Tenderling Design

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a residential real estate investment advisor, and I am the director of communications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenderling Design?

They handle a variety of design services for our larger corporate brand as well as some of our individual properties.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their work includes brand consultation at a corporate level, branding work for some of our individual properties, and broad support for the art and design in our website, marketing collateral, and investor presentations.

They also handle SEO for our website and general troubleshooting for some of the technical issues that arise related to our internal design software. The SEO work is focused on internal changes to our website such as alt text that help us to improve our performance on the keywords that we have already targeted.

What was the team composition?

From their team, I work with five people, including the principals and three designers.

How did you come to work with Tenderling Design?

I have partnered with their team off and on for close to 15 years, so I knew about them and the quality of work that they can provide when I had this particular need arise.

What is the status of this engagement?

This partnership began in July of 2011 and is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t track any direct metrics from their work since it doesn’t directly result in any kind of sales, but their work has been really well received by my entire team, all the way up to the CEO. Their quality of work is just consistently above the standard for their industry.

How did Tenderling Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They do an excellent job of managing all of their work. The whole team is extremely proactive and responsive, and I’ve never been put in jeopardy in any way because of any mistake on their part.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Balancing a very refined design sensibility with the ability to execute specific business needs is a very difficult thing to accomplish, and many agencies are either too stubborn to budge on their principles or don’t quite have the right design chops. Tenderling Design walks that line perfectly and delivers exactly what you’re looking for every time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I really can’t think of anything that they should be doing differently.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Start small to test out the relationship and expand your partnership from there if you like how they work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

When I worked with Tenderling Design I was the VP of Sales and Marketing for HRI Lodging, a management company for hotels.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenderling Design?

We were building a new brand for an independent, boutique hotel and spa that was being repositioned.

SOLUTION

What is the team composition?

The main contacts were Penny (Creative Director & Owner) and James (Creative Director), and they have a large team of people that help them create the assets.

How did you come to work with Tenderling Design?

They were a referral from a PR company I worked with.

What is the status of this engagement?

I’ve been working with them since June 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re incredibly organized and meet deliverable dates without fail. In the beginning, they put together a great project outline and a timeline that made sense. They don’t pretend they can do a branding project in six days when they know it will take six months.

How did Tenderling Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Our communication was flexible according to whatever was appropriate for the phase of the project we were in. They provide diplomatic feedback. Branding projects require both a vision and a story that feeds into that vision. A lot of ideas will surface from a variety of parties and they’re good at sharing when things aren’t aligned. That’s absolutely key in this kind of work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re professionals that understand the creative process. They’re also able to navigate through complicated, multi-layered approval processes and hierarchies. They understand the need to get buy-in and the time necessary to make the buy-in happen. The politics of branding projects weren’t an issue for them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t. I really enjoyed working with them and would recommend them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

There has to be chemistry and partnerships and I wouldn’t assume about anybody else’s process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the corporate director of marketing from HRI Lodging, a hotel management company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenderling Design?

We had graphic design needs, ranging from support for our branded hotels to our lifestyle and independent hotels.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started by giving them details on what we’re looking for and what our operational needs are. From there, they come back to us with what they’re thinking for the brand story, visual story, and messaging creatively.

For our branded hotels, they need graphic design work that goes beyond our specific template. For the lifestyle and independent hotels, they work on full branding projects specific to their needs. 

What is the team composition?

We work with five people from their team. I work with James (Creative Director) and Penny (Creative Director & Owner). Someone also manages our retainer with them, along with two graphic designers. 

How did you come to work with Tenderling Design?

We’ve worked with them in the past, so we have continued to use them for all of our projects, mostly. We received an initial quote from them as part of the RFP process. They put together an extensive proposal that was itemized, so we could pick and choose what to move forward with. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in June 2015 and we continue to use them. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had great success in working with them and developing a portfolio retainer. Since we don’t want our hotel teams spending time on graphic design, it’s been great using Tenderling Design as an extension of our own team.

How did Tenderling Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great when it comes to being flexible and dealing with multiple leaders within our team that have different visions. We’re in communication with them regularly, at least weekly.

They can work directly with me and our hotel team depending on the needs. They also put together a spreadsheet of what they’re working on, what the status is, and what they’re waiting on. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really, truly care about their clients. For us, they understand the business process and know that there are multiple people involved in decisions. They are always game when changes come in or curveballs happen. They always do what they need to do—it’s been a great partnership. 

We don’t even look at them as an agency, they’re like a part of our team. We can bounce ideas off of them and find ways to cross-sell our properties. Other branding agencies have a lot of red tape, but Tenderling Design is always willing to jump in. Nothing ever feels out of scope for them. They’re proactive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing they could do better. They provide a unique experience as a boutique agency.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the manager and in-house counsel for a real estate management and development company based in Los Angeles.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenderling Design?

We were trying to rebrand the company and wanted to bring on a partner to help us with that process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They worked with us to rebrand several of our buildings as well as our overall corporate identity. We brought them on from the very first stage of the planning process in order to craft the right identity for our company and buildings.

It started with a series of interviews and questions that they asked us about the company and went through an iterative process from there. We took several weeks for each project to make sure that we were crafting exactly the image that we wanted to represent. They provided all of the logos, layouts, and other collateral for each of the rebrands.

What was the team composition?

Our main point of contact was James (Owner), but we also spoke with other employees in their office who worked together as a team on the project.

How did you come to work with Tenderling Design?

They worked with a competitor of ours in Hollywood, and we loved the work they did there and decided to give them a call. We were just as impressed with the interview and have used them ever since.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, the cost has been around $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2015 and are continuing the engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All of their work has been excellent, and the results that they have demonstrated in terms of ratings, rents, and everything are consistently beyond our expectations. It has been an easy choice to continue working with them over the years because of how much value they are able to deliver.

How did Tenderling Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Their management of the project has been perfect so far. We use Asana to keep track of the project milestones internally and communicate with their team via email to make sure that everything is on track and running smoothly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have the really rare combination of being nice people who are actually brilliant at what they do. That skillset is hard to find in a third-party vendor and makes working with them incredibly easy for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I really have no complaints at all.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Whoever’s interested in working with them should start sooner than they expected so that you give them enough time to really come up with the best possible ideas for you. They do fantastic work, but they’re not magicians, so the more time you give them the better results you can expect.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a hotel management company that owns and manages third-party hotels. Most are branded, but we do have a few independent properties. I’m the corporate director of marketing, which means I support half of the portfolio with their marketing, PR, design, branding, and other creative needs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenderling Design?

I had initially started working with them in the past for a singular project. They had also worked on one of our independent hotels. In the last two years, Tenderling Design has helped us establish a graphic design retainer that easily allows our hotels to reach out to them regularly.

A lot of times, hotels will take liberty themselves. Tenderling Design put on the professional touch to ensure all of our work is presentable and on brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When I was first introduced to them, Tenderling Design was assisting us with a branding project in California. We actually brought them over to one of our properties in Richmond, Virginia, to help with the design of window panels during its renovation. We wanted to come up with a concept that was attention-grabbing and trendy but mirrored the building’s history.

For that process, their team scheduled a meeting with me to go over the project’s scope, deadline, and budget. They put together a proposal that I had the hotel team sign off on. After that, we had another meeting with the hotel team, where we brainstormed different ideas about the messaging. From there, they gave us our first round of drafts with four various examples within a week. Each example was unique, but we blended down to two options. After a few tweaks, the hotel team picked one.

With other projects, the team also helps with creating guest-facing and client-facing touchpoints through email blasts, flyers, seasonal menus, and logo design.

What is the team composition?

For that singular project, Penny (Creative Director & Owner) and James (Creative Director) were our primary contacts. Underneath them, there was a graphic designer that coordinated the project and feedback.

How did you come to work with Tenderling Design?

We actually priced out to two other companies. One was a hotel-related company that made big banners and those elements, and the other was someone the brand recommended. The brand recommendation was costly and wanted to charge hourly. The other option was reasonably priced, but we didn’t feel that they were creative enough.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in the summer of 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve worked with a few different branding agencies and graphic designers, but Tenderling Design has a lot of business, restaurant, and hotel experience. They went above and beyond other agencies.

Their team reached out to vendors to ensure that the correct specifications and colors were delivered, and they also walked them through any questions. They made sure that the window panels were correctly installed, and that the hotel team was pleased with it. From start to finish, Tenderling Design is hands-on.

For one project, we worked with a large agency for a hotel brand development project that involved naming and collateral development. When we got the final product that, there were no many points wrong. We couldn’t even get print products for the specs that the pieces needed to be created on.

We hired Tenderling Design for a secondary sub-project where they basically overhauled it to make it printable and production-worthy. They were great at guiding us on price points and negotiations. They went to the printers to make sure the colors were correct and were sensitive to our timing needs. Their team was dedicated to delivering what we envisioned. Without having an agency like Tenderling Design, I don’t think we would’ve ever been able to produce any of the things that the original agency came up with.

For that particular project, we still work with Tendering Design on building and enhancing new assets, even working with previous parts that the other agency made. That point in our relationship solidified all of our future projects with Tenderling Design.

How did Tenderling Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform great. I feel like their team keeps me on my toes. They send weekly status recaps and answer questions in a timely manner. Most of the time, they’re answering the same day. They can hop on a call, but also have the patience and willingness to sit down and explain their processes. They’re excellent at talking through their decisions to make their clients feel comfortable moving forward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication style is what I appreciate the most. They want to understand what we envision and what the goal is. The team at Tenderling Design works collaborating, giving us options and solutions that we weren’t even aware of. They want to know where our inspiration comes from.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. As they start to become popular, they’re figuring out how to expand as a company. I appreciate that they still operate as a smaller boutique firm. I still directly hear from the owners, even as they grow their workload.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Always know your budget for creativity and production. Make sure you understand that before presenting all of the content. If not, communicate that to them and let them know what you need. They can provide support. Their team has given us support with stock imagery and photoshoots.

Streamline everything so that they have the freedom to put it together creatively. They’ll deliver what looks the best.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Area Director of Sales & Marketing of Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Hotel

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Tenderling Design to accomplish?

• Quality creative design while maintaining brand standards/consistency.
• Collaborative and timely service
• Free up on property Marketing Coordinator to work on developing new ideas instead of graphic design.

SOLUTION

How did you find Tenderling Design?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Tenderling Design over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Tenderling Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Tenderling is our agency for all of our collateral design. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Quality design keeping with brand standard while inserting creativity.

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

Delivered on time and were very responsive.

What was your primary form of communication with Tenderling Design?

Email or Messaging App

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

Their sense of urgency and attention to detail are impressive.

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

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Sales of Caption by Hyatt Nashville Dowtown-The Gulch

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide temporary lodging, amenities, and services to travelers and guests in exchange for payment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Tenderling Design to accomplish?

• Reimagine marketing collateral
• Create templates for marketing pieces
• Create ads

SOLUTION

How did you find Tenderling Design?

Mangement company

Why did you select Tenderling Design over others?

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

How many teammates from Tenderling Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Assisted with developing new hotel branding and designed marketing materials for the sales team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project’s success was demonstrated by positive client feedback and improved engagement with the newly branded marketing materials.

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

They consistently delivered items on time and were highly responsive and engaged throughout every project, ensuring that all needs were met promptly and effectively.

What was your primary form of communication with Tenderling Design?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What impressed me most was their all-hands-on-deck approach—no project was too big or too small, and they demonstrated genuine care and dedication to every client and assignment.

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

There are no areas for improvement—Tenderling Design met or exceeded expectations in every aspect of the project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Senior Marketing Manager of a hospitality & leisure company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We're in Hospitality.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Tenderling Design to accomplish?

• Create an Engaging Website For Brand Awareness
• Update the Website After Opening with Elevated Look-and-Feel
• Create Brand Identities for each of our F&B experiences

SOLUTION

How did you find Tenderling Design?

Worked with Them Before

Why did you select Tenderling Design over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Tenderling Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We asked Tenderling to create a website for our new hotel and also branding for many F&B experiences. They included several iterations that truly helped us focus on the personality of our restaurants while also giving our entire hotel the sophisticated look-and-feel we desired.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were always on time, if not early with their deliverables.

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

They set up meetings to walk through their thought process and took our feedback well

What was your primary form of communication with Tenderling Design?

Virtual Meeting

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

It feels like a family atmosphere, and it feels like you're working with a true partner and not just another agency.

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

N/A

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Dallas, a hospitality, lodging, food and beverage, banquet and catering, and events company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenderling Design?

We needed help with graphic design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tenderling Design created digital and print promotional posters, flyers, and coupons for the restaurant inside our hotel. The team incorporated the color, style, and personality of our restaurant.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three teammates from Tenderling Design.

How did you come to work with Tenderling Design?

We found them through our management company. We chose them over other options because of their reputation and past positive experiences.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent less than $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May 2025–June 2025.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Tenderling Design listened to my feedback on changes and had a quick turnaround on edits. For example, we had an existing coupon design that I needed changed the same day. The team met my request by 5:00 PM, and we were able to hand out the coupons at our members-only happy hour event that started at 4:30 PM.

How did Tenderling Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Tenderling Design delivered ahead of time and had great communication throughout the entire process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity was impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing they need to improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Partner of Negrin LLP

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Negrin LLP is a law firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Tenderling Design to accomplish?

• To design my law firm's website.

SOLUTION

How did you find Tenderling Design?

Referral

Why did you select Tenderling Design over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Tenderling Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Design and go live with my law firm's website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is live and looks great.

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

They delivered on time and followed mny instructions.

What was your primary form of communication with Tenderling Design?

Email or Messaging App

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

The website looks great.

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

No.