Shaker LaunchHouse Profile: Babl Media

The owners of Babl Media attribute their current office space, business sense and most of their clientele to a quick Facebook chat.

Creative Director Nick Pavlak found Shaker LaunchHouse co-founder Dar Caldwell on the social networking site last year in hopes of getting some tips on getting Babl off the ground. Twelve months later, Pavlak's company creates its logos, mobile apps and branding products at Caldwell's at 3558 Lee Road.

"Just from that initial conversation, (Caldwell) saw whatever potential he saw and decided to run with it," Pavlak said. "He taught me things I would have never known about, like handling taxes and the whole business side of it."

Company background: Pavlak and master developer Robert Clark attended the Rochester Institute of Technology together. After graduation, the two worked undesirable corporate jobs. Pavlak eventually convinced Clark to move to Cleveland to start Babl Media. The company meshes Pavlak's graphic design expertise with the technical experience of Clark. Andrew Wozniak is the company's art director.

"There's a lot of of agencies that outsource development or designs, but we provide it in-house and there's constant collaboration between our technical and design (workers)," Pavlak said. "Working with new ideas on the creative and technical side, that's where we find joy."

Why LaunchHouse is a good fit for Babl: Pavlak says he and his partners particularly enjoy working with startups or existing companies that are looking to establish a new vision. LaunchHouse co-founders Caldwell and Todd Goldstein gave a similar description of their own mission when they opened the small business hub last summer.

Once Pavlak, Clar and Wozniak moved in, the majority of their client base was looking them right in the eyes. They created logos for many of LaunchHouse's portfolio companies, including and Good Greens.

"We'll probably see 50 people who could use a website there every day," Pavlak said. "We have our docket full every day with people in LaunchHouse or people who have visited.

"LaunchHouse has been a godsend. They've been good in accommodating us to grow."

Come back to Shaker Heights Patch tomorrow for another Shaker LaunchHouse company profile!