Forefathers Group
Forefathers Group is a fully remote, bootstrapped US digital design agency founded in 2011, specializing in custom Shopify, WordPress, and headless CMS web builds plus brand identity for hospitality, fitness/wellness, and online business clients, operating with a four-person team.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersBordentown, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Forefathers Group does
Forefathers Group is a fully remote, US-based digital design agency founded in 2011 and headquartered in Bordentown, New Jersey. The firm specializes in custom web design, Shopify e-commerce development, WordPress website builds, and brand identity systems, with documented engagements ranging from $20,000 to $75,000+ per project. Its technology stack is anchored on Shopify (its exclusive e-commerce platform), WordPress, Prismic for headless CMS architecture, and Figma for design — emphasizing performance, mobile-first design, and client-side content management. The agency targets three primary verticals: hospitality (restaurants, private clubs, multi-location groups), fitness and wellness (supplement brands, hybrid athletes, light therapy), and online businesses more broadly. Notable enterprise clients include theory11 (a decade-long engagement), McNellie's Group (14 entities, 8+ years), Mito Red Light, Blue Star Nutraceuticals, Nick Bare, and Maggie Stiefvater.
The business model is project-based professional services revenue, with a small secondary revenue stream from "The Merchantile" — a Shopify storefront selling Photoshop actions ($8–$20) and physical merchandise. Go-to-market is direct and inbound: the website's project intake form collects service requirements and budget tiers, with the firm guaranteeing 24-hour response. Marketing relies on a content-marketing blog ("Short Stories"), Instagram, and Dribbble portfolio presence. The team is described as four specialized professionals led by co-founder and lead developer Matt Hay, with illustrator Emir Ayouni as a key creative. The company is independently owned, bootstrapped, and has maintained operations through a documented 2017 near-collapse and turnaround. The agency has no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no AI/ML capabilities in its current offering.
Forefathers Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Forefathers Group
- Legal name
- Forefathers Group
- Website
- https://forefathersgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Forefathers Group is a fully remote, bootstrapped US digital design agency founded in 2011, specializing in custom Shopify, WordPress, and headless CMS web builds plus brand identity for hospitality, fitness/wellness, and online business clients, operating with a four-person team.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Forefathers Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bordentown
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Forefathers Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Web Design & Development Projects: Project-based professional services for web design, Shopify e-commerce, WordPress, branding, and web management. Budget tiers range from $20-30k to $75k+ per project.
- Digital Goods: Sale of digital goods including Photoshop actions (Renaissance Oil Painting Actions $20, Obsidian Charcoal Actions $10, Soda Shopped Retro Actions $12, Granite Ambient Actions $8).
- Hard Goods (Merchandise): Physical merchandise sales including Monocle Whiskey Glass ($15), Monocle Tie Pin, Mall Goth Tee ($18), Sticker Packs ($3.50), and Blackened Stickers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Small Projects |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Mid-size Projects |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Large Projects |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Enterprise Projects |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Digital Goods |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hard Goods |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Forefathers Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Forefathers Group is a fully remote digital design agency that builds custom websites, Shopify e-commerce stores, and WordPress sites, alongside brand identity systems and headless CMS implementations. Projects are delivered on a project basis with budgets ranging from $20,000 to $75,000+, serving hospitality, fitness/wellness, and online business clients. The agency also operates a small storefront selling digital goods (Photoshop actions) and physical merchandise.
Product overview
Forefathers Group is a fully remote web design agency offering a portfolio of interconnected digital services. Their core offerings center on three main platforms: Web Design (UX/UI, prototyping, responsive design), Shopify E-Commerce (their exclusive e-commerce platform), and WordPress Development. These are supported by specialized services including Prismic headless CMS for high-performance sites, Web Strategy (content auditing, keyword research, demographics), Branding (identity systems, typography, color), and Content Management. They operate a digital goods storefront called The Merchantile selling Photoshop actions and physical merchandise, and maintain an editorial blog called Short Stories. Projects are priced in tiers ($20-30k, $30-50k, $60-75k, $75k+).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Web Design
- Shopify E-Commerce Development
- WordPress Development
- Branding
- Web Strategy
- Web Management
- Prismic Headless CMS Implementation
- The Merchantile Storefront
Quantifiable outcome
- 30% member increase post-launch for Summit Club
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Forefathers Group
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Forefathers Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Forefathers Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators21 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Forefathers Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lounge Lizard: Lounge Lizard is a digital agency of similar size and service mix, offering web design, Shopify e-commerce development, branding, and digital strategy to mid-market and enterprise clients across similar verticals. Highly comparable in service breadth, premium pricing model, and boutique positioning.
- Big Drop Inc: Big Drop is a web design and development agency offering custom web design, e-commerce, and branding services to mid-market clients. Similar in scale, custom-build philosophy, and emphasis on bespoke design over template-based work.
- Huemor: Huemor is a web design and e-commerce agency that builds custom Shopify and WordPress sites for consumer brands, closely matching Forefathers' platform stack and e-commerce focus. Similar boutique positioning with premium client work.
- Coalition Technologies: Coalition Technologies is a web design, Shopify, and SEO agency serving e-commerce and consumer brand clients, overlapping with Forefathers' hospitality, fitness, and supplements verticals. Slightly larger scale but directly comparable in service mix and Shopify specialization.
- EIGHT25MEDIA: EIGHT25MEDIA is a web design and digital agency offering custom web development, Shopify, and branding for mid-market and enterprise clients. Comparable in service portfolio, agency size range, and emphasis on custom work over templated solutions.
- SPINX Digital: SPINX Digital is a web design and development agency that builds custom websites and e-commerce experiences for consumer brands, with similar boutique positioning. Comparable in service mix and emphasis on strategy-led custom builds.
- The Creative Momentum: The Creative Momentum is a web design and branding agency that creates custom websites for SMB and mid-market clients across hospitality, healthcare, and consumer verticals. Similar boutique agency size and custom-design philosophy.
- Dotlogics: Dotlogics is a New York-based web design and development agency offering custom web design, WordPress, and e-commerce services to mid-market clients. Closely comparable in service stack (custom WordPress and Shopify) and boutique agency positioning.
Broad incumbents
- WebFX: WebFX is a much larger full-service digital marketing agency offering web design, SEO, and digital advertising services at scale. Operates broadly across the same services Forefathers offers but as a commoditized, high-volume incumbent rather than a bespoke boutique.
- Straight North: Straight North is a larger digital marketing and web design agency serving B2B and consumer clients with web design, SEO, and digital strategy. Broader incumbent in the same web design and digital strategy category but at greater scale and with a more B2B-leaning portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Forefathers Group social profiles
Digital presenceForefathers Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Forefathers Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Forefathers Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Forefathers Group 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 Forefathers Group
What does Forefathers Group do?
Forefathers Group is a fully remote digital design agency that builds custom websites, Shopify e-commerce stores, and WordPress sites, alongside brand identity systems and headless CMS implementations. Projects are delivered on a project basis with budgets ranging from $20,000 to $75,000+, serving hospitality, fitness/wellness, and online business clients. The agency also operates a small storefront selling digital goods (Photoshop actions) and physical merchandise.
Is Forefathers Group a public or private company?
Forefathers Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Forefathers Group founded?
Forefathers Group was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Forefathers Group based?
Forefathers Group is headquartered in Bordentown, United States, in the North America region.
How does Forefathers Group make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Web Design & Development Projects are the primary driver. The others are digital Goods and hard Goods (Merchandise).
Who are Forefathers Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lounge Lizard, Big Drop Inc, Huemor, Coalition Technologies, EIGHT25MEDIA, SPINX Digital, The Creative Momentum and Dotlogics. Broad incumbents are WebFX and Straight North.
Does Forefathers Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Forefathers Group.