a questionnaire that staff members and program participants had filled out saying what they were looking for in a web redesign. We also provided a description of our youth participants to give them a sense of our desired energy and aesthetic of the website. We told Studio Simpatico that we wanted to focus on tying programs and events to storytelling.I had done a site audit, and Studio Simpatico audited the site as well. We had weekly meetings to discuss the design. After we’d agreed on the design, content, and structure, we met weekly with Tamara, one designer, and the project manager. In the last few weeks, we polished the site with the project manager.What is the team composition?The initial calls included Tamara (Owner), two designers, Bruce (Head of Design) and Angela (Senior Designer & Illustrator), and a project manager, Mingwei (Product Manager). Another teammate joined sometimes.How much have you invested with them?We spent between $45,000–$60,000.What is the status of this engagement?We engaged Studio Simpatico between March 2023–June 2023.How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico?I joined after Studio Simpatico was already on board, but I know they submitted a proposal. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?Our funders were very happy with the new site, and we were excited to launch it. Our old site wasn’t up to date with the latest trends and content, but after the project, we feel confident sending users to the site Studio Simpatico designed. They did way more than we expected them to do.Studio Simpatico had more technical experience than I do, so they were able to catch a lot of areas for improvement in their audit, which was amazing.How did the company perform from a project management standpoint?They delivered the product well before the deadline and gave us a nonprofit rate. They were so organized from the beginning. We met weekly, which made this my best experience working with a vendor; most vendors don’t offer a weekly check-in.Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?The whole team was so great, and each one served a critical role at each stage of the process. I really appreciated that Tamara was very involved in the process, even though she was probably very busy. She made the administrative process — which can be complicated for nonprofits — very smooth for us. Her input during the site audit was amazing and helped me consolidate content. Bruce and Angela took what we asked for and translated it into this really beautiful product that everyone was so happy with. Mingwei was fantastic. I wish she could manage all my projects and my whole life. I couldn’t have worked with a better team.What did you find most impressive about them?Studio Simpatico was very professional. They were patient and responsive; if we sent a question, we’d get an answer within the hour on weekdays or first thing Monday morning. Studio Simpatico’s team was efficient and talented.Are there any areas they could improve?No, they were perfect.Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?Sign up to work with Studio Simpatico and take advantage of the weekly check-ins. They were very willing to share their expertise. --- #### WordPress Website Design & Dev for Gardening Nonprofit **The Project** - Services: Branding, Graphic Design, UX/UI Design, Web Design, Web Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Dec. 2022 - Apr. 2023 **Project Summary**:  A gardening nonprofit hired Studio Simpatico to design and develop a new WordPress website. The team also worked on the client's new brand identity and guidelines while producing custom illustrations.  **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Marketing Director, Big Green - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Apr 27, 2023 **Feedback Summary**: The website received overwhelmingly positive feedback; its design, updates, and navigation were seamless, thanks to Studio Simpatico's work. The team managed the project efficiently and was always either on time or ahead of schedule. Their resources were talented, helpful, kind, and supportive.  ""We were so impressed by the team's flexibility, creativity, and attention to detail."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position. I am the Marketing Director of Big Green Describe what your company does in a single sentence. Our work across the country brings hundreds of thousands of gardens to life in schools, homes, and communities each year. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish? Design and develop a new organization website that communicates Big Green’s new mission, impact, and programming Simplify Big Green’s sub-sites, resources, and content Drive grant applications and donations **SOLUTION** How did you find Studio Simpatico? Online Search Why did you select Studio Simpatico over others? High ratings Great culture fit Good value for cost Great Portfolio What was the size of Studio Simpatico’s team? 2-5 Employees Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables. Design and develop a new website that: Communicates Big Green’s new mission, impact, and programming Simplifies Big Green’s sub-sites, resources, and content, is attractive and easy to navigate and drives grant applications and donations. Key Deliverables: Design and dev of new WordPress website, new brand identity and guidelines, and custom illustrations. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success? Our website has received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback! The design, brand updates the navigation, the stellar backend – it's all seamless. We previously had a challenge communicating the variety of work our organization does and the new site helps us demonstrate our impact! Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs? Yes! They were always, always on time and often ahead of schedule! The team also created tools and resources to help streamline our work if we (The Big Green team) fell behind or needed help! What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico? Virtual Meeting Email Messaging App What did you find most impressive or unique about this company? I cannot recommend Studio Simpatico highly enough! From start to finish, every member of the team was incredibly talented, helpful, kind, and supportive. They truly went above and beyond to ensure that every aspect of our project was executed flawlessly. The design they created for our website was not only visually stunning, but also highly functional and user-friendly. Their backend system was intuitive and easy to navigate, making managing the website so easy! In addition, the way they managed the project and communicated with us was exceptional. They kept us informed every step of the way, and were always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that our needs were met. The animations they incorporated into the website were simply amazing, and added a level of interactivity and engagement that we never thought was possible. Overall, we were so impressed by the team's flexibility, creativity, and attention to detail. They truly over-delivered on every aspect of the project, and we couldn't be happier with the results. If you're looking for a web agency that will exceed your expectations, this is it. Are there any areas for improvement or something Studio Simpatico could have done differently? No --- #### Website Revamp Services for Facial Bar Company **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design, Web Design, Web Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Aug. 2022 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: A facial bar company has hired Studio Simpatico for website revamp services. They've created new frameworks to improve and refresh the client's web UX/UI designs. They've also revised the client's booking form. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Art Director, Facial Bar Company - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Apr 24, 2023 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico has proposed innovative ideas and implemented them with accuracy and in a timely manner. From a user and backend perspective, the functionality and UX/UI have significantly improved. The team has been communicative, helpful, and accommodating to the client's complex needs. ""I had a great experience with every single person I got to work with on the team!"" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position. I am the Art Director of (a/an) Beauty & Cosmetics Describe what your company does in a single sentence. Our company is a technology saavy & results-driven facial bar company that aims to give high-quality facials for every skin tone & type. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish? Give a website brand+layout refresh Implement new modules and page styles to express our informational goals Update our Booking + Quiz functionality & aesthetic **SOLUTION** How did you find Studio Simpatico? Referral Why did you select Studio Simpatico over others? High ratings Pricing fit our budget Company values aligned What was the size of Studio Simpatico’s team? 6-10 Employees Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables. Simpatico helped us develop new frameworks to improve, redesign & refresh our web UX/UI experience with the customer experience in mind due to our website being outdated. They helped us develop & create new modules on Wordpress to create future pages we would need with ease. They also helped to revise+improve our Booking Form and Facial Quiz UX/UI/design based on what wasn't working for customers previously. They have also been assisting us to adjust to future needs that were noted during post-launch as we continue to determine what is needed for customization on our web backend. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success? Implementation of proposed ideas, wireframes & actual web design/UX/UI were all delivered on time & within our proposed schedule. All designs were updated beautifully & were much improved from our previous, outdated branding/website. Functionality and UX/UI experience greatly improved from a user & backend standpoint. Still waiting for longer term statistics / SEO data. Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs? Simpatico offered a top-notch experience with their project management and organizational flow. They were super communicative, helpful & responsive throughout the development process in all areas (discovery, production & post-launch). I feel like Simpatico was always very receptive to our specific & complex needs as a brand and would try their best to give us options & assistance depending on what our goals were. What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico? Virtual Meeting Email or Messaging App What did you find most impressive or unique about this company? I really enjoyed working with Team Simpatico! I appreciate that I felt like they were always there for us & they were very accommodating to our complex needs and goals as a brand. Simpatico's team had a lot of diverse skillsets to help us both develop & implement our website, and I was always impressed with the solutions they would come up with when presented with a task. They were always positive and helpful to our needs, and they were always willing to give informational feedback when necessary. I had a great experience with every single person I got to work with on the team! Are there any areas for improvement or something Studio Simpatico could have done differently? Nope! --- #### WordPress Web Design & Dev for Online Deals Community **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design, Web Design, Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: July 2022 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: An online deals community has hired Studio Simpatico to do UX design and build a WordPress website. The team has built an API integration that automatically updates the client’s finance partners’ information. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** VP of Content, Slickdeals - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Dec 12, 2022 **Feedback Summary**: The client is thrilled with the site’s design and new tools; the API integration will help save time and provide accuracy. Studio Simpatico is timely and efficient, and they manage the project effectively through Basecamp and Airtable. Their fast response time and talent are also outstanding. "“Whether it’s a new feature or a bug that needs to be fixed, their turnaround time is lightning fast.”" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the VP of content for Slickdeals, an online community for shared deals on products and offers around the web. Our community of 12 million people curates those deals and votes them up and down. I run the editorial operations and strategy, and we’re primarily focused on personal finance content, writing about credit cards, banking, and personal loans. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We needed to build a custom WordPress theme for our personal finance subdomain. Our goal was to expand on what we had and improve our UX design. We hired Studio Simpatico to develop the theme and come up with a new UX design for a new look and feel. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatico has designed the UX for and built our custom WordPress subdomain from scratch. We needed a custom CMS that would allow us to publish content easily and keep track of it. The site also needed to be connected to our API from our personal finance partners. The team has built an integration to automatically update when information comes through the API.  For the design, we gave them sites we liked for inspiration and our brand guidelines, which include color schemes and font types. Other than that, we gave them creative freedom to come up with the designs. Studio Simpatico will be doing ongoing maintenance and feature support for us.  What is the team composition? Studio Simpatico has a team of 10 people, and they’ve all worked on our project at some point. I’ve personally interacted with seven teammates, and our point of contact is a product manager.  How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? I received a referral from someone in my boss’s network, so I reached out to Studio Simpatico. After I told them what we needed, they created a pitch we really liked. We also appreciated that Tamara (Owner) was a big fan of the type of content we create, so she was really excited to work on our project.  How much have you invested with them? We’ve spent around $80,000.  What is the status of this engagement? We started working with them in July 2022, and our engagement is ongoing. Although they’ve delivered most of their work, we’re holding up the launch on our end. We’ll also contact Studio Simpatico for ongoing maintenance, so our engagement will continue.  **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  We're thrilled with the website's design and love how it looks. The navigation is also good, and all the new tools from a CMS standpoint are fantastic; my team is excited about the new bells and whistles. Thanks to Studio Simpatico's work, we'll be able to provide a better UX overall.  Before this project, we manually entered the product information into our API feed. Now, the information is updated automatically across all content. This feature will save time and ensure we always comply with our issuers' expectations. Accuracy is crucial for personal finance and can make or break a website, so it's great that we can leverage this new integration.  How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? They've met every deadline that we've set because the team is fast and efficient. We use Basecamp for project management, and Studio Simpatico has set up a form and tracker in Airtable to keep track of new requests and bug tickets. For the design approval process, we used InVision.  For communication, we've set up a Slack channel where we communicate with several people on their team as we need to. Additionally, we've had several Zoom calls.  What did you find most impressive about them? Studio Simpatico is super responsive and really fast. Whether it's a new feature or a bug that needs to be fixed, their turnaround time is lightning fast. For example, we've mentioned an issue while on a call, and the team has fixed it by the end of that call. Their talent also stands out, from WordPress knowledge to design — they've been fantastic.  Are there any areas they could improve? I don't have constructive feedback for them; they've been a pleasure to work with.  Do you have any advice for potential customers? Don't sweat it if you don't have a clear picture of what you want your site to look like because Studio Simpatico is very good at taking your inspiration and turning it into something great. If you're not experienced,  the team is good at holding your hand and teaching by doing — they'll be your partners.  --- #### Branding & Website Redesign for Technical Recruiting Firm **The Project** - Services: Branding, Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: June 2022 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Looking to establish a more cohesive branding, a technical recruiting firm has hired Studio Simpatico for branding support. The team also helped redesign the client’s website and various brand assets. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Marketing & Partnerships Director, Technical Recruiting Firm - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Nov 14, 2022 **Feedback Summary**: The firm loves their new site, describing its design as terrific. As a result, they’ve received queries from potential clients. Studio Simpatico boasts super project management skills — they meet all deadlines and track tasks efficiently. They’re also proactive, efficient, and easy to work with. ""Studio Simpatico’s time management skills and ability to meet deadlines distinguishes them from other providers."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the director of marketing and partnerships for a technical recruiting firm. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We were looking to establish a more cohesive branding, so we engaged with Studio Simpatico to help us do a brand refresh. We also wanted to make our website and marketing collateral consistent with our brand. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? First, we held a discovery call with Studio Simpatico, during which we defined the scope of the project as well as our key objectives and requirements. From there, they proceeded with the work, which involved a full rebuild of our website and the creation of various digital and print assets. The site was built with WordPress. Their team has already completed the rebuild of our website last September, and we’re currently working with them on other projects. What is the team composition? We work with various people from their team, including Tamara (Owner), Mingwei (Project Manager), Bruce (Head of Design), and a couple of junior designers. How much have you invested with them? We’ve spent between $50,000–$200,000. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with them in June 2022, and our engagement is still ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Now that our website looks terrific, we’ve started to receive inbound queries from potential clients. We’ve also gotten a ton of positive feedback about our new site from the people we met at a conference. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? They’ve done an excellent job from a project management standpoint. They meet all deadlines; any delays are usually caused by our side. They use Basecamp to manage tasks. What did you find most impressive about them? Studio Simpatico’s time management skills and ability to meet deadlines distinguishes them from other providers. We’ve experienced a lot of delays with most of the companies that we have worked with before. Moreover, their team is very proactive in terms of asking questions and guiding our conversations. They’re also able to break down technical concepts in layperson terms — this really helps us make concrete decisions faster. Are there any areas they could improve on? I don’t have any constructive feedback for them. --- #### Web Development & Branding for Digital Banking Company **The Project** - Services: Branding, Graphic Design, Logo, Other Design, Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Dec. 2021 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: A digital banking company hired Studio Simpatico to provide web design and development. Their efforts also include branding and collateral designs for social media and the client's app, among other tasks. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director of Marketing, Grasshopper Bank - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 27, 2022 **Feedback Summary**: The client is happy with Studio Simpatico's ongoing work, which has positively impacted their business. They stay within budgets and meet deadlines, ensuring a strong project management process. The team also praises their communicative approach and quality design skills. "''They’re great partners to work with.''" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the director of marketing of Grasshopper Bank, a B2B digital banking company. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We were about to relaunch our company, so we needed rebranding and website development services. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatico has been helping us with WordPress web design and development from scratch. In addition, they’ve been helping us with branding, which was the first step of the process and included developing our brand’s design story. Currently, they provide ongoing maintenance and other collateral design services for social media and our app’s UI/UX using InVision and Figma. What is the team composition? We’ve worked with Tamara (Owner), web designers, and a development team. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? We found them through an online search, and after looking at their past work, we decided to reach out to them. How much money have you invested in this partnership? So far, we’ve spent around $75,000 with them. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in December 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We’re very happy with their work, which has positively impacted our company by helping us expand exponentially in the last year. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? Project management is one of their strengths; they always stay within budget, have never missed a deadline, and are communicative throughout the process. Regarding tools, we use Basecamp, Slack, Google Meet, and Zoom. What did you find most impressive about them? Their transparent and communicative team is their best attribute. They’re great partners to work with because they’re responsive and swift. In addition, their design resources are wonderful because they commit to getting exactly what we want. Are there any areas they could improve? I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on — they’re our best business partners. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Be honest and transparent with what you want. Vocalizing your needs and feedback will ensure a good outcome because Studio Simpatico is great at adapting its work to your needs. --- #### Website & Visual Design for Software Company **The Project** - Services: Branding, Other Design, Web Design - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: June - Oct. 2022 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico was hired by a software company to design their external website pages and improve their visual design. They designed marketing materials, graphics, and other visual elements for the client **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, SimplyPut - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Oct 16, 2022 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico created an informative and attractive design external website. Throughout the project, they sent regular updates to the client about their progress and communicated effectively via email and Basecamp. The team was also responsive to feedback and comments, which impressed the client. ""Everyone at the company is extremely helpful and pleasant to work with."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and your position there. I am the CEO of a startup software company called SimplyPut based in San Francisco, CA. SimplyPut allows users to ask natural language questions about their internal company data. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** For what projects/services did your company hire Studio Simpatico? We hired Studio Simpatico to design our external website pages (including marketing/splash, platform description, about, and blog) as well as our visual design (color scheme, logo, fonts, etc.). **SOLUTION** How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors? We looked at a few vendors but ultimately went with Studio Simpatico because they had done great work for other folks we know in the B2B software space. Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project. We had a few kickoff meetings for the Studio Simpatico team to hear about what our company was building, what kind of feeling we wanted potential customers to have when they visited our website, and what we felt was important to come through to potential customers with branding. Those meetings led to a skeleton of the external website pages, and a visual design exercise. From our feedback on both aspects, the Studio Simpatico team was able to craft our external website pages in high fidelity with illustrations, images, content, and graphics. We also received a basic style guide to apply to other parts of our product. How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions? We worked with 5 different people. One was the owner and general manager of Studio Simpatico, one was a project manager, and 3 were deisgners. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success? The team was able to take our ramblings about what we wanted our external website to reflect and to inform potential customers and turn those ramblings into a beautifully designed website. How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs? We had frequent updates about progress and timelines from the team. We were able to communicate very effectively through email and Basecamp. All our feedback and comments were promptly responded to and dealt with appropriately. What did you find most impressive or unique about this company? Everyone at the company is extremely helpful and pleasant to work with. I looked forward to all of our meetings as well as collaborating back and forth via email and Basecamp. Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently? My only nit is that there were a couple times when I wasn't sure when certain illustrations for the website were being produced. When I checked in with them though, it was all cleared up very promptly. --- #### Website Revamp for Automotive Publication Company **The Project** - Services: Web Design, Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Oct. 2021 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico has revamped an automotive publication company’s five-year-old website. They’ve used the client’s current branding in redesigning the site. They’re currently providing site maintenance. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Iron & Air Media - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — May 31, 2022 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico’s efforts have increased site visitors and page views, meeting expectations. They foster a productive partnership by being organized, proactive, and communicative. Overall, their dedication is impressive — they go above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction. ""They've demonstrated a level of confidence that makes us feel comfortable that we are in good hands."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I'm the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Iron & Air Media. We're a culture publication and website dedicated to automotive & motorcycle enthusiasts. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with the vendor? We hired Studio Simpatico for a ground up redesign of ironandair.com. We had been operating off a Shopify platform for the previous 5 years, but content suffered. We needed a content-first web platform for us to showcase and grow our user base. We had dedicated a lot of time to dialing in our print magazine and wanted the site to be of equal stature to the premium quality of the publication, offering a wide variety of design options for how we showcase the content. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement?  Studio Simpatico handled full stack web development for the site, and also developed a design language for the site based off our current brand design.  What is the team composition?  We worked exclusively with Tamara Olson, head of operations, Bruce Viemeister, head of design, Mingwei Ma, product manager, Angela Huang, designer & illustrator, Amber Weinberg, head of development, and Evan Thompson, senior developer. How did you come to work with the vendor? We interviewed several companies to determine the right partner for our needs. At the end of the day, it came down to two factors: confidence and value. Studio Simpatico came in at the right price point but they outshined every other vendor when it came to their investment in our brand. It was clear right from the beginning that they had done their homework and took the extra time to understand our beliefs so they could meet our needs. We knew they were the right team because of the deep level of care they showed for our product and it shows in the end result. What is the status of this engagement? The website launched in February of 2022, and we are currently engaged with Studio Simpatico on a retainer basis for ongoing dev support as needed.  **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? The page views and time on site from our visitors is way up from our previous site, and without any targeted marketing, which shows that the content is clearly communicating better and is more engaging that it previously was.  How did the vendor perform from a project management standpoint? Three members of our team worked with Studio Simpatico for around four months developing the site. Since this was a ground-up build, there was a lot to do, but Simpatico made the process painless by scheduling all of the meetings and check-ins, creating a simple list of To-Do’s for our team within Basecamp, and staying on task and target during each phase. My least favorite thing to do is chase down vendors to check the status of a project. I never had to do this even once with Studio Simpatico. Their status updates were always clear, concise, and on time.  What did you find most impressive about them? I was impressed by the genuine interest with our project and our company. Studio Simpatico always made us feel excited by each step (even the tedious ones) and they brought an infectious level of energy to each meeting. In every phase, they've demonstrated a level of confidence that makes us feel comfortable that we are in good hands. When we didn’t understand something (which was quite often), they always took the time to explain things and provide clear instructions so we never felt lost in any part of the site build.  Are there any areas they could improve? If they could bottle their confidence and energy, I’d buy it by the case. --- #### Web Redesign for Arts Nonprofit Agency **The Project** - Services: Web Design - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Dec. 2020 - June 2021 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico was hired by a nonprofit organization to provide full-stack development services for their website. Their main goal was to reach an extensive display of their products on the site. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Strategic Initiatives, The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music - Industry: Arts, entertainment & music - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Sep 30, 2021 **Feedback Summary**:  Studio Simpatico built a cleaner version of the site that drew many positive comments from end clients. The client described a unique sense of attentiveness and efficiency. They also had great collaborative skills and commitment. The vendor was also praised for offering more than what's required. ""I have never worked with a contracted firm on any project with as attentive, efficient, and enjoyable workflow."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and your position there. I'm the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Kurt Weill Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to the perpetuation and promotion of the legacies of composer Kurt Weill and singing actress Lotte Lenya. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** For what projects/services did your company hire Studio Simpatico? We were looking for a full stack development firm to do a ground-up rebuild of our website. A central challenge of the project was the organization and presentation of extensive and widely varying content for a broad range of users. **SOLUTION** How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors? We collected referrals from colleague organizations as well as consulting online reviews, including those on Clutch. A number of firms offered strong skills and a small few competitive prices as well. The deciding factor was Simpatico's willingness to be flexible and responsive from the start, and to go the extra mile in making sure the project was a success. Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project. The staff of our organization had already developed an extensive outline of site content before the project began. Our work with Simpatico proceeded in multiple stages: Content Preparation, User Experience and Visual Identity Work, Sitemap and Wireframe Sketches, Site Coding, and Quality Assurance & Launch. How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions? We worked with six people in total; the CEO Tamara, two designers, and three coders. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success? The new elements and cleaner navigation of the site they designed and built for us have drawn many positive comments from our constituents. How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs? This is an area of stellar performance for Simpatico. I have never worked with a contracted firm on any project with as attentive, efficient, and enjoyable workflow. What did you find most impressive or unique about this company? See above regarding workflow. I'd add the words collaboration, partnership, commitment, buy-in. Truly exceptional in all of these ways. Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently? One of our technical requirements was a challenge, but Simpatico didn't hesitate to engage additional expertise to build what needed to be built. --- #### Website Design & Development for Food Waste Nonprofit **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development, Web Design - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Jan. 2021 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: A food waste nonprofit hired Studio Simpatico to revamp an 11-year-old website. They designed and developed a site with the client’s audience in mind. The team currently provides site maintenance and support. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Founder & Executive Director, AmpleHarvest.org - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Sep 29, 2021 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico’s site has received positive feedback from stakeholders and gave the client the confidence to collaborate with corporate partners. Their team is flexible, personable, and communicative. They’ve understood the project, which has allowed them to meet its goals and requirements.  ""They’ve managed our expectations well and kept to the budget."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the founder and executive director of AmpleHarvest.org, a one-of-a-kind hunger and food waste nonprofit. We work in 4,200 communities in all 50 states in the US. We educate and enable home and community gardeners to be able to donate their surplus harvest to one of our nearly 8,000 food pantries across the country. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? When we launched AmpleHarvest.org in 2009, we launched with a website, which had been the center of our operations. Up until recently, we were still using that old platform. That was a huge problem for us, since our entire existence revolved around a website created before people used mobile phones and tablets. It was also made using technology that has become outdated and almost impossible to maintain. Additionally, the old site failed to explain what AmpleHarvest.org is and how it’s distinct from other programs in the country.  We needed help in rebuilding our website. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatico conducted a deep dive to our old website. After that, they proceeded to develop our new site. They used Sonic for the wireframes and collaborated closely with our team throughout the process. They incorporated effective storytelling to our platform. One of our biggest problems was that people didn’t know what AmpleHarvest.org did or does. People mistake us for being a food bank or a gardening program. Studio Simpatico took the time to simplify our messaging so our site’s visitors can clearly and simply see what AmpleHarvest.org is all about. We’ve been using Liquid Web as our hosting service, and we wanted to remain on it. Although Studio Simpatico was not familiar with Liquid Web, they learned it and built our new site around that. We told Studio Simpatico that a significant portion of our users are senior citizens and gardeners who are always out on a sunny day in the garden. They designed the page layout, fonts, colors, and other elements with our audience in mind. Studio Simpatico has already finished the website, and we recently launched it to the public. Going forward, we intend to keep them on a monthly retainer for ongoing maintenance and support. What is the team composition? I work primarily with Tamara (Owner & Head of Operations), and her team -  a mixed bag of specialists. Some of them are technically oriented, and others are artists and designers. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? We put together an extensive and indepth RFP. Studio Simpatico bid on it, and they won because they did a fantastic job fleshing out 95% of what was needed to be done. Additionally, Studio Simpatico’s proposal matched our budget. Others vendors offered five times their offer, while others just didn’t get our project. I knew from day one that Studio Simpatico understood our goals and requirements. How much have you invested with them? We’ve spent $50,000.  What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in January 2021, and it’s ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  It’s too early to provide feedback. I’m expecting 1–2 months before our numbers go up.  However, from a design and SEO perspective, the new site is significantly better than the old one. Previously, Google couldn’t find any of our food pantries — the pantries didn’t even have their own URL. On the new site, Google is indexing each of our 8,000 pantries’ URL.  Our staff and stakeholders love our new website. In fact, the new site has given us the confidence to talk with a big-box retailer. We wouldn’t have been able to do that before; we would have seemed an unprofessional program. The new site presents us as someone a corporate partner would want to work with.   How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? We had weekly video meetings and occasional phone calls, with nearly everything "documented" through email and Basecamp. What did you find most impressive about them? I’m most impressed with Tamara — she’s a delight to work with. She has managed our expectations well and kept to the budget. Her whole team is also great, but Tamara is the kind of person you’ll want to be friends with. There’s pleasantness and professionalism about her.  In addition, Tamara understands what AmpleHarvest.org is. She has understood who we are on day one, and that’s really important for me.  Are there any areas they could improve? Studio Simpatico had a preference for emails and Basecamp but not telephone calls. I would’ve liked being able to call a bit more frequently. Additionally, because they were forced to work with our budget, there were minor things that didn’t get done. However, those were things our team could easily fix.   Do you have any advice for potential customers? Make sure you know exactly what you want — put it down on paper and have it reviewed by other people. Ensure your RFP is as explicit as possible and contains both nitty-gritty details and big picture perspectives. --- #### Web Design for Capital Venture Firm **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: May 2021 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico is building a new website for a venture capital firm. The fresh platform is being built on WordPress.  **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Principal, Capital Venture Firm - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Jun 28, 2021 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico is described as top-notch in terms of communication and time management. They are strongly entrepreneurial, creative, and resourceful with their work as well. They also have pricing that is in accordance with the client's needs and tight deadlines. ""Top notch. We would come back again for similar work without considering other teams." " **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and your position there. We are a venture capital firm and I am part of the investment team. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** For what projects/services did your company hire Studio Simpatico, and what were your goals? We wanted to create a new website that captured the identity and culture of our firm. **SOLUTION** How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors? We spoke with 6-7 web design/development agencies before choosing to work with Simpatico. We were looking for a team that i.) had a track record of delivering great bespoke work, and ii.) did not outsource either design or development to a third party. There were few other agencies that met our criteria, but Simpatico really stood out in terms of communication and process management early on. Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used. Scope included visual identity, storyboarding, wireframes, design mockups, full development, testing, and release. We used basecamp as our primary project management tool, invision for design review, and wordpress for hosting, admin work. We also had evolving needs in terms of overall timeline, and Simpatico was very engaged throughout the process to help us figure how to best move forward. How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions? Roughly five team members from Simpatico. Tamara was responsible for the overall engagement. Sinan/Bruce were leading design efforts, Amber was the main person on development and testing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables? New website came out really great. We initiated this project with high expectations and Simpatico delivered. Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness. Top notch in terms of both communication and timeliness. I walked away thoroughly impressed with Simpatico's professional caliber. This is a lean and mean team. What did you find most impressive or unique about this company? Throughout the entire process, Simpatico felt like a strongly entrepreneurial team. Everyone was creative, resourceful, and overall committed to delivering very high quality work. Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently? I attribute this partially to the short timeline and tight deadlines, but overall QA process could have been managed better. While Simpatico conducted quality assurance post initial development, there was no dedicated QA person thoroughly testing finished and new elements as the website evolved into its final form. This resulted in a lot of time required from our end for testing. --- #### WordPress Design & Dev for Media Coalition **The Project** - Services: Web Design, Web Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Oct. - Dec. 2020 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico designed and developed a WordPress website for a media coalition. After reviewing the client’s brand assets, they presented two design options for the client to choose from. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Executive Adviser, SeeHer - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Mar 26, 2021 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico accommodated the client’s change requests, delivering a stunning site that accurately reflects the coalition’s mission. A collaborative team, they worked closely with the client to meet their needs. As a result, both internal and external stakeholders have complimented the site. "“Their design was intentional and it turned out beautifully.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the executive advisor for SeeHer, a media and marketing coalition dedicated to accurately portray women and girls in marketing, advertising, media, and entertainment. Our mission is to help women see themselves as they truly are and in all their potential. We represent marketers, media companies, and agency holding companies that have come together and have identified the elimination of gender bias in media and entertainment as a critical need. We have a gender equality metric, which is a proprietary tool that actually measures bias in advertising as well as media content. We've also done research to prove that, by eliminating gender bias from your ads and the programming environment, they can actually drive sales. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? Our website was outdated, unsophisticated, and wasn’t user-friendly. It didn’t represent who we were or what we were about. Consequentially, we couldn’t drive members to it. Studio Simpatico helped redesign and develop our website so it would be helpful for members and would elevate our brand. We were in the midst of releasing a marketing essential tool kit. And we wanted to share that with our members. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? They took the time to go through all of our assets, brand guidelines, and color palettes. From there, they came up with two design options. I liked pieces of one and pieces of the other. Then they melded the two and brought our mission to life. After solidifying the design, they developed the site on WordPress. What is the team composition? Tamara (Owner & Co-Founder) was my main point of contact and she brought in other people at different points in the project. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? The executive VP of our parent company found Studio Simpatico. We were interested in working with a woman-owned business and wanted a partner that shared a passion for our mission. We had one meeting with the Studio Simpatico team and knew they were the right fit. They took on our mission with care and intent. What is the status of this engagement? They started working on the project in October 2020 and we launched in December. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  We’ve received incredible feedback internally, but we also get compliments all the time from marketers, media companies, and agencies. I really love the floating frame they incorporated in the design and used throughout the website. It has a lot of meaning — it’s about reframing women in the media. Their design was intentional and it turned out beautifully. On our old website, our members couldn’t access their own accounts. Now we have over 100 accounts. Internally, we also use the website a lot — it’s already embedded into our workflow. We use it to upload and distribute assets. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? They were very collaborative. I began having meetings with them regularly and they listened to our needs. By the end of the project, I felt like they were family. They were wonderful. They trained me on Basecamp, which was amazing. It was so easy to communicate with them. They would reply in real-time, they were so accessible. We also used Google Docs and Google Meet. They were so responsive to our team when we have a question. They were willing to make changes to the design later in the project when they were working on development. What did you find most impressive about them? They were collaborative and delivered a thoughtful design. Everything they did, they did with intent. They clearly understood who we are and what our mission is. As a result, the creative aspect and the functionality of the website are superb. Are there any areas they could improve? Overall, it was such a positive experience. We never had a problem. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Share your company information with them upfront. They will pay attention to your story. When you do that, it expedited the backend. They will do the work to accurately reflect your company’s story. --- #### WordPress Web Dev & Design for Communications Consultancy **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design, Web Design, Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Nov. 2019 - June 2020 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico provided development services to improve SEO and lead generation initiatives for a communications consultancy. The team designed and developed a WordPress website. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director, Montieth & Company - Industry: Business services - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jun 24, 2020 **Feedback Summary**: They encouraged collaboration, contributing unique ideas that led to improvements and the delivery of a website that exceeded expectations. Studio Simpatico made technical concepts accessible to support an effective partnership. Their timeliness and diverse skillset ensured a successful engagement. ""Their creativity was their most impressive quality." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m a director at Montieth & Company. We’re a global communications consultancy that provides marketing, crisis, and litigation communications as well as PR, issue management, and public affairs services for B2B clients. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We needed a new website as ours was slow. It also didn't include a great sales trail. There wasn’t an obvious call to action or channel for people to contact us. The design was also confusing. We wanted a design agency to create a more sophisticated platform, particularly in terms of lead generation and SEO efforts. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatico designed and developed a new WordPress website. Their team listened to our challenges and tried to understand our business. From there, they came up with a design and practical solutions to resolve our issues. Their team brought us two design directions — both of which aligned with our business identity. They helped us to think through the different ways that people would use the designs — how they would work through our website and what they would click. What is the team composition? We communicated directly with Tamara (Owner) and Sinan (Creative Director). In total, about 3–4 people worked on this project. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? We found them through Google searches. How much have you invested with them? The project cost between $25,000–$30,000. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with Studio Simpatico in November 2019 and finished the project in June 2020. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? They delivered beyond our expectations. Studio Simpatico was collaborative and creative, pushing us outside of our comfort zone. Throughout the design process, they communicated what decisions needed to be made to my whole team including our CEO. Their team also told us what to take into consideration for the site's design, which was beneficial. Studio Simpatico patiently explained the rationale behind the design to our team. At the same time, they took our feedback into consideration. If we didn’t like an idea, they came up with another one. It was great to work with Studio Simpatico. Their team was flexible, patient, and knew how to design a website to yield the best results. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? Their team effectively used Basecamp and delivered the project on time. At the last minute, we decided to make a couple of changes, which slowed the launch. Otherwise, their team was able to meet deadlines. They made sure to deliver materials on time throughout the project. What did you find most impressive about them? Their creativity was their most impressive quality. They came up with great designs, which didn’t just include an attractive front. Their team also had the technical skills to implement a solid backend. That makes all the difference in terms of the website’s usability and ability to drive leads. Are there any areas they could improve? They were fantastic from start to finish. We couldn’t have come up with a better end result. We’re really pleased with how the project turned out. Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs? Clients should provide their deliverables on time to ensure that Studio Simpatico can start effectively and efficiently. We proactively sent them the website's content. Before the project started, we had all the website copy and a rough layout of the pages we wanted. That made the process smoother because Studio Simpatico had a rough idea of what we wanted. They were able to spend their time on the site’s design and usability instead. --- #### Web Dev & Design for Remote Strength Training App **The Project** - Services: Web Design, Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Nov. 2019 - Feb. 2020 **Project Summary**: Working from ideation to execution, Studio Simpatico designed and developed a marketing website with 15 different webpages. Throughout the project, they went through multiple iteration stages. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CEO, CALIBER Fitness - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — May 6, 2020 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico used their good listening skills to deliver a high-quality, visually appealing website that exceeded expectations. The team had strong project management skills, and the product they developed served multiple purposes. Their collaborative nature and organization were noteworthy. ""Studio Simpatico did an excellent job of interpreting our brand positioning and bringing it to life." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the CEO of CALIBER Fitness. We offer a remote, app-based strength training program to help people build muscle with the assistance of a professional personal trainer. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We hired Studio Simpatico for a refresh on our marketing website that we had built. We wanted to upgrade the website to reflect our new brand positioning. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We provided the team with a brief about our positioning and objectives for the engagement. They then worked with us based on our brief to design the product – a robust marketing website with about 15 different pages. Studio Simpatico moved with us from ideation to design to development, going through wireframe, iteration, and engineering stages.  What is the team composition? We worked directly with three teammates, and there was a fourth teammate who did the engineering work.  How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? A mutual acquaintance referred Studio Simpatico to us. We talked to several different firms, but we thought they had the best understanding of what we wanted to get done. Additionally, we had a good rapport with them from the get-go, and their pricing was reasonable. How much have you invested with them? We spent about $20,000 in total. What is the status of this engagement? This particular project ran from November 2019–February 2020. Since then, we’ve engaged with them on smaller incremental projects. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  Qualitatively, Studio Simpatico did an excellent job of interpreting our brand positioning and bringing it to life in a visual identity that was very much in-line with the three founders’ perspective on the brand. Dealing with founders isn’t the easiest thing to do, but they listened well, really understood the brief, and worked with us to create a design that we’re really happy with. We’re using the product to inform other parts of the business beyond just our web presence. I’ve worked with many agencies over the years, and this is one of the best engagements I’ve personally had. Beyond the visual aesthetic and understanding of what we wanted to accomplish, the quality of their work was excellent. They exceeded our expectations. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? Their project management was excellent. The project was organized, they met the timelines, and there were no surprises. What did you find most impressive about them? Our favorite part about working with Studio Simpatico was our collaboration sessions. We sat down at the table and brainstormed what we wanted to get done. They did a good job of helping us build on our ideas. Working with them on the brief and nailing it was a lot of fun. Are there any areas they could improve? No, I have no suggestions. It was a great engagement, and I have nothing but positive comments about them. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Studio Simpatico is a smaller shop, so be ready to roll up your sleeves and collaborate with them. You’re not going to deal with a bunch of different teams; you’re going to be dealing with the principles at the agency, which is something I really enjoyed. --- #### Branding, Web & App Devs for Secure Transaction Community **The Project** - Services: Mobile App Development, Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Nov. 2019 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico developed a website for a secure transactions company. After leading discovery sessions, the team created a brand identity and collateral. They also designed the UX/UI of a web application. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CTO & Co-Founder, WireSecure - Industry: Financial services - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — May 5, 2020 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico invested time to understand the business, which led to their delivery of an impressive brand identity that precisely represents the company. The team is transparent and quickly implements requests for product changes. Their communicativeness leads to a successful partnership. ""Their team knocks it out of the park every time." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the CTO and co-founder of WireSecure. We create secure transaction communities for exchanging banking information. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? Originally, we contacted Studio Simpatico to build our corporate website. We didn’t have any branding and weren’t interested in doing it ourselves. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatico built our website. Their team learned about our audience and brought examples of appropriate websites for them. They also built our brand including our identity. Their team led a branding exercise to capture our company’s essence. Their team did well with those projects, so we expanded their engagement. They designed our entire web application too. Their team created the wireframes and the UX of the platform. What is the team composition? In the beginning, we worked with three people. Once we switched to the app project, we worked with three other people. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? We heard good things about Studio Simpatico from colleagues and the industry. They worked with other fintech firms that we’re close to. We evaluated one alternative. How much have you invested with them? We’ve spent about $40,000. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in November 2019 and it’s an ongoing relationship. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  Through the branding exercise, their team captured the soul of our company better than we could at the time. When asked what we do, we would ramble on for an hour. Studio Simpatico pulled our ideas together and captured our story. They captured the heart of the product and that’s why we had them build our web application. Their team understands our goals, our audience, and our challenges.  How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? We have a lot of team-to-team communication. They’re good at communication and managing expectations. They’re also fast. We need changes every once in a while, and Studio Simpatico has them done by the end of the day.  What did you find most impressive about them? They’re fluid and easy to engage. Their team also works quicker than us. They send screens for us to approve before we’re done implementing them. Their team knocks it out of the park every time. Their attention to our audience was extraordinary. They’ve been fantastic and the quality of their work's outstanding. Are there any areas they could improve? Honestly, I can’t think of anything. It’s always a joy to work with Studio Simpatico. Do you have any advice for potential customers? I would let them do what they do. If you go in with a specific set of ideas, you’ll constrain them and paint them into a corner. Let them show you their process to get the best out of them. Be receptive to their ideas and how they work. --- #### Web Dev & Design for Machine Learning Co **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Apr. 2019 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico rebuilt the backend of an existing website hosted on Flywheel for a machine learning company. After evaluating the platform, they designed and implemented a plan to rewrite the codebase. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Head of Marketing, Machine Learning Co - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Dec 2, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico has delivered clean code to streamline the backend and improved the frontend aesthetically, which enabled the expansion of their scope of work. Guiding internal processes, the team has supported business goals. They have fostered collaboration, establishing a valuable partnership. ""Their customer service has been invaluable." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I run the marketing team at a machine learning company. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We needed to establish a presence on all of our owned properties. We worked with another agency to redesign our website but weren’t satisfied with the results. We weren’t able to edit our backend. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? First, Studio Simpatico acted as a consultant to our team. We sat down with them, explaining our business. From our point of view, we walked them through our biggest challenges. Without having full access to our site, they did as much as they could. Once we talked with them more and felt comfortable with how they work as well as who they were, we gave Studio Simpatico full access to our backend. Their team assessed all the wrinkles on the platform and made a diagnosis. Then, they gave us a proposal about how their team could fix the product. Lastly, their team executed the plan working in WordPress and Flywheel. What is the team composition? We worked with two people on a day to day basis who we contacted through a Slack channel. There were other people who also supported the project. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? A colleague recommended Studio Simpatico. In an interview session, I appreciated Tamara’s (Founder & Principal, Studio Simpatico) ability to understand our problem. She was able to diagnose the technical challenges and explain them to me in an understandable way. This helped me feel comfortable that the solution provided would work for us and enabled me to communicate the problems and solutions internally. How much have you invested with them? Up until this point, we’ve spent around $20,000 on their services. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in April 2019 and are going to continue working with them through 2020. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  We’ve had nothing but positive feedback. For example, we have a conservative organization in terms of information security. Internally, Tamara helped us get our information security and technical teams comfortable giving third party access to our backend. Studio Simpatico helped us navigate internal objections to help us meet our marketing goal. Their team did beautiful work. Not only did they clean up our backend, but they have also made our frontend look better. We’ve liked their work so much that we’re moving into 2020 with them to manage a full redesign of our website.   How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? Primarily, we’ve communicated with Studio Simpatico through e-mail. We have a Slack channel that both sides use for day to day contact. They’ve collaborated with our IT team that way.  We’ve also had a couple of remote hang out sessions or in-person sessions that have been awesome. Their team has been incredibly easy to work with and responsive. What did you find most impressive about them? Their customer service has been invaluable. I’ve been able to treat Tamara as a partner, which I’ve appreciated. She has worked with me to create a project that’s based on solving my problem not on what I’ve asked Studio Simpatico to do. Are there any areas they could improve? They’ve been a great partner. I only wish I had more access to their time. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Instead of telling them what you need, give them context for your problem. Be open to their advice because they have different ideas about how to approach challenges, which is helpful. Ask upfront how many other partners’ projects they’re working on so you know where you fall in terms of timeline. --- #### Web Redesign for Architecture Firm **The Project** - Services: Web Design - Project size: Confidential - Project length: June - Aug. 2019 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico redesigned a website for an architecture firm. The team improved the site’s UX and accessibility, made it mobile accessible, and migrated the custom platform to WordPress. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Marketing Director, MBB Architects - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Nov 20, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: The website exceeded the expectations of the internal team, improving the user experience while maintaining the authenticity of the original design. Studio Simpatico crafts an enjoyable and collaborative experience for the client, facilitating a seamless workflow. The team is creative and organized. "“The most amazing thing about Studio Simpatico is their design aesthetic.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I'm the former marketing director for MBB Architects, an architecture firm in New York City. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We had a website that the partners of the firm liked but wanted to freshen up. Instead of going through the exercise of creating an entirely new website, we wanted to take what we currently have and make it more current. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatico redesigned our website to be more user-friendly. Our original website was custom made and their team rebuilt the site in WordPress. They created an amazing and easy back-end that would allow us to make updates.  The team ensured that the site would work across different platforms and devices. Additionally, they made sure the platform was more accessible. Studio Simpatico made us more aware of where we were meeting accessibility standards and helped us move towards them. Their team ensured that the UX of the site was improved while keeping the design largely in line with the previous site.  What is the team composition? We worked with four members of the Studio Simpatico team. We primarily interfaced with the designer and programmer.  How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? We did a Google search for WordPress developers in New York City and looked at several different firms. Studio Simpatico’s site stood out because it was friendly and they looked like nice people. It made me want to work with them. Their office was very close to us, which also helped. What is the status of this engagement? Our engagement with Studio Simpatico ran from June–August 2019. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  It was such a great experience working with them. It went smoothly. Their team is well-organized and good at what they do. Studio Simpatico created an amazing backend and did a marvelous job at refreshing the frontend. The designs are clear and easy. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? Our teams primarily communicated through Basecamp, which was an easy platform for us. Their team set a very clear timeline which they adhered to. They never pushed back dates and were always on top of things. We met every major milestone. They were great to work with. What did you find most impressive about them? Studio Simpatico is smart and articulate, impressing the partners at our firm with their knowledge and energy. They have really strong programmers and a great understanding of how people interact with the Internet. The most amazing thing about Studio Simpatico is their design aesthetic. They’re the full package, a real triple threat. Are there any areas they could improve? No, I thought they were great. I had such a good experience with them. Do you have any advice for potential customers? They’re so supremely creative, just let them create. --- #### Multiple Web Design & Branding Projects for Multimedia Co **The Project** - Services: Web Design - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: July - Oct. 2019 **Project Summary**: They’ve done three website redesign and brand revamp projects for a multimedia company. Most recently, the team redesigned a website to be more mobile- and user-friendly. They’ll start a fourth project shortly. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** VP of Digital Product & Development, American Media - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 501-1,000 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Nov 11, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico delivers high-caliber designs that please stakeholders and internal teams, as well as precise mockups that are easy for developers to work with. They provide designs that perfectly capture specific brands, adhere to deadlines, and communicate well. "“They really understand the brand they’re working with for every project.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the VP of digital product and development at American Media, a publishing company. We have 22 brands that are divided into two categories: entertainment and fitness. Our brands have magazines and websites. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We hired Studio Simpatico to help with website redesign and brand revamping. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatico has completed three projects for us, and we’re planning to start another one soon. For the most recent project, they redesigned the existing website for one of our fitness brands. The site hadn’t been redesigned in four years, so we needed to bring new life into the brand. We worked with Studio Simpatico for several months to make the site more modern and mobile-friendly. They also improved the UX. My team does the development in-house.  What is the team composition? We worked with Tamara (Founder/Principal, Studio Simpatico), Sinan (Founder/Creative, Studio Simpatico), and a designer.   How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? Our CTO at the time had worked with them on some other projects, and we started working with them on one of our magazines. We liked the experience and how successful the brand was after the redesign, so we decided to continue working with them.  How much have you invested with them? The last project cost around $40,000. What is the status of this engagement? Our most recent project began at the end of July 2019, and we concluded the design stage in October. My team hasn’t started development yet because we got sidetracked by another project. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? All of the previous projects that Studio Simpatico has done have been very successful, and stakeholders are happy with the designs. We don’t have any statistics regarding the most recent project because we haven’t completed the development phase yet. Still, our marketing and sales, sponsorship, and editorial teams are all looking forward to the site’s new features. Studio Simpatico delivered on all of our requirements, including making the site more modern and mobile-friendly. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? They always met deadlines and maintained excellent communication. The team was very open about every aspect of the project. We used Basecamp to track progress and communicate, as well as email. Tamara and Sinan very clearly identified the timeline so that we knew what was coming every step of the way. The mockups they delivered were precise and easy for developers to work with.  What did you find most impressive about them? I like the discovery process that they do at the beginning of every project, which includes interviews. They really understand the brand they’re working with for every project. Their designs aren’t generic; they really capture specific brand nuances during the interview process and incorporate those into the designs.  Are there any areas they could improve? No, nothing comes to mind. Any advice for potential customers? Just be very clear about what you’re expecting from the project. --- #### Web Redesign for Computer Software Company **The Project** - Services: Web Design - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: July - Sep. 2019 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico redesigned and developed a website for a computer software company. Their team was responsible for rebranding the site to match the company's new visual identity. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Marketing Lead, Onera - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Oct 25, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: The new site is well-designed and easy to use, receiving positive feedback from existing companies. Studio Simpatico established a streamlined workflow, delivering quality results in a timely manner. The team is collaborative, creative, and fun to work with.  ""They had such wonderful, creative ideas for capturing our brand in an engaging way." " **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and your position there. Onera is a B2B SaaS startup based in the Bay Area. We're building a cognitive operating system that harnesses AI to power the modern commerce supply chain. I lead all Marketing & Brand efforts. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** For what projects/services did your company hire Studio Simpatico? Previously, we had a single landing page for our website. We knew we needed an updated website to better reflect our scale and to offer more information about our platform and products. We engaged Studio Simpatico to lead web design and development for our new website. What were your goals for this project? This website served as the first and critical component of our company's rebrand, so we needed a partner for this project that would: Design a cohesive, refreshed visual identity, weaving in existing components (e.g., logo and color scheme) Design a site that would provide product, platform and company info in a clear, engaging way Develop the site's back-end to flex / grow with us, meaning we could update content and pages with relative independence **SOLUTION** How did you select this vendor? We conducted a brief RFP with a handful of smaller studios. We were looking for a partner that could deliver relatively quickly (<12 weeks) on a "startup budget." Studio Simpatico came highly recommended by a friend in my network, who spoke highly of the team and its track record of delivering high quality work against well-thought-out timelines. After speaking with Tamara, it was immediately apparent that she understood our needs and would be a joy to work with. It was an easy decision from there! Describe the project in detail. Once we decided to work with Studio Simpatico, we had an introductory meeting to discuss timeline, process, and goals. I provided some initial documentation sitemap, copy, and branding guidelines. From there, Studio Simpatico worked on two homepage options to help us choose a visual direction. Once selected, the team designed a few rounds of mockups for the homepage, working through feedback between each. Once homepage design was finalized, the team mocked up all remaining pages. After design was finalized for all pages, development began. After development was complete, the team walked me through our WP Engine staging environment and how to update / refine each page. We launched and did some light QA within 24h - and then it was done! What was the team composition? We worked primarily with a design lead (Sinan) and a development lead (Amber), with Tamara providing overall project management and structure. The team worked directly with me. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success? We've received great feedback across the board! Our existing customers love our "upgrade;" our prospects are able to receive much more information about us when we reach out for introductory meetings; recruiting candidates also have a better understanding of our team dynamic and our mission. Folks have called the new design "elegant," "crisp," and "distinct," and our own team loves the final result. How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs? It was an incredibly streamlined, collaborative, and fun process from beginning to end! Studio Simpatico was always available to chat through design ideas or questions, and Sinan, Amber, and Tamara felt like an extension of our own team. What did you find most impressive about this company? Where do I begin? The process was seamlessly managed and delivered. They had such wonderful, creative ideas for capturing our brand in an engaging way. The team was a delight. The quality of their work speaks for itself! Are there any areas for improvement? None! --- #### WordPress Development for Personal Injury Law Firm **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Apr. - June 2019 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico developed a WordPress website, providing images and other content as well as site maps. They also optimized the site for SEO and Google Analytics. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Member, Hadfield Stieben & Doutt, LLC - Industry: Legal - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Jul 12, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: They delivered a functional website that appears on organic Google Search results and has generated praise from users. Studio Simpatico provides the quality output of a larger company with the accessible style of a small firm. ""I think they did everything well." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I am part of a personal injury law firm with five attorneys. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenges were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We needed a new website developed so that we could get more clients through online sources. **SOLUTION** What is the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatico built a WordPress website tailored to our areas of practice and optimized for SEO and Google Analytics so that it would show up as high as possible in search results. They provided us with content ideas, images, and site map logistics. What is the team composition? I worked with three of their team members. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? I knew Tamara (Principal and Co-Founder, Studio Simpatico) through a friend. We ultimately chose to go with them because their proposal was really impressive. How much have you invested with them? We’ve spent $25,000. What is the status of this engagement? We worked with them from April – June 2019. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We’re now showing up in organic search results on Google. We’ve received lots of compliments on the website from clients and friends. We're happy with the way the site looks. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? I'd give them the highest marks that I could. I think they did everything well. They’re extremely responsive and easy to get in touch with. What did you find most impressive about them? They're a small team, but they produce the sort of high-caliber products you'd expect from a larger firm. Are there any areas they could improve? No, I can’t think of anything. --- #### Branding, Naming, Logo, & Web Dev for Media Training Company **The Project** - Services: Branding - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Aug. 2018 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico managed an entire company rebrand, including changing the name and logo. They designed and developed a new WordPress site, making it an e-store integrated with various third-party plugins. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** President, Throughline Group LLC - Industry: Media - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Apr 19, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico is incredibly easy to work with and exceeds project expectations. They communicate well and ensure all tasks are completed well and on time. They proactively seek ways to improve their services and created an excellent website. "“They treat my company as if it’s their own and pay meticulous attention to detail.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the president of Throughline Group LLC, a media and presentation training company. We offer open enrollment and custom workshops. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We’d been in business for 15 years and wanted to do a complete rebrand of our company. That included changing the name, logo, and website. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Our first task was renaming the company, so Studio Simpatico took time to understand what we did and the services we offered. They reviewed our business plan to get an idea for how we wanted to be differentiated in the marketplace. From there, we then did a few rounds of naming and branding, which led to the name we have now. After that, we moved on to our graphic identity, which included letterhead, brochures, logo, and brand mark. They covered the full graphic identity suite and incorporated all those images and features into the new WordPress website, which they designed and developed. The site is also an e-store and payment gateway with integrations with HubSpot, PayPal Pro, and WooCommerce. What is the team composition? I have two main points of contact but work with a team of five. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? I did an exhaustive online search, reviewing almost 100 firms. I contacted about six of them, and Studio Simpatico was the smallest. From my first interaction with them, I knew they’d be a good fit, so I hired them. How much have you invested with them? We’ve spent between $50,000–$75,000. What is the status of this engagement? We partnered in August 2018, and the work is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? They were the most important external partner that determined our success. We don’t have any quantitative results yet, but the site looks great, and they’ve set us up to have excellent marketing results. It’s just a matter of time before we begin seeing the quantifiable evidence of their work. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? They have the best project management of any team I’ve ever worked with. We communicate via Basecamp, email, phone, text, and in-person meetings. What did you find most impressive about them? They treat my company as if it’s their own and pay meticulous attention to detail. They make things incredibly easy, finishing tasks on my own to-do list before I can even get to them. Whenever I ask for design changes, they’re eager to please and don’t make me feel bad for asking them to do more work. I can’t praise their work highly enough. Are there any areas they could improve? I don’t see any ways in which they could improve; they exceed all of my expectations. I've highly enjoyed working with them, and I’d work with them again in a heartbeat. Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs? They’re incredibly organized and will meet your goals, so make sure you’re also accountable for your part of the work. --- #### Branding, User Flows, & Web Design for App Development Company **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: May - Oct. 2018 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico overhauled and launched WordPress website to improve UX. The team created designs and branded content to complement an existing mobile application. Services included research and copywriting. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Marketing Manager, RoadWarrior LLC - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Nov 7, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: The website received positive user feedback for its efficiency and professional look. The new design helped optimize the brand’s image in the market. Studio Simpatico leveraged their expertise to guide the process and enable easy fixes post-launch. Expect a professional and personable team. ""Studio Simpatico’s work is as likeable as they are. You can’t go wrong with them." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m a contractor for RoadWarrior LLC. We’re an app development company that targets salespeople, couriers, and other professionals that work in multiple locations throughout the day. For this project, I served as the company’s marketing manager. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? Our team hadn’t prioritized marketing or our website. The latter’s design was incoherent and clunky, and didn’t match the quality of our mobile app’s UX. We wanted the website to reflect the app’s style and flow. These upgrades were necessary because we were adding more business-oriented product lineups with web-only features. Ultimately, we wanted to present a new face—from a branding perspective—and improve our core system and software products’ appeal to potential business clients. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatico overhauled our website on WordPress. They focused on design, user flows, branding, and copywriting. We envisioned a brochure-like display that would inform users without overwhelming them. Convergence was a primary goal; both sides aimed to balance information between the app and the website. Studio Simpatico conducted competitor research to curate this information in a manner that de-prioritized the technical writing that readers largely ignore. The team used InVision to do prototypes and process reviews and feedback. The redesigned site went live in fall 2018 and we recently finished post-launch tweaks. What is the team composition? We worked primarily with Tamara (Founder/Principal, Studio Simpatico) and Sinan (Creative Director, Studio Simpatico). Sinan focused on visual design and Tamara worked on overall strategy. Our team also interacted with two other resources including Evan (Frontend Developer, Studio Simpatico). How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? One of my colleagues received a recommendation for Tamara’s UX expertise. Her knowledge base matched our goals to improve the site’s user flow, onboarding, and registration. Tamara knew our brand and understood our position in a very narrow industry. What’s more, her team had great ideas and fit well with our company. How much have you invested with them? We spent approximately $20,000. What is the status of this engagement? We worked with them from May–October 2018. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Studio Simpatico was flexible and accommodating during our launch. Our team wanted to release the site, but we hadn’t built out the content our corporate side planned. However, we managed to push out the most important pages that acquainted customers with our products. Studio Simpatico’s guidance on WordPress’ backend has enabled us to add pages and content post-launch. Since we moved our products out of the app stores, we will use conversion-based metrics to measure sales performance. Although we don’t have formal metrics currently in place, user feedback has been overwhelmingly positive; our users value efficiency and minimizing time on the road. The improved site positions our team as a mature company, as opposed to a fleeting mobile app developer. We've gained new credibility as we attract more customers. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? Studio Simpatico kept the project dynamic, even when our side lagged on scheduling. They always had the next item ready and gave us time to provide input before proceeding to next steps. We communicated via Basecamp and video conferences. We also had a few long calls with Tamara and Sinan to discuss their visions for the web design. The time zone difference limited our ability to get face time, but those conversations helped us refine our ideas and perspective. The team expertly guided us through that process; we often arrived at the same decisions. What did you find most impressive about them? The team was knowledgeable, professional, and personable. Their expertise made us feel informed, which contributed to our positive experience. They were easy to talk to and explained concepts in accessible terms. Are there any areas they could improve? No. Our side could have been more upfront, which would have lessened the ongoing work. But Studio Simpatico accommodated our approach. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Get to know the team. If a potential client doesn’t like them, I don’t know who they’d like. Studio Simpatico’s work is as likable as they are. You can’t go wrong with them. --- #### WordPress Development for Brand Consultancy **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Aug. - Oct. 2018 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico provided web development services, working on a WordPress solution. They developed a searchable database and customer product interface for the website. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Founder, Lapis Brand Design - Industry: Business services - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Nov 6, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: The completed WordPress site met the customer’s need, with Studio Simpatico’s team responding well to the evolving scope. They managed the project professionally and seamlessly, demonstrating initiative as well as a friendly, modern company atmosphere. "“They understand what they need to do, and they get it done.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the founder of Lapis Brand Design. We’re a small brand consultancy based in New York City. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? I’ve been working with Tamara (Founder and Principal, Studio Simpatico) since 2015 on different client projects. They consult on branding and help position startups and other companies—they’re my go-to for anything to do with web development. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? The latest project we finished together was a website for a chemical corporation that needed a WordPress site to manage all of their products, with a searchable database and interface for their customers to navigate their product offerings. It required a complicated UX, and an understanding of the requirements, even though they focused mainly on the development. I’ve only used their development services, not other parts of their business, like art direction, design, and so on. What is the team composition? I worked with Tamara and two other members. Tamara was my main point of contact, while the other two had supporting roles. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? I started working with Tamara before she founded Studio Simpatico, when she was working independently. We met through my ex-colleague and we worked on an e-commerce project together. She showed initiative and responsibility in how she remained accountable and personable. How much have you invested with them? The cost of this project was $20,000. What is the status of this engagement? This project lasted from August–October 2018. They’ve done a really good job, and it’s just a pleasure working with them. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? They’re professional in a way that makes for a very easy relationship. They understand what they need to do, and they get it done. If it doesn’t happen, we’ll figure out how to make it work, and enter a problem-solving mode, as opposed to an excuse-making one. With a previous project from last year, the client had a lot of changing requests. At the end of the day, it was still a pleasant experience, trying to solve all of that together, and them taking the initiative on my behalf. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? They’re self-sufficient in terms of project management, so I didn’t need to hire an additional person for that. The hours I spent managing the project are low compared to other vendors I’ve worked with. Simpatico took the management burden away from me, until the QA phase. Once we gave them the requirements, they understood what they had to do. They were very responsive; they’re absolutely great when it comes to communication, much quicker than other partners. We used Basecamp throughout. What did you find most impressive about them? The human side of things is impressive; I really enjoyed working with them because they’re very quirky. They’re on top of things and are experts, but most importantly, there’s no corporate flavor to working with them. Walking into the office and getting a smile is a good thing. Are there any areas they could improve? We only use Basecamp for project tracking. If a bigger the agency hired them, they might need more transparency on the hours spent or burn reports. They don’t provide that to me, because we have an understanding from one small agency to the other. Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs? They’re practiced problem solvers so, when something doesn’t work, they find out ways to do it and offer helpful solutions. It’s very proactive, which gives me peace of mind. That’s a rare quality, which is something I want to see from most of my vendors. --- #### WordPress Development for Cloud Consulting Startup **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Aug. - Oct. 2018 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico designed and deployed a new WordPress site. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CMO, effectual - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 30, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Team members and outside investors have positive feedback on the newly-live site. Receptive to feedback, Studio Simpatico met client needs by asking the right questions to understand scope, goals, and needs. Their outstanding project management was characterized by responsiveness and quick, on-schedule delivery. "“Studio Simpatico's approach was by far the best web development agency experience I’ve had in almost twenty years.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the CMO at effectual, a cloud consulting startup. We engage with enterprises to improve cloud infrastructure efficiency and optimize spend and productivity. We officially launch at the end of November 2018. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We needed a well-designed WordPress site and deployment to go live quickly. While the site is small at only six pages, it was the official launch of our company and our brand. Though we’re a startup, our founders have worked together for almost two decades at another company. The site was the first time we’d be in the marketplace with a new name, new logo, and new identity. We needed a polished, sophisticated site that would visually represent our brand and speak to the level of client we engage with. It had to be aligned with our vision for the company. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatico designed, developed, and deployed our WordPress site. We debriefed them on what we needed and they managed two rounds of design. In less than two months, the site was live. Our official launch will take place at the end of November. What is the team composition? We met with three individuals for in-person meetings. Five people worked on our project behind the scenes. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? I started searching for WordPress developers and reached out to six or seven different agencies as well as freelancers, which I thought might be a more cost-effective route for us as a startup. In my initial conversations, everyone talked about themselves—except Studio Simpatico. They asked questions to understand what we wanted to achieve and represent with the site; we talked about our target market and our end goal for the site. They aligned with our own approach of understanding the problem that our clients need to solve. This instantly made me feel comfortable moving forward with them. I think they were competitively priced as well. How much have you invested with them? We’ve spent just under $12,000. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in August of this year and it’s ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? The most important thing for us was to align our team around a vision of the company and represent our brand visually. When the site launched, the best piece of feedback I heard was from a team member who said that the look and feel of the site made him proud to be associated with our brand. We’ve had positive feedback from our CEO and outside investors as well. The site will be a great recruitment tool. The website, and our brand as it’s represented on the site, will demonstrate to potential hires that joining us is a real opportunity for them. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? They used Basecamp to track changes and requests. They were incredibly responsive: often a request would be fulfilled by the next day. The schedule they set was effective and they were prompt about meeting deadlines. If something was going to be delayed, they would talk to us about how to address it, how to prioritize, and the trade-offs with keeping or missing the deadline. Overall, project management was phenomenal. Studio Simpatico's approach was by far the best web development agency experience I’ve had in almost twenty years of working with agencies and freelancers. What did you find most impressive about them? In these types of engagement, there are multiple rounds of design and debrief followed by review of what they’ve translated into the design. I wasn’t happy with their first round of design and was prepared to have a difficult phone call to address it. Instead, they were open and receptive to the feedback. They weren’t defensive; they wanted to understand what we really needed. That call turned into an amazing conversation about art and they ultimately translated the feedback into a second round design that was spot on. It was the most pleasant phone call I’ve had in the many site deployments I’ve done. I anticipated defensiveness and instead it was constructive and collaborative—and they got us to exactly where we needed to be. Are there any areas they could improve? I always like to provide feedback that organizations can use to improve. In this particular case, though, I’m at a loss in terms of areas of improvement. They were responsive, they were incredibly fast, and they met our needs. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Be honest. Tell them what you're looking for because, if they're not achieving it, they’ll be receptive to your feedback. Treat them as an extension of your team rather than a vendor and it will be a successful relationship. --- #### Branding & Logo Design for Tropical Import Company **The Project** - Services: Other Design - Project size: Less than $10,000 - Project length: Mar. - Apr. 2018 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico provided branding and logo design, as well as business cards for the company. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Founder, SweetOrigins - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — May 3, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Their design work is creative, unique and impactful—and significantly improved the company’s collateral. The logo was extremely well received, soliciting compliments, and helping the brand to stand out in a competitive space. The team was transparent, hard working, and accommodating throughout. "“I would highly recommend Studio Simpatico to any company looking to evolve and elevate its brand identity.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the founder of Sweet Origins, a boutique tropical importing company based in New York City. We import frozen ingredients for wholesaling to food and beverage manufacturers and foodservice accounts in the USA. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We were lacking a cohesive branding strategy and execution, and needed a visual identity that reflected our company values and personality. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? The studio’s key deliverable was a logo. The process that we arranged was highly collaborative and iterative. They also designed our business card and provided some conceptual work on what our future website redesign could look like. What is the team composition? I worked directly with Sinan (Creative Director, Studio Simpatico). We were partners in strategizing. He used his creative talents to develop concepts and approaches. Based on feedback, we moved forward together with the evolution of the preferred concept. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? I found them online. They had previously produced graphics for a company that I absolutely adore, creating its brand identity and packaging. How much have you invested with them? Less than $5,000. What is the status of this engagement? We worked together from March 2018 until April 2018. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We created something that I couldn’t have imagined in my head. Our logo took on new energy and evolved as part of the process. I cannot overstate how unique and authentic the final product is. The logo has received many compliments and elevated our brand to the level we feel it deserves. We are also very pleased with the business cards—an incredibly important sales tool. In many cases, that is the first interaction a new client might have with our brand. ​​​​​​How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? There was very open dialogue. It was a matter of being honest and transparent with one another. If I needed extra time to consolidate feedback, Sinan would do what he could to make up for lost time and deliver on schedule. What did you find most impressive about them? I enjoyed the process and was impressed with how our collaboration net us an even better result than we had hoped. It was a pleasure to work with Sinan. I would highly recommend Studio Simpatico to any company looking to evolve and elevate its brand identity. Are there any areas they could improve? Everything was A+. --- #### Web Platform Design for Education Nonprofit **The Project** - Services: UX/UI Design - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Oct. 2017 - Mar. 2018 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico redesigned and iterated on a high-feature web application. They led UI/UX considerations, built wireframes, and completed front-end design. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Program Director, NaNoWriMo - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Apr 23, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: They created a beautiful and functional website in a feedback-driven process. The team hit every deadline by leveraging their expertise and flexibility. Their patience, accessibility, and passion made the experience highly enjoyable. ""I can’t say enough positive things about them; they were really fun to work with." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the program director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNo WriMo), a 501c3 nonprofit. We work with 300,000 people internationally to develop writing efficacy and build writing communities. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? Our platform operates like a fitness app. It tracks words written, generates statistics, and fosters creative habits. However, we needed help to redesign the website and web platform. Specifically, we wanted to move away from our event model and make the platform’s tools available at all times. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We started with a product requirements document (PRD) and product goals. They helped draft both, particularly to clarify and solidify the PRD. They built the application’s wireframes and the used them to create visual designs for various features. Our internal team coded the backend of the site. The redesign hasn’t launched yet. What is the team composition? We worked with the creative director, visual designer, the founder, who served as project manager. They also assigned someone to do copy work. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? We did an extensive search for possible design partners. We wanted someone experienced in UX and product design. We interviewed several different studios; Simpatico came to us via referral. They were responsive, considerate, and thoughtful. Their impressive portfolio contained marketing and web app development. Costs were also good. How much have you invested with them? We spent $35,000. What is the status of this engagement? Work started in October 2017 and ended in March 2018. We’re now working on a marketing site with them. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? They kept our goals in mind and pushed us to clarify our vision for certain features. The team then measured deliveries against our user feedback. As a result, we were very happy with the design; it was beautiful and functional. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? We interacted on regular basis. They were always available via Slack. The team was flexible and met every deadline, but also communicative when a timeline was unrealistic. The project was easily the best experience we’ve had. What did you find most impressive about them? They passionate, knowledgeable, and incredibly patient with our internal processes; we had a lot at stake with this project. They had great attitudes and never rushed us. I can’t say enough positive things about them; they were really fun to work with. --- #### Wordpress Web Design for Health-Tech Company **The Project** - Services: Other Design - Project size: Less than $10,000 - Project length: Mar. - Apr. 2018 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico built a WordPress site from scratch with brand new templates and created a custom graphic. They also helped migrate and launch the site. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** CTO, Sempre Health - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Apr 23, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Providing the first version of the site within a few days, Studio Simpatico stood out from the competition with their ability to produce high-quality results at breakneck speed. Customers, peers, and friends have only very positive feedback about the launched site's design.  ""They did an excellent job of polishing the look and feel." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I am the co-founder and CEO of a company called Sempre Health, a five-person health and tech company in San Francisco. We service dynamic pricing for medications to help patients afford medication co-pays. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We wanted to find a contractor that could create a high-quality marketing home page. We had the in-house capabilities to build it but needed our resources to focus on the product development. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatico built a WordPress site from scratch with brand new templates. Using initial ideas, they took our feedback to clarify our message and created a fully-polished design with refined themes—all fleshed out. They also created a custom graphic from scratch which is used as our logo. Then, they hosted the site on their WordPress Engine and migrated it to our WordPress Engine. They helped deploy the site and launch it. What is the team composition? We worked mainly with their founder. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? We received recommendations from a third-party start-up accelerator and some friends of ours. How much have you invested with them? We invested around $5,000 in the engagement. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with them in March 2018 through April 2018. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Our customers, peers, and friends all said that site looks fantastic and provided a lot of positive feedback. They did an excellent job of polishing the look and feel. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? Studio Simpatico was very responsive and always answered questions within a couple hours. We talked over an initial phone call but used Basecamp the rest of the way to track progress. They always delivered high-quality results and met all deadlines. What did you find most impressive about them? Their speed and responsiveness while delivering high-quality work was one of the fastest we’ve seen in the industry. They had the first version of the site ready for us within a couple days. Are there any areas they could improve? No, it was a perfect engagement. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Be responsive and let them know about any problems through Basecamp. It will help you avoid any communication errors and make your runs engagement smooth. --- #### Website Dev & Design for Author & Comedian **The Project** - Services: Web Design - Project size: Less than $10,000 - Project length: July - Oct. 2017 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico formulated a targeted brand strategy to increase sales revenue. They built an easily modifiable site hosted on WordPress. The streamlined layout highlights upcoming shows and visual content. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Comedian - Industry: Arts, entertainment & music - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Mar 16, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico’s resources offered an expansive array of creative implementation options. The final deliverable exemplified the original concept. The team was flexible, supportive, and accommodating. Communication and maintenance support was consistently reliable. They never missed a deadline. "“They brought a sense of creativity to even the most technical tasks.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m a self-employed writer and comedian based in San Francisco. Essentially, I'm my own brand and product. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? I hired Studio Simpatico to refine my brand and create an online marketing platform. I needed to expand my audience and visibility to sell more products and tickets. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatico developed and deployed a brand-new WordPress site from scratch. During the first face-to-face meeting, I spent a few hours explaining my design specs to Tamara (Marketing Manager, Studio Simpatico) and Sinan (Web Developer, Studio Simpatico). I provided examples of entire sites and specific features to emulate. I booked a creative session with a professional photographer to create new content. Photos are the most important visual component. The team designed a look and feel that showcases these new high-quality images. They made sure to include important SEO keywords. An event listing displays my upcoming performance schedule and archives past tours. It's a unique feature that’s easy to update unaided. What is the team composition? My main point of contact was Ty. He spearheaded the site’s entire design and development. The most intense phase involved carefully calibrating the look and feel. An additional development resource supported the build, content creation, and launch stages. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? I knew about Studio Simpatico through Kymber. She’s my former colleague. The only other agency I contacted never responded to me. How much have you invested with them? We spent between $5,000-$10,000 on their services. What is the status of this engagement? We started this project in July 2017 and launched the site by October. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Studio Simpatico built a user-friendly contact form that has generated valuable sales leads. I've gotten a lot of great feedback on both the aesthetic and functionality. Most importantly, I've landed several new bookings through the site. The organized layout presents detailed information about my services. Smooth navigation makes it easy to locate and read topical content. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? Studio Simpatico flexibly accommodated all my requests. They successfully brought my concept to life. The team thoughtfully considered and implemented all my feedback. I never experienced issues related to communication or deadlines. They were easy to reach whenever questions arose. What did you find most impressive about them? Studio Simpatico made the entire process easy. We had a really great working relationship. They brought a sense of creativity to even the most technical tasks. Whenever I felt unsure about how a feature should look or work, they offered several options to choose from. We never experienced a delay. Even after the launch, they reliably fixed minor problems. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Be sure to convey your specific type of content. I conceptualized the flow for each section of the website. I even dictated how specific elements should be placed. Having clearly defined specs helped kick-start the process and preempted miscommunication. --- #### Wordpress Development for Media Publishing Company **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: Less than $10,000 - Project length: Jan. - Feb. 2018 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico developed a corporate WordPress website, focusing on presenting the brand through UI elements, such as CSS animations, parallax, and effects. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Digital Director, Galvanized Media - Industry: Business services - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Feb 27, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Stakeholders are impressed with the website and the quick turnaround time. Highly receptive to feedback, they delivered a high-quality product. Their positive attitude, coupled with their personable approach, makes them a preferred partner for future projects. ""They were productive and exceptional communicators, able to find a solution to every problem."  " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I'm the digital director at Galvanized Media, a publisher based in New York. Our founder is is New York Times best-selling author David Zinczenko, and we run several health and lifestyle brands and book series.  **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We had an existing website that was developed about four years ago. After our company went through rebranding, we needed a new corporate website that would follow the new design standards. We were looking for a company to help us achieve that goal. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? They built a WordPress website for us, and we host it on WP Engine. We wanted to leverage some UI elements that would reflect positively on our brand sophistication, so we implemented CSS animations, parallax and other effects to the background images. Those features were meant to awe our audience, demonstrating our willingness to make an extra effort to produce a certain level of quality for our readers. It's a corporate website, so the navigation is very simple and the messaging is fairly straightforward.  What is the team composition?  We mostly worked with Tamara (Olson, Founder and Principal, Studio Simpatico), who did about 90% of the work.  How did you come to work with them? They were a referral. We looked at a couple of other companies, but we were confident that Studio Simpatico would make our project a success, so we chose them. How much have you invested with them? We spent between $5,000–$10,000. What is the status of this engagement?  We worked with them in January–February 2018, completing the entire project in about 45 days. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? They were a pleasure to work with and made our job easy. Once I delivered the requirements, they took them and got down to work, making sure the project ran smoothly. There was a time when we had to go back and forth, but it was due to the stakeholder feedback and not the technical quality. Our corporate stakeholders are highly satisfied with the website and impressed with the quick execution. Tamara was very personable and smart. The psychology aspect of our brand is miles ahead of many other companies in our field. I'm very happy with the choice we made and I'd work with them on future projects. How did they perform from a project management standpoint? We managed tasks and open questions through Basecamp and they were very responsive to emails. They were productive and exceptional communicators, able to find a solution to every problem. What did you find most impressive about them? It's usually difficult to deal with the needs that come up later in the project, but Studio Simpatico did an outstanding job accommodating our requirements and the feedback from our stakeholders. They had a positive attitude the entire time, living up to their name. They made sure we felt we were being heard and understood. Are there any areas they could improve? I can't think of anything. Do you have any advice for potential customers? They understand their clients' needs and do high-quality work. In addition, their turnaround time is quick and the prices are fair. --- #### Web Dev & Design for Botanic Garden Nonprofit **The Project** - Services: Web Design - Project size: Less than $10,000 - Project length: Jan. - May 2015 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico redesigned a website for a nonprofit that kept and maintained a botanical garden open to the public. The nonprofit wanted a responsive design that highlighted the aesthetics of their business. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Assistant Director of Digital Media, Brooklyn Botanic Garden - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Aug 30, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: The response to the site from users and stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive. Since the redesign, time spent on the site has increased per user. Studio Simpatico understood the vision of the nonprofit and translated it into an improved website that keeps users engaged. ""They were incredibly easy ... I had a great experience working with them." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the assistant director of digital media at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. There are 400-500 employees. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We were looking to redesign our website, BBG.org, to make it a responsive and beautiful website on a limited budget. We had a different developer for the original website. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We wanted the new website to be responsive, unlike the old website. We also wanted to highlight the beautiful photographs we have of the garden and we wanted to create a smooth user experience. We tasked Studio Simpatico with all of these things. It’s a promotional website. The component that Studio Simpatico worked on did not involve e-commerce. They only created the design and frontend of our site and then we had an internal developer work on the backend. We run it on a CMS called ExpressionEngine. In May or June 2015, they handed files over to us and the frontend, the CSS, the HTML, and then we did the build from June through November. What is the team dynamic? We worked with Tamara [Founder, Studio Simpatico] on the design and frontend development of BBG.org. She was a fantastic partner. She was excellent at communicating with us and our stakeholders and very responsive and quick with all her communications to us. She really understood our goals and really created a wonderful design for our site. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? We put out a request for proposals and they came to us through a friend’s recommendation. One of our internal team members had known Tamara [Founder, Studio Simpatico] before in another job. We looked at 4-6 different design firms. How much have you invested with them? Under $10,000. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in January 2015 until May 2015. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Anecdotally our users and stakeholders, through emails and conversations, at our institution have all been really pleased with the redesign of the website. It’s provided an easier path for our users to get to key information. Our stakeholders love how it features photographs and the look and feel of it. In terms of analytics, we had a certain set of goals that we wanted to hit on the redesigns like getting our users to engage more deeply on the site especially when they’re on mobile. A big goal was to get mobile users to stay longer and we definitely saw a significant increase in time spent on the site for mobile users. In terms of the work that Studio Simpatico gave us, it was very rare, if ever, that there were bugs. It was all very accurate. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? They performed excellently. The turnaround for when I had asked for fixes or new components, the site was incredibly fast. Tamara [Founder, Studio Simpatico] was very communicative and always made herself available by email and via phone. From a project management perspective, it ran very, very smoothly and was one of the best projects. I’ve been on teams for multiple redesigns and this was definitely one of the best experiences with a vendor that I’ve ever had. We used Basecamp for a lot of project management. We used Google Docs for providing background information, context, and document exchanges. Tamara [Founder, Studio Simpatico] also used a tool that I don’t remember the name of where it was very easy to set up times to talk to her about questions or concerns. What did you find most impressive about them? One of the outstanding things about them is that they are very responsive to the client and to the user. I’ve worked in the past with other design firms where the designers come in with a very clear idea of their aesthetic and their vision, which doesn’t always work well with the client’s needs. This was outstanding and refreshing in the sense that they came in very responsive to the client’s brand and aesthetic, and to the user experience. All design flowed out from that. That was an excellent aspect of working with them. Another was communication. They were incredibly easy. It was a pleasure to communicate with them, which from my experience, is a little bit unusual. I highly recommend them. I had a great experience working with them. Are there any areas they could improve? I really can’t think of any. --- #### Web Dev for Tech Marketing Firm **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: July - Aug. 2015 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico rebuilt and redesigned a Wordpress website for a technology marketing firm. They continue to provide development support.  **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Head of Marketing, SocialCode - Industry: Advertising & marketing - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Aug 23, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico provided a very clean and visually appealing design for the new site. They are able to make changes and edits on the fly, without much notice upfront from the client. The two continue to partner on projects. ""They are able to move really quickly but also maintain quality." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. My name is Ashley La Fond and I am the Head of Marketing for SocialCode. SocialCode is an audience-first marketing partner built to drive results through media activation. We combine audience data, insights, content creation and measurement to drive unmatched ROI from digital campaigns. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? Our biggest challenge was to find a partner who could scale with us. We had limited in-house resources so we needed a full service partner for initial website development, as well as someone that can provide continued support over time. We also needed a partner that understood our needs and could react quickly. In the past, we have worked with other agencies where project managers lack technical expertise, so a lot of the details got lost in translation. By the time development work was delivered, it would be completely different from what we originally scoped, and have taken double the amount of time.   **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatco started with some small scale updates to our initial site, then we worked with them on a full scale rebuild. Because Tamara (project lead) is a developer, she is able to quickly understand what we are looking for, and has the know-how to build it. She also takes a much more turn-key approach to development. Rather than reinventing the wheel – she is able to recommend best practices when exploring new layouts, features or functionality. What is the team dynamic? We interact directly with Tamara. Depending on the scope of the project, she may also bring in a designer. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? Tamara was referred to us. Somebody knew Tamara from her past life and introduced her to us. What is the status of this engagement? Our first engagement began in the summer of 2015. Since then, we have done regular updates – sometimes monthly. So, it’s an ongoing relationship. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We have gotten a lot of good feedback that the front-end clean and easy to navigate. On the backend the CMS is very user friendly – its built so its very easy for us to access and update content and make small changes on our own. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? Studio Simpatico is incredibly organized. They are really good at scoping out a project, understanding what we need, and being able to move really quickly. They use basecamp to keep all stakeholders and assets organized around a project What did you find most impressive about them? Speed. They are able to move really quickly but also maintain quality. They implement just the right amount of process, project management, and production so we’re organized but can move quickly and efficiently. Are there any areas they could improve? Honestly, no - we have been so happy with our partnership. Of all the things that my team does, [web development] is the one area that I always feel very confident about, because we have such a good partner. --- #### Web Redesign for Drone Software Company **The Project** - Services: Custom Software Development - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Mar. - Apr. 2017 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico rebuilt a Wordpress website for a drone software company. The company wanted a site that could keep up with their content production. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Former Product Marketing Manager, Drone Software Company - Industry: Information technology - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Aug 22, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico's expertise in Wordpress development made the rebuild process painless. The client loved the simplicity of Studio Simpatico's work, and their ability to lay out each decision and the rationale behind it. ""Everything Studio Simpatico did was flawless." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I was a product marketing manager at a drone software company. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? Our website was, at one point, built on WordPress, but we then switched to a Ruby on Rails application. Because of technical limitations, the Ruby website was stalling our content production. We wanted to find a company to do nothing except turn our existing Ruby app into a WordPress website with no redesign. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We requested them to completely refactor our site but make it look exactly the same and with the principle that it would be easily updatable. We wanted it done in a three-week timeline, a pretty aggressive goal, but Studio Simpatico confirmed that three weeks would be doable. What is the team dynamic? We only worked with the founder, Tamara Olson, to develop and execute the project. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? We received several referrals, but all of them wanted to work on more technically challenging projects, and we were just looking for somebody who saw the simple project for what it was, so I decided to search LinkedIn and found Studio Simpatico there. How much have you invested with them? $10,000 to $15,000 What is the status of this engagement? We were involved with her in March and April of this year. The initial project was three weeks, but we worked with her on another project moving our blog from Medium onto a WordPress platform to make it native. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Everything Studio Simpatico did was flawless. She hit it out of the park in terms of both making the right decision and consulting us when she felt like we should be in on the decision How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? When Tamara had to make a medium- to large-sized technical decision, she would come to us, give us the options, and let us choose which route to take. She hit every deadline, and even helped us on our side when we were behind on deadlines. We used Basecamp as a project management tool. What did you find most impressive about them? She had a commitment to self-service and left us in a position where we could do everything that wasn’t WordPress development. She really understood our concerns about WordPress upfront and knew the limitations and was very clear about them. My favorite part of working with her was the commitment to simplicity she had. She didn’t overcomplicate things, so we didn’t have to worry about her bringing us a lot of new, creative ideas until after we had done the initial project. Are there any areas they could improve? No, everything she did and every communication with us was flawless. --- #### Web Development for Financial Tech Startup **The Project** - Services: Web Development - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Jan. 2015 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico entered into the engagement by referral. They overhauled a WordPress website, including backend contact data management. They later refreshed the website and are involved in ongoing projects. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Creative Director, Financial Tech Startup - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Aug 22, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: The website works seamlessly, with no bugs or user issues reported. Studio Simpatico’s flexibility, organization, quick response times, and up-front communication make them a dependable development partner. ""They’re flexible, and if something can’t be done, they notify us." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I am the creative director of a financial tech startup. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Studio Simpatico? We needed to undertake a big website overhaul. The previous version had been built by another company in WordPress, so we wanted someone who was handy in that space. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Studio Simpatico worked on our promotional site. The team built it from from scratch using WordPress. We collect contact information from users who download our papers, so the site’s framework for storing and managing a contact list was important. What is the team dynamic? At the time, Studio Simpatico was still a pretty small company. So I dealt with only one person, the main proprietor. How did you come to work with Studio Simpatico? We received a referral from a company that had worked with Studio Simpatico’s proprietor. They had a good engagement experience and received quick turnaround on answers. We didn’t look at any other vendors. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with Studio Simpatico around 2 years ago, and are engaged in ongoing projects. We used them for the refresh of the original website we built with the team. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? The site works seamlessly, and we haven’t found any issues with it. We haven’t heard anything from users, but I consider that a good thing. We haven’t experienced any bugs. How did Studio Simpatico perform from a project management standpoint? We use their instance of Basecamp to communicate with Studio Simpatico. They’ve helped us set up a schedule detailing when things are due on our end and theirs. They’ve been pretty good about keeping things on schedule. They respond within a day. What did you find most impressive about them? They’re flexible, and if something can’t be done, they notify us. If something is not a vendor’s core competency, it behooves them to tell us about it. Studio Simpatico has been good in this regard. Are there any areas they could improve? No. --- #### Web Dev & Branding for Homelessness Support Organization **The Project** - Services: Branding, Web Development - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Dec. 2023 - Apr. 2024 **Project Summary**: Studio Simpatico rebuilt a website for a homelessness support organization. The team also conducted a light rebranding for the client. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Chief Dev & Communications Officer, Urban Pathways - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Jun 11, 2024 **Feedback Summary**: Studio Simpatico successfully refreshed the client's website and branding. The team delivered all tasks on time, performed stellar discovery sessions, and assisted the client in augmenting their internal staff. They also were highly attentive to feedback and helped seamlessly implement tweaks. ""They did a great job helping us keep things moving."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the Chief Development & Communications Officer of Urban PathwaysDescribe what your company does in a single sentence.We're dedicated to our mission of combatting homelessness through housing and support services while advocating for systemic change. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Studio Simpatico to accomplish?Rebuild Urban Pathway's websiteLight rebranding **SOLUTION** How did you find Studio Simpatico?Online SearchWhy did you select Studio Simpatico over others?Pricing fits our budgetGreat culture fitGood value for costCompany values alignedHow many teammates from Studio Simpatico were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.Studio Simpatico was contracted to fully rebuild the Urban Pathways website and, as part of that process, to perform a light rebranding for the organization.  **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?We have a fantastic new website and our brand is more fleshed out, with a nice update.Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?They delivered the project on time and worked with us as we were down staff on our side. They did a great job helping us keep things moving.What was your primary form of communication with Studio Simpatico?Virtual MeetingEmail or Messaging AppWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?They were great listeners, and really got what we were looking for through early discovery conversations. They received feedback well and worked with us to tweak things along the way so we ended up with an exceptional finished product.Are there any areas for improvement or something Studio Simpatico could have done differently?No suggestions here --- ## Portfolio & Awards ### Iron & Air Simpatico partnered with the founders 
Adam Fitzgerald and Gregory George Moore (as well as the team at York Creative Collective) to fully realize Iron & Air as a digital lifestyle brand. ### SeeHer The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) reached out to Simpatico to design and build a new website (built on WordPress) for the SEEHER initiative. SEEHER's mission is to accurately portray women and girls in marketing, advertising, media, and entertainment. The site needed to support content for supporters, partner organizations, and member organizations. ### AmpleHarvest.org Site Redesign & Rebuild The beloved original Ampleharvest.org (built in 2009) was a completely custom build that was difficult to update and failed to respond to mobile. The team was looking for an upgraded experience that would work well on mobile devices, adhere to accessibility standards, and leverage a CMS that would allow internal staff to manage pantries with ease. ### Nuasin Next Generation Charter School Nuasin Next Generation is a free, K–12 public charter school committed to developing intellectually-curious students who are prepared to succeed in college, career, and life. Simpatico worked closely with school staff and administrators to design a representative visual identity and build a new website for the Bronx based school. ### Fireblocks Identity, Collateral, and Website We have supported Fireblocks from their launch until present with all design and marketing website needs, including brand identity, website design and development, and design collateral (social media graphics, landing pages, business cards, one pagers, white papers, conference collateral, company swag, and more) ### Kurt Weill Foundation for Music Identity/Website We partnered with the team at KWF to build a new website for the Foundation to present a strong, coherent, and self-consistent view of its two namesake artists, Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya, and of the Foundation and its programming. ### WireSecure WireSecure is a newly established fin tech company with solutions that eliminate the risks of wire fraud globally. They needed a partner to work closely with their team to design an intentional, well-formed visual identity; build a marketing website to communicate their product offerings; design an elegant UX/UI for their product; and deliver semantic, responsive front-end code for their engineering team. ### Muscle & Fitness The editorial team at the storied brand Muscle & Fitness was planning a dramatic shift to M&F, moving away from its bodybuilding roots toward more lifestyle-driven content. We partnered with their team to create a new design to capture this shift. ### Ten To One Rum A contemporary and elevated blend, created to challenge expectations and reinvigorate the way people taste, experience, and talk about rum. Studio Simpatico worked closely with the TTO founders and the inspirational design team at Studio Institute to build the brand's marketing website on WordPress. ### M.M. LaFleur M.M.LaFleur was looking for an external partner to collaborate with their Creative, Product, and Engineering teams. They were specifically looking for a local studio with substantial expertise in WordPress, user experience and product design, and working with editorial brands. ### Hadfield, Stieben & Doutt We worked closely with the partners at Hadfield, Stieben & Doutt to design and develop a content-rich, visually striking online presence for the Fort Collins, Colorado personal injury law firm. ### Clutch Awards - [Clutch Award Badge](https://shareables-prod-static.clutch.co/badges/top_clutch.co_web_design_company_non-profit_2026.svg) - [Clutch Award Badge](https://shareables-prod-static.clutch.co/badges/top_clutch.co_web_developers_women_owned_2026.svg) - [Clutch Award Badge](https://shareables-prod-static.clutch.co/badges/top_clutch.co_wordpress_developers_women_owned_2026.svg) - [Clutch Award Badge](https://shareables-prod-static.clutch.co/badges/top_clutch.co_web_design_company_media_2026.svg) ### Industry Recognitions - Design Shack's 50 Best Website Color Schemes - Forbes Agency Council - Muse Rose Gold Award - PromoteIQ - CSS Design Awards Special Kudos - Studio Simpatico - Muse Rose Gold Award - Sarah Cooper - Muse Gold Award - CSS Design Awards UI Design/UX Design/Innovation - Nominee for Folio Best User Experience - Expertise.com Best Web Designers in New York City - Awwwards Honorable Mention - Iron & Air - Awwwards Honorable Mention - Studio Simpatico - Webby Award Nomination - Travel & Lifestyle ## Key Clients - Fireblocks ## Packages ## About the Team ### Our Story We're a boutique, full-time team of seven designers and developers who love helping our clients' businesses thrive. We're based mostly in New York City, along with Nashville and Los Angeles. ### Quick Facts - 42 Verified Clutch Clients - 11 years in business ### Tools and Technology - Slack - Zoom - GitHub - Figma - Adobe Creative Cloud ## Locations (1) ### New York, NY (Headquarters) - 4540 Center Blvd 504 - New York, NY 11109 - United States - 1 employees - Phone: 3476928267 ## Connections - Shalaka Teli (Gadre Infotech Pvt. Ltd.) ## Contact Studio Simpatico [Send a message](https://clutch.co/profile/studio-simpatico) ### Connect on Social - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/studio-simpatico/) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/studiosimpatico/) - [X](http://www.twitter.com/simpaticonyc) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/studiosimpatico/)