My firm (Fluent Consulting Group) was hired to develop the marketing, logos and website for a new company in Atlanta named Shoe Butlers LLC. We were referred to them by a long-time local client of ours, who generally only refers us legitimate, worthwhile, trustworthy clients that we have no problems with. Well, I guess our luck ran out with this one.

Hired by Joseph Testa of Oakbridge Partners to start a new company, we developed the logo, and even expanded to genderize the logo, (male and female butlers) and then developed a fully flashed, high impact website which had the ability for clients to place orders online. (and was even specific to certain zipcodes) We also developed the base corporate package and other materials, although a true address was never given to complete them, (yes, that should have been a red flag) but this was a new startup, so it wasn’t that out of the ordinary.

When it came time to bill for the work that was completed, we were more than generous in our invoicing, given that this was a referral and we looked to establish a good working relationship. Boy were we wrong. The invoice went unpaid for 15 days… then 30 days… then 45 days. We submitted the an inquiry to Joseph Testa of Oakbridge Partners as to the payment of the invoice at 30 days, and were told that “my lawyers will be forwarding release papers for the work that was provided.” This paperwork was never received.

At 45 days past due, we sent notification that if the invoice was not paid, we would be forced to turn the website and all related services off until it was paid. We then received a reply of “…if you provide all of the materials on a CD, we will pay the invoice.”

Apparently the client thinks we are a bunch of morons. What designer in their right mind (or business for that matter) would release custom made materials to a client without first being paid for the work???

We replied stating that “as a matter of business principle, we do not release any materials until all of the work has been paid for in full.” We received no reply and the invoice remained unpaid another week, so in turn, the Shoe Butlers website and related services were shut off. Again, we received no reply from Mr. Testa or Oakbridge Partners.

A few days later, instead of the “account suspended” page from our hosting servers, the standard register.com ‘parked’ page appeared, thus indicating the client knew they were going to screw us and changed their nameservers.

So this is just a heads up to other designers out there to be on the lookout for either of these companies - Shoe Butlers or Oakbridge Partners - or even the owner of Oakbridge Partners - Joseph Testa. Dealing with these companies or this individual will only get you SCREWED. Oh, and if you see the following logos in use anywhere, PLEASE - from one designer to another - LET ME KNOW!

Heres the guy who hired us to do all of their work:
http://www.oakbp.com/
Joseph Testa
OakBridge Partners, LLC
Executive Vice President

http://www.shoebutlers.com