Lightstack

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a mobile app development company which was started by myself and a partner, after identifying problems which we believed technology could solve. I am a lawyer with a 25-year private practice career. In Europe and in the UK in particular, when constructing a legal team, there is a need for identity verification for money-laundering purposes. Historically, in order to do this, we needed to provide a copy of an official document, such as a passport or a driver's license with photo ID, as well as a proof-of-address, such as a recent bank statement or utility bill. This seemed a bit archaic to me, so we've reproduced the process through a mobile app. This is what Lightstack has been developing. My role is to bring experience through a market understanding. My co-founder's role is on the software side.

I am the CEO of the company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Lightstack?

Our aim is to take the idea and develop it into something which could work, simplifying the engagement with lawyers, accountants, and surveyors. There are certain challenges, rules, and regulations around what needs to happen in such an engagement process. Nobody can get around this and for good reason. Having this said, things don't need to be as cumbersome as they are, and do not have to require individuals to have to physically attend offices or provide multiple identification documents. We essentially aimed to utilize mobile phone technology in order to bring this process into the 21st century.

What was the scope of their involvement?

From Lightstack's point of view, the scope of the project was to set out a process map, working with me for the design, coding, and testing of an app that would be capable of being listed in the Apple Store and on Google Play. We also developed a web app which offered the same functionalities through a browser. Windows 10 was included as the 3rd native platform.

The app has the ability to deliver simple messages and push notifications, which are answered at the convenience of both the sender and the receiver.

How did you come to work with Lightstack?

I looked at a number of potential suppliers, both in the UK and the US. The reason for choosing Lightstack was the experience I'd had with their CEO in the past, on another project. It's exceedingly important for me to get along with people, particularly because I need to trust developers. I'm not a coding expert, but I know what functionalities I need to achieve. The partner needed to be honest, sensible in terms of their dealing, as well as able to advise me and work as a team. It's actually more difficult than it sounds to find people with the right chemistry, but it did occur with Lightstack.

How much have you invested with Lightstack?

The cost of our project was between $50,000 and $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Lightstack in January 2016. We have an ongoing relationship with Lightstack and are looking forward to continuing it on a long-term basis.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We have reached increased usability, 70-80 registered users, as well as a few live funds transactions on the app. It has gone from beta to a live, operational unit.

How did Lightstack perform from a project management standpoint?

Lightstack is very transparent in terms of billing. We were given access to the time management software upfront, so there were no surprises. We have agreed to a set number of hours which Lightstack stuck to. We have a Slack room setup, on which Lightstack's team was available. Timelines weren't difficult to overcome because the UK and South Africa are only 2-3 hours apart. We have also used email and Google Hangouts in order to maintain regular communication.

What did you find most impressive about Lightstack?

It's not a unique feature, but Lightstack has a very good combination of personal chemistries. I'm a lawyer, so I have expertise in this field. My clients don't know as much about the law, so it's easy for me to talk in a strange language. I can see coding as being the same, but Lightstack didn't do that. They were keen to not only execute on my designs but also to suggest more efficient or better alternatives for reaching our goal. I like to work with people whose expertise can come through. The skillsets of Lightstack's team were clearly there.

Are there any areas Lightstack could improve?

As they grow, which is going to happen, Lightstack needs to ensure that the same level of service is maintained. With any area of the service industry, the trick is to combine growth with the ability to maintain service. This is a constructive thought rather than a criticism.