Testimonials

As a writer and editor of educational materials for dozens of publishers and developers over more than three decades, I have never worked for a more professional company than Sikana. Their management and editors have always provided me with maximum support from project initiation to completion, including clear orientation and evaluation of my work. And they do this humanely and with respect for my experience and skills. The quality of Sikana’s team is a testament to the company’s expertise; not only are the writers and editors extremely good at what they do, they are also fun people to work with. I am privileged to be associated with Sikana.

I am grateful to be working for Sikana. Hilary and Val bring together experienced team members who enjoy their work, and they keep me well informed during every phase of a project. My responsibilities are manageable and clear. More than that, they entrust me to take ownership of my part of the project, to let me give my best.

The managers at Sikana represent the brightest, most talented and distinguished professionals in the field. They have a passion for education and understand that their clients represent a community of educators, administrators, students, and families. They are consistently organized and team-centered, efficient, and deliberate in all facets of the organization. Through company communication, they demonstrate that they are approachable, responsive, and dedicated. They are a rare combination of imaginative and also detail-oriented. As a contractor for the company, I do not just get paid to do a job: I am mentored and taught, and I come away from each project wiser and better equipped for work in the industry than I was before.

Projects at Sikana are extremely well run. Writers and editors have what they need from the beginning, and the high quality work Sikana produces seems to result from a unique blend of talented, resilient writers and editors; careful, clear communication; and flexible, adaptive management. Adept at using technology to provide background and other information, Sikana also never abandons that fundamental human touch: the humor, the sympathy, the thanks. After 35 years in ed publishing, there aren’t many developers I recommend heartily to freelancers and clients alike, but Sikana is clearly a cut above.

First of all, I have nothing but good things to say about my experience working with Sikana. As a writer working from home, it’s easy to feel “in the dark,” but Hilary and the editors she works with, are so communicative. There is no confusion. I always feel confident that I completely understand the assignments, time-frame, deadlines, and priorities. If there are any questions at the start of a project, Sikana is there to clear it up for you. Emails are answered quickly and phone calls are scheduled promptly if you need any extra clarification. Sikana does an excellent job of introducing each project with phone calls, videos, and detailed documents – I can’t emphasize enough how organized everything is. They really make it easy for a writer to do his/her job. Sikana creates folders on a shared drive that has everything a writer needs and these are easy to use and super organized. Submitting drafts is simple and writers can see their assignments and track progress by looking at spreadsheets. It couldn’t be clearer.

Sikana also sets an incredibly friendly tone and positive work environment. It may seem strange with people working from home all over the country, but there is a down-to-earth, family-based vibe that you can’t help but feel. Hilary keeps it light with her great sense of humor while keeping everyone in the loop and on track. Vacations and family time is taken seriously at Sikana and that is so refreshing. Since I started working with Sikana, there has been a lot of work and some tight deadlines, but Hilary is always quick to remind people to take their days off and spend time with their family – what company does that? Sikana is unique with its excellent balanced tone: hard work, family, respect, and professionalism.

Working for Sikana, I never feel like an interchangeable part in a machine. I feel like a valued team member. Many of us, though remote contract employees, have been working together for years now, and there is a warmth and an esprit de corps among us. We take pride not only in the quality of our work but in each other’s professional accomplishments. The company is genuinely committed to work-life balance and to fair treatment of its workers. Sikana is a company that has a sense of humor, a sense of fair play, and a commitment to educational quality. I feel fortunate to be a part of it.

We appreciate Sikana’s ability to deliver consistently high quality and engaging content. Despite working on a new project that neither side had tackled before, the team at Sikana was spot on with delivering what we wanted. The team is knowledgeable, responsive, and thorough, and we look forward to continuing to work together.