Ideoli doesn’t just walk the walk when it comes to going the extra mile for clients —we fly too! Recently, we had to complete an intense round of manufacturing for a number of clients who needed products before the holiday season started. This meant that we had multiple production runs, across multiple factories, in several different countries, all at the same time. To ensure we completed these high-volume, high-profile production runs without compromising quality, our co-founders George Stroumboulis and Chris Hartswick made it a point to oversee the production of Ideoli’s fixtures, lighting and furnishing products in person. Doing so meant that for a period of two months, George and Chris took alternating trips to Asia on a weekly basis to work with the teams at the production facilities, sometimes even just for a day when schedules demanded it. Although Ideoli has an exceptional team and trusted partners, George and Chris wanted to literally go the extra mile due to the time crunch to make sure everything was on track, per specification and perfectly packed before getting to clients’ locations across the US, Europe and the Middle East. Racking up impressive air miles, George and Chris were able to ensure Ideoli met these intense deadlines for clients and distribution partners. At Ideoli, we do whatever it takes to keep our clients and partners satisfied and to grow our business– another example of how we do things differently and raise the bar.
Traditional design and procurement practices for furnishings, fixtures and lighting can be frustrating. You have to pick up a catalog, search for options, negotiate pricing, and deal with complicated sales channels, just to get an ordinary product. But what happens when you want to design something from scratch, or replicate an existing style, or simply want to get a better price on the types of items you’re already buying? This is where Ideoli comes in. We work directly with architects, lighting designers, distributors and end-users to bring custom furnishings, fixtures and lighting to life. And don’t be scared off by the word “customization.” Elsewhere, customization often translates into added costs, time and uncertainty, but that is simply not the case with Ideoli. We work directly with you to come up with tailored designs, whether it’s an idea that popped in your head or it’s inspiration from something you’ve seen in another store or from another designer. We then take these tailored designs and work with our domestic and international manufacturing partners tocome up with real samples and prototypes for you to test, along with pricing and delivery options for you to consider. This testing process, along with our unique network of partners, allows us to ensure that once everything is agreed upon, the vision you originally had will turn into products of the highest-quality workmanship, with pricing at or below your original budget. So “customization” isn’t a bad word if you don’t have to pay extra for it! There’s only one way to prove to you that our model works. Start by getting in contact with us and sharing your latest idea, doodle, a picture you saw in a magazine or an existing sample you already have in hand, and we will wow you from there.
At ideoli, we believe that we are not only defined by our successes but also by how well we address hurdles along the way. No one is perfect; mistakes happen, and sometimes challenges like weather are beyond anyone’s control. What we can control, however, is how we respond to difficult situations. For example, we recently received a call from a client that had just received thousands of products from us for a large national rollout for their own client. Unfortunately, this was not a pleasant call, as many of the products arrived damaged. That’s because a series of hurricanes rocking the South in the US caused our shipment to be rerouted by a freight company, which dropped several pallets while in transit. Although the freight company’s fault, we knew we had to resolve the issue immediately for our client. So we sent our best and brightest down to the client’s warehouse to assess the situation and quickly come up with a targeted game plan. We ended up coordinating testing of all products on site, replacing defective product and damaged packaging with new ones. We then removed all the damaged materials.Ideoli received the first call from the client explaining the problem on a Tuesday, and we resolved everything by Friday othat same week. The client was able to then complete their shipments immediately, making them extremely happy with how we resolved the situation. Problems are inevitable. The way Ideoli addresses issues with a sense of urgency and accuracy is what sets us apart.
When we first created a custom, diamond-shaped lighting fixture to serve as a showcase piece for a prominent retailer, we knew we produced something special. Winning a prestigious LIT Design Award for this fixture in March 8, 2019, helped reinforce this feeling, and we’re proud to be recognized for this amazing project. The LIT (Light in Theory) Design Awards are international honors bestowed upon the world’s best lighting product designers and lighting implementers. They honor creativity and innovation in lighting, based on the belief that lighting is both an art and a science as well as one of the top elements of design. Ideoli won this award within the chandeliers category by creating a beautiful, custom lighting fixture that looks realistically like a large diamond. We created this chandelier for a national jewelry retailer in Orlando, Florida, to serve as the focal point for an 8,000-square-foot retail space. Since then, we have produced several more for their national locations. The fixture itself measures almost six feet in diameter, and it represents the exact cuts of a GIA diamond. We created this effect through both a unique construction process and innovative LED lighting. Specifically, the interior of the fixtures uses polished stainless steel to create the look of 58 facets found on a real GIA diamond. We then constructed the exterior frame from clear acrylic panels to make the diamond translucent. Since the frame is see-through, we used highly-reflective aluminum panels from Germany within the center core of the fixture to create a sparkly look. From a lighting perspective, we installed an advanced, color-changing LED lighting system in the girdle of the diamond in a way where the lighting points inwards. Doing so prevents the LED lights themselves from being seen but the light they emit reflects off the interior core to create even more of a sparkle. This innovative fixture catches the eyes of customers to help drive attention and ultimately revenue to the store. We’re honored that our hard work and creativity also caught the attention of the LIT Design Awards.
Ideoli’s passion extends beyond fixtures, furnishings and lighting; we also love having fun, being active and supporting the communities that we work with. As such, ideoli has been a proud, active sponsor of the Barrie Colts Minor Atom AAA youth hockey team located in Ontario, Canada. Recently, the Barrie Colts were in Detroit for a tournament, and while they were in town they watched the Toronto Maple Leafs’ practice on February 1 in preparation for the Leafs’ game against the Detroit Red Wings.Our Co-Founder and CEO George Stroumboulis’ nephew plays on the Barrie Colts, and George’s sister organized a meet-and-greet for the kids with the Leafs’ head coach, Mike Babcock. Coach Babcock was nice enough to sign some autographs for the team as they rocked jerseys sponsored by ideoli. Check out a clip of the meeting on Twitter Ideoli is proud to support the ambitions of the Barrie Colts, and we’re as excited as they are that they got to experience a taste of the NHL!
At Ideoli, we’re firm believers in the “work hard, play hard” mantra. Having some fun outside of work helps give us the energy and new perspectives needed to create incredible products for clients all over the world. We also like to reward our team for their hard work, so we recently rented out the luxury mattress retailer Coco-Mat’s showroom in SoHo, New York City for a night of drinks and gourmet, authentic Greek cooking lessons. Opa! The ideoli team learned and mastered how to create four amazing Greek dishes from appetizers to dessert. We learned the importance of utilizing fresh, organic ingredients…and lots of olive oil, of course. We also took time in between lessons to try out some luxury mattresses made in Greece, which range in cost up to $40,000 per mattress. These mattresses, Ideoli’s products and our Greek cooking all share the important ingredients of quality and care. The Ideoli team had an entertaining night and discovered that cooking is not only fun but a great stress reliever. Check back with us to see what food we cooked and how well it turned out!
As naturally excited as we are to work with partners around the world to invigorate spaces, sometimes we need a good caffeine kick to really get the ideas flowing. Recently, Ideoli was in Shanghai, China, for important meetings, so what better place to stop at for a coffee break than one of the world’s largest Starbucks? Ideoli did not play a role in the construction or furnishing of this location, but that doesn’t stop us from admiring the grandoise design. Opened in December 2017, the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Shanghai comprises 30,000 square feet and features three impressive wood-carved bars. One of these coffee bars measures a staggering 88 feet long!Arguably the coolest part is how pipes carry raw beans to roasters, then to a two-story-tall bronze vessel decorated with traditional Chinese seals and patterns. We also love the international nature of this location. This revolutionary Starbucks is an absolute tourist attraction, buzzing with people from all over the world experiencing this interactive environment.Located in one of the poshest neighborhoods in Shanghai, this location is quite impressive and a great location to recharge, stay caffeinated and meet new people from all walks of life. Next time you’re in Shanghai, definitely check out Starbucks Reserve Roastery. If you like coffee as much as the Ideoli team, you’ll be happy you did!
With reflection comes growth, so we like to take a step back and think about what lessons we learn each year to see how we can improve. Here are some lessons our team members learned in 2018: 1. Focus on Details: “Always have patience and pay attention to detail,” says Georgios, Product Designer at ideoli. 2. Stay Organized: “Organization is key —especially in marketing —to keep projects on time, making sure all the tasks are completed,” notes Kathleen, our Marketing Manager. 3. Don’t Overlook QC: “Quality control is very important. Catching mistakes before they go out is vital in our industry and saves a lot of time,” advises Armando, Applications Engineer at ideoli. 4. Timing Is Everything: ”If it takes some time to make something happen, it takes twice the time to make it perfect,” says Kostas, our Content Producer. 5. Have Fun!: It may be called “work,” but two of our great team members, Janeen, Director of Project & Client Relations, and Vito, our 3D Renderer, both share that work can be fun! Even with Janeen juggling raising a toddler with the fast-paced environment Ideoli, she notes that she’s had a great time this past year. Based on these reflections, and by applying these lessons going forward, 2019 looks like it’s going to be a productive year at Ideoli!
Ideoli’s team comprises of an impressive group of enthusiastic professionals. This team includes our Board of Advisors, who we meet with regularly in New York City for great brainstorming and strategy sessions.“What’s not exceptional with Ideoli team,” says Allen Keiffer, a retail, design and development expert who serves as one of ideoli’s advisors. “They are pulling folks from around the world with all these diverse backgrounds who come together and melt into this wonderful solid foundation of experience throughout the world.”This great team full of passionate professionals with deep expertise has positioned ideoli to continue to grow at an impressive rate. Our brainstorming and strategy sessions with our advisors allow for free-flowing conversation and the ability for our team to come up with unique solutions to any obstacles we face.” “I’m so excited and I can’t wait to see where they go in the next two years. It’s going to be an explosion of excitement,” adds Allen. With an exceptional Board of Advisors, ideoli is on the right track toward progressive growth. We’re looking forward to the next strategy session!
Ideoli has assembled an outstanding team of passionate professionals, including a Board of Advisors comprised of intelligent, passionate professionals with deep, impressive experience across a variety of sectors. We meet with our Board of Advisors regularly in New York City for amazing brainstorming and strategizing sessions, where we tap into their industry knowledge to help us grow. This team—which includes Allen Kiefer, a retail, design and development expert; Grant Whitmore, a digital and media expert; and Robert Peck, a Canadian diplomat with international expertise—helps ideoli achieve its objectives by drawing from their pasts and providing suggestions on how to move forward. Being leaders in their own respective fields, each advisor brings a specialized skillset to the team dynamic. And these leaders aren’t just subject-matter experts; they’re also passionate individuals who care about quality growth and love working with great teams to solve challenges and surpass business goals.
Ideoli has grown significantly in a short period of time, and we attribute much of our success to surrounding ourselves with great team members, partners and clients. That network also includes our Board of Advisors, an amazing group of people from diversebackgrounds that help ensure progressive growth. We meet with our Board of Advisors regularly in New York City to brainstorm and strategize. Our advisors include: 1. Allen Kieffer: Allen is a retail, design and construction expert who helps ideoli withhis wealth of knowledge and experience in these areas. He’s held notable roles such as the Vice President of Retail Development at Guess and currently holds several roles in the Los Angeles area, including Co-Principal of Caviar & Company, which provides retail development services.Allen has been with ideoli for over two years and has known Ideoli’s Co-Founder and CEO George Stroumboulis for over seven years. His international design experience and North American construction background help ideoli navigate challenges and opportunities in these areas. 2. Robert Peck: Robert has been a career diplomat for the government of Canada for 35 years, holding notable roles such as serving as the Canadian Ambassador to Greece and to Algeria. He has now moved on to tackle new challenges, such as advisingideoli on its international growth and serving as a Non-Executive Director at Energean Oil & Gas. Robert has been with Ideoli for the past two years and can draw from his unique background working with leaders around the world to help Ideoli become a truly international company. 3. Grant Whitmore: Grant has deep expertise in the media and digital sectors, as he serves as the Chief Digital Operations Officer at Tribune Publishing Company. He has also held notable roles such as Executive Vice President, Digital at The New York Daily News. Grant has also been with Ideoli for the past two years and helps ideoli better understand the digital landscape and how to grow in a changing environment. What impressive backgrounds this group has! With this outstanding Board of Advisors, Ideoli is in a great position to continue to grow.
At ideoli, we’re dedicated to bringing our clients’ visions into reality. Doing so not only requires creativity and passion but also a thorough quality control process.From design to prototype to production, our quality control team is there every step of the way to ensure that we deliver what we promise without comprising our high standards. “We start the QC process as soon as we finalize our drawings and we start ordering parts for production,” explains Armando, our Senior Applications Engineer. From there, Armando and his team of dedicated professionals go on site at every major production run to oversee Ideoli’s production lines. He also coordinates the on-site review at clients’ installation sites to make sure that the finished products are as amazing as we envisioned. “We are always on site when the product is installed. We like to oversee the whole process from start to finish,” he says. From the early stages of production to final product installations, Armando and the rest of our quality control team are there every step of the way for our clients. This team comprises a major part of what sets ideoli apart, as we are obsessed with delivering the best quality to clients.