Challenge:
Redesign the Amandla Charter School website to increase functionality and make it more user friendly, expressing the school and its mission as fully as possible.

Solution:
We redesigned the existing interface to improve accessibility of the different pages. In addition, we added a number of new photos and changed the web layout design to make it more user friendly and appealing to the eye.

Results:
The new website is a much better representation of Amandla's goals and daily life in the school. Parents and teachers are now easily able to find the information they need, and volunteers and donors are easily able to get involved.

Factoid:
Amandla is a Xhosa word meaning "power", often followed by "ngawethu!", which means "for everybody." This is the philosophy of the Amandla charter school: power for everybody. The Amandla school believes that everyone can find their own power with the right support, encouragement, and education.

Challenge:
Developing a website that integrates a content management system and adding new tools to help improve functionality and user experience.

Solution:
Monroestar produced a standards-compliant website, complete with a customized CMS. In addition, user analytics and a new newsletter utility were included with the rebuild.

Results:
CFL-WAC is able to reach more people in need of its help, and is also able to stay in touch with those it has assisted in the past. The new website also helps ease the burden on the webmasters with easier updates and maintenance.

Factoid:
The CFL-WAC, the Chicago Federation of Labor Workers Assistance Committee, is dedicated to helping workers and employers in the Chicago area find each other for mutual benefit. The CFL-WAC provides a number of training resources to help job seekers be successful and to help companies maintain a strong workforce.

Challenge:
Create a website that represents CRM, promotes their services, offers online purchase options, and also offers credit card payment for online advertising sales.

Solution:
We created a full website and an online payment interface. It is easy for customers to reserve space online in one of the CRM publications and to find information on the services CRM provides. There is also a secure online store for collecting all payments.

Results:
CRM's new web presence enabled new customers and new sales. The company was now easy to locate online, enabling a much broader reach. We also were able to provide more complete information to current clients, as well as making actual advertising material easier for clients to purchase.

Factoid:
CRM spotlights college career centers by publishing a variety of guides. Each guide is a targeted marketing medium, enabling campus-specific publications that deliver the recruiting office message with clarity and consistency.

Challenge:
Flourish Studios needed to develop a new brand and online presence.

Solution:
We developed all aspects of their brand, including: a logo, marketing materials, physical storefront, and website design. Their website includes an online store, event registration, and content management system.

Results:
The complete brand development has been very well received by Flourish and its clients and reinforces the identity of the company. The website promotes events, art shows, seminars, and services of Flourish Studios.

Factoid:
Flourish Studios is a multi-faceted learning gallery that motivates and prepares adults, teenagers, and children to bring about significant life changes of their own choosing.

Challenge:
Develop a modernized web design with a new look and feel for the client.

Solution:
The new website design is current and fresh, but still true to the feeling of the magazine. Monroestar also integrated a content management system to help the moderators keep the website updated.

Results:
Great Lakes Angler magazine has a fresh, exciting look that modernizes its web presence and adds functionality. In addition, the magazine and its users are protected from security holes, and the webmaster has many more tools to monitor the site through utilities and the customized content management system.

Factoid:
Great Lakes Angler magazine is the only magazine that emphasizes big-water salmon, trout, walleye and stream steelhead fishing. The magazine covers all of them on a regular basis, and its online site has long been a gathering place for fishermen who enjoy catching freshwater fish in the Great Lakes.

Challenge:
J Brown Photography needed a website that would be functional and conducive to social media yet also showcase the same artistic sensibility found in Mr. Brown’s photography.

Solution:
Monroestar designed the website from the ground up, creating a slideshow on the front page as well as for the inside pages. The company integrated Facebook within the site and redesigned a blog to bring social media into the J Brown Photography web presence.

Results:
J Brown Photography finally has a webpage that is as artistic as Mr. Brown’s photographic work. Clients have given the site very positive reviews, and Mr. Brown has thus far collected almost 400 Facebook fans.

Factoid:
C Jason Brown, primary photographer of J Brown Photography, is based in the Chicago area but is available to attend destination weddings. Examples of his work at destination weddings are available on the J Brown Photography webpage.

Challenge:
This association, a key part of the LaGrange community, wanted to better connect with its residents, attract more members and increase service to its current members.

Solution:
We created a highly engaging website with client-controlled content management. The LGBA regularly updates its site with content specific to the organization and village.

Results:
The new site -- now the focal point of the organization -- is a valuable resource for the community.

Factoid:
LaGrange's village motto is "Tradition and Pride -- Moving Forward." Monroestar was happy to help the LGBA live by this philosophy.

Challenge:
When this local favorite theater changed hands, the new owners wanted to change its image.

Solution:
We developed a new identity for the theater with an appealing logo and corresponding marketing materials, and implemented a content management system that lets our client update their posted movie schedule independently. We also initiated an e-communications protocol with a newsletter template and email list management program.

Results:
The theater’s image has been revitalized and the staff is able to promote their films and keep in touch with their customer base easily and cost-effectively. The anticipated boost in attendance has become a reality.

Factoid:
This local landmark was built in the 1920s and originally showcased live entertainment. Today the theater shows second-run films at a low price, and is cherished by the La Grange community.

Challenge:
This organization was in its early stages and needed a website, brand identity, and marketing materials to get them off to a good start.

Solution:
An identity complete with a logo and stationery was developed. A website was recommended to better publicize events, and to educate and recruit new members and prospective sponsors.

Results:
The website has been a good resource in helping the organization grow. It’s currently used to recruit new members and to announce the organization’s multiple community service initiatives.

Factoid:
The founder of the NFPFA is Sam McNabb, father of Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro Quarterback, Donovan McNabb.

Challenge:
NIU was building a $9.5 million academic and athletic facility and needed to promote the project to secure funding.

Solution:
We created a website to showcase the benefits and specs of the new facility. The site's real-time web cam let students, parents, alumni and donors monitor the project's progress.

Results:
The website generated excitement about the ground-breaking and construction, which enabled NIU to raise all $9.5 million needed to complete the project.

Factoid:
Fundraising for this facility brought about a $2.5 million donation by Jeff and Kimberly Yordon, the largest gift in NIU Athletics history.

Challenge:
NIU needed a website that brought awareness to their first philanthropic campaign.

Solution:
We worked closely with NIU to design a website that expressed the emotion and importance of this worthy campaign.

Results:
The website serves as an important selling tool for the development team. Since the release of the website more than 7 million dollars have been donated to the campaign.

Factoid:
True North is the first philanthropic campaign for Northern Illinois University. During the past eight years, generous alumni and friends have donated over $130 million.

Challenge:
Create a website that represents Patrick Maher as a candidate for the Illinois Cook County Commissioner of the 17th District, connecting the community with Mr. Maher and his platform.

Solution:
We created the full website and customized it to ensure maximum accessibility. Links to volunteer opportunities, donations, and other involvement are easy to find but flow within the page. Mr. Maher's campaign information and issue responses are accessible and designed for easy reading.

Results:
The public can easily find out more about Patrick Maher's vision for change in the 17th District of Cook County. Citizens can easily get involved in his campaign to become the next Commissioner of the 17th District, whether they choose to volunteer, donate, or simply spread the word about his ideas.

Factoid:
Patrick Maher is a small business owner with a plan. A longtime area resident, he understands Cook County's 17th District and sees the county's potential when corruption and inefficiency are remedied.

Challenge:
Create a feature-rich website that would allow parents, students, and staff to gather information about the school, but could also be kept up to date by school staff.

Solution:
Monroestar created a design, complete with a customized content management system. New features included a newsletter, event booking, a donation form, an events calendar, and a sophisticated user analytics and statistics reporting utility.

Results:
The Perspectives Charter Schools community now has much more access to information about the school. Most importantly, prospective students and parents now have easy access to all the tools needed for enrollment.

Factoid:
Perspectives Charter Schools operates five public charter schools, serving 2,300 students in the Chicago. Perspectives is open enrollment for students in grades six through twelve, and last year saw 97% of its graduates accepted to college.

Challenge:
Pro Sports Experience for Kids wanted a way for parents to register and pay for camp sessions online.

Solution:
We developed a secure and easy-to-navigate e-commerce and content management system for the registration process.

Results:
Parents can now register and pay for the camps online. Pro Sports Experience for Kids is able to manage camp details and define prices for the camp services via a content management system linked to their internal auditing and accounting systems.

Factoid:
Pro Sports Experience for Kids provides kids with an opportunity to live a dream-come-true experience as they play for the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants or Philadelphia Eagles. These summer camps involve professional coaches and team heroes to teach athletic and life skills to kids.

Challenge:
New restaurant Q-BBQ needed a powerful logo, menu, and web solution that would bring it into the public eye and express the fresh addition it offers to the local market.

Solution:
Monroestar provided a new logo, a customized menu design, and a newly launched website. These media tools were designed to coordinate and represent the uniqueness of Q-BBQ.

Results:
Q-BBQ is now taking its place as one of the premier restaurants of the La Grange area. The marketing tools coordinated with the restaurant's launch, meshing well with the inner feel of the restaurant and bringing it into the public eye.

Factoid:
Q-BBQ brings a bit of the southern barbecue touch with casual restaurant flair to the La Grange culinary scene. It brings the comfort and closeness of a sit-down establishment, but also stays true to its easygoing barbecue roots with well cooked staples and new favorites alike.

Challenge:
The Renaissance Schools Fund needed a brochure that would help educate parents about the benefits of charter schools, guide them through the school application process, and help them see they have a choice in their children's schooling.

Solution:
Monroestar created an engaging, informational brochure that covers locations, admissions, and benefits of charter schools. The design focused on simple facts about charter schools, supported by figures and stories from students and parents.

Results:
The brochure was distributed widely to all parents with children enrolled in Chicago schools. Parents were able to clearly understand the information about Chicago's offering of charter schools.

Factoid:
The Renaissance Schools Fund helps parents see the benefits of Chicago's extensive charter school program. With more than 100 charter schools, Chicago has a wide variety of public school options for its citizens.

Challenge:
Roly Poly is a unique sandwich, soup and salad franchise with stores in 27 states. Their marketing needs are ongoing, but since their locations offer different items, messaging must be region-specific. They were looking a way to pool their marketing resources, without compromising their individuality.

Solution:
We customized many versions of flyers and direct mail pieces to assist Roly Poly in the varied marketing needs of each store.

Results:
The stores have continued to use our designs, which have become templates in the marketing and promotions departments of the Roly Poly Illinois franchise system.

Factoid:
Roly Poly is known for its healthy, unique menu that includes low-carb tortillas and create-your-own sandwiches with topping options like avocado, mango chutney, and sun-dried tomatoes.

Challenge:
The Lakeview Chamber of Commerce needed a new website to help shoppers explore the Lakeview neighborhood and plan trips to explore its rich selection of businesses.

Solution:
We created the look and feel of an entirely new website called Shop Lakeview. This website features an eye catching design that appeals to customers, but also has valuable information that visitors will want. We also installed a Google map feature that shows visitors the exact location of each Lakeview business, as well as a content management tool to allow easy updates.

Results:
The new website has launched to great success. Customers love the look and feel of Shop Lakeview, and new business has already been generated as a result. The Google mapping feature has helped many new visitors plan their trips to Lakeview, increasing traffic in neighborhood stores and making it much easier for customers to plan their visits. The content update tool has helped the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce keep the site fully current.

Factoid:
The Lakeview Chamber of Commerce represents the variety of businesses that operate in Lakeview, a northern suburb of Chicago. The Chamber of Commerce has to represent a very diverse group of businesses, ranging from restaurants to boutiques to other retail stores.

Challenge:
This prestigious Chicago law firm wanted to update the look and feel of their website.

Solution:
We redesigned their website to give them a cleaner, more professional look. We also took it one step further and optimized their content to generate better search engine results.

Results:
Our redesign of their website was exactly what the client was looking for. In fact, they liked the new look so much, they are now updating the rest of their marketing materials to match their website. Their Google page ranking also vastly improved with first page rankings for many of their desired search terms.

Factoid:
Led by founding partner, Manny Sanchez, Sanchez Daniels & Hoffman LLP is one of the nation's largest certified minority-owned law firms. It is a diverse, composite firm of trial attorneys offering the highest level of litigation services at competitive rates.

Challenge:
The sports media awards the Heisman Trophy each year to the best player in college football. Northern Illinois University is a lesser-known athletic school, but had a viable contender for the award, tailback Michael Turner. NIU decided to put together a promotional campaign to publicize their commendable player.

Solution:
We developed a website and promotional items like notepads and t-shirts to advance Turner’s run for the Heisman Trophy.

Results:
NIU’s Athletic Department loved the finished product, as did the fans. The website gained much attention in many national publications including the Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and Chicago Sun-Times, further increasing Turner’s exposure.

Factoid:
The site was labeled "Top Heisman Website of 2002" by SportsIllustrated.com, who commented, "Perhaps the best site of its kind, a fitting tribute for a kid who rushed for nearly 2,000 yards in 2002."