ChopDawg.com

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a program manager at a university.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

We needed to create a mobile application prototype. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ChopDawg.com was responsible for the UI/UX design and development of our app prototype. The first part of the project involved detailed scoping, and we started having weekly calls with the team. We had a weekly iterative design process, where the team used primarily Figma, and then ChopDawg.com developed the prototype for iOS and Android devices. The app aimed to create a personalized wellness experience for users to learn about staying healthy. 

What is the team composition?

We worked most closely with two teammates from ChopDawg.com: a project manager and Lauren (UI/UX Designer). The team's director of technology was involved in the initial scoping, and the CEO stayed close throughout the project.

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

I found ChopDawg.com online while searching for service providers in our area.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with ChopDawg.com from December 2023–April 2024.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ChopDawg.com successfully delivered the requested prototype and met my high expectations.

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

ChopDawg.com delivered work on time and on budget. We had weekly Zoom meetings and started to use Slack; however, I didn't like it, and the team accommodated and switched to email communication.
Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I want to highlight Lauren's work. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was mostly impressed by ChopDawg.com's ability to listen to our team. The team always had time for us to give our thoughts on what we wanted.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything for ChopDawg.com to improve.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I suggest potential customers ask for ChopDawg.com's opinion. There were a number of times when we led the design down a bad path, and by asking for the team's opinion, we brought the project back to a better path. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the owner of a retail company with a brick-and-mortar store.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?
I wanted to create an app and a web-based store control. I needed this system to control inventory and manage employees clocking ins, outs, and days off.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?
ChopDawg.com is helping me design and develop a mobile and web app. Currently, we have the app wireframes ready, and the team is now wireframing the website. Thus far, the project has been focused on the design, but we'll start the development process later this year. As for the technology stack, ChopDawg.com has used Figma to create the wireframes.

The main part of the system is the mobile app, which will be available for most platforms, including iOS and Android. ChopDawg.com has helped me design the whole app from scratch.

What is the team composition?
We got assigned a core team of three teammates from ChopDawg.com. I work with Meosha (UI/UX Designer), and I've also interacted with two supervisors: Rafael (Project Manager) and Shannon (Technical Project Manager). Shannon was in charge of the initial stages of our project, and Rafael took over about midway because Shannon had to work on another project.

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?
I found them while looking for designers on the web. I actually selected them out of eight different companies based on our initial communication. It took some time for the other companies to follow up. However, Josh (CEO) got in touch with me right off the bat, and we had a very proactive conversation about what I was trying to accomplish.

How much have you invested with them?
We've spent around $53,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2023, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We're still in the development process, so this is a non-existent product yet. Still, the quality of ChopDawg.com's work has been outstanding so far. The team has put forth a very high-quality product that will help my business succeed in the future.

How did the company perform from a project management standpoint?
ChopDawg.com's communication has been great. I even have great communication with Joshua. Communication is also effective through their company, as everyone is on the same page and aware of what's going on. This skill was especially noticeable when we switched project managers. As for collaboration tools, we've used Google Docs, Jira, Slack, email, phone, and text messaging.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?
Meosha has done a wonderful job designing the wireframes for our app page-by-page, demonstrating attention to detail and focus on the product. She has even done some extra work by designing company logos. Additionally, Shannon and Rafael have been great project managers. They've been really objective and always think outside of the box, asking what-ifs to enhance the design process.

What did you find most impressive about them?
ChopDawg.com's biggest strength is their execution. 

Are there any areas they could improve?
There's nothing ChopDawg.com could improve on. Thus far, everything has been very good.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?
Reach out to them and give them thorough details of your project's scope. Then, let them do what they want to do; they're very proactive and really understand what you're trying to do.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of MedSplain, a medical company. We focus on decoding medical language to bring an easy understanding of complicated medical terms to layperson’s terms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

We needed help with app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ChopDawg.com has provided Android and iOS mobile app development for us. The team has taken our initial platform prototype to revamp and improve it with today’s technology. ChopDawg.com has rebuilt the structure of our app to create more functions and features for it.

Moreover, Joshua (CEO) has been key in helping me accomplish a timeline to get a version of my app that can satisfy USPTO trademark requirements.

Regarding the new functionalities, the app now has a database with easy-to-understand medical terms, a media section with podcasts, articles, and interactive material, and a Google Maps integration to locate healthcare centers close to users.

In terms of technologies, the team is using React Native with the intention of creating an intuitive platform that can detect the country that users are in and establish a language for that particular country.

What was the team composition? 

I’ve been working with Jason (Project Manager), Lyra (UI/UX Designer), Abdullah and Jahan (Developers), Micah (CTO), and Joshua.

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

I found them online.

How much have you invested with them?

For this project, we’ve spent $101,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2023, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have an abbreviated iteration of the platform available for Android, but the full version will launch soon with the additional features that ChopDawg.com is creating. Regarding the quality of their work, I love ChopDawg.com; Jason has many wonderful ideas about different technologies suitable for our app and a great eye for technology. He also helps me take what I’m looking for to life.

Lyra creates beautiful designs that capture the feeling I’m trying to convey in a user-friendly way — the product looks uplifting, welcoming, and relaxing, according to our test runs. In my opinion, that’s hard to accomplish because making something look and feel fun while being easy to use can be complicated.

Moreover, ChopDawg.com’s development team has listened to my challenging requirements and delivered accordingly.

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

ChopDawg.com has stayed on budget and adjusted timelines according to the code’s complexity and unforeseen personal issues I’ve encountered while still meeting the most crucial trademark timeline, which has been a huge goal.

In terms of tools and communication, we use Figma to share and review mock-ups, Slack, Confluence, and email.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review? 

Working with Jason and Lyra has been a pleasure because they’re essential to the team and help me understand and refine the technologies and capabilities of the platform — we’re like a trifecta of a great team. Overall, the whole team has come up with ideas for incorporating neat features that could benefit our users and work hand-in-hand with me to put my ideas on paper. They all deserve a shoutout.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate that ChopDawg.com’s team is invested in my vision and sees the importance of what I’m trying to do, which I can sense because they’re committed to making everything as awesome as possible, which makes us feel like they’re a part of our team. In addition, one of my favorite things about them is that we can have collaborative conversations because they help us reach our outcomes' full potential.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Jason has helped us understand the technology, tasks, and recurring maintenance costs that we didn’t know could come with these projects, but they could be more upfront with this information. I’ve had to figure a lot of this stuff out on my own because they didn’t explain it to me — reading these requirements and unknown languages in Android and iOS development pages is kind of scary, so having someone guide me through this can be good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ensure you’re communicating and sharing what you’re trying to achieve so they can help you understand the process. The team is good at answering questions when you’re not tech-savvy and are new to the app development world.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and co-founder of Incident Management Technology Inc., a software solutions company focused on fire departments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

We needed help building a commercial software application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ChopDawg.com developed a non-functional prototype for a mobile and web application using Figma. To jumpstart the process, we had a couple of introduction meetings, went through a discovery phase, and gave them user stories for what we were trying to build. After that, the team provided a quote for their work and the commercial release.

What was the team composition? 

We mainly worked with two members of ChopDawg.com’s team, including Jason (Project Manager) and Lauren (UI/UX Designer).

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

We found ChopDawg.com via Google search and chose them for this project because they were based close to where I am.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent under $50,000 with them for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March–October 2023.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The non-functional prototype that ChopDawg.com created enabled us to have a demo to raise investment money for the product. The quality of their deliverable was exactly what we were looking for.

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

Lauren had great attention to detail and was responsive to our requests. Moreover, communication and responsiveness were perfect; we had weekly meetings to ensure everything was on track. In terms of tools, we used email and Slack.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review? 

Everyone was terrific, but Lauren did most of the heavy lifting in the product and did an awesome job.

What did you find most impressive about them?

ChopDawg.com had an impressive ability to take our input and build something consistent, reflecting our vision.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn't think there was anything they could improve on.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the CTO and am now the owner of a legal content company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

We hired ChopDawg.com to build our prototype and develop a web app on React. They also created a placeholder WordPress website. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ChopDawg.com developed everything from scratch, though we had some general ideas of what we wanted, such as the color scheme we liked. The developers who created the prototype incorporated our ideas, coming up with a product that was sleek and modern. This was the first phase; we developed the aesthetics of the product and determined the basic features it would have. The second phase was the development of the actual web app. 

What is the team composition?

Around 8–10 teammates were involved in the project, including Josh (CEO). One teammate developed the high-fidelity prototype. When the coding stage came, we collaborated with a few program managers. Sami (Developer) and another developer did most of the tasks for the second phase. 

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

One of my co-creators found ChopDawg.com. We interviewed a number of firms to get a quote for the project’s cost and to see if we clicked with them. ChopDawg.com understood what we were trying to do and was truly down to Earth. On top of that, their pricing was more than fair, so we had a clear choice. It was an easy decision to hire them. 

How much have you invested with them?

Our total investment was around $65,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from January 2020–August 2023. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t launched the web app yet, but ChopDawg.com’s work was high-quality. They made sure they got everything right and went through a lot of testing. Each time they completed a phase or segment, I went in and reviewed their work; they wanted everything to be perfect for me. 

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

ChopDawg.com stayed on budget even if we required a lot of content. They also delivered everything on time and efficiently. For communication, we used Zoom calls for our weekly meetings. In between those meetings, we communicated using Slack and emails. We used Google Spreadsheets toward the end of the engagement when we were tracking bugs, typos, and issues. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Sami and the other developer were awesome to work with, and they understood what we wanted. It was easy to collaborate and communicate with them. They made the process easy even though we had a content-heavy app. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had to transition between a few project managers. We had introduction meetings where we shared files and documents with them. However, there were a couple of times when they didn’t have something I thought they had. There could’ve been a better way to ensure the next managers had everything they needed. We could’ve had an asset or file management system that new members could use to see everything. This would improve informational continuity between our teams.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Put the total project cost into your contract, and split them into different payments. We did this, and the budget ended up truly manageable. We knew exactly what the project was going to cost. 

Besides that, have a clear idea of all the features you want for your product. Communicate all of them upfront so that there are no surprises. This way, no features will be outside of the scope of the project. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and managing partner of a recycling app in the pre-launch stage. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

ChopDawg is helping us develop our app. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve provided a wide range of services in relation to that, such as discussing the ideas and the services they can offer. This process has taken six months because the app is complicated. From there, they’ve provided us with design and development services. They’re designing the app for iOS and Android using Figma. Specifically, they’re creating wireframes, UI/UX designs, and screens for the product. We’ll transition to development after the design stage. 

For features, the app has a barcode scanning functionality as well as search and tracking functions. It can identify household materials such as plastic, cardboard, and aluminum. Advertising and QR codes are also available.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with Lyra (UI/UX Designer) and a project manager. In the background, around 8 other teammates are assigned to the project. I’ve interacted with Joshua (CEO), too. For context, developers are present during our calls so they can track the progress of the design stage. This way, they’ll know how they can be helpful when we reach the next stage. 

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

I found ChopDawg.com through a referral. 

How much have you invested with them?

Our total investment is around $60,000, and $30,000 of that is for ChopDawg.com. The other $30,000 is for our business activities related to the project. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started talking about the project in December 2022, but we officially started it in August 2023. The partnership is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of ChopDawg.com’s work has so far exceeded expectations. 

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a highly specific scope of work, and ChopDawg.com has had a truly detailed workflow. They use Figma, which is a sophisticated way of linking their outputs to our agreed-upon tasks. Moreover, the team takes our highly conceptual ideas and creates a workflow around those ideas. They work collaboratively with us to deliver outputs. 

Lyra’s capabilities are beyond exceptional; she’s a real asset to ChopDawg.com. Meanwhile, Joshua has been a great partner. He’s been extraordinarily capable, and everything flows from him. 

Apart from Figma, we also use Slack, email, Google Documents, and calls to collaborate — they accommodate whatever communication method I prefer. Given their expertise in process management, we’ve decided to collaborate mainly on Figma.

What did you find most impressive about them?

ChopDawg.com provides industry and project management expertise in a highly collaborative and bespoke fashion. Other developers approach projects using the same process. In comparison, ChopDawg.com looks at each project as a unique living entity. They create processes specific to each project; their process for me is different from their process for other clients. On top of that, they overcommunicate and make themselves available in whatever capacity necessary. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be completely honest and open with the ChopDawg.com team, and collaborate with them. The more you think critically about your goals, the more ChopDawg.com can match and multiply your efforts. Trust the process, and engage repeatedly and frequently with the team. You can leverage their expertise, experience, and insights to make your product better. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Cosmos Technologies LLC, a company building a dating and social connectivity app. We go by Cosmos and are still in the startup phase.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

We hired ChopDawg.com to help us design and develop our mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ChopDawg.com is helping us design and develop our mobile app from scratch. We’re four months into the design phase, and there are four other months ahead of us for the development phase. Once they deliver the app, they’ll stay with us for maintenance and bug fixes for a short period of time.

This dating app is unique and will feature a totally novel formula based on video chats because we want to solve a lot of the problems the existing swipe-and-match apps have. Moreover, the app will be available for iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with Joshua (CEO), who is our main point of contact. Additionally, there’s a group of 3–4 teammates from ChopDawg.com building our app, including a lead designer.

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

We found ChopDawg.com on Clutch and really liked that they had built dating apps in the past. During the vetting process, we interviewed a number of developers. When we interviewed ChopDawg.com, I got to know Joshua and thought that he and his company would provide a lot of value to our company throughout the app development and design process.

How much have you invested with them?

Thus far, we’ve spent $80,000, and this is a $160,000 project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around late November 2022, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ChopDawg.com’s app development has been exceptional. Initially, we had a vision of the quality level we wanted to accomplish. Still, they’re exceeding that level. When we open the app and interact with it, the feeling we get is exceeding our expectations.

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

ChopDawg.com has met our deadlines and stayed on budget. Joshua is virtually available 24/7, which is great for a business owner. He does a phenomenal job at communicating with us. Additionally, we have video meetings with the lead designer once or twice per week. As for collaboration tools, we use Zoom, Slack, and Figma.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Overall, ChopDawg.com has a strong customer focus. Joshua is a great communicator and has a bold personality. He does a great job at trying to meet the customer’s needs and demands. If he can’t, he tries to find a way or a direction to guide the customer in. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t know how ChopDawg.com could improve; they’ve been very good so far. We’ve hit some design roadblocks regarding the branding. However, those issues have more to do with having patience and being more resourceful on our end than they have to do with ChopDawg.com’s design work. Additionally, we’ve had some contractual issues, but those have been caused because we’re very novel to the field.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust them. Joshua is very trustworthy, so he’s going to listen to you and tell you what he really thinks. Thus, be open with them and give them a chance because they’ll do a great job for you. We’re very glad that we picked them because they’ve done a great job for us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Winelikes, a social media app for wine knowledge and wine enthusiasts where they can build a community and post pictures and videos of their wine experience. Our app also has an educational component to it that includes features. Additionally, it has a food-pairing feature where users can look up the food they’re cooking or eating and get recommendations for pairing wines.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

I didn’t have much experience with app development, so I reached out to ChopDawg.com to take my idea, transfer it to paper, and then develop an actual mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ChopDawg.com has helped me design and develop my social media app using Figma for UI/UX designs and prototyping. The app is available for iOS and Android devices and has a web version. Its features include a social feed where users can post photos and videos, either using their phone cameras or uploading content from their phones’ media galleries.

Additionally, users can post comments, review wines, and tag people. Another cool feature is that users can take quizzes and earn points, as well as submit quizzes themselves for approval. As previously mentioned, the app also includes a food-pairing feature.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with ChopDawg.com for over two years, so I’ve worked with a lot of their teammates, including Joshua (CEO), Tammy (Chief Experience Officer), and Sami (Developer).

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

I found them during a Google search. Initially, I had a conversation with Joshua (CEO), and we just clicked. He understood my idea and what I was going for. Then, he introduced me to the rest of the team, and we started working together.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent over $125,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2021, and our engagement is ongoing. Although ChopDawg.com has already delivered the app and gone through beta testing, we’re now in the process of launching it. We’ve already received approval from the App Store, so we’re just waiting for approval from the Google Play Store.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ChopDawg.com has delivered a beautiful, clean, and well-designed app. Their developers translated the Figma designs perfectly, so the actual app looks great now that we can hold it in our hands.

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

ChopDawg.com has stayed on budget perfectly. However, meeting deadlines was a little bit complicated initially because we started this project during the COVID-19 pandemic, so we experienced shutdowns, and people weren’t always working. Still, ChopDawg.com has come through and delivered the app to me.

Throughout the development process, we experienced some bugs and crashes, although most of them weren’t major issues. Still, ChopDawg.com has fixed every issue within 24 hours. Their team has always known what is happening and what they are doing.

As for collaboration tools, we mainly use Slack and Jira. Tammy and Joshua always reach out to me via Slack, text messages, or phone calls — they’re very responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

ChopDawg.com is excellent at listening to their client’s needs and helping them design great apps.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing ChopDawg.com could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Feel free to ask any questions; for Joshua and his team, there are no silly questions. ChopDawg.com is very approachable, and they’re there to help you.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on October 19, 2021.

Jeff Gills

Owner, Winelikes

Food & Beverages

11-50 Employees

Los Angeles, California

$10,000 to $49,999

Feb 2021 - Ongoing

Project summary:

ChopDawg.com created a prototype for a wine-based app using Figma. Moving forward, they’ll help the client develop the whole app that will connect sommeliers, wine buyers, distributors, bars, and restaurants.

Feedback summary:

The client is satisfied with the prototype created by ChopDawg.com, and they hope to continue the collaboration. The team has brought their expertise to the table, helping flesh out the client’s idea. They’re also flexible, patient, and knowledgeable, and they get the work done.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Winelikes. We’re developing a wine-based app to connect people who love wine, including sommeliers, buyers, distributors, bars, and restaurants.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

I needed help with the development of my app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When I approached ChopDawg, they helped me flesh out my idea. Then, they helped me build the prototype of my app using Figma. We just finished the prototype, but I intend to keep working with them to create the app.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with about five people from ChopDawg, including Joshua (CEO).

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

I did a Google search looking for app developers, and I interviewed three companies. At the time, I just had the idea in my head, and I felt that Joshua and I connected the most. He was so helpful in helping me flesh out my idea over the phone, even when I was just getting estimates, and I really liked his demeanor. Thus, I went with ChopDawg.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $20,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working around March 2021, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The best result is that ChopDawg has helped me define my idea and come up with a prototype for my project. They’ve brought their expertise to the table, and they’ve given me as much advice as I’ve given them. Currently, I’m very satisfied with their work.

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

ChopDawg’s project management is great. This isn’t my primary job, so sometimes, things come up from my end. However, my project manager and the whole team have been very flexible to calendar changes, and they always get the work done. They’ve also been very patient with my team whenever we have other duties we need to prioritize. We use Slack to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

From Joshua to the project manager, ChopDawg’s knowledge is impressive. I don’t have a background in app development, but they’ve helped me with my idea, showing me what works and what doesn’t. Their suggestions always make a lot of sense, and I hope to concrete a great business idea with their help.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve been great in all aspects. I’m looking forward to having a long-term relationship with ChopDawg because I have some other app ideas to explore.

STAR RATINGS

Overall rating: 5

Quality: 5

Cost: 5

Schedule: 5

Willing to refer: 5

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a marketplace and live-shopping company for the sports card industry. Before this venture, I was the co-founder of an early-stage investment application for cryptocurrencies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

Originally I was working with a partner of mine on doing a round-up-style investment tool for cryptocurrency. Our idea was that every time a user made a transaction, the app would round up that transaction to the next single dollar value, and those cents would be the user’s investment into a basket of cryptocurrencies of their choice.

However, none of us had the technical knowledge to develop an app. We knew we had to partner with a company that understood what we were trying to build and had the resources on their end to design and develop a fully functioning mobile and web app for us. Our biggest challenge was finding a trusted partner who could take our ideas and create an app that fit into the current industry and market while making it robust enough to resonate with users and consumers.

Our second challenge was finding someone with experience in moving from a startup to an enterprise company so that they could guide us and help us understand what market top players we could go after. Thus, we decided to partner with ChopDawg.com to develop this app.

Later, I partnered with a friend of mine to develop a sports card marketplace; we both had been in the sports card hobby for multiple years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we started collecting and buying cards heavily, and we realized that there wasn’t a platform that served as a one-stop shop for doing these collectible transactions. Thus, I partnered with ChopDawg.com again to create a completely robust and open-ended live-shopping experience for the sports card industry.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the cryptocurrency investment app project, we underwent a pretty standard development process. First, we met with ChopDawg.com to discuss the scope of work and define the different aspects of what we wanted to build. From there, Joshua (CEO) and his team selected the right account manager, designers, and developers to address the scope of work we had defined.

ChopDawg.com then took 3–3.5 months to go through the design phase. Throughout this process, we made some adjustments to refine the end product according to what we wanted it to be. Once the design was finished, they were in charge of the entire development and implementation process.

Now, ChopDawg.com is working on our second project: the sports card marketplace. The process has been similar to the first project, and we’re currently in the design phase. Their current scope includes creating an MVP for both web and mobile apps. Once we finish with the design phase, they will be in charge of the entire backend development.

What is the team composition?

On the first project, we worked with 6–7 people from ChopDawg.com. Their team included Joshua (CEO), who handled the proposal and scope of work; an office manager, who kept us up to date with upcoming events; a designer, who had to leave the project due to personal reasons; and an engineering team, with whom I didn’t interact much.

On our current project, we’ve also worked with Joshua to figure out the scope of work and sign the initial proposal. Additionally, we’ve worked with Alaysia (Project Manager), two designers, and Tammy (Chief Experience Officer). Tammy is now the person keeping us up to date regarding upcoming payments, scheduled meetings, and more. Once we’re done with the design phase, we will work with the engineering team to develop the app.

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

We met ChopDawg.com through word of mouth. We went through a vetting process with 8–9 different software companies and design firms that we had shortlisted, including them. After 4–5 weeks of research and interviews, we decided to go with ChopDawg.com for multiple reasons. Firstly, they had experience in other financial apps, so they understood the fiduciary duties on the backend regarding holding customers’ funds and processing payments securely.

Secondly, they had a friendly vibe and inviting nature, as well as a great ability to explain expectations very clearly. They let us know the timelines and the different costs based on the different parts of the project, and they were very upfront and honest about what they were able to do and what they weren’t. We really valued that approach, so we decided to move forward with them. Given that I already knew ChopDawg.com’s limitations and capabilities, I hired them again for the second project.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $70,000–$75,000 on the first project. As for our current project, the total proposal is $90,000, divided into two aspects: $28,000 for the design and MVP development and the rest for the full product development.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first communicated with ChopDawg.com around November 2017 and signed our contract for the first project in early 2018. For our second engagement, we reached out to Josh in August 2022 and had our initial meeting with their design team in October 2022. To this day, our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Unfortunately, I don’t have any metrics to share. I didn’t bring to market the first company I was creating with ChopDawg.com’s help. If I would, the app would have been successful. However, the company was falling out, so I decided to end the venture. As for the second project, we’re still working on it.

Still, since I’ve known ChopDawg.com, I’ve seen some fantastic work done for larger organizations. Having million- and billion-dollar companies coming to them to redevelop their apps or redesign their websites speaks volumes about their work.

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

ChopDawg.com’s design and development processes are seamless and very fun; working with their design team and seeing how they took our ideas and made them come to life has been amazing to watch.

Throughout both projects, we’ve understood why ChopDawg.com’s timelines are longer than other companies. App design and development projects require many different iterations, and various things happen throughout the process that we can’t anticipate. Still, having long timelines has worked very well for us because we’ve never felt like they’re rushing us or we’re rushing them.

Whenever they’ve had questions or issues during the development process, they quickly let us know where the limitations are. They’re very willing to deliver bad news, even if it is something we won't like.

As for collaboration tools, we use Figma for designs, Slack for communication, and Jira for project management. On Figma, we can keep track of timelines and add comments to our project’s boards. We also communicate via email for our overall communication regarding invoices, updates, upcoming meetings, and more.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Having Josh, who has been through the startup stage, is a great asset because he understands our challenges. We really value that he has guided us through the process. With ChopDawg.com, we don’t only have a technical partner but also a partner who values what we’re building and wants to see it grow.

Are there any areas they could improve?

During our first project, ChopDawg.com learned a lot regarding who to bring into their team. We had a few issues with one of the account managers that they had at the time, so we had to switch to a different account manager, which was a learning curve for them. After those incidents, they’ve understood that the people they bring into their team are also the face of their company. Still, they’ve improved in that area since then because our new team is amazing, and we’ve had no issues with them so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Firstly, be open and honest about your expectations regarding what you want from working on a project with them, including the type of people you expect to work with. Secondly, think about every single aspect that your project entails and have that included in the scope of work.

Changes and unplanned scope additions can drastically delay the timeline and ultimately affect your cost. Therefore, it is best first to sit down and take your time to review the entire scope and see if something is missing before you sign an agreement with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the sole owner of a dating app that hasn’t launched.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

I had the idea for a dating app within a niche market and hired ChopDawg.com to create the app for my business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ChopDawg.com has designed and is now developing my mobile app. I had specific features to set my app apart from others in the market, and they’ve also made several recommendations regarding what kinds of features the app should have. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve been in touch with Joshua (CEO). Apart from him, I’ve worked with about six teammates from ChopDawg.com, including two designers, a project manager, and developers. 

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

They came highly recommended by a friend of mine who’s an app developer. I also did my own Google search and read many of their reviews. When I looked at their portfolio, I liked the style of the things they’d done in the past. I chose them because I felt comfortable with their track record and what they were offering me. 

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent somewhere around $85,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2022, and the engagement is ongoing. We’re aiming to launch the app around December 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ChopDawg.com has been amazing; I'm really happy with the design and how everything has turned out. What I've loved most about them is that they're able to accommodate whatever I need — they can do anything I ask for. Moreover, they have many knowledgeable people on their team who listen and can implement anything. The team is doing everything they can to develop the app and have it perform exactly how I want it. 

Joshua has also been helpful in providing advice outside the project's scope. For example, he's suggested hiring an attorney for certain protections and pointed me in the right direction in terms of the marketing I'll need. Overall, the ChopDawg.com team has been available to answer any questions about the business. 

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

The designers and developers are in touch with me almost daily. They use Slack and Figma for communication, and I can see the app's real-time progress on those tools. If I have a concern, I write them through Slack or comment on Figma, and I get an immediate response during working hours. Overall, they're super responsive and make me feel that my project is a priority for them. Moreover, the team strives to finish the project on time for the projected launch date. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

ChopDawg.com is up to date about what's happening with the world and what the markets need. As a group and individually, they can give advice that makes sense for our fast-paced times and changing trends. With dating apps, people are getting tired of certain things, and ChopDawg.com is really connected with what's happening with society's needs. 

They're very forward-thinking and familiar with what tools everyone uses. As a result, I don't have to worry about whether my app will be relevant by the time it launches. Moreover, their price structure is competitive compared to other companies I considered. Overall, ChopDawg.com is absolutely amazing, and I love working with them — I'm having so much fun.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of an area where they need to improve; I'm super happy with what they're doing. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to be aware of every step of the process and don't be afraid to give your feedback. If you engage ChopDawg.com for a project, they'll want it to be successful. They'll tell you if one of your ideas isn't in your best interest, but at the same time, they want your product to be exactly what you want. The only way that can happen is if you're engaged, checking on the project, and communicating constantly.