OneSeven Technology

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a marketplace for micro licensing musical content. We also do digital asset management and storage. 

What challenge were you trying to address with OneSeven Technology?

We’re a startup, and our website does what it needs to do. However, it’s not scalable at all. We’ve had about 3,000 user backlogs that we can’t add to the site. As a result, OneSeven is helping us rebuild it from scratch and from the ground up.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first part of the engagement was creating a project roadmap in which OneSeven fleshed out everything the site needed, considering all of its moving pieces. They also determined the number of stages that the buildout was going to take, finding ones that were absolutely essential. Then, James (CEO & Head of Operations) looped in his teammates to answer the questions I had about the project roadmap.

Once we committed to this project roadmap, we provided their team with more details on what we needed. After giving them requirements, they started doing more research and gave us a quote for the project. This process lasted for three weeks. 

From there, our engagement’s next phase is the UI/UX design, which is much more intense; it’s where the actual work of building the website starts. At present, we’re in the middle of raising capital. Once we complete the fundraising effort, we’ll continue to the development phase. 

What is the team composition?

James is our main point of contact, but I also talk to Michelle (UX Designer). I’ve also talked to a couple of developers over the phone for their team to better understand our needs. 

How did you come to work with OneSeven Technology?

I was introduced to a person who helped startups connect the dots in business. While we were talking about my pain points, he said that I should meet James. That was how I met OneSeven. I did some research on them and checked if they were capable. Then, we did an introductory call. Apart from them, I also vetted other developers. James stood out as a great communicator; the difference between their communication skills was night and day.

On top of that, the OneSeven team had the best portfolio. Ensuring that they could build what we wanted to build, we also learned that they were truly forward-thinking. In fact, they already knew some of the things that we were talking about. By contrast, other companies were more archaic in terms of how they built things up.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent $4,000 on the project roadmap. We expect the next phase of the project to cost a bit more money. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the engagement in July 2021, and it’s ongoing. 

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

The project roadmap that OneSeven has built is truly useful. If we’re building a house, one can say that we already have a blueprint. As such, we can show our investors exactly how much material we need. With the roadmap, we also know if we have the vendors that can provide the materials and their costs. Further, it tells us how many hours it will take to finish the project. 

More importantly, the roadmap shows our investors that we’ve thought the project through. They understand why we’re asking for a specific amount of money from them. Rather than simply telling them that we need funds for the website, we can show them where we’re going to use the funding. This is truly important for us. Overall, the material that OneSeven has given us is helpful. 

How did OneSeven Technology perform from a project management standpoint?

OneSeven is always on the money when it comes to deadlines and communications. They’re exceptional. Even their printed materials are easy to understand. As a result, even though building this website is a huge undertaking, I don’t feel scared because I understand what their team is talking about and why we need to do certain things.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They do exceptional work — they also lead the pack in this aspect — but what truly stands out is how well they can communicate their ideas to us. I’m not a tech guy or a developer, so talking to developers is sometimes difficult; that’s a huge communication barrier. Luckily, James has a real gift in terms of communication. He can explain everything to me in a way that a layperson can understand. On top of that, he’s spent much time understanding our needs. He chimes in when he knows we should consider another way of doing something.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

James is good at making the most out of calls, so schedule a call with him. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the co-founder of a community based social network.

What challenge were you trying to address with 17 Web Dev?

We needed a partner to build our web application platform.

What was the scope of their involvement?

17 Web App is in the process of developing our web application. We have an existing website, that they're using for reference, but this new platform will be built from scratch. They conducted user interviews to understand our vision and use cases and built some wireframes to come back and get our feedback. After, we provided feedback, we went and developed a mobile counterpart to the application as well. It's currently built on Julia and PHP. At some point, they'll be upgrading it to WordPress and PHP.

What is the team composition?

On the design, portion, I only worked with two points of contact. For the development, we have around three people, including a project manager and two developers.

How did you come to work with 17 Web Dev?

We did some research online and posted our requirements on some freelancing websites. We contacted three companies, and 17 Web Dev was the best fit.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in September 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

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

It's only been month one on the development side of things, but we've been pleased with how the design turned out.

How did 17 Web Dev perform from a project management standpoint?

They've delivered on time and within budget thus far. For development, we've been using a bi-weekly scrum methodology. Our communication is once every two weeks, and we'd like to turn that into once a week. From a team standpoint, it's helpful to see the progress they've made.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They definitely know what they're doing. From a design perspective, they've delivered and brought in a lot of good insight into the process. The cost also seems very reasonable and for our budget. Overall, they really understand startups and the things we go through. We bring back that aspect into how we engage and what our next steps should be.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be nice to have a different development cycle, wherein they involve and engage their customers more. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Platonic, a geolocation-based interest app to find real-time platonic relationships.

What challenge were you trying to address with 17 Web Dev?

Our in-house team handles the frontend work, so we hired 17 Web Dev to help with the iOS backend development of our app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

17 Web Dev created the backend of our app from scratch. We told them our ideas and recommendations for what it should look like, and they gave us potential designs to pick from.

Their team has helped us build several features so far, including a custom messaging interface and our tutorial. They’ve also created a social media request tool, allowing users to request, approve, and deny access to their profiles. Additionally, the app has a scrollable queue, showing people from closest to furthest. 

What is the team composition?

In total, around five people have been helping us from their team. They regularly provide a UX/UI designer, backend developer, project manager, and iOS developer. 

How did you come to work with 17 Web Dev?

We met them at an industry conference, and we hit it off with  James (CEO & Head of Operations, 17 Web Dev).

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $40,000 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in December 2018, and we’re continuing to work together. 

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

They’ve hit every goal that we’ve set for them, so far. We have no complaints about their delivery at this point. 

How did 17 Web Dev perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve set a list of goals, and use Teamwork to execute the project and achieve them. They’re very attentive and walk us through what needs to be done.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a very hands-on team and have a thorough process that we appreciate. Coming into the project not knowing much about app development, we've found it very helpful to have 17 Web Dev guide us through the work. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Since some employees are independently contracted, it has been slightly confusing at times when some employees join at different times. However, there’s been nothing else I can think of for them to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be involved in the process, because they truly want to make the right product for you and do it thoroughly. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director and founder of a nonprofit that uses a subscription model to negate carbon footprints.

What challenge were you trying to address with 17 Web Dev?

I contracted them to build our website. Rather than a tacky WordPress site with plug-ins, James (CEO & Head of Operations, 17 Web Dev) promised a robust system. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

17 Web Dev is building a web application with a React.js frontend, a Node.js backend, and a Google Firebase database for scaling. Beyond creating an ordinary page, they built a customer reward points system that integrates with our credit card processor and triggers points after confirming payment. 17 Web Dev basically created a subscription program.

They also integrated the system with the Shopify API. Using Webhooks, they added products to our rewards program, connected them to individual user profiles, and built a backend database for registered accounts. Our users can track how many trees we've planted for them and what carbon impact they’ve had. We’re launching in the next two or three months. They’ve finished the MVP and will keep it as robust as possible.

How did you come to work with 17 Web Dev?

I found James through a simple internet search. I had a limited budget, so I wanted an affordable, local partner who I could meet face-to-face. A local partnership was also a huge benefit for James because it helped him explain things better. A lot of people can say “yes” on the phone, but it’s hard to fake when you're sitting together.

James explained everything. I went through many developers to find someone who could do that. Even before we discussed pricing, he understood my goal. He wanted to give me the best representation, rather than wasting his time on a client who didn’t understand his services. That was refreshing.

Few entrepreneurs are successful, but James vets clients to determine that they’re serious. He ensured that I completely understood my plan. He didn't constantly sell himself; our conversation went both ways. He was willing to work with me and passionate about my idea. 

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve paid them $20,000 so far. I pay commission for the ongoing work, but set a minimum payment. Our payment schedule varies depending on how much work they do. We might work for a full month, then hold until we have more money. We paid for an extra two months of a la carte development, but I've never felt duped or misled.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project has evolved as we built and gone in a different direction than the original contract. The project is a long-term collaboration for updating the site, adding content, and tweaking the system. James is as fluid, amenable, and transparent as possible.

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

I’ve attempted other internet businesses in the past, but not at this scale. James is instrumental in identifying our limitations and horizons. We knew we’d encounter limitations, so I needed someone who could understand my idea and step back from the technological limitations I imposed on myself.

I thought we were going back to the drawing board at one point. We planned to use a Shopify site, but James exposed a monkey wrench. He handled things well, leaned on his developers, and delivered a working demo I didn’t expect for another three months.

How did 17 Web Dev perform from a project management standpoint?

They do everything they can, but I don't like their Teamwork project management software. I'm not enthusiastic about staying up to date with it, which is a pain for them. Our communication is still excellent, and I give them top marks for project management and teamwork. They invited us into the project and were totally transparent about development and deadlines.

James tackles all projects in the same way and always strives to do better. During whiteboarding sessions with his development team, they created a main solution and two backups to use when the first one inevitably failed. He lays everything out and makes it seem almost easy. It's a simple, robust approach.

What did you find most impressive about them?

James builds valuable products. He doesn't create as many websites as possible while outsourcing work to engineers in India. Instead, he pursues high-quality projects and fantastic ideas.

His transparency also eliminates huge issues. I entered this project with certain expectations and stated some preconceptions as facts. James didn’t realize how ignorant I was, but he dealt with it. 

I see James as my co-founder, but I couldn’t pay him his worth if he were an employee. We wouldn't have anything without the system and infrastructure he built. Trusting him was one of the best things I've ever done for my company. He’s a great partner at every step. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

My only comment is that his first facilities weren’t up to par. He opened his offices during my tenure, and they’re beautiful now.

Please describe your company and your position there.

CEO and Co-Founder

For what projects/services did your company hire OneSeven Technology, and what were your goals?

Our platform is unique in real estate tech world so understanding is crucial to build it well and One Seven Tech did just that.

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

We have talked to them for months in advance before we engaged and they were ready to collaborate early on.

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

They think about steps ahead so there's no wasted time and funds later and then they go into building mode.

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

over 12 people all together.

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

Launched in time, in budget with full product.

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

Daily communication via Slack, weekly standups, and using different management tools to stay on top of tasks.

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

I was impressed with how professional and friendly their team was.

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

Faster is better but not a flaw with them, they work fast.