There’s a good number of amazing software out there these days to help companies collaborate, work, and manage. After a good amount of time, we feel like we have found a strong foundation of apps our company uses everyday. So I want to take the opportunity to share tools our team uses on a day-to-day basis and yes, we love our Macs (except Alex).

Development

• Cyberduck (Mac) / FileZilla (PC) – FTP client
• Firebug - Very useful Firefox add-on for web development
• Textmate (Mac) / Notepad++ (PC) – For our HTML, CSS, JS, PHP coding
• Terminal (Mac) / Putty (PC) – Remote connection clients
• TextExpander - Customized abbreviations for frequently-used text strings and messages

Creative

• Adobe Suite - Photoshop, Indesign, and Illustrator
• dotGrid notebook - Grid-based notebook for mock ups and wireframes
• Kuler - Helps choose color schemes
• Moleskine - Safely keeps our notes and ideas

Administration / Management

• Basecamp - Web-based project collaboration tool
• Dropbox - File sharing and backup
• Google apps - Website analytics
• Harvest - Keeps track of our finances
• Highrise - Tracks our contacts, leads, and deals
• Skype - Voice and video calls
• Tweetie - Twitter client
• Pingdom - Website monitoring

This list pretty much covers what we use everyday, if you think were missing out on a great app be sure to leave a comment.

One month after a successful launch of our newly redesigned website, we’re delighted to say that things have been progressing very well. In fact, it was the most fantastic month at the Design Vetica HQ. First off, we were covered in Harvest, a time tracking and invoicing web application.

As you can see in the analytic chart, in the beginning, there was a minor bump because of the redesigned website launch. By the end of January, we received a huge amount (almost 400) of unique visits from the Harvest article in one day. Props to the Harvest team!

But it doesn’t stop here. Just a few days later, Guy Kawasaki, a venture capitalist and popular blogger, tweeted about us. At this point, you know that we were jumping up and down.

Just recently, we started appearing in many web galleries. Some of them include CSS Mayo, CSSDose, CSS Downunder, and weloveCSS. If you spot us in one of these galleries, be sure to vote for us!

It has been a busy, yet exciting January for us, but this is just the beginning. Our biggest announcement is yet to come, so stay tuned to that!

Recently, we worked with Sun Kim, founder of Herbalzym, on creating a website for his medical products. It was a interesting project to work on as we had to feature a video on the home page. All in all, we think it turned out well and you can read a bit about the product below.

Herbalzym is an alternative medical organization dedicated to developing treatment protocols for cancer and auto-immune diseases using enzymatic fermented natural compounds. Over the past 10 years, clinical experimentation has proven that Herbalzym remedies are effective.

Herbalzym
January 2010
http://www.herbalzym.com

This project has been brewing for long enough, and finally it is ready. Today, we are delighted to announce the redesign of our new website. Not only is it just a re-design, but with the new image, we hope achieve more.

It’s been a long journey. We’d like to thank everyone who supported us: our clients, mentors, friends, and our parents. All in all, we hope that 2010 will be even better!

Edge is all about lifestyle – features and refined finishes, function without sacrificing form. Five floor plans enable you to find the perfect fit. Select a sophisticated Townhome or choose a Villa – a larger unit where genuine hardwood flooring and cabinets, stainless steel appliances, granite counters throughout, potlights, ceramic tile flooring and other luxury amenities are all standard. Townhome or Villa, you’ll be immediately impressed by the details the minute you walk through the door.

Taking elements from their marketing brochure, we constructed a simple, yet elegant and modern website.

Edge
August 2009
http://www.edgehomes.ca

Paltech Solutions assists companies to increase their bottom line by utilizing Information Systems and software applications. We are a leading provider in Business Intelligence / Information Systems and Microsoft Access / Excel solutions for streamlining business workflow.

We work as an extension of your team to implement solutions that will guide your company towards enhanced performance; efficiently, effectively, and strategically. We differentiate ourselves by providing intelligent solutions that are cost effective yet simple to use, focusing on making business operations easier and smarter.

Paltech Solutions
August 2009
http://paltechsolutions.com

Despite his medical degrees, or his status as a world renowned Laser and Cosmetic Dentist and Lecturer, Dr. Kassam’s primary role is that of a mentor to his family, his patients and peers and so many others. Full of inspiration, guidance, support, and pure gentle kindness, he takes pride in his continuous endeavour to be a role model to everyone in his life.

Lasers in Dentistry
July 2009
http://www.omarkassam.com

H&W Gateway Int’l Inc., located in beautiful Vancouver BC Canada, and it is a registered bonded freight forwarder with Canadian Border Services Agency. H&W Gateway provides first-class logistical services: international shipping, de-consolidation, bonded warehousing, customs brokerage and local trucking services.

H&W Gateway provides 30’000 SQF bonded warehouse area with 5 loading docks for container de-stuffing, customs inspection, deconsolidation, cargo distribution centre and online tracking services.

H&W Gateway Inc.
June 2009
http://www.hwgateway.com

Hakemi & Company advises their clients on a wide range of complex business disputes and regulatory matters from pre-dispute negotiations, mediations, litigations and appeals. They seek to solve their clients’ legal matters in a straightforward, timely, and efficient manner, while providing the highest standard of service. Their goal is to have their clients continue to trust the resolution of their important matters to them.

Our goal was to portray a professional image for their company in a sleek and simple way.

Hakemi & Company
June 2009
http://www.hakemi.com

Since 1986 Binnington Corporation has been an industry leader in industrial automation engineering. Our specialty is optimization controls for industrial biomass boilers and cogeneration systems, but we offer a wide range of industry specific engineering services. We were approached by Binnington Corporation to create a simple website that would reflect their style and industry.

Binnington Corporation
May 2009
http://www.binnington.com