Cheesecake Labs

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CTO of a fast growing US based startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Cheesecake Labs, and what were your goals?

Our project brief was to create a mobile application for users to shop from their phones. We had written a detailed project brief and produced a low-code prototype before contacting Cheesecake. Our mandate for the work was to take the project brief and prototype and deliver a fully functional working application for both iOS and Android within a tight timeframe.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We solicited multiple proposals from multiple agencies, and reviewed costs, timeframe and staffing to make sure that the deliverables would be hit. Then we conducted in depth screeners to asses agencies on multiple points, both technical, design, management and process.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

As we had done significant up front work in producing a detailed brief and low-code prototype we had a quick start. We had an initial short design phase that included creating new assets for screens that needed revisions. Then we moved directly to the app build, which was specced to 4 different phases.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Our main contact was a Project Manager, followed by a Tech Lead. The UX designer had a lot of contact initially and we had 2 meeting per week with the entire team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Within the timeframe the team was successfully able to deliver against the 4 phases of the project, ultimately releasing the app.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We relied heavily on JIRA to track against timelines and the phased project delivery. Once in place this was run well, and we were able to track progress against our timeline.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Cheesecake were able to work with us and towards the end of the project we had to prioritize a key change in the user flow of the app. This was accomplished well and with oversight we were able to deliver the changes.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Given the tight timeframe we were happy with the work provided and the management of that work. It took a few weeks for the team to run smoothly and work with us and as the project progressed this became much better, so ideally we would have liked that from the start, but given how these engagements go and of the fast start that we asked for we were more than satisfied with the outcome of their work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a company that builds lending technology for underserved populations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cheesecake Labs?

We had a new website design that we needed help implementing. They were brought on to develop the frontend code.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They worked in React and Gatsby.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 3–4 people, I believe.

How did you come to work with Cheesecake Labs?

We interviewed a number of firms in our process and found them to be a great combination of professionalism and capacity for our given timeline. They were also transparent.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November–December 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We haven’t had a chance to fully integrate the code yet, but our technical team was very pleased with Cheesecake Labs coding practices and frameworks. We’re in a good spot to implement the deliverable later this year.

How did Cheesecake Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication was very strong. They were upfront about specific items that would take longer than expected. They prioritized what we needed and provided extra resources as required.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They were perfectly fine.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We're a biopharmaceutical and intelligence division of a large company with 130 years of history in inventions that benefit both human and animal health and welfare. I'm currently the Association Director for Institutional Affairs and Market Access.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Cheesecake Labs, and what were your goals?

We ran a Design Sprint in January in which we defined several possible digital products to be offered to our clients. HOwever, we needed someone to help us organize an MVP that could be really impactful and that's why we requested Cheecake Labs support.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Their knowledge in working with agribusiness startups and their customer-centric methodology were key to choose Cheesecake.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We hired the Product Definition phase. SuperApp Product Definition. We have not yet started development. Key deliverable is the MVP prototype and usability tests.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Chief Product Officer and UX

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We were very happy with the work they performed. They have kept the pace and guaranteed that we are on the right track.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

All deadlines were met by the team. When deadlines were compromised, it was because of our delay in getting back to decisions.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their experience and knowledge of product management.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I feel very comfortable with the results so far and their communication with us.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of an alternative data platform designed for retail investors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Cheesecake Labs, and what were your goals?

We hired Cheesecake Labs to design a mobile app for our company. Our objective was to take the functionality of our web platform and replicate it in a clean, easy-to-use mobile app.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We searched online for mobile app developers, and settled on Cheesecake after seeing some of their reviews and having an initial phone call with their CEO

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We were looking to create a React Native mobile app for both iOS and Android, which tied into our REST API.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

A project manager was assigned to be our main point of contact, and we worked with around 5 developers and a design lead during the process

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We have not yet launched the app, but have around 6k users on a waitlist.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

The project manager was very easy to communicate with. We had regularly scheduled (weekly) calls to get updates on their progress, and the entire team was very responsive over email and Slack.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Everyone we worked with at Cheesecake was very enjoyable to interact with, and always asked for our input on key design and functionality decisions without being overbearing. Their UI work was very impressive, and they made several great improvements to the functionality that we hadn't even thought to ask for

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Not that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Lys Academy, a development and training company. We create and implement courses through WhatsApp for big companies here in Brazil. Last year, we trained more than 80,000 students for people who work outside their office. We also train door-to-door sales people as well as do courses for Uber drivers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cheesecake Labs?

We had to officially integrate with WhatsApp. We needed to create all the software that communicates with Twilio, then Twilio communicates with WhatsApp.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cheesecake Labs built the software for us from scratch. They created all the backend and connections with Twilio. Their team also developed a frontend where we have tutors and teachers who interact with our students. They developed a communication dashboard where our teachers can interact with the students. Their team developed both the front- and backend of our infrastructure as well.

Cheesecake Labs also created all the rules of the platform that configures our courses. We defined the standard, the number that we used for the project course. We created all the flows from each source when it starts and what day of the week we deliver the course. We also write all the courses that we deliver if it’s an image or a text. They did all of it.

What is the team composition?

There were almost five full-time individuals working on it and some part-time senior people who were involved also. There’s front- and backend developers, a UX designer, and a QA person who tests everything.

How did you come to work with Cheesecake Labs?

They were recommended by a friend. We liked their practical approach and understanding of our project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2020, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Our courses are working. In the beta version, we had some errors happening between 3–5% but this is reducing month by month as they correct the code and improve the servers.

How did Cheesecake Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

They utilize Kanban for project management. We mainly interact using Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Cheesecake Labs is very professional. They have a senior, skilled team. Their team is very transparent on billing. It’s a great combination.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m very happy working with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear scope of work in order to have a good estimation of costs and time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Baton is a startup transforming how apps are discovered and shared. I am non-technical founder who was looking for a trustworthy app development agency to help guide early growth of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Cheesecake Labs?

Baton hired Cheesecake Labs to conduct a technical validation of an app concept and lean product definition. This was the first project for Baton and Cheesecake Labs was selected after meetings with several other agencies. Cheesecake offered the best plan and proposal at the best price.

What were your goals for this project?

It was critical that the Baton app concept be technically validated in order to begin fundraising and advance other business discussions. Cheesecake took the time to understand the specific needs of Baton and quickly developed a customized plan for the project. Within days, a team was assigned to start work on a schedule.

SOLUTION

How did you select Cheesecake Labs?

I contacted several app development agencies and other individual app developers. After a fairly extended vetting process, Cheesecake Labs was not only the most professional and proactive, but also showed a genuine interest in the project and its success.

Describe the project in detail.

The project began with an introduction to the team and the presentation of a project roadmap that outlined the deliverables and schedule. I then walked the team through the Baton app concept, business strategies and technical requirements. From there, a dedicated Slack channel was created so that I could stay in contact with members of my team and questions could go back and forth.

Cheesecake also replied promptly and always did what they said they were going to do. At each subsequent stage, Cheesecake did not just deliver project assets but also took the time to explain the latest developments and their thinking.

What was the team composition?

Baton was assigned a project manager and two UX/UI designers. Additionally, when the project manager was out on vacation...Cheescake assigned the CTO of the company to the project to ensure that the project continued smoothly and uninterrupted.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The project was a success and Cheesecake Labs provided the assets needs to continue advancing the business. Even at the project's conclusion, Cheesecake continued to offer advice, networking opportunities and other advice to help ensure progress continues.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very efficient, effective and each project deliverable/milestone was well defined. Cheesecake was very proactive in scheduling calls, meeting deadlines and answering any questions I had.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their genuine interest in the Baton project and the effort to get to know our team. As a non-technical founder, they went above and beyond when it came to clarifying any areas of potential confusion or where there was not a full understanding of a technical component of the project.

They listened to feedback, but also did not hesitate to disagree or provide constructive criticism to further improve the project. Perhaps most importantly, they created a custom plan for Baton that proved a genuine interest in the project and not just the revenue it would bring. Thank you, Cheesecake Labs!

Are there any areas for improvement?

One area of improvement would be in the quality of written materials. Occasionally, there were some typos or awkward sentences.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Animal health pharmaceuticals. Responsible for digital marketing and ecommerce.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Cheesecake Labs?

The vendor that developed our ecommerce app didn't have resources to support our growing needs and we hired CKL to assist with mobile app development and support

What were your goals for this project?

Needed to upgrade our existing eCommerce app to support new features and functionalities

SOLUTION

How did you select Cheesecake Labs?

CKL was on our short-list for the initial development, but we went with another vendor who was able to provider a lower quote.

However, we had a very positive impression of the CKL team, and when the opportunity arose, we approached them to collaborate on the next phase of the project.

Describe the project in detail.

We had a few preliminary meetings to finalize the scope and ensure alignment. CKL provided a detailed statement of work that included a project schedule with clear milestones and deliverables.

Once the project kicked off, we had weekly meetings with the project team, and CKL provided frequent updates and responded promptly to all our inquiries

What was the team composition?

We had two developers (iOS, Android) assigned to the project. The team also had a dedicated project manage and a solution architect.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The main outcome was a timely upgrade of the app to comply with strict regulatory requirements that enabled us to sell new medications through our mobile app.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The CKL team was easy to reach. We had weekly Google Meet video meetings and had a dedicated Slack channel.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are a fantastic team of developers that know their craft. Super professional and easy to work with. Really appreciated the flexibility and out of the box thinking that the team provided during the project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Their prices are a bit higher compared to the other vendors we considered but the quality of work speaks for itself.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a consulting company focused on financial planning for larger companies. I’m a managing partner, working on sales and marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cheesecake Labs?

We currently support a leading software solution focused on financial planning and analytics. However, we felt there were gaps in the marketplace that we couldn’t address with our current software. We brought them onto the team to develop solutions to our gaps in functionality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We asked them to build a solution from top to bottom. While our team has technical skills, we’re closely focused on the functional end of finance and accounting. They were responsible for developing the solution from the ground up, focusing on logins and client navigation. We brought them in to address the interface, and we had overlapping backend resources. Our goal was to build a beautiful interface for our modern application.  We just completed the first phase of the project with them.

What is the team composition?

At this point, we’ve worked with a team of 5–6. We’re looking at adding more resources for future tasks. The first phase was focused on the interface, so we worked with designers, a project manager, and an executive sponsor. In the future, we’ll add more backend developers and an architect.  

How did you come to work with Cheesecake Labs?

I found them on LinkedIn and recognized their region as being great for tech and development. As I did more research in their region, they continued to come up as one of the top shops. We reached out, and they put us in touch with a few references. They impressed us with the entire process, so we brought them on board. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $10,000 so far. We’re expecting our spending to pick up significantly moving forward. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since October 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

After showing our prototype to five executives, we received great feedback on where we are in the project so far. They’re supportive of the user interface and functionality we’ve incorporated so far. 

How did Cheesecake Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

We had one formal call each week, but we were also able to collaborate pretty easily on Slack. That helped us stay productive and keep up communications. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were very impressed with their talent for building modern user interfaces. They went beyond our expectations for both their talent and resources. Their work looks as good as any other modern interface on the market today. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They went beyond our expectations for quality, cost, and resources.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep up a strong communication system. They have a pretty deep bench, so feel free to voice your thoughts about the team staffed for your work. I’m sure they’d accommodate your requests there.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Eu Quero Investir!, a brokerage firm in Brazil.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cheesecake Labs?

We were trying to scale our business through technology. We wanted to develop software for our internal sales team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cheesecake Labs is building our app so that we can offer better assistance to our clients. They’re using React Native. We’re working on version two with them.

We have an in-house software team of 12 developers. We handle backend development, while Cheesecake Labs does frontend development and design.

What is the team composition?

There’s one frontend person, a designer, a product manager, and a QA person.

How did you come to work with Cheesecake Labs?

They came as a reference when we were searching for a software house.

How much have you invested with them?

My company has spent $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2020, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The major impact was the speed at which they helped deliver what our client wanted. They delivered on time.

How did Cheesecake Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate via Slack and email. The communication has a good flow and works well. I have nothing to complain about regarding project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The project manager’s scheduling and organization are really good. He works really well with us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could get a little better on the QA side. I already gave them feedback on what we needed from them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Woovit, which is effectively a CRM system for publishers. Our product connects people who make videos about video games with the publishers that distribute codes to them. It’s a platform that algorithmically sorts someone who is qualified to get a code automatically or gives an option for the publishers to manually review the code request.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cheesecake Labs?

I needed to develop my platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cheesecake Labs developed the software soup to nuts. I provided light product management, product direction, and customer feedback loops, but they engineered the CRM system. Woovit relies a lot on APIs from places like YouTube, Twitch, Steam, and Mixer. They used a standard open source stack.

Most recently, their team became the project designers too. They work on graphic design for the platform.

What is the team composition?

Right now, we effectively have six people working on this project.

How did you come to work with Cheesecake Labs?

I asked a startup CTO for a recommendation for an outsourced development agency. He suggested Cheesecake. I evaluated a large number of outsourced firms, but Cheesecake came with a strong recommendation, which they validated. Since then, I haven’t looked for other third-party providers.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve invested over $500,000 in their services. We’ve had a substantial commitment over many years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on our first project together about seven years ago but this project started in 2016. Our collaboration’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

The main impact of the engagement is that Woovit works. They’ve been able to execute on the vision, doing so in an overwhelmingly efficient and engaged manner.

The project wasn’t trivial. They had to weave together a lot of different code bases. To get the componentization of the codebase done properly is beyond what is often done. They’ve always handled ingesting a lot of data from different services well.

They also care. When a bug happens, they resolve it quickly. Their team takes pride in their work and feels like an internal team. They want to see the project succeed and often brainstorm insightful ideas. Many of their suggestions have been incorporated into the platform.

The product manager on the Cheesecake side saw me wearing a Woovit t-shirt. And then, she quite sincerely asked for Woovit t-shirts for her own team. It’s a small story, but it’s representative of their genuine care for the project.

How did Cheesecake Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

Jira is our primary project management tool. If there’s a delay in the project, their team communicates it to us.

One of the biggest fears and failures with outsourced development is communication. Everyone on the Cheesecake team communicates well. We almost never have a misunderstanding when it comes to discussions of objectives.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their clear communication is one of their standout qualities. Their team brings the strongest engineering resources to bear.

I’ve seen Cheesecake grow from a small firm. They have good process discipline in a way that isn’t there to only churn out billable hours.

That’s been an improvement on the already excellent services that I’ve received from them over the years. Cheesecake’s an excellent option for anyone considering outsourced development.

Are there any areas they could improve?

For their services, it’s had to have an expectation beyond what they deliver. They’re not full-time engineers at a startup, so they aren’t working around the clock. That’s not a criticism because it’s a marathon, not a sprint. They’ve improved their process management over the years.

In terms of a comprehensive outsourced solution, they could bring on stronger design resources. But we’re happy with a recent UX/UI addition to the team.