Steadfast Media

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of an appliance liquidation company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Steadfast Media?

We needed to build inventory management software. The goal was to catalog and track inventory throughout our process across multiple locations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Steadfast is building the software, and they’re using PHP. So far, their team created a barcode scanner and a logic to translate barcodes and attach product descriptions to them. They also made inventory search engines from scratch.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with 4–5 people from the Steadfast team including Elise (CEO), Britney (Project Management and Operations Lead), Vitaly (Software Engineer), and Johnatan (Software Engineer).

How did you come to work with Steadfast Media?

We wanted to work with a local team. It was important that we could clearly communicate with our partner because we had issues with other software agencies.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $70,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

It began around August 2020, and the project’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their team has been 100% accurate in their development of what we scoped. They accomplish their tasks on budget, which lets us build extra features than we could with other vendors. We worked with other providers and needed to include space in the budget for them to exceed it. I’ve worked with many different software companies on many different projects and this is definitely the most complex project. I was expecting to have to pay for the complexity. But bang for our buck, Steadfast is better than our previous service providers. 

How did Steadfast Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We generally have a Skype session every Monday morning. I also communicate with them 3–4 times a day on Trello or via email. Steadfast has communicated with me throughout the whole process, so I’m not left in the dark. I’m an active participant in the development, which I appreciate because it ensures we’re heading in the right direction.

They do a great job creating a scope, working through all the fine details. We don’t have the expertise to give their team all of the details to make the project complete. They went deeper and made sure the description would have real-world applications. We haven’t had many speed bumps or surprises.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed by their ability to meet deadlines. They’ve efficiently met deadlines.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of ways for them to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The more details you can bring to the table, the better. Any software company can scope out the project. However, Steadfast excelled at detailing the project before we started it whereas other companies may just want to start right away.  Steadfast made sure that everything was in line for us to complete the project at the fastest pace possible.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

BB Imaging is a diagnostic ultrasound company. I have been the acting CEO for the past 15 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Steadfast Media?

Evaluation and consultation regarding an upcoming development project.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to define this project and determine the true size of what we were hoping to build. This project was aimed at reducing maternal mortality and morbidity in pregnancy.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We received a handful of referrals for similar development teams. When we met the Steadfast Media team, it became very apparent that not only did they have expertise as developers, but they were also able to envision the technology as we desired. This was a big asset to us as we attempted to scope this project.

Describe the project in detail.

We had a series of discovery meetings to establish our desires for the development of our technology. They delivered clear plans on how they would attack this project. Their ideas for our design strategy helped to inform us on how to get to the first prototype.

What was the team composition?

We worked with Elise very closely and later worked with a Project Lead who was focused more on the development of our project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Steadfast gave us a solid plan of how to proceed with our project. They also help us develop a budget that we would need for our fundraising efforts. They were incredibly patient with us, especially since we are a team of healthcare providers and not technically trained.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Seamless. They were so responsive and quick, even when we were moving so slowly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

This team is unlike other Dev Teams I have worked with. They speak like "normal humans". Which I have come to realize is a real talent in the technical world. They were also willing to educate us on the best methodology for starting development all without pressuring us on our budget. I would say, I am most impressed by the fact that they are just "good people."

Are there any areas for improvement?

They are highly accountable and I cannot think of constructive negative feedback.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director of Smart Labor Management, a workforce management company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Steadfast Media?

We were trying to build a simplified workforce management tool instead of licensing out other products, so we hired Steadfast Media to help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Steadfast Media is developing a web application from scratch for us. They’re using PHP for this. We’ve asked for a full suite of services to be implemented in the product, ranging from talent acquisition, time tracking, invoicing and more. This tool is intended to help companies manage their temporary labor process, so this should manage every stage from start to finish.

What is the team composition?

We work with 3–4 people from their team, including a developer, project manager, analyst, and architect. 

How did you come to work with Steadfast Media?

I followed a trusted referral and met with Michael (CEO, Steadfast Media). He was an extremely intelligent person and understood the concept fairly quickly, so I felt comfortable using the team. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in May 2019 and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients have been very receptive to the product. Our small team has also positively received their work. 

How did Steadfast Media perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very available throughout the project. If anything comes up, Michael is always receptive to helping us. Even if the issue is outside of their scope of work, we can rely on them. Any time of way possible to communicate, we’ve done it: fax, emails, calls. They’re good at managing the work. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their availability and technology expertise are great—it’s amazing to see what they’ve done with our concept. Looking at where we started versus where we are now with the tool, it’s great to see what they’ve done throughout the process. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Right now, there’s nothing I can think of. I’m new to the product-side of projects, so it’s been a good learning experience working with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Spend time communicating and setting timelines with their team. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Elmore Pedal Company makes an affordable and easy-to-use foot pedal that allows musical instrument learners of all levels to keep hands on the instrument 100% of the time, speeding up time to success and increasing joy. Simply connect your Elmore pedal via Bluetooth or USB into your laptop, tablet or phone, visit YouTube or your favorite musical learning website, and enjoy your frustration-free lessons. I'm the founder. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Steadfast Media?

Shopify store build.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted Steadfast Media to build a Shopify store for my emerging business and I needed it completed in 45 days. They beat the deadline by 2 weeks and I am thrilled with the results.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Steadfast Media came highly recommended by a colleague who'd worked with them in the past on a similar project.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Steadfast built my Shopify store from scratch. They designed the site, wrote the copy, and employed processes, all of which have resulted in a visually appealing and easy-to-navigate online store.

What was the team composition?

I worked with Elise Kennedy - VP of Growth & Operations. Highly experienced professional with a knack for getting it right the first time. Great listener. Took my thoughts and goals into account and created exactly what I wanted and needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Without Steadfast Media, I wouldn't have the store I do today. They are amazing to work with.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

10/10. We coordinated everything online, had many phone discussion, and all communications were highly effective and purposeful.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Creativity and execution meeting together to fulfill my needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of. I would absolutely work with Steadfast Media again and will recommend them to my peers.