Derek Schmidt is no stranger to running a business. The Wilmington native is the founder of DesignLoud, a digital marketing and web design agency he built from a side-hustle into a company that has worked with over 300 brands.
This article, however, is not about that company, but about Schmidt’s second startup: SWELL Systems, Inc.
While operating DesignLoud, Schmidt found himself overwhelmed by the fragmentation of business processes. Invoicing was handled in FreshBooks, project management lived in Asana, files were scattered across different platforms, and contacts were stored elsewhere. None of these systems communicated with each other, creating inefficiencies and disorganization.
Schmidt, given this predicament, decided to build a small business management system for his own startup. His desire to house everything on one platform sparked the creation of what is now SWELLEnterprise, SWELL Systems Inc.’s first product.
Schmidt founded SWELL Systems Inc. in 2017 with a clear mission: to provide an affordable, all-in-one application that empowers service-based businesses to manage every aspect of their operations from a single platform. From estimates and invoicing to project management, CRM, marketing tools, and lead tracking, SWELLEnterprise streamlines workflows and eliminates the need to juggle multiple disconnected tools.
Built by a creative services company, SWELL was designed with the needs of creative professionals in mind. This makes it an ideal solution for agencies and other service-driven businesses.
How SWELL helps
The systems are designed to save companies time and money. By housing everything under one roof, companies can automate tedious tasks that would otherwise take hours. Simple “if this, then that” scenarios drive the automation. For example, when an invoice is paid, the system can create a project and tasks from the invoice line items. When one of these tasks is completed, it can then send an email to the client.
Already there are examples of SWELLEnterprise not only simplifying business practices but, as a result, making a real-world impact. The primary example stemmed from the chaos that followed Hurricane Florence in Wilmington—particularly for service providers (like roofers) who were suddenly overwhelmed with calls for emergency repairs.
One of Schmidt’s friends, who owned a roofing company, was struggling to keep up with the demand. Schmidt quickly got him onboarded into SWELLEnterprise. Soon, they had automations in place to handle incoming inquiries, qualify leads, and send out proposals without him having to touch a button. Once a proposal was accepted, the system instantly generated an invoice and a work order, all without Schmidt’s friend having to lift a finger. This enabled more work to get done and supported both Schmidt’s business and the Wilmington community.
SWELL is also deeply focused on the customer experience and strives to stay active and engaged with its clients. To ease those clients’ transition from other platforms, for instance, SWELL offers free data migration to help users import their information into SWELLEnterprise. For those who want extra support, a white-glove onboarding service handling full account setup is also available for a fee. Additionally, SWELL offers a discounted early-stage program to support startups as they grow.
SWELLEnterprise is available in monthly or annual subscription plans and is priced per user. There are three tiers—Grom, Semi-Pro, and Pro—with each higher tier unlocking more advanced features. Grom covers essential tools every business needs; Semi-Pro adds capabilities like invoicing and contract management; and Pro, priced at $40 per user/month with an annual subscription, offers the full suite of features including things like data enrichment and white labeling.
QUICK BITS
Startup: SWELL Systems, Inc.
Founder: Derek Schmidt
Founded: 2017
Team size: 20
Location: Wilmington
Website: www.swellsystems.com
Funding: Bootstrapped
In the short term, SWELL is focused on improving the user experience of its flagship product and fully releasing the artificial intelligence portion of the platform. To that end, the startup plans to integrate AI to suggest the ideal account setup based on factors like services offered, company size, and industry, as well as to provide business intelligence. In this way, the AI feature can act as an assistant to help users make important business decisions.
Long term, SWELL aims to expand the user base of SWELLEnterprise and build a portfolio of other software products, becoming a one-stop shop for businesses.
For any possible clients, SWELL is willing to offer free access to the software in exchange for quality feedback on features and user experience.
