Creative Studio Systems Case Study: OBM Strategy + Virtual Assistant

COVALENT CASE STUDY

How Devyn Went From Solo Designer → Premium Studio Owner With Systems Built to Scale

A behind-the-scenes look at how Covalent supported The Hour Brand Studio with OBM strategy, virtual assistant readiness, creative systems, and a streamlined backend that unlocked premium pricing and predictable lead generation.

MEET
DEVYN

Founder + CEO, Of The Hour Brand Studio, A premium brand identity, strategy, and visual design studio
Engagement: Multi-System Sprint, & Ongoing Consulting

Devyn’s creative work was exceptional.
Her client results were premium.
Her brand had depth, strategy, and world-class craftsmanship.

But behind the scenes? Her business relied entirely on her.

She was:
→ Rebuilding workflows from scratch every project
→ Managing everything manually
→ Keeping all operational knowledge stored in her brain
→ Spending tens of hours every month on tasks that drained her
→ Struggling to onboard subcontractors because nothing was documented
→ Stuck at $2–5k pricing because the backend couldn’t support larger projects
→ Feeling the weight of wanting to scale, but having no foundation to do it

It wasn’t a marketing problem.
It wasn’t a leads problem.
It wasn’t a creativity problem.

It was an infrastructure problem.

Stunning Creative… but a Backend That Couldn’t Hold It

Devyn knew her work deserved a premium container.
She wanted to:

✓ Shift from “solo creative” to “studio owner”
✓ Build a team of designers and virtual assistants she could trust
✓ Create a signature client experience
✓ Raise her prices into the $12-20k+ range
✓ Stop recreating her business every month
✓ Feel supported operationally, not stretched thin

She just needed the system to hold it.

THE REAL
CHALLENGE

Her constraint wasn’t demand.
Her constraint was capacity.

Without a scalable backend, Devyn couldn’t:
→ Take on more clients
→ Raise her prices confidently
→ Delegate meaningful parts of delivery
→ Maintain quality across subcontractors
→ Protect her creative energy
→ Grow sustainably

She didn’t need a virtual assistant (right away) or “more hustle.”
She needed a studio operating system, one that matched the level of her creative brilliance.

That’s where Covalent came in.

Covalent
Sprints:
Build Your Operating System

We rebuilt Of The Hour Brand Studio from the inside out so Devyn could finally scale like a true studio owner, not a solo designer carrying every detail in her head.

Behind her stunning creative work, the backend told a very different story: workflows living in scattered notes, processes being rebuilt from scratch, and no real structure to support delegation or growth. Devyn had the demand, the talent, and the vision… she just didn’t have an operating system that could hold the business she was trying to build.

So we stepped in to create it. We built the studio systems she’d been missing, documented her entire creative process, and created delegation-ready workflows that protect her artistic energy. From onboarding to delivery to revision management, every step became clear, repeatable, and scalable.

Then we built the structure she needed to bring on virtual support confidently, without losing the quality she’s known for or diluting her creative standards.

“She did the mental work I didn’t have the capacity for… and built the systems I never could have created on my own.”

-Devyn Voorheis
Founder + CEO, Of The Hour Design Studio

I'M READY FOR THIS

LET'S TAKE THIS UP A NOTCH

A turning point in Devyn’s growth came once her backend could finally hold the size of the work she wanted to deliver.

With her systems in place, she was able to step confidently into premium positioning, elevate her offers into $12-20k+ brand experiences, and finally market like a studio instead of a solo designer juggling everything herself.

We helped her:

→ Reposition her service suite to match the depth of her creative work
→ Package her highest-value strategic thinking (not just deliverables)
→ Optimize a premium client journey from discovery → delivery
→ Design higher-ticket pathways that justified elevated pricing
→ Build a CRM-backed pipeline she could trust
→ Launch a high-converting brand personality quiz
→ Implement nurture sequences that warmed leads automatically
→ Build a follow-up rhythm she didn’t have to manually push
→ Track warm leads, discovery calls, and opportunities in one place

With everything running in the background consistently and predictably, Devyn finally had momentum she didn’t have to manufacture every week.

Because the system was designed around her strengths and creative process, she actually used it… and it worked.

Within weeks, she booked 5+ high-quality discovery calls for $12–$20k+ projects all with zero ad spend.

Her studio had a real, sustainable lead engine for the first time.

PLATFORMS USED

06 OPERATIONAL UPGRADE
Creating a Home Base for Her Whole Studio

Before we stepped in, Devyn had the tools, but not the systems. ClickUp, Dubsado, folders, documents, apps… they existed, but nothing worked together. Everything lived in her head, processes changed project to project, and her tech had no real flow.

So we built the missing structure. We turned her scattered tech stack into a true operating system by creating:

Clear workflows that mapped every step of her creative process
Clean pathways from inquiry → onboarding → delivery → final handoff
Organized file systems her whole team could navigate
Processes that worked the same way every time
A backend she could finally delegate inside without losing quality

Instead of clicking around trying to remember what lived where, Devyn now has a studio “home base” that feels intuitive, calm, and built for scale, not survival.

This is the moment her tools stopped being tools… and became a system she could actually run a studio on.

OPERATIONAL FOUNDATION
Studio Systems Architecture, The Backbone of Scale

We created the operational foundation that finally supported premium delivery:
✓ A complete SOP library for branding + design
✓ Standardized workflows for every service
✓ Project templates for onboarding, delivery, feedback, revisions
✓ Approval checkpoints that protect creative integrity
✓ A cohesive client journey from discovery → delivery
✓ File organization + asset handoff systems
✓ Delegation-ready workflows her team could follow

This allowed Devyn to stop reinventing the wheel AND focus on the work that actually moves the business.

TEAM STRUCTURE
Team Scalability Infrastructure aka Her First Step Into “Studio Owner”

To prepare for subcontractors, we built:
✓ Partnership / Role clarity + responsibilities for creative virtual assistants, copywriters, designers, etc
✓ A full subcontractor onboarding plan
✓ Creative workflow documentation
✓ Review and approval processes
✓ A system for assigning, tracking, and evaluating delegated work

This gave Devyn confidence to bring on support without losing control of her high-end standards.

OFFER STRATEGY
Offer Repositioning + Revenue Strategy

Once the backend could support bigger projects, we elevated her entire service suite.

We helped Devyn:
✓ Reposition her core offers
✓ Package her highest-value creative thinking
✓ Shift from $2–5k identities → $20k+ custom brand experiences
✓ Create premium client pathways that matched her elevated creative work
✓ Align her client journey with the premium outcomes she delivers

Her offers finally matched her artistry.

SALES PIPELINE
Lead Generation Engine (Her First Predictable Pipeline)

To fuel her next phase, we built:
✓ A CRM-backed lead generation pipeline
✓ A high-converting brand personality quiz (see the quiz below)
✓ Automated email nurture sequences
✓ A follow-up system she didn’t have to manually drive

And within weeks of launch? 5+ high-quality discovery calls for semi-custom and custom projects ($12-$20k+), without a dollar of ad spend.

For the first time, Devyn had a predictable lead generation engine.

THE TRANSFORMATION

This wasn’t just a systems project. It changed how she feels day-to-day, more held, more focused, and finally operating like the creative CEO she’s meant to be.

Devyn went from:

❌ Rebuilding everything every project
❌ Feeling stuck inside low-ticket offers
❌ No capacity to grow
❌ Doing every task alone
❌ Unable to onboard a team
❌ No lead generation system
❌ Constant operational overwhelm

to...

✨ A fully documented, scalable “studio OS”
✨ Tens of hours saved every month
✨ Subcontractor-ready workflows + clear roles
✨ Offers confidently priced at $20k+
✨ A functioning lead-gen pipeline
✨ 5+ qualified discovery calls in her first launch window
✨ An identity shift from freelancer → studio owner

She didn’t just level up her business.
She leveled up her identity.

$20,000+ brand projects

30+ hours saved monthly

5+ qualified discovery calls post launch

Fully systemized studio backend

$20,000+ brand projects

30+ hours saved monthly

5+ qualified discovery calls post launch

Fully systemized studio backend

Results At A Glance

Revenue + Offer Wins

• Shifted from $2–5k branding → $12-20k+ custom brand experiences
• Offers aligned with her deepest creative value
• Premium buyer pathways that justify elevated pricing

Time + Efficiency Wins

• Tens of hours saved each month
• No more rebuilding workflows
• Predictable, repeatable project delivery
• Smooth internal processes with fewer bottlenecks

Team Scalability Wins

• Subcontractor onboarding workflows
• Clear delegation structure and role definitions
• Documented internal creative systems

Marketing + Pipeline Wins

• High-converting brand quiz
• Email nurture system
• CRM-integrated follow-up
• 5+ discovery calls from organic leads

CEO-Level Wins

• Operating with clarity instead of chaos
• Protected creative energy
• Confidence to scale
• Stepping fully into her role as a studio owner

"I finally feel like the owner of a real studio, not just a solo designer doing everything"

-Devyn Voorheis
Founder + CEO, Of The Hour Design Studio

I'M READY FOR THIS

Ready for your own clarity, systems, and support?

Here are three ways founders work with us:

✔ The Systems Scan + Strategic Planning Session
A 30-day diagnostic to map your backend, identify your gaps, and give you a custom 90-day plan.

✔ The Covalent Systems Sprint (most popular)
A 6-week deep-dive implementation sprint where we build or refine one core system your business is missing, your client delivery workflow, your lead generation engine, your content system, or another foundational piece. Designed for founders who need fast traction, clearer structure, and a system they can actually run.

✔ OBM + VA Partnership (by invite only)
VA Only Support: Done-for-you implementation with one OBM strategy call each month.
VA + OBM Support: Full operational support, delegation, and scalable systems.

If you’re unsure where to start, begin with a Discovery Call. It’s the simplest way to get clarity fast and it’s exactly how Devyn began.

START HERE