Creative Ideator

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of a finance startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Creative Ideator?

We needed help with mobile app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I engaged them just starting with a basic idea and then we started development on that concept. I had a basic structure in my mind but had absolutely no knowledge or background in terms of how a mobile application is developed. We are currently in the process of developing a mobile application and they are helping me with the complete development. They’ve guided me throughout the process from scratch.

What is the team composition?

I have been interacting with the CEO of the company as well as the business development manager. I work closely with them but occasionally I interact with two or three other people in their business development department, and there is another manager there. Sometimes when we are looking into the progress of the development, I also have minor interaction with the programmers.

How did you come to work with Creative Ideator?

It was through a personal connection. I came to learn that they had undertaken a few decent projects, and that really got me interested. When I met them, I gained the confidence that these would be the people that would be able to accommodate me and guide me through the process.

How much have you invested in them?

I’ve spent around $25,000. My estimate is that the full project might be in the range of $35,000 to $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

It started around August 2019, and we hope to launch by the end of November 2020. It was supposed to be ready in mid-2020, but unfortunately, the process got delayed because of the COVID-19 situation with timing and work from home routines. We are hoping to finally launch it in about a month.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

For me, there is an advantage to being a layman in the field. They listened to me carefully. Maybe there are things that cannot be technically done, but they are always up to the challenge. Usually, when I have thought about more features to add, they are always open to the possibility of actually implementing whatever ideas come to my mind. It is their attitude that actually gives me confidence because they will never say something cannot be done or that it will cost me more money. If you give them a good idea, they will take it as a challenge and they are happy to add value to your project.

How did Creative Ideator perform from a project management standpoint?

I think that for meeting deadlines and overall communication they have been generally on the mark. In terms of meeting deadlines, they are very good. Usually, people keep adding things. For example, if they said the initial layout would be completed in one month, they do it within one month. They will meet the deadlines, but when you’re adding more things or features, it takes additional time.  In terms of the basic commitment they make, they will meet that.

My communication with them is through emails. I am not sure if they are using some kind of project management tool internally.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their level of engagement stands out. It is a lot of fun to work with them. They share my passion and understand what I’m trying to achieve. It becomes more fun and it actually gives you the motivation to go ahead with the project because sometimes you doubt your own ideas of what would work and what might not work. With a team like Creative Ideator, they actually give you very positive feedback. You are able to communicate your idea and whether this idea has the potential to work. The kind of attitude, value addition, and ownership of the project that they take really impressed me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think they could probably add more people. I am not a business expert as far as the IT business is concerned, but the team could be bigger.