As pilates studios and customers alike have adapted to COVID-19 safety precautions, their habits around exercise have changed. The COVID-19 crisis has kept the studio’s regular clientele at home and has posed an obstacle to maintaining a reliable customer base and revenue flow. To mitigate the impacts of the pandemic, the studio began offering online livestream classes, which temporarily relieved pressure on the business. Engagement within the community faltered, however, in the longer term, once the studio reopened for in-person classes.

Without a foundational social media marketing strategy or promotion scheme in place, the studio lost momentum and new traffic to its website and social media pages.

The client is a small business that creates social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum materials for children ages kindergarten through 12th Grade to help develop their social and emotional learning.

The client is a for-profit business that generates revenue by selling curriculum materials, professional coaching, and student assemblies to schools and other educational organizations.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, our client was having difficulty marketing, retaining its volunteers, and attracting new donors. Due to the numerous duties and responsibilities of running a nonprofit organization, the client was overburdened and many aspects of the nonprofit's operations were being neglected. Our goal was therefore to alleviate this stress by providing an actionable plan to manage the workload. Aside from COVID-19, this nonprofit recently suffered a flood that destroyed most of their supplies and lost tons of paperwork from the years 2016 to 2018 that was stored in filing cabinets. Therefore, they were looking for the best ways to keep track of files, and more generally organize internal operations.

When Rem came on board, the company was looking for feasible means of expansion. They wanted to figure out how to spread their business into new consumer groups. The other major goal was to figure out new forms of funding. Our client recognized that the current forms of marketing and social media use were not as efficient as they could be in terms of reaching new audiences as well.

Despite leveraging marketing strategies such as influencer collaborations, email campaigns, and Facebook Ads, our client faced persistent challenges in effectively reaching their target audience – millennial women. Recognizing the need to broaden their outreach and modernize their social media presence, the client sought ways to enhance and scale their business strategies.

Our client is looking to raise more funding in their next growth phase. This would involve being able to articulate their value propositions to potential investors and partners, as well as maximizing their visibility on existing social media platforms and reaching new customer bases.

The client has been successful in the sense that it has opened four locations in the Brooklyn, New York area over the past decade. However, due to the rapid expansion of the company, there was a need for operational improvements. Furthermore, the discontinuity of process documentation caused difficulties when constructing an investor pitch deck. In addition to inefficient business processes, the company also needed to reposition its brand so that it would attract more investors.

It is challenging for small businesses to find a pricing structure that supports them during a pandemic while also attracting customers. Small businesses may feel pressured to work with their customers on a case-by-case basis, to figure out prices that work for them, rather than sticking to a fixed pricing model under the financial stress of the pandemic. Long-term, this is not a sustainable way to price goods and services

In COVID-19, the maker studio's profitability remained relatively stable due to its long-term leases. COVID-19, however, negatively affected both the retail and workshop components of the client's business, since the client only offered in-person shopping. In addition to COVID-19-related challenges, their subleasing business model had a poor track record of profitability for many years and could use improvement.

When Rem joined the nonprofit organization, we identified that there were untapped marketing opportunities that could help the organization enter a new growth phase. The client acknowledged the need for effective marketing and outreach strategies to better engage with their target audience. One of their major concerns was the redesign of their website and intake process to cater specifically to student needs and abilities. Understanding the importance of student-centric design, our team embarked on developing a comprehensive strategy that focused on enhancing the organization's marketing efforts and creating a user-friendly website and intake process that would effectively address the client's concerns.

As part of our client's growth plan, the transition from a small non-profit organization to a small LLC presents an opportunity to explore for-profit aspects of their existing services and target the populations that can benefit the most from them. However, the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted their ability to organize in-person speaker engagements and educational programs for students. To adapt to the current situation and make the most of their relocation to Florida, our client needs to explore new customer markets and make necessary modifications to their services to align with the needs and preferences of the local population.

During the pre-launch phase, our client's main priorities are to develop cohesive launch marketing strategies targeting potential customers. This involves conducting market and industry research, revamping their website to improve UI/UX, creating a comprehensive brand guide, and exploring grant opportunities to cover costs. Additionally, our client seeks advice on distribution strategies, including packaging and reaching potential customers efficiently. By addressing these priorities, our client will be well-prepared to execute a successful launch, establish a strong brand presence, and overcome challenges associated with product development and distribution.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the fitness industry, leading to a significant decline and financial losses. Consequently, our client was forced to downsize their facility space and relocate to a sub-optimal location. With the industry now witnessing a surge in digital and at-home fitness trends, it is crucial for us to assist our client in making a successful transition online while ensuring they provide the utmost value to their customers.

The onset of COVID-19 had a significant impact on our client's business, leading to the temporary closure of their shop and subsequent challenges upon reopening, including reduced operating hours and a diminished workforce. Despite these setbacks, our client's unwavering dedication to their business drove them to seek innovative ways to stay open despite limited cash flow and a smaller team. They displayed resilience and adaptability, actively exploring strategies to optimize resources and maximize efficiency in order to continue serving their customers. Through their determination, our client aimed to navigate the difficulties posed by the pandemic and find sustainable solutions that would allow them to persevere in the face of adversity.

With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting our client's business, they faced various production challenges, such as limited manufacturing operations and rising input costs. Originally launched in 2018, the business experienced difficulties in sustaining its initial momentum after a relaunch in mid-2020. However, due to the pandemic, the business had to be put on hold temporarily. As a result, our client is now seeking assistance with branding and customer retention to reestablish and strengthen their position in the market.

Opening in October 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic was a bold move for our client, especially as a restaurant that promotes communal dining experiences. As a new business, the client's main priority was to establish their brand in the Gainesville area and ensure their survival during such a challenging time. With a monthly revenue goal of $100,000, our team was tasked with developing an operational business strategy to help the client achieve their objectives.

Due to an unsuccessful and expensive marketing campaign over the past berry season, they were unsure about their target market and how to reach potential customers. Moreover, they were inactive on social media platforms and had a limited customer base. Along with marketing challenges, the client also faced low demand through pre-order pickup locations throughout the state. Because of this, excess product was left at the end of the season, which needed to be stored in expensive facilities in order to maintain its quality.

Our client recognized the importance of creating a sustainable business plan to ensure long-term viability, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic. They understood that a shift in their operations may be necessary to adapt to the changing circumstances and ensure success. Our team was tasked with assisting the client in organizing their priorities and ideas, which ranged from pandemic-related challenges such as reopening strategies, to typical nonprofit operations including funding and volunteer support. By working closely with the client and leveraging our expertise in business strategy, we were able to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses their short-term and long-term needs while also aligning with their mission of preserving and promoting African American history and culture.

In addition to providing unique services, our client owns and operates the business themself. The client operated solely within the Florida community last year. A custom cake and dessert delivery service was provided to local customers. Over several years, our client has perfected her craft and has always strived to provide exceptional service to her customers.

Our client hopes to grow and scale the business primarily through an increased social media presence and partnership strategy. While the client maintained these priorities throughout the engagement, the need for a more formalized production strategy to keep up with increases in consumer demand also became apparent.