Fueled

Please describe your company and your position there.

CTO at Katapult. Katapult ( KPLT) is a next generation platform for digital and mobile-first commerce for the non-prime consumer. Katapult provides point of sale lease purchase options for consumers challenged with accessing traditional financial products who are seeking to obtain everyday durable goods.

The Company has developed a sophisticated end-to-end technology platform that enables seamless integration with merchants, underwriting capabilities that exceed the industry standard, and exceptional customer experiences.

For what projects/services did your company hire Fueled, and what were your goals?

We wanted Fueled to help with designing and developing our mobile app.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We searched online and shortlisted 3 vendors. After a series of interviews we selected Fueled for their amazing team, skills and past projects.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We conducted several discovery sessions to discuss our goals. Fueled has a great engagement process that helped us design the app and develop the app with excellent collaboration with our internal teams. They were extremely collaborative and exhibited thought leadership throughout the project.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Project manager, Product Manager, couple of designers, a few developers and QA resources.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Within a month of app launch, we have seen great adoption and usage of the app. We have a 5 star rating and we continue to get positive feedback from our customers.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

The engagement model of Fueled is great. Fueled project manager worked closely with our product and project managers to create a detailed plan for execution. We followed agile methodology and delivered functionality inclemently via sprints. We had daily and weekly check-ins to keep the project on-track. We also had slack channel that really helped with collaboration.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their expertise, skills, engagement model, collaboration, communication, and thought-leadership were impressive. They are really skilled and have a great attitude. They are a joy to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Nothing in particular. We were diligent in our planning upfront that allowed us to deliver in a timely manner.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Product Management for a health and wellness brand that makes organic plant based meals for delivery.

For what projects/services did your company hire Fueled, and what were your goals?

We did not have an app and, considering the size of our business and the ask from customers, this was a big gap in our portfolio. We viewed app as a retention play and came in with goals around % of customer base using the app, improving retention rates on weekly subscription, and customer satisfaction (in the form of 90% of ratings were 5 star)

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We needed a vendor that focused on understanding, not only our business, but our customers as well. We're not a standard subscription service and there are many intricacies that go into our delivery. We spoke to several other vendors but Fueled stood out above the rest.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

At the end of the day, our goal was to launch an iOS app that focused on the meal management component of our business and also allowed our customers to purchase additional products.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We had:

• 1 Project Manager
• 1 Product Manager
• 2 Developers
• 1 QA
• 1 UX

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Do not think I can share specifics, but we exceeded our expectations - including improvements in the purchase funnel as well as retention rate of those on our app. Additionally, in the store, you can see that 94% of our ratings are 5 star, which exceeds the stretch goal we set for ourselves.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Excellent. We communicated frequently via regularly scheduled meetings, Slack, and email. They always responded in a timely manner (usually faster than expected) and there were never any surprises as we were constantly talking about progress, deliverables, etc.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They are super communicative and easy to work with. They felt like part of the team... invested in our business and our growth (not a service provider). They went above and beyond when it came to making sure we nailed the meal management experience as they knew that it was the most crucial piece to make sure our app is a success.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Honestly, nothing comes to mind. I would work with them again in a heartbeat

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Product Manager overseeing the internal side of the SDLC.

For what projects/services did your company hire Fueled, and what were your goals?

We contracted Fueled to build our organization's first mobile app. It is a considerably complex undertaking. The application is a multi-platform series of gamified lessons, complete with CMS, and a parent portal.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We selected Fueled for their demonstrated expertise, customer service level, and assurance that we would receive expert guidance through release and post-release.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We built the app using Flutter. We had one design/discovery sprint, then several development sprints, and concluded with testing/release sprints. The key deliverables were a software architecture document, designs in Figma (Games, global elements, and non-playable content) test builds, and weekly progress updates.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Project Manager, Product Manager, Solutions Architect, (2) Product Designers, (2)Back End and (3)Front End Developers, QA Tester

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

N/A

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Agile style, used Slack for comms, and shared resourcing plans and timelines via Google Slides

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The level of expertise. The Fueled team was very flexile and creative. It was apparent that they understood our goal, and helped us find ways (some of which we had not considered) to achieve it.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Overall, our engagement with Fueled has been very positive. There aren't any areas where the glaringly need improvement, in my experience with them thus far.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of Equine Network, an organization that’s made up of horse-related businesses in various segments of the equine industry, such as roadside assistance, magazines, and video-on-demand services.

What challenge were you trying to address with Fueled?

We were looking to develop a native mobile app that would enable people to search for events to compete in, and better represent our competitions.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Android and iOS app that Fueled developed is a blend of several functions and features, such as event discovery, registration, time tracker, and live streams. 

They were responsible for its entire design, as well as providing strategic advice on how to produce and maintain the app, while we facilitated its submission to Google Play Store.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, a product manager, a managing director, two designers, and a team of developers.

How did you come to work with Fueled?

One of the owners of our company had previous experience working with Fueled.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested close to $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August 2021–April 2022.

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

Fueled was a very competent mobile app development company, as they had the right people with the right skills and knowledge to accomplish the project.

It took them a few months to learn our business well enough to make a contribution, but I was very happy with the results they delivered — they added real value to what we were trying to do, and gave us an app that we wouldn’t have been able to build ourselves.

How did Fueled perform from a project management standpoint?

We stayed on top of the project through a tool called Notion and designed the app through Figma. We also typically communicated through Slack, Zoom, and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were impressed with their capabilities as an organization because they were able to provide us with the services that we needed.

From full stack mobile development and design strategy to execution and maintenance, we believe we got the best people for the project.

We felt like we were in good hands and the highest compliment I would give is that we would definitely hire them again.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they need to improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared to make decisions quickly - Fueled can go faster than you might expect!

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Co-Founder of Vizzy, where we help young professionals and businesses showcase who they are and what they can do.

For what projects/services did your company hire Fueled, and what were your goals?

Fueled took our concept and brought it to life through extensive research, beautiful design and outstanding development.

How did you select Fueled and what were the deciding factors?

We wanted an established partner with varied experience, who would build a dedicated team around our product. That's exactly what we got.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

A multi-feature CMS platform, simultaneously drawing upon third party partners and APIs and combining various multi-media content softwares - all playing into fresh, contemporary design and highly intuitive UX.

How many people from the Fueled team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We received expertise from x2 Project Managers, a Product Manager, x2 Designers, x2 Backend and x2 Front End Developers overseen by Sr Product Director - whilst retaining comms with the Clients Services / New Business team we worked with from the outset throughout.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

With little deviation form our original scope we delivered the product in four months, on track with our original timeline.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Communication was excellent; min. weekly detailed working sessions supported by a dedicated Slack channel which was always live with rapid response; and Figma to kick around designs and share specific feedback.

Project Managers have always let us know where we are and kept us on track, both on our side and theirs; product demos are fun and exciting; tech-centred conversations have been clear, informative and accessible when based on subjects we had little knowledge about.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

An open and understanding approach to building tech. Their expertise shone through and we have felt utmost confidence from the beginning in the approach and quality of work. We have felt heard and understood throughout, with ideas and solutions consistently coming through. Fueled are proactive in finding solutions and heading off potential problems, and in their attention to detail. Clearly a great deal of care, time and attention has been thrown at our project.

Above all, they're a great group who we have had fun building our product and enjoyed having the opportunity to do so with them.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

A busy run into the end of scope and a pretty swift hand over, but that's pretty natural and mostly a reflection of how much they were able to get across the line at the death including a few features we didn't think would make the cut.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of brand technology for a cosmetics company. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Fueled?

We hired Fueled to help elevate our services online and replicate our selling ceremony with our in-store consultants. The team was brought in to help improve the UX of our website around seven focus areas, including product concept, customer journey mapping, user testing, observations, and data blueprint. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fueled helped us with our digital and e-commerce marketing strategies. Their work focused more on the concept of the strategies, which we used to implement their recommendations. Google Analytics and social media components were a part of that but Fueled mainly helped us lay the groundwork for supporting our focus areas. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with at least 7–8 resources, ranging from digital strategists, online specialists, project managers, and data specialists. 

How did you come to work with Fueled?

We’d done some work with Fueled in the past, and for this project, they went through our RFP process. They won the business based on their proposal, knowledge of the industry and our company, and understanding of our goals.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from September 2020–May 2021.

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

Fueled delivered everything they signed up to deliver, so they had 100% compliance with us from that perspective. They also understood our business needs, which we measured by a signoff of our senior stakeholders. Simply put, the team fulfilled everything in their SOW as intended. 

How did Fueled perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was excellent and hit top marks. The team was highly organized and provided comprehensive documentation. They did a lot of due diligence in terms of follow-ups, too. To manage the project, we used Microsoft Office tools like Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Fueled had excellent and top-quality resources that were highly experienced and sharp. Overall, the team was highly dynamic, engaged, and professional. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve a little bit in knowing our internal challenges as a company and as a brand. The team could also be a little more flexible in some of their recommendations. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a technology startup that’s building a mobile-first platform for the property, construction, and real estate industry. I’m the CTO and one of the founders of the company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Fueled?

We spent three months formalizing a business plan and the idea that our CEO spent a year developing and vetting. Once he felt like he had a product that was needed in the market, we then spent time trying to flush out the business requirements.

When that was done, I either had to go and build a dev team, which I’ve done in the past, or outsource to an agency. We chose the latter option because we wanted the speed to market and recruiting and hiring is not an easy or quick process.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fueled started the initial development for us and helped us with the architecture of the software. They assisted our UX/UI designer with design assistance. We originally set the tone for the design, but when you’re developing screens across three interfaces, it’s too much for one person to do.

What they did wasn’t a typical MVP. normally in startups, you spend maybe 12–16 weeks developing a minimal concept product, that goes out to the market to test. Then you figure out what you need, come back, and start all over. We opted not to go that route because we’ve done enough market research in the industry, and talked to enough professionals to give us an idea of what we needed to build.

What we built was closer to a v1 for an enterprise-level platform. Not only did we have backend developers, but we also developed the platform on iOS, Android, and web all at the same time.

Additionally, they did some branding work and developed our logo.

What is the team composition?

We had a project manager, two product managers, two UX/UI designers, two backend developers, three iOS developers, two Android developers, two web developers, 4 QA members, and oversight from senior management for architectural purposes. We had quite a large team.

How did you come to work with Fueled?

When we decided to outsource, we interviewed about five companies, and selected Fueled. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested just a little over $2 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement ran from February 2020–March 2021.

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

When you do software development that lasts longer than a year, not everything goes exactly as planned. You’re going to have changes and challenges along the way, but I will say that every time we identified the challenges, we sat down as a team, talked about them, looked at them, and addressed them.

They were very much a partner of ours through this process, and their team was really invested and put thought into what they were developing.

They didn’t just take our requirements and did what we asked, they really challenged us at times and made further suggestions to improve the features and UX. I know this is the largest project they've ever done, and we probably stretched them a little bit in terms of managing the whole process. However, they certainly grew throughout the project, learned from it, and stepped up to the challenge.

How did Fueled perform from a project management standpoint?

We implemented JIRA and Confluence throughout the course of the project to measure our sprints, and did sprint reviews to check the velocity of what was being developed. We also originally set up a timeline of when all the features should be developed. It was easy for me to have a rough outline of where we should be, and what milestones, since I’ve got 15 years of software development experience managing large teams.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Because this was such a large project, Fueled made an exception and embedded me in the team due to my background. I was part of the daily stand-ups and got to hear what was going on. I participated with the QA and product team, wrote up the story, reviewed every single detail before pre- and post-development, and had direct access to the developers — which wasn’t common at all. 

For me, it was the perfect working relationship. It wasn’t typical, but they were very flexible in allowing for that. Not every agency was going to allow that level of participation, regardless of how much experience I had.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not everything was easy or went smoothly. We had challenges along the way that I saw quicker than they did. It took me a little bit of time to help them understand where we were going, but once they got it, they listened to what I had to say.

I really don’t have anything negative to say about Fueled. I’ve had probably dozens of different conversations with their managing director, who made sure we got the right resources and monitoring any challenges we had, and their commitment to it. At one point, they were behind so they threw an extra resource in one particular area at their own cost, just to get us caught up.

They were really invested in our success as we were, so I can’t say anything bad about them. If we had another project, they’re certainly going to be one of the first calls I make.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

That’s a little hard to answer because I don’t know what level of experience somebody else would walk into the engagement with. Agencies are a little different than staffing, so it’s really more about working with agencies than it is about the Fueled team. However, their team really knows their tools and processes. They work well as a group because they know each other and click together.

It’s hard to find a team where everybody gets along and understands how to work well together. One of the few advantages that we got was we didn’t have any friction and conflict. We had a team that liked each other, worked well together, and got stuff done.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of design and brand strategy at a US-based online eyewear retail company. I oversee our UX design and creative teams.

What challenge were you trying to address with Fueled?

We needed them to help us update our tech stack by creating a mobile application for us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

As we’re trying to get into the mobile app space, we’ve thought of bridging the gap between a customer’s experience with an eye doctor and the e-commerce experience. We’ve come up with a solution to create a more personalized way of highlighting our services while providing the various needs of our customers. Fueled has helped us bring this idea to life by creating an iOS and Android app that mirrors the functionalities of an e-commerce site.

Apart from designing and creating a robust platform based on a customer’s prescription and their preferences, Fueled also assists us in accomplishing our post-launch plans, staffing up an internal team that’s set to take over the maintenance of the product.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with at least 15 resources from their team — this includes designers, researchers, and developers. We rely on their different team members depending on the project’s stages.

How did you come to work with Fueled?

I did thorough research on different agencies that provide app design and development services. We then interviewed over 10 groups and figured that Fueled was the best fit for us, having garnered multiple awards for their work experience. They built a renowned application, which really proved that they possess reliable industry knowledge.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $1,000,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in August 2020, and our collaboration is ongoing.

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

They’ve really pushed us towards understanding and delivering our industry’s best practices. Our company is built on a monolithic tech stack, so our team has relied heavily on that without making room for industrial change. Fueled has been a great partner to us — they’ve helped us evolve forward by working on what’s really best for us.

We haven’t launched this project yet, but I think it will be a drastic upgrade to our business. It’s already helped us evolve our internal processes, so I’m looking forward to exceeding more expectations.

How did Fueled perform from a project management standpoint?

Fueled is a very honest team — they clearly determine what the next project steps are based on their progress. Their project management approach has always been top-notch.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We have a very complicated product coupled with a difficult design challenge, but Fueled has been amazing in understanding what we’re trying to achieve. Their team works quickly and efficiently to drive our business in a positive direction.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t really think there are specific areas that need major improvement. At the beginning of the project, we might’ve had over-scoped, but that’s not entirely their team’s fault. We’ve decided to resolve that by meeting halfway in terms of setting our goals and timelines. Additionally, we’ve had difficulties with our timezone differences. The majority of them are from the UK, and they also have a few developers in India, so it’s been quite a challenge to keep working at 8 a.m. regardless of our various commitments.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to fully understand how the scope of your work with their team will be. The clearer the goals you set, the more likely you are to achieve all of those.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I run a real-estate business in south Florida.

For what projects/services did your company hire Fueled?

I hired Fueled to design and develop a real-estate app for iOS

What were your goals for this project?

To have an iOS app to help my clients to have quick access to the available homes for sale in a specific market in Florida.

How did you select Fueled?

They were recommended by a family member.

Describe the project in detail.

We created an app for iOS where users can clearly and easily search for houses in Boca Raton and Palm Beach. The app allows users to immediately jump into listings and view vital information about them. User's can also filter to help narrow down listing options as well as save listings to a favorites section. We also integrated Open Weather API in order to track the weather in the areas and give clients and understanding of the current climate.

We also implemented CloudKit to allow me to input and manage data. The app also allows my team to track data to improve the listings and how to better service my clients in the future. Lastly, the app displays lifestyle content that will give clients a better sense of what living in the area is like.

What was the team composition?

We worked with 4 people, including an iOS engineer, a product designer, a quality assurance expert, and a project manager.

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

Launching this app has improved the experience for both me and my buyers. It has given me a more effective way to access and manage new listings within the Boca Raton and Palm Beach regions and communicate my client's preferences. The app has been a great way for me to communicate directly with my clients which has improved their experience with purchasing a home 10 fold.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Integrating with the MLS was not simple, due to the technology providers in the mix, so we worked hand-in-hand with Fueled. They were always on top of letting me know of progress and development updates while troubleshooting technical issues directly with the MLS provider.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I can tell Fueled truly cares about my business making sure not only I, but my customers were satisfied with the experience as well. They were quickly able to understand the industry and its current landscape in order to help make recommendations for features and user flows that really helped make the app stand out and out-perform my competitors.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There were not any major issues I had with the team. We were extremely satisfied with their work and the app they delivered. The only down side I would say is that they are a more expensive than other agencies, but it shows with the quality of work they deliver.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a consultant working for comfort tech company to deliver an app / front end to an IOT product. The company hasn't built a technology-focused product before so this is a brand new endeavor and capability.

For what projects/services did your company hire Fueled?

We had no app capabilities and so we set about finding an agency that would be able to build an app from top to bottom. We wanted a full service, complete team to build both an iOS and an Android app. In many ways, we were creating the product while onboarding Fueled so they were very much a part of conceptualizing the project. Many areas (IOT connectivity, app design, theories of how technology can interact with the sleep process) were being created simultaneously.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was the create a best in class, elegant app that would take the new and potentially confusing concept of a multi-device sleep system and build an intuitive, easy to use interface to control it. This product will be a very new offering for us so it will be a big statement of intent for the company. Getting right on day one is incredibly important.

How did you select Fueled?

We created an RFP and highlighted three areas that were important to us: design wow factor, IOT experience and ability deliver on a tight timeline. We then interviewed a few agencies and had them pitch to an internal team, including our CEO.

Describe the project in detail.

We had a fairly defined scope for the project (controls for the sleep system, a way to show data on quality of sleep, voice controls and easy connectivity. We switched technology partners last year so the scope has been reduced to mostly controls and onboarding now. The tricky part about the project is combing all three areas (electric, adjustable base; adjustable firmness mattress with 3 zones and climate control) into an interface that makes sense to the user.

What was the team composition?

We looked to Fueled to provide a full app team: design, UX, project, dev, QA and product. We have internal advisors but Fueled is the app team.

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

Still very much a work in progress so not data yet. We really are about to put the first build in front of an internal audience.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow has been great on the Fueled side. There is a lot of communication around budget, staffing and timelines. We have had some start and stop based on switching technology partners and some internal shifting on who wants to be involved in the project. All in all, I think Fueled has rolled with our changes pretty well.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

There are two things that really stand out to me: I think the designs are beautiful. The response internally for the designs is always that they are beautiful. The second is the technical know how that runs through the team. Not just devs, but product and project leads have a solid understanding of how to deliver this product and and are able to share that with us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Honestly, this form should be an every two to three month conversation with Fueled leadership. In my agency days, we usually had one of the founders (not someone on the day-to-day team) do a check in every two or three months with the client to find out how things are going. I've also had other agency founders (companies in the same world as Fueled) do the same as the project progressed when I was the client. I was surprised that didn't happen here. The day to day team is great but I do think some element exec check in would be a good touch.