The Dishh

The Latest Renaissance in Design Education – VR and AR at The Academy of Art University

By Article Editor on July 24, 2020July 24, 2020

Academy of Art University has been on the cutting edge of creative instruction since its inception in 1929. From then until now, a defining feature of the Academy’s ethos has been to employ active creatives as classroom and laboratory instructors. These working artists and creators bring up-to-date and even forward-thinking trends and developments directly from industry to the classroom. This affords Academy students unprecedented and unparalleled access to knowledge that is shaping various creative fields right now and for tomorrow.

It is no surprise, then, that Academy of Art University has been on the Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) front lines from its earliest days. Beginning in 2016 with a VR Summit hosted by the Schools of Communications & Media Technologies and Motion Pictures & Television, the Academy has since sought to incorporate these emerging technologies into various curriculum and facilities to reflect how creative industries are using them in the real world.

What is AR and VR?

Both AR and VR are advanced technologies that seek to expand the experience of the human senses in a given environment. With AR and/or VR technology, users can find themselves interacting with faraway or imaginary scenes or objects as if they actually existed in the user’s present location. Instead of projecting images before a user, AR and VR project the user into the realm of the images or scenes.

Augmented Reality (AR) adds digital elements to a live view that the user sees through a camera. A simple example is using Snapchat lenses on your smartphone or playing Pokémon Go and chasing images on the screen that are not really present.

Conversely, Virtual Reality (VR) is a complete immersion experience that transports the user to another environment through the use of a VR viewing device. Wearing the device over the eyes effectively blanks out the user’s surrounding environment so that the new digital environment can be experienced to the fullest. For example, a user wearing a VR device can participate in a virtual village elders meeting by sitting between participants in a dirt-floored hut in Central Africa.

While early proponents of these technologies saw them as enhancements for the gaming world, others saw potential for other uses. Antonio Borja, Director of the School of Industrial Design at Academy of Art University, visualized how artists and other creative professionals could actually employ VR sketching as a pivotal tool for design in many industries.

In an early VR workshop for students, Borja shared, “I know at first this thing seems like a gimmick but it’s not. Because it allows you [to] think and experience your design in 3-D, true 3-D. It’s not like sketching on paper where you see a two-dimensional representation of your 3-D object. Here, you actually get to walk around it.”

AR & VR Education and Innovation at Academy of Art University

In an Industrial Design class early in the Academy’s venture into exploring AR and VR, Borja guided students in using a VR sketching software product called Gravity Sketch, pairing it with a commercial Oculus headset and handheld instruments. Students learned the basics of creating textures, surfaces, shapes, and more, including tools for ensuring exacting accuracy and symmetry in designs.

Design students quickly grasped the very real benefits of this incredible new tool as they created and manipulated various product designs in real time. In more traditional methods, product concepts are modeled with clay or other media to allow designers to see, feel, and analyze their designs from different perspectives. Using the VR tools, even the student designers could discover design problems and other ideas much faster than by creating a physical model.

Antonio Borja now conducts a more comprehensive class in VR sketching as part of the Digital Imaging 2 course (IND 363). He explains, “It’s a very valuable tool that will allow you to experience your designs in a way you haven’t been able to do until you design a prototype. It’s better to find these issues early on in the workflow and make it so that we have time to make these adjustments so that our final project is that much better.”

Normal Rockwell Museum VR Project

One stellar example of how Academy students are learning how to use AR and VR technology to produce valued projects is the Normal Rockwell Museum VR Project. This enormous undertaking took Normal Rockwell art pieces that were originally produced for and featured in The Saturday Evening Post in 1943 underscoring the four enduring ideals from President Franklin Roosevelt’s Annual Message to Congress in 1941.

Numerous pieces depicting Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms – Freedom of Worship, Freedom of Speech, Freedom from Fear, and Freedom from Want – were combined into a VR experience for a traveling museum exhibition. Users would wear an Oculus VR headset to interact with the exhibit, which opened in May 2018 at the New York Historical Society before touring the United States and France, and then returning to the Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts in Fall 2020.

A diverse team of 24 developers from the Academy School of Game Development, Schools of Animation & Visual Effects, School of Illustration, Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media, and Web Design & New Media worked a full four semesters to complete the project. It included various testing phases that involved students as well as senior citizens from the Institute of Aging. The project was to be designed so that users from age 7 to 70 could enjoy the experience.

Phil Kauffold, technical lead for the Academy’s School of Game Development (GAM) and project lead for the Rockwell exhibit, said, “We have to design for the young kid who knows the language of video games and understand this stuff. But also, we have to design for somebody [who] is older [and] doesn’t have that intuitive understanding of what we think of as the normal visual language.”

As a result, “Enduring Ideals: Rockwell, Roosevelt and the Four Freedoms” has been a resounding success, even being presented at the US Capital building to members of Congress during 2019.

Academy VR Featured on “California by Design” TV Show

Recently, advanced uses of VR technology in industrial design at the Academy was showcased on the TV series “California by Design.” In each of the six shows, a judging panel, which includes Tom Matano, Executive Director for the Academy School of Industrial Design, chooses finalist creations that will compete to be named the top innovation of the year.

Episode three, which aired on July 11, 2020, featured AURA, a student project led by IND student Santiago Bastidas. The featurette (watch 7:20 – 10:07) highlights how the Academy is incorporating VR technologies into the design process to reflect current industry uses in the real world. AURA is an automobile design project created for PSA Peugeot Citroën Group as part of a corporate sponsorship with the Academy.

Bastidas shared that he and his team used VR technology to design a new automobile that “extends users’ experience beyond a physical journey.” He went on to say, “With AURA, we wanted to create not only this spatial journey but to target a much deeper journey. We broaden the interactions for a much more humanistic final journey.”

In episode three of California by Design, the host, Dan Hardin, is guided through how Bastidas and his team used a VR headset and software to actually design their creation in 3-D. He is also able to experience the 3-D model of the futuristic auto itself and even create his own, rather rough, design on camera, obviously delighting in the experience.

Hardin exclaims at once point, “This is really fun, isn’t it? Just try to get this off my head now!” The Academy students in the Industrial Design program use Gravity Sketch for Virtual Reality Sketching and Autodesk VRED Pro for Virtual Visualization.

Antonio Borja, Director for School of Industrial Design explains “Incorporating virtual reality technology in the design process enables designers to execute evaluations in a shorter timeframe and find potential flaws or issues with their designs earlier in the process. This helps streamline entire projects and allows more time for making any necessary adjustments before completion, resulting in higher quality designs overall.”

Academy of Art University – Revolutionizing Arts Education

Art and creativity are often viewed as abstract concepts that are expressed on a canvas or through music. While these means of expression are valid and valued, creativity extends into many industries that produce helpful devices and objects that improve our quality of life. Safer, more fulfilling means of transportation, better medical devices, and other important discoveries all incorporate creative technologies in their development.

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are finding traction in more industries as time goes on, leading to better products with streamlined processes for development and testing. Academy of Art University is a top arts education institution that offers students the chance to experience these cutting-edge technologies as they are currently being used in today’s vital industries.

Interested prospective students can obtain more information by following the links in this article or by calling the Academy Admissions Department at 415-274-2222.

Read more about other Academy of Art University workshops

Effective Marketing In A Remote, COVID-19 World

By admin on July 24, 2020July 24, 2020

The start of 2020 not only brought a new decade, but it also brought a new mysterious pneumonia-like virus outbreak known as the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). With the number of cases continuously increasing daily, the World Health Organization declared the novel COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic. Millions of people worldwide have been affected in one way or another by this outbreak. With over 4.2 million+ confirmed cases around the globe, it’s apparent that the outbreak is moving quickly and spreading rapidly.

Some countries are currently experiencing a rapid rise in new cases. Meanwhile, in others, the rate of growth has slowed after leaders have instituted nationwide lockdowns, leading to a battered world economy. As a result, many businesses around the world were forced to change their working conditions and some even had to shut down. However, that doesn’t mean things will be like this forever and it doesn’t mean your marketing and creative engine has to grind to a hault. By engaging a company to help with your work on an outsourced basis, you save financially while consistently moving your marketing engine forward. Flocksy is the premier outsource creative, content and marketing platform, that engages only professional creatives. With this service, you can not only create a game plan, and utilize various marketing strategies, but also support your business while it is in a transition of any kind. Re-opening takes planning, time, effort, and the proper deployment of both inbound and outbound marketing. By utilizing a custom service on a retainer-basis, you can engineer your growth, remain consistent with your customers, and reap the rewards from your hard work.

The main goals of a successful re-opening digital marketing strategy should be to build consumer confidence through clear communications that set and manage expectations related to your business operations. Best customer communications practices include:

Use multiple communication channels to ensure your message is widely received and reinforced.
Create and share a FAQ document to address the most common questions regarding your health and safety practices and other important changes to your daily operations.
Be prepared to listen and respond to customer comments and inquiries quickly.

Develop a reopening digital marketing strategy that addresses each of your online channels such as your website, your social media, online advertising, and your Google My Business profile(s).

Step 1: Optimize Your Google My Business Profile

Over 5 billion search queries are performed daily on Google search. Google specifically built its Google My Business platform to help local businesses attract customers. A properly optimized Google My Business profile is proven to help achieve a top Google search rankings and directly attract customers. Therefore, optimizing and maintaining your Google My Business profile should be pivotal part of your re-opening strategy.

Step 2: Update Your Website in Key Places

After seeing your Google My Business page and your recent Google Posts, your customers should have the confidence that your website has the same information to match. On your website, you can offer expanded content pinpointing specific operational shifts your customers may expect.

For critical operational updates or promotional offers, consider adding copy where it’s most likely to be seen. Review heatmap or clickmap data to determine what sections of your website maximize exposure of your message. Consider adding a pop-up message to capture attention and eliminate confusion. It may mean the difference between more revenue or less.

Finally, if you have specific and developing information about your business, whether this is health and safety-related or new reopening guidelines, an important digital marketing strategy tip is to create a separate page or section on your website and direct visitors to it.

This can be accomplished through a pop-up, a link on your main navigation, or a link or banner from critical pages. This grabs customers’ interest and makes sure they know all the details when it comes to your reopening. If the information is health and safety-related, this gives you the chance to make your customers feel comfortable about returning to your business as you reopen.

Step 3: Update Your Social Profiles

Today, customers expect a business’ social media to be the most accurate and up-to-date resource for operational changes. Your social media profiles may very well be the “front door” for customers online because each channel serves content in a chronological timeline. The date of your most recent update shows your level of activity to keep customers informed through your reopening.

To implement a strong digital marketing strategy, first, audit your social profiles – make sure you know what profiles represent your business online. Consider:

Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Yelp

Not only is it important to be prepared, but it’s also important to learn how to adapt and make changes where necessary. As a business owner, you need to be able to respond and adjust your strategy accordingly. Flocksy can help you update your digital marketing materials quickly and affordably. They offer web development, graphic design, copywriting and video production.

Normalcy is not going to happen overnight. In fact, “normal” for you moving forward may look very different from what it looked like before the coronavirus pandemic. Your journey back to the volume of customers you had before may take time, but all your business can do is keep learning, growing, and evolving as new information becomes available. It’s important to continuously research, learn, and adapt so that your business can be the best it can be.

Ryan Seacrest Stays in Public Eye Throughout Quarantine

By Article Editor on July 22, 2020July 22, 2020

Many high-profile Hollywood personalities have had a hard time remaining connected to fans while engaging in the stay at home lifestyle that has become the norm due to Covid-19. As is so often the case, however, Ryan Seacrest has bucked that trend and shown that his star power can shine even while spending his days around the house. From interviews with some of today’s most relevant celebrities, to helpful articles on his website, to the actions of his non-profit foundation, the radio host has presented a great example of how to thrive during this difficult time. Read on for a look at how he’s keeping busy.

Stars share

One of the ways Ryan Seacrest has been staying focused on work is to touch base with other Hollywood personalities to see how their daily life has shifted during the pandemic. This focus has not only helped many of us stay connected to the stars we like to follow, it has also helped share their outlook on weathering this challenging time. Topics covered in these interviews include a look at the family life of celebrities, their ability to keep working, and the adjustments that have been needed to exist within the new norms imposed by the emergence of the global health threat.

One example of this is the radio host’s recent chat with country singer Kelsea Ballerini, who joined his show via video call to discuss a variety of topics. One point of interest was the difficulty she encountered in releasing her new album just as the pandemic was hitting the world. Rather than be discouraged by this unfortunate timing, the singer sought out a creative solution that could help connect her with fans and bring her album into the world — drones. By delivering copies of her album to select fans via the drones, the singer was helping to show just one example of how creative solutions can be a boon while navigating the trials and tribulations of the pandemic.

The singer also discussed another pandemic-specific happening while on the show — her participation in a performance to pay tribute to the first responders who are risking their lives to help fight the pandemic. She spoke to the power of using music in this way while on the air with the radio host. “I feel like there’s no better time for music,” she shared. “I think it’s just like the biggest connector and I know for me as a fan it brings me so much peace to listen to music.” During the show, the singer performed a selection of her hits as well as a Fleetwood Mac cover to help show her appreciation of healthcare workers.

Family life

Another check-in with some well-known names came from an interview the radio host conducted with John Legend and Chrissy Teigen. This time the topic centered around family life and the ways the couple was helping to fill their own time in quarantine. One whimsical story came from their recounting of the marriage they recently set up with their daughter Luna for two of her stuffed animals. Teigen live-streamed the event on Instagram to help others share in the fun they were working to create for their daughter. The model “officiated” the wedding as her daughter and a small group of co-quarantiners looked on.

The fun-filled ceremony helped to showcase how the famous couple was dealing with some of the same struggles as much of the rest of the country — how to keep their family life engaging in the face of the pandemic. “[We’re] just trying to find creative ways to entertain the kids,” said Legend when discussing the subject. He added that they’ve also recently purchased camping gear so they could do some backyard camping as another activity. The discussion touches on the need for work/life balance that many people are butting up against as they confront the current circumstances of life with which we are all faced.

Streaming with friends

As many groups of friends have been forced to remain distant from each other during the days of the widespread stay-at-home orders, the need to be creative in maintaining a sense of community has become heightened. Many people have stepped up to that challenge by setting up virtual hangouts with others to talk and participate in group activities. Some popular virtual activities that have emerged during this time have been group game nights, online happy hours, and weekly chats to exchange details of ongoing life in quarantine.

Ryan Seacrest, like many people, has also worked hard to maintain his personal connections as much as possible. The radio personality recently spoke about an opportunity for this when detailing his plans for the July 4th holiday. The host’s plan accompanied the announcement from Disney that it is streaming the musical Hamilton on its Disney+ subscription service. The announcement gave Seacrest an idea for a way to watch the hit musical and spend virtual time with his friends over the long weekend by streaming the musical together.

“I’m already talking to my friends like how are we going to do it?” the host shared. “I have to BBQ. I have to have brats, dogs, burgers, chicken — I have to have all of it.” Initially stumped as to how to enjoy the traditional American celebration while staying safely socially distanced, the streaming service announcement gave him the inspiration for an activity that everyone could enjoy together. Now he’s planning to combine his cookout with the musical in one single day of fun. “You can BBQ and then [stream the musical] in the evening or at night,” said the radio host. “Do your BBQ, digest, and then Hamilton!”

Virtual performances

While examining the topic of virtual streaming activities, we can also take a look at the ways in which Ryan Seacrest has managed to continue to bring music to his listeners even while navigating present world events. Known by many for his role as a radio host, the Hollywood personality is also the host of American Idol, the popular American talent show centered around singing performances. He has helped continue to bring that show to the television public while performing his hosting duties from his own home — replete with the show’s famous title font serving as his backdrop.

In addition to his work to bring singing performances to viewers through his work on American Idol, the host has also worked to continue bringing concerts and other performances to listeners via his radio show. One example of this is his recent discussion with Ben Platt, singer and star of Netflix’s “The Politician.” During the talk, Platt shared details of the show while also diving more deeply into his experience in quarantine. Part of that experience has been to collaborate on a new song about the present moment, called “So Will I.”

“I wrote this song … while I was here in quarantine, in isolation,” said Platt about the song. “I wanted to write a song that spoke to the moment and kind of the overwhelming heaviness that’s going on and hopefully provide some comfort.” The singer went on to perform a heartfelt rendition of the new track, providing listeners with a chance to experience a touching moment along with the artist and to hear a live performance of a song — a difficult thing to find at present.

The singer’s recent performance harkens back to the radio show’s rich history of hosting on-air talent. As the show awaits a time when it will be safe to bring artists back into the studio for live concerts once more, it is taking a look back at past performances to continue to bring music into the lives of listeners. Recent throwback concerts that have been featured by the show include Ed Sheehan and Charlie Puth. Listeners are encouraged to weigh in with their favorite past performances to be considered for future throwback concerts.

Digging into history

As a radio host and someone deeply involved in the music industry, Ryan Seacrest is tied to the Grammys in many ways. That’s one of the reasons it became a topic of hot discussion on his show when the long-standing award show publicly released its rule book for the first time in history. The set of rules, which detail the guidelines for the show, including the set of criteria judges should consider when voting in different categories, has long been held close to the chest. Now that the 66-page document is publicly available, revelations are coming forth that are shining light on some interesting parts of music lore.

One example of this, highlighted recently by the radio host, is the infamous story of 1990’s Best New Artist award. For those who aren’t familiar with the story, that was the year that the award was given to Milli Vanilli. The award, however, was later rescinded when it was discovered that the group didn’t sing any of its own music, and were lip-syncing instead. The controversy following that revelation only deepened when the award show did not present the award to any of the other nominees after the truth came out.

All these years later, the release of the Grammys rule book has helped to shed light on the circumstances surrounding that decision. As recounted by the radio host on his show, the rules state that “The Grammy process does not produce a ranked result with a winner and ordered runners-up. In any situation where a Grammy Award is withdrawn following the presentation, no award is given in that category for that year.” From this phrasing, it becomes clear that, although the original recipients of the 1990 award were disqualified, there is no process in place for a new recipient to be considered. This peek behind the award show’s process helps to provide answers related to a major point of contention in music history.

More on the category

Digging into the rule book further, the radio host also took time better understand other guidelines surrounding the Best New Artist category. This category is of particular interest to many music lovers as it has sometimes been the topic of additional controversy over the years. These controversies most often happen when a particular artist is presented with the award while members of the public feel another artist should have won. While these awards can be subjective, some people have called for further explanation of the process to explain some of these discrepancies.

Now, it seems, we have more of that explanation, stemming again from the release of the rulebook. Over the airwaves, the radio host helped break down the guidelines to help determine how they might have affected past awards. In this realm, the rule book states that “The primary element to consider is the artist’s performance. If the artist wrote most or all of the songs, this may be a secondary consideration. Production elements of the recording should not be considered.”

The host noted that, while this excerpt doesn’t explain away the controversy surrounding why certain artists with multiple years of experience have won the award in the past, it does provide context for selection criteria. It remains to be seen whether or not the release of this rulebook will help clear up some of these controversies or make the process more transparent to the average viewer. As the award show is still the result of a subjective voting process, it seems plausible that some differences of opinion may exist in the future on certain selections.

Foundation work

Another story that has been emerging from the radio host’s recent online communication is the ongoing efforts of his non-profit organization known as the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. The organization works to provide access to multimedia experiences to children undergoing treatment at pediatric hospitals. This is accomplished through the creation of broadcast media centers, known as Seacrest Studios, that provide children with the opportunity to participate in the broadcast experience.

The broadcast centers help to stimulate the minds and imaginations of patients which can be an empowering experience, especially in the face of difficult treatments. The work of the foundation aims to encourage optimistic thought and cultivate hope during such hard times. The organization often partners with local journalism schools and other similar institutions by providing an opportunity to gain experience in broadcasting, programming, and operating a multimedia center.

Ongoing work

While some aspects of the organization’s mission have been difficult to keep running in their previous form during the pandemic, the foundation has been diligent in working to overcome hurdles in this process. One of the ways this has manifested is through virtual interviews between patients and celebrity guests. A recent example of this is an interview hosted by Dallas patients Caleb and Nneka as they chatted with country music singer Kelsea Ballerini.

The interview provided a great look into the inventiveness and ingenuity of kids and their ability to adjust in the face of change. To keep the interview engaging, the hosts played virtual games and quizzed the singer on some of their favorite topics. Interview questions included an exploration of favorite foods and some imaginatively posed “would you rather” topics. The singer also worked with the kids to help solve the mystery of the identity of a hidden object in a box, based only on a series of limited clues.

Celebrity visits

The foundation also often works to connect children in treatment programs with some of their favorite celebrities in order to help brighten their spirits. Though the global Covid-19 pandemic has complicated this part of the organization’s work, it is still actively engaging in visits via virtual connections. These virtual visits have been shown to have a strong effect on patient spirits and have helped kids stay in touch with the outside world, even while experiencing hardship in their own lives.

The radio host recently shared some stories of these types of visits via his social media presence. This included videos of kids connecting with Idina Menzel, known widely for her role as Elsa in the Disney animated film “Frozen.” Kids got to connect with the star over video chat and pose a variety of questions that she was more than happy to answer. One topic that featured heavily in conversation was a comparison between the first installation in the “Frozen” series, versus its sequel. The interactions, videos of which can be seen on the foundation’s twitter page, again show the resilient nature of children to adapt when it is needed.

While many high-level personalities have spent much of their quarantine hunkered down out of the limelight, Ryan Seacrest has found a myriad of ways to stay connected with fans all over the world. From brightening the experience of children undergoing medical treatments, to highlighting musical talent, to sharing the quarantine experiences of others in Hollywood, he has certainly kept busy. For those who are familiar with the radio host’s work, this probably comes as no surprise. As we all look forward to a return to normalcy in the future, the work by the host serves as a nice way to continue to connect to the world of entertainment and the arts.

5 Tips to Travel Safely

By Digital Team on July 22, 2020July 22, 2020

Traveling is one of the most enjoyable things you can do by yourself, with friends, or with your family. You create memories, see new places, and experience activities that you can’t at home. However, it can be dangerous at times.

For tourists, the most common crimes experienced are theft by pickpocketing, scams or being overcharged, credit card fraud, and physical assault. To avoid these issues, use our tips on ways to travel safely.

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Be Mindful What You Post

Going on vacation is a once a year event for most of us. It’s natural to want to post all your amazing photos on your social media, but you could be putting yourself at risk.

One online blog article explains that you’re vulnerable to getting your home broken into and robbed when you do this. It might be a better idea to save your pictures and post them when you return.

Whether or not you post before you leave for vacation, make sure your house is secure. Leaving one light on while you’re away is an excellent way to make potential burglars think there’s someone home.

Don’t Draw Attention to Yourself

We’re all guilty of buying new clothes before we travel. You pack your bags with your favorite pieces and things you might not normally wear.

However, when you go out dressed to impress, it makes you a target for theft. If you have children and they bring their most up to date devices with them, this can also draw attention.

It’s better to dress more casually and leave anything you’d be seriously upset about losing at home.

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Don’t Trust Public Wifi

Restaurants or stores use free wifi signs to get you to come in. Although this is convenient when traveling, it can be a hotspot for an identity thief to attack.

When you log in on public wifi, hackers can access your phone and can see your banking app, including your account information and your social security number. Any other important work or personal information that’s on the device can be stolen too.

Trust Your Feelings

Intuition can save you from bad situations when traveling. Whenever you go somewhere, and you don’t like the vibe, you need to leave immediately. There’s a reason why you feel this way, and you should trust it.

Try to stay in places that are well lit, and with other people around. Never go somewhere alone with someone you just met because you never know their intentions. Be mindful of how much alcohol you’re drinking because it can impair your judgment.

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Invest in Travel Insurance

Even if you’re only going away for a week, travel insurance can come to save the day when something terrible happens. Depending on the plan you buy, you’ll be covered if something happens with your flights, you’re robbed, you have to go to the hospital, or your bags are lost at the airport.

It’s normal to go on a trip and never have to use your travel insurance. However, it’s better to be protected than have something go wrong and have to sort it all out on your own.

The Bottom Line

Traveling is one of the best things in life, but you need to remember to stay safe. You want to come home with memorable stories that you can continue telling for the years, not nightmares that will haunt you.

Use our tips to travel safely, and you’ll be all set for your next big trip.

Chicago’s Beal Properties’ Guide to Off-Campus Student Housing

By Article Editor on July 21, 2020August 6, 2020

Merely one year ago, college students were enjoying the throes of summer break, and casually considering their plans for a seamless fall return. From declaring housemates based on inseparable bonds already formed, to saving up cash for an upgraded sofa, figuring out off-campus housing plans was now a nostalgically straightforward process. However, with the unprecedented global COVID-19 pandemic, the realm of college life, and real estate, dramatically changed. From cancelled courses to limited apartment showings, students’ lives were impacted vastly. Now, as this year’s summer break brings uncertainty, change, and a completely new “normal” for the imminently upcoming school year, students should take the time to solidify their housing plans for the upcoming fall semester early. With so many changes, intricacies, and evolving protocols to consider, Chicago staple in real estate development and management, Beal Properties, has provided tips for students to successfully, safely, and expertly secure housing.

Check Out Options Early

With limited inventory, and more people staying put, options for students may be somewhat limited upon the beginning of the upcoming semester. For students looking to pursue off-campus apartment living, competing with the entire local neighborhood population means that the generally witnessed market trend of limited inventory will potentially impact their choices. Beal Properties has been providing countless tenants with a multitude of apartment options spread amongst the company’s expansive 100 building portfolio, offering studio to three bedroom apartments within many of Chicago’s most sought-after neighborhoods. With varying price ranges, a commitment to tenant satisfaction, and a forward-thinking business model, Beal Properties has long been a staple for students looking for a positive apartment living experience. The professionals at Beal Properties advise students to be aware of rising demand for apartment dwelling coupled with limited inventory, and encourage students to act early.

Embrace Tech

For out-of-state students, virtually touring potential apartments, and communicating digitally with landlords and roommates may have already been a commonplace standard. Conversely, most other students may have been used to physically touring potential apartments, meeting with Property Managers, and signing leases at the local pub. With social distancing continuing to dictate behavior, and rapidly changing state regulations regarding social interaction, Beal Properties encourages students to embrace technology during their apartment search process. While Beal has already adapted and implemented technology to innovate various services, from creating a fully-functional tenant portal, to servicing client communication online, the company has ramped up “virtual tour” services. By allowing prospective tenants, including students, to virtually tour their properties, Beal Properties is safely allowing prospective tenants to ensure that properties meet their needs, and providing tenants with the opportunity to receive seamless service in light of the continued changes brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic.

In addition to these forward-thinking virtual tour options, many property management companies, including Beal Properties, are offering tenants contactless applications via various virtual resources, contactless or limited contact move-in procedures, and other digitally enhanced procedures designed to maintain the safety of all parties during this unprecedented time. For students hesitant to pursue the traditionally in-person act of apartment searching, Beal Properties reminds students of the seamless implementation of technology that renders this process now digitally enabled.

Consider Neighborhoods, Transportation, & Lifestyle

For students at the University of Chicago, DePaul, Loyola, IIT, Chicago State, or any of the other higher learning campuses within the vicinity of the city, ease of commute is an integral consideration in choosing the perfect apartment. The experts at Beal Properties point out that an easy access to the ‘L’, bus routes, bike routes, and highways can create a seamless experience for busy students. Between busy class schedules, rotating study groups, part-time jobs, and lifestyle activities, students need to have access to needed locations without too much hassle. Without such ease of access, students are more likely to forgo “non-essential” classes, seminars, and other otherwise positive opportunities.

With many students, and professionals alike, choosing to forgo automobile ownership within bustling cities like Chicago, renters’ preferences are steering toward housing in convenient proximity to public transportation. For Beal Properties, consideration of students who rely on public infrastructure to service their needs is a factor for determining adding properties to the company’s thriving portfolio. Whether in Lakeview, Wrigleyville, Lincoln Park, or any other coveted Chicagoland neighborhood, the majority of Beal Properties’ complexes are conveniently located within walking range to trains, subway stations, bus routes, and bike paths. For students, this provides an excellent opportunity to hop on the bus to their University, and retain a convenient commute.

In addition to the importance of considering proximity to school, Beal Properties professionals encourage students to consider neighborhoods as a whole, looking for particular “live-work-play” microenvironments that suit their unique needs. For example, active students may prefer neighborhoods with robust gym options, hiking trails, dedicated bike lanes, and community pools. Conversely, social students may prefer hyper-local communities nestled between restaurants, bars, and trendy hotspots. Since student housing is essentially home, choosing a neighborhood that is conducive to needs, desires, and lifestyle will create an easy transition for students leaving their hometown for the first time.

Consider Budgets

For students whose financial status has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, whether through the loss of part-time work, or otherwise, budgeting is instrumental in ensuring successful living arrangements throughout the year. By creating a realistic budget for groceries, rent, essentials, and “fun” expenditures, students can stave off the potential panic of having limited work opportunities, and can safely determine which apartments can fit their needs. Recognizing the need to offer modern apartment dwellings at varying price points, the experts at Beal Properties maintain a diverse portfolio of studio apartments perfect for singular students, or 1, 2, and 3 bedroom options that are suitable for roommates who will split costs. The company encourages students to create budgets prior to beginning their apartment search, and sticking to only considering dwelling options that fall within the pre-set budgets.

While the landscape for students has certainly changed in every aspect as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, innovative companies like Beal Properties are implementing proactive measures to ensure that the apartment hunt is seamless, easy, and direct during this unprecedented time. By following a few simple pivots, students can ensure a safe, successful, and positive return to the fall semester.

Want to stay connected with Beal? Follow them on Instagram!

Yanni Hufnagel Wants You to Ditch Sports Drinks for Lemon Perfect

By Article Editor on July 20, 2020

As an athlete and former university men’s basketball coach, Yanni Hufnagel, founder and CEO of Lemon Perfect, has a longstanding interest in beverages that can hydrate and replenish lost nutrients to keep athletes in top performance mode. Like any athlete or coach, he’s aware that the role of “thirst quencher” for casual to professional athletes has long been sports drinks. Those unnaturally neon blue, lime green, and bright red drinks from Gatorade and Powerade have become so commonplace on benches and sidelines that they almost seem inevitable.

But Hufnagel wondered if these artificially sweetened and colored sports drinks were really the best choice for people looking to enhance their health. On closer inspection, he realized that these sports drinks being marketed as healthy options for anyone from kids to college athletes were actually loaded with sugar, calories, and artificial dyes. In other words, they were full of unhealthy ingredients that actually contributed to outcomes like weight gain and poor health. With their bright colors and associations with athletes and sports, sports drinks are particularly problematic for kids. A report from the American Academy of Pediatrics noted that: “frequent or excessive intake of caloric sports drinks can substantially increase the risk for overweight or obesity in children and adolescents.”

Hufnagel decided that there had to be a better option. He’d read about the benefits of lemon water for hydrating while boosting electrolytes and Vitamin C, and he started making his own at home. In 2017, Hufnagel left his basketball coaching career to follow a new path as the founder and CEO of Lemon Perfect, maker of lemon water drinks in four refreshing flavors — Just Lemon, Blueberry Acai, Dragon Fruit Mango, and Peach Raspberry — all with zero sugar and just 5 calories. Compare this to a 20-ounce bottle of Gatorade which contains 34 grams of sugar (over 6 teaspoons), and 140 calories. Or a 20-ounce bottle of Powerade which contains 34 grams of sugar and 130 calories.

Instead of sugar, Lemon Perfect drinks are sweetened with erythritol—an all-natural, low-calorie sweetener found in fruits like grapefruits, peas, and watermelons, as well as with stevia leaf extract—a zero-calorie sweetener extracted from the leaves of the stevia plant. These alternative sweeteners are used in thousands of foods and drinks on the market and, unlike high fructose corn syrup and the like, they don’t cause blood sugar levels to spike or add to someone’s calorie load.

Athletes of all kinds who are involved in tough training sessions do need to rehydrate. In fact, people can lose as much as one to two quarts of water during an hour of even low-intensity exercise like walking or jogging. This, in turn, can lead to fatigue, injury, and cramping. The more strenuous the training, the more water is lost, and the more serious the consequences. During intense workouts (like running, cycling, or high school or collegiate sports training sessions), athletes can lose three quarts of water in an hour and are at serious risk for dehydration and heat exhaustion. One trainer, Amanda Carlson, who studied college football players, found that 98% were dehydrated as they went into evaluations with NFL scouts. “Just losing 2% of your body weight in fluid can decrease performance by up to 25%,” Carlson said.

It’s crucial, says health professionals, that athletes of all levels drink enough water before and during workouts, using the scale to determine how much water weight has been lost and needs to be replenished (every pound lost should be replaced with 16 to 20 ounces of fluid).

And while sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade like to tout their performance-enhancing electrolytes, achieved with liberal amounts of added salt, Lemon Perfect drinks also replenish electrolytes through the nutritional power of lemons.

Following an intense training session, athletes lose not only water but also electrolytes — the minerals that balance the amount of water in the body and maintain the body’s acid-to-base or pH level. Other important functions of electrolytes are to help move nutrients into and waste out of cells, and to keep organs and nerves functioning properly.

For athletes working at top performance levels, maintaining electrolyte levels is important. One recent study found that athletes can stave off fatigue 37% longer if they drink sports drinks containing electrolytes and carbohydrates. The same study found that these drinks contribute to the athlete’s performance, boosting speed, motor skills, and mental sharpness.

Lemon Perfect’s electrolytes come from a truly healthy and natural source—their hand-picked, cold-pressed, USDA-certified organic, Southern California-grown lemons.

In addition to boosting electrolytes, Lemon Perfect drinks also provide an essential dose of Vitamin C — an antioxidant that helps protect the body against disease, aids in the absorption of nutrients (particularly iron), and supports collagen production and healthy skin. Each 12-ounce bottle of Lemon Perfect contains 100% of the Food & Drug Administration’s recommended daily dose of Vitamin C. A 20-ounce bottle of Gatorade contains just 5% of the FDA’s recommended daily dose of Vitamin C. Powerade contains none.

And traditional sports drinks are packed with unnatural and unhealthy ingredients — high fructose corn syrup (in the case of Powerade) or dextrose (in the case of Gatorade), both of which have negative impacts on blood sugar levels and contribute to weight gain. They also contain artificial dyes like Red 40, Blue No. 1, and Yellow No. 5, derived from petroleum and tied to hyperactivity in children and even cancer. And both Gatorade and Powerade contain genetically modified ingredients (GMOs).

Meanwhile, Yanni Hufnagel has made environmental commitments a core part of the Lemon Perfect brand — recognizing that personal health and planetary health go hand in hand. There are zero artificial ingredients in Lemon Perfect beverages. The drinks are produced from an eco-friendly pasteurization process, the bottles are made from BPA-free recyclable plastic, and the company contributes at least 1% of annual sales to environmental causes.

About Lemon Perfect
Lemon Perfect is a naturally refreshing, zero sugar cold-pressed lemon water with antioxidants and electrolytes. Certified organic and full of flavor, Lemon Perfect is widely considered by industry insiders to be one of the most scalable, exciting, and innovative emerging beverage concepts in the marketplace.

About Yanni Hufnagel

Yanni Hufnagel is the Founder & CEO of Lemon Perfect, a naturally refreshing, zero sugar cold-pressed lemon water with essential antioxidants and hydrating electrolytes. Certified organic and full of flavor, Lemon Perfect – named “Best New Product” at BevNET’s Best of 2019 Awards – is widely considered by industry insiders to be one of the most scalable, exciting and innovative emerging beverage concepts in the marketplace.

Founded in 2017 and backed by an extraordinary team of investors, the company’s mission is to democratize drinkable wellness by making Lemon Perfect accessible for anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Before starting Lemon Perfect, Yanni Hufnagel served as an assistant men’s college basketball coach, with stops at Nevada, California, Vanderbilt, Harvard, and Oklahoma. Yanni Hufnagel earned the reputation as one of the most dogged recruiters in America, consistently lauded for signing nationally-ranked recruiting classes. In Yanni Hufnagel’s 10 years coaching college basketball, his teams reached the NCAA Tournament six times.

An Overview of Third-Party Logistics with Freight Hub Group

By Article Editor on July 17, 2020July 17, 2020

The use of third-party logistics has become an increasingly important part of the global economy as the world becomes more connected through the use of the internet. This has become especially relevant with the modern explosion in online shopping, which relies on a well-connected network of shipment and storage logistics in order to move goods from manufacturers to customers. To gain a better understanding of this important field, we turned to information from Freight Hub Group, a leader in third-party logistics. Look to the below information to better understand how goods make their way along a typical supply chain.

Order fulfillment

One important part of many supply chains is order fulfillment. Since many goods are housed at warehouses operated by third-party logistics companies, these companies are often involved in the process of delivering goods to customers. Otherwise said, it is not typical for a representative from a company that sells a product to visit a third-party warehouse whenever a customer order is placed. Instead, it is often expected that the warehouse operator will receive the order and handle the process of retrieving the item from storage and passing it along the supply chain to the customer.

This process relies on robust communication between a third-party logistics company and its clients. For instance, when a relationship is first established between these companies, a client will often fill out documentation detailing how goods should be handled and the process that will be used for delivering goods to clients. That way, when an order is placed, there is already an established system for how such an event will be carried out. As such, a warehouse operator can simply follow the pre-established guidelines and work to make a delivery that will be in line with the quality standards expected by both the client and the customer making the order.

Role of technology

Of course, the above process is helped greatly by technological development in the modern era. These types of customer fulfillments are commonly handled automatically thanks to such pieces of technology, which often involve the use of web platforms that are directly accessible by clients. These platforms allow clients to easily set up their preferences for fulfillment processes and make changes when necessary. They also help clients track a myriad of important statistics related to their orders, such as warehouse supply levels, transportation locations, and delivery details.

One of the reasons that Freight Hub Group has been able to excel in its field is its early recognition of the importance of technology in the third-party logistics industry and the need for implementation of such platforms into their business operations. The company’s innovative system, TruckHub, offers its customers direct control over numerous stages of the supply chain. This includes a focus on both communication and automation to ensure orders are handled seamlessly. The goal of the platform is to provide clients with an “Uber-like experience” that provides flexibility and inspires trust that storage and shipping logistics will be handled as expected.

Shipping details

As touched upon above, storage is merely the first part of the fulfillment process. After an order is placed by a customer, and a specific good is retrieved from a warehouse, the next phase of the journey is centered around transporting that good to the customer. This is typically handled through less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping options. LTL shipping is often utilized in last-mile shipping because it is a cost-effective way to ensure goods are delivered in a timely and efficient manner. Since warehouses are often strategically located in a variety of locations to enable short delivery distance at the end of a supply chain, this shipment method can typically be utilized directly from a warehouse.

LTL shipping stands in contrast to full truckload (FTL) shipping, which is often utilized when a collection of goods is large enough to completely fill a truck bed or other shipping container. It can also be used when a client wants to ship goods by themselves, even though they do not completely fill a shipment method, such as in a case where special considerations must be undertaken during transportation. While FTL is an oft-used shipment method for delivering goods to a warehouse or across long distances, LTL is typically the favored method when a fulfillment process is seeking to deliver goods from a warehouse to a customer.

Company background

The information provided in this piece stems from the extensive background of experience provided by Freight Hub Group as it serves customers from its location in South Florida. The company was founded by CEO Luis Lopez after his own early experience in the third-party logistics industry taught him there was an opportunity for improvement. By utilizing an approach with a strong focus on technology, he’s been able to advance the quality of typical offerings, such as the transportation of hazardous materials. This has helped clients achieve a level of agility and flexibility in their planning that was previously difficult to find.

At present, the company is known for the quality of its offerings through its four main subdivisions, known as Dray Hub, FTL Hub, LTL Hub, and WHSE Hub. With its location near both the Port of Miami and Port Everglades, the company is able to offer these services in a customizable fashion that takes into account its clients’ needs for drayage, storage, and transportation options that work on their own terms. This collection of resources has helped set the company apart as a leader in the field of third-party logistics and a reputable source of related information.

Though the need for adequate storage, transportation, and fulfillment services has become more pronounced with the increased popularity of online shopping, many individuals and organizations still have gaps in their understanding of the field. The above overview, created with information from Freight Hub Group, can help to fill in those gaps and provide a more complete understanding of how a product can move from a manufacturer to its final destination. Utilize this information, along with other resources on the subject, to help improve the quality of your business plan and your ability to deliver goods to customers.

Why is Access to Healthy Foods Important?

By admin on July 17, 2020January 16, 2021

Healthy foods provide us with the nutrition our bodies need. Without this nutrition, our bodies break down leading to future health issues.

For some of us, eating healthy food is not much of an issue. For others, it can be a matter of life and death.

If you look in your grocery stores, you may notice that healthy foods are often more expensive than “not as healthy” food products. When you compare organic to non-organic, organic will always have a higher price tag. Lower fats and non-fat foods also tend to be more expensive than foods with a high fat content.

Because healthy foods are more expensive, lower income people may not be able to afford them. As a result, grocery stores in lower income neighborhoods may not carry these foods at all.

But the problems don’t stop there.

Data from 2012-2013 shows that the average person lived 2.19 miles from a supermarket. While that is not very far for those who have a car, it is impossible to walk this distance with a week’s worth of groceries, and carrying them on public transportation isn’t much easier.

Then there are the food deserts. Food deserts are areas where food resources are limited which is often the case in low income areas. As a result, convenience stores and small food markets may be the only way for these people to access food. Unfortunately, these smaller businesses tend not to offer a lot of healthy food options.

Why is Access to Healthy Foods Important?

If you are wondering, why is access to healthy foods important, read on to find out.

Those who do not have access to healthy foods are likely to experience health problems in the future. Diabetes and obesity are two health issues that are quite common in low-income neighborhoods where people do not have access to the healthy foods they need.

There are however, things you can do to offset the cost of eating healthy. Buying your food online is a great alternative to grocery stores and usually gets you even fresher products. If you buy lobster tails online for example, these are the freshest you can possibly get without buying a live lobster. Buying from companies like this also makes it so you know the product is being sourced responsibly, so that it will be available in the future.

What is Being Done?

Fortunately, the issue of a lack of access to healthy foods has not gone unnoticed. As a result, several strategies have been implemented to “improve diets by altering food environments.” For instance, Supplemental Nutrition Access Programs have helped low income individuals afford the healthy food they need.

Other strategies include opening supermarkets in underserved neighborhoods, lowering the prices of healthy foods and limiting the number of fast food restaurants in communities.

It Starts with You

Healthy foods are important but to really make sure you are getting the nutrition you need, supplements are recommended.

Garden of Life is a brand that is dedicated to creating a world where obesity and diabetes are a thing of the past. They manufacture whole foods nutritional supplements that they believe will help make that dream a reality. Products like their Omega 3 Fish Oil, their Woman’s Once Daily, and their FucoThin Fat Burner are just some Garden of Life products designed to boost health and wellness.

The question is not really, “Why is access to healthy foods important?” Rather, it’s “What do we need to do to make healthy foods more accessible?” Fortunately, programs are underway to help people get the nutritious foods they need. Hopefully this will make a change in promoting better health throughout the world.

Interactive and Social Apps to Get You Through the Isolation of Quarantine

By Article Editor on July 13, 2020

Do you find yourself nostalgically daydreaming of the camaraderie of your favorite Spin class? Have you started talking to your houseplants as though they were newly created connections made naturally on 80’s night at your local bar? Do you long to fill your afternoons learning a new craft, exacerbated by the desire to share your fledgling successes with like-minded individuals? With boredom, loneliness, isolation, and lack of interpersonal communication plaguing countless individuals throughout quarantine and social distancing measures, you are not alone! To offset these growing feelings of isolation and distance, consider downloading these interactive and social apps to get you moving, sharing, and connecting.

Fitplan

Though there are multiple apps available on the market for fitness junkies looking to take their workout game digital, or novices looking to embark on a fitness journey during quarantine, Fitplan is highly interactive, social, and communicative. If you’re looking for fitness inspiration, teamwork and camaraderie, and a social community of health conscious members, Fitplan is the app to kickstart your virtual fitness journey in a manner most consistent with in-person group fitness clubs. You can choose from hundreds of bespoke fitness plans, with new home workout plans released each week. Additionally, for personalized care and attention, you can receive one on one instruction from top personal trainers. With tools and markers designed to track progress, you can reach milestones and achieve personal goals easily, sharing your success with a community of over 3 million Fitplan members.

With ample gym workouts available, Fitplan will transition with your evolving needs and preferences as social distancing guidelines change, rendering this app a long-term wellness must-have. If you’re starting out with your first workout plan, and don’t know where to begin, the app features a simple series of questions that help to create a bespoke workout plan to meet your needs, eliminating any guess work that may leave you feeling left out, or otherwise unmotivated. As a bonus, the app integrates with Apple’s Health app to track comprehensive data, making it easier than ever to keep track of your health, progress, and goals.

LinkedIn Learning

If the Coronavirus pandemic, and subsequent job insecurity, has left you scrambling to secure occupational stability in the future, look to LinkedIn Learning to develop crucial skills that will help you become proficient in in-demand fields. With lessons taught by industry experts, the app provides courses in leadership, marketing, IT, web design, and after growing industries. You can explore a multitude of courses, work at your own pace, and even share course completion certificates with your network. Whether you’re considering a complete career overhaul, or want to leverage newly perfected skills to become a more competitive candidate for promotion, LinkedIn Learning can provide the infrastructure needed to reach these goals.

As LinkedIn is inherently social in nature, and relies on the concept of digital networking for occupational success, the Learning app features robust communication tools to champion a community spirit, bolster success, and share tips with other learners. Through the app’s “Q & A” section, featured on every course, you can ask pertinent questions to the community, and the course’s instructor. This function champions interactive communication, often resulting in successful social learning experiences.

Zynn

This exciting new short-video sharing app is the ultimate community-building tool, encouraging artistic creators to make entertaining video snippets across a variety of categories, and serving up diverse content for all users. If you’re yearning for creative expression and community integration, but are sick of platforms that only champion influencers, and creators with a certain number of followers, Zynn is the innovative app for you. Zynn’s groundbreaking suggestion algorithm creates an equal opportunity for all videos to be seen, regardless of a creator’s follower count, profile characteristics, or popularity. This leads to more inclusive and diverse content being readily visible on Zynn, perfect for users who want to discover interesting content, and be seen as their authentic selves.

With purposeful design that allows for swift sharing of content, viewing of creator profiles, and interaction, the social nature of Zynn is expertly manifested in the app’s design. If you’ve always wanted to create professional quality videos, Zynn has easy-to-use customization tools to transform everyday videos into works of art. With extensive editing capabilities, a soundtrack creator, and the ability to add stickers and magic effects to videos, you can express your personality freely with Zynn. With a constantly growing community of loyal users, Zynn’s commitment to expression, equality, and diversity makes this app truly innovative, forward-thinking, and social.

DIY.org Creative Challenges

With more time at your disposal, you may be considering learning a new craft, perfecting a creative skill, or embarking on a quest to ultimately become a skilled photographer. From activities created to keep little minds busy, to learning creative occupational skills, DIY.org is home to thousands of creative challenges to spark creation, innovation, and artistic release. From how-to videos to step-by-step tutorials in art, chemistry, camping, singing, sewing, and a myriad of other topics, DIY.org encourages you to try something new.

Interactive and social, the child-safe community allows you to post your creations, comment on users’ ventures, and discuss the outcomes of projects in a community setting. Tracking your growing skill sets and endeavors, the app allows you to create a bespoke profile, which showcases your creative accomplishments to date. Viewing the accomplishments of community members can be inspirational, and motivate you to get creative, while celebrating the growing skills of like-minded individuals.

As you navigate these unprecedented times, participating in digitally based social endeavors can successfully alleviate feelings of isolation, negativity, boredom, and loneliness. While traditional in-person networking and interactions may be limited for the time being, there are various digitally based alternatives for anyone looking to remain connected, socially engaged, entertained, and motivated. From apps dedicated to personal wellness and physical fitness, to social media platforms dedicated to showcasing diverse content, leading interactive and social apps can get you through quarantine without losing a sense of community, authenticity, and self-expression.

Outsourced Marketing Support Means Professional Work On Demand

By admin on July 9, 2020

Flocksy is a professionally managed flat rate creative services and content platform focused on long-term relationships with clients, designers, and partners. Flocksy utilizes only U.S.-based project managers who understand the needs of both clients and on demand teams. Their team is fully vetted and tested, ensuring their clients get top notch results for the projects they desire. Flocksy was founded in 2016 by Sam, George, and Charles Ryan as the first platform of its kind to offer the breadth of services and consistency of teams.

Flocksy’s proprietary platform engages teams, both internally and externally, through their user-friendly platform. Their platform is cost-effective for businesses of all sizes and locations. The monthly cost is at $349, $420, or $995 price points and Flocksy offers video editing and creation, copywriting, design, website development and voiceover services.

The company works with businesses of all sizes that need marketing materials created and agencies. They help their customers with all their marketing projects for a fraction of the price they would pay an inhouse team. Their service replaces the typical full-time designer, video editor, developer or writer and more.

Flocksy integrates chat functionality and a full dashboard, both of which are focused on consistent, best work practices for every project. Their platform vets and selects only the best creatives from around the world, ensuring work is done correctly and on time. Flocksy was designed so clients get a whole team they are working with and not one person that they may or may not connect with.

Businesses sign up and can create unlimited design, video, development and writing projects. Flocksy then forms a fully vetted team around the customer’s account based on the projects they run, their style, and more. The team then works on all their projects and makes sure to keep their brand and style consistent. Their professional-grade work is work we use ourselves.

Flocksy has proprietary software that vets creatives who want to join. Once they submit the application and go through an onboarding process, they have a team of experts review the applications that make it through the onboarding process. The experts choose who is finally accepted based on a number of criteria. Once creatives are accepted onto the platform, they start joining teams and work directly with the clients.

The teams get projects done in 12 hours on average. Since there is always someone available on the team to work on the projects, there are few delays and most projects are done correctly and consistently the first time around. This allows businesses to scale and start as many projects as they need without any bottlenecks.

Flocksy has consistently beat client expectations for quality of work and work turnaround times from our first day in business. Typically, the Flocksy team is one you build as a consistent, complete outsource team, focused on your core business needs. Flocksy was designed to work with small to mid-sized businesses the way they do business best. And their retainer-based monthly service fee includes all work, licensing, and more.

Clients can do as many projects as they can complete in a given month. In order to better focus on client work, projects can be located into our dashboard and are completed one at a time. When you sign off on a project, the next one begins. The dashboard includes recent activity in a client’s account, the team, the client’s active projects and stats on their activity.

The proprietary portal is very user-friendly. Clients can easily sign up and create projects within minutes. They can easily provide feedback by commenting and tagging designs within a project. Once the client is happy with a project, they can simply close it out and the team starts on the next project in the queue.

Accounts are each assigned a dedicated Project Manager. The Project Manager is USA based and oversees the client’s team and account. If the client has any questions, issues with the team, concerns about a project or more, they can simply reach out to their Project Manager for a fast response (usually in under an hour).

With the My Team page clients can see everyone on their team and remove team members they don’t like. The dashboard allows the client to quickly see what is happening in their account. And the Pending Projects area, allows clients to create unlimited projects and have them queued up. The team works through them as fast as possible. Flocksy enables you to keep your team for the long haul or change them around whenever you want to. Flocksy’s professional creatives and active team members serve as outsourced members of YOUR team.