Impact Report 2022

We had a big one last year, with lots of work jammed into 52 short weeks. We’re so grateful for opportunity to launch brands, lift websites and design cool stuff–it really gets us out of bed in the morning. So here’s a quick recap of all we put out there in 2022.

That said, our work doesn’t amount to much if it doesn’t affect real people. Here’s a look at our impact over the year that was.

We went big on education work this year, with clients in K-12 education, ed-tech and academia making up the majority of our client roster. 

One major focus was education accessibility. We helped improve instruction with a new interface for the Future Forward tutoring program that supports early readers. Through a lengthy user-centered design process, we created an interface that helps tutors and staff plan and document tutoring sessions, communicate with families and track progress. The platform reduces paperwork, and offers up insights they can use to maximize tutoring skills and create better lessons for students.

On the note of serving students better, we couldn't be prouder of the new site we built for EdNavigator. This innovative org provides personalized support to families and students in the form of Navigators: experienced educators who act as advisors and allies through grade 12 and beyond. Our scope of work was the full monte: from content strategy all the way through design, illustration and custom web development. The new site makes it quick and easy to get started with Navigators, and it's packed with resources for busy parents.

Long-standing client Education Analytics (EA) is a non-profit research and solutions team making their own waves in the ed-tech space. We supported product design for Strategy Workshop, a platform that helps teachers take the role of researchers and develop new methods that work in their classrooms. We expanded the capabilities of another great year with EA, updating their Rally analytics tool with new features, as well as branding and naming two new products: Stadium data warehouse and Podium visualizations built on Ed-Fi. Everything is geared toward helping teachers know their students better. 

We also welcomed a new client in the form of University of Wyoming's College of Education. We wasted no time shifting into high gear with a multimedia campaign promoting their leading-edge career and technical education program. Students can get a B.A.S. in dozens of degree areas, which they can then use to educate the next generation of electricians, accountants and more. The impact? Supporting rural communities by introducing more skilled workers into the workforce.

As a woman-owned business ourselves, we make it a priority to support our kind. That took a few different shapes this past year. First we helped launch new businesses: Plantcraft, a natural and functional hair and skincare company, and Milpa, a local tamale and salsa business operating out of the Makeshop at Pasture and Plenty. Both Plantcraft and Milpa made strong impressions at launch thanks to our brand and packaging designs.  

We've also got a healthy roster of established brands we've partnered with over the years who were ready to take their businesses to the next level. And we were there to help: For Table Wine, we designed new signage for their new location; meanwhile, we helped Pasture and Plenty with environmental branding for the all-new Makeshop, an incubator that supports makers in the food and beverage community. Kosa celebrated their fifth anniversary, expanding their consumer products with a skin care line wrapped in packaging we designed. Landmark Creamery went beyond cheese and launched a butter line while expanding their production facilities–check out our custom murals and signage in their new Paoli space. 

We also joined forces with the folks at NessAlla this year. The kombucha company is growing rapidly in the Midwest with an updated brand, can packaging and new social strategy.

One big part of being a B-Corp is giving back. Between our pro bono clients and B-Corp beneficiaries, contributions accounted for 10 percent of our profits. We made it possible for these organizations to launch brands, redesign websites, overhaul packaging and keep thriving.

We also focused on clients whose work benefits social causes. 

For litigation advocacy group Law Forward and their partners at States United Democracy Center, we delivered comprehensive reports filled with information graphics, plus companion PowerPoint presentations and social media graphics to support communications. We also helped housing and food security nonprofit Community Action Coalition launch their brand via a new website, report design, collateral and environmental branding.

Compelling brands and effective designs help our clients push their equity agenda further.

We support our staff because happy employees do good work–and good work makes an impact.

We've doubled down on flexibility, with a team logging on across time zones from the west coast to Dubai. The hybrid model for our local Cricketeers lets us work from wherever we’ll work best. 

Professional development opportunities abound (and are paid for), from creative writing classes to UI/UX workshops to new business training. Our team has also taken leadership training and attended the B-Corp Conference to stay on top of ways to do business better. We are always learning.

When it comes to workload management, transparency is the name of our game. We openly and actively share priorities across every team member to make sure we have each others' backs. 

The total value of benefits we offer relative to salary is something to celebrate, with fully paid health insurance for staff. Plus, we continue to share profits: 20% goes into our employee bonus pool and is spread around equitably.

We’re well into another year of showing that design works, and that we can make the world better through what we do.