MB Creative

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of facilities and special initiatives for an addiction and treatment center.

What challenge were you trying to address with MB Creative.

We wanted to develop a tracking system for our patients to monitor how many were coming into our clinics, what was driving them there, and where they were going after they left.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a web application that is an analytics-based database tracking system. The main feature was tracking of patients and the input of information into our system. This was our first time working with a digital agency. I provided them with general guidelines and details of what we were looking for, and they built it. There wasn’t much back and forth or an editing process of adding or removing new features, we stuck with strict guidelines and development for the project.

What is the team dynamic?

I worked with Matthew [Founder & Owner, MB Creative].

How did you come to work with MB Creative?

I found them through a referral. I wasn’t really considering any other vendors at the time. When he came to us, he was new to the field, but we were willing to give him a shot. He basically fell into my lap and we decided to go with him.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in June 2016, and the engagement concluded in March 2017.

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

While the database is up and running, we actually haven’t been using it because our staff didn’t uptake to it well. It’s not because of any faults with their work. We’re looking at having it integrated into another program of ours in the future. We would likely re-hire Matthew to do such.

How did MB Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They communicated regularly with us; it was more frequently at the beginning of the project and then just as updates were required. Overall, they did very well and delivered on budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Just what he was able to do for us and create the tracking system we wanted. It was great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not necessarily.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m president of LiquiMedLock Inc.

What challenge were you trying to address with MB Creative?

We needed a site to serve as a tool for our customers with information and explanations about our products. We had a basic site that needed to be updated and made more appealing.

We’re now building a second site which is meant to allow customers to place orders online and communicate with us, and that presents our products’ features in a unique, descriptive and visually appealing manner.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built a WordPress site for me, developing the backend and integrating content—including video and photos—that we provided. We initially sat down together to brainstorm and determine the objectives for the site. Throughout the development process we worked on a secondary site while the current site remained public. I provided feedback in real time and he made the changes.

They started building a second site for me about a month ago that’s more elaborate. My new site is in a different market space and is meant to drive sales. He’s built a framework that we’re reviewing before they move to the development stage.

They offered to develop text for the site for us but I have someone that does that for me. We have had them do design work for us via partners, which makes them a one-stop shop for me when I need logos or flyers.

What is the team dynamic?

Matt [Matt Balshin, CEO, MB Creative] is my lead. I specifically told him that I'm not interested in working through another team member. We communicate directly and he manages other team members.

How did you come to work with MB Creative?

I had worked with another individual who set up a very basic website for me. We needed to update the site and that individual was no longer available.

Matt was a close friend of my daughter. He was trying to prove himself. I gave him my requirements and timelines, and he provided quotes and past work that were very professional.

I’m a small business. I didn’t need a large firm for this work and didn’t want to pay overheads. I also don’t have the support staff to either do a broad search for vendors or to manage the project from my side. I felt like I could trust him and I was comfortable with him. I decided to give him a shot. I was pleased enough with his work to bring him back on board to do the second site.

How much have you invested with them?

The first site cost between $5,000-6,000. The current site is going to be close to $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

He built the first site between November 2015 and February 2016. He’s now working on the second site which should launch next year.

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

The new site with its detailed descriptions gives us a more legitimate presence, which has had a positive impact on new and existing customers. My sales reps can also use it when they’re on the phone with a customer. Scope has increased as we’ve added new products to a larger product line. We look more professional. I’m pleased with the outcome.

How did MB Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

I made it clear at the outset that I wanted to do most of the work on this virtually rather than have to meet every week, and that I wanted to be able to give feedback on a daily basis. He established a system for us with a secondary backend site that lets me make comments and share feedback in real time. It’s allowed us to cut down our meetings and be more productive on the day-to-day development.

We communicate effectively and he gives detailed responses to anything you need. He provides specific, clear descriptions of what’s going on, how things are being built, how long they will take. His emails can be long winded but the detail he provides makes it easier for a person without experience to understand what’s involved in the development process.

Sometimes I’m the one holding up progress towards meeting deadlines. I still need to take photos for the new site, for example. They’ll develop the backend and we’ll upload the visuals later. We’re looking to kick off the new site next year so I’m not in a rush.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Matt has an impressive skill set. He has the creative ability to develop unique features and products. I know his coding capabilities are strong too, as well as his communications skills for keeping you informed along the way. Overall, I find him to be very professional.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust in his capabilities. Make sure you tell him what you want and your expectations in terms of feedback and timeliness.