AD:60 Agency LLC

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the former CEO of Stash, a fintech company, and the current CEO of WinWin, a savings app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with AD:60 Agency LLC?

Our company was looking for UX/UI design and app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stash is a registered investment advisory app with lots of regulations and government scrutiny, so it needed to be bulletproof. A fintech firm can end up in trouble if it lets the wrong people in the door, even if you do all the right things.

They built and tweaked our first version on iOS, then helped us build our in-house tech team. That was nice because they didn’t see us as a short-term partner. They knew that if they helped us hire our own team, that would help us be successful.

We went back to them when we wanted to build the Android version, which was another big project. It made more sense for the people who built the iOS version to take on this big related project than for us to do it in-house. Over a year later, we hired them again to build banking services. It says a lot that we hired them at least three times.

Then I started WinWin, an iOS savings app, based on the premise that Americans find it very tough to save money. The more you save, the more chances you get to win. I hired them to build the app, and they have done a great job. We wanted to add something fun in a boring space, and they nailed it. Every day, users play a 30-second game to win a small prize between 10¢ and $1. For one moment in their day, they can feel positive about money. Every Friday, we hold a draw. We started with $1,000 and will add smaller prizes. Users get a chance to win for every dollar they save.

Until an app goes live, you don’t know what will work and what won’t. We are currently going through that, so we’ve hired them to stay with us as we record data, call customers, and move toward the product market. For example, we are rolling out four additional games because our users didn’t want to do the same games every day. Games are new for Ad:60. One doesn’t work well, but people loved the others that we built.

They care about building great solutions. It never feels like work for hire; it feels like they are part of the team. We will also hire them to build our Android version.

They also built our dashboards, which was huge. Alex (Partner & CEO, AD:60) thinks about KPIs like a founder. He knows which ones we need to measure and how often we need to measure them, so he built us a dashboard that lets us track our key KPIs.

We completed UI/UX design, some product testing, and production. We also integrated the app with nine different services. They built a very advanced platform for attribution and Linux messaging, which was important to me. I wanted to go big or go home.

What is the team composition?

We usually have a market research team that profiles the customer, the core value profit, and the ideal solution. Our in-house team is strong in that area, but we also respect their process. We did our research and analysis, but did it in parallel since they wanted to do their own as well. I did some of the heavy-lifting to keep prices low.

How did you come to work with AD:60 Agency LLC?

I met Alex through one of their former clients. When I was looking for an agency, they recommended AD:60.

Since there were nine integrations, my two co-founders and I needed a firm with chops. It involved trading, compliance, and many other elements. It would have taken us nine months just to recruit an in-house team to build it. We looked at a lot of different options, but we liked that they were local.

I sensed that they wouldn’t just do what you told them to do: they would challenge you and have strong opinions. They had also built another site that I liked, and they knew a lot about fintech and its marketing. They were expensive, but uniquely qualified for this build.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent around $400,000 on the WinWin project so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working on the WinWin project in October 2017, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a good experience with them. No agency is ever perfect, but I was very happy with their work. It didn’t feel transactional.

Stash is the fastest growing mobile investment app, and 1.8 million people have used it to open brokerage accounts. We received $120 million dollars from Peter Thiel at Union Square Ventures and are adding about 6,000 customers a day. It has been a runaway success.

WinWin is still new, but it’s a great design. We had a profile in Fast Company, we’ve received great customer feedback, and we’ve gotten almost universal kudos on the design. You don’t see that often, especially in fintech. The branding feels like a consumer app rather than a fintech app.

We couldn’t compete with banks, so we had to carve out a fun and exciting space. They pulled it off: this app doesn’t look like anything you would ever see from a bank.

How did AD:60 Agency LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Asana, InVision, and TestFlight.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I like that they are local, so we can work together three days a week. Alex digs in and cares. Our UX/UI team also really cared; you could tell that they loved the work and went the extra mile.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Since they have development teams in North Carolina and New York, communication issues sometimes arise. This is true especially when moving from one phase to another, such as from design to development. They could probably integrate a little better. Their development team is amazing though. It’s their secret weapon.

We had another branding consultant help us out with some things, and I think they could probably do a little better on that. You should undertake that whole exercise before you build, because the branding needs to be nailed before the UX/UI design. They’re are working on improving this, but they already have a very strong team.

We envisioned something that would let you play games on iMessage without having to open the app, and they found out subsequently that Apple does not allow that yet. That was their error; they should have known. They found out before we built it, but it was already in the project scope. I would have expected them and preferred them to know that before they said it was possible.

One of the games involves complicated trajectory physics, which they had some trouble getting right. I can’t blame this on them because there are so many entities involved, but our dashboards have some issues that need to be fixed.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Not everyone can afford to hire a firm like them, but I would urge fintech start-ups to do so. They can build advanced technical solutions and great UX/UI design. I didn’t need to hire an entire team to quickly release a great V1. Although they are expensive, they are worth it for certain projects.

Don’t hire them if you aren’t open to pushback and challenges. If you just want someone to build something, they are probably not the right firm for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a product manager for a fine art auction house. I mostly oversee our website and iOS app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with AD:60 Agency LLC?

We needed a partner to build and maintain an iOS app that complemented our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, AD:60 built out APIs to develop an iOS app, powered by the data from our website. They developed the front end code and continue to update and maintain it. More specifically, they enhanced the existing auction model we offered online by introducing a new e-commerce platform. The first iteration they built was static, while the second version allowed users to browse online-only auctions and checkout directly through their mobile device. We may work with AD:60 to build an Android version of the app, but our audience is mostly on iOS at the moment.

We've also worked with their team in other capacities, including design and UX work, writing test cases, and quality assurance testing. Last fall, they assisted with our augmented reality technology, and they're updating it currently. They're also working on projects to integrate our online bidding platform into our app this year and making improvements to our main sales funnel pages.

What is the team composition?

We work directly with a project manager, a QA person, and someone who performs daily testing on our app. We also have access to their larger team should any urgent issues surface. They'll assign additional staff to our work on a project by project basis.

How did you come to work with AD:60 Agency LLC?

We considered a few vendors through an RFP process and I believe someone on our team had previously worked with AD:60. However, I wasn't part of the selection process.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested somewhere between $100,000 to $1,000,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them for four and a half years and continue to work with them under a maintenance contract.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've seen a huge rise in our app's usage over the years since working with AD:60. We've had proven results from each project they've worked on thus far.

How did AD:60 Agency LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management sets them apart from other vendors—it's some of the best that we've experienced. We communicate with them daily and use Basecamp and Jira to track projects. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're good about meeting with us in-person at our office. Their presentations and interaction with our staff are very engaging and informative, which is a great way to kick off some of our larger projects. We've built a great relationship with them over the years, which is why we continue to expand our engagements with them.

They're also great about getting back to us quickly, making fixes to the app as they come up in a timely manner (even over weekends or holidays). They're a great partner in the sense that they stay on top of the small things that could either make or break the app.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They're a full-service agency, so keep in mind that you're able to customize the services you need. When you first engage with them, make sure to ask them to walk you through all of the different resources and services they have available. They're also flexible when it comes to budget restrictions, so we found that just talking through everything with as much clarity as possible is the best approach.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a business incubator for technology startups.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with AD:60 Agency LLC?

We required development and branding services for a dating app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built a minimum-viable-product version of the app for iOS. This included building the backend and designing the UI. They also assisted with initial product branding and voice.

What is the team dynamic?

In addition to the CEO, we worked with two-to-three individuals in the creative department for interface design and branding. Up to four individuals handled the software development.

How did you come to work with AD:60 Agency LLC?

They were recommended by a trusted colleague who worked with them on a similar project.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a little over $100,000

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place from February 2017–August 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We took over primary development after they provided the MVP so I can’t attribute traditional metrics to them. However, they always delivered what they promised and did so on-time.

How did AD:60 Agency LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very attentive and communicated effectively so we never felt left out of the process. We primarily used Basecamp and email for quick comments. We used Zoom conferences for longer meetings while working remotely. Initially, I was meeting with them in-person to facilitate clear project communication, but as the engagement progressed I would attend the meetings remotely. We met up to twice a week depending on the project’s needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team is reliable, articulate, and communicative. They’ve delivered high-quality code and excellent branding. Overall, they’re a great company to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d prefer lower cost solution but that would negatively impact quality. There are always drawbacks to outsourcing technology instead of developing in-house, but there are benefits as well. There may be some inherent issues with their business model but I’ve experienced none in their execution. They did a great job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As with outsourcing any third-party group, it’s important to have a strong concept of project goals. However, be open about how to execute those goals. AD:60 has great ideas and it would be a waste not to at least entertain them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our website is focused on general health and wellness with a mindful approach, specifically around yoga, meditation, healthy eating, pain management, and so on. It was launched 2 years ago and has been backed by a family that has a focus on yoga and meditation. They have started programs in inner-city schools and have gathered data around how yoga and meditation can help kids in tough situations. I am a consultant working with startups and media companies. I act as the head of operations for the group and take care of business planning, financial management, staffing, and resources.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with AD:60?

We needed help with brand extension in the mobile space through a functional yoga application and wanted to gain potential downstream revenue.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

AD:60 has focused on developing our app. We started the project with high-level concepting sessions at AD:60's studio. There was a dedicated project manager on our end who was actively involved in the back and forth of the design stage. It was a good creative process, and AD:60 challenged our expectations, helping us understand what would and wouldn't work.

How did you come to work with AD:60?

I made an RFP [request for proposal] and reached out to my network in January 2016, asking for vendor recommendations. I also included a couple of companies I'd used in the past. I submitted the RFP to around 10 people and received 6 qualified responses. I zeroed in on 2 to 3 of them, but our team was strongly leaning towards AD:60 from the beginning.

One of the developers that reached the final selection round was one I'd used in the past. They were good and solid but had gotten too comfortable in their approach. AD:60 reminds me of that company 5 years ago.

How much have you invested with AD:60?

The total cost of our project with AD:60 is expected to be around $250,000. AD:60 offered a good price – not inexpensive, but not overly expensive, either.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with AD:60 in February 2016. We have finished the design phase, and are preparing for the actual coding [as of October 2016].

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I'm enormously satisfied with AD:60. After having gone through the process and taken part in mobile development in all shapes and sizes, using both United States-based and outsourced firms, our work with AD:60 has been the most satisfying process. We received what we paid for and then some. AD:60 has been the best creative partner, not only in terms of design and execution, but also in terms of concepting and business rationale. Through this process, AD:60 improved the idea we came with. It was the first time I'd seen a mobile vendor do this, even though I've worked with some smart people in the past.

I have been impressed with AD:60's investment in helping the client interrogate their own idea and business plan, making sure that it's sound.

How did AD:60 perform from a project management standpoint?

We don't have any metrics yet but, during the course of our project, we've had around 100 working sessions with AD:60. I can't begin to say how much back and forth this has amounted to on Basecamp, but it has been an efficient process. The availability and interaction with AD:60's team was impressive to me.

What did you find most impressive about AD:60?

AD:60 is a professional and solid group that has over delivered. What most impressed me was that AD:60 was unafraid to challenge the client on what they believed in. While AD:60 acknowledged that they didn't know much about yoga, they were able to help us shape the application and some of the training features within it in ways that we didn't expect. AD:60's ability to not only be a design and code shop but also one that can help guide a business model is their strength. Any good mobile app comes down to what new and special elements it can bring.

Everyone has ideas and building them into a wireframe becomes an almost clinical process. Once that is done, the coding is almost easy. Finalizing the interrogation via a creative concept is the hardest piece. AD:60 is unique in being able to provide input on our idea.

Are there any areas AD:60 could improve?

I don't think so.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with AD:60?

If the client is looking for a creative partner able to take an idea and make it better, not just a creative agency, they should use AD:60. Otherwise, they should simply get a project manager and outsource the work to India.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a New-York-based media agency. I was the chief digital officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with AD60?

We needed to develop an internal platform for our staff. We wanted to automate the strategic planning and tactics selection across the board for all of our media investment, online and offline.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, AD60 helped set the overarching strategy. We talked about what we wanted to accomplish and what we wanted the platform to handle for the 400-500 staff members who would be utilizing it. AD60 determined what they could do, how the platform could be build, what would be possible in phase 1, what we should do in phase 2. They handled everything, from the color scheme, font, information architecture, and so on.

We used an open source technology as well as custom code. AD60 also built a custom content management system. Once the project was completed, it allowed us to make updates to the platform without having to go back and engage AD60 over and over again. We had a solution which could be contained within the agency. The primary technology used was Ruby on Rails and everything else was a proprietary CMS.

How did you come to work with AD60?

I've worked in the field for well over 20 years. I’m familiar with the space, from technologists to design firms. I reached out to 10 different shops, talked about our project, and whittled the options to around 4. I had the remaining shops come in and we dug deeper into the skillsets of their teams. We also evaluated their current project workload as well as the time and attention that they'd be able to devote to our business. We went through a round of sample pricing and came to select AD60.

How much have you invested with AD60?

The cost of AD60's services was between $150,000 and $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our project was completed at the end of June 2016, after 2 to 3 months. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

AD60's team literally built the plane as they were flying it. I hit AD60 with multiple changes, both minor and major ones. After getting a functioning prototype, I launched it within multiple groups, each consisting of 5-6 employees with various levels. We received multiple change requests from each of them. There were a number of QA specialists involved in all of the adjustments, contributing to a good result for all our staff. AD60's entire team was wonderful in terms of how they connected to our group. They provided the necessary time and attention for full QA. People don't like change and are used to the way they work. However, my team picked up the new system quickly and it has made their day more efficient. They're able to focus on higher level thinking around our campaign strategies. The process is automated in a step-by-step way.

How did AD60 perform from a project management standpoint?

Our team connected with AD60 at 8 to 10 o'clock at night, given that they work late. If there was a new business pitch for the upcoming days, we would come up with new ideas and send them to AD60. They worked side by side with our group as the platform was being built. This is the main reason we have such a great product today.

What did you find most impressive about AD60?

AD60 is made up of true entrepreneurs. It's a flexible company. We had a contract with multiple rules and requirements, but I never felt nickel-and-dimed. AD60 paced with me all the way through, forming a solid partnership, which is greatly absent in today's market. Companies can kick off projects really well, but few can deliver with excellence and without pain. I never tried to pretend I had all the answers. AD60 focused on areas which were undefined in terms of project goals. That made everything easy.

Are there any areas AD60 could improve?

I was going to mention face time, but AD60 actually came over to us once a week in order to ensure that there was nothing lost in translation. I couldn't critique AD60.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with AD60?

AD60 will be a good partner, but clients need to be clear about requirements upfront. They need to tell AD60 what they're nervous about and what are the missing answers. AD60 needs to know where it can come through in terms of expertise and recommendations. If the client is transparent about what they don't know, AD60 will provide ways of staying within the allocated budget and timeline.