Cruxlab, Inc.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product owner at Mogul, a software development business within the esports industry. We’ve developed a tournament platform that allows players to come and compete together across various games. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Cruxlab, Inc?

We were ramping up various projects, including bespoke web experiences for clients and the development of our core platform technology. Our company simply didn’t have enough internal development staff. As a result, we hired Cruxlab as additional technical team members. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cruxlab has had plenty of deliverables for us. For one, we gave them a custom development project for an Android mobile app. In this project, they did R&D activities for us around ocular character recognition. It was a complex project since we wanted to gather data from a game and attribute it back to the player’s profile on our web platform. We relied on ocular character recognition tech, and Cruxlab provided the primary support for the development of such tech. 

At present, the team has also provided supplementary front- and backend support to our core tournament platform. They’ve worked on new feature development and bug fixes. Moreover, we’re using their support services for a new business model that we’re bringing forward for our customer experience improvement. In this model, we’re developing custom branded bespoke solutions for brands that want to engage their existing customers and acquire new customers. Cruxlab is helping us develop new highly branded web interfaces for our new business clients. 

What is the team composition?

The team composition varies depending on the number of tasks or projects we have at one time. However, we communicate with three key stakeholders on a regular basis. We often communicate with their CEO. Igor (Co-Owner & CTO) spends a tremendous amount of time with us as we work on our core platform and backend tasks. 

Vladimir (Project Manager) serves as our client relations specialist. He’s also our primary point of contact between their team and our group. He helps us communicate our needs back to Cruxlab. For the most part, around eight people work on the front- and backend development of our mobile app. 

How did you come to work with Cruxlab, Inc?

Cruxlab was recommended by our CEO, who worked with them on previous projects. We also vetted a couple of other development firms, but Cruxlab ultimately stood out. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested close to $500,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Cruxlab in August 2020, and the engagement is ongoing. 

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

To measure success, check whether the feature Cruxlab has developed works as intended. In all cases, they do. The team has been able to deliver to specifications. Sometimes, they deliver a bit slower than we like, but it’s not at an unreasonable pace. To be fair, our expectations on delivery times can sometimes be a little high. 

How did Cruxlab, Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

Cruxlab’s project management is excellent. Specifically, I can’t speak highly enough of Vladimir. He’s an absolute rockstar as our key contact. He makes sure that our projects get underway. On top of that, his understanding is stellar when it comes to our needs and the nuances of our products. To manage the project, we use Atlassian tools like Jira and Confluence. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a great team. We need additional resources and people that treat our products and goals as their own — that’s exactly what Cruxlab does. They sink in with our team, and it’s almost like they’re a part of our internal staff. 

Moreover, I’ve had some hesitations about working with an external development firm, but they’ve put those concerns to rest pretty quickly. Their ability to work on multiple projects in tandem with us is also awesome. In fact, we’ve had them work on four highly varied projects at one point. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were some hiccups with the interactions between our developers and their team in terms of the development, testing, and pushing of new code. 

To be fair, I don’t know how much of that could be attributed to their team, and that issue could’ve been resolved if we had taken more time to define our process in advance. In any case, many of our experiences with them have been phenomenal. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Hire Cruxlab and work with them; they’re a phenomenal team. Take time to get ready and put processes in place to help you understand what exactly Cruxlab can do for you. This will also help them understand how they best work for you. On top of that, the process should be well-documented and well-defined so you can avoid any unknown expectations. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

MahaloLife is a platform designed for seniors and family caregivers. It helps support and managing seniors as they start to experience different challenges over time. It’s a longitudinal platform with sets of digital tools, live geriatric navigators, and a marketplace. I’m the founder, designer, and CEO.

What challenge were you trying to address with Cruxlab, Inc.?

We acquired two companies and partnered with three other groups with the intention of building this integrated platform that combined the capability and toolset for seniors and their families.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cruxlab, Inc. did the core job of integrating AWS and Salesforce components, which was not an easy task. It was complex to transition into Salesforce Lightning and integrate that full API and integration calls between AWS and Salesforce. Then we had to integrate with Microsoft and a few other things in the middle of that mix.

They had to build some new components as well. Part of that included looking at the overall architecture, direction, and flow of where data was going to sit. They consolidated everything into a single core data environment. Basically, they made decisions. About the architecture and what would get built and extended in Salesforce versus AWS.

They also dealt with response time issues going between the two environments. There was a lot of work on UI/UX. They didn’t design it, but they implemented it. It’s specialized around usability for seniors. This means taking Salesforce, which isn’t generally used for consumers, and layering over it to create a friendly interface.

What is the team composition?

The lead CTO worked with most of the work. Generally, there were 3–4 people involved most of the way through.

How did you come to work with Cruxlab, Inc.?

They worked with one of our partners and were familiar with the system.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started planning in July 2019 and it’s ongoing.

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

The quality level in terms of technical capability is better than what I’ve dealt with for a lot of other partners. They bring a lot of flexibility and breadth to the table. It’s great because we can pick and choose what we need to deliver an excellent product.

They got something up very quickly and cleanly. We had just finished the frontend and were looking at other opportunities when we had to start cutting back because of COVID-19. Whenever there was an issue, they got on top of it pretty quickly and worked through it. They took alternative input and direction, went back and redid things, and their problem solving was great. This hadn’t really been done before, and they came up with a solution.

How did Cruxlab, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Jira and some project management tools to work through some moving parts and to get everything integrated. We also came across a couple of different environments that made it a bit challenging. We also did not have a full-time curator and implementation source.

The biggest thing was that we needed to adjust our workflow because of the time difference. They were on top of things and were dedicated to making things work. They had a quick turnaround time.

They were good across the board. We put the specs together and had to translate what that would look like between Salesforce and AWS. Then they would drive it down and paid attention to detail.

They knew exactly what they were trying to do given that there were areas that we weren’t sure how to do until we started working on the project. The more they could spec it out ahead of time and map it out, the more issues we avoided. Every once in a while, the schedule was off a day here and there, but never weeks at a time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were pretty creative and very dedicated to staying on task and pushing things through. When we tan into barriers, they didn’t back down. They’ve been flexible about working through things, especially during COVID-19. They’ve done a great job responding to that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have enough visibility into what other areas and resources we could be tapping. We would like to know more about how good their capabilities are in different areas.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a software development company primarily focused on AI-based development and UI for mobile and laptop.

What challenge were you trying to address with Cruxlab, Inc.?

We were building a virtual assistant that would respond from voice or text inputs. Then it would respond by doing a variety of tasks. We looked to the Cruxlab, Inc. team to build the overall interface.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were our primary development source, so they built the system and individual components. The biggest challenges associate with that were working on the UI, language processing, and AI associated with understanding the questions. The way the system is structured, there is an initial automated response for the human backup. So working on the hybrid aspects of the system was a major challenge.

We started out with a concept and the system’s flow. We had a general idea of how it would fit together, but they developed the architecture. It’s a mobile app and web app. Users can contact the assistant using several different devices.

What is the team composition?

We worked with about six people.

How did you come to work with Cruxlab, Inc.?

They were referred to me by a guy I worked with a lot in the past.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in August 2018 and we just wrapped up in July 2020.

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

The quality of their work was great. Frankly, I was amazed by how much work they did for the funding and time that was available. They did a great job. The system executed properly and is in fact able to respond to questions and handoffs work properly. They combined several different skill sets and disciplines in order to deliver what we needed. This project was difficult because I had a concept and needed them to figure out how to build it.

How did Cruxlab, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

As you might guess, we needed to pivot and redirect the project a number of times throughout the engagement. They were flexible and were able to respond to those.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The speed and effectiveness with which they built the natural language processing system. They identified the right existing components so that we could utilize the work that had already been done. They put that together very, very quickly and it worked amazingly well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t really have any constructive feedback.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be sure that they understand what it is you’re trying to do. They take the time to understand the objectives of the project and how to meet those. Don’t give them a simple spec and expect them to understand. Actually engage with them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a company called SOHL. We are a company that tries to make health and well-being accessible to everyone. We achieve a lot of that through training, but we also have applications that we’ve developed over time. These applications come from training and research with health care organizations that we now have some automated means to achieve that particular mission.

What challenge were you trying to address with Cruxlab Inc.?

We wanted to build a mobile application. We don’t have any IT or app development people on staff, so we needed to rely on them to be our entire team while we developed the product.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cruxlab Inc. initially developed a prototype app that we could show to focus groups and stakeholders. Once we had more feedback, we hired them to create an entire application for multiple platforms. We had a structure of what the app should look like and intellectual property to put into the app. They were the source of all technical expertise.

The app is a broad application for various healthcare systems rather than a single-user app. It collects data on an aggregate level for different hospitals to help them implement better healthcare processes.

What is the team composition?

I initially worked with Constantine (CEO, Cruxlab Inc.). He was the primary person I interfaced with during the prototype. When we went into actual development, I worked with two different project managers. There was another group of developers working underneath them. In total, it was around six people.

How did you come to work with Cruxlab, Inc.?

I interviewed six different organizations. I found Cruxlab on LinkedIn. I asked for detailed proposals from three organizations. I had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with Constantine in Los Angeles. He went above and beyond with the initial communication and sustaining contact. We met three times before starting the project.

They seemed very knowledgeable. They also seemed like people who worked very well together.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in January 2018. The first version of the project was completed in September 2019. We are still working with them.

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

They stepped up to the plate and managed everything very well. I don’t have any metrics, but the quality of the work was good. They were able to take the requirements that we gave them—keep in mind we don’t have a great technical background—and mould them into a system that works. Whenever we got feedback from clients, like when they wanted a single-user sign-on, they were able to create that in just four weeks.

How did Cruxlab Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

It was flawless. There were tools that I had access to so I can keep track of progress. There were ongoing Google documents and spreadsheets to track things. We met over video calls via Zoom and Trello. Constantine has worked with us for the entire project, giving him a really good perspective. The response rate was very quick. They also seamlessly interfaced with the outside graphic design company I brought in.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The app they built was on a platform that’s flexible for multiple devices. This seems to be working really well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I can think of.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Use the project management tools they make available to you. I wasn’t familiar with it initially, but the ability to be able to peek through the curtain and see everything that they’re doing was really important for me. Just make full use of everything, including the communication tools.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re owners and co-founders of Komyoon, which is a marketing service for artists to reach commercial advertising companies.

What challenge were you trying to address with Cruxlab, Inc.?

One of our services we wanted to develop is an app that would disrupt the antiquated way the industry was handling marketing. We needed help building an app that would reflect how people use technology today.

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the start of the project, we gave their team a design wireframe so they could get right into developing the app. They paid special attention to building our search feature, bringing their strategic design thinking to the table to construct a product that would be both technically sound and fitting for our audience. The team also collaborated with us in our efforts to obtain different types of views, coming up with interesting ways to get cross-functional views from galleries, individual profiles, etc. 

The final app is available for iOS and Android. We launched the iOS version in April 2019, and the Android app went live in August 2019. At the moment, we’re working with them on additional project phases to ensure we’re creating a long-term solution for the industry rather than a quick fix. Ideally, our service will be available on desktop and tablet in the future.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with Vladimir (Project Manager, Cruxlab, Inc.) and Constantine (CEO, Cruxlab, Inc.), but had anywhere from 3–5 members of their team on the project. They scaled up or down depending on the current work being done and what their schedule looked like.

How did you come to work with Cruxlab, Inc.?

Originally, we considered several different developers in three different countries, vetting each of them on our predetermined criteria. After comparing each option against the others, Cruxlab, Inc. really stood out across all of our evaluation areas. We also really appreciated their approach and how they worked with us early on. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in September 2019, and the work is ongoing. We are now entering the second phase of the project.

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

The main recurring comments we get from our users are how beautiful and intuitive our apps are. Our business model is breaking the mold in the industry for how work is shared by artists to potential clients. We feel that it’s very innovative from that perspective. 

How did Cruxlab, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication and understanding of our goals for the project were excellent. We worked slightly differently, but we accommodated for it early on. There could be more accountability for timeliness on their end with relation to our budget, but overall their project management was excellent.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our team was fortunate to have selected them as our developers for the app. They demonstrated a high-level of thinking throughout, ensuring our app was both visually pleasing and technically sound. They asked smart questions to fully understand our business objective and provided excellent solutions to address many of the industry-specific needs we required. It felt like we were working with creative strategic partners rather than just a development team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’d love to see a more streamlined estimating process, but that wasn’t a huge deal. We were still able to work together effectively. 

Please describe your company and your position there. 

I’m the CEO and founder of Vizzer Inc. Vizzer is a new mobile AR app for consumers and brands.

For what projects/services did your company hire Cruxlab, Inc.?

We needed a full development team to help us design and build our app. Our app is very innovative and required a year of R&D as well.

What were your goals for this project? 

Because this project makes use of many emerging technologies, we needed a team that would be able to experiment with us and find innovative solutions to difficult design/technical challenges.

How did you select this vendor? 

Two other Los Angeles ventures referred us to Cruxlab, Inc., and we’ve found them to be the perfect partners. Their previous work was good, and the team was a strong technical and social fit for us.  

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Cruxlab, Inc. is working closely with our team to develop an AR app. So far, they’ve designed, architected, and developed the frontend of our app along with the backend server. They’ve also configured and tested everything.

Since this is an R&D-driven project, we haven’t always been able to provide instructions to the team. Regardless, they understand our goals and come up with solutions without needing all of the specifics in advance.

They’ve helped us test several approaches to find the best direction for our app. In particular, they deal with the intricacies of mobile location awareness, GPS features, and AR kits. Finding the right 3D formats and messaging has been difficult, but, gradually, we’ve come up with a viable solution together to create the UX.

What was the team composition?

Their team size has varied between 6–10 people, including project managers, designers, developers, and a chief architect. Their CTO is also involved.

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

The project is still in its second year of development, but we’re happy with the progress so far. Unlike other offshore teams, Cruxlab, Inc. is able to innovate, working creatively to find solutions without concrete specs. They’ve helped test several new technologies and have even invented some in the process. In that sense, they feel like a part of our team. 

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We have two dedicated project managers who are very responsive and fluent in English.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Rather than just following directions, they have the mindset and work ethic to innovate like a Silicon Valley team. On top of that, their developers are excellent and have deep math and algorithm skills.

Are there any areas for improvement?

With respect to their performance, nothing comes to mind. But we would love to afford to have them code 24/7.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the software development manager for Image Metrics, a computer vision company specializing in facial-feature detection for mobile devices as well as augmented reality.

What challenge were you trying to address with Cruxlab?

We have a set of in-house developers but there was a number of projects coming in for which we needed to scale up quickly.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The 3 individual projects Cruxlab worked on were mobile apps for both Android and iOS. They largely worked independently, in the sense that they didn’t interact too much with our engineering team. We had requirements documents for each project and they worked as a second team—independent of ours—on the projects that our in-house members couldn’t handle because of capacity issues.

Two of the projects were written in the native platform languages—Objective-C for iOS and Java for Android—while one of the projects used Xamarin, a C# cross-platform language for mobile development. Cruxlab got up-to-speed quickly on a non-standard development environment, exceeding our expectations.

What is the team dynamic?

We had 3 developers working with us, and I believe that one of them was exchanged at one point. We interviewed 2 of the senior engineers, going through the same process as we would when hiring an in-house member.

How did you come to work with Cruxlab?

We looked at a number of ways to attack the problem, including increasing the staff on hand as well as 3 other outsourced companies.

A former manager of ours had a relationship with Cruxlab and mentioned in a conversation that they were a good team to work with. We went through an interview process with their engineers, and from a technical standpoint, it was a good fit. After that, it turned into a business relationship.​

​​​​​​What is the status of this engagement?

One of the projects started in September 2015 and lasted until April 2017. We aren’t engaged with them at the moment.

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

Our biggest issue at the time was that we had a number of projects coming in concurrently, which we couldn’t handle in-house. Their ability to ramp up quickly, get integrated into our project management and technology stack, and start producing right away was a huge deal for us. It meant that we could keep our schedules and complete the project, and has had rippling effects from our engineering department all the way to the business side of things.

How did Cruxlab perform from a project management standpoint?

They were involved with our system and flexible with any choice we had. We experimented a bit internally regarding how we managed projects, but they had no problems jumping into JIRA, joining our sprints, and adopting the time-logging system we used. They didn’t require us to join their system either, and attached to our company as if they were actual employees. All the team members provided for our project were accessible via Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re communicative, which is refreshing when working with outsourced teams. They talked to us daily about either technical problems or management ones, so we were never surprised by any technical challenges or hiccups with the deliveries. Cruxlab integrated with our team nicely.

In terms of technical competency, their engineers were top-notch, which is also something generally not found in offshore teams. The quality of the software produced and the speed of adopting our systems was excellent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not that I saw. They were flexible and integrated with both our project management and technical processes, participated in our code reviews, and provided excellent feedback to our engineers.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Whichever engineer is assigned to the project needs to be introduced early on in the process and made a part of the requirements-gathering phase instead of only being given a document. They have a lot of valuable experience and can provide very good feedback.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The company was developing a self-balancing unicycle, which is like a hoverboard or a Segway with one wheel. It’s an alternative mode of quick transportation for use in paved, urban areas. I was in charge of the whole project and lead the design team.

What challenge were you trying to address with Cruxlab?

I needed an iOS development company that was familiar with the Bluetooth protocol or coding for iOS and Android to create our application for the device.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cruxlab’s scope initially started off as only doing the phone apps for the unicycle. We subcontracted the Bluetooth development to another team, but the process was slow and the developers at Crux were waiting for us to update the Bluetooth protocol so it was compatible with the app. We decided to use Crux and their expertise in embedded hardware to help us with the app and the Bluetooth protocol.

We tried to build both the iOS and Android app in parallel at the beginning. However, we paused the Android because there were a lot of changes and because most of the people in our company use an iPhone. When all the changes solidified, we resumed the Android app development. It’s easier to port it over rather than developing two things at the same time.

The app displays all the statistics about the unicycle. It shows the user their speed, distance traveled, and status of the device. It tells the user how much charge is left and how far they could go and includes an interactive map showing the presumed range. The user can configure the device from the app by turning features off, changing characteristics to make it faster, turning lights off and on, etc.

What is the team dynamic?

There were four or five people working on the app. I worked most with Kos and Phillip. When we changed the hardware developers from the external party to Cruxlab, I worked for a week and a half from their office to transfer the knowledge in person. We felt it would be useful for them to be on board with all the changes. They were really accommodating when I was there.

How did you come to work with Cruxlab?

One of my colleagues found them through online research and by speaking to different companies doing iOS development. They were helpful and quick to respond to our questions. Their knowledge of Bluetooth, as well as the price they quoted, helped us make our decision. Based on their level of support, their knowledge, and their value adds, we chose to go with Cruxlab.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2015, and the project was completed in February 2017.

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

The project was never launched because we ran out of money, but the app was really good. We wanted to carry on the development to incorporate a social aspect into it.

How did Cruxlab perform from a project management standpoint?

They managed the project well and kept me updated on the development. We had weekly meetings, which worked well. We used Jira, which allowed us to quickly report issues and manage problems. They closed each issue as it was completed. At the end of the week, we reviewed what issues were still open and what needed to happen to close them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were willing to try something new. They had some experience with hardware development, but it wasn’t as in-depth as what we were trying to do because we were using nonstandard coding language and hardware. They hadn’t used it before but were keen on helping us, which was really valued at the time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I was very satisfied with their services. I was happy with how they received me in Ukraine and how they showed me around and hosted me. From an investor point of view, the process could’ve been streamlined a little bit, but that was more of a problem with an external company not delivering what we wanted. The process lasted too long.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our primary product is a website that helps families manage and plan for the care of elderly relatives.

What challenge were you trying to address with Cruxlab?

We were a startup needing a website, mobile apps, and an API. We brought in Cruxlab to write the code.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We developed the desktop app first. Using an Agile development process, we did a number of two-week sprints in which they’d push builds to staging, we’d test for bugs, they’d fix them, and we’d push to the builds to live. They also used our requirements and mockups to do a fair amount of design work.

We’re working on native mobile apps now, starting with iOS. We’re doing the design and they’re writing the code. They started with the API, which enabled the mobile app to talk to our website’s backend. Soon, they’ll start coding the mobile frontend, and once that’s done, they’ll build the Android native app.

The app’s key feature is the user’s action plan, which incorporates user survey functionality that feeds into a complex task delegation, communication, and collaboration algorithm. It’s somewhat like a lightweight version of Asana or other project management apps.

What is the team dynamic?

We had a dedicated project manager and a developer or two, depending on the workload.

How did you come to work with Cruxlab?

My co-founder (a computer scientist and the app’s architect) used them in the past and was confident in their abilities. We gave them a try liked their work, so we kept them on board. We didn’t explore other options.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we have spent between $80,000 and $140,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in August 2016, and the project is ongoing.

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

Our conversion rate is high, and we’ve received very positive reviews from users, industry professionals, potential partners, and investors.

How did Cruxlab perform from a project management standpoint?

We use JIRA to manage tickets remotely, since they’re located in Ukraine. Based on what I’ve heard from my co-founder and what I see through our email and JIRA correspondence, they’ve done an excellent job.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their level of communication and quality of code they deliver is robust and scalable. We had no problems fixing bugs or building on top of it when needed.

They also work well independently and have the ability to make creative and design decisions without supervision. For example, they designed a lot of UI that doesn’t typically come with Agile development, while also making good decisions in fleshing that out and filling in gaps.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be more efficient if they did at least some of the testing in-house. When we’ve discovered bugs, there can be a lag of up to 12 hours because of the time zone difference.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

At Urbn, we create real-time parking solutions. The hardware and software support is providing drivers with real-time knowledge on where they can park on city streets. I am founder and CEO. I’ve been here for two and a half years.

What challenge were you trying to address with Cruxlab?

We needed an Android and iOS mobile app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our platform is Android and iOS mobile only. We wanted somebody that shared our vision of a clean, modern, simple, effective, and elegant solution for a problem that doesn’t need to be complicated.

We built and went to live iterations that were not in the negotiated service agreement that we most likely should have been charged a lot of extra money for, but we were not. We agreed it could be something we could work on forever, but you have to call it good at some point, so we reached that point about a month ago. Then Cruxlab worked on testing. We’re not releasing this version of the app because we made a modification to the density of the data that we collect which will require it to be presented in a different way. We’re going to keep approximately 90% of the app, but in a couple of months after we finish this next development cycle, we’re going to contract them again to make some modifications that make it ready for launch.

What is the team dynamic?

One of our VPs interacted with them daily. I worked with Constantine [CEO, Cruxlab] frequently, mostly on product updates, larger decisions, and some directional points. I exchanged multiple emails with him over the past three months. We approved the timeline and what needs to be on the apps. We had project reviews periodically.

How did you come to work with Cruxlab?

We worked with 4–5 other companies to get quotes and stumbled across Cruxlab in the very last phase of that research. Some were online and some were based here in L.A. We had a lot of meetings before we settled on Cruxlab. I looked for very particular things. If I can’t get a company on the phone that’s going to charge me between $100,000–$250,000, I’m not interested. After the first ring, Cruxlab answered the phone. They were knowledgeable and knew exactly how to build what I was asking them to build. They were confident enough with the somewhat vague description that I offered on day one. After a few days, they came back to me with a proposed direction, budget, and timeline. Their price was very competitive and we seemed to mesh well. One of my employees went up to meet them in person in Santa Monica. She had nothing but great things to say. I’ve never met Constantine in person, but my employee’s stamp of approval is good enough for me. That’s why we committed to them.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested approximately $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April 2017 until July 2017.

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

As far as the quality and what they’ve done, I’m really happy with the app. I’m two builds behind on my phone but even the earlier version is still super stable and I show it off. I added 20–30 people onto a test team for the latest iteration of this app and they have nothing but positive things to say about it. They did a great job. We are going back to them in a couple of months to do another version.

How did Cruxlab perform from a project management standpoint?

I received a weekly update from Constantine. If my guys had a question that they weren’t comfortable answering or approving, it would get passed up to me. There wasn’t a lot of interaction on my level. Constantine checked in every once in a while. I’m satisfied. I haven’t heard a single complaint from my guys about timeliness. Their development office is in Ukraine. There’s a slight time difference so things aren’t always super punctual, but in terms of getting work done, I was pretty impressed with how quickly a new iteration would be released. There was never a point in the development that my team or I had any issue with communication or timeliness. I can only say good things.

What did you find most impressive about them?

For me, it’s a big deal how easy it is to get a hold of them. Anytime I had a question, the lady would answer. I remember calling at 8:00 at night and she’d answer with no problem. That’s a huge reason why we went with Cruxlab. It’s nice to have that reassurance that your project is under control and your money is being handled well and you’re going to be on time. Both Constantine and his CTO are super knowledgeable guys. There are a lot of things in mobile app development that we don’t know the terminology for and they were really helpful walking us through. They take the time to work with me and help me to understand so that I can make these informed decisions, which was great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t see any from my end. If I was to say one thing, it is nice to be able to work in person occasionally and that was impossible since Constantine is in Ukraine.