Goldfish Code

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of ACCREDITEX Technologies

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Accreditex is revolutionizing the way investors "see" the financial markets and all the forces inside them.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Goldfish Code to accomplish?

• Build our first proof of concept products to help secure investment
• Continuous development as the product progresses

SOLUTION

How did you find Goldfish Code?

Referral

Why did you select Goldfish Code over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Goldfish Code were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We hired Goldfish Code to build our vision of our first products in a proof of concept state in order to garner further investment. Goldfish was responsible for:

• Initial AWS spin-ups and setting up all services
• Database build in a graph format on AWS
• Connections to other supporting services
• Consistent iteration 
• UI/UX design
• UX and UM consulting
• Delivery of PoC's for two main products

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Goldfish is truly amazing at keeping everyone on our team informed on the progress and issues they're facing as we went through the development journey with them. Everyone on the team was able to articulate what was being worked on and everyone on their side knew the status of each item that was being worked on at a time. 

Goldfish was able to complete our first versions on time and on budget and their expertise on best practices in these areas has been super helpful with our most complex products.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Our assigned PM on the project, Eva, is truly amazing at keeping us informed and accountable - not just for what they need to provide and the status of every ticket or small task, but also ensuring that we are on track to deliver to the Goldfish team the requirements and briefs that we need to so that they never run out of work or are waiting for us. 

The whole team is always informed on the status of individual items at a very detailed level giving us a lot of confidence to know that our project is important to them and that our IP, ideas and plans are in the right hands.

What was your primary form of communication with Goldfish Code?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Goldfish's ability to synthesize our needs and wants into a product that is easrly stage, works better than we could have ever imagined at this early stage and the speed at which they turn work around continues to amaze everyone on my team. 

Goldfish Code really feels like a partner in what we're building, they work hard, they're accurate and detail oriented and most importantly for us, they push back and challenge us when there is a better way to accomplish something based on their deep knowledge of the company and our short, medium and long term goals.

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

No, Goldfish is by far the best group we've ever worked with.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the business manager of Indiana Nanotech LLC, a dental research company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Goldfish Code?

We had worked with several developers over the years to build a mobile app, but we weren’t able to get the results we wanted. Thus, we started looking for a new service provider and found Goldfish Code.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Goldfish Code helped us develop an iOS and Android mobile app, which is now ready to launch. Initially, we provided them with verbal guidance on what we wanted. Then, they scoped out the project and took it from there.

In addition to the mobile app, Goldfish Code also helped us develop its database and a web-based version. It is a lifestyle app for tracking and evaluating users’ oral health.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the owner and a project manager, who were my two main contact points.

How did you come to work with Goldfish Code?

My husband found them on a reviews site. From there, we met via Zoom to discuss what we were looking for and what their capabilities were.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $64,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2022, and Goldfish Code already delivered the app. However, we plan to work with them on other projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Goldfish Code was able to achieve for us in a few months what other companies couldn’t achieve in years. We were absolutely satisfied.

How did Goldfish Code perform from a project management standpoint?

Goldfish Code was always on time and on budget. Whenever something was at risk of not meeting estimates, we had a discussion about it. Additionally, they were very responsive. We met via Zoom and used Asana for project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Goldfish Code was amazingly efficient and knowledgeable. Their responsiveness was outstanding, and their troubleshooting process was very good.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I loved working with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide them with as much information as possible and work closely with them; you’ll get the results you’re looking for.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of brentabl

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Goldfish code to take over application development for our brentabl mobile app once it was launched in the Apple App Store. We needed a team who could quickly understand the tech stack of the application and assume technical ownership very quickly as well as be able to make some necessary changes and modifications as needed.

SOLUTION

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

We selected Goldfish code primarily because they were very responsive in communicating with us, had the necessary expertise available immediately, and were willing to accommodate a small start-up working on a very limited budget.

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

The mobile app itself is entirely serverless, built on AWS, using React Native. The Goldfish Code team needed to assume ownership of the existing CI/CD deployment pipelines (GitLab), make small modifications to the app, deploy the app to the app store, and also make some small back end changes in response to customer requests.

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

We interacted with a small, close-knit team of 3 primary individuals that included a PM/Delivery Manager, a business analyst, and at times the CEO of the company.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team delivered a new version of the app to the app store that included the required fixes over the course of several weeks. The code quality was excellent and we've not encountered any issues post-deployment.

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

The team is very communicative and proactive. We did most of our communication via Slack, where they were willing to join our existing Slack channel to facilitate rapid communication amongst the teams.

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

The company's flexibility and willingness to work with a small-scale start-up on a limited budget. The quality of their work was excellent and as it was clear they did a good deal of testing before marking things complete as a part of their standard delivery approach.

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

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a SaaS provider that automates the operations of routine service providers (e.g. pool cleaning, lawnmowing, etc) to manage their technicians, communicate with customers and do billing via a web portal and mobile applications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Goldfish Code to take over pre-existing code and take it to the next level. Our goal was to complete the product for initial launch.

SOLUTION

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

We researched a number of firms and independent contractors, and with a requirement to engage a full stack firm, we circled back to Goldfish given their excellent communication, experience with our dev stack, their defined process, and pricing.

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

The team built a Super Admin portal, a web portal, and two Android + iOS apps in React Native. Everything was deployed on production. The scope of work included subscriptions & payment processing, route scheduling, email notifications, customer reviews & much more.

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

We worked primarily with two member's of Goldfish Code and they in-turn managed the developers and QC team on the project. I believe there were 5-6 people working on our project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Goldfish Code came in and addressed problems in our existing code. After that we continued to evolve the product with new scope and features based on customer feedback. Goldfish advised us on how to approach each feature and provided us with clear timelines and expectations. When we were close to launch, the team was willing to turn around new builds quickly for release.

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

Goldfish Code follows agile software development process with two week sprints and they organize all of their tasks for us to see in Asana. Communication & responsiveness was great & we met on a regular basis.

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

What makes Goldfish Code standout is their ability to advise us on strategic implications of choices (large or small), as well as their dedication to being a fair & honest values-based organization. We felt like we had a partner who was part of our team, rather than a contractor.

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

With anyone you work with, it is not always perfect. There were times when Goldfish's deliverables had bugs in them, but they took responsibility and fixed them. Overall, there weren't major issues.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a music streaming service.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Goldfish Code?

We wanted them to do all the coding for our app, our website, and our platform. It’s a music streaming service.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’re our backend developers. We had a preexisting application and we set the UX/UI to a point. They did basic development and created the app for iOS and Android. We kept adding things, it has been an ongoing process.

What is the team composition?

Brian (CEO) was our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Goldfish Code?

We found them on Upwork. We were looking for a bunch of different developers, had a meeting with Brian, so we built a relationship and worked with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $20,000 and $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began in March 2020 and continue to work together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measured functionality by seeing if the entire functionality we requested was present. It always was. The product keeps getting better and better, as we keep getting faster and faster results.

How did Goldfish Code perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent. We talk to them with Asana and email. We’ve had multiple calls throughout the year too.

What did you find most impressive about them?

If we need to get something done quickly, they’re available.  They’re open for communication if something doesn’t make sense. They’re responsive and communicative.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything has been great so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You’ll definitely get what you need. Ryan is easy to talk to, so hop on a call if you need to figure things out.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder and EVP of a social impact technology startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Goldfish Code?

We hired Goldfish Code to take on the front-end development for our mobile app, working with our back-end team to get the platform ready for our beta testing period.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to work with Goldfish to develop a sleek, intuitive and easy to use mobile app to beta test our product concept with our target user demographics.

SOLUTION

How did you select Goldfish Code?

We selected Goldfish Code using UpWork. We saw that Bryan, Goldfish’s Founder and CEO, had incredibly high reviews on UpWork, and that Goldfish offered very affordable and reasonable prices for early stage startups. When our tech team interviewed Bryan, we were all highly impressed with the approach he outlined for our project, and the natural passion that Bryan and team have for their work (which really came through in our conversations with them).

Describe the project in detail.

With our back-end architecture development already underway, and with some early stage UI designs for our app, we set out to work with Goldfish to bring our early stage social impact tech product to life. Goldfish was hired to enhance and complete our app’s UI designs, as well as to take on the full front-end development, integrating with our back-end team, to bring our product into beta testing.

What was the team composition?

The team was comprised of multiple developers working under Bryan and Pat, the two co-founders of Goldfish, who are both highly experienced full stack software engineers, with significant expertise in mobile app development. It was always very easy to reach Bryan and Pat, and they were highly involved in every aspect of the process—with their senior leadership and expertise benefitting our product development trajectory tremendously.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Goldfish team delivered us an excellent platform ready for beta testing. The results of our beta testing process to date have been extremely positive, with tester reception to our app being very favorable across the board. This is a true testament to the excellent UI and front-end development work of the Goldfish team. They were there every step of the way to make sure we were effectively bringing our vision for our product to reality.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Goldfish was extremely flexible to our team’s needs, and was always reachable. It was easy for us to communicate with them in real time, and we always felt totally in the loop about what they were working on each week.

They made every effort to make the communication and workflow integration as collaborative and seamless as possible between our two teams, which resulted in a great final product.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I found their flexibility to our team’s needs most impressive. As an early stage startup, we too were figuring out many processes on our side as we were working with them. They were always flexible, and kept the quality of our product at the core of all of their communication with us.

I also think they are genuinely passionate about what they do, and it comes through on a regular basis—which makes the whole experience that much more exciting and refreshing. They are truly there to bring your technology to life, and will always go the extra mile to make it happen.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are no real areas of improvement that I can think of. This is a fantastic team, and if anything, I would encourage them to share their product expertise and recommendations for feature enhancements even more so!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of an app for the hair salon industry. It’s a job posting board in an app form.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Goldfish Code?

I needed help with app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They took my ideas, my notes, and my storyboard and made it into an app. The team built the app on iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Nancy (Project Manager), Bryan (Founder & Full Stack Developer), and one other person from their team.

How did you come to work with Goldfish Code?

I reached out to a separate company and they referred me to Goldfish Code.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2020, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback has been all positive. At first, there were a few glitches, but they fixed them as soon as we found them. The users think it’s a great idea and within the first four weeks, I had over 100 people using it. Now I have over 130, so it’s been pretty great overall.

How did Goldfish Code perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been excellent. They’re genuine, professional, ethical, and kind. We communicate via phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were happy to communicate in a way I could understand their process and helped me understand how they work. In my eyes, it helped me trust them more, and when we ran into glitches, I could even help them troubleshoot.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In a perfect world, I would’ve like to know that there would be some glitches when we first launched. I had no idea there would be a few hiccups at first since this is my first app. Now, things are great since I know what to expect.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Whether you want to be hands-on in the process, or hands-off, they’re a great partner. Be honest with what you want, your budget, and what you’re looking for; they'll give you the same honesty in return.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

 I’m the creator and owner of the Talking Points app. It’s a mobile application where users earn points for reading and rating news articles based on the perceived level of bias. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Goldfish Code?

We needed help navigating the technical aspects of developing an app, including coding. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had wireframes and mockups of what we wanted as far as design. They were able to take that information and make it come alive for us. They weren’t part of the design process, but they were able to execute based on our vision. 

Currently, the app is only available for iOS. 

What is the team composition?

Bryan (Founder & Full Stack Developer) and Nancy (Project Manager) were our main points of contact. There were also a few members of the development team that we interacted with over email. 

How did you come to work with Goldfish Code?

We posted our project on UpWork for different developers to bid on. We conducted interviews with a couple of different companies, but we found that Goldfish Code’s pitch was the most compelling. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $17,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2019. We’ve completed our initial development and have launched the application. However, we plan to work with them in the future for updates and further development. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just launched the app about two weeks ago, so it’s a little early to see the full impact. However, they helped us create an MVP that we can use to get feedback and continue to grow. 

How did Goldfish Code perform from a project management standpoint?

We mostly communicated via email and over the phone. We didn’t have a lot of hard deadlines which sometimes made the process move more slowly. That is partially on us because we didn’t set specific due dates with them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were able to have candid conversations. They’re down-to-earth people who understood what it’s like to work on a self-funded project. They were willing to work with what we had and were honest. Their team set realistic expectations and helped tailor things to fit our budget. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes there was a lag in communication with the development team since they’re not based in the US. We’re satisfied with the collaboration, but we wish there could have been more immediate results delivered. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just be open with them and let them know what your realities are. They’re great people, so as long as you’re open and build a good rapport with them, the project will run smoothly. That will help them help you. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of BoardBank, an online medical education web application.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Goldfish Code?

I hired them for front- and backend web design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Goldfish Code mainly works on database construction of user profile and user information storage. They also work on UI design and created a logo.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with five team members, but there were others that I haven’t worked with.

How did you come to work with Goldfish Code?

They were referred to me by a friend, so I emailed them to see if they would be interested in helping out.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $25,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in March 2019 and the project is wrapping up.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve met all of our milestones and user requirements.

How did Goldfish Code perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform well. Being transparent, they’ve been in close contact with me using weekly emails and were organized and upfront about expectations. They show me what they’ve produced and ask for feedback. Occasionally, they’ve helped guide me through the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a great customer service perspective. They’re dedicated to making sure the client is happy with the results. Being agile, they can change based on the client’s needs. They also have affordable pricing for the services they offer.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing I can think of is having periodic verbal check-ins with the team lead monthly or bi-monthly for clarification on goals instead of just emailing to see how things are going or if there are any questions. I think an email can sometimes get lost. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Initiate over-the-phone communication and get hard deadlines on when things are due. Have them set and keep deadlines so they have flexibility.