Choosing and creating furniture elements for a commercial space should be more involved than picking random pieces from a catalog. Instead, commercial environments like retail, restaurant, hotel and office spaces can be invigorated by working collaboratively with Ideoli to design custom furniture that covers all their criteria– whatever it may be. In order to best design these pieces, it’s helpful for clients to follow these four tips when engaging with us to design their furniture elements: 1. Know and tell us who your target customer is. The whole process should start with an understanding of the intended audience and user of the furniture element, whether it’s a table, chair, stool, showcase unit or display case. We then focus on designing furniture that is more than aesthetically pleasing, creating pieces that support your overall business goals. For example, a high-end jeweler will likely want more elegant furniture designs that accentuates the gems, compared to a toy store, which might want more fun pieces. In addition to being the right style, the designed furniture needs to be durable depending on the specific use application. There are many variables to consider, so you should lean into our expertise on how to find the right combination based on your target customers. 2. Share your ideas and inspiration with us. Once we know the target customer and use, it’s time to let the creative juices flow. We love collaborating with clients, specifiers and the distributors, so we encourage you to share all your ideas and inspiration with us for how you envision your space to look and the elements needed to achieve this. From there, we can use our experience to design and recommend the pieces that will help turn that vision into reality. 3. Tell us the mood you want to set in your commercial space As alluded to earlier, having different target audiences means commercial spaces will want different moods that match the intended customer types. But just because a space is in a certain category, like jewelry or restaurant, it doesn’t mean we assume the furniture has to look a certain way. Perhaps you’re trying to make the store more approachable and upbeat, so knowing that, we could take steps such as altering materials, color and shape, while still using elements that provide the necessary functionality. 4. Consider multi-purpose furniture elements. As part of maximizing your budget, think about whether you could benefit from multi-purpose furniture. Commercial environments with outdoor space might want furniture that can be used inside or out, depending on the season, and as a result they can save on the amount of pieces they need to purchase. Additionally, furniture can be multi-purpose indoors, such as a table that can be used for eating or to display items. Some commercial spaces want this flexibility, while others would be best served by having furniture with a specific purpose, so it’s important to consider what works best for you and the spaces you’re furnishing. All these tips might make the process seem complex, but we try to make it fun and encourage you to do the same, like with our client brainstorming sessions over espresso or beer. By going through this process, together we can design the best furniture for your retail space, maximize your budget and deliver a truly customized and quality product. Facebook-f Linkedin-in Tumblr Envelope
A lot of companies talk the talk when it comes to providing exceptional customer service and having a great company culture, but at Ideoli, we make sure to walk the walk. Or in this case, shoot hoops… Ideoli hosted a free throw shooting contest at its premiere Reveal Show in New York City. Guests competed to win great prizes (and bragging rights). When we decided to host a Reveal Show in NYC, we knew we wanted to create a space that not only revealed our products, but represented who we are as a brand. So while space in Manhattan can be a bit tight, to put it gently, that didn’t stop us from bringing in a real basketball hoop so we could organize a free throw shooting contest for our guests. While it may not seem like a game would make a big difference to a company, we firmly believe that each addition we make, no matter the size, adds up to a company with a sustainable culture of creativity and honesty, with a drive to be the best in the industry. Whether it’s an espresso fueled brainstorming session, or sharing thoughts with clients while shooting some hoops, it’s part of our culture at Ideoli. The contest spanned the course of the Reveal Show, with guests young and old trying to score as many baskets as possible within 30 seconds, while our team rebounded and provided the assists. At the end of the Reveal Show, our client set the high mark with 21 baskets in 30 seconds. Even for those who didn’t win the top prizes, everyone had a great time shooting off some steam during the workday and trying to reach their personal bests. We love to have fun with our clients, and our free throw shooting contest is just one example of the many ways in which we build our strong, innovative culture.
From colleagues to vendors to clients, there are so many different types of people with whom you might interact. The team at Ideoli firmly believes that these interactions should be nurtured into long-term professional relationships whenever possible, because doing so helps grow a network that creates long-term success (and friendships). By focusing on long-term relationships rather than transactional ones, the team at Ideoli and its partners benefit in many ways. When forming these bonds with colleagues and partners, for instance, our team members build strong professional networks that we can call upon for advice and referrals. And building long-term relationships with clients helps create a stronger business, since we don’t need to exhaust as many resources constantly trying to find new clients to replace old ones. Meanwhile, clients benefit from having a stronger relationship with us, because we more fully understand their needs. This commitment to building long-term relationships was on full display at Ideoli’s premiere Reveal Show in New York City, as we hosted former bosses and colleagues of our Co-Founders George Stroumboulis and Chris Hartswick, for example, and bringing these old connections into the fold of what we’re doing at Ideoli helps further establish the brand and provides us with stronger support. Building long-term relationships is at the core of Ideoli’s work, and we look forward to both deepening the ones we have and creating new, lasting ones.
The recipe for entrepreneurial success has many ingredients, including expertise, commitment and timing, but one component that should not be overlooked is passion. You can have a great idea for a business and know how to execute a successful strategy, but without putting your heart into it, the business becomes unsustainable as the challenges of entrepreneurship take a toll. Ideoli’s Co-Founders, George Stroumboulis and Chris Hartswick, started Ideoli not just because they saw a gap in the market for custom furniture, fixtures and lighting, but because they had a passion for the industry, having just exited an LED lighting start-up that was acquired and went public on the New York Stock Exchange. In this new venture in an industry that’s highly relationship-based, George and Chris knew it wouldn’t succeed unless they could be truly passionate about their work, especially considering that the early days of a start-up aren’t always glamorous and require founders to wear an assortment of hats. That’s why George and Chris split the work according to their passions. George honing in on developing long-term relationships with partners and clients and building a fun, positive image for the brand, while Chris has focused more on the product side of the business, which has included forming strong manufacturing partnerships around the world to create products they could truly support. “I’m passionate about connecting with others to help them realize their goals, and clients pick up on that when we interact,” says George Stroumboulis. “That genuineness helps us form strong bonds that enable long-term success, rather than being so transactional.” As those relationships are formed, Chris’s passion for developing best-in-class products shines through as he and George work together to help clients invigorate their spaces. “By being truly interested in how clients want to design their spaces, I’m able to more easily work with them to customize the products that help them reach their goals, rather than trying to fit products into assumptions about what works best for their spaces,” says Chris Hartswick. The passion of Ideoli’s founders has propelled the company to international success in a short period of time, and it will sustain the company as it continues to grow.
While different types of light bulbs have their place, LED lighting is the new wave—they run cooler and look cooler, which means clients can save money and make money by using LEDs. That’s why we integrate LED lighting into many of our products, ranging from lighting fixtures for food prep areas to backlit mirrors in retail stores. LED lighting offers huge advantages over traditional incandescent light bulbs and even the more recent compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs, including the following: 1. Efficiency LED bulbs operate at a lower wattage than other types of bulbs, because LEDs let much less energy escape as heat. So they require less power to produce the same amount of light, thus making them more energy efficient. If the U.S. switched entirely to LED bulbs over the next two decades, it would cut electricity consumption for lighting nearly in half, according to the Department of Energy (DOE). 2. Longevity LEDs also last significantly longer than other bulbs because of both how long the light itself functions and their durability. In fact, high-quality LED bulbs last over 25 times as long as traditional lightbulbs, notes the DOE. 3. Affordability Even though LEDs can cost more upfront than other bulbs, the lifetime savings due to longevity and efficiency significantly favor LEDs. In some instances, this additional efficiency can also help companies qualify for incentives or rebates from utilities or governments, thus furthering the savings. 4. Design LEDs arguably look a lot better than other bulbs and don’t have a delayed reaction when turning them on like CFLs. Not only are there a lot of color options, but the LEDs themselves are quite small, so they can be combined into more interesting designs or strung along the perimeter of a product. So when clients want innovative lighting displays or unique shapes for lighting fixtures, Ideoli can make that happen using LEDs. Clients can then create spaces that attract even more customers, which makes LEDs a great investment. Ideoli stays on the cutting edge of lighting design using LEDs, and with these lights we help clients invigorate their spaces however they imagine.
In specialized businesses like industrial lighting, the terminology can seem like a completely different language. So it can be difficult to understand some of the features of industrial lighting products, which makes purchasing decisions more difficult. That’s why we want to help our clients pick up the lingo. Too often, we hear industrial lighting terms being used in the wrong context or simply misunderstood. Rather than trying to use this information gap to take advantage of clients, we prefer to work with them to get on the same page and build trusted, long-term partnerships. Take a look at our cheat sheet of some of the top lighting terms so you can stay in the know: Aperture: The diameter in the opening of a downlight, measured in inches. Sometimes manufacturers round up to the next whole-inch increment. Average Rated Life: The number of hours at which half of a large group of product samples fail under standard test conditions. Since this is a median value, any lamp or group of lamps may vary from the published rated life. Beam Angle: The angle at which luminous intensity is 50 percent of the maximum intensity. Candela: The Systeme International d’Unities (SI) unit of luminous intensity. One candela equals one lumen per steradian. This term was formerly known as candle. Color Rendering Index (CRI): A rating index commonly used to represent how well a light source renders the colors of objects that it illuminates. At its maximum value of 100, the colors of objects can be expected to be seen as they would appear under an incandescent or daylight spectrum of the same correlated color temperature (CCT). Sources with CRI values of less than 50 are generally regarded as rendering colors poorly, meaning colors may appear unnatural. Efficacy: The ratio of the light output of a lamp (expressed as lumens) to its active power (expressed as watts), expressed as lumens per watt. Illuminance: The density of luminous flux incident upon a surface. Illuminance is measured in footcandles (lumens/square foot) or lux (lumens/square meter). One footcandle equals 10.76 lux. Lumen (lm): A unit measurement of the rate at which a lamp produces light. A lamp’s light output rating expresses the total amount of light emitted in all directions per unit time. Ratings of initial light output provided by manufacturers express the totallight output after 100 hours of operation. While these are some popular terms you’re likely to come across, you can dive into even more depth by taking a look at this glossary from the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Trying to generate creative product designs on the spot can be difficult for many reasons, unless you know where to look for inspiration. Whether you’re a furniture, fixture or lighting designer like we are, or a graphic designer, artist or any other creative professional, it’s important to have a portfolio of inspirational ideas applicable to whatever situation you’re in. This approach has helped Ideoli create innovative designs. So give it a try yourself, and see how much it helps to draw from sources of inspiration. 1. Consult with Clients We work with some of the most forward-thinking people and companies in the world. They have vision and inspiration from all over and want to translate that into products that enhance their selling spaces. So rather than trying to force our preconceived ideas onto them, we feed off of their visions to collaborate and create new, complementary ideas that help make their visions a reality. 2. Search Social Media Social networks, particularly visual platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram, offer a wealth of inspiration. To stimulate your creative juices, take a look at design boards, beautiful photography and videography, and even comment threads on sites like Reddit. Doing so helps us spot trends and keep up to date with people’s ever-changing likes and dislikes. 3. Travel While social media helps you see the world on a screen, seeing new places in person gives you new perspectives that help you discover new ideas. We travel the world to meet with clients and partners, and when we see the architecture, landscapes and culture of these places, they take hold in our minds and influences our designs. Also, sometimes the simplicity in the downtime when traveling from one location to another is a great opportunity for creative thinking. 4. Explore Nature The world holds astonishing beauty, so getting in touch with nature can help you shape new design ideas. Not only does it help inspire grand visions, but it helps on a practical level, because designs might need to take into account the local environment and climate. Similarly, as the seasons change, each has its own influence in terms of color, type, structure, durability and style. 5. Drink Up Consuming some fun beverages, like beer and coffee, while socializing tends to help you think outside the box. Sometimes you might not even be thinking about design, but the different atmosphere can make an idea pop into your head. Or you can specifically have brainstorming sessions over beer or coffee to make them more productive, and as you relax or perk up, you’ll start to approach ideas in a different light. In fact, that’s how we came up with our company’s name—Ideoli— and several other great ideas that followed. These approaches have helped Ideoli create innovative designs, so give them a try yourself and see how much it helps to have sources of inspiration to draw from.
When working with clients and partners, we all want our projects to be successful, which includes having everything run smoothly and in a timely fashion. Great communication is key to making this happen and sustaining strong relationships. Great communication for us at Ideoli isn’t just a cliché. Specifically, it helps in business and in building and strengthening powerful relationships in these four ways: 1. Avoiding Unnecessary Mistakes There are usually a few, if not several, parties involved in the management and operation of a project. Sometimes the different parties in have different views and understandings of what’s happening or what was said. For example, a client might ask for big statement pieces in its spaces, picturing bold colors, bright lights and specific materials. However, we may interpret that to mean physically large fixtures. So rather than slowing the process by going ahead with what we think we comprehend and getting it wrong, we find it far better to keep open lines of clear communication so that we understand one another, and we avoid mistakes. The best way to do this is to request inspiration photos, renderings, samples and reference points, and to maintain open discussion. 2. Preserving Project Scope Similar to how great communication helps avoid mistakes, it helps to preserve the scope of a project. We always strive to deliver what the client wants, so great communication helps ensure that if the product the client envisions does not fit within the scope of the budget or timeline, then we can find a way to still make the project work. Sometimes we need to make sacrifices to preserve the original scope, or in the event that the client wants to shift the scope, open communication ensures that the finished product properly lines up with everyone’s expectations. 3. Satisfying Clients A lot of companies say that client satisfaction is their top priority, but, not everyone literally talks the talk. Ideoli prides itself on being fanatically open and honest with our clients about every detail and step of the manufacturing process. We constantly remind ourselves that if we complete a project and our client is not 100% satisfied, then we have not done our job properly. Clear communication ensures that we get to that point of 100% satisfaction. 4. Everyone Winning When we communicate well with clients and partners, we are ensuring our own success alongside their satisfaction. By avoiding mistakes and admitting to mistakes when they do inevitably happen, we do not waste costs and time. So great communication creates a positive cycle in which everyone wins. Communication is at the core of Ideoli’s work, from designing, to implementing, to putting a smile on our partners’ faces! Facebook-f Linkedin-in Tumblr Envelope
We live in a digital age of unprecedented connectivity, which has made everything from communicating across the globe to shipping packages from one continent to another significantly easier. However, even though speeds are faster, shipping to international destinations still comes with some important considerations. With our global network of suppliers, partners and clients, we constantly need to ship furniture, fixtures and lighting products around the world. As such, we’ve learned the following four key lessons along the way about what to prepare for when shipping to international destinations: 1. Time of Year Shipping prices, timeline and speed vary drastically based on the time of year. For example, shipping during high-volume periods like the major domestic and international holidays can affect your shipment in a variety of ways. Often, these periods cause major delays and limited options for shipping. Customs are often closed for business during national holidays and a long backlog can be created quickly. It’s important to have open communication and plan several months in advance about what’s needed and what’s feasible so that products get to their final destinations on time. 2. Air vs. Ocean Ground shipping is always utilized when shipping within a specific country. But getting it to that country always requires shipments via air or ocean, which come with several different pricing and timing options. Air freight is quicker but more expensive, considering that a cargo ship can carry more in terms of both volume and weight. When working on a project with clients, we develop a plan that accounts for these factors so that clients can stay on budget and on time. In the event something changes such as a deadline, we can try to change the shipping method to accommodate the new factors if we have enough notice. Ultimately, it is up to the client to direct us on when they need their orders; then we can plan accordingly. 3. Duties, Taxes and Customs Taxes and duties have no standard formula and have so many variables across several factors. It is important to work closely with a manufacturer that understands the freight landscape and can guarantee the proper delivery to the warehouse or location specified. Ideoli ships to over 20 countries around the world, each having their own rates, policies and customs. Like with shipping options, we help our clients account for duties, taxes and customs so that legal authorities around the world do not put projects over budget … or on hold. 4. Packaging Lastly, clients need to consider how products are packaged for international transport. The size and delicateness of the items will affect their packaging, and they may need different packaging to fit efficiently in a container vs. a plane. Ideoli works closely with our partners around the world to ensure our products are packaged in a way that safely gets the items to their international destinations. It’s better to go the extra mile with packaging than have a product like a custom mirror travel thousands of miles only to wind up at its destination cracked. Ideoli has a dedicated freight team that specializes in this for our clients. Thinking about these four factors will help ensure that our international array of products arrive at your space without surprises along the way. Facebook-f Linkedin-in Tumblr Envelope
Ideoli works with a wide variety of clients and partners from all around the world, across many industries, each with its own product needs and customization requests. Yet throughout our work, certain recurring questions tend to come up when we start the exciting process of launching a new project with a client or potential partner. Take a look at our compilation of the top six questions Ideoli gets from clients when starting a new project, and our answers, so that you can get a better understanding of what it’s like to work with us: 1. Will you help us design our product? Absolutely! At your choosing, we can get involved with design during any step from ideation to implementation. We particularly love being integrated into the very beginning stages of a new product design process and have a solid team of designers and engineers that can collaborate with you to help take your vision (or doodle on a napkin) and start making it a reality– whether it’s in the lighting, fixture or furnishing space. 2. Can I receive a sample before placing the full order? Definitely! You wouldn’t want to go to an ice cream shop that doesn’t let you try flavors first, so why should you have less control over a larger purchase like furnishings, fixtures and lighting for your stores? Prototyping is a vital part of our creative process of producing a custom product. First, we work closely with you to develop the exact renderings of the product you need for your space, and we then develop a prototype, so you can get a functioning sample in your hands in just a matter of weeks. And don’t feel like you’re limited to just one! The sampling process often takes a couple of rounds for a client to come to a final decision on placing a full order. 3. What makes your products better than the rest? Because they are yours too, not just ours! Our products are designed, engineered and delivered with you in mind, since we work together during the entire process. That integration means you don’t have to settle on quality or aesthetics from a product list that does not match what you truly want. Instead, Ideoli provides a product tailored to your exact requirements. 4. Is this the best price you can offer on the quote? Yes, and the good news is that we can provide several pricing options for you to consider, without dealing with the back-and-forth game associated with the quotation process. We compute pricing on a per-project basis; once we find out what’s needed in terms of detailed specifications, lead time, shipping, quantity levels and overall expectations, we factor these in to determine the final price for your final consideration. 5. Can I get an earlier delivery date? Sure! As long as we can plan for it, we can make it happen. Whenever you are developing a custom product with us, we recommend engaging with us at least 75 days in advance of the required delivery date. In many instances, clients need products sooner, so in those cases, we then explore expedited options, such as using air freight. Proper planning and communication between us and clients make everything run in a timely fashion to the satisfaction of all. 6. Is there a warranty on your products? Of course! We stand behind our warranties, which vary based on the product, application and environment. In some cases, we even customize warranties for specific products or applications. Just talk to us, and we can make it happen. With these six questions and answers, hopefully you have a good understanding of what it’s like to work with us and are eager to get started on your own customized project with us. Have any more questions? Let us know! Email us at invigorate(at)ideoli.com.
Rising from the desert in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are two incredible cities—Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Dubai in particular is known around the world for having world class skyscrapers, and when you’re there walking the streets, you can’t help but look up and be impressed with the development. Although there’s been some talk that the country’s economy is slowing down, there are still many hospitality and retail projects going on, which is what brought Ideoli to UAE. Ideoli’s Co-Founder George Stroumboulis hit the road again, this time sweating it out in UAE to support the expansion of an international restaurant chain. Take a look at the highlights from the trip. Wherever Ideoli’s international clients go, we’re right there with them around the world, supporting them with the right lighting, furniture and fixturing, that is customized to local market needs. So when one of our clients, an international restaurant chain, wanted to expand across the UAE, we made the journey and beat the heat to support it. Our trip included going to the Abu Dhabi port to receive an order for our client, making sure that everything was correct and in good shape before taking it to Dubai. This level of oversight demonstrates our commitment to quality. Rather than just shipping off our products and calling it a day, we actually get involved with every step of the process, from ideation to implementation, and will help our clients with on-site installations if they wish. We’re truly excited to be working in the UAE with our partners there and are very eager for what the future holds for our work together in the broader Middle East region.
Traveling for work allows Ideoli to develop strong business relationships, but to learn about the cultures in the different countries we visit, inspiring us in our design, drive and overall mission. So our founders, George Stroumboulis and Chris Hartswick, got together with our content team to share their insights from their trips around the world. Did you go to China for its manufacturing prowess?: George Stroumboulis, CEO, Ideoli: China is the manufacturing center of the world, so we knew we wanted to have a presence there. Not only are the production quality and quantity amazing and something we want to be a part of, but also seeing such a huge, advanced metropolis like Shanghai made a lasting impression on us in terms of the capabilities of transforming spaces. We have an office here and travel throughout the country monthly, and are exposed to many elements. How does the manufacturing industry in Vietnam compareto China? Chris Hartswick, CPO, Ideoli: Vietnam is a growing player in the manufacturing industry. Vietnam is not at the scale of China, but we met so many people there with vast manufacturing experience and made great partnerships with them. The country has a young labor force full of fresh, creative ideas, and it’s a beautiful country that inspired some new design ideas for us as well. Malaysia seems to be lesser-known as a manufacturing market. What did you learn there? George: Malaysia is a leader in the furniture manufacturing industry, despite being a relatively small country. And the country has strong laws that help provide a good standard of living for local manufacturing employees, so that inspired us to strive to be a part of something that lifts the condition of others. We want to partner with others who share this belief, both in our manufacturing work and in our philanthropic work What did you find in Germany other than great cars and beer? Chris: Germany sets the standard for manufacturing excellence. Two ofthe biggest concerns in manufacturing are the quality of the product and making sure you can deliver the product on time. Seeing the efficiency and quality of German manufacturing up close left a lasting impression on us, proving that it is entirely possible to achieve both without cutting corners. Plus, Germany is a central hub in Europe and has some of the top trade shows in the industry, so we learned a lot about the region’s top techniques and trends. To those in the U.S., Mexico is better known than many of the other countries you’ve visited. Did you still have a lot of new experiences there that inspired you? George: Absolutely. Mexico has advanced manufacturing capabilities that inspire our commitment to quality, and seeing locals’ incredible design flair in person left a mark on us. With its close proximity to the U.S., beautiful landscapes and vibrant culture, Mexico will continue to be an important market for Ideoli. “We’re lucky to have the opportunity to travel around the world and to have learned so much from all the countries we’ve visited,” says Chris. “We can’t wait to go back to these places, as well as visit even more countries, as we seek inspiration to move Ideoli forward.” Facebook-f Linkedin-in Tumblr Envelope