Monster Code Corporation

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Authorized Revolution Technologies makes consumer facing mobile apps. I am the Founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Monster Code Corporation?

We needed some additional hands for engineering.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We on-boarded an iOS developer, a project manager, and a technical adviser. They helped us to complete our minimum viable product. The iOS developer is the lead developer on everything. He’s done pretty well in helping us complete the prototype.

How did you come to work with Monster Code Corporation?

I met them at an event. A couple of months later, I realized I needed some expert developers. We didn’t have the expertise at that point. The process was very fast. Their contractual process and schedule was very easy. They catered to us being a startup and having a low budget. They’ve been on top of everything from the start.

How much have you invested with Monster Code Corporation?

$20 to $30 an hour for four to five days a week. We’re a bootstrap company, so that’s very manageable for us. It’s been under $10,000 total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked with them for two months. It’s ongoing. We’re wrapping up, and because I don’t have the support staff, we’ll be continuing with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Had I not hired the additional help, I don’t think we would’ve been near completion of our minimum viable product. It really allowed me to see how far behind we were. We were able to get our minimum viable product which is due next week. I’m not very technical, so it’s been tremendous for my team. It was the best decision we could’ve made because of their level of expertise. I see constantly in our communications where a developer will educate one of our team members. It has elevated our team and got us on track with getting something out to the market.

How did Monster Code Corporation perform from a project management standpoint?

It’s been good. I think what was lacking initially was visibility in terms of knowing where things were. When I brought that up to them, they recommended that we bring on a technical adviser. The lead developer has been very helpful.

What did you find most impressive about Monster Code Corporation?

Pricing, all the other shops were charging more. I wasn’t initially aware of the cost that it would take to get where we were going. When I researched and found out the pricing, it was a no-brainer.

Are there any areas Monster Code Corporation could improve?

I think having the technical adviser would have been great from the beginning. I didn’t realize that would be a challenge going in. In terms of the contract process, pricing, and expertise - when I have questions I’ll email them, and they respond quickly. We’re satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We have a website and blog that connects active people with fun things to do where drinks are also available – so coffee, beer, wine, cocktails, and BYOB.

What is your position?

I am the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Monster Code Corporation?

I had some positive feedback from some blogs I had written. I wanted them to help me create a map tool so I could have an interface like Yelp and be the Yelp for drinkers so that they could filter down the types of things they like to do and the beverages they prefer. If I wanted to do beer and yoga or wine and paint night, I could choose brewery and yoga or wine and art classes and be able to find them.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

I had already been building a database first in Google Sheets, and then I was playing around with Google Fusiontables. I wanted Monster Code to find a way that I could continuously update my data table and have it display in an aesthetically pleasing and functional way. I couldn't do that myself. I am using the Shopify platform. They were able to modify that by changing the CSS and HTML to make it look different. They also built something that they host on Monster Code's server that I just embed on the page I want. With the map they built, all I have to do and just embed it using certain formulas rather than having to manage that all myself. That's great for someone who's not technical.

How did you come to work with Monster Code Corporation?

I had a posting on Angel List and was getting a flood of emails. Monster Code was one of them.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The project was less than $2,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The initial project is completed. I asked if they could create maps for six new cities. We're working on that now [as of August 2016]. I think the project took a month. We had a few weeks where I spoke with the various teams over Skype. They gave me a preview of it. I had to give more specifics on the structure. The actual building of it took a week or two. It was probably four to six weeks in all.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

It allowed me to relaunch the entire site, and I was happy with it. I use peek user testing a few times a month because they do free user testing. No one has complained. People have been happy with it.

How did Monster Code Corporation perform from a project management standpoint?

I thought they were very good. Matt was the project manager and made it very clear who was doing what. There was the lead developer/cofounder, and I had a dedicated developer, Greg. I had a call with all three of them in the beginning. Matt took the reins on making sure everybody was on the same page. It was very organized and easy to work by email.

What distinguishes Monster Code Corporation from other providers?

At first, I wanted to work with somebody in Chicago because I thought it would be better to see what they were doing. I wasn't able to find anybody. The rates weren't good. Monster Code contacted me. They were straightforward, their prices were good, and they were flexible and fast. It's the first time I worked with a developer. It was a good first experience.

Is there anything Monster Code Corporation could have improved or done differently?

No. I was happy with everything. Maybe a summary of what they did, but I knew what they did.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I am the owner at WineFlite [a shipping service that deal with wine only and transports it to locations around the world].

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Monster Code Corporation?

We were exploring a new model, pursuing international tourists. It was a very difficult challenge because we were going after wine businesses all around the world.

SOLUTION

How did you come to work with Monster Code Corporation?

We were working with a developer previously who was not user-friendly. We were looking for another developer, and it took very little time for us to be immediately impressed with how good Monster Code Corporation was. They were completely professional.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We spent between $75,000 and $100,000 per year with Monster Code Corporation. During the course of our relationship, we spent more than $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Monster Code Corporation for a few years before we sold the business [in 2014]. We didn't stop because they couldn't finish the project. It was an ever-evolving business that needed constant changing, and we suggested to the new owners that they continue to work with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We started out with no model. It was a zero-revenue business, and it was valued at $3 million three years later due to what they helped us to achieve.

How did Monster Code Corporation perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. Our project manager had attention to detail. The part I liked was that Monster Code Corporation wasn't very dogmatic – they weren't stuck in how they do things. They were focused on what we wanted. We wanted a certain type of casual reporting and communication. Because our project manager became our friend, I could pick up the phone and talk to her. My whole thing about the website was the user experience. The more comfortable and casual and conversational I could make it, the better off I was.

What distinguishes Monster Code Corporation from other providers?

They were very responsive, which is the number one thing that I wanted. They were good about engaging us in questions relevant to our final goal and objective. I was impressed with them on that scale. They were very responsive to any immediate problem. They would wake somebody up in the middle of the night if they needed to. They went beyond the call of duty. I went to Budapest and met with them. They spoke very good English. I was impressed.

I have worked with other developers and I find that most of them are all about selling you the idea of what they can do, rather than just being there for you. Monster Code Corporation has amazing capabilities. They can reach out and grab whatever expertise they might need that they don't have. They're completely transparent in how they communicate. They are fast and inexpensive compared to others. I enjoyed working with them. They understood our concept.

There's a human component to any kind of development like this. Regardless of how skilled the people are, the human component makes it livable and workable. It makes you feel like you're involved, and they're part of who you are. They don't make you feel like you're an outsider. I'm not a coder, but I have a big opinion about design and elements. They never made me feel stupid, and I appreciated that. They were an absolute pleasure to work with. If they don't understand something or don't know something, they tell you. They don't hide it. They have an opinion. They don't just waste your money. They would tell you if you go down this road, this is what's going to happen. They were good.

Is there anything Monster Code Corporation could have improved or done differently?

There was one period of time where the translations weren't being done fast enough, but that was a minor thing. As soon as we made it an issue, it was moved up on the priority list. If you want a pretty website with a little e-commerce, I guess you can get that anywhere. If you went to Bordeaux, France, and you wanted to buy wine and you walked into a wine shop, that wine shop knew how to go on my system and book that order. The same applies to Mendoza, Argentina, and McLaren Vale in Australia or Napa or Sonoma. Everybody had to be trained in all the operational entry. Everyone had to go in per country – it was not easy. I had to have a separate entrance for every country based on its language and what they could understand. The people at Monster had no problem adjusting. In fact, Monster Code Corporation being in Budapest was probably their biggest advantage because it's a very big central international point. They understood different cultures. I was totally impressed by that.