8ThirtyFour

What 8ThirtyFour does

8ThirtyFour (legal name 8THIRTYFOUR) is a privately-held, founder-owned communications and learning company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, founded by Kim Bode around 2006-2007. The company operates as a hybrid agency and education provider, delivering public relations, website development, and digital marketing services alongside proprietary cohort-based learning programs. Its branded programs include the Big Deal Energy™ personal branding workshop (priced at $249 per person), the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship (nine-month incubator), the Women's Owners Network (six-month program at $200/month), and the Skills Survival School (90-day cohort), all of which leverage Kim Bode's proprietary QUIRKS™ framework and BHAG methodology.

Revenue is generated through a combination of project-based professional services (PR, websites, digital marketing), one-time workshop fees sold via Eventbrite and direct corporate bookings, and recurring cohort subscriptions distributed in partnership with the Small Business Association of Michigan. The company owns a physical Learning Hub event space at 1365 Plainfield Ave NE, which functions as headquarters, workshop venue, and rental asset for team offsites and private events. Core customers include women business owners in Michigan, small-to-mid-market businesses seeking communications support, and individual professionals pursuing personal branding work; named clients span JetCo Federal, Haworth, Preuss Pets, Feeding America West Michigan, LifeCircles PACE, and others.

The company has no disclosed external funding, no venture capital or private equity involvement, and operates with a small team (1-10 employees) anchored by founder Kim Bode, who is the primary deliverer, methodology creator, and public face of the business. Brand assets include common-law trademarks on QUIRKS™, Big Deal Energy™, and 8THIRTYFOUR; ongoing earned media presence in Forbes, Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, and SBAM Focus Magazine; and content properties including the Happy Hour Hustle Podcast (130+ episodes) and the Bode Speaks blog. Geographic focus remains concentrated in West Michigan and the broader Michigan market.

Name

8ThirtyFour

Legal name

8THIRTYFOUR

Website

https://8thirtyfour.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

8ThirtyFour is a privately-held, founder-owned Grand Rapids communications agency and learning company that delivers PR, website development, and digital marketing services alongside proprietary personal-branding workshops and women-entrepreneur cohort programs built around the QUIRKS™ framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marketing and Public Relations Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Membership Communities with Learning (Community-Led Education) (MPACALAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Open Multimedia OER (video, audio, podcasts, animations) (EDAGAJAF)

Keywords

• Public relations services
• Website development services
• Digital marketing services
• Personal branding workshops
• Women entrepreneur programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Development Programs: Cohort-based programs including Skills Survival School (90-day program), Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship (9-month), and Women's Owners Network (6-month at $200/month). Revenue from program fees paid by participants.
2. Workshop Fees: Big Deal Energy Workshop priced at $249 per person with group discounts for teams of 3+. One-time fee for 2.5-hour in-person workshop delivered at Learning Hub or private sessions.
3. PR and Communications Services: Public relations services including media relations, crisis communications, and storytelling support for clients. Custom project-based work for website development and digital marketing.
4. Website Development: Website creation and optimization services leveraging WordPress, SEO best practices, and content strategy for clients ranging from small businesses to government contractors.
5. Learning Hub Event Rental: The Learning Hub space is rented out for team offsite trainings, leadership quarterly sessions, and private events. Revenue from venue rental.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

8ThirtyFour is a hybrid communications agency and learning company that delivers public relations, website development, and digital marketing services for organizations alongside cohort-based personal branding and women-entrepreneur education programs built on proprietary frameworks such as QUIRKS™ and Big Deal Energy™. The firm operates a physical Learning Hub event space in Grand Rapids, Michigan that anchors its workshops, fellowships, and community programming.

Product overview

8ThirtyFour operates as a hybrid communications agency and learning company offering a portfolio of services and programs. The core service offerings include Public Relations, Website Development, and Digital Marketing. The company also runs several branded programs including the Big Deal Energy Workshop (personal branding using the proprietary QUIRKS framework), Skills Survival School (90-day professional development cohort), Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship (9-month incubator for women founders), and Women's Owners Network (6-month peer support program). Content offerings include the Happy Hour Hustle Podcast and Bode Speaks blog. The company also operates the 8THIRTYFOUR Learning Hub as a physical event space and hosts the Uncomfortable Community Conversations event series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Big Deal Energy™: A proprietary personal branding methodology created by Kim Bode, founder of 8THIRTYFOUR. It is named for Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation and represents the confidence of knowing exactly who you are, owning your QUIRKS™, and communicating your authentic self unapologetically. Offered as 2.5-hour in-person workshops at $249 per person.
• Skills Survival School
• Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship
• Women's Owners Network
• The Learning Hub
• Happy Hour Hustle Podcast

Products and services

• Public Relations Services Strategic public relations and storytelling services that help organizations shape their public image, manage crisis communications, secure media relations, and deliver timely information to target audiences.
• Website Development Website design, development, and content optimization services using WordPress, SEO best practices, and AI-search-ready content strategy for small businesses, nonprofits, and government contractors.
• Digital Marketing Digital marketing services including SEO, content marketing, social media strategy, and online advertising for clients across West Michigan and beyond.
• Big Deal Energy Workshop A 2.5-hour in-person personal branding workshop that guides professionals through the proprietary QUIRKS framework to develop their personal brand. Priced at $249 per person with group pricing for teams of three or more; offered publicly via Eventbrite and as private team sessions.
• Women's Owners Network A six-month program integrating emotional and practical support for women business owners, covering leadership, finance, operations, and capital access through monthly in-person and virtual sessions. Priced at $200 per month.
• Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship A nine-month community-driven incubator for established women founders in Michigan, providing mentorship, resources, and feedback to scale businesses from side hustle to enterprise. Delivered in partnership with the Small Business Association of Michigan.
• Skills Survival School A 90-day cohort-based professional development program under the 8ThirtyFour Schools division that bridges the gap between academic theory and real-world workplace requirements for technical professionals.
• The Learning Hub A physical event space and coworking venue at the company's Grand Rapids headquarters, available for rent for team offsites, leadership quarterly sessions, and private events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Companies with strong skill development programs retain 58% more employees; Mentorship programs increase retention by 38%; Employees who feel supported by managers are 63% less likely to job hunt; 69% of employees stay longer with strong onboarding

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal partnership to deliver the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship and Women's Owners Network programs. 8ThirtyFour provides curriculum, coaching, and program delivery while SBAM handles applications, some funding, and broader ecosystem connection. Programs are branded under both organizations.
• SBAM Women's Business CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUncomfortable Community Conversations events are co-branded as events of the SBAM Women's Business Council, providing institutional backing and audience reach.
• 1BOLDminorOthersSmall business partner for projects requiring additional capacity. Part of 8ThirtyFour's network of contractors and freelancers.
• BLACKTRUCKminorOthersSmall business partner for projects requiring additional capacity. Listed among preferred contractors.
• OFA (Outside From Above)minorOthersSmall business partner for projects requiring additional capacity.
• HowdyminorOthersSmall business partner for projects requiring additional capacity.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brand Builders Group: Personal branding methodology company that sells structured frameworks, workshops, and coaching to entrepreneurs and executives. Directly comparable to 8ThirtyFour's QUIRKS™ and Big Deal Energy™ offerings in both product shape (named framework plus workshop) and target buyer (founders and professionals seeking visibility).
• Female Entrepreneur Association: Membership-style community and education platform built specifically for women business owners, offering courses, community, and resources. Closely comparable to 8ThirtyFour's Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship and Women's Owners Network on target customer, recurring-fee model, and cohort/community-led delivery.
• Marie Forleo International (B-School): Creator-led online training business for entrepreneurs covering business building, marketing, and personal development. Comparable to 8ThirtyFour in founder-driven personal brand, cohort/launch-based program cadence, and target buyer (ambitious small business owners), though Marie Forleo operates at much larger national scale.

Regional players

• Lambert by LLYC: Michigan-headquartered PR, marketing, and communications agency serving mid-market and enterprise clients. Comparable to 8ThirtyFour's PR and website development services on service mix and regional Michigan client base, though at much larger scale and broader scope.
• Brogan & Partners: Michigan-based full-service advertising and PR agency with a long operating history. Comparable to 8ThirtyFour's agency services (PR, digital marketing, website work) on geography, client mix, and local-market focus.

Broad incumbents

• SCORE: Nationwide nonprofit network providing free mentoring, workshops, and educational resources to small business owners. Overlaps with 8ThirtyFour's Skills Survival School and women-founder cohorts on target audience and educational mission, but operates at scale with thousands of volunteer mentors rather than paid cohort programs.
• Tory Burch Foundation: Foundation supporting women entrepreneurs through fellowship programs, capital access, and education. Shares 8ThirtyFour's women-entrepreneur focus and fellowship-style delivery but is a foundation-funded entity rather than a fee-based program operator.
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: Cohort-based business education program for growth-stage small business owners delivered through partner institutions nationally. Comparable to the Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship in cohort structure, curriculum scope (operations, leadership, capital access), and partnership-driven distribution, though at meaningfully larger scale and with institutional backing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@8THIRTYFOUR
• Facebookfacebook.com/8THIRTYFOUR
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2609249
• Instagraminstagram.com/8thirtyfour
• Xx.com/8THIRTYFOUR

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 8ThirtyFour