Background
Illuminate Social, led by CEO Becca Bahrke, stands at the forefront of talent management, orchestrating creator campaigns and partnerships across the digital landscape. Recognizing early that manual processes were constraining growth potential, they partnered with Ace Workflow to revolutionize their operations through innovative automation solutions.
Problem
The company faced significant operational challenges while managing thousands of inbound inquiries and over 600 campaigns quarterly.
Challenges:
- Monthly pipeline reports consumed seven hours each to generate manually
- Invoice creation and tracking became unmanageable with business growth
- Excessive communication overhead regarding payment statuses
- Limited visibility into campaign progress and stages
- Scaling operations required substantial manual intervention
- Time-intensive administrative tasks limited growth potential
Solution
Ace Workflow implemented their 'Minimize Manual' process to transform Illuminate Social's operations:
- Built comprehensive campaign tracking system in Airtable
- Automated invoicing workflows through QuickBooks integration
- Developed Spark mobile app using Glide for talent self-service
- Integrated PandaDoc for automated contract generation
- Created real-time reporting and visibility tools
- Implemented automated payment tracking and status updates
The custom-built Glide app provides talent with:
- Real-time campaign updates
- Payment status tracking
- Key documentation access
- Direct communication channels Currently achieving 71% adoption rate among talent
"Ace Workflow's automation gave us the clarity and efficiency we needed. With Spark, our talent can access everything in real-time, and managing over 600 campaigns feels effortless. We're no longer bogged down by manual processes, it's a game-changer for us."
Becca Bahrke, CEO
The Transformation
From: Manual reporting consuming hours, constant payment status inquiries, and overwhelming campaign management processes limiting growth.
To: Automated systems handling 600+ campaigns quarterly, real-time talent access to information, and scalable operations supporting 4x revenue growth.
Direct Impact
The implementation of the 'Minimize Manual' process delivered transformative results:
Growth
4x revenue increase with only 2x staff growth
Efficiency
600+ campaigns managed quarterly with automated workflows
Adoption
71% of talent actively using Spark mobile app
Time Savings
Eliminated 7+ hours of monthly reporting work
Communication
Significantly reduced payment status inquiries
Scalability
Enhanced ability to handle increased campaign volume
Team Focus
Staff freed to concentrate on high-impact activities
