Cheesecake Labs

Please describe your organization.

Camio makes real-time videos smart by doing instant search and alerts on any video stream. We started with turning existing cell phones and tablets, into smart video cameras that could alert you. For example, if people are approaching your walkway, or if your elderly mother is living alone and hasn’t made coffee by 10 a.m., you would be alerted.

What is your position?

I’m CEO and co-founder of Camio. I was the person that initially contracted with Cheesecake.

What business challenge were you trying to address with Cheesecake Labs?

We were looking for somebody that could help with some of the difficult issues we had in turning Android apps into reliable cameras. The CEO of Cheesecake Labs had worked with Uber on their app, and when we had issues, he helped. We’ve been treating them as an extended team for Camio ever since.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

The apps are available on both the iOS and Android platforms.

How did you come to work with Cheesecake Labs?

Cheesecake Labs was referred by somebody that I knew through an investor. I think we were among their earliest clients. We were considering whether to just hire in-house here in San Mateo, or contract with them as our outsourced mobile app development team. They have since practically become members of our team.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

There may have been one year that we exceeded $250,000. Currently, our annual run rate is in the $50,000 to $250,000 range.

What is the status of this engagement?

It’s an ongoing partnership.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We’ve gotten a number of “best-of" awards and recognition from our peers in the industry as the number one way to monitor your outdoor living spaces. Google’s blog posted about our success in smart video.

In terms of the quantitative stats, every day we process about 4 million video events. People primarily search from the apps that Cheesecake Labs has helped build. About 80% of our usage is on mobile apps versus our web browser app.

What distinguishes Cheesecake Labs from other providers?

Cheesecake Labs is a great virtual team member. We have regular daily, short ten-minute video chats to plan each day. They also participate in our weekly team sprint meetings. We treat them as members of the team, other than the fact that they’re in Brazil. They have stock options as part of their compensation plan. They are great extended teammates.

Is there anything Cheesecake Labs could have improved or done differently?

Cheesecake went through a period of time where their bandwidth was bad because they were moving offices. Because of this, we were continually struggling with video capabilities. However, recently it’s been better. When you’re working remotely, you have to be fanatically focused on having plentiful bandwidth. That was the only thing that could have been improved, but they have since corrected that.

Please provide a description of your company.

Our company is a new media search engine. It is an easy-to-use leap compared to existing media contact databases. We offer free full text and Twitter searches of more than 10,000 of the most important writers in technology, gaming, and beyond. 

What is your role and responsibilities?

I am the founder of the company.

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address?

There was a market need for a robust media search engine and contact database incumbents had yet to fill. We wanted to build a user-friendly search engine that would enable views of information by author or outlet as well as full text search of articles.

Please provide a description of the project. With what parts of the project was the service provider involved?

The product that Cheesecake Labs developed for us is like a smarter Google for tech blogs. It crawls content on the Web and, applying natural language AI [artificial intelligence] algorithms, learns the keywords that posts are talking about, and what is the sentiment of the author on those matters.

Cheesecake Labs built the back-end and front end of the search engine. Back-end work included not just the database development, but input mechanisms for the staff to update content manually, which couldn't be curated automatically. They also developed various tools that crawl and parse multiple blogs in real time.

In order to work with this huge amount of data we had to create elastic databases with multiple clusters of Amazon machines, we also had to build MapReduce services to be able to access the clusters in a fast way. Finally, they built the Web UI [user interface] to access all the information.

Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative in dollar terms or a personnel work-hour figure?

The size of the project was in the $50,000 to $200,000 price range.

When was the project completed?

The project was completed in November 2014.

What was the process of selecting Cheesecake Labs for this project?

Cheesecake Labs was recommended to me for development work by an elite Silicon Valley insider.

What were the results of the project, and are there any metrics you can share?

The first several iterations prospered thanks to Cheesecake's work. The site scaled really well and enabled the confident hiring of an in-house development team to go further to market.

How did the service provider perform?

I am very happy with the work that Cheesecake Labs did for us. In addition to recommending them, I have subsequently used Cheesecake on another smaller personal project and would happily do so again. 

Is there any area that the service provider could improve or you would do differently?

It was my first experience with larger-scale software project management and points of difficulty or things I would do differently largely fall on my own inexperience. I don’t blame them for anything. They did a great job.

Please provide a description of your company. What is your role and responsibilities?

I am a business executive at a company focused on developing educational media for children in digital and mobile format.

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address?

We were looking for a team of engineers to develop our digital media library app for iOS from scratch. We had a specific idea of what we wanted to do, but we needed software-developing expertise to build the software. The idea of the app is to build a Netflix-like library for children’s books. We provide digital media, so we needed an app with high performance and ease of use. We partnered with Cheesecake Labs for the project.

Please provide a description of the scope of the project.

After we reached an agreement to partner with Cheesecake Labs, Cheesecake Labs developed a great iPad app for us. Cheesecake Labs built the front end and back-end of the app. They built in features to allow us to modify and adjust the content of our app on our own.

They did all the Objective-C development, back-end development, using Python and Google app engine, and some front end for the Web. We had a designer in their team working with us, so they didn't have to create any visual assets. The Cheesecake Labs team was also responsible for testing the app and website to make sure everything was working properly.

What was your process for selecting the service provider?

We selected Cheesecake Labs because their engineers came highly recommended to us from colleagues in our field. Cheesecake Labs had great ideas on how we could complete our app and add features that were important to our product.

Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative in dollar terms or a personnel work-hour figure?

The size of the project was in the $10,000 to $50,000 price range.

When was the work completed?

The project wrapped on September 1, 2014.

What were the results of the project, and are there any metrics you can share?

The results are great. We have gotten great feedback from our customers on the ease of use and reliability of our app. I believe Cheesecake Labs was a great choice.

How did the service provider perform?

The App that Cheesecake Labs built for us works wonderfully. They did a great job with it.

Please describe your organization. What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m the founder and CEO of an Internet radio company that has college sports podcasts.

What was your goal for working with Cheesecake Labs?

We partnered with Cheesecake Labs because we wanted to improve the quality and concepts of our previous apps. Our development team had done the coding on our previous apps, and it wasn’t of great quality. We needed a stronger, outside team to help develop a great product we would be proud of.

Please describe the scope of their work.

Cheesecake Labs was involved in developing both the front end and back-end of our iOS apps. We are currently working together to rework our website design.

What was your process for selecting Cheesecake Labs with which to work?

One of our investors knew Victor [Oliveira], the co-founder and CEO at Cheesecake Labs. We looked through his portfolio and previous works. We then reached out to him and talked about the work we needed. He had great ideas for us. That convinced us that Cheesecake Labs was a great option for us.

Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative in dollar terms or a personnel work-hour figure?

The size of the project was in the $10,000 to $50,000 range.

When was the work completed?

We started our partnership with Cheesecake Labs at the end of January 2015. We released our app mid-March 2015. They worked really fast, especially in our line of work. Our partnership with Cheesecake Labs is still is ongoing.

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

Since our partnership with Cheesecake Labs, the users of our app are engaging with the app more, and they’re staying within the app longer than before. The user feedback is better, too. So, our partnership with Cheesecake Labs made our app a lot stronger and more user-friendly.

Are you satisfied with their performance?

The Cheesecake Labs team is fantastic. We loved working with them. We’re really happy with the results.

Is there anything unique or special about Cheesecake Labs that really makes them stand out compared to other business partners?

Cheesecake put this app together for us really fast. Normally, the development of a mobile app is a six-month process, but they got it done in less than two months. They stayed on time with everything we had planned out. That’s pretty rare. They’re really collaborative. Typically, engineers tell you what you can or can’t do something, but the Cheesecake Labs team would go out of their way to figure it out without getting too much push back. Even if it’s something they’ve never done before, they do all the necessary research and get back to you. They’re really solution oriented. We don’t have to educate them on anything. We’re always moving forward. 

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

No. I can’t think of anything. Maybe we would have tried to give them more work. They’re just so good and so fast at what they do.

Please describe your company and your position there.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Please describe your company and your position there.

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

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.

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

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.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Animal health pharmaceuticals. Responsible for digital marketing and ecommerce.

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

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.

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.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a product analyst at Intelbras. We deliver products in the areas of security, telecommunications, and networks.

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

We needed to develop management software for cloud-enabled devices.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed a scalable product with a responsive design that could securely transfer data between a management system and other devices.  

How did you select this vendor?

We solicited community contracts.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Cheesecake Labs developed an IoT communication architecture that utilizes an MQTT protocol to create a two-way messaging channel between a management system and our devices. All of their documentation is contained in a repository.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project management resource, a frontend developer, a backend developer, and an interface designer.

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

They delivered the final product, but we haven’t implemented it yet.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They followed an agile methodology linked to a Kanban scheduling system. Because they used GitHub to develop and manage the interface, we were able to follow their daily code reviews. Every delivery met our deadline and requirements.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their organizational culture is excellent. Employees are free to define the best way to work, and the company is focused on maintaining a diverse team and being inclusive to minorities.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It would have been helpful if they had handled integrating the software with our device firmware.  

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the co-founder and CTO of a shopping rewards platform that provides opportunities for donating cash back to nonprofit organizations. We were a small firm in the Bay Area and relied heavily on outsourced resources during our growth phase for iterations on product launches.

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

We hired Cheesecake to continue building and maintaining one of our mobile apps.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to complete quick feature iterations and bug fixes while maintaining updates with the Swift programming language and device compatibility.

How did you select this vendor?

We had worked with Cheesecake in the past for a different venture and were pleased with the results. They were the obvious choice for us.

Describe the project in detail.

We built our proof of concept mobile app and got it to market to judge its success. After we decided to move forward with it, we reached out to Victor [Co-founder and CEO, Cheesecake Labs] and his team to discuss options. Victor was quick to resource and ramp up development support. His team quickly integrated into our workflow and picked up on the goals and intricacies of this project.

What was the team composition?

There were a few developers from Cheesecake working with me on build releases.

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

Cheesecake always provides a great service. Their developers are knowledgeable and friendly.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Great. They go out of their way to mold into our workflows, i.e. Slack channels, video communication systems, etc.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Victor and his team are friendly and grateful. They enjoy what they do and it shows.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None.