Merehead

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a web designer creating a new media platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Merehead?

I needed developers to build 21 websites related to my platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Because of the unique nature of the product, each website has to be built from scratch with completely customized components. It’s a complex project that involves the integration of social media platforms and ecommerce functions.

They provided mockups based on a brief outline I provided. Having built the first website, they’re currently working on the second.

What is the team composition?

I've traveled to meet their team in Ukraine and consider them all close friends now. I have a project manager, but I also speak regularly with three other team members.

How did you come to work with Merehead?

I posted an advertisement on Upwork and received responses from developers who clearly failed to read the job specifications.

Eugene [Musienko, CEO, Merehead] contacted me and took time to answer all my questions. After an interview, I felt confident in Merehead’s abilities and was vindicated in my decision after seeing the quality of work they put into the first website.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2016 and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Merehead was able to translate my concepts into practical applications. The proofs they provided matched my descriptions exactly. It’s a complex project, so the websites haven't yet launched, but I've been very happy with their progress. Every penny I've spent has been a penny in the right direction.

How did Merehead perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate primarily through Skype and email, though I can also reach them by phone anytime. They quickly respond to any questions, and Eugene, in particular, takes as much time as needed to understand my priorities. Still, they’re keen comprehension allows them to grasp projects far quicker than U.K. and U.S.-based companies I’ve worked with. They’re also diligent, working late hours if needed to meet deadlines.

While language differences have led to minor instances of miscommunication, their team is highly proficient in English.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Because this is a complex project, I thought some of my ideas would be too difficult to execute. This hasn’t been the case. Merehead has accomplished every task I’ve thrown at them. Their dedication, work ethic, and attention to detail make them a reliable partner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your priorities, but stay flexible. Web developers are creative people, so keep an open mind to any suggested solutions that may improve your original idea.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a co-founder of JobGrouper, which is a Groupon-like service for employment. We allow certain people to pool together and buy a provider’s services collectively on a monthly basis, getting a great price per individual. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Merehead?

When we started working on our site, we had a CTO in place but needed design help. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Merehead provided designs and basic development pieces, which were implemented by our internal technical lead. In terms of technology, we primarily integrated with Stripe. We needed to have a monthly billing process, unlike Groupon, which offers single products and services. Our platform maintains providers’ engagements on a subscription basis and issues bills every month. As a result, we needed some kind of payment functionality. We had considered PayPal, but it didn’t work for grouped employment, so we were forced into Stripe.

Our system is the first of its kind to offer grouped employment in this fashion, so integrating some of the features that weren’t present on other sites was challenging.

How did you come to work with Merehead?

I found their listing on Upwork. They had a good rating on the platform, or at least the founder did. I decided to give them a try for the initial phase of the project and have kept them on for the past year. I also gave Merehead a new side project of mine.

How much have you invested with Merehead?

The cost of their work has been around $8,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Merehead in July 2016. The platform was recently published, and we have transitioned to some sales work. Merehead works on the maintenance side at the moment, although we’re planning to push new features in the future. We want to see how customers react to the current layout. Merehead is also working with me on another project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re a B2B provider, selling people’s services to other businesses. I am meeting with a sales prospect next week in order to gather information and walk them through the process of starting payments.

How did Merehead perform from a project management standpoint?

Our CTO did some of the work and directed the Merehead team, but they also contributed significantly.

What did you find most impressive about Merehead?

They have amazing design skills. They’re also proficient in development, which is where our CTO focused, but he didn’t have to work on the design side at all. I would recommend Merehead to anyone looking for design services.

Are there any areas Merehead could improve?

On the development side, our CTO knew more about the direction we needed to take, but I like to see teams provide critical thinking beyond development skills. Merehead is capable in this area, but we still needed to have a CTO involved.