Goodman Lantern

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Head of Content and Editor of the ASMALLWORLD Explorer travel & lifestyle magazine.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Goodman Lantern?

We have an ongoing work relationship with Goodman Lantern's content team who provide original travel and lifestyle articles for our magazine.

What were your goals for this project?

Highly engaging, well-researched and informative travel and lifestyle articles for our HNI members and website visitors.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met in-person to discuss requirements and started working together the day after.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Highly engaging, well-researched and informative travel and lifestyle articles for our HNI members and website visitors.

What was the team composition?

We work with 3 members of the Goodman Lantern team who provide us with ongoing articles for our travel and lifestyle magazine.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our work is ongoing and so far the team have been a pleasure to work with. Content is delivered on time, on-spec, and whenever we've provided feedback or suggestions they have always been receptive and open to make changes with a quick turnaround.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had an on-boarding call with the team to discuss requirements and process, and immediately after started working together with ease and efficiency.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The level of professionalism, openness to feedback, quality of writing and efficient communication.

Are there any areas for improvement?

n/a

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of Promo. My application is an event-based social media network that provides a real-time feed of local happenings for users to discover worldwide. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Goodman Lantern?

I hired Goodman Lantern to help me further develop Promo into a functioning company. Having completed two iterations of the app which hadn't gotten anywhere, I needed to begin the third. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Goodman Lantern programmed the third iteration of my app in Python. Their responsibilities center on running the technology, programming, and business management aspects of my business. As primarily a market research firm, they brainstormed marketing and business development strategies.

Goodman Lantern is a full-service, one-stop shop operation. I came to them with a problem, and they formulated a method to provide the best solution. Rather than having a rigid plan, they offered flexibility to account for unpredictable factors that might arise. I prefer their approach to agencies with a set list of services, who create rigid scopes with associated costs. 

What is the team composition? 

The head programmer, Raj (Chief Product/ Product Owner, Goodman Lantern) has been spearheading the build. Kiley (VP Business Development, Goodman Lantern) helps me with business development. She makes incredible presentations and comes up with innovative strategies to achieve success.

How did you come to work with Goodman Lantern?

My dad met Kiley while on vacation abroad. She told him about Goodman Lantern, and the company seemed like a good fit for our needs.

How much have you invested with them?

Goodman Lantern offers very competitive pricing and a flexible contract. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together for about two years now since we began our partnership in January 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I planned all the functions for my app four years ago. Since then, I'd wasted time and money convincing people to take my ideas seriously. When I started working with Goodman Lantern, I immediately began receiving better feedback from my network. Their refined methodology and professionalism lent legitimacy to my business. People don't question me anymore. Instead, they're interested in my app and inquire about my future plans. 

The caliber of Goodman Lantern's deliverables impressed potential investors. In particular, the excellent presentations they compiled for venture capital meetings gave me caché with new contacts. They carefully prepared technical specifications that help me answer any question I might be asked. Every single person invited us back multiple times and indicated that my idea is promising. I haven't received funding yet because it's in too early of a stage. 

A prior firm I worked with didn't estimate the scope accurately or finish on time, so they ran up the bill. Conversely, if Goodman Lantern doesn't so something 100 percent correctly the first time, they fix it within two weeks at no additional charge. As a small business, that's incredibly valuable. They’re doing their best work possible within my budget constraints. Whatever I need, they make sure to find the resources to deliver. 

How did Goodman Lantern perform from a project management standpoint?

Regarding communication and collaboration, Goodman Lantern is the best firm I've worked with by far. Raj did an excellent job of translating my artistic concepts for the development team to code. As the liaison, he also explained the technical work to me. We mostly correspond through WhatsApp.

I don't believe in weekends or holidays. If a problem occurs late on a Saturday, I expect it to be solved that night. I accept that people don't agree with my worldview, but Goodman Lantern has been the most accommodating of my expectations. They're open to communicating outside of working hours. Even if they don't resolve a problem immediately over the weekend, they take notes and stay in touch. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Goodman Lantern has an unparalleled level of skill and talent, coupled with a keen understanding of implementation. It's very rare to find as talented of a team outside major technology companies. A unique combination of skills, they excel at both programming code and brainstorming ideas to make it look aesthetically pleasing. They brought my vision to life with robust technological deliverables. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

For any new partnership, a client should know exactly what end product they want before meeting with a team of programmers. Have a set list of goals you want to achieve by the end of the project. Self-advocate as much as possible while still taking their advice from a functional perspective. 

Both Raj and Kiley are very kind and honest about how they do things. They'll be transparent and flexible with you. Other developers I’ve worked with would over promise and under deliver without explanation. If I request a feature that won't work, Goodman Lantern will tell me so and provide a sound rationale.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the business development manager for Asian Pharmaceuticals. The company is currently based in Nepal. but looking to expand to other parts of Asia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Goodman Lantern?

We did a complete technology overhaul, which started off with developing a website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first thing they did was to develop a new website. We were very happy with their work, so we moved on to technical maintenance and the development of an internal project management system with them.

The system they designed (I believe it’s built on Node.js) allows us to work more efficiently within our entire supply chain. Our production and marketing teams are based in different locations, so it was important for us to have a coherent and easy-to-use solution.

We’re currently working on an AI system that will help us predict various parts of the supply chain, as well as of the markets we’re planning to enter. These predictions will allow us to better understand the new market and to produce for it accordingly.

What is the team composition?

I was put in touch with Kiley (Director and VP of Business Development, Goodman Lantern). I’ve had the chance to work with a few other team members over time.

How did you come to work with Goodman Lantern?

A friend who’d used them in the past recommended them. Then, I had a brief conversation with Kiley regarding the services they would provide.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of the website project was $10,000–$15,000 and the project management tool $20,000–$30,000. The AI tool will have a cost of $50,000–$60,000, so we’re looking at a total cost of around $250,000.​

​​​​​​What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them at the beginning of 2017. The new tool that they’re developing for us will be completed over the next few months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, it’s been a very good experience. Their entire team is professional, and though they didn’t have a lot of knowledge of the pharmaceutical supply chain industry, they were willing to learn. They got as much information from us as possible and turned it into a satisfactory website. Our internal team has been very happy with the work.

The project management system they built is efficient and easy to use by everyone in our company. We’ve been extremely happy with their work. Getting a presence in Nepal will determine whether we do more work with Goodman Lantern. They’ve saved us a lot of time and effort as we’ve become a lot more efficient by using these tools.

How did Goodman Lantern perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re handling the technical maintenance of our website and of the project management system, taking care of anything that needs to be changed.

We mainly use email to interact with them. Their communication with us is timely despite us working across different time zones.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It was important for them to understand the new markets we were entering. The amount of research and professionalism they’ve put into the work distinguishes them from the providers we’ve worked with in the past. The results are of a very high standard.

Additionally, they’ve been responsive to our needs and feedback. Goodman Lantern is very accommodating.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wish that they had more diversity. They’ve helped us in terms of overall technology, but it would be helpful if they offered more services.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Goodman Lantern is a full-service provider for companies that don’t have large technology departments. Outsourcing everything to their company has been a big relief.

If the client isn’t comfortable in the beginning, they can start off with a small project. I’m sure that it will turn into a long-term working relationship.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of several different businesses. I'm a serial entrepreneur, so I've got five different businesses that I do. When I first started working with the Goodman Lantern, it was for Kover Kritters, which sells products that cover your existing pool cleaner. They also do work with my South African Safari business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Goodman Lantern?

I hired Goodman Lantern to do market research and a successful Kickstarter campaign for Kover Kritters and some strategy work in general. For my safari company, I run a charitable organization, so they assist me with list building and using some growth hacking products.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the Kover Kritters project, they helped me get on Kickstarter and produce video presentations and outreach videos for our different campaigns. They also did all of our social media work, driving traffic to the Kickstarter campaign and contacting lists of businesses in the pool industry. They helped us run a $45,000 campaign over two months, so that took a lot of effort. We also contacted a lot of bloggers to get a sense of the overall awareness of our campaign.

For the safari business, they’re currently working on list building and lead generations for my business. That entails reaching out and building lists for all of the charitable organizations in the U.S. They've been able to help me identify what market would be conducive to a safari as far as a charitable donation goes, because these organizations typically need to be able to have a gala or a live auction type of event. Clearly, we want to be strategic about which states we offer safari packages to. They also send out emails on my behalf.

What is the team dynamic?

They have a very nice, transparent dashboard I can use for communication. I use that to communicate with the CEO, and probably about four or five different analysts.

How did you come to work with Goodman Lantern?

I interviewed with several companies and have previously worked with various virtual assistants and virtual teams. Before Goodman Lantern, I've never had “wow” results with those companies. When I interviewed with Raj [CEO, Goodman Lantern], it was a very simple choice. He was the best candidate for the job, with everything from the integrity of the company, to the easy communication with the dashboard, to their speedy work at a great monetary value.

How much have you invested with them?

In my past experience, I have paid between $600 to $1000 a month on personal assistants. Now, I pay Goodman Lantern the same amount, but with much higher quality. It’s been a great value and consistent work.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them around June 2013 for Kover Kritters, which we recently finished up. I am still currently working with them for my safari business.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Honestly, I don't know how I could have ever had such a successful Kickstarter campaign of $45,000 without them. It's exceptionally difficult to do, which people don’t always know. With my safari business, they’ve made my life a lot easier as far as the campaign we’re running, which is automated. Both campaigns have clearly been successful.

How did Goodman Lantern perform from a project management standpoint?

Their dashboard makes it very simple and transparent because the project manager is always in touch with me. So, I simply send an email and hear back from them quickly. It’s a no-brainer.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their growth hacking is particularly strong, at a fair price point. They have highly qualified analysts with Ph.D.’s who really know what they’re doing. They provide good value for the money paid, which is their selling point.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really – sometimes, I can’t get marketing materials from them for example, but that’s not really what they do, so it’s reasonable. So no, I can't imagine how they could improve.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company is Flatworld Solutions. I am the online marketing manager for our Global Shared Services unit. I manage a team of 10 marketing executives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Goodman Lantern?

In marketing, content generation is one of the biggest challenges. I’ve been using Upwork for almost eight years now. Even though it’s the largest freelancing network, I did have trouble finding the right talent to produce content for us. Then I got to know Goodman Lantern. We started to do business together, and it seemed Raj understood my requirements very well. He delivered quality content that met my expectations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Most the content that Goodman Lantern generated for us were white papers. First, we would have a brainstorm session at our office. Then, I would tell Goodman Lantern the requirements I had, they would do research and then provide me the base content. Once I approved, they would proceed to write the final content. He has a good research team and gives me exhaustive information.

How did you come to work with Goodman Lantern?

I received an email from Goodman Lantern and had a call with them in 2015. I checked out their portfolio and found they were good at secondary research as well as content generation. They answered questions I had, which built my confidence in them. Then I gave them a trial project to work on. They delivered the project well, so we continued to do business.

How much have you invested with Goodman Lantern?

We have exceeded $10,000 and continue.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have a couple of project going on right now. I think we started early 2015. I don’t remember exactly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did Goodman Lantern perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve given them the flexibility and don’t set deadlines so I can't really say. Sometimes the projects are a month or two months. The communication is excellent and receive responses within 24 hours. If at any point in time if I have to escalate I email Raj and he gets back to me within 24 hours, so that’s impressive.

What did you find most impressive about Goodman Lantern?

The general experience was great. I have a great experience with Goodman Lantern because they have expertise. I’ve worked with many other content generation companies, and I never got what I expected. The depth of information always lacked because the writers themselves are not subject matter experts. But then the process Goodman Lantern follows is completely different. They engage secondary research agents, collate data and then the writer picks up from there and writes content which has subject knowledge in it.

Are there any areas Goodman Lantern could improve?

I have faced some challenges with regard to billing. Most of my projects are ongoing. They bill me on per hour rates but my campaigns change frequently. I’m unable to evaluate my campaign cost because I never get the breakup of each campaign. I get billed every week, but I’m not sure how much I’m spending on each campaign. So, it’s a little difficult to track that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

RCR Investments assists companies commercialize new and innovative products. I’ve worked with numerous companies in the last four years. I am the Owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Goodman Lantern?

The first time I approached them I was on a very tight budget. An international startup in the e-commerce sector had a meeting with one of the world’s largest potential partner companies in their industry. The client commissioned me to do comprehensive market research to understand the specific market pricing and assess whether the UK is a potential target for them. I reached out to Goodman Lantern because I needed someone to help me conduct very fast market research on data that is hard to come by through simply Googling it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their flexibility was very important to me. I reached out because I needed general work and Goodman Lantern responded immediately and told me the variety of things they can do. I gave them tasks using their project management platform which was very transparent. One of the tasks was to understand what the salaries paid for e-commerce logistics drivers are in all UK-based companies. The result they delivered was a very detailed Excel spreadsheet with a lot of raw data that I needed and could use to build a very efficient slide deck that was used in pitching to the multi-national partner company.

How did you come to work with Goodman Lantern?

I was looking for a freelance researcher, and I knew I needed someone reliable. I found them on two different websites with very positive reviews. They stood out from the others in how they presented themselves. They interviewed me for my needs and on the same day they sent me a very transparent, thorough and cost-efficient proposal that just made sense. Because of that, I hired them without even talking to any of the other providers who didn’t even respond. They responded fast and were very transparent and professional.

How much have you invested with Goodman Lantern?

I've spent $1,000 to $1,500 a month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We are currently planning our next project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The first project I did with Goodman Lantern was about hard to obtain data. That being said, my client won the bid, so the meeting was a great success. I received great praise for being able to pull off something so fast. It was very professional, cost efficient and we got the partnership deal.

How did Goodman Lantern perform from a project management standpoint?

The best I’ve seen. Goodman Lantern has a system they built for project management which gives me a dashboard to understand exactly who’s working on what elements of the project. All the files and emails are saved there. If they bill me for five hours of a researcher, I can see the screenshots of the person working those five hours. Their project management system blew me away. It was one of the things that impressed me so much not only did I want to use them but I wanted to learn from them. They always meet deadlines - everything happens as soon as possible.

What did you find most impressive about Goodman Lantern?

I felt that everybody on their team is committed to my company and the success of my project. They take an interest in my business, and they have an inherent desire to succeed.

Are there any areas Goodman Lantern could improve?

I don’t think so.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Field Officer cum Manager

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Goodman Lantern?

We hired Goodman Lantern for content creation

SOLUTION

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

Obviously Reputation

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

It was my senior manager who suggested Goodman Lantern for content creation. First we talked with them over phone and then we arranged meet. Everything went well and we hired them within a week.

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

Craig & Liam. Craig is marketing executive and Liam is customer support and management director.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're blown away! The content they created wasn't just written; they had done an excellent ground work. We got good feedback from our customers.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was so good. Almost daily we interacted with the team.

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

We were impressed by the high-quality content and good communication.

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

They are too good and I hope they will deliver the same quality content in the future.