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Mobilize Your Business

4.8
19 reviews
Gold
VERIFIED

Red Foundry is a mobile application design and development consulting firm. Founded in 2009, and led by seasoned business and technology executives, we help our clients “Mobilize Their Business” by creating award-winning native mobile applications for the iOS and Android platforms.

Utilizing our mobile-optimized methodology, we partner with entrepreneurs and early stage startups to launch their mobile-enabled business, and we work with established corporations to build mobile products that support their digital transformation.

It all began when we started building iPhone apps for fun, and a few of them became big hits. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we quit our day jobs and began making apps for other organizations like Pearl Jam and Kodak. After working in the trenches for a while we realized that building a great mobile app could be expensive, time consuming, and complex. So we set out on our journey to make building mobile apps easier.

That’s why we started Red Foundry – to take our years of experience in building successful mobile apps and package it into a team of engineers armed with technology and process methodology to lower the cost, complexity, and delivery risk of building killer mobile apps.

Red Foundry was built on these simple principles:

  • All apps should be beautiful, unique, intuitive, and relevant. 
  • Any company, large or small, should have the opportunity to leverage the benefits of mobile app technology. 
  • An app is useless without a team of skilled people to support and evolve it. 

Every day Red Foundry tackles the tough challenges that face most businesses when going mobile. But most importantly Red Foundry apps are built by a team of software engineers who are passionate about mobile.  It's all we do.  And we love it.

READ MORE...
 
$25,000+
 
$150 - $199 / hr
 
10 - 49
 Founded
2009
Show all +
Chicago, IL
headquarters
  • 400 W. Huron, Unit 803
    Chicago, IL 60654
    United States
    888.406.1099

Portfolio

Key clients: 

Traveling Vineyard, Galaxy Digital, Gearflow, Random House, Clark Brands, Reader's Digest, BuyFluidly, Central Insurance, Utrip, Fodor's Travel Guides, FanAngel, Pearl Jam, Kodak, Panasonic, Wine Enthusiast, Systagenix, StoryTime, Internet Brands, Purohit Navigation, KTVA Alaska, Fautus

Save Every Mile App Image

Save Every Mile App

Clark Brands LLC provides gasoline and convenience store brands to independent gasoline stations. The Clark brand, in existence since 1932, is well known throughout the Midwest and the other markets.  Clark provides programs and services to approximately 1,000 gas stations across 32 states.


Clark Brands looked to Red Foundry to broaden its services to clients through a mobile app experience that enhances

…
customer loyalty, improves purchasing efficiency, and drives in store purchases. The result of our partnership with Clark is the Save Every Mile® Mobile Application for both iOS and Android devices.


Save Every Mile® Mobile Application is the official app of Clark and Crown. With this mobile app, consumers can:

  • Purchase digital gift cards
  • Find your nearest Clark or Crown gas station
  • Apply for the Clark Crown Endless Rewards Mastercard®
Read more...
Volunteer Connect App Image

Volunteer Connect App

Galaxy Digital provides a market leading web-based volunteer management software solution called the Connect Platform to over 500 clients. Red Foundry partnered with Galaxy Digital to design, develop, test and launch an iOS and Android App using React Native to enhance their client’s and volunteer’s experience, keep pace/outpace the competition, and thereby increase the value of the Connect Platform solution.

The core

…
features of the Galaxy Digital Volunteer Get Connected App are:
  • Secure log in and geo-location search for non-profits in your area
  • Search, select and check in/out of volunteer shifts
  • Add/maintain volunteer hours
  • Review a dashboard that tracks your volunteer activities and the impact you are having in your community
  • Leverage push and geo-fencing features when arriving on-site to automatically check you into the non-profit agency, and automatically check you out when you leave
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BuyFluidly B2B Web-App Image

BuyFluidly B2B Web-App

The liquor and beer industry is highly regulated and fragmented with Distributors owning the rights to different beverage brands. Retailers, Bars & Restaurants have limited visibility to available products, promotions, and inventory, which leads to placing dozens of re-supply orders through antiquated spreadsheets, email and even fax. BuyFluidly’s goal is to simplify the beverage buying process for Retailers, Bars &

…
Restaurants.


Red Foundry designed, built, tested, and launched a web-based B2B ecommerce marketplace platform for retailers and suppliers of restaurant beverages (beer, wine, and liquor). Distributors can easily add rich product details, photos, reviews, and links and manage their inventories. Retailers, Bars & Restaurants can then place a single re-supply order for multiple products from multiple distributors, using an easy to use e-cart, reducing a time-consuming fragmented process into a few simple clicks.


The UI design is mobile-responsive, several third-party services were integrated into the product, the platform was built using React, and the backend is hosted on AWS technology.

Read more...
Traveling Vineyards - Awesomm Events Image

Traveling Vineyards - Awesomm Events

Traveling Vineyard selected Red Foundry in 2016 as their strategic mobile app development partner based on our deep mobile app expertise and our proven ability to help clients move from “Idea to Reality”. From the initial app design reviews through app development, testing, and launch in September 2016, Red Foundry has helped Traveling Vineyard turn their vision into a reality with the launch of their iOS Awesomm App.

…

3 years later, having worked together on numerous updates and enhancements to their iOS App, Traveling Vineyard engaged Red Foundry to refresh and rebuild the App using React Native which provided a new and improved iOS and Android version of the App!


The App Rebuild Included:

  • Developed using React Native – one codebase producing both an iOS and Android App
  • Restyled the App with a cleaner, more modern User Interface
  • Reconfigured the checkout workflow for an improved UX
  • Optimized the code to improve App performance, responsiveness
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Fautus On-Demand Photography App Image

Fautus On-Demand Photography App

Fautus had the idea to revolutionize personal photography by replacing low quality selfies with high-quality photos taken by skilled photographers at an affordable price. No small feat!

Fautus selected Red Foundry as their strategic development partner based on our deep mobile app expertise and our proven ability to help clients move from “Idea to Reality”. From the initial app concept and design reviews through

…
development, testing, and launch in July 2017, Red Foundry has helped Fautus turn their vision into a reality.


The Fautus app now connects people with photographers at popular Points of Interest in a moment’s notice. It is great for instantly capturing and sharing casual moments.


And, photographers now have a new way to use their photography skills to make some people happy and also make some money! 


End User Feature Highlightss:

  • Find Fautus photographers near your location (map view)
  • Request a photographer session
  • Chat with the photographer to confirm session meet-up details
  • View the photos from your session
  • Purchase photos


Read more...

Reviews

4.8
19 reviews
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Web Dev & Optimization for Construction Marketplace

“They look out for what’s best for our business.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.5
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Mar. 2019 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Red Foundry is helping a construction marketplace bring their development efforts and tech stack management in-house by optimizing the site’s backend. They continue to build new functionalities.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Chicago, Illinois
Ben Preston
Co-Founder, Gearflow.com
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Red Foundry’s efforts have improved the user experience and helped internal stakeholders take ownership of the entire tech stack, ultimately resulting in increased orders and boosted revenue. Flexible, accommodating, and transparent, the team works with external resources to scale development.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Gearflow.com, an online marketplace for construction equipment and parts as well as wholesale rentals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Red Foundry?

We just launched in October 2018. An outsourced company had built our MVP using a LAMP stack, primarily PHP. We hired Red Foundry to serve as a fractional CTO and create a more scalable environment. We needed to develop and streamline our site’s backend so that we could transition to an in-house team here in Chicago.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first phase was to scope out all of the things that we needed to develop on the site’s backend and what we needed to optimize to get us to a scalable environment. Red Foundry overhauled a lot of the backend, which took about 3–4 months.

Since then, Red Foundry has rebuilt and optimized various functionalities on a project-by-project basis. They work on a lot of things simultaneously. The team helped us develop a hybrid Android app, but the majority of their work has been web-based. They migrated our platform to AWS and continue to deploy various AWS tools.

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with Ron (Partner & CTO, Red Foundry) and Kerri (VP of Client Delivery, Red Foundry). Ron road mapped the first phase of our work together. Kerri serves as the project manager and keeps everything organized. Several developers have worked on our project, following Ron’s roadmap and Kerri’s direction.

How did you come to work with Red Foundry?

My company needed to bridge the gap between outsourcing development and creating an in-house team, so we did some due diligence of different firms in the Chicago area that could fill this fractional CTO role.

We came across Red Foundry through a referral who’d worked with them on a mobile project, and we chose them because they were willing to work with our existing technology stack and environment. My company initially hired Red Foundry for mobile development, but the engagement transformed as our needs changed.

How much have you invested with them?

At this point, we’ve likely surpassed $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in March 2019, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Red Foundry fulfills a critical role. They’re helping us take ownership of our whole tech stack. They’ve been flexible to working with external resources to scale development, even though this means less billable hours for them. They look out for what’s best for our business.

The work that they’ve done has allowed us to see regular incoming orders. We continue to improve the site’s experience from optimization, speed, and functionality standpoints. Having ownership over everything translates to increased revenue, and we’re at the point where we can start thinking about additional resources to continue building our business.

How did Red Foundry perform from a project management standpoint?

Red Foundry does product management via Jira, where they’ve given us access to our project’s workspace. We trust what they’re doing, but having full transparency into their progress across different sprints has been super helpful.

They make themselves available for calls and meetings with my team as well as external resources. We primarily communicate through the Slack channel that they set up. Everything flows through Ron and Kerri. Ron even comes to whiteboarding sessions with our UI/UX designer.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Red Foundry is really flexible to our needs, and they’ve been an awesome partner. They’ve taken it upon themselves to garner a good understanding of our business, industry, and customers. Even if it means less billable hours for them, they’re willing to work with us in order to create a long-term partnership. We value this a lot since many contracting companies out there use the consulting model of billable hours in a way that can be contradictory to business needs.

I’ve also been impressed by their ability to adapt to our business. For instance, my partner and I like to move very quickly, and they’ve adjusted the way their work to what we need.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could be more transparent about whether they’re resource-constrained or not. Also, their team members have different rates; we’d appreciate flexibility as to what resources we can use, since we need some more than others. For the most part, though, they’ve been good. They understand that we can’t 100% rely on them; otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to sustain ourselves.

Any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have the financial resources to hire them since you’re paying a premium for value. Red Foundry is tech-focused, meaning they’re more conservative and risk-averse than your typical entrepreneur. If you want to move faster, you’ll have to manage to find a happy medium between risk aversion and delivery speed.

Also, communication should come from one direction; if you have multiple people from your organization contacting them, communication will become scattered and fragmented, which will slow the whole process down.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

App Dev for Wine Startup

"Red Foundry came through for us really well."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
2015 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

After building the first version of an order management app for iPads, Red Foundry delivered a second version on iOS and Android. They added several new features to manage users and their information.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Massachusetts
Director of Digital Product, Wine Startup
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The redesigned app better accommodates a complex ordering system, fostering an improved user experience. Red Foundry excels at managing expectations by expediting delivery and remaining flexible. Experts at app development, Red Foundry provides useful feedback and sets realistic goals.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of digital product at a wine tasting company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Red Foundry?

We needed to create a mobile app that would allow customers to place orders for in-home wine tastings.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Red Foundry designed the first version of the order management app, which was just on iOS and primarily for use on an iPad. When we decided to make the app multi-platform, my team provided Red Foundry with wireframes and mockups, and they already had an understanding of how our API worked.

They made the second version of the app for iOS and Android. Their team built out the entire order process. Multiple customers are often involved in one order, so Red Foundry added features that make it possible to manage and add guests. Other features enable users to add products, reward items, various billing and shipping addresses, and different payment methods, including check and credit card.

What is the team composition?

We work with five team members. I work closely with the project manager and one of the developers.

How did you come to work with Red Foundry?

A creative agency we’d worked with on the first version of the app recommended them to me. We’ve maintained a relationship with Red Foundry ever since.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Red Foundry in 2015, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Red Foundry delivered on a tight timeframe. They were amazing.

How did Red Foundry perform from a project management standpoint?

During development, the developer and project manager were in constant contact with us. They provided updates on the scope of their work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed by their flexibility and “roll with it” attitude. My company isn’t the best at planning, so Red Foundry’s effective project management helped us align our ideas with what was realistic in such a tight frame. Their team provided helpful feedback based on their extensive app development experience. Having access to their expertise was useful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think there is a whole lot that we were disappointed with. Red Foundry came through for us really well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear in what you want out of the project, and provide as much detail as possible.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Mobile App Feature Dev for Software Company

“Red Foundry’s developers are highly skilled.”

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4.0

Quality: 
4.0
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
4.5
Willing to refer: 
4.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Dec. 2018 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Red Foundry developed the first version of a mobile app’s feature set, including a location-based check-in feature with push notification capabilities. They provide ongoing maintenance and support.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Asheville, North Carolina
Manager, Software Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Internal stakeholders are optimistic that the app will generate new users. Although Red Foundry went over budget and had a few build issues, they delivered a technically complex feature set that will significantly improve documentation accuracy. Customers can expect cost-effective, timely services.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a manager at a software company. We provide a nonprofit management platform for volunteer recruitment, engagement, and management.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Red Foundry?

My company wanted to offer location services that weren’t compatible with our web app, so we needed to develop a mobile app. We also wanted to create a notification system so we could stop communicating with our users via email. We did our own discovery phase, during which we interviewed prospective and current clients.

We hired Red Foundry to help us develop our mobile app’s feature set while adhering to our strict budget.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Red Foundry considered our feature set and made some changes, proposing the features they thought should be in the first version of the cross-platform app. They also distinguished which features we should wait to implement until the app’s second version, based on our budget.

Red Foundry built a location-based check-in feature, so that when a volunteer is within a certain radius of where they’re signed up to volunteer, the app pushes a notification to their phone asking if they’d like to check in to their shift. Red Foundry used a library to help them develop the location services.

Red Foundry provides ongoing support. Since going live, they’ve helped resolve bugs and other issues. We expect to continue working with them on the app’s second phase of features.

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with Rich (Partner, Red Foundry), Rob (Partner, Red Foundry), Ron (Partner and CTO, Red Foundry), George (Senior Mobile Developer, Red Foundry), and Kerri (VP Client Delivery, Red Foundry).

How did you come to work with Red Foundry?

We found Red Foundry on Clutch.co and approached them with the feature set that we wanted to develop.

How much have you invested with them?

My company has spent about $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in 2018, and it is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Red Foundry’s check-in feature documents the hours that volunteers are serving. This is the single most important thing we can do for the agencies that we work with, since accurate documentation makes it easier for agencies to apply for grants and know their schedule. The feature is expected to increase the accuracy of the hours that are documented through our software.

We’re still pursuing marketing, but we’ve seen an increase in mobile app users. For instance, last Friday, we put a small pop-up on our web app informing users about the mobile app, and our numbers doubled over the weekend. We’re approaching six-hundred users, and we expect that number to continue increasing.

How did Red Foundry perform from a project management standpoint?

Early on, they did a good job communicating the process and letting us know what the sprints would be like, how long they’d take, and how they’d conform to their project plan.

At one point in the build process, we inquired about Red Foundry’s hours. We discovered that they were over-budget and had spent more time on certain tasks than they’d anticipated. Once we uncovered this issue, we identified a few ways to offset some of the costs, such as tweaking features and taking on testing ourselves rather than having Red Foundry do it. We accepted a small increase in budget, and Red Foundry ate some of the costs. After that, communication improved.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Red Foundry’s developers are highly skilled.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They ultimately did a good job, although sometimes communication faltered, and we encountered bugs. We also had an issue with location services working differently on Android versions 7 and 8. The library that Red Foundry used to develop the location services was only compatible with Android 7, so we continue to have an issue with our features on Android 8 and above. Red Foundry could’ve done a better job selecting the library they used or letting us know upfront that this would be a problem.  

I should mention that the development work they did is considered quite complex. The fact that they completed a feature that sends push notifications based on a user’s geo-location is technically advanced.

4.0
Overall Score We went a big percentage over budget. They went out of their way to eat some of the cost, but it wasn’t as smooth as it could’ve been.
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They are very good with scheduling. They’ve always communicated when they can’t meet a deadline.
  • 4.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They provide a fair value in the marketplace. Even though we’ve gone over budget, the costs are still competitive.
  • 4.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    We’ve had some issues with the API. Some of their deliverables haven’t been formatted incorrectly.
  • 4.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Business Card MVP for Public Safety Company

"They were true to their word, proactive, flexible, and collaborative." 

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.5
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Dec. 2018 - Mar. 2019
Project summary: 

Red Foundry developed an MVP of a digital solution to share business cards and contact information. Working with an internal team, they shared design responsibilities including icons, UI, and visuals.

The Reviewer
 
10,000+ Employees
 
Northbrook, Illinois
Luis Serpa Andrade
Director, Exploratory Innovation and Experience Design, UL LLC
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The app was received well by various internal testing audiences. Flexible regarding client preferences, Red Foundry entered into an authentic partnership and helped develop initial requirements. Their willingness to adjust meeting times and share documentation openly was particularly notable.

The client submitted this review online.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the director of exploratory innovation and experience design for UL LLC, a public safety company. I'm responsible for collecting, evaluating, exploring, and testing/piloting ideas with the potential to generate innovations that help our businesses, company vision, and mission.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Red Foundry?

We wanted to test an idea submitted by one of our high-executives. The idea was to improve the experience of sharing business cards in client meetings and events with a digital-ready approach in place of (or along with) physical business cards.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to walk away with a working MVP that could be used by the corporate marketing team to test the idea. We also wanted to avoid making a large investment while still accurately evaluating the idea’s potential to be a visible improvement in trading contact information in customer events/meetings.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Red Foundry was the only vendor/partner that provided a flexible approach to developing the solution. They understood our need to work on an MVP to test the idea instead of focusing on a large (pre-defined) scope of work. Furthermore, they were willing to partner with our internal team to develop and refine the idea before coding, rather than requiring fully-fleshed requirements/specifications that would turn into a locked scope of work.

Describe the project in detail.

Red Foundry provided us with the right level of expertise and resources. They were proactive in most occasions, giving us support and advice at every step and working collaboratively to help us progress without any big red flags or bad surprises. They were also keen on alerting us of any decisions that could potentially impact cost or deadlines. The project was completed in the expected timeline and budget.

What was the team composition?

There were three people on the core project team: an account manager, a technical subject matter expert, and a mobile developer. We were also supported by the founding partner (who provided business insights and experience regarding the ideas being discussed), by a designer (who created quick visuals for the UI and icons, when our own designers were busy) and a sales resource (who initiated the relationship with us and remained in touch throughout the project to ensure we were satisfied).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The MVP application was shared with a number of our executives for beta testing, and the feedback and experiences reported were overwhelmingly positive. Many clients and partners exposed to the app during meetings or events (during our pilot) were impressed with the solution as well. Our corporate marketing team is now working through the feedback to prepare a project to transform the MVP into a formal app available to all employees.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was very efficient and streamlined. Meetings were quick and to the point. Decisions and requirements were quickly documented by the Red Foundry team and shared with us to ensure proper comprehension. Their team was flexible in accommodating our "corporate bureaucracy" and need to reschedule some meetings.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were true to their word, proactive, flexible, and collaborative. None of those qualities comprised end-product quality or made the project unreasonably expensive. They may not seem like much, but it’s been difficult for me to find a vendor with these qualities nowadays.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It wasn't a very large project, but I’m sure there would be more opportunities for improvement with a larger effort. As for my experience, I was perfectly happy with the outcome and the work provided.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Mobile App Dev for Store Locator and Payment Platform

"Red Foundry delivered exactly what we were looking for and met our tight deadlines."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Jun. 2018 - Nov. 2018
Project summary: 

Red Foundry designed and built a cross-platform app for iOS and Android and integrated it with Stripe. The app supports geolocation services, a customer loyalty program, and in-store purchases.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Lisle, Illinois
Randy Naylor
VP of Operations, Clark Brands LLC
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The in-house team is happy with the quality of the code and the customer support they received. Red Foundry went above and beyond to meet all needs, while their ability to answer questions and quickly address any issues helped them establish a smooth and effective process.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the VP of operations at Clark Brands. We provide payment processing solutions and an opportunity to license one of our brands to gas stations. I manage three teams– the client service team, the IT department, and the product development team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Red Foundry?

We wanted to create a mobile app and we needed a vendor to help us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, Red Foundry helped us think through all the core functionalities of our MVP. Then, they designed and developed a cross-platform app for iOS and Android. They used React Native for development and integrated the app with Stripe, which is a third-party payment system. The purpose of the app is to provide a store locator to our customers and enable in-store purchases. The app also allows us to market to our customers directly, give away gift cards, and add products and services in the mobile space. Red Foundry did all the testing and helped us launch the app in the App Store and on Google Play.

What is the team composition?

We mostly worked with our account manager and a head developer, so we had one contact on the business side and one contact on the technical side. We also had access to their CTO.

How did you come to work with Red Foundry?

We interviewed some different companies. It was the first time we were developing an app, and Red Foundry was willing to work with us, helping us build out our ideas. We selected them because of their customer support and their expertise in mobile development.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $65,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from June 2018–November 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We now have a functioning app that we can use. We haven't fully marketed the app, so we didn't expect to have too many downloads. It's just a foundation that we're planning to develop further to get more business.

How did Red Foundry perform from a project management standpoint?

We had face-to-face meetings as we were working on the design and the initial development. Then, we moved to weekly calls where we discussed the progress of the project. They were very responsive. If there were any issues, they found solutions very quickly. We were very happy with the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very flexible, open to questions, and willing to explain the process to us. We were looking for someone who would take our idea and run with it. Red Foundry delivered exactly what we were looking for and met our tight deadlines.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I don't have any complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They provide top-notch service, and their pricing is very good. I'd definitely recommend them.

5.0
Overall Score We're very happy with the results.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They scheduled all the meetings in advance and met our tight deadlines.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They gave us exactly what we were looking for and their prices are far from being the highest.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They delivered the app that we envisioned.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    They did an excellent job.

Dev for a Web-Based B2B Transaction Platform

"It was refreshing to work with a personable team that communicated easily and had clear technical expertise."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
June 2018 - Feb. 2019
Project summary: 

Red Foundry designed and developed a mobile-friendly web platform to allow beverage vendors to order from suppliers online. They created wireframes and user stories before building the tool.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Massachusetts
Founder, B2B Transaction Platform
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The platform has only recently launched, but potential user feedback so far has been positive. Red Foundry’s creative and knowledgeable team delivered high-quality products on time. Consistent communication, responsiveness, and a clear understanding of requirements made for a smooth workflow.

The client submitted this review online.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a startup company. We provided a B2B transaction platform for the commercial beverage supply and distribution market.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Red Foundry?

I engaged Red Foundry to develop a mobile-friendly web platform to facilitate transactions between retail beverage vendors and suppliers.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal of the platform was to fill a process gap between retail beverage vendors and suppliers. It allows vendors to see the distributors’ inventory and place orders with suppliers. As a result, it needed to have a robust infrastructure to meet the demands of potential clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I started my research on Clutch to identify strong web development partners. I found it helpful to see each company’s profile and read customer reviews. I interview a couple of vendors that I identified through Clutch. However, after some mutual contacts introduced me to Red Foundry, I went with them. Our initial discussions impressed me, and the fact that they were a US-based company sealed the deal.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Red Foundry provided a detailed outline of the scope and functionality for our initial meeting. They then created wireframes and user stories as part of the overall technical design. After this phase, Red Foundry developed an interactive site. They offered ways to improve the site throughout the project as well as ideas for the second phase of development.

What was the team composition?

A lead project manager oversaw progress, while two web developers handled the design and coding. They brought in an additional support person to help test and debug the site. The team remained consistent from beginning to end.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site has only recently launched, so it’s too early to measure the impact just yet. We’ve received positive initial feedback from potential clients as well as interest from our target group. The final product has exceeded my expectations and met every requirement. Red Foundry showed immense skill and care at every stage of the project. They understood my vision and needs from the get-go.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The team made time to meet weekly or biweekly as the project progressed. They were always available to answer questions or solve any challenges we encountered. We used Jira to track the project timeline which involved several sprints. The schedule got extended on occasion when various issues came up, but Red Foundry was quick to alert me and revise deadlines as needed. The team used Bug Tower to organize all communication around the debugging phase. We found it very helpful whenever a technical issue arose. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We valued their creativity in design and their ability to deliver a product that met all requirements. It was refreshing to work with a personable team that communicated easily and had clear technical expertise.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Some technical issues caused some slowdown in the project’s progress closer to launch. I believe several other projects kicked off for Red Foundry, causing their resources to get pulled in different directions. In the end, Red Foundry addressed every identified technical issue and made sure that the final product exceeded expectations.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Assessment and Code Review for App

"They were extremely easy to work with."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Less than $10,000
 
May 2018
Project summary: 

Red Foundry provided their consulting services and conducted a code review for an app developed by another vendor. They checked for errors in the code and defined what it would take to fix it.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
CEO, OniT App Inc.
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Their involvement was crucial to discovering that the previous vendor was violating the contract by delivering incomplete work. Red Foundry’s knowledge, professional approach, and competitive prices add great value to their services.

The client submitted this review online.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of OniT App Inc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Red Foundry?

Our company enlisted Red Foundry’s services to review our app that was developed by another vendor.

What were your goals for this project?

The purpose of the assessment was to determine if the app was functional and created to the specifications we originally provided.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected Red Foundry based on their high level of experience and expertise with native app development.

Describe the project in detail.

We paid Red Foundry a flat consulting fee for their services and they dissected the code language, discovering all the missing gaps within the code. They also helped to determine what would be required in order to get the app completed and back in compliance with the contracted specifications.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Red Foundry helped us discover that our project was in complete breach of contract, and was far from the fully-functional app that was supposed to be delivered.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They were extremely easy to work with. All their representatives are extremely knowledgeable and professional.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Red Foundry’s level of expertise, professionalism, and communication are second to none.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I have no complaints or improvements that I could recommend.

5.0
Overall Score Red Foundry is an amazing company.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They were very accommodating when it came to scheduling.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    Their price is very fair and their work is of high value.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Red Foundry is extremely professional.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I highly recommend them.

Mobile App Development for Local News Channel

“The app received positive reviews across the board, with an average rating of 4.5 stars in app stores.”

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4.5

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Oct. 2014 - Sept. 2017
Project summary: 

Red Foundry designed the backend of a mobile news app (iOS and Android), mirroring the tabs and visual elements of the organization's website. They also incorporated push notifications (e.g., weather updates).

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Anchorage, Alaska
Jason Sear
Digital Assets Manager, KTVA News
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Red Foundry custom built an effective app, tailoring its design to meet the needs of a local news organization. The app was user-friendly and well received by the public, with a 4.5 star average rating in app stores. Their team provided friendly, personalized service from start to finish.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the digital assets manager for KTVA News, a TV news station based in Anchorage, Alaska.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Red Foundry?

When I first joined KTVA, we had just revamped our digital presence and website, but were lacking a mobile app similar to other news organizations. We didn't like any of the pre-made apps we'd been seeing for other networks—we wanted to develop a more customized app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided Red Foundry with some initial designs and they developed the backend for the mobile app (iOS and Android). The layout mirrored our Wordpress website, incorporating similar categories, video, and photo elements. They also built out push notifications, including weather updates.

What is the team composition?

I mostly worked with a project manager, a designer, and a developer.

How did you come to work with Red Foundry?

I found Red Foundry through an extensive Google search. I liked the apps they had developed and, after discussions with their team, decided they would be the best fit for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested in the range of $20,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October 2014 to September 2017. Since switching platforms about six months ago, we've started working with another company that provides both website and mobile app development services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app Red Foundry developed was easy to read and navigate. The app received positive reviews across the board, with an average rating of 4.5 stars in app stores. Although we had some challenges around awareness of the new product, we had a significant number of users when we first launched.

How did Red Foundry perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is very organized and good about meeting deadlines. They were responsive whenever any bugs or issues came up. I could email or call them directly and get a response right a way.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The ease of communication with their team really stands out. I'm sure they have a lot of customers, yet we always managed to get plenty of personalized service and attention.

The quality of their work also stands out. They developed a hybrid app, using some of their original designs, that was tailored to work for our industry. It was the first app of its kind they'd worked on, but they were very willing to go down a new path with us. In the end, we had a great product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I'm happy with their work overall. We had some minor hiccups with the Android version of the app, but it was worked out.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communication is key. That won't be an issue when working with their team, as they're both responsive and receptive.

4.5
Overall Score
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Overall, their team performed well. There were just a few bugs that didn't get fixed as quickly as we would've liked.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    I'd say their rates are fair.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    We didn't have any major issues with the app.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    We had a few minor hiccups along the way, but we were satisfied with the app overall.

Mobile App Development for Direct Sales Company

“The investment has been worth the result.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Jan. 2016 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Red Foundry has developed three versions of an iOS app that allows wine representatives to manage orders and presentations, as well as track data, location, and wine tastings.

The Reviewer
 
1,001 - 10,000 Employees
 
Ipswich, Massachusetts
CTO, Direct Sales Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The ability to deliver by deadline on a consistent basis while managing all development internally has proved Red Foundry as a dependable partner. Their team tests the deliverables to ensure stability, resulting in a widely used app that has received no negative feedback.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of a direct sales company in the wine business. We produce and sell wine to individuals through in-home wine tastings. We have about 5,000 representatives around the country.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Red Foundry?

We wanted to give our representatives a mobile application to make it easier for them to do payment swiping for orders placed directly with us at wine tastings. We wanted to create flexibility through an actual app where we could do much more as opposed to a regular webpage on a mobile device.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided Red Foundry with the core design and they turned it into a mobile app that’s incorporated with our business logic.

The app is iOS-based with an information layer for our representatives where they can keep track of their data, location, and planned wine tastings. They can manage orders and presentations within the app as well.

We’re on the third version now. Not everything was there from the beginning, but it’s basically complete at this point. We’ve worked with them on every version we’ve come out with. We went back and forth with them and did bug cycles to create stable products.

What is the team composition?

There are two members of their team who have been assigned to this project.

How did you come to work with Red Foundry?

A company that does other development for us recommended them. We got in touch, they made a proposal, and we’ve been happy with them ever since. We didn’t consider anyone else at the time because we wanted to keep it within distinguished connections and relationships.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent around $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in January 2016, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

People are using it all the time, so if it wasn’t working well, we would have a lot of complaints. The investment has been worth the result.

How did Red Foundry perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re good and know what they’re doing. They haven’t missed a deadline, and we are very happy with that. We use bug tracking tools and let them manage the whole thing internally.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I like the relationship with their team. They’re bright and they know what we want. Their deliverables always work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have no suggestions for improvement right now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You have to have sufficient conversations to know exactly what you’re getting into in order for it to work.

5.0
Overall Score Overall, we are very happy with them.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    We haven’t missed a single deadline with them. They’ve accomplished what we both agreed on.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    It always costs more than you think.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I would refer them if someone asked me.

Mobile Development for Mileage Capture App

"I have a lot of respect for what they do and the work they deliver, and they built a great product for us."

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4.5

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
Dec. 2016 - May. 2017
Project summary: 

Red Foundry built and designed the SDK for existing mileage tracking and billing mobile apps on iOS and Android. They integrated it with a complex backend and preserved the high-level functionality.

The Reviewer
 
201-500 Employees
 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Andy Zavattero
VP Mobile Apps, Runzheimer
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The end product was complex and required a highly collaborative work environment to complete, but Red Foundry did so with composure. Their work was consistently of the highest quality and their candid approach to project management and development made for an overall enjoyable experience.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the Vice President of Product at Runzheimer, overseeing all our mobile platform experience, including apps as well as all of our partner integration initiatives. We are an enterprise mobility company focused on fair and accurate mileage reimbursement for business use of personal vehicles.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Red Foundry?

We wanted to create a platform from which we could distribute mileage capture to anyone who needed it as part of their business routine, be it consumer oriented or business-to-business. The aim of our overall system is to provide IRS compliant mileage logging and reimbursement all within mobile apps. Although we have had mobile apps themselves for about ten years, we needed the expertise of Red Foundry to build a software development kit (SDK) from our existing versions because our in-house team did not have that skillset.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The apps themselves are built on Xamarin, which is a C# base code, and we brought in Red Foundry to build the SDK in C# so that it would be distributable to any mobile platform. Once we had the SDK, the plan was to sell that product to third parties who wanted to embed our mileage capture functionality within their own native app experiences. The customer would then able to capture and classify the miles they drive, including using the mobile device’s GPS to allow accurate data collection and reimbursement within the app.

Red Foundry provided us with both iOS and Android developers, and they built and designed the SDK from the ground up while modeling it after our existing platform. Our services group also had to be intimately involved because they had to build the backend with which the final system would operate. There were a variety of things that we needed to be able to track through the final SDK, including authentication, reporting, and diagnostics. Having all of those features would allow us to report and bill accurately based on the usage of the platform.

What is the team composition?

At the peak of the project’s development phase, we had about five people from Red Foundry working with our team. However, the collaboration began with three main team members. Rob Brandt (Partner, Red Foundry) filled the equivalent of my role on their side, helping us from a product and overall business standpoint. Then Ron Franczyk (Partner & CTO, Red Foundry) took charge of our iOS architecture, and we had a third person working on Android. Once the project ramped up to speed, they added one more developer for each platform.

How did you come to work with Red Foundry?

I had worked with Rob at a previous company and we had kept in touch over the years. When he took over as the CEO of Red Foundry, the opportunity presented itself to have them be in contention for this role. We took them through a hiring process, including interviewing multiple other companies, but it was clear when I talked to Rob and after we reviewed their credentials that they were the right fit for our needs.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from December of 2016 through May of 2017. Although the SDK has not been released due to extenuating circumstances unrelated to Red Foundry, the engagement has concluded.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Unfortunately, due to other in-company factors, we have not yet installed the SDK in a production environment. We have been able to get the SDK approved in the app stores, although it is not currently being made available to third party developers. The long-term plan is still to roll it out, but there is no specific timeline on that yet. As such, we do not have any user or marketplace feedback or metrics about the impact of their work, other than that we have been very satisfied internally with what they have delivered. Building a mileage capture experience is tricky, particularly because working with GPS on either iOS and Android comes with a certain set of pitfalls, but they did a great job.

How did Red Foundry perform from a project management standpoint?

Rob is a great leader and a smart product guy, and Ron is awesome. They did a fantastic job of raising risk with us when it happened, and having them be an Agile shop just like our team was very welcome. Rob did an excellent job of leading the daily stand-up and doing the longer-term planning. There was a lot of collaboration inherent to this project, which added another layer of complexity to the work. In addition to their team, we had developers on our side working on fleshing out the SDK, as well as the services group who built the backend. Their project manager was top notch and they did a good job of coordinating across the fence.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The scope of their estimation in regards to deadlines was incredibly accurate, and as someone who has over 25 years of experience in development, I know that is no simple task. They did what they said they would in the time that they predicted, and they completed it at the cost for which they quoted us in the initial statement of work. This was greatly appreciated from a partner perspective because it created a lot of credibility and trust on both sides. They were also good at understanding the problem that we were trying to solve with the SDK, and are simply great developers.

Red Foundry is made up of smart and honest people who were upfront if and when they ran into problems, rather than hide behind smoke and mirrors. We would have a discussion, make a decision regarding a solution, and then move on. They also brought a lot of great thought leadership to the project, which was exactly what we wanted in a partner. We initially had plans to continue to use them, but because of outside factors, that did not work out. I have a lot of respect for what they do and the work they deliver, and they built a great product for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I needed to push them a little on providing a weekly status on how we were running against their financial spend, but eventually they got into the habit of doing so. We did need to have some tougher conversations towards the end regarding sticking to the promised deadlines, and they took responsibility right away. To make up for a bit of friction in that area, they added a couple of features for us pro bono.

4.5
Overall Score It was a great experience and I loved working with them.
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They executed their plan on time and within budget.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They did great work, but were a little on the pricier side.
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They delivered a high quality end product.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I have already referred them to multiple people.
Verification

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Verification Level
Gold
VERIFIED
Business Entity
Business Entity Name
RED FOUNDRY, LLC
Status
Active
Jurisdiction of Formation
Illinois
ID
06517862
Date of Formation
Sep 20, 2017
Source
Office of the Illinois Secretary of State
Last Updated
Jan 19, 2019
Payment & Legal Filings
Bankruptcy
No
Tax Lien Filings
0
Judgement Filings
0
Collections Count
0
Source
Experian
Full Business Credit Report
Last Updated
Dec 24, 2018
Client Reviews
VERIFIED CLIENT REVIEWS
19
OVERALL REVIEW RATING
4.8
Source
Clutch
LAST UPDATED
September 27, 2019