Big Fat Designs
Big Fat Designs is a Wausau, Wisconsin-based digital agency designing custom websites, bespoke applications, and AI-driven marketing automation for B2B, B2C, e-commerce, non-profit, and startup clients across Wisconsin and the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersWausau, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Big Fat Designs does
Big Fat Designs, LLC is a privately held digital agency headquartered at 609 Gray Place, Wausau, Wisconsin, founded in 1998 and operating as a small (1-10 employee) professional services firm. It designs and develops custom websites, bespoke web applications, and digital marketing programs for B2B, B2C, e-commerce, non-profit, and startup clients across Wisconsin and the United States. The company's core technology is the proprietary Fat Admin content management system, built on a ColdFusion/PHP/MySQL/jQuery stack, offered via tiered Imperium I, II, and III packages with code ownership transferred to the client at project completion; an AI-infused 'Imperium Smart Websites' platform extends this base. Beyond web work, the firm delivers custom applications (pricing engines, customer portals, CRM-style tools), AI consulting and workflow automation, plus creative services spanning illustration, photography, video, and print design.
The firm monetizes through project-based engagements: typical website projects price from $8,000 to $15,000+, custom applications are scoped individually, and marketing campaigns (email, social) run from roughly $2,000 to $4,250 per engagement. Distribution is consultative and direct: prospects complete a 'Request a Quote' form, after which the team conducts email/phone and in-person discovery. SharpSpring is the primary marketing automation partner, supplemented by Shopify, BigCommerce, PayPal, Authorize.Net, and WordPress integrations for commerce and content use cases. Revenue, headcount, and funding data are not publicly disclosed, and ownership appears founder-led with no parent company, private equity backing, or stock exchange listing.
Big Fat Designs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Big Fat Designs
- Legal name
- Big Fat Designs, LLC
- Website
- https://bigfatdesigns.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Big Fat Designs is a Wausau, Wisconsin-based digital agency designing custom websites, bespoke applications, and AI-driven marketing automation for B2B, B2C, e-commerce, non-profit, and startup clients across Wisconsin and the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Big Fat Designs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wausau
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Big Fat Designs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Web Design & Development: Custom website design and development services sold as project-based engagements. Pricing ranges from $8,000 to $15,000+ depending on scope and functionality. Includes Imperium I (single page, up to 20 hrs), Imperium II (multi-page, up to 45 hrs), and Imperium III (multi-page with CRM, up to 60 hrs).
- Custom Application Development: Custom software development services for business tools including CRMs, customer portals, pricing calculators, resource management systems, and mobile applications. Sold as project engagements with pricing based on complexity.
- AI Consulting & Automation: AI implementation and workflow automation services helping businesses integrate AI tools, automate repetitive tasks, and improve operational efficiency. Sold as consulting engagements.
- Online Marketing Services: Digital marketing services including SEO, email campaigns, social media marketing, and marketing automation. SharpSpring partnership enables automated marketing platform integration. Email campaigns priced from $2,150 (single) to $4,250 (advanced drip). Social campaigns from $2,000 (single) to $4,100 (advanced 5).
- Creative Design Services: Print design, logo design, illustration, commercial photography, and mural design services. Sold as project-based engagements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Imperium I - Single Page Microsite |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Imperium II - Multi-page Content Website |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Imperium III - Multi-page with CRM/User Accounts |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Applications |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Email Marketing Campaign |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Social Media Campaign |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fat Admin Add-ons |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Big Fat Designs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Big Fat Designs is a Wisconsin-based digital agency that designs and builds custom websites, develops bespoke business applications (CRMs, pricing estimators, customer portals), and delivers digital marketing services for U.S. businesses. Its core technology is the proprietary Fat Admin CMS and the Imperium Smart Websites platform, which it sells via project-based engagements alongside AI consulting, workflow automation, SEO, email and social media marketing, and creative design services. Most website projects are priced between $8,000 and $15,000+, and code ownership transfers to the client upon completion.
Product overview
Big Fat Designs offers a portfolio of web design, custom application development, and digital marketing services. Their core product is Fat Admin, a proprietary content management system available in multiple tiers (Imperium I, II, III) for websites ranging from single-page microsites to large enterprise sites with CRM capabilities. The company has expanded into AI-powered solutions including Imperium Smart Websites (AI-powered website platform), AI Workflow Automation, and AI Integration Services. Additional offerings include e-commerce solutions, SEO services, automated marketing through SharpSpring partnership, creative design services, and video production. The products work together as an integrated digital ecosystem where the Fat Admin CMS serves as the foundation, enhanced by AI capabilities and connected to third-party platforms for marketing automation and e-commerce.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fat Admin: Custom Content Management System developed in-house by Big Fat Designs, LLC. A business-class CMS that is tailor-fit to client needs without bloated code.
- Imperium Smart Websites
- BFD Tees
Products and services
- Fat Admin CMS Proprietary, custom-built content management system for business-class websites. Features include WYSIWYG editing, page archiving, image galleries, SEO tools, user permissions, file libraries, robots.txt editor, sitemap.xml generator, Google Analytics integration, and CSS editor. Sold as a one-time project fee with no monthly costs; client owns the code.
- Imperium Smart Websites AI-powered website platform offered by Big Fat Designs that combines strategic design, custom functionality, integrated marketing tools, CRM integration, and AI enhancements to drive business growth. Built for clients who want a custom, high-performance site rather than a template.
- Website Design and Development Custom website design and development services for businesses, including content-based websites, responsive/mobile-friendly design, SEO optimization, blogs, and e-commerce. Built on Fat Admin CMS or third-party platforms (WordPress, BigCommerce, Shopify) with integrations to PayPal, Authorize.Net, and Salesforce.
- Custom Application Development Bespoke software development services building tools from simple forms to complex pricing engines, CRMs, customer portals, sales tracking, resource management systems, and mobile applications (iOS, Android, Windows). Sold as project-based engagements.
- AI Consulting AI consulting service that helps businesses identify opportunities to integrate AI into existing software, workflows, and operations. Includes AI strategy, use-case discovery, and cost vs. value assessment. Sold as consulting engagements.
- AI Workflow Automation AI-powered workflow automation service that reduces manual work across operations, sales, support, and admin functions. Includes document processing, data entry, lead qualification, automated reporting, and other process automation capabilities.
- AI Integration Services Service for embedding artificial intelligence directly into existing business systems including CRMs, custom applications, internal databases, websites, and operational workflows for seamless AI adoption.
- Digital Marketing Services Multi-channel digital marketing services including SEO (audits, keyword research, link development), email marketing campaigns, social media marketing, lead generation, and marketing automation powered by the SharpSpring platform with CRM integration and lead scoring.
- Creative Design Services Creative design services including print design, corporate identity/logo development, illustration, and commercial photography. Sold as project-based engagements for businesses needing branded collateral and visual identity.
- Video Production and Motion Graphics Video production service including 2D and 3D animation, testimonials, product explainers, training videos, social content, and motion graphics for websites and marketing campaigns.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced sales process from 3 days to 30 seconds for LZR Fit (Samuel Pressure Vessel Group)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Big Fat Designs
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Big Fat Designs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
AI capability6 records
Feature6 records
Big Fat Designs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SharpSpringcoreSharpSpring is a marketing automation platform partner providing lead generation, email marketing, CRM integration, chatbots, and analytics. Big Fat Designs offers SharpSpring integration as part of their automated marketing services with month-to-month options and no long-term contracts required.
- ShopifyminorShopify partner providing e-commerce website development and integration services. Big Fat Designs is listed as a Shopify partner.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Big Fat Designs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SmartSites: Mid-sized digital agency offering custom web design, development, SEO, and digital marketing services to SMB and mid-market clients. Closely comparable to BFD in service mix (web + marketing) and consultative sales approach.
- Coalition Technologies: Web design and SEO agency serving SMB and enterprise clients with custom websites, e-commerce, and digital marketing. Comparable to BFD across web development, SEO, and paid campaign services.
- Lounge Lizard: Web design and digital marketing agency offering custom website design, branding, and application development. Comparable in offering custom websites, app development, and branding services to mid-market clients.
- Blue Fountain Media: Digital agency providing web design, web development, and digital marketing for SMB and enterprise. Similar full-stack service portfolio including custom websites, branding, and marketing.
- Clay (ueno): Digital design and development studio specializing in web design, branding, and UI/UX. Comparable as a boutique agency offering custom web design and creative services.
Broad incumbents
- WebFX: Large full-service digital marketing agency with proprietary marketing technology (MarketingCloudFX) and broad SEO, web design, and content offerings. Comparable services but much larger scale and broader geographic reach.
- Thrive Internet Marketing Agency: Full-service digital marketing agency offering web design, SEO, social media, and PPC. Comparable in web design + digital marketing, but with significantly larger headcount and broader geographic footprint.
Emerging players
- Brafton: Content marketing agency that also offers web design and digital strategy. Comparable in the overlap between content, web, and marketing services, though anchored more heavily in content production.
Regional players
- TBH Creative: Wisconsin-based digital agency offering web design, development, and marketing services to regional clients. Directly comparable as a Wisconsin-focused web design firm serving similar mid-market and SMB customers.
- Sapphire SEO Solutions: Wisconsin-based digital marketing and web design agency offering SEO, web development, and digital marketing. Comparable as a regional agency competing in the same Wisconsin SMB and mid-market segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Big Fat Designs social profiles
Digital presenceBig Fat Designs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Big Fat Designs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Big Fat Designs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Big Fat Designs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Big Fat Designs
What does Big Fat Designs do?
Big Fat Designs is a Wisconsin-based digital agency that designs and builds custom websites, develops bespoke business applications (CRMs, pricing estimators, customer portals), and delivers digital marketing services for U.S. businesses. Its core technology is the proprietary Fat Admin CMS and the Imperium Smart Websites platform, which it sells via project-based engagements alongside AI consulting, workflow automation, SEO, email and social media marketing, and creative design services. Most website projects are priced between $8,000 and $15,000+, and code ownership transfers to the client upon completion.
Is Big Fat Designs a public or private company?
Big Fat Designs is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Big Fat Designs founded?
Big Fat Designs was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Big Fat Designs based?
Big Fat Designs is headquartered in Wausau, United States, in the North America region.
How does Big Fat Designs make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Web Design & Development is the primary driver. The others are custom Application Development, AI Consulting & Automation, online Marketing Services and creative Design Services.
Who are Big Fat Designs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SmartSites, Coalition Technologies, Lounge Lizard, Blue Fountain Media and Clay (ueno). Broad incumbents are WebFX and Thrive Internet Marketing Agency. Brafton is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are TBH Creative and Sapphire SEO Solutions.
Does Big Fat Designs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Big Fat Designs.