TalkingTree Creative

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-creator and CEO of Make48, a competition docuseries. I am responsible for the overall vision of Make48's national and international growth and oversee major brand partnerships. I also serve as the creative director for Make48 TV.

For what projects/services did your company hire TalkingTree Creative?

TalkingTree Creative was brought in to provide creative guidance on 12 product videos in a 48-hour competition for our televised docuseries.

What were your goals for this project?

We have a competition where 12 teams must create a product and a pitch video in 48 hours to then share with judges and guests at the end of the event. We needed additional video production support.

How did you select this vendor?

We found TalkingTree Creative through a Google search for production companies in the Baltimore/Washington, DC area.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

Once we selected TalkingTree Creative, they worked to learn more about our business and our video production goals. During our event, they collaborated with the teams of college students on their product videos. The TalkingTree Creative team edited and produced all 12 videos in less than 48 hours.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Their team is very buttoned-down and organized. They are true professionals.

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

The judging event was a success. The quality of the finished videos was outstanding. Our judges, guests, and teams were impressed by the creativity.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We primarily worked with Kaitlyn (Producer of Events, TalkingTree Creative), who did a fantastic job. Her team was well-organized and collaborative with our participants.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their team was professional, talented and, respectful of the environment around them. They had an incredible attention to detail and had the ability to get the job done right the first time.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. They are a very impressive small business.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm an administrative manager who oversees the company's internal events.

What challenge were you trying to address with TalkingTree Creative?

Our annual “all hands” meeting has grown year after year, so we needed help to up the production value.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired TalkingTree Creative to provide a full-show production for our annual meetings. Previously, we’d used a simple PowerPoint presentation, but we wanted to create a larger-scale feel for those meetings. They offered expert production assistance, including handling set design, lighting, and sound, and integrating inventive camera work.

They managed production and preproduction of “talking-head”-style interviews of staff members that we turned into internal commercials. They helped us figure out the right verbiage to use, then scripted most segments with actors. They even used a green screen for one setup. They then created shots to be shown during the event and recorded the event the day it occurred.

Their team also coordinated with our contacts at the host hotel and supported the registration and check-in process for the roughly 1,000 attendees.

What is the team composition?

Usually, I work with Kaitlyn (Associate Producer, TalkingTree) and another point of contact. I prefer to have two points of contact to keep the process simple. We've also interacted directly with many of the people they've contracted (e.g., camera operators, sound technicians).

How did you come to work with TalkingTree Creative?

We wanted a local production company, and after interviewing three candidate firms, we chose TalkingTree Creative.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $100,000–$150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together since around October 2015. We finished up a massive event in April 2018 and are already planning our next one for March 2019.

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

Bringing in TalkingTree Creative has greatly enhanced our employees’ experience at our annual meetings. They make it look like an exciting, enjoyable, and professional show instead of a dry PowerPoint presentation. Every year, they create a new presentation for the event, but they remember what we’ve liked in the past and produce work that meets (or exceeds) our needs.

They innovate year after year, which is why we continue to use them. It never feels like they produce similar output for every customer.

How did TalkingTree Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They've learned the ins and outs of our fundamental processes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Over the years, they’ve gotten to know us and now feel like a part of our team. They’ve always done a fantastic job, and I’d give them more work if I could.

Are there any areas they could improve?

TalkingTree Creative continues to grow, but they should be wary of getting too comfortable. The most recent project didn't start out that well because the new employees they’d brought in weren’t as skilled as the team we were used to. Once we discussed our requirements, they delivered to the high standard we’ve come to expect from them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ask lots of questions and be very specific about what you want, what you don’t want, and how much you want to spend. Once they have the details, give them the flexibility to implement ideas you may not have considered.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director at James Street Associates, a marketing communications agency that specializes in services to the logistics and supply chain industry.

What challenge were you trying to address with TalkingTree Creative?

My company needed to create informative videos for a client, but we did not have the necessary in-house expertise to do so.

What was the scope of their involvement?

TalkingTree Creative provides turnkey video production services. For this initial project, my team used our industry knowledge and information on the client to create the script. TalkingTree Creative reviewed the script to determine timing and how best to present our message in video format. They did location shooting and utilized their own equipment. The team compiled a list of narrators and sent us samples, and we chose the narrator we liked best.

TalkingTree Creative edited in-house. They completed and delivered these informative videos, and we are currently working on another project with them.

What is the team composition?

My team primarily works with two individuals, a full-time and a contract employee. Craig (Founder, President, & CCO, TalkingTree Creative) oversees everything, and we occasionally communicate with him on higher-level issues.  

How did you come to work with TalkingTree Creative?

We were working on another project with an individual who joined TalkingTree Creative. Once we began working with them, it was evident that they were a great fit. My company hired them for this video project because they had the capabilities to fulfill our client’s needs.

How much have you invested with them?

My company has spent over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our collaboration began in July 2017. TalkingTree Creative completed the initial video project for our client, and now we’re working on another project.

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

It’s difficult to say, since the purpose of the video is for our client to attract new industrial development, and this is generally a multi-year process. However, our client reports that the video has effectively created interest in their services and filled their sales pipeline with promising leads. The video has opened new doors for them, which is what they wanted to accomplish.

How did TalkingTree Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

TalkingTree Creative is cooperative and enthusiastic. They are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that a project satisfies the client’s requirements. Their can-do attitude has been constructive.

Communication varies depending on what phase of a project we’re in. TalkingTree Creative uses an online editing tool once we’re in the editing and post-production phase. We use this tool to share progress with our client, and my team and our client can make comments right on their work. This is our primary editing interface. We also communicate via email.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

TalkingTree Creative is committed to achieving great end results. They offer creative solutions that ensure the project is successful but also within budget.

Their perspective and expertise allowed them to determine what video presentation would best meet our client’s needs. We blended our industry knowledge and understanding of the audience with their expertise in video best practices. Our close working relationship has led to great outcomes.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’re very happy with what they’ve done. However, my team is sometimes not sure what the status of the project is; communication could be better, but that’s a minor criticism.

Also, we receive projects on an unpredictable basis, and sometimes it is difficult to match our scheduling needs with TalkingTree Creative’s availability. They are often fully booked for several weeks at a time, and this is challenging to work around. Of course, this is just the nature of the business.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be open and communicative about your needs. For the informative videos project, we were working with a client that was in a very specific industry and that had an audience with particular needs, so we had to convey all of this information to TalkingTree Creative. Don’t assume that they know everything, especially if you’re in a specialized area; share your expertise with them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a Medical Affairs Manager within a pharmaceutical company.

What challenge were you trying to address with TalkingTree Creative?

Attending a medical conference, we wanted to connect more with our external audience by creating video highlights of key sessions. Talking Tree provided us with the support and capabilities to plan for the event, build a set, create and edit videos within 24 hours.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed and executed a live on-site video studio to produce television-style talk shows for the conference. Initially, they collaborated with us to work out how everything would happen during the event. They provided creative ideas, turning a simple location into an elegant, classy site that would strike a chord with our audience. This involved sourcing all production equipment, crew, studio sets, and lighting.

On the day of the conference, they produced a series of 20 videos featuring interviews and panels with medical experts. We needed them to edit and produce the materials within 24 hours of shooting, and they delivered the videos within that time frame. Over the next four days, we distributed the videos to our audience.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with Craig (Chief Creative Officer, TalkingTree Creative) and Kaitlyn prior to the event. While Craig oversaw everything before the event, Kaitlyn did a fantastic job supporting the managing of the studio during the conference. Additionally, the 2 editors David Telles and Devyn Hoy were incredibly talented, they ensured the materials were edited within 12 hours to enable us to go through the companies governance framework.

How did you come to work with TalkingTree Creative?

A colleague of mine found them. We'd engaged them for a previous event in Washington, D.C. They performed well, so we hired them for our next two events and plan to continue our relationship.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$200,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work lasted from April 2017–May 2018. We wrapped up our last event in May but are currently planning for a project in September 2019.

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

Thanks to their videos, we were able to reach a substantial number of external audience members in each respective market. The team was collaborative and acted proactively. Whenever they faced a challenge, they would always manage and support the team, instead of waiting to ask. We’ve worked with TalkingTree Creative for a few projects, now, and they’ve only continued to improve and evolve.

How did TalkingTree Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

We worked in close tandem prior to the event; it was a true collaboration between my side and theirs. Every time we made a suggestion, they helped us identify whether it was plausible or financially feasible as well as any potential challenges. By planning ahead, they made sure that they could deliver on our timelines.

Above all, they were transparent with us about what they could and couldn’t do. If Craig didn’t think an idea would work, he wouldn’t entertain it. However, he would always provide an alternative to suit our needs. In terms of communication, we used email and Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Building on my earlier comments, I appreciated their collaborative nature. They wanted to make sure that we could achieve what we set out to do in the first place and supported us every step of the way. When we told them that we needed a 24-hour turnaround, they worked hard to make it possible. It wasn't just one person leading the effort; rather, the whole team was talented and proactive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind. I'm really pleased with what they've been doing so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As soon as you’ve got a project in mind, speak to them because they can help you scope it out. Additionally, have regular catch-ups with the team and involve each member on calls. It’s important to establish a relationship to understand how your team works with theirs.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am an executive producer at Aquarian. We are a full-service production company that specializes in producing special events and corporate meetings.

For what projects/services did your company hire TalkingTree Creative?

We engaged TalkingTree Creative to design and produce introduction videos for the keynote speakers at our client's annual event. Additionally, they created the thematic design for all of the PowerPoint presentations for the conference.   

What were your goals for this project?

We hoped to provide a cohesive look for all of the design elements of the general sessions and provide some energy for the introduction of the keynote speakers.

How did you select this vendor?

We have partnered with TalkingTree Creative on many events over the past 15 years, so we are very familiar with and confident in their work.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

Our company pitched the client on having intro videos for the keynote speakers instead of a simple headshot on a title slide. TalkingTree Creative opted for videos containing motion graphics, music, still photography, and the keynote speaker’s official biography.

I collaborated with TalkingTree Creative’s team on how to flesh out the videos so that they reached 60–90 seconds, so we included several images of each speaker. TalkingTree Creative picked out the appropriate musical selections, text and other supporting graphics.

TalkingTree Creative delivered a first draft snippet to give the client an idea of the creative direction. Based on the initial feedback for each video, we continued with that plan or revised and edited the video to accommodate the client’s specific comments. TalkingTree Creative later provided two more extended versions and again asked for feedback. They implemented any final changes and delivered the videos on time, roughly three weeks before the event.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Their project management process was clearly defined and easy to work with. TalkingTree Creative outlined all of the project milestone dates and each step of the video review process. The client and I each had ample time to communicate our feedback.

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

Our client was thrilled with the finished products—so much so that they have chosen to do videos again for the 2019 event. The videos were energetic and exciting, but they also added a layer of professionalism and polish to the production of the conference.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We communicated efficiently with their producer, who gave us frequent updates and feedback. We were impressed by the overall production process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

TalkingTree Creative’s originality and eye for detail are what impressed me the most. Their professionalism, easygoing personality, and positive attitude made them an ideal production partner.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, they were such a joy to work with. We appreciate all of the great deliverables they produced for this project.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I manage all corporate events and trade shows for an IT services firm. I also work with corporate marketing and our video production team.

What challenge were you trying to address with TalkingTree Creative?

Several times a year for our corporate events, we need outside assistance with A/V production and content creation.

What was the scope of their involvement?

TalkingTree provides A/V services such as lighting, staging, and presentation. They also create videos up to 15 minutes—anything from corporate case studies, product information, or training tools. We have also used them for live casting and speaker training.

What is the team composition?

We have two main contact points—the chief creative officer and an assistant producer. Beyond that, we outsource as needed.

How did you come to work with TalkingTree Creative?

There was an interview and vetting process for multiple firms. Initially, they brought creative ideas, and over time, they’ve been a worthwhile business partner.

How much have you invested with them?

I would prefer to not disclose those figures.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began the partnership prior to 2005 and it is ongoing. We work together for five events per year and have created several hundred videos.

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

We’ve had an increase in corporate shows, but other metrics are private. We’ve had vendors come and go, but their team remains integrated members of our program.

How did TalkingTree perform from a project management standpoint?

They do a great job. From the event production side, the event is going to happen with or without us, but they always hit the deadlines we have. For videos, they handle multiple deadlines well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their attention to details and their services make them special. They'll do whatever it takes to get the project done.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They’re a small business, and their devotion to our project reflects that. I don’t know if it would be the same if they were a larger organization.

Any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend making them a partner. If you include them in the decisions, it becomes a rewarding relationship.

This review was updated on May 6, 2019, by the client. New content is below.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the vice president of enterprise marketing and organizational development at Hughes Network Systems. We are a managed network service provider for businesses that have several locations. 

What challenge were you trying to address with TalkingTree Creative?

We host and sponsor many events and conferences each year. For several years, we’ve worked with TalkingTree Creative to help us significantly advance the quality of those events.

What was the scope of their involvement?

TalkingTree Creative has been helpful in two primary areas for us: finding better uses for the equipment we use at events and improving the quality of the content we produce. Each year we’ve worked together, there have been 6–8 large events that they have played a role in.

Before working with TalkingTree Creative, the event managers at hotels where our events were held would provide us with basic audio and visual equipment—a projector, a screen, and maybe a small stage. With TalkingTree Creative, we sometimes still use that equipment, but we are now able to leverage their experience to improve customer experience.

Further, we’ve relied on them for a number of video and animation projects to enhance the production value of what we present. That sometimes includes us providing them with our prepared slides or materials, but it has also involved their team coming on-site and shooting new video content.

What is the team composition?

Our team size depends on the project. For many years, we worked with Craig (Chief Creative Officer, TalkingTree Creative), but as the company has grown, he has hired several other capable people for us to work with. For most events, we work with two people—usually a production manager and a creative director. For our annual sales conference, we prefer to have a much higher production value, so we’ll work with 4–5 people.

How did you come to work with TalkingTree Creative?

They introduced and marketed themselves to us several years ago. We happened to be interested in improving our audience experiences at that time, so we brought them on for a project. The improvement was so pronounced for that first engagement that we were thrilled to continue working with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent well over $5 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

I’d estimate that we began working together in 2007. Our engagement remains ongoing.

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

Over the years, at our annual sales and marketing conference, the audience satisfaction has gone from 82–83% up to 95–96%. I want to think that part of that growth is our own company improving in specific ways, but I certainly attribute much of that success to TalkingTree Creative’s ideas and originality.

How did TalkingTree Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is the area where we needed the most help and the area where TalkingTree Creative has worked the hardest. They’ve been instrumental in planning events starting several months out. Once we select a delivery date, they work backward from that point to determine a timeline for the whole project. We’ll talk 2–3 times per month for a while until that grows into talking every day in the lead-up to the event. We use Webex routinely for meetings and video conferences, and we use Wipster, which allows us to view and comment on video projects as they’re going through the editing process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Any good company pays attention to detail. TalkingTree Creative understands the details that matter to us, and they pay attention to those. Additionally, if we decided to change the budget for a specific event from one year to the next, they’ve proven to be very flexible while still providing excellent work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’ve worked very well together.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I try to be as open as I can with them about what my ideas are and what I want the video or event to accomplish.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of production and executive producer of the Shephard Companies. We’re comprised of two major business units. We act as a general service contractor for the trade show industry, and we have an audiovisual production division that produces corporate product launches, major entertainment, and more.

What challenge were you trying to address with TalkingTree Creative?

Due to COVID-19, there was a complete hibernation of our business and sudden growth of the digital virtual business. Before, we made trade shows for 160,000 people in Las Vegas or L.A. and provided all the logistics and services necessary to do those events.

With federal and state mandates that limited the number of people in a room, our clients needed to figure out a way to continue to market to their customers, and many people chose to do it digitally. Just like some of our competitors, we got clobbered because a virtual meeting used to be a Facebook stream or pay-per-view television stream, so it was from one to many. Then, all of a sudden, it became necessary to do completely interactive events from many to many, and we went from doing a couple a year to 75 between May–December 2020.

This need was different from Zoom or Microsoft Teams, so various third-party vendors created several support platforms to enable virtual meetings between thousands or tens of thousands of people. Like many companies, we furloughed many employees, so we couldn’t do that much with our internal resources. Therefore, we partnered with third-party vendors that we’d worked with before and subbed some of the events to them, which was the case of TalkingTree. They were trying to figure out how to pivot, keep their employees busy, and embrace digital, and we were overwhelmed.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We continued to manage the project regarding the client connection, but we subcontracted most of the operational execution to TalkingTree. The project at hand was for one of our long-term clients, and they needed a virtual meeting for architects. It was a three-day event, and it took place at the end of October 2020 with about 7,000 attendees. They had about six hours of programming per day with multiple channels filled with content.

We brought in TalkingTree to schedule what would’ve been presenters at a live conference. They recorded them remotely and edited them together using vMix into four videos that would play at a certain time. They customized the Catalyst platform using HTML5, HTML6, and CSS. They also managed the critical path, worked on the project management platform hosting platform designs, configuration, and logic, handled live sessions, had virtual happy hours, and created an exhibit hall component with five exhibit booths where exhibitors could do one-on-one video meetings.

For customization, we got brand guidelines from the end client and had meetings with TalkingTree to discuss the direction and look. Then, TalkingTree worked on it and gave it back to us for client approval.

What is the team composition?

We interfaced with at least half a dozen of them. We had a project manager, and the rest were developers and designers. My main point of contact was Craig (President), and I worked with a couple of his video engineers as well.

How did you come to work with TalkingTree Creative?

I’ve known Craig as a video director and creative director for more than 20 years. I’ve used TalkingTree over the years to produce videos or direct cameras and shoots for broadcast television. It was easier for them to adapt to these virtual meetings because it was just different electronics, and they already had the mind for it.

How much have you invested with them?

It was between $150,000–$250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was done last summer and finished in November 2020. However, we’ve contracted them for multiple shows later this year, so it’s an ongoing relationship.

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

The client was satisfied, and that’s the best metric. They considered it a success and saw value for the money they were charged. Some other clients aren’t happy with the events even though they operate well technically. They’re frustrated that they can’t make the revenue by having people coming ink, so they just want to do live shows again. For example, concert tickets can be anywhere from $100–$1,000 depending on the seat, but there’s a huge difference in the online monetization model.

In this case, the client did like it because they were sophisticated. The architects were very bright and used to working with computers. One of the things that attendees enjoyed was the ability to network. It worked well for job boards and job hunting, so virtual meetings gave them great networking capabilities. All in all, they were happy, and it worked out for them.

How did TalkingTree Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

We had weekly team calls. They were short or long, depending on where we were at the project. We were very rigid, and we followed deadlines. We put everything on Google Docs so everyone could see it, and we adjusted the project each week.

What did you find most impressive about them?

TalkingTree stood out for its competence, adherence to deadlines, creative ability, and customer service. As the world changed, many clients were under stress last year. There was a lot of education, calming down, and listening that went into customer service to make people understand that their show would be successful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t really have a negative pushback on it. The project took place during the worst part of the COVID-19 crisis, so it was challenging to get through that successfully and on budget, and they did it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Define how success looks like to you. The most important thing is to talk for a while and see if they’re the right fit. I often don’t respond to people who just send me an RFP; I won’t waste my time with someone price shopping. If you want to do some work, you have to have a relationship. Nobody is a good fit for everybody.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a large Jewish synagogue with 1,100 families located in northwest Baltimore. 

What challenge were you trying to address with TalkingTree Creative?

We had Jewish high holiday services — Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur — last September 2020, but we couldn’t attend in person because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They were our largest attended services, and thousands of people would normally attend them. TalkingTree Creative helped us do something more than just a Zoom meeting to facilitate that. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our goal was to allow hundreds of attendees to not only view the events but also participate virtually. To do that, TalkingTree first listened to what we needed, and then they matched their services to those needs. Specifically, they set up multiple cameras that were either hand- or remote-controlled. To capture sound, they also set up multiple microphones. They assigned a director of sound and a director of videos who switched between the scenes.

Moreover, their team insisted on having a full script for each of the event’s segments because some of them could last 2–3 hours. As a result, they created a script that helped us know exactly who was going to say what and when. Then, their resources advised us on the best broadcast medium to use. They employed sophisticated technologies to provide great quality and methods for people to interact with each other online. 

Finally, we had to beam in 10–15 specific people remotely to participate in the services. As a result, TalkingTree figured out a way to communicate with those people, informing them when they were going live. On top of that, the team advised us to have backup segments; if a participant’s internet broke down, we’d have a pre-recorded version of their segment. Their director was also in charge of flipping the scene to something else on the spur of the moment in case we encountered problems, making the event look like a complete TV production. 

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with Craig (Founder, President & Chief Creative Officer) and interfaced with his video and audio directors. The video director set up the cameras and controlled the scenes, while the audio director controlled the sounds. Other tech people also worked behind the scenes. In total, around seven people worked with us at any given time during the event. 

How did you come to work with TalkingTree Creative?

I met Craig 10–15 years ago at an event where he facilitated an in-person conference, and I was impressed with his work. Since then, we’d been in contact, although I didn’t use him until last year’s events. 

When the project came up, I asked Craig for recommendations because I had no idea what to do. He told me that since their in-person business practically vanished during the COVID-19 pandemic, they’d quickly switched over to video events. On top of that, they’d done plenty of video conferencing events before, so this wasn’t new to them. Eventually, we asked Craig plenty of questions, and he was highly responsive. 

Meanwhile, I contacted another company. However, I didn’t choose them because I wasn’t confident in their capabilities to deliver what I wanted. This event was of such importance to us that we couldn’t risk any failure. This was the biggest event of the year for us, so it had to go perfectly. Overall, I trusted the fact that Craig understood what we needed to do and how to do it, so we chose them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $60,000–$90,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted from May–September 2020. We worked all summer on the project, and Craig gave us a roadmap of what to do and a timetable in which to do it. Then, the actual events took place on various dates in September 2020. 

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

We saw a high number of people who tuned in and a low number of people who dropped off. On top of that, we received extremely few complaints, which was unusual for our congregation because some people always complained. We also received a huge number of congratulatory notes; people said that the events didn’t only come off well; they were also meaningful in terms of how we produced them. Overall, the project was a success.

How did TalkingTree Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was perfect; it was flawless. The TalkingTree team delivered everything they said they’d deliver. Likewise, when we ran into challenges on our end, they helped us figure out solutions. They held our hands at every step, 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They thoroughly owned and committed to the project, going above and beyond to satisfy us. Overall, we were impressed not only with their technical excellence but also their integrity. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any. I had no problems with their services. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear ahead of time around your goals. Then, let TalkingTree help you find solutions. Don’t judge beforehand; just know what you want to get out of the collaboration. Moreover, be communicative with them in terms of what your strengths and limitations are. That way, they’ll have a clear picture of who you are and provide you the best services.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and co-founder of 1F Collaborative and we’re a nonprofit that funds medical research to cure a rare genetic disease called Usher Syndrome Type 1F.

What challenge were you trying to address with TalkingTree Creative?

We were hosting an international scientific research conference, which we hoped to go to in-person — but because of COVID-19, we couldn’t. There was no way we could’ve handled 26 presenters and 300 attendees virtually, without the help of TalkingTree Creative.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we were deciding whether we’d do it live, if we were going to have recordings, what we wanted the home screen to look like, and what we wanted the viewers’ screen to look like in terms of the speaker and the slides — we also talked about sponsorships and how they’d be presented. As we got more into details, we worked on the agenda and they gave us advice on when we should have speakers get on, and how far they’ve collected the slides in advance. 

In addition, they had a whole crew on the day of the conference. They had a control team with a backend where speakers would come on and be in waiting, and they did tests on their connections to make sure they presented smoothly. Apart from that, they created and sent the Save the Date emails, sent out the graphics, and created and kept track of the registration page.

What is the team composition?

In all the work leading up to the actual event, we worked primarily with one person who was on top of things the day of the event. We also actively worked with two other members, but I know there were 1–2 in the background working on all the controls.

How did you come to work with TalkingTree Creative?

We were the recipients of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative project grant, and holding the conference was part of the requirement of the grant money. The organization gave the grantees a list of a few companies to help with the conference planning and TalkingTree Creative was one of them. Their description seemed to fit what we needed, and when I spoke to Craig (President), I knew they were exactly what we needed.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $39,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March 2020–May 2021.

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

The outreach they helped us get was fantastic. We got about 300 people that signed up for the conference, and because it was done virtually, we had attendees from China, Indonesia, Australia, and all over Europe.

How did TalkingTree Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed terrifically. TalkingTree Creative was very on top of things, and they were very responsive. We typically communicated through email and video conferencing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I would say it was their personalization, responsiveness, and the fact that we had one person who was dedicated to our project. They made suggestions to us that we hadn’t thought of which was very helpful. Their control room was also pretty fantastic. They had equipment that the average person wouldn’t have.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. Given that it was a completely virtual conference with speakers around the world, they got to manage it and 26 different internet connections — they got them all live so I have no complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice would be to come up with a detailed agenda to share with them, and do it early enough so that they know who they have to interact with. Give them the information that they need to make the event a success.

Please describe your company and your position there.

The Summit School provides the only non-public special education program specifically for children with dyslexia and other learning disabilities in Anne Arundel County. Founded in 1989, The Summit School was established in response to a need in the greater Annapolis/Baltimore/Southern Maryland community. Our model program is a mission-driven school devoted to helping every child reach their full potential.

Our outcomes are impressive; our national benchmark assessment tool, AIMSWeb+ shows that our students tend to improve at a greater rate of improvement than the national norms for all children, let alone children with learning differences/disabilities. We are incredibly proud of the more than 500 students who have graduated from our school.

With 98% of our alumni successfully completing high school – above the national average for all students at 83.2% and well above students who have been classified as demonstrating a specific learning disability in the public-school system - 70.8%. The Summit School experience is nothing short of life changing.

For what projects/services did your company hire TalkingTree Creative, and what were your goals?

Talking Tree was hired to help us create an engaging and interactive virtual national two day conference featuring authors and experts on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Our goal was to offer many opportunities for participants to learn more about building a community of cultural and racial competence. Talking Tree helped us to offer 20 different workshops (zoom breakouts) and 3 Keynote speakers.

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

We selected Talking Tree based on the services they offered. Talking Tree not only lived up to our expectation but exceeded them. We are grateful to have worked with this company to produce a successful event.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Talking Tree helped to design an interactive event website to host our 2 day conference. The site had custom backgrounds that fit well into our event theme. They created a functional, live help desk and a visually appealing website that was easy to access and use.

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

We worked closely with Talking Tree's Production Manager Jason Liu who helped design the event platform as well as Devyn Hoy, Director of Photography and Multimedia artist who assisted in the live Keynote portions of the event.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We were able to launch registration on time because the event registration page was completed early on. We also were able to effectively communicate with all registered attendees that registered through Talking Tree's platform.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We had weekly meetings to discuss action items and desired outcomes. Talking Tree utilized a timeline/calendar that sent us reminders about any tasks we needed to complete in order to meet deadlines.

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

The execution of the event was wonderful, we really enjoyed working with Talking Tree. Any challenge that came up was addressed in a timely manner and all content put out to the public was professional.