**BACKGROUND** Please introduce your business and its activities. I served as the CEO of New Balance Chicago, a licensee operating five New Balance Athletics stores in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What issue were you addressing with Matchnode? Our main challenge was transforming online or digital leads into customers for our physical stores. As a purely brick-and-mortar business, we needed to find effective ways to encourage people to visit us based on the digital leads we generated. **SOLUTION** What was the extent of their involvement? Matchnode assisted us in creating landing pages, executing extensive Facebook advertising, and effectively capturing potential customers through lookalike audiences that were built using our own database. The idea was to redirect our traditional advertising funds into digital formats for improved efficiency, ultimately to attract more visitors to our stores. They also took charge of our email marketing, creating a campaign that complemented our conventional direct mail efforts and helped integrate our marketing strategies into a more cohesive approach. Before partnering with Matchnode, our online presence was limited, primarily relying on direct mail, coupon books, and radio advertising. **TEAM DYNAMIC** Who did you mainly work with? Our primary contacts were Chris [Co-Founder, Matchnode] and Mitch [Digital Marketing Manager, Matchnode]. The strengths of the team lay in their responsiveness and their ability to allow me to manage my business without interruption. Once they had the necessary information, they took the lead. Their attention to detail was impressive, and they quickly adapted to our business, requiring less ongoing guidance over time concerning our marketing and campaigns. **ENGAGEMENT INITIATION** How did you come to partner with Matchnode? We were referred to Matchnode by a colleague, a professor who knew one of their employees. After my first meeting with Chris, I was convinced of their commitment to understanding not just our marketing needs, but our business as a whole, including our customer base and strategic direction. Being a small boutique agency, they genuinely cared about our success, leading us to start working together shortly after. **CURRENT STATUS** What is the status of this partnership? Our collaboration lasted from October 2014 to December 2016. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence demonstrates the impact of this partnership? Our objective was to achieve a positive return on investment, which we did. We also saw substantial growth in our database within a short period, particularly regarding lead generation. Many of the new customers we acquired were ideal and spent considerably. Their strategies not only brought in revenue but also attracted new customers. Matchnode effectively increased traffic and improved average transaction sizes while driving engagement from our existing customers, encouraging them to shop more frequently and purchase more items. **PROJECT MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE** How did Matchnode perform in terms of project management? Their performance was exceptional, often exceeding my expectations regarding timelines and responsiveness. They consistently met or delivered before deadlines and were always proactive in identifying the needs of both parties. **IMPRESSION** What stood out the most about them? What I appreciated most was their deep commitment to understanding our business, integrating into our marketing strategy, and helping us adapt to the digital landscape. They embraced the unique challenges of our brick-and-mortar business and collaborated with us on innovative ways to drive traffic. **AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT** Are there any areas where they could enhance their service? Frankly, I have no significant criticisms.