MileStep, LLC

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder and CEO of Mediprocity a HIPAA compliant secure communication and workflow platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Web, API, Dev Ops, Mobile development

SOLUTION

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

Milestep came through a trusted referrral.

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

Mediprocity is careful to layout the scope of the project which often changes and Milestep can be agile enough to be responsive to the tasks assigned. Their developers care about the project and feel like they are a part of our team. As part of the team, the Milestep developers do not just accept an assignment, they think through the technical requirements and offer other approaches which can lead to development cost reductions and time.

This approach allows Mediprocity to onboard customers faster with satisfaction which impacts sales revenue. When you have software and cannot deliver you cannot sell. It is crucial to have a stable product that customers have confidence in and subscribe. Milestep gives us that confidence in a very complex, HIPAA compliant and fast changing architecture.

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

3 - senior development and 2 - junior developers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Communication and delivery. Two things that are crucial when you work with a development team. If communication is poor, you will miss deadlines. If you miss deadlines, you can lose business. Milestep interacts with the Mediprocity management team on a timely basis and clear objectives.

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

I work as the PM on the timelines and tools and the developers easily follow our needs and workflow guidelines.

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

Good people. They care about our company and projects and do not just code.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a fashion marketplace. We connect brands with people that can help them create their marketing initiatives. If a fashion designer needs to shoot content for their e-commerce site, we provide models, photographers, hairstylists, and makeup artists.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with MileStep, LLC?

Our former CTO had been in the company for 5–6 years, and he left to start another company. We were entirely without any technical capabilities. Then, we hired a replacement shop, but they were an absolute disaster. We needed someone on a limited budget that could jump in and own the entire technical side of the business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

MileStep has worked on our website and iOS application. They’ve helped us build upon and improve the existing functionality. The app allows people to hire models, photographers, and more. Users go on the app, post a job, and wait for someone to apply. Then, they can hire them directly off the app, so all the payments and communications are handled within it.

One of the first things that MileStep did was build a tool to allow users to upload their government IDs. Then, they worked on the general refactoring of the site, did some updates on the libraries, and fixed a payment issue related to our payment processor. They’ve also upgraded products so we can capture the information that the payment processor requires.

Additionally, they’ve worked on setting up a data tracking system so we can get better analytics around performance and built a new job posting flow. Now, they’re in the process of improving an existing mobile responsive site for us, among other initiatives.

What is the team composition?

We have a UX designer, a fullstack engineer, a product manager, and a QA person.

How did you come to work with MileStep, LLC?

We found them on Clutch. They had great reviews, so we wanted to give them a shot.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2022, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re very pleased. They treat the company like they’re our employees, not an agency for hire. Moreover, they’ve done a remarkable job at staying involved in the business despite all the risks around their current living circumstances due to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. They’re incredibly loyal, and we’re impressed with them.

How did MileStep, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re always available, and the team has met deadlines. If there’s any slippage, it’s only 2–3 days, but their deadlines are usually realistic. We use Trello, Gantt charts, Slack, and Zoom for project management and communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They take immediate ownership of a project and treat the platform as their own company. We don’t get the sense that we’re dealing with an agency that just wants to make money off of us. One of the biggest risks with an agency is churn. We could hire somebody, onboard them, and then they get pulled onto another project suddenly because someone else is willing to pay more. So far, that hasn’t happened, and we sense it won’t happen.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re a relatively small company, so maybe they can hire more people in the future to supplement what they have. However, they’re great for the core needs we have today.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Call and tell them what you’re doing. They’ll make sure you’re covered. The team is easy to work with, the founder is honest, and the rates are excellent.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder / CEO of a B2B fitness app. We provide an end-to-end software platform for the fitness industry that allows individuals to run their business and automate routine admin tasks.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

MileStep was engaged to build the Ruby on Rails web app from scratch. They were initially engaged for the MVP development but the scope of the project quickly expanded as the product evolved and the partnership grew off the back of their excellent work.

SOLUTION

How did you select MileStep, LLC and what were the deciding factors?

After interviewing a number of agencies we were impressed by the Eugene at MileStep, particularly his knowledge and honesty. He was able to very quickly understand the goals of the project and the platform we were seeking to build and was able to provide real insight even before formally engaging.

He is genuine and trustworthy and sees every engagement as a true partnership vs. just a customer.

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

We had prepared detailed documentation on the project specs as well as wireframes which formed the basis of the initial kick-off meeting. After spending time with the team sequencing the project development roadmap we were able to quickly move into development. The product is a end-to-end business management solution which includes booking and payments managed via Stripe.

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

We have worked with 2 full time developers consistently from the beginning and added additional resources as needed for more temporary development sprints

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Off the back of the MVP development we have been able to secure funding to expand development and invest in GTM.

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

We have daily standups over Zoom and weekly sprint planning sessions. On a daily basis, we communicate frequently over Slack and manage tickets via Pivotal. Communication is a great strength of the team.

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

Eugene is a true partner of ours and that mentality trickles down throughout the organization to the engineers as well. We have been incredibly impressed by Eugene/MileStep in how he has supported the company in providing true, genuine advice and guidance.

The team are also amazing to work with who have a real sense of responsibility and accountability which makes working with them a true joy, with the results to match.

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

On reflection, if we had our time again we should have spent a little longer planning before jumping too quickly into development at the beginning of the project. The upfront investment would likely have paid dividends in minimizing some initial bumps.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are building a new Application and Social network for musicians, artists, and DJs. I am the Founder and CTO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire MileStep, LLC?

We asked MileStep to develop several applications from scratch. First was a React Native mobile application for Android and iOS. We also asked them to build a Back End API and services in Ruby on Rails with a React Web front end.

What were your goals for this project?

Release our public beta and scale to 10,000 users.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I have worked with Eugene @ MileStep for over 5 years. I have been a part of several different startups and agencies. They are the first company I talk to when looking to outsource work. They are the best developers I've ever worked with in any country anywhere.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

I met directly with the engineers, wrote stories and provided diagrams for functionality. They offered insightful opinions that helped shape the over all design and performance of the application. If I had an idea that was not optimal, they helped find the best solution.

What was the team composition?

Several developers and architects on at different times. We scaled the team up and down effortlessly. Everyone that came on, onboarded quickly. Institutional knowledge of the project was shared with the new team members easily.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This project is a brand new startup so I can't say it has impacted our business. We are now perfectly poised to scale.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Communication lines are always open and I have direct access to the producers. Their code is so good that we seldom need meetings to discuss things.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

MileStep's code quality is top notch. Everything is state of the art and forward thinking. Their lifecycle management and development principles are just as impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a social media platform that is fully governed by the user. Our platform has licensing for content and allows users to send P2P donations to other users.   

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with MileStep, LLC?

I wanted to improve the quality of our social platform, especially the backend.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

MileStep, LLC finished our MVP using Ruby on Rails for the backend and React Native for the frontend. Their main focus right now is completing our mobile app for iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with six people from MileStep, LLC.

How did you come to work with MileStep, LLC?

I saw MileStep, LLC on a home services website and talked to a few people who said great things about them. I also knew a few people there who are great with Ruby on Rails, which is the backend we’re using. I met with Eugene (CEO/Rails Engineer, MileStep, LLC) and liked his mindset.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I was impressed with their work on the platform. It works perfectly and is exactly how I pictured it.

How did MileStep, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

We have three weekly meetings with the project manager. He’s always available and responsive. I can text him any time of the day or night. We communicate mainly through Slack because of the time zone. We also use Trello.

What did you find most impressive about them?

MileStep, LLC’s communication is outstanding. They do a great job, and I really appreciate their help. They never say no.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing for them to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure they fully understand what you need from the beginning. Be transparent with what you expect.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am co-founder of Froth - a membership coffee platform that enables users to receive discounted coffee at their favourite discounted stores, and for coffee shops to market their products and grow their user base through an online platform. As we are a startup, my roles are very diverse, ranging from sales and marketing to finance and product development. None of us are technical founders, so we required a team of developers to bring this product to life.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire MileStep, LLC?

As mentioned, none of our team are technical founders and we therefore required a team of developers to bring our product to life. We posted an advert on AngelList and connected with the Milestep team. They were professional from the outset and we required them to build a mobile app for users alongside an administrative portal for the Froth team. It was evident they had plenty of experience building this type of software, which is why we put our faith in them.

What were your goals for this project?

To develop a mobile app for coffee drinkers to browse coffee shops near them, and then purchase their favourite coffee through the application at a discounted rate. We also required an admin portal where we could manage and distribute payments to coffee shops.

We were looking for an experienced technical team to build this, which is exactly what we found in Milestep. Our internal team conceptualised most of the user flow, but then we required a team to create professional designs and then build them in the backend.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We posted an advert on AngelList. We had a choice of a few software development companies, both domestic and international. We were excited to work with Milestep as a result of the reciprocal excitement they showed towards the project. I honestly believe this is the start of a great partnership courtesy of Eugene's strength as a leader and businessman, alongside Alex and his team's technical capabilities.

Describe the project in detail.

Froth is a marketplace for Coffee Drinkers to find Independent Coffee Shops near them, save money on coffees, track their loyalty and share coffees with their friends.

In turn, Froth is a marketing platform for Coffee Shops to find new customers and help retain their existing base. An app was beautifully designed by the Milestep team and built for consumers. The user flow allows them to find a coffee shop near them which required the team to use a maps API.

The user then selects the coffee shop and an item off their menu. The user scans an in-store QR code to pay for their item from their pre-loaded bank card which required the team to integrate with a South African payments gateway. Once the consumer received their coffee they can rate and review the coffee shop and the app automatically logs some interesting coffee-based statistics including their loyalty.

An additional feature to note is the ‘Send a Coffee’ feature which allows a user to select a friend from their contact list and it automates a text message to that friend who can then redeem a coffee at a coffee shop of their choice.

To manage this process, the Froth team required an admin panel. Again, this was beautifully designed and built as a web-based dashboard. It allowed our team to onboard coffee shop details including pictures, pricing, location, bank details and menu items. It also allowed us to manage the payments to coffee shops for the coffees they sold through the platform – these payments were automated by the Milestep team.

We could see which consumers were on the platform, filter by several data points and even send an email to them via the admin panel. Backend: Ruby on Rails (5.2.3) Mobile platform: React Native (0.59.8) Web platform: React (16.8.6)

What was the team composition?

Initially I communicated with Eugene to agree on commercial terms and set up the project. However, consequently the project has been managed by Alex, who has a time of 4 other developers and designers behind him. We have weekly calls to check up on progress and they are always working hard to deliver what we need. To have access to such a large team for the price that we are paying is a true demonstration of Milestep's commitment to their clients.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality and speed at which the Milestep team has been able to develop the Froth app, both in terms of UI and programming, is phenomenal. They maintain a very high level of professionalism and have been able to build our MVP in a few short months.

Their ability to conceptualise, ask questions, and take initiative has helped the process move very quickly and smoothly. Thanks to them we will be able to launch within the next few weeks and start generating revenue.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I think the workflow has been a big success so far. Alex has communicated regularly with me (Jonathan) and we have been gatekeepers of information between the two teams which has worked well. The use of Slack has allowed us to stay connected and each of the Milestep team have communicated with me directly through there from time to time when necessary.

The calls and live demo’s every two weeks have been excellent, there is no better way to show progress than to put the product in our hands which is what they did. I also think the Milestep team have the perfect balance between asking questions and using their experience, skills & initiative.

They often showed us UX ways of navigating the app that we would never have thought of. They actioned their experience instead of asking for permission which sped up the development – this was great to see.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The speed at which they were able to take our concept from wireframes to a functioning mobile application, along with their high level of work ethic and the quality of their work. These aspects really impressed us and proved to us that we had partnered with the right company to see our vision through and help us succeed.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It would be great to receive feedback from the Milestep team about our communication techniques, wireframes & product requirement descriptions so that we can improve this aspect of our work. I plan to do a project review once we launch the MVP. I also think a ‘live’ document that displayed all the features currently being worked on, along with the estimated timeline and some comments would be useful. This document could also show those features yet to be started, as well as, those that have been completed. Perhaps a tool like Trello could work nicely?

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a digital media and technology company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire MileStep, LLC?

We needed a vendor to create a media streaming platform.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to build our core product correctly and efficiently.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met with their CEO via Skype to discuss our goals. Based on that interaction, I felt that MileStep, LLC was the perfect vendor to get our core product up and running.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Based on our goals and requirements, MileStep, LLC is building a media streaming platform.

What was the team composition?

We work with about five people at a time, but some of them rotate on and off of the team as needed. A lead developer manages the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve helped us accelerate our business timeline by assisting us with the build of our platform.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Their team was very organized. They understood our priorities regarding the core components of our software.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were efficient and effective in their workflow. We were a bit nervous that our goals weren’t attainable going into the partnership, but they delivered everything we asked of them.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

No, there’s nothing from my perspective.