Business Topics
Will we be seeing geometric packaging hitting the shelves in the near future? If it's up to the imagination of students Dzmitry Samal and Petar Pavlov maybe we will. These Buckminster Fuller-esque packaging structures mark a distinct departure for Doritos and Coca-Cola.
Clearly these multi-faceted structures may pose challenges to implement. And of course the increased costs and environmental impact would need to be factored in. Do you think we'll be seeing more of this come to market in the food and beverage packaging? Maybe in another industry?
What are your thoughts?
POSTED ON Friday, October 23, 2009
FILE UNDER: Business, Design, Ideas
We're happy to announce that Studiofluid is working closely with the Pasadena Symphony and POPS on a massive re-branding effort. We're helping them with a new identity system for their various orchestras, stationery and print collateral, the 2010 season brochure, and a completely redesigned web site.
Here's a sneak peak of the progress we've been making on the branding and web site. Stay tuned for the results, which will make a splash in September!
UPDATE: Check out more of the project in the work section, and visit the new pasadenasymphony-pops.org.
POSTED ON Friday, August 28, 2009
FILE UNDER: Business, Design, News & Notable, Projects, Studiofluid
When we were looking for the right furniture to outfit the studio, I spent many hours over many weeks trying to find the right solution.
And then I discovered Infinite Storage Solutions, based in San Clemente, CA. I knew I had finally found the right company, and within 20 minutes I was in the car, driving down to see the product in their showroom.
ISS is based on a modular system of sturdy extruded aluminum rails, which—as their name suggests—can be customized for an infinite number of useful configurations. We're thrilled with the L-shaped desk and standing height work station, for the function as well as the attention to detail and minimal lines of the ISS system.
I also love the product is made right here in the USA, and that they're a family owned and run business. In fact, during my visit, John and Mona they invited me to join them for pizza in the break room with their staff and kids. It's always nice to meet people who are creating their own opportunities through innovation—and thriving.
ISS actually custom designs your furniture in Google SketchUp so you can evaluate in 3D before purchasing. You can even drop their SketchUp files into your floor plan and see how it will fit into your space.
Their customer service is top-notch too. (Thanks, Kristy!) What else could you ask for? If you're in the market for a workspace for your small business, or if you have a live/work space like we do, you would be wise to give ISS Designs a closer look.
And if you're headed to the Dwell on Design Expo in L.A. this month, make sure you stop by the ISS exhibitor booth, and tell them Studiofluid sent ya.
POSTED ON Tuesday, June 16, 2009
FILE UNDER: Business, Ideas, Productivity, Studiofluid
Over at the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, a group of entrepreneurs contributed their best strategies for staying focused and getting things done.
Ben's idea is featured at #10.
Here's a link the the Freedom App, which is highly recommended for those of you on the Mac.
POSTED ON Wednesday, May 27, 2009
FILE UNDER: Business, Community, Ideas, News & Notable, Productivity, Studiofluid
Yes, it's no surprise that your web site needs to reflect your brand. And yes, it should look great. And while we're at it, your site might as well be intuitive and elegant for your visitors to get around.
But is that enough?
Not exactly. Your site also needs to be visible to search engines if your customer is going to find you in the first place. (Making your site visible to search engines is called "Search Engine Optimization" or "SEO.")
At some point, when you've got all the fundamentals in place, partnering with a dedicated SEO company may be the right decision. But if you're a small to mid-sized business, building your site properly and adding quality content will likely be money much better spent.
So how is your site currently scoring? If you have a existing site, now you can get an objective analysis by Website Grader for free!
Website Grader is a free seo tool that measures the marketing effectiveness of a website. It provides a score that incorporates things like website traffic, SEO, social popularity and other technical factors. It also provides some basic advice on how the website can be improved from a marketing perspective.
On May 5, 2009, Studiofluid recieved a WebsiteGrader score 91 with an Alexa rank of 755,131 which is in the top 2.7 % of all websites.
How did your site score?
If you're looking to revamp your low-scoring web site, or build a new site right from the ground up, Studiofluid can help. We build efficient and intuitive web sites that are easy for your visitors to use, and that allow you the best possible visibility to search engines like Yahoo! and Google.
And yeah, your site will look great too.
POSTED ON Wednesday, May 6, 2009
FILE UNDER: Business, Ideas, News & Notable, Studiofluid, Technology
It's been a flurry of activity around here. I just finished renovating my live/work space and my new office looks great and functions even better. I'm looking at a photo shoot soon so I can post some here.
Our clients are great folks. I'm continually amazed and blessed by high caliber people that I get to partner with on a daily basis. Currently we're working on:
Identity and Retail Packaging for a healthy snack food company. Can't say a whole lot about that one now, but we're stoked about everything is coming together.
Branding and Website for the Pasadena Wine Festival which will be held at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden this fall. Our site will handle ticket sales and event sponsorship. All ticket sales from the event benefit the Pasadena Symphony.
Branding and Website for a remodeling company. We're helping the owner connect with his clearly defined target audience in Southern California. His website includes a content management system (CMS) and will clearly communicate their commitment to quality, community focus, and will encourage visitors to get in touch for a free estimate.
And a few more are in the pipeline, but it's a bit too early to say...
POSTED ON Thursday, April 16, 2009
FILE UNDER: Business, Community, Design, News & Notable, Projects, Studiofluid
Trendwatching has an interesting article about how more people are taking entrepreneurial steps to supplement their income. Keep scrolling, there are a lot of solid ideas and unique business models made possible through our increasingly connected world.
POSTED ON Monday, April 6, 2009
FILE UNDER: Business, Community, Ideas, News & Notable, Technology
I get so energized talking with other entrepreneurs. Yeah, there is a lot of doom-and-gloom news out there, but there are also incredible opportunities for those courageous enough to take action. Just this week I met with three people who are taking control of their own careers, who are now partnering with Studiofluid to help launch their ideas with impact.
If you find yourself on the fence about your next business move, you might want to give this a read. Business Coach and Venture Capitalist Paul Graham shares his insights on why to start a startup in a bad economy. Some of these really jumped out at me:
- If you're the right sort of person, you'll win even in a bad economy. And if you're not, a good economy won't save you.
- If you're worried about threats to the survival of your company, don't look for them in the news. Look in the mirror.
- Startups often make things cheaper, so in that respect they're better positioned to prosper in a recession than big companies.
- Another advantage of bad times is that there's less competition... If everyone else is cowering in a corner, you may have a whole car to yourself.
Also worth checking out is Paul's latest company, Y Combinator, which specializes in funding early stage startups.
POSTED ON Tuesday, March 31, 2009
FILE UNDER: Business, Ideas, News & Notable, Technology
If you've got a great idea for a business, but and you're not quite sure what the next step would be, make sure you check out the resources available to you at SCORE.org (Service Corps of Retired Executives). In partnership with with the SBA (Small Business Administration), SCORE is a nationwide network of volunteers who have made their mark in the business world and desire to give back to the community by helping emerging entrepreneurs.
“Surround yourself with gray hair and listen.”
Those are some of my favorite words* to live by, and for business guidance, the wisdom is accessible to you. If you're located in Southern California, you'll want to check out SCORE Los Angeles with headquarters in Glendale and other branches across the city. There you can sign up for free individual counseling sessions with a retired entrepreneur, who can help with writing a business plan, walk you through funding options, or answer questions specific to your business.
SCORE also offers helpful workshops on a variety of topics, at a bargain price of $25-35 per session. I continue to attend the workshops because I usually walk away with something useful, and it is a great way for me to stay tuned to the pulse of the entrepreneurs that Studiofluid regularly helps.
And a bonus for the ladies out there, make sure to check out Ladies who Launch. I've got a few friends who enthusiastically recommend that one as well.
* First heard by twin filmmakers Noah and Logan Miller.
POSTED ON Friday, March 20, 2009
FILE UNDER: Business, Community, Ideas, News & Notable
At Startup Weekend Los Angeles, my team developed "Yummyware" in less than 48 hours from concept to working prototype. Our inspiration came from the real-world frustrations of one of our team members who works for Hotcakes Bakes, a bakery here in Los Angeles.
Yummyware is a simple, internal software solution for Bakeries that streamlines custom orders, while keeping things organized from production through delivery.
ABOVE: Yummyware branding and customized login screen.
ABOVE: Daily view shows projects to be completed and employee messages.
ABOVE: All orders available at a glance by week.
ABOVE: Order form tailored by each bakery, and helps capture detailed information with custom orders.
We developed Yummyware for Hotcakes Bakes as the prototype customer, with the ability to scale the product and sell it as a monthly subscription service to Bakeries and other confectioneries in need of simple customized management help. (Just get in touch if you would like to license the product).
I worked with a team of 6 entrepreneurs to push out a working version during our weekend. I led the software architecture, user interface, visual design, product naming and logo design. My teammates built the database, implemented the HTML/CSS, proposed a business and marketing plan, led the pitch presentation and made valuable contributions to the UI and product as a whole. Many thanks again to teammates Talya, Tracey, Madeline, Craig and Joel. You guys rock!
Like Hotcakes Bakes, it is all too common for entrepreneurs possess a unique skill or product, while being unable to convert it into a successful business—failing to consistently deliver a quality product at a profit. By implementing a reliable, repeatable, streamlined system (like Yummyware) a skilled artisan/craftperson/hobbyist can make the leap to thriving business owner.
If a simple, customized solution sounds like something that could benefit your small business, get it touch. We'd love to hear from you and help you become profitable.
POSTED ON Tuesday, March 3, 2009
FILE UNDER: Business, Community, Design, Ideas, Technology
What do you get when you combine a room full of entrepreneurs with the challenge to launch web-based service or product in 48 hours?
The answer is Startup Weekend, of course. And a whole lot of fun.
On the weekend of February 27th-March 1st, I gathered with over 50 other entrepreneurs with backgrounds including user interface, graphic design, programming, pr, and business development for the second Startup Weekend Los Angeles. Of the initial 20+ pitches presented on Friday night, we broke off into teams of 5-9 people based on what seemed interesting. Over the course of the weekend, seven teams designed and built working sites, each with varying degrees of completion.
The creativity and results were impressive, to say the least.
- Blocksnap: Upload and experience views on the neighborhood level.
- CheapChews: Receive coupons and notifications for local restaurants.
- Fill in the Geek: Connecting comic buyers with comic sellers.
- Sponsor Hub: A place for sponsors and non-profits find each other.
- Yummyware: Simple bakery management software.
- Share my Spot: You park here while I am not.
- Craigee: A decision making tool for Craigslist.
SWLA was rewarding a rewarding experience unto itself, even if the projects never saw the light of day. But, in fact, they're out there live on the web and it will be interesting to see if any gain long-term traction. You can read more about my team's project: Yummyware, the simple bakery management software.
A huge thanks to host Jerome from Blankspaces, and the event sponsors who provided an amazing spread of food and tech support.
POSTED ON Monday, March 2, 2009
FILE UNDER: Business, Design, Ideas, News & Notable
When launching a new product or service, there is a strong temptation to just jump in and arrive at branding decisions based on your assumptions.
And while that may be a quick and cheap way to get up and running, it might also be one of the most costly decisions you'll ever make—when you discover your assumptions were wrong and you need to retool your brand from the ground up (assuming your company is still around).
Right now Studiofluid is working with a Food and Beverage company looking to break into the saturated Snack Food category. We've been spending time in supermarkets performing design research and have put together a market analysis to help our client with the following:
- Understand the Context and how Snacks are displayed
- Study Market Leaders and Competing Brands
- Discover Packaging Trends
- Find Clichés and Points of Market Over-saturation
- Identify Opportunities for Differentiation
(more...)
POSTED ON Friday, February 13, 2009
FILE UNDER: Business, Design, Ideas, News & Notable, Research, Studiofluid
I spent Friday attending the GoGreen expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center; meeting people, checking out the scene and generally observing how people are branding and marketing their “green” businesses. As expected, the display booths ran the gamut from those pursuing meaningful contributions, to the occasional “greenwashing” , to those you might find at any craft show across the country.
What stood out was the significant amount of companies with decent ideas, yet their presentations failed to address a few basic questions:
- What exactly do you do?
- How are you different from the next booth over?
- Why does your product matter to me?
If developing a new business was as simple as developing an innovative product, many more companies would succeed. As it turns out, helping people understand the story behind your product and why they should care about it, is every bit as important as the product itself. Unfortunately, this is why so many more companies with great aspirations and products fail to reach their full potential.
POSTED ON Monday, January 26, 2009
FILE UNDER: Business, Ideas, Sustainability
Scott Ginsberg shares a solid list of 50 networking ideas that are neither intimidating nor cheezy. (Annoying but free subscription signup, though).
POSTED ON Monday, November 10, 2008
FILE UNDER: Business, Marketing