How Upwork Raises the Bar for This Luxury Goods Startup

Many businesses have started from an idea drawn on the back of a napkin. Emerald Tiger started with a text. CEO and co-founder Kim Darling texted two friends:

Does anyone want to start a dinnerware/nice, bright pattern-filled plates company with me?

Not even kidding.

They both responded yes. Within two hours, they registered the company name and began discussing how they’d make their mission—to bring color, personality, and individuality back into homes—a reality.

Emerald Tiger co-founders (left to right): Jamee Sheehy, Laura Moran, and Kim Darling

Each co-founder had a successful career in marketing leadership roles for major tech companies. At one time, they had all worked together at one of those companies. “We understand branding, marketing, and the technology required to create a seamless online shopping experience,” says Kim. “But we didn’t know anything about manufacturing and distributing physical products. We didn’t know where to start.”

She was aware that one of the problems with jumping into the unknown is you don’t know what you don’t know. That can make finding the right people to help you quite difficult.

Seeking partners, not just vendors

“All we knew was that we wanted our products to be beautifully patterned, colorful ceramics that are restaurant quality and could withstand the bangs, the dishwashing, the microwave, the oven,” Kim says.

When looking for a manufacturer, they sought more than a vendor. “We didn't want to have our products come from a faceless factory somewhere in the world,” Kim explains. “We wanted to understand how we could stand behind these products. So we needed to know how they’re made, if it’s safe for the environment, and if it’s safe for people. Our consumers would be eating off of our products every day, so it was really important for us to understand the actual manufacturing process.”

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Kim found a production partner in Hidalgo, Mexico. “The company has been creating ceramics for about 120 years and makes high-end products. I flew down to the factory and was blown away by their process and quality testing. So we felt really secure with that partner.”

As smooth as finding a production partner was, finding a packaging partner was the opposite.

“I felt like I was pulling teeth.”

In addition to protecting the product during shipping, Kim wanted an unboxing experience that matched the premium quality of their products. Her vision was clear: “We wanted it to be as good as Apple.”

The team partnered with one of the largest packaging companies in the U.S. for design and production. The company was responsive in the beginning but then, “For the next three months, it felt like I was pulling teeth to get the company to test the design and give us a quote,” Kim recalls.

The problem was, Kim didn’t have time to wait. “We were moving heaven and earth getting our products made and delivered to us so we could make the holiday shopping season.” But the season was approaching quickly and threatening to pass them by.

When Kim finally received a quote, she was shocked by the $16,000 price tag. “That’s a lot for a small business that's self-funded.”

Adding to her frustration, the packaging company didn’t produce all of the components to test whether their design could protect the products during shipping.

“We weren’t looking for a vendor, but a partner like how our ceramics manufacturer truly partnered with us,” conveys Kim. “We wasted so much time and were in such a pinch. We needed someone else who was going to take us seriously and see the vision that we saw.”

So she turned to Upwork.

Making up for lost time

Kim posted a job on Upwork. “I got two or three responses pretty much straight away. The whole process was so fast.”

That’s when she found Daniel Gamez, an Expert-Vetted industrial designer specializing in structural packaging designs for luxury consumer goods. Perfect.

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Daniel recalls, “I think it was a Saturday morning and I happened to be online when I saw the job post. Usually, projects like this take several months from start to finish. But they only had a few weeks. So I messaged her through the platform, and we got on the phone that afternoon to talk about what she needed and how I could help.”

After that initial call, Kim knew she’d found the right packaging partner. “Daniel understood packaging and branding. He understood how we wanted the unboxing to encapsulate the feeling of a premium product.”

Kim recounts, “Daniel talked to me about where we could source the right type of packaging, how he would design it, what type of testing would be required, and how we could manage our fulfillment supply chain to save costs and gain efficiency. He treated us like a true partner from the get-go.”

Within 24 hours of their call, he accepted the project and got to work.

Upwork levels the playing field for talent access

“They were in a pickle, so I looked for ways to knock the design out of the park and get her to the finish line fast,” says Daniel. “After 13 years in the business, I have a feel for what's going to work and what's not.”

Within days, he delivered three concepts for her to choose from. Since they didn’t have time to test packaging performance, he asked industry experts to triple-check factors like cushioning values and the mathematics behind his designs so he knew any of the concepts would work.

After choosing a concept, Kim sent all of the files to her new packaging supplier. Daniel included additional instructions so the supplier had everything they required to go into production right away.

Kim was impressed by Daniel’s speed and work quality. “I’m so happy with Daniel. The new unboxing experience is amazing. It evokes the branded up-leveled premium experience we wanted. Compared to the design from the other company, our new design protects the products more securely and uses fewer components. So we reduce waste, streamline handling, and cut costs.”

What Kim also gained from the experience is a tangible understanding of how Upwork gives every client access to quality talent. “I was a small business that hadn’t sold anything yet. But through Upwork, I can access high-caliber talent with the same level of creativity, experience, and professionalism as the specialists I worked with when I was a VP at a large tech company. It’s amazing.”

“I can access high-caliber talent with the same level of creativity, experience, and professionalism as the specialists I worked with when I was a VP at a large tech company. It’s amazing.”

Building a business on relationships, not transactions

“I immediately felt like Daniel was our partner. I wasn't just hiring someone to do a pay-for-play,” says Kim. “He wasn’t just a packaging designer; he was also a consultant.”

“I immediately felt like Daniel was our partner. I wasn't just hiring someone to do a pay-for-play.”

While he was designing their new packaging, Kim was searching for new packaging suppliers in China, for instance. “Daniel had so many contacts there that he graciously offered to review quotes and talk to suppliers for us. He wasn’t trying to nickel and dime us. He said consulting was all part of his job.”

“He knew our production partner in Mexico, so I talked to him about our supply chain,” says Kim. “He was generous with his knowledge. He showed us ways to minimize costs and maximize productivity between our partners in China, Mexico, and the U.S.”

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Upwork enables Emerald Tiger to hire confidently

“When launching into the unknown, you must take a leap of faith,” Kim acknowledges. “But use systems, tools, and processes along the way that provide a level of security and safety, so you don’t feel like you’re out on a limb by yourself.

“I was a little scared to post a job on Upwork because I knew some things about packaging, but not everything. So, I was afraid of getting scammed,” admits Kim. “But after my experience with Daniel, I feel safe contracting independent talent through Upwork.

“Upwork provides an umbrella-level of security,” explains Kim. “I can see a talent’s work history and ratings. I can hold payments in escrow. I can communicate through Upwork Messages instead of working through my email address. And I get a contract without having to ask my lawyer to draft one, which is expensive and takes time.

“Upwork is great because it offers the whole machine around finding and working with independent talent at the speed we need.”

“Upwork is great because it offers the whole machine around finding and working with independent talent at the speed we need,” Kim relates. “When we were in a time crunch, we communicated through the Upwork app on my phone because it notified me immediately when Daniel had a quick question. When we needed to be more collaborative, we hopped on Zoom calls through Upwork Messages.”

Kim acknowledges, “This all seems really basic, but when you’re a small business, you’re trying to get something off the ground within a tight budget. You have to move quickly and meet tight deadlines. Everything has to move in perfect timing.

“I get excited telling people that I contracted a packaging engineer through Upwork. I don't say I found some random guy off the internet, paid him money and I have no idea where it went. Through Upwork, I feel confident working with independent professionals who I’ve never met, working from wherever,” she says.

Kim’s advice: “Don’t hire without checking Upwork first”

“Whether I’m looking for someone with a skill we’re not familiar with, or we have someone in our network, I’ll still post a job on Upwork first,” says Kim. “If I had that conversation with Daniel three months prior, we would have saved a lot of money and we would have moved a lot faster, and made hitting our deadlines much easier.”

For any business leader seeking help, Kim advises to start by asking yourself, What is the skill level that I really need? Then post a job or schedule a consultation with talent on Upwork.

“Have the conversation with one or two people because it will give you a really good understanding of the level of professionalism you should be working with,” states Kim.

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