Deep Focus

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a teacher of English as a foreign language.

What challenge were you trying to address with Deep Focus?

I wanted a product that would transpose text into a column format so that I could analyze the words contained within a body of text. It’s important because certain words have difficulties associated with them for foreign students' pronunciation. I wanted to be able to analyze any text.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Deep Focus developed a product that transposes any text and creates a vertical format in Excel for each word. Every word within a given text has its own line in an Excel spreadsheet,

I put together PowerPoint sheets to explain what I wanted to Robbie (CEO). He digested the information and then put together a solution. We tested the product and saw a few points for improvement. He then refined the product.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Robbie.

How did you come to work with Deep Focus?

I found Deep Focus through an internet search when trying to find a developer to take on the project. I wanted the project done with Excel because I’ve spent years working with it and can manipulate data using the platform. Many developers look at Excel as being old hat, but Deep Focus was able to use it.

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together in 2016 and the whole project took about three weeks from start to finish.

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

Robbie accomplished a small project well. It’s a brilliant product that allows me to analyze texts so much more easily. In my world, the value is astonishing. It’s saved me hundreds of hours of work by analyzing all manner of texts. If I had to do all of that analysis with a piece of paper and a pen, I would be here until Kingdom come. I would go mad in the process.

How did Deep Focus perform from a project management standpoint?

Over the course of the entire project, we spoke 4–5 times. Robbie was polite, charming, and understanding. He wasn’t afraid to say that he didn’t understand, which can be a problem with developers. I was keen to make sure that he fully understood what we were doing. I was impressed with Robbie and I look forward to working with him again.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Deep Focus communicated easily and got the job done swiftly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, Deep Focus has a good work style.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I hope that Deep Focus benefits from what they deserve.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a dietician.

What challenge were you trying to address with Deep Focus?

I hired Deep Focus to help make my website one of the best out there.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I gave Robbie (Founder, Deep Focus) all the content and information. Additionally, I provided photographs as examples and to use to as a comparison once the project was complete. Robbie designed the site on WordPress and I approved the work along the way. 

What is the team composition?

Robbie was my main point of contact, but there were six people in total. 

How did you come to work with Deep Focus?

I’d known Robbie personally for years, so I chose him for the project. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $400 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–September 2018.

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

I’m not completely satisfied with the website as a whole, but it has helped my business a lot. The design fulfills my expectations, though.

How did Deep Focus perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Basecamp to manage the project. I spoke with Robbie twice a week. The whole team was very helpful and reliable throughout the engagement. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated how approachable and genuine their whole team was. Whenever I needed changes or modifications, they were quick to help. Robbie is a nice person and good to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think the creativity of their work could be improved. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re looking for a simple, static website for your business, they are a good option. However, if you need a very complex, creative site, they might not be the right fit.