In January, three enterprising Michigan designers launched Tridea, an innovative design Web site that’s finding success with an interest-driven business model.
“The
thing that’s interesting to us is that we want to work with people
whose business we have an interest in, not just any project to get a
paycheck from it,” says John Phillips, with Tridea.
The Tridea trio, including Phillips, Andrew Saulter and Tyler Smeltekop, met each other at Michigan State University (MSU)
while working through the university’s professional writing program. In
2006, they started tossing around the idea of starting a company.
Tridea was born in January, 2007
“We’re already established here,” Phillips
says. “As of now we’re still not doing this full time, but we’re
getting a lot of new projects and we’re doing really well.”
Tridea
works with clients in Michigan, but thanks to its virtual existence,
the group also works with clients in Arizona and New York. The three
founders don't even physically work together. Smeltekop’s is located in
East Lansing, Phillips is in Royal Oak and Saulter is in Ann Arbor.
“We
definitely work virtually,” Phillips says. “We would like to have our
own office, but working virtually actually has been pretty nice.”
The team meets online every week to discuss
projects and potential clients. Phillips says one thing that’s
particularly neat about Tridea-Design, other than its virtual
existence, is its commitment to communicating with clients. “We’re so
keen on communication, so that’s one thing that’s been a challenge for
us."
Tridea’s portfolio includes new socially progressive MSU magazine, Amplifx, and teen and tween sites, Girl Headquarters and Generational Alliance.
Source: John Phillips, Tridea-Design
Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.