PR/Marketing

Clarity Quest Marketing doubles revenue, adds healthcare, IT clients

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April 3, 2013

Clarity Quest Marketing is a company that is enjoying both the rise in the economy and the uptick of its age. The Ann Arbor-based firm doubled its revenue in 2012, allowing it to hire two more people in the last six months. It now has a staff of 13 employees and an intern. One of its recent hires was also a former intern. "It was a great growth year for us," says Christine Slocumb, president of Clarity Quest Marketing. "We're getting a lot bigger clients. Once you hit that 10-year mark people start to think, 'OK, you're legitimate.'" Clarity Quest Marketing has brought on a number of new clients in the healthcare and IT sectors, including Vocollect Health Systems. The Pittsburgh-based business is the maker of AccuNurse, which provides voice enabled point-of-care solutions to the long term care market. "They are doing some great work with voice recognition," Slocumb says. Among Clarity Quest Marketing's other new clients are QTS and SVS Safety in Mt. Clemens, which makes safety equipment. "We do a lot of their online marketing," Slocumb says. Clarity Quest Marketing expects to keep growing its revenue in 2013, but more in the 20 percent range. "I see it as more of a normal year for us," Slocumb says. Source: Christine Slocumb, president of Clarity Quest Marketing Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

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PWB Marketing expands client base, geographic area

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Economic Development

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April 3, 2013

PWB Marketing Communications has not only seen its client base in Michigan grow over the last year, it's also expanding its geographic reach. The Ann Arbor-based marketing agency has recently added to its customer list a software firm based in Montreal called MAYA. The two share a business relationship with a third company and started to do some work together over the last year. PWB Marketing Communications, which recently turned 30, has also seen some of its long-term clients, particularly those in the manufacturing, technology, outdoor enthusiast, and financial service sectors, come back for more and steadier engagements with the rise of the economy. "We have definitely seen some good things in the marketplace," says Sean Hickey, COO of PWB Marketing Communications. "There is good work out there to chase." The firm now has a staff of six people after adding new social media and SEO specialists. Hickey says the recent economic downturn has made firms like his a little gun shy about pulling the trigger on new hires, but he doesn't expect that to last too much longer. "We are on the cusp of adding staff," Hickey says. "We want to be careful about adding staff at the right time." Source: Sean Hickey, COO of PWB Marketing Communications Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Ingenex Digital Marketing leverages long-term biz to grow staff

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Economic Development

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March 27, 2013

Ingenex Digital Marketing's recent growth curve might rest on the new economy of website design and Internet marketing, but it's building its company on some age-old business ideas, like word-of-mouth referrals. It has tackled website redesigns in the last year for some major players in Michigan, including Cranbrook.edu and Aiag.org. The downtown Ann Arbor-based company wants to continue taking on some more major institutions in the Great Lakes State as clients, but it's going to be choosy. "We don't want too many clients," says Derek Mehraban, CEO of Ingenex Digital Marketing. "We want clients that are progressive and want to do smart things online." He adds the idea behind this line of thinking is to take on more clients who are interested in long-term work in building their online brands. Ingenex Digital Marketing has also grown its staff to seven employees and four interns. The 7-year-old company has hired four people in the last year, including a new client-experience manager, account manager, social media director and Google search specialist. The firm is also looking to hire a web developer right now. "We just do a lot of websites," Mehraban says. "We need more people." Source: Derek Mehraban, CEO of Ingenex Digital Marketing Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Ann Arbor’s re:group adds to staff to expand services

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Economic Development

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February 20, 2013

Downtown Ann Arbor-based re:group recently found itself in need of more expertise to meet its clients needs. So the company hired it, bringing three new people onto its staff. The digital marketing company has clients in a broad range of industries, ranging from bio-tech to retail. To help meet their demands, re:group hired a client services director and an expert in franchise businesses. It's staff currently stands at 22 people and a couple of interns. "It's really expanded," says Carey Jernigan, vice president of development for re:group. "We had a majority of it here but we needed a few more people to shore it up." Jernigan expects re:group to go after more franchise business this year. The firm has already attracted the likes of Domino's Pizza and is aiming to bring on more national and regional franchises as clients. Re:group has already hired on a new employee or two to help spur that growth. "It will help us be able to take on more franchise clients," Jernigan says. Source: Carey Jernigan, vice president of development for re:group Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Mobile, health care works drives Logic Solutions growth

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Economic Development

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December 19, 2012

Mobile and health-care work is driving some significant growth at Logic Solutions. The Ann Arbor-based business has hired 35 people in 2012 and is looking to add another five. The job openings include sales, project managers and technical leads. The company now employs 190 people with most of its growth coming through its mobile applications. "Our mobile practice is just booming right now," says Bruce Richardson, president of Logic Solutions. "We doubled in size in both revenue and people." Logic Solutions specializes in custom strategy and development of mobile and web applications. It acquired Quantum Compliance Systems, which develops software that embeds sustainable environmental, health and safety practices into a company's daily operations, earlier this year. Richardson expects the growth at his company to continue for the next year. That growth is expected to come from the rebounding economy, health-care expansion and the mobile sector's rapid rise. "I think we're going to experience some significant growth," Richardson says. Source: Bruce Richardson, president of Logic Solutions Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

3.7 Designs turns long-term work into more revenue, staff

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Economic Development

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December 19, 2012

Last year, 3.7 Designs had a goal of migrating its workload from one-off projects to more steady customers and its own software. As the Ann Arbor-based firm enters 2013, it has found its execution on this plan has led to steadier work and a bigger bottom line. Its customer base has become steadier and it has allowed the company to raise its rates. It has also hired a project manager to its staff of four employees and two interns. "It has been a win-win for the company," says Ross Johnson, CEO of 3.7 Designs. "I see us continuing to grow revenuewise." 3.7 Designs specializes in building websites. The 6-year-old company started out doing basic website work but has grown to also offering marketing and upkeep services for the websites its builds. It also creates software for things like training modules. Johnson has also moved onto teaching classes about the Internet at Michigan State University and Washtenaw Community College. Source: Ross Johnson, CEO of 3.7 Designs Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

U-M student start-up Youtrivia graduates from TechArb

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Economic Development

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October 31, 2012

Youtrivia learned some valuable lessons from its time at TechArb, and plans to leverage those to not only grow its own business model but to create another space for start-ups in Ann Arbor. The 1-year-old start-up was launched by a small group of University of Michigan students who decided to create software meant to help people build up brands through casual video games. The software allows users to create games using feature images, videos, and trivia related to a company's brand. This strategy helps to deliver deep marketing messages to consumers through an entertaining experience. Youtrivia's co-founders realized this wasn't the best business model when they took a closer look at the market while at the TechArb. "We felt the market was very hard to compete in because brands normally trust established marketing firms to handle their brands," says Ricardo Rodriguez, CEO & co-founder of Youtrivia. Youtrivia is now focusing more on end-users, turning itself into a game development company that is focused on producing entertainment products with a focus on music. Youtrivia's founders are also looking to start their own tech hub on the south side of town. The four-person company was having a hard time finding a start-up community it felt comfortable with so it's starting its own. Rodriguez says his company is close to signing a lease for office space on South State Street and expects to share with five other tech start-ups. "We are very excited that we were able to find our own space with other digital companies," Rodriguez says. Source: Ricardo Rodriguez, CEO & co-founder of Youtrivia Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Downtown Ann Arbor-based re:group hires five people

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Economic Development

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October 31, 2012

Downtown Ann Arbor-based re:group is setting some personal bests this year as the Internet marketing and branding firm continues to grow. The 9-year-old company has hired five people over the last year, including a copy writer, a digital strategist and some creatives. The firm now employs 25 people and an intern and it sees its business growing more in the near term. "This has been our best year ever," says Carey Jernigan, vice president of business development for re:group. "We added DTE Energy and Citizens Bank as agencies of record. It's been a big, big year." Over its first decade, re:group has traditionally handled clients in finance, bio-tech, retail and franchising. The addition of an energy utility and banking institution is helping the company grow its customer base and set the stage for more growth in 2013, a strategy that has worked well so far. "Every year we built onto the prior year," Jernigan says. "The economy is improving so our clients have more money to spend." Source: Carey Jernigan, vice president of business development for re:group Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Renovations at Ypsi’s Eagle Crest Resort aim for international draw

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Development News

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October 10, 2012

A plan to market Ypsilanti's Eagle Crest Resort to executives and conference planners around the world are unfolding as more multimillion-dollar, multi-year renovations are made. The resort, which features a Golf Digest four-star rated golf course, a conference center that as of recently will be managed by Marriott Corp. and a hotel already owned and managed by Marriott, has redone its landscaping, roads, sidewalks and more. The conference center has gotten new furniture and decor and will get upgraded technology, part of a recently approved $1 million expense by Eastern Michigan University, and the golf course has $1 million in upgrades as well. The property is leased from Ypsilanti Township to Eastern Michigan University, which owns the golf course and conference center and manages the golf course. The latest round of renovations will cost $200,000 each year for the next five years, says Leigh Greden, executive director government and community relations at EMU. Previously EMU put $2 million into the conference center, which had management operations taken over by Marriott last month. In addition, Marriott is improving the hotel, Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest. It's all part of plan to market Eagle Crest Resort with its closeness to Metro Airport and Ann Arbor, its scenic views of Ford Lake and a highly-rated and improving golf course to the world. The parties behind the project include EMU, Ypsilanti Township, and Marriott. "It's always nice to put money into a facility to keep it fresh, but we're really doing it as part of a coordinated multi-pronged marketing strategy to enhance the entire resort," Greden says. "It's a win for the university as we push to have the conference center make money. We think the partnership with Marriott is a win for the community because of the property taxes Marriott pays. We think it's a win for the public because this is public golf course and something Ypsilanti-area residents can enjoy. "And as for the township, they've been great partners in making this happen. The supervisor, Brenda Stumbo, and her team have been amazing in marketing the township as a great place to do business. We could not doing without them and their commitment to making Ypsilanti Township more friendly to the business community." Source: Leigh Greden, executive director government and community relations, Eastern Michigan University Writer: Kim North Shine

The Whole Brain Group hires 5 as it grows customer base

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Economic Development

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September 12, 2012

The Whole Brain Group is growing its staff from the intern up these days. The Ann Arbor-based company recently instituted an internship program, which has served as a talent pipeline for the firm's future employees. The 10-year-old business has hired five people, expanding to a staff of 13 employees and the occasional intern. Of those five new hires, a couple started as interns and the company is looking to add a few new interns and employees soon. "We added this internship program earlier this year, which is helping us turn interns into new employees," says Marisa Smith, founder and president of The Whole Brain Group. The Whole Brain Group specializes in providing software services, such as building websites, for a number of local companies. It is looking to incorporate more traditional marketing into its service offerings and has begun using new software that shows metrics of return on investment for its customers. The Whole Brain Group is also looking to attract more customers who are interested in purchasing services on a long-term basis, a move that would allow the company to hire more people. "We're hoping to add a couple more people," Smith says. "We are also looking at expanding our space because we're practically on top of each other." Source: Marisa Smith, founder & president of The Whole Brain Group Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.