Geekbears

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Treads, a mobile-first car management platform. We provide car tires as a monthly subscription.

What challenge were you trying to address with Geekbears?

We were looking to build out some wireframes and start developing our app for iOS and Android.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired Geekbears to help us with our app development. First, we met with them to have an initial consultation, walking through our business’ high-level concepts and what we were trying to achieve.

Then, we kicked off a discovery phase, where we went deeper into what we were hoping to build out. After that, Geekbears laid out a proposal, which included a timeframe and a clear price for what we wanted to do.

Their involvement has included UI/UX design, front- and backend development, and third-party APIs integration. These integrations include a GPS, a recurring subscription billing, a calendar to schedule appointments, and more. Currently, the app is available on the App Store and the Google Play Store.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with Marcos (Founder & CEO), Carlos (Co-Founder & COO), who was our original project manager, and Brandon (Senior Project Manager), who is our current project manager. Additionally, Ivan (CTO) and Victor (CIO) worked on the development, and Miguel (UI/UX Manager) was involved in the UI/UX design.

How did you come to work with Geekbears?

We found them on Upwork. They had a very good track record working with mobile apps for startup companies. They were great at taking an early idea or concept and moving it all the way to design and development.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $100,000–$150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around December 2019, and I’m still actively working with them today.

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

Thanks to Geekbears’ work, we’ve taken our platform from an initial concept to the product launch, and we’re live in the market now. We now have active subscribers on our platform, which is a great accomplishment.

How did Geekbears perform from a project management standpoint?

Geekbears is very easy and enjoyable to work with. We have weekly standup calls with their development team because we’re constantly developing our product.

They’re also very responsive, and they fix issues promptly. Since we’re live in the market, we’ve run into some edge cases, but we have a very straightforward system for submitting a bug ticket and working it into our workflow.

Additionally, Geekbears is very communicative and concise about what we’re working on and what our future plans are, and their timelines are very clear and accurate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Overall, the quality of the final product developed by Geekbears is amazing. Thankfully, we haven’t had any major setbacks, flaws, or bugs since launching the product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Whenever building a product, we, as customers, tend to want everything to go faster. However, I don’t know if that’s something that Geekbears could improve. Overall, it has been a really good experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Focus on concise and clear communication to find success — it is all about communication.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a company that develops literacy skills in secondary students.

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

We partnered with Geekbears to help us design an app that combined best practices in education and UI/UX design in order to scale the support we provide middle and high school readers.

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

What really set Geekbears apart was the reviews about how patient and supportive they were with clients who had no experience with this kind of work. I saw that Marcos Mena-Brena, the founder, had worked as a mentor to other entrepreneurs while at Berkely, and that many of their clients truly felt like their work together was a partnership. I was afraid that my vision would be hijacked because of my lack of experience, but not only did they work diligently to understand my vision, they took the time to help me understand the process and approach we were taking.

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

We began our work together with a discovery phase where the team interviewed me to get a sense of my vision. In this phase I shared all of the work I had done so far including the research I had used to develop the vision and any drafts I had created. The team then took the time to explore other similar apps and share what they understood to be the best practices (and misses) with those apps. After the discovery phase, we moved into the UX phase where we decided on the actual structure and features of the app. Then we moved to the UI phase where we designed the "look" of the app (as well as the logo). After this, they created a clickable prototype for me. The main technologies used were Figma for the app work and Slack for our communication.

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

I worked very closely with the UI and UX designers. I also was in touch with the project manager, COO, and CEO/Founder.

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

I can't share measurable outcomes yet because I am currently working to secure funding to actually build the app (we only worked on the prototype together). But I am very eager to secure the funding and continue working with this team!

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

We used Slack as the main communication tool. They were very timely and almost always had their next steps completed within 24 hours of our discussions. There were meetings that were scheduled as part of the outlined plan (generally at the beginning/end of each phase), but also the nature of the partnership made it easy for us to schedule additional meetings whenever needed to discuss vision and feedback. I think on average, I met with someone once a week/once every other week and was in regular communication via slack. I felt confident that any time I had a question/concern I could reach out and get the support I needed.

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

I really appreciated how much they seemed to care about the quality of this app. The Geekbears team seemed genuinely excited about creating it and was invested in helping me realize my vision.

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

There were a couple of instances where they had over-estimated my understanding of the process, likely because what they were discussing was second nature to them. But as soon as I expressed my concern, we had team meetings to make sure we were all on the same page. They would patiently answer my questions (which were often the same questions asked in a different way!) as I worked to ensure my own understanding. I suppose as they continue to work with novices in this area, they will naturally develop communication styles that address these issues up front. That said, those moments are likely to happen any time people work together, and their professionalism and reflection in those moments reinforced my already high-opinion of the team.

Please describe your company and your position there.

For over 15 years, our mission has been to inspire hope and advance social justice for Southern California’s most vulnerable immigrant and refugee communities.

We do this through a combination of advocacy, education, empowerment, and representation. We provide legal services to more unaccompanied minors than any other public interest organization in the State of California.

For what projects/services did your company hire Geekbears?

Lead development of a mobile application for immigrant rights education and empowerment for unaccompanied minors.

What were your goals for this project?

Esperanza has a unique opportunity to build a mobile application which will expand the reach of their released youth program – this program provides education and guidance to children and families who are navigating the legal immigration process.

At present, there are 14 Legal Orientation centers sponsored by the US Department of Justice, and Esperanza leads one of them - their legal orientation programs are booked solid months in advance.

A mobile app would help to alleviate the backlog and serve a much wider audience.

How did you select Geekbears?

We searched UpWork for an organization that had app development experience, and we vetted them through an independent third-party who was able to vouch for their past product.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we selected Geekbears, we started with a discovery phase, so that we could be on the same page about goals and expectations. We then worked iteratively through various rounds of UI/UX development.

What was the team composition?

On vendor's side, we had frequent and helpful contact with Marcos, the CEO, who shepherded us at a high level through the overall process--from contract to deliverables.

We then worked with two UI/UX developers who helped with the overall app structure and eventually detailed mock-ups of the desired pages. There was a team lead, but everyone was equally accessible.

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

We now have a clickable prototype of our app, as well as a Product Requirement Document. With this, we are moving forward full steam to the actual development of the app for client use.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Marcos and his team were very explicit about timelines, but flexible when we couldn't meet our internal goals. To repeat, they were always on time, but because of the nature of our work at Esperanza, we were sometimes so swamped that we needed to push back our deadlines. We are thankful for their support.

Day to day workflow was likewise smooth, as we had regular meetings to discuss the iterations on the designs.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Geekbears was able to carry us through the complicated process of turning our lay person's dreams into an actual (and very beautiful) prototype. That they educated as well as guided is something for which we will be forever thankful.

Are there any areas for improvement?

From my standpoint, I can't think of any room for improvement.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CMO of a software startup company.

For what projects/services did your company hire Geekbears?

UI / UX design for MVP with a clickable prototype.

What were your goals for this project?

To design the MVP for the product, along with a clickable prototype.

How did you select Geekbears?

Researched and interviewed many designers/firms on Upwork. Geekbears had some of the best reviews and satisfaction scores. Then, I had an intro call with Marcos, which went very well.

Describe the project in detail.

The process is very well thought-out, beginning with a discovery phase. In the discovery phase, the Geekbears team did research into the market and competitor products to get a better overall understanding of how our product should work. After the discovery phase, the design and prototype followed many iterations in phases that essentially ensure the product will be high-quality by final delivery. This process was Sitemap, to low fidelity mockups, to high fidelity, and then delivery.

What was the team composition?

We were assigned a team composed of a project manager, and a few designers for various stages of the process.

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

We haven't launched yet but the MVP designs and clickable prototype greatly helped us in the development phase to avoid mistakes that we had made prior to cleaning up our designs. It is much faster to undo a design error than to redo development, which is why Geekbears' process of iterative design increases our product quality significantly before delivery. Also, we used the clickable prototype for early user testing and feedback which gave us invaluable insights for development - such as what features are important to prioritize or even completely remove.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow and communication were very efficient; it is clear Geekbears has worked to establish this workflow between client/provider. They have a formula and this formula ensures that we hit our time estimates and deadlines - which is crucial for clients. We successfully hit all timelines and adjusted when necessary.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Geekbears did not miss a single timeline and communication was very smooth to the point where there were virtually zero miscommunications. It was a very stress-free experience and ultimately delivered what we asked for within both our time and budget estimates/constraints. Marcos is an amazing CEO/Founder and despite his busy schedule, was always willing to attentively listen to the client and make sure the project is true to timeline/estimates.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I only have one suggestion for improvement and perhaps this was due to our budget constraints, but I would have liked to have more vendor hours/week devoted to our project to complete it in a shorter timeframe, even if there was a slight premium to pay. However, part of the process is multiple iterations per phase, and that is something that shouldn't be rushed.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Clinical Research Assistant at the Division of a Harvard Medical School-affiliated research lab focused on the integration of technology into mental health treatment. I direct our projects related to app evaluation and have helped lead our collaborations with the American Psychiatric Association and other organizations across industry, academic, and healthcare.

For what projects/services did your company hire Geekbears?

We hired Geekbears to help us with UI/UX design for our mental health app database MIND (Mhealth Index and Navigation Database). Although we had the foundation of our evidence-based, comprehensive database, we sought a more engaging, easy-to-navigate design and turned to Geekbears.

What were your goals for this project?

We sought a website that would be more engaging and easy to navigate for individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. We hoped to dramatically improve web traffic and interaction with our database and add in new features without compromising the essential functions.

How did you select Geekbears?

We selected Geekbears after having worked with them on another project (designing a web platform for digital literacy trainings). We were impressed with their work and excited to turn to them with this new project request.

Describe the project in detail.

MIND (Mhealth Index and Navigation Database) is a database of mental health apps. With an anticipated size of 500 apps, each with 105 attributes, there is a significant quantity of information, and we turned to Geekbears for help with a design that would be both intuitive and easy to navigate while properly displaying the complexity and comprehensiveness of the material.

Geekbears met these goals and more, providing advice for strategy, branding, and marketing in addition to revamping the design of our database to make it more engaging and usable.

What was the team composition?

We had the pleasure of working with several different members of the Geekbears team. During the early stages we worked with Miguel, who helped us clarify our vision for the project.

Later on we worked with Aranzazu, who brought our vision to life with Figma diagrams that provided the perfect blueprint for subsequent web development. Throughout the process, we worked with Marcos (CEO), Brandon, and Carlos around project management and finances.

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

The new website design exceeded our expectation. Upon implementing Geekbears' designs, web traffic has increased, and we have been able to reach new organizations and individuals thanks to our smooth, easy to navigate, engaging interface.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was efficient and professional. We communicated via a Slack channel organized by Geekbears, as well as email and video calls.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Communication and organization stand out as notable strengths of Geekbears. We appreciated the regular deadlines and updates provided by the team. We were also impressed with how the team took the time to truly understand our product and vision in order to make design the best it could be.

It truly felt like a team effort between our two groups. Finally, Geekbears' expertise and experience in all areas of UX/UI design stood out.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not really, we are very happy with the results.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Hangurs is a peer to peer luxury fashion rental platform that allows user to rent luxury wear and fashion directly from closets near them. It’s like Airbnb meets RentTheRunway.

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

Geekbears has been a God send for Hangurs. From day 1, the team at Geekbears has helped us strategize, build and develop our mobile app from the ground up. From the beginning of uX/ui wireframes all the way through development our internal dashboards and App Store approval. Our goal was to get this thing off the ground, and seeing the way Geekbears took on this project head on, we don’t plan on using anyone else as we begin seed round fund raising. Geekbears knows our platform inside and out, they integrated API capability for our courier, and created streamlined processes to help us provide excellent customer service and gather feedback.

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

Marcos and I had an initial conversation, mainly discovery, and we just hit it off from day 1. He understood my vision as well as my short and long-term goals.

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

From start to ongoing management; Geekbears has been there for Hangurs from day 1. We had weekly meetings, milestones, and targets that we would hit each week. They kept detailed notes and guided our trajectory - not only keeping track of their team tasks but our side as well. We use Slack to communicate (which they are very responsive), Figma for wireframes and Ux, AWS, and so much more than they know and I don't.

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

Ux/ui and development.

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

We are live on the App Store and very happy with the results. We had a few wrenches thrown due to a courier that dropped out last minute and Geekbears helped us navigate and implement our current courier! Deliverables are always on time, and they've far exceeded my expectations.

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

Very timely, responsive, and professional.

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

Can’t say enough good things about Geekbears. Very well-run company and they come highly recommended. They take a hands-on, personal approach to each company they work with and make you feel taken care of from day 1.

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

Nothing, even as they have grown they maintained the level of care that each customer craves.

This review was published on May 24, 2020.

Kevin Meagher

Creative Director, Hangurs LLC

Consumer Products

1-10 Employees

Los Angeles, California

$50,000 to $199,999

Jan 2018 - Ongoing

Project summary

GeekBears developed an iOS app for a fashion rental platform. They guided the client through every step of the process, using existing wireframes to design the UI/UX.

Feedback summary

The app is nearing completion, much to the client’s satisfaction. GeekBears has accomplished every objective in a timely manner without sacrificing quality. The team demonstrates a high level of professionalism, experience, and enthusiasm in the collaboration.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative director of Hangurs. We offer a fashion rental app that allows users to browse each other’s closets and rent outfits. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with GeekBears?

We needed help with overall app development. We had no background in app or tech development, and we were looking for a knowledgeable partner who could hold our hand through the process from start to launch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

GeekBears did everything from UX and user design to front- and backend development. My partner and I started with an idea and some frames drawn out for what the app would look like. We then sat down with the GeekBears development team to discuss design choices. The main goal was to make the app simple to navigate so that users will use the app and keep it on their phone. Once that was done, GeekBears built the app for iOS. 

What is the team composition?

Marcos (Founder) was the original person who brought us on and offered his expertise. My point of contact is Carlos (Co-Founder & COO). We get on the phone with him twice a week along with the four-person development team.

How did you come to work with GeekBears?

I found Marcos by browsing on LinkedIn. We were looking for California-based people with startup and CTO experience. When we reached out to Marcos, he got back to us quickly, and we hit it off immediately on our first call. He’s super down to earth and willing to break down technical concepts into layperson’s terms. He even came down to Los Angeles to meet us face-to-face.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in January 2018 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re hoping to launch the app on the App Store in the next few weeks; We’ll have more success metrics in the future. The past two years have been a process of learning how to better implement our app than what we initially thought. They walked us through as well as anyone could.

Our main goal was to bring our idea to fruition. In taking an idea from paper into existence, GeekBears has gone above and beyond. 

How did GeekBears perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve been blown away by their ability to keep deadlines. They’re always on time and professional even when we’ve been a little late in getting back to them. We usually have 1–2 calls a week. Our tasks are all in Jira, where we also keep track of the running timeline. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve become passionate about an idea that isn’t even theirs. It’s the best thing we can look for in a partner. I’ve worked with brands in creative direction before, and finding a partner who believes in a project as much as you do is an asset. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re a true partner. None of this could’ve happened without them. I wish I could say something negative, but I really can’t.

Any advice for potential customers?

Set up a meeting to meet with Marcos and Carlos. They’re amazing guys, and their developers work hard and care about their clients.

Star Ratings

Overall rating: 5

Quality: 5

Cost: 5

Schedule: 5

Willing to refer: 5

Please describe your company and your position there.

Owner of U.S. Immigration Knowledge Blocks LLC which is a new online business focused on creating, marketing, and selling digital products online in reference to the immigration application process, issues that may be encountered, and eligiblity requirements.

For what projects/services did your company hire Geekbears?

To develop and implement a fully functional website for my business including the capability to upload podcasts, podcasts, and blogs onto the site.

What were your goals for this project?

To create a fully functional and operational website for my business with the capability of adding additional features, including an e-commerce store, in the future.

How did you select this vendor?

Geekbears was selected through Upwork by searching for a business that met my needs for this project.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Geekbears was extremely well organized and efficient during this project. They exceeded my expectations concerning the final product that was produced.

What was the team composition?

The team was comprised of four members.

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

The project is invaluable since I have an online business that requires a solid website that can also be expanded in the future as the business grows.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project management was very effective in that there was a project manager who would then delegate the necessary tasks to the team members and oversee the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The fact that the company was very well organized and efficient was most impressive. In addition, the company was very responsive to any questions that I had.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that I can think of.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder of TopProp and we are a fully customizable fantasy sports solution. We help folks create more fun and entertainment with their existing leagues.

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

We hired Geekbears as our Day 1 web developers. We worked with them on product roadmap to bring our website to an MVP and ultimately to market.

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

The team had a lot of experience working with early stage/pre-revenue companies and building their websites successfully at a reasonable cost.

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

Our first phase was roadmapping what our go-to-market website would look like. Our second phase was building out the first part of this website resulting in a successful beta testing round during the Super Bowl. This included leveraging: AWS, Angular, Postgres DB, our sports data API, Stripe

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

We have roughly 6 people working with us starting with the CEO to Directors to front-end developers and back-end developers.

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

We received a lot of positive feedback from beta testers when we brought the product to friends and family. While the project took longer than expected, we did meet expectations here.

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

We had communication through Slack frequently and they were easy to speak with and get in contact with.

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

Overall they were A+ at communication and working internally to come up with a solution, very quickly. Also, they are very honest and trustworthy group that lives up to their word.

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

In general, they overpromised on timelines and dates which required us to change our course of action. Also, we hoped to have our website mobile-optimized, which was not the case.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of a sports consulting company. My entire business model is online.

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

We had a vision for a responsive website that could integrate in third-party applications.

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

From start to finish, each member of the staff was helpful, patient and took the time to listen.

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

It had 30 pages. It integrated in a third-party XML feed, and kept track of public "votes" and showed these as a "consensus" in different categories.

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

We spoke with several key team members throughout our experience, and each was very well spoken and thorough.

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

Exactly as expected.

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

They do it step by step. They don't leave any stoned unturned. Key planning steps/stages at the start, help deliver a "Main Viable Product" at the end.

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

Very faily priced for the quality of service rendered. They were top-notch in every respect in the workflow.

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

I can't think of anything.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am CEO & Founder at a web platform providing nautical services along Mexico

For what projects/services did your company hire Geekbears?

We hired Geekbears to help us on the UX/UI of the website.

How did you select Geekbears?

We searched previous experience, clutch reviews and enterprise website.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Their team conducted quick research about competition, market. from there they broke down the main functionalities we might consider and started defining low fidelity mockups and later high fidelity.

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

5 People, 2 project managers, 2 designers and 1 developer.

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

.We finalized UX/UI according to plan.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very efficient, they kept track on everything we agreed and provided efficient tools to keep it up.

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

The way they understood the concept, vision, and business needs were impressive. Clear deliverable expectative deeper.

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

Flexibility in terms and conditions for none US companies.