For small businesses online ratings are everything. Online ratings and reviews are the new forms of word-of-mouth marketing. Navigating the world of online ratings as a business owner can be tough. How do I ask for them? What do I do if I get a bad one? Read our post to learn more about this latest change from Facebook.
On today's show, Jesse (@JesseDickert) and Jared (@PetrieJared) purchase their train tickets and take a ride all the way to "Innovation Station" (ALL ABOARD!!!!) as they revisit a blog post written by Jesse in 2016 titled "Finding Motivation to Innovate within Non-Innovative Mindsets". They discuss the process by which innovation happens and the three guidelines to follow as you work through taking your innovative idea from just an idea to a potential disruptive innovation in any industry.
Come learn and laugh with us!
To make our content easier for you to access we have made this podcast series available across multiple podcast platforms. Click on your favorite podcast brand below, hear us out, and engage with us. Cheers!
On today's show, the founders of 2point4ward, Jesse Dickert (@JesseDickert) and Jared Petrie (@PetrieJared), pull back the curtain and give you a glimpse into the beginnings of 2point4ward, LLC. They answer listener questions regarding who they are and what they do and a "Cheetahphant" makes an appearance.
Come learn and laugh with us!
To make our content easier for you to access we have made this podcast series available across multiple podcast platforms. Click on your favorite podcast brand below, hear us out, and engage with us. Cheers!
“ Jared and I worked together on the Elexa Costco POP project that was time sensitive and involved both direct flexographic print as well as four color process laminated labels. Jared was instrumental in completing this project in a timely manner and below budget. In the beginning stages he was able to provide the customer with 3D mockups like I have never seen before. The benefit of this is tremendous; we were not required to make the actual printed sample of the POP since the customer could see the end result which was digitally designed by 2point4ward, LLC. Not only did this save thousands of dollars but most importantly saved valuable time so we could turn the project prior to the date needed.
If you are in the need of lead generation and nurturing, CRM implementation, sales and marketing automation, and all things creative content development and management related I would recommend 2point4ward, LLC. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. ”
Infinity Packaging is a complete one-stop source for packaging, janitorial supplies, shipping, and machinery. At Infinity Packaging, we have formed a management team with over 40 years of knowledge and expertise in the packaging industry. Our vision is to go beyond industry standards with customer service as priority one. Infinity Packaging is established to be an industry leader providing your company with the best service, product, and equipment for your advancing needs.
Knowledgeable account executives recommend the perfect solutions for your products-both stock and custom
Optimized packaging based on your specific requirements
Packaging audits to reduce your overall costs
Knowledgeable customer service representatives
Experienced custom packaging designers
Customized e-commerce solutions
Just-in-time delivery and vendor managed inventory options
Partner with Infinity Packaging and experience the complete package of expertise and service.
“If you are looking for a print and fulfillment team that can handle your printing needs, especially large format printing, then we encourage you to get in touch with Nathan Bruns (nathan@infinitypkg) at Infinity Packaging. He not only has years on industry experience but places emphasis on building a trusting relationship with is clients. He constantly added value throughout the negotiation, development, and distribution phases which I found extremely helpful as the project lead and designer on the Guardian POP (shown above) which was produced for Costco stores. ”
690 Church Road Elgin IL, 60123 | 847.786.2002 | info@infinitypkg.com
Subject matter experts, Jesse Dickert (@JesseDickert) and Jared Petrie (@PetrieJared), noticed early on in their careers a gap within the innovation and creative services space where overpriced and underdelivered projects were a daily occurrence. Possessing the knowledge and skills to disrupt this expensively tolerated practice, Jesse and Jared combined their efforts to offer affordable and creative business growth solutions. Listen in as Jesse and Jared share their Innovative and Creative Insight.
To make our content easier for you to access we have made this podcast series available across multiple podcast platforms. Click on your favorite podcast brand below, hear us out, and engage with us. Cheers!
“In my business, we see lots of marketing presentations from small to very large organizations. I have never been more impressed with a presentation as I have been with Jared’s. It was refreshing and relative to today’s consumers. A true talent in Jared’s work!!”
Our relationship with Brad Stoops was developed while working on behalf of Guardian by Elexa. Home Depot was one our first and largest big box retailers interested selling the Guardian Leak Prevention System both digitally and in brick and mortar locations.
Jared was tasked with developing a marketing plan that covered how to generate increased brand awareness and traffic to both Home Depot’s e-commerce Guardian product page and over 400 stores located throughout the United States. He pitched his plans to Brad at Home Depot’s head quarters located in Atlanta, Georgia, which is how the quote above came to be.
Jared used a combo of macro and micro data samples, examples of successful Guardian campaigns that we had already run, cutting edge digital tactics and growth hacks that we were leveraging at the time to maximize our influence with the least amount of investment, and fun graphics like the ones posted above. Taking the time to analyze and measure realistic data, sourcing channels that could be sustained for promotions and outreach, and producing custom content that created a KO punch that caught Home Depot’s attention! We were allowed to not only handle our own marketing efforts, but move forward with them on other projects.
Special thanks to Brad Stoops and Home Depot!
RISE Nashville attracts over 1,200 executives and senior level management from Medicare Advantage, Commercial, and Medicaid health plans, provider groups/integrated health systems and service providers from across the United States.
Baker Tilly, a leading advisory, tax and assurance firm whose specialized professionals guide clients through an ever-changing business world, has a Healthcare Practice that delivers innovative and sustainable results through collaborative approach across the provider, payer and life science spectrum.
The Healthcare team is a Platinum Sponsor and exhibitor at the show this year.
The creative team at 2point4ward helped design booth options and produce the design you see showcased above. We also helped produce Baker Tilly Healthcare ads that ran pre-show and during the show to help generate booth and service awareness.
This was a fun project for us as the marketing team at Baker Tilly is very professional and helped us access assets and information needed in order to meet deadlines and stay under budget – a true win win for everyone! Thank you Baker Tilly!
If you would like help with your branding and growth efforts, please reach out to us. Our experience, skills, and flexibility allow us to accommodate companies of any size and in any market.
“Given the opportunity, I would work with Jesse on any project, any team, any time. I have worked, traveled, and worked-out with Jesse. As a thinker and team member he was my go-to for brainstorming, reviewing new ideas or validation of current processes (and in some cases refutation). I haven’t met a harder worker or better teammate. His technical knowledge and leadership skills are extensive and well proven with hard work. And, both in the office, and the gym floor, he knows how to encourage you to be and give your best.”
“Before Jesse was my manager we worked side-by-side on the team together. The transition was seamless as he took his new responsibilities with stride. He continued to brainstorm issues, assist in technical project plans, as well as coordinate business decision alignment across projects when needed.
I have great respect and admiration for Jesse as a teammate and a manager and would work with him any day on any project. He is a fantastic problem solver, planner, great at providing feedback and encouragement, and all of it done with a smile! ”
These are pillars that help drive our success. Combined, we have worked for and supported clients and employers in education, consulting, manufacturing, retail, and professional service industries. We have even worked along side agencies from all over the world. During this time, we have had plenty of opportunities to witness and learn from others, and our own, mistakes. We have learned that aligning to our clients needs and taking the time to listen what their struggles are is crucial. All of the skills and experience in the world will amount to nothing if it still does not produce a viable solution. Being agile enough to adapt to changes on the fly and adopt the latest techniques and trends only ensures that our capability to produce what we promise and stay flexible in an ever changing world remains relevant and sharp. Whether it is exchanging ideas, sharing feedback, directing, or negotiating, communication always seems to be a struggle with companies and individuals. To this day, we do not understand why so many struggle with this. It either is important to you or not. Our measure twice and cut once mentality means we place extreme value on communication efforts, no matter who we are working with, as we have witnessed first hand how poor communication can cause even the mightiest companies to crumble.
We combine these pillars, our ethics, and experiences with our technical skills to achieve best case scenarios for our clients. We constantly refine our workflow and reinvest in ourselves and our systems to make sure our efforts and time are being efficient and effective. This is important as it allows us to produce results very quickly, not waste resources, and keep our rate at extremely competitive levels.
Large agencies are more motivated to bill time and are unwilling to get creative with their outrageous rates. Extra people would be packed into meetings and a lot of hours would be spent creating elaborate PDFs, wireframes, and white papers on research and theory instead of actionable work that would get results for the client(s) quickly.
“I have great respect and admiration for Jesse as a teammate and a manager and would work with him any day on any project. He is a fantastic problem solver, planner, great at providing feedback and encouragement, and all of it done with a smile!”
The agency model seemed to create a wealth of knowledge and expertise for the agency, while the clients basically paid them to learn. They could then go and repackage this knowledge and resell to acquire new retainers while the brands themselves were left with people who “manage” the agencies, but didn't have the expertise to do it themselves.
Another issue we have with large, traditional agencies is that they are all hype machines. There’s always a new traffic source, a new software and millions of “Shiny Objects” all over the place. All this hype helps agencies continue to bill more hours and shuffle in new clients at a faster pace but there is no universal “Yelp” review system in place to determine which tactics and agencies truly get amazing results for their clients.
“Jared is a unicorn - very few creative people excel on as many fronts as he does, and without a traditional traffic or project manager at his side. This quarter we set the bar high and had projects with many moving parts and parties. The items fully within Jared’s control were completed on time and with quality work.”
On the other end of the spectrum, using independents can be a great cost saving measure but it is hard to find the perfect blend of cost, available resources, talent, and time. In most cases, we have witnesses or personally been promised great results but lack of know how to generate results without access to any of the proven systems and architecture that would actually deliver.
We have been watching, listening and learning. We understand the pain points as we have been the independent free-lancer, consultant, skilled corporate associate, and director in charge. We have taken everything we have learned supporting others and started 2point4ward as a solution to combine affordable creative content production, marketing services, lead generation and nurturing systems, and customer relationship management implementation. Our solutions can be scaled to any industry and we can target the most diverse audiences. We are extremely proud of what we have created and are excited to have an affordable option that addresses the most crucial pieces to an organizations growth.
If you would like hear more about our experience, skills, or processes, give us a call today so we can help you get moving 4ward."
“Working with Jared is always a pleasure and I look forward to each time we have a project together. He is great at offering suggestions which is helpful that I can rely on him to know what works best and he is very open and accommodating to my ideas – very easy to work with & knowledgeable. He understands project budgets and allocates is time accordingly and is clear and direct on the scope so that there is no misinterpretation or surprises. He is very responsive to questions and requests which saves a lot of time. His great personality makes him always fun to be around and work with.”
Scott Macco / Owner and Entrepreneur
If the questions above sound familiar and you feel like your team and or company has plateaued – perhaps even taken steps in the wrong direction – then it is time to find new sources of inspiration and direction.
Check out the link below to read the full post on how our very own Jesse Dickert finds motivation and innovation when common practices no longer seem to produce results. Discover some of Jesse's personal examples on tactics that have worked with his teams over the years.
Don't put off your creative stalemate any longer. Be inspired and motivated by industry leader, Jesse Dickert.
"2point4ward plays a pivotal role in helping our company develop and implement the marketing materials that are essential to the success of our new products. Their ability to create a full line of item specific materials from product labels to full page ads in a timely manner means my products make it to market fast. In an industry where trends change with the season, 2point4ward allows us to be ahead of the curve."
Matt Lindorfer / General Manager, Vireo Inc.
Jared designed the website for Luz de Luna and was in charge of the first photo shoot at the restaurant. I get nothing but GREAT comments from my customers about both, the webpage and the pictures. His vision and design were very accurate with Luz de Luna´s brand identity.
Karen Aguiluz, Owner-Manager Luz de Luna
I have always considered myself fortunate being that I love what I do for a living. In recent years, I have developed a strong passion for photography and video work. This is helpful for several reasons. First, a lot of my most recent projects actually involve a combination of both mediums. Second, it helps me stay fresh by not being stuck behind a computer all day and finally, I believe there is something to be said about having the skills and capabilities to gather your own, raw content. So image having a project come along where you get to practice your passion on a subject matter that is your passion! I know, it sounds good to be true.
Recently, I was contacted by an old friend, Scott Macco, who wanted studio grade product images and how-to videos for his website and e-commerce platforms. The product – The DJI Ronin M!
How did this all come to be? Well, Scott is an engineer by trade and saw an opportunity to build premium custom parts to help filmmakers produce better video. With the help of film-makers, designers, engineers and manufacturing experts, Scott founded and developed RoninFactory.com. His vision is to produce quality products to make filming more enjoyable and affordable. I mean let's face it, this passion we all share is expensive!
I still work closely with Scott in photographing and producing demo and how-to related videos with products that he continues to develop. Our objectives are to both educate the buyer and to move product, but I find the real hidden perk is being to do what I love with a focus on something that I love.
I want to personally thank Scott and RoninFactory.com for their business. We enjoy being your visual content producers and look forward to future projects together.
First off, I would like to thank Karen Aguiluz, owner of Luz de Luna, for providing me the opportunity to help her build her brand, website, and business. It was both an honor and pleasure to work directly with Karen and on such fun and refreshing projects.
“Jared designed the website for Luz de Luna and was in charge of the first photo shoot at the restaurant. I get nothing but GREAT comments from my customers about both, the webpage and the pictures. His vision and design were very accurate with Luz de Luna´s brand identity.”
— Karen Aguiluz, Owner-Manager Luz de Luna
When functioning as a creative consultant, one way to have your day made is when a client wants to double down and work on several marketing related projects at once. As a business owner, your whole month can be made when a new client is referred by an existing one. Networking at its finest being propped up by pride and gratitude. Knowing that clients had such a good experience with you that they are willing to take their personal time to recommend you to others has got to be one of the best feelings a business owner can experience. This was the case with the Luz de Luna projects.
A mutual friend of Karen and I as well as long time client - Shannon Kring - went out of her way to inform Karen of who I am and what 2point4ward is capable of. It was not long before Karen and I had officially met and begun work on her new website. As I stated earlier though, the other gem of this project was the photography aspect. I love it when I get to gather "my own" content to be used in projects. Talk about refreshing in being able to literally take photos from the shoot - an opening night shoot mind you - and upload directly into the website (not literally, but close). It was a created a truly unique experience – one that I shall never forget.
Again, a special thank you to Karen, her staff, and the the Luz de Luna family for allowing me to help you build and promote your business.
The photos in the gallery below are a glimpse into the opening night aura the filled Luz de Luna.
"A lot has changed since Jared Petrie and I began working together in 2006. Back then, he was a college student. I was a culinary entrepreneur. Today, he’s a busy professional about to become a father. I make films and television. What remains the same is Jared’s incredible work ethic, his commitment, his responsiveness, his integrity, and the trust he has earned from me for always making me look so good. I look forward to working with him for years to come."
Shannon Kring / Co-founder, Flim Director, Producer
“2point4ward delivered First Internet Solutions a modern, content rich, visually appealing website. Jared & and his staff were pleasant to work with throughout the project. Their input in the layout, landing page and knowledge of search engine optimization (SEO) was critical in the design and execution. I highly recommend 2point4ward for companies and individuals looking to develop a web presence or improve traffic on their current site.”
Kathy Schuett / Sales and Marketing Manager
"I have been working with Jared and Jesse at 2point4ward for the past year and a half. They have always done this in a very timely manner to accommodate my business needs (as some things I need the next day). The time and effort they put into the designs for my company are second to none. It feels like they actually work for the same company as me. Both of these individuals are extremely professional and very easy to work with. They put their clients needs at the top of the list. I would recommend 2point4ward to anyone looking for graphics and web design work. Out of all the companies I have worked with in the past, 2point4ward has been by far the best and easiest to work with. Thank you Jared and Jesse for all your hard work and dedication to helping my company with your amazing and unique talents."
Ryan Beebe / Food and Beverage Manager
Baker Tilly's client, Covidien, was in the middle of implementing and Oracle cloud-based Human Resource Management software called Taleo. Not having in-house video production capabilities and having an established vendor relationship through past projects, I was a natural fit. Our goal was to create video-based case study that Baker Tilly could use in promotional campaigns.
Traveling to Boston, I met with members of the Covidien Human Resources team as well as Baker Tilly account consultants. Together, we started capturing the A and B footage from the storyboard I help the team develop.
Upon my return, I continued to work with Baker Tilly to edit several versions of the video to fit their promotional needs.
Below is one version of the video I created during post-production efforts. This was used in a presentation at Oracle Open World.
