MUSE : BLOG

Introducing the Easol Partner Directory

Find approved partners from designers, developers, photographers and more to launch and grow your experience business.

Supercharge your experience business

Need help refreshing your brand? Or maybe you need support building your website? With our new Partner Directory, you can hire approved, independent freelancers and agencies to help launch and grow your experience business. 

From branding experts and digital designers to developers and photographers, Partners know Easol inside out and have experience working with creators just like you. 

“I was so impressed with the speed and efficiency of the process to create our website through Easol Partners,” says James Pope from Global Bike Festival. “We were under pressure to hit a deadline for launch and the support we got was crucial to ensure we got the site live in time and looking great.”

CEO of SurfYogaBeer, Mantas Zvinas, says, “The Easol Partners’ knowledge and enthusiasm for our business made creating our new website an awesome experience.”

How to hire an Easol Partners

1. Choose your Partner

Our Partner Directory is categorised by expertise to help you quickly find the right person for the job. On each Partner's profile, you can view their portfolio of previous work and read reviews from other creators to help you narrow down your search.

2. Submit a job

Once you’ve found a Partner you’re interested in, click ‘Discuss a project’ on their profile page and fill in the form. You’ll need to provide a detailed brief, including project goals, scope (deliverables and requirements) and timeline. 

3. Approve quote and pay

Your chosen Partner will email you directly with their rates. When you’re ready to move forward, you can accept the Partner’s quote and send payment. Easol holds your payment and only releases it to your Partner when you say so — either at project milestones or when the work’s complete. 

4. Get started

You’re all set. Work with your Partner to tackle the challenges you’re facing and grow your business. 

Meet some Easol Partners

Branding with Amy Patsalides 

Say hello to Amy Patsalides – a branding design expert, specialising in events, wellness and fashion, with over 10 years of experience. For Amy, branding is about bringing a creator’s story to life. 

“The branding process is something to really celebrate and relish, because it is essentially the birth of your idea into visual form,” she explains. “That means I really take the time to get to know my clients, and understand why they do what they do – before beginning the important job of communicating what’s in their heart, curating a visual story and strong aesthetic. That allows me to develop smart, yet simple concepts that communicate the complex subtleties of a business ethos in a simple way. To me, that encapsulates good quality design.” 

Previously, she worked with Josh Dickson, founder of Resurface, to refresh the company’s brand. Not only did Amy’s work achieve Resurface’s goal of establishing itself as a credible wellness brand, but it also helped the surf therapy retreat gain buzz from the likes of Vogue.

Amy’s advice for businesses starting a new branding project is simple: “Take your time. It is one of the most important elements of your business, because your brand will be at the forefront of everything you do and say. A strong brand identity will guide everything from your marketing campaigns to your social media. It's your visual voice, and the way you speak to your audience – and get them to listen!” 

Web development with Paulina Akesson

After working in the e-commerce industry for over seven years, Paulina Akesson is now a front-end developer building websites for experience businesses

“ Easol has allowed me to work with a wide range of creators on a variety of projects, including websites for ski festivals, running retreats and global tour operators,” says Paulina. “I also work closely with Easol on platform developments, building Easol Themes and supporting other Easol Partners with any questions.”

For each new project, she takes a personal approach to learning about experience businesses and what their business goals are.

“Before starting work on a new site I like to catch up with the creator to gain a better understanding of their business,” says Paulina. “No two experience businesses are the same and the approach to building a site for a large festival differs hugely from a site for a series of yoga retreats, so understanding how the experiences are structured is key. I also use this time to discuss the site designs and address any questions or structure recommendations ahead of starting the project.” 

One of Paulina’s favourite website projects so far is Impact Marathon. “Their experiences are an amazing way to do something that both challenges yourself and makes a difference to the local communities,” she explains. “The website was designed by a fellow Easol Partner (Uros Mikic) and is a great example of how to structure an experience site. Having worked with the Easol platform for over two years there are so many trips and events I’d love to experience, but completing an Impact Marathon tops the list!”

When working with experience creators, Paulina recommends thinking through the website’s structure and content first. 

“Start by putting yourself in the customer’s shoes,” she explains. “If you were looking to book an experience what information would be the most important to you? Once you have an idea of what pages and content you’d like to include, work with a web designer to prepare some designs – the clearer and more organised the design files, the quicker the development will be.”

Hire an Easol Partner today

Being a creator can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. Take a look at our Partner Directory of creatives and developers, and get the help you need to take your business to the next level.