THIEL

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner and Wealth Management Advisor of Grey Owl Investment Group

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a wealth managment and financial planning firm

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire THIEL to accomplish?

• Create a brand/company name
• Create a story behind the brand
• Design a logo

SOLUTION

How did you find THIEL?

Referral

Why did you select THIEL over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from THIEL were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

I’m Mark Riebesehl, owner and Wealth Management Advisor at Grey Owl Investment Group. I founded GOIG to create a truly independent investment firm, free from the constraints of big institutions, and focused on a personalized, forward-thinking approach to wealth management. As I took this leap, I knew that building a strong brand identity was essential—not just for credibility, but to communicate our unique philosophy to the right audience.
When launching Grey Owl Investment Group, I needed a partner who could do more than just design a logo—I needed a firm that could help me define and articulate the brand itself. My goal was to create a brand that reflected my 360-degree view of the market, my passion for educating clients, and my ability to uncover emerging investment opportunities. I wanted something truly distinctive in an industry that often feels stuck in a sea of sameness.
I interviewed several agencies, but THIEL immediately stood out. While other firms pitched generic financial branding concepts, THIEL took the time to understand what makes Grey Owl Investment Group different. Their Focused Creativity process was thorough and strategic, uncovering the essence of my approach—an advisor who not only navigates the market with foresight but empowers clients through education. From there, THIEL led the entire brand development process, including:
• Brand Strategy & Positioning: Defining the core messaging and brand voice.
• Naming & Identity: Developing the Grey Owl name to reflect wisdom, foresight, and a commitment to uncovering opportunities.
• Logo & Visual Identity: Designing a bold, sophisticated brand mark that represents our approach.
• Brand Story & Messaging Framework: Crafting language that communicates our value proposition clearly and consistently.
I worked closely with THIEL’s team, including brand strategists, designers, and copywriters. Their collaborative approach ensured that every aspect of the brand was aligned with my vision.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The outcome? I was completely blown away. THIEL didn’t just create a brand—they built a foundation that positions Grey Owl Investment Group for long-term success. The new branding has given me a confident, professional presence that resonates with the right clients.

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

The process was seamless—THIEL kept everything on track, met deadlines, and truly felt like an extension of my own team. They balanced strategy and creativity in a way that made decision-making easy.

What was your primary form of communication with THIEL?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

THIEL’s ability to think beyond aesthetics. They understand branding as a business tool, ensuring that every element serves a purpose. They turned what could have been an ordinary financial firm into something extraordinary.

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

Honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing. They delivered beyond my expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Sr. Vice President for S3 AeroDenfense, an aerospace company that provides aircraft spares distribution, repair and overhaul services to Military Operators around the World.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

THIEL interviewed internal stakeholders and customers to outline our brand identity. Then they developed messaging and assets to help us target and attract our ideal audience.

SOLUTION

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

We selected THIEL because they had over 30 years of experience solving the problems we were facing as a business. But above all else, we selected THIEL because we knew we would enjoy working with the THIEL team members.

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

THIEL started the engagement by conducting a series of interviews with our customers, potential prospects, executives, and sales leaders. With that information, they created a profile that described how we were perceived in the market and how we saw ourselves as a company. From there, they began to craft our brand story, who we were as a company, what we stood for, and what our messaging was. They delivered a 50+ page documents that outlined our brand. The document helped us create assets such as a website, sales materials, marketing campaigns and much more.

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

From day one we worked with the same business development director, creative director and project manager. Throughout the process we worked with many different team members with specific skills sets.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

To be honest, THIEL took on the burden of having to worry about "measurable outcomes". I no longer have to micromanage our marketing efforts and its been a huge relief.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Fantastic. Our companies worked in close collaboration. THIEL took the lead and owned all aspects of project management.

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

Creative and THIEL's ability to tell our story in a simple way. We've spent years trying to articulate what makes our company different. Then hit the mark. They even made our story easy to understand.

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

None that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Marketing Director of a plastic lumber firm. We use recycled plastic to create lumber profiles that are used in outdoor applications where customers need strength, durability and aesthetics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire THIEL?

Our company had grown by acquisition and we needed a new corporate website to tie our companies together. The current corporate site was also outdated and required an overhaul. We hired Thiel to develop a new corporate site that accurately presented our integrated company and brand, as well as copywriting services for the site.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to have a site that amplified our company and brand message. We wanted to take the best of our previous sites and merging them in a way that made it very clear who we are, what we do and how we're differentiated from our competition. We have a very high amount of inbound leads from our site each month and it was important that the SEO that drove those leads was maintained or even improved.

SOLUTION

How did you select THIEL?

We searched for top firms in our area and came across Thiel. We interviewed and got proposals from three different agencies. We felt that Thiel's proposal was the closest to meeting our requirements and their team the best suited to partner with. We also liked their strategic approach and integration of UX into the site build.

Describe the project in detail.

Our site was built on WordPress. We had a kick-off meeting where we discussed site goals and shared sites we inspired to be like. This kicked off weekly meetings where we discussed site functionality and UI/UX. Once the site design was finalized, it went to development and launch.

What was the team composition?

We worked with three people directly. We worked with an account executive, head of digital strategy and UI/UX developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We recently launched our site and have received incredibly positive feedback from all layers of our organization. We're still evaluating our analytics, but so far have seen stable traffic, which is incredible considering it's a brand new domain with no equity. The site did an incredible job of blending our companies together and touting the strengths of each former site and company.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had weekly meetings and communicated via email during the week. They were very responsive to our emails and additional questions throughout the week.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team has a very strategic and creative approach, which was rare and I was very impressed. They were able to take our loft, aspirational goals for a site and make it a reality. The site was not only beautiful but was also built with SEO and UI at its core.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I don't believe so. There were a few minor glitches after the site launched, but they were very responsive in fixing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Marketing Director for one of the largest cosmetic surgery and medspa's located in the greater Milwaukee area. I oversee all of our marketing and rebranding, including social media and website.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire THIEL?

We had two large cosmetic surgery centers in the Milwaukee area merge together to form the largest surgery center, with 6 board-certified plastic surgeons, 2 on-site surgery centers, and 2 physician-supervised Medspas. We hired Thiel to do all of the rebranding, website, and marketing/advertising.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to continue the awareness of the well-known physicians and create a new exciting brand that would showcase the expertise of not only the surgeons, but all of the Nurse injectors, laser technicians, and Aestheticians in our Medpsas.

SOLUTION

How did you select THIEL?

My team had interviewed about 4 agencies and was referred to Thiel from a mutual acquaintance. Thiel immediately stood out from the others in every aspect of our research, from the first initial phone consultation throughout each presentation.

They took the time to get to know the company background and what we needed before we even decided to hire them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Thiel began the process by interviewing our plastic surgeons and researching our competitors. They got a sense of the vision of our brand.

The first thing we had to decide was a new name, which was a difficult process being that the 2 companies that merged had their respective names for over 30 years. and from their designed a brand package, including a new logo, colors, and marketing materials.

What was the team composition?

I worked with their brand consultant, who built a whole team ranging from creative, design and digital support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are still ongoing with Thiel and will continue our marketing with them. We love our new name and brand, including the new color scheme and overall look/feel. Although it has been fairly recent, we have been receiving many compliments and new patients due to this new look.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

we continue to touch base weekly and for some bigger projects, monthly. All of the Thiel team are easily reachable and so helpful when needed. So far, the process has been extremely smooth.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The whole team is very attentive and passionate about our company. they really go above and beyond to make sure we succeed.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not as of yet, we will continue to use them for our marketing and look forward to a long relationship.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a real estate management corporation as a regional manager. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with THIEL?

For our most recent project together, THIEL designed a custom website for one of our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did website design, a number of estimates regarding marketing, assisted with logo development, and did a Google Ad campaign. They set up a proposal for establishing a stronger online presence on Facebook Marketplace and other things like that.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with three team members.

How did you come to work with THIEL?

I believe they were a referral from a co-worker. We had used them for a different client and were really pleased with the results there, so I reached out to the main sales rep and took it from there. 

How much have you invested with them?

The last project was probably over $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

It’s been a couple of years now; this last project wasn’t the first one I did with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A lot of the marketing, web design, and online world is a bit over my head and my clients’ heads, since it’s just not what we do. Ryan (Principal & Interactive Director) with THIEL is my number-one, go-to guy. He can really break everything down in layman’s terms so that I can get an understanding of the behind-the-scenes operations and why certain recommendations take priority over others. He breaks things down in such a way that my client and I can digest.

How did THIEL perform from a project management standpoint?

We don’t use any project management software directly with THIEL. Ryan is more than willing to hop on the phone, and he’s flexible – we can do a Google Meet, a Webex, a phone call, or an email. They set us up with our Google Ad campaign and gave us a dashboard to look at. The team meets deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’d say their team; they’re very quick to respond, they’re available, and they’re professional and friendly. There’s better communication and less follow up, so that’s one thing that is always great. Also, their design team is awesome; we’ve never been displeased with anything they’ve put together.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. There’s nothing identifiable that I’d say they need to work on.

Any advice for potential customers?

Pick up the phone and give them a call, because they’re very helpful.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Vice President of Marlin Technologies, which designs and manufacturers customer electronic controls for severe duty environments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire THIEL?

Thiel helped us create a new brand identity. The project included a new logo, company messaging, website development, trade show booth, product branding, videos, SEO, and social media. Thiel was very effective in all these areas and exceeded expectations.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal for our project was to position ourselves for the future. We wanted to put the pieces in place to ensure we were reaching our customers with the right message. Thiel's approach was to conduct internal and external interviews to understand who we were as a business from our employees and customers perspective. This was a critical exercise in which we learned a lot and helped tailor their work into the result we have today.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We interviewed multiple branding/marketing agencies and Thiel stood out amongst the others because they always dug deeper into who we were/are as a company. They will always ask "why" do you do something to ensure they fully understand the intention and they use that create messaging that illustrates they "why".

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Thiel first met with key stakeholders at Marlin and then setup interviews with employees (from all areas), existing customers, lost customers, and potential customers. The interview process took about a month but was worth the time and energy as the results were critical to the overall projects success.

Once they summarized the results they created a brand profile that is the center piece of their development. They will setup recurring meetings and will keep you on track. each project would have a launch date and they hit each date.

What was the team composition?

Thiel assigned a upper level project manager who was invovlved in every step and continues to be our contact as our relationship continues post project. We also had a dedicated brand developer that worked with our project manager who was also in constant contact.

For the specialty areas, such as web development, the project manager would bring in the specialist and we would all work together. The key was having one constant contact person. At this point in our relationship Thiel feels like an extension of the Marlin team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall we have had a lot of positive feedback on all visual aspects of the Marlin brand. At trade shows we have people stop and ask who created our videos, the layout and branding and I always share their name. With regards to SEO, each month we are seeing better results. We have monthly meetings to review SEO and PPC to ensure we are hitting our intended targets.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

This was very easy. Process was setup early on and evolved as necessary.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

What stood out most was their desire to understand why we did things. I believe their ability to always question why we do something is what makes them successful.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Empire Painting, professional painting service provider. I am the Sales and Operations Manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire THIEL?

We hired Thiel to develop a custom website and help improve our SEO.

What were your goals for this project?

New, user-friendly website that is suitable for mobile devices and desktop.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Referral.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Custom website build, marketing consulting, SEO consulting.

What was the team composition?

We had a stable contact person who oversaw the development of the entire project. He was assisted by a team, two of whom we interacted with over this time span.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We launched fairly recently so there's not much significant impact we can yet measure. However, having an immediately improved website presence for mobile searches is a big benefit.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was clearly scheduled and outlined.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

THIEL takes each client into its family and goes beyond providing services. They become a thoughtful spokesperson for the brands they represent.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The launch deadline was met and we are pleased with the overall results.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I worked at Alegeus, a cloud-based HSA, FSA, and HRA benefits administration platform. I was the creative manager and directed brand strategy, web presence, and look-and-feel of market-facing campaigns, events, and materials.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire THIEL?

Thiel was originally selected to create the Alegeus brand and develop the corporate website. Due to the strength of their initial contributions, it became clear that they would become an incredibly vital on-going partner.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to develop a brand with a clear, yet distinct identity in the healthcare finances industry. Additionally, we wanted to form a long-term relationship with a creative agency that was able to learn and speak our voice in every creative project, whether it be video, digital marketing, direct mail, or email.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I wasn't involved in the initial selection process, but the excellence of their on-going work made it clear that Thiel was the only creative vendor we'd consistently work with.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Regardless of the project's complexity, Thiel always asked the right foundational questions to ensure the project would successful.

What was the team composition?

The team's composition would vary project to project because Thiel always pulled-in the right expert for the job. However, Ryan Robers was a consistent point of contact who managed our projects flawlessly and became a critical extension of our team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our internal team and marketing-facing prospects would routinely comment on the quality of our campaigns and marketing materials. We undoubtedly received more incoming leads because of Thiel's contributions.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Thiel was responsive and there when we needed them. They truly felt like an extension of our team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

THIEL always had our back, no matter what.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nope. Keep doing what you're doing!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Marketing Director for Manitou North America

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire THIEL?

Digital Target Marketing to assist our dealer network

What were your goals for this project?

Brand awareness and drive sales leads for our dealers

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Interview multiple vendors prior to making a decision to select Thiel as our agency.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Support our dealer network with online target marketing to help them grow their brand and customer base in their regions.

What was the team composition?

Worked very closely with the principle of Thiel to help them understand our business, brands, and products. They also met with our dealers individual to understand the needs of their business and their regions. This is very important because each dealer has customers with different needs and buying behaviors.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within 6 months our brand impressions increased by over 2 Million impressions from only about 10 select regions.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very easy. The Thiel team was very hands-on always analyzing every project to make sure we were getting the best value for our money. If something wasn't working well, they were quick to change the strategy to make it more valuable for our dealer and the brand.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their professionalism, knowledge of digital marketing, and determination to understand what our goals are. Also their commitment to dedicating their staff to help us achieve our goals for our brands and customers is impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The Thiel team is very resourceful and reactive to our needs.