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    Beverly Hills, CA
    310-954-1354

Let’s Make Something Great Together

4.9
7 reviews

*Rootstrap has acquired Neon Roots.*

In the past seven years Rootstrap has enabled 20+ Fortune 100 companies and 500+ startups to innovate and scale their digital solutions.

Our team is comprised of over 70 world-class software engineers, UX/UI designers, growth hackers, product strategists, and project managers across  Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires.

Our award-winning private incubator and pre-development workshop, Roadmapping™, helps both large companies and startups prototype and validate their ideas quickly and efficiently.

Companies like Salesforce, Epson, Spotify and Microsoft have trusted us to build products that have received millions of downloads across multiple platforms.

+ Largest acquisition from Roadmapping alum: $25M

+ Average post Roadmapping raise from a founder: $200K

+ Number of startups to secure VC funding: 25

READ MORE...
 
$1,000+
 
$100 - $149 / hr
 
50 - 249
 Founded
2011
Show all +
Beverly Hills, CA
headquarters
  • Rootstrap
    137 S Robertson Blvd #103
    Beverly Hills, CA 90211
    United States
    310-954-1354
other locations
  • Rootstrap
    Sarandi 690D MF
    Montevideo 11000
    Uruguay

Portfolio

Key clients: 

Tony Robbins

Style MD

FanBread

Epson

Living Healthy

Die Antwoord

Loftey

Epson Datacom

Epson had one of the best label printers in the country, but they needed a cross-platform software interface that would work for the largest businesses in the world to fulfill its potential. Neon Roots developed an iOS and Android app that was fully platform agnostic, equally at home on a smartphone, tablet, Mac, or PC. From design to print out, a versatile and incredibly intuitive printing experience was created that streamlined workflow for millions of professionals nationwide.

Epson Datacom allows users to easily create and print labels specifically for network infrastructure equipment including patch panels, cabling, faceplates and more. Select simplified ANSI and/or TIA-606-B compatible templates to get the job done right. Deploy your labeling solution easily across contract and/or company electrical crews alike.

Tony Robbins' Breakthrough

In 2015, Neon Roots was engaged by Tony Robbins and his leadership team to perform a Roadmapping engagement, tasked with digitizing 4 decades of the life coach guru's entire content library. Prior to starting with Rootstrap, the Robbins Research International Group tried developing their first mobile property for 6 years with multiple vendors.

Upon engaging in Agile Development for Breakthrough, Tony was brought his first mobile app to market in 13 weeks with an ROI in 60 days. Once Breakthrough went live in the App Store, the days of Tony's dated CD's and DVD's were over.

FanBread

FanBread is a premier content and revenue platform for social influencers, allowing them to generate revenue through monetized content. It is also one of the Rootstrap roadmapping workshop’s earliest success stories.

After Rootstrap, FanBread would go on to raise nearly $2.5M from investors and grow their influencer base to reach 150-200 million people every week. In 2016, FanBread would be acquired by RockYou, one of the largest video ad serving networks in the world.

Reviews

4.9
7 reviews
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UX Design for Fitness Coaching Mobile App

“Their service was flawless.”

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4.5

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Aug. - Oct. 2017
Project summary: 

Rootstrap created the UX design and development roadmap for a mobile fitness app.

The Reviewer
 
51-200 Employees
 
São Paulo, Brazil
Bruno Ahualli
CEO, Photon Group
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The app is expected to do well, thanks to Rootstrap’s attention to detail and competence. Their input served as a strong foundation for the development phase. Rootstrap’s team was friendly and punctual.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of Photon Group, a consumer packaged goods (CPG) lifestyle company focused on sports supplements and cosmetics. Iridium Labs is our sports supplement brand.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Rootstrap?

We hired Rootstrap to help with the UX design of a mobile app that assists people in the gym. It provides exercise programs and a tracking tool.

What were your goals for this project?

In addition to providing high-quality supplements, we want to help our clients reach their fitness goals.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were highly recommended by a few experts who we know. We also did screening calls to see if Rootstrap was a good fit.

Describe the project in detail.

Rootstrap provided UX design services and created a development roadmap with stories and technical specs.

What was the team composition?

We were assisted by a team of three: a product lead, a technical lead, and a design lead.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project is still under development, but our team is very optimistic about the launch of the application.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Rootstrap’s team was very easy to work with. They took instructions well and knew when to suggest a different path from what we had in mind. They needed minimal guidance to reach the desired outcome.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They knew exactly what they were doing, and it showed in every interaction we had. We also enjoyed fact that they were all charismatic and intelligent.

Are there any areas for improvement?

To be honest, nothing major comes to mind.

4.5
Overall Score It felt very refreshing to work with Rootstrap.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They never missed a delivery date.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    If they had slightly more competitive rates, we would’ve hired them for the development portion as well. However, it is cheaper to do it in-house.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Their service was flawless.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I have referred them before, and the company that hired them was quite impressed.

Mobile App Prototype for Coin & Stamp Store

“Their help was invaluable and moved me from idea to action.”

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5.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
July - Sept. 2016
Project summary: 

Neon Roots created detailed wireframes for a unique mobile app that lets users capture images of coins and share them on social media. The team did not handle actual development, which was done in-house.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Bellingham, Washington
Tim Rathjen
CEO, The Stamp and Coin Place
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The wireframes expedited product development and provided a solid foundation for later stages of the project. Neon Roots’ team was efficient and friendly, but they could have offered additional support.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of The Stamp and Coin Place, a company that specializes in implementing technology for an old industry. We’ve invented software for sorting and distributing a high volume of coins.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Neon Roots?

Since we were starting from scratch, we needed an experienced team to wireframe our product.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed a prototype that could be shown and shared with potential investors and customers. We wanted a clean and intuitive app with image storage, a forum, and other functionalities.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I did extensive research for a company that offered such a service, but almost everyone I talked to charged an hourly rate with no promises on performance. Meanwhile, the non-hourly rate quotes were evasive about deliverables. Fortunately, I quickly clicked with Neon Roots’ principals and their team.

Describe the project in detail.

They created wireframes for our app, which could take photos of coins and allow users to quickly share the images on social media. After discussing the project over the phone, they sent me a questionnaire and a couple of follow-up emails. I then flew to Los Angeles with my main development person to meet with their team. After only one round of ideation and two rounds of wireframe tweaking, I had the basics of what I was looking for. Eventually, we decided to develop it ourselves.

What was the team composition?

Neon Roots’ CEO oversaw the work of two people from their team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We knew practically nothing about this type of work, but Neon Roots made it easier for us to see what the final product would look like. The experience and outcome helped us find our way much faster.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our communication was great. Poor communication makes things more complicated, but that was not the case with this company.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed with how easily they got things done. They were also a genuinely nice team.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It would have been great to have the option to pay for questions even after the project was done. I had several questions along the way but felt that I would be imposing if I were to reach out.

5.0
Overall Score Their help was invaluable and moved me from idea to action.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    It was great.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    It seemed expensive at the time, but I can now see that their cost was very reasonable.
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    I was assigned a newer hire. I felt his work should have been supervised a bit more.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I highly recommend them.

Startup App for New Charitable Giving Channel

"They provided clarity where we were unsure and flawless execution everywhere else."

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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
 
Dec. 2016 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Neon Roots first developed a prototype for a charitable giving mobile application. Once the prototype was developed, Neon Roots was brought back to fully develop the iOS mobile application.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
New York, New York
Peter Ghiorse
Co-founder, GiveTide
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The deliverables have been flawlessly executed, and the communication from Neon Roots has been excellent. Their team is always on time and is completely transparent with deadlines and feedback. Their business and their solutions offer businesses exceptional value for the cost.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of GiveTide, and we are building a mobile application intended to help people integrate philanthropy into their everyday lives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Neon Roots?

Our original goal was to develop a functional prototype of an app that would allow us to raise money for the app’s complete development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our overall thesis of what we’re trying to accomplish with our mobile app is to move the entire philanthropy industry away from the concept of financial capability and more toward motivation as the only requirement needed to contribute to and participate in causes that you care about.

With Neon Roots, we began the initial drafts of the prototype while simultaneously developing our business and networking with potential clients. About halfway through the process, we raised the money for the project, so the functional prototype was no longer necessary. However, Neon Roots was still able to provide a mutually beneficial solution. Instead of making them finish a prototype that we would no longer need, they helped translate the remaining credit that we had, so to speak, and transition smoothly into full-time development of the mobile app with their development firm. We’re going to stick with an iOS version of the app first and validate the concept before we take the plunge and develop an app for Android as well.

How did you come to work with Neon Roots?

We are first-time entrepreneurs, and we didn't know anything about the industry, so we went out and interviewed several firms ranging from the big development shops to developers in India. There wasn't anything quantitative about our search process. We based our decision more on our gut feeling of the team based on the conversations we had had with them. We started out with Google searches, compiled a list of 25 companies, and then narrowed it down from there based on their interactions over email. From there, we had a list of around 10 or so, and we got on the phone with all of them. It was a little more difficult to then narrow those shops down to two or three, including Neon Roots and another firm.

We were interested in Neon Roots because they seemed to have a different approach. Instead of just being yes-men and quoting your project, they seemed to really care. Before they knew anything about us, the CEO got on the phone with us, and we had a nice long discussion. They came back to us with a tailor-made proposal based on our situation, and that really impressed us and put them over the top. We appreciated that they would take the time to focus on our needs and offer a solution. We decided to go with them because we liked their style from the outset.

How much have you invested with Neon Roots?

I’d say we invested a little less than $100,000 with Neon Roots.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Neon Roots in December 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The MVP [minimum viable product] Neon Roots built for us led to our first round of financing. To that extent, Neon Roots delivered completely. We’re looking forward to that sort of execution on a larger scale. We’re still in development right now, so I can't speak yet to the quality of the product. What I can speak to is the clarity with which the developers have latched onto our ideas.

How did Neon Roots perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is Neon Roots’ bread and butter. Their company consists of incredible people, and their business offers exceptional value. For our team, it was like having a seasoned entrepreneur as a co-founder instead of a company that’s eager to please but really only interested in your money. They provided clarity where we were unsure and flawless execution everywhere else. Our project is structured so that we have a point guy assigned to our project. He’s essentially the guy who communicated all timeline and technical details to us because we don’t have a technical co-founder on the team. Additionally, you also have access to all of the individuals behind the scenes who are doing the design, coding, etc., so we have transparent, efficient communication. It’s always easy to get ahold of them; it’s not like you have to pull teeth to get them on the phone. It’s been an awesome experience. I couldn't have asked for a better partner.

What did you find most impressive about Neon Roots?

You want to choose Neon Roots because they’re not just yes-men. They’re not just going to sit there, blow smoke, and tell you your ideas are awesome when they might have other ideas. They’ll tell you what’s up. They’ll be straight with you. To that extent, it’s more like having a co-founder and less like having a third-party company performing specific deliverables that you can’t handle with the team. What was valuable in our experience was their strategy and the overarching clarity with which it was communicated to us.

Are there any areas Neon Roots could improve?

I don't have any complaints about Neon Roots at all. We were impressed by their delivery every step of the way.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Neon Roots never missed a meeting. They were always there and available. There have been quite a few times when I've been able to call them personally on their cell phones, and there has never been an issue.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    Throughout the project, I kept thinking, “What’s the catch?” Neon Roots provided so much value and went so over the top with everything they did that we thought they might have been charging more. They could have charged more.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    The first version of Neon Roots’ prototype was sufficient to raise money, so I think that speaks to their level of quality.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    There’s no limit regarding what we can get from Neon Roots. We’ve appreciated how they’ve communicated from the outset and the extent to which they’ve been able to deliver on what we needed. They’ve over delivered if anything.

MVP iOS Development for Electronic Music Startup

"We didn’t have many expectations coming into the project and they’ve blown us away."

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5.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Apr. 2016 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Neon Roots created an MVP for a platform that intuitively connects people in the music industry. They also conducted market research, crafted wireframes, and began development of an iOS application. 

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Los Angeles, California
Caleb Richards
Co-Founder, Starving Artist
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Neon Roots provided an exceptional experience throughout the different stages of development, laying the groundwork for an ongoing relationship. The Rootstrap process they yielded the MVP was instrumental in raising 30k from investors, and they have received overwhelmingly positive feedback.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Starving Artist is a new platform for musicians to connect in their local area, whether you’re a producer, singer, rapper, singer-songwriter, or an instrumentalist. My brother and I were always having trouble finding people to help complete the songs we produced, so we decided to make a platform ourselves. I’m the co-founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Neon Roots?

We wanted to develop our idea further. We don’t know how to code and there were a lot of unknowns in the industry, so we needed people who had the knowledge to help us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we went through their Rootstrap process, where we talked about our idea and we refined it to the MVP [minimum viable product]. They conducted some market research in order to find the competitors in the industry. Then, we developed a plan to monetize everything. They made some wireframes that included the main features, and at the end of the process, we had a report that gave us a clear idea of who our audience was, the problem we were solving, and how we would make money from it. After that, they started development on the iOS app. They broke the project into sprints and built the frontend so we could start using it. We still have to develop the backend to allow people to connect with other people.

How did you come to work with Neon Roots?

We went to a Tony Robbins seminar in Florida and a day after we got home from that, we were on Instagram and we saw one of the Neon Roots ads. They were advertising that they had built an app for Tony Robbins. They were the first company we reached out to. We did contact other firms but we started building a good relationship with Neon Roots right away. They connected us with our favorite artist, so we were able to pitch him our idea. We saw some of the work that Neon Roots had done and liked their mindset of starting lean and working lean as you build up. It seemed like they were everything we were looking for.

How much have you invested with Neon Roots?

We have spent between $50,000 and $200,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started to work with them in April 2016 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since we only have the frontend built, we can access it on our phone through a platform called TestFlight. Once the backend is developed, we will do beta testing. The project so far has given us a good idea of what to show investors, and we’ve been able to start pitching to them. That’s how we were able to raise $30,000 after the Rootstrap process. Everyone we’ve talked to has given positive feedback, including our favorite artist and other big artists in the electronic music scene.

How did Neon Roots perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through Skype and Google Hangouts. We’re usually in contact with the CEO and the development team. They keep us updated on everything.

What did you find most impressive about Neon Roots?

Their Rootstrap process is something that works for them and that’s what they have you stick to. They nail down the MVP and then build from there.

Are there any areas Neon Roots could improve?

I can’t think of anything. Their work looks good and we’ve learned a lot. They’ve been great to work with.

5.0
Overall Score It’s been really good. We didn’t have many expectations coming into the project and they’ve blown us away.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They’re good at being on time and they’ve worked with us to meet the deadlines that we had.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    I feel that the value we received has been way more than what we paid them.
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    There are things that could be polished since we’re still in the early phases.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Mobile Responsive Web App for Employee/Employer Marketplace

"They've been on top of things – extremely meticulous and diligent. The biggest thing is I can tell they care, and it's not just another project for them."
 

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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
 
June 2016 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Neon Roots was hired to do competitive analysis and perform a prototype web application hybrid to serve as a marketplace for employees and employers.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Los Angeles, California
Jillian Braverman
CEO, Skillzz
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Neon Roots received a near-perfect score, constantly giving feedback on the project, showing dedication to maintaining a schedule, and delivering meticulous execution and work ethic during their engagement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Skillzz LLC is a marketplace for employees and employers. I am the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Neon Roots?

I had this germination of an idea, and I came to them to vet it out. They do this process called Rootstrap where they do a competitive analysis. It's a sprint – it's one week. They do a competitive analysis and develop a full-on prototype. It started with that, and we went into development 3 or 4 weeks later.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We're doing a full web app hybrid – a mobile responsive website that will be a 12-week long process with them. They use Ruby on Rails. When we first met, I wanted to develop an iOS app. That's what we Rootstrapped, and that's what we built the prototype for. Then, all of us cumulative called an audible. What's great about them is they were able to switch gears quickly and started developing a hybrid mobile responsive web app instead. That all took place very quickly. Within a week, we had a new prototype for a website.

How did you come to work with Neon Roots?

I went online and Googled Los Angeles app developers. I called five or six, and I interviewed three. What was the most impressive about Ben [Lee, co-founder and CEO of Neon Roots] and the team was how hands-on they all are. I felt like I wasn't just getting people who were going to code and develop. Instead, I was getting business minds and innovative young people who understood my vision – what I wanted to do – and could contribute in a way that wasn't just technical but also very meaningful on the business side. That's what attracted me to them. That, and I was able to go into their office.

How much have you invested with Neon Roots?

The cost was $110,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in June [2016].

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback so far is that people have been impressed with the velocity. They've been surprised at the velocity that things have gone and how quickly they've been able to create what we've done so far in the span of time. It's been 6 weeks of development. They work in sprints. The quality looks great. I'm very impressed with it.

What did you find most impressive about Neon Roots?

It would be the team that has been working on my project. There's probably 10 of them in the office. They all care a lot. They believe in the product. I don't feel like they're just building another game or another app. They like the project. They come to me with creative ideas. I think if someone's looking for a big group of yes men, Neon Roots would not be their choice for development. I could not recommend them less if people just want to hear, "Yes, I will be whatever you want." They're going to be questioning you the whole way, trying to build the best product. They're an opinionated group of people – for sure.

Are there any areas Neon Roots could improve?

The only thing would've been to meet my team before Rootstrap. You go through Rootstrap and have one team. Then, when you go to development, it's a totally different team. It was different to have the people who you've been working with for that beginning sprint totally change.

5.0
Overall Score They've been on top of things – extremely meticulous and diligent. The biggest thing is I can tell they care, and it's not just another project for them.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They're on top of me for Google Hangouts meetings. We have a very fixed schedule that we adhere to every week Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
  • 4.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They're in the medium-to-higher scale of pricing, but I think I get enough for that. It's definitely fair.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They're meticulous in their execution, and the majority of what I'm looking at is bug-free, or the bugs are very minimal. They fix them quickly.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I already have. I refer them to my own family.

Wireframing for Business Improvement App

"They had a nice vibe and they have a terrific product offering."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
Project summary: 

Neon Roots used their proprietary pre-development program to design the framework for a new app. They conducted market research to determine product viability, then delivered storyboards, backlogs, and an MVP.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Denver, CO
Ed Wolfe
Cofounder, Business Improvement App
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Neon Roots was casual and informal in their process, but they contributed significant industry expertise. Their primary resource was timely, responsive, and articulate. Their key strength was their discernment in which projects they took on, meaning each one got personal attention.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are in the midst of developing a webinar series to support a future app that we are hoping to develop which is intended to support single person and small businesses with the information to properly run their companies.

My wife and I are the two principals. I’m cofounder and co-owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Neon Roots?

We see a difference between the company and the business. Our own experience was such that there’s very little support out there for the company especially when you’re in a growth mode or you’re operating in multiple states. There’s very little support or information to help growth occur. There are a million things that will help you with your business - with business management, employees, getting customers, but almost nothing that’ll make sure that you have the right insurance, teach you how to talk to an attorney, or to make sure that you have proper processes set up in your company so you are compliant and functional.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Neon Roots helped us with the app. They had a program called Rootstrap which I would describe as a pre-development development. You take several meetings with them. They ask you a ton of questions and try to pull out from you what your real goals are and what you want the app to do. They give you a lot of feedback which helped us make decisions. It was very valuable. They were generous with their feedback and experience, and that helped us refine what we wanted to do with the app. Then from there, they helped us build out a template. They do some storyboards about how it’s going to look. They do custom backlogs as well.

If you take every potential story through a potential customer’s eyes and you say “I am an X and I want to do a Y”, you build out all these situations and that’s called a backlog. They create those for you. They apply a point system to those which they use to give you a quote for full development of the app. They also did some high definition click-through modelings. We have several pages of how the app would actually look. You can click through them and see how it functions, which is terrific especially when going in front of investors. I’m pretty convinced that having that in hand will go a long ways towards getting funding, especially since we are in a startup phase. Neon Roots provided us this in a fixed price in just a few weeks.

They also do their own market research and they determine whether they believe it’s a good application. If they don’t believe it or like it, then they’re not going to do the Rootstrap for you, which I think is cool. There were a number of points of very positive feedback and very encouraging movement in going through that process with them.

In the end, working with Neon Roots gave us a good look at what we could do. It gave us an idea of what the MVP should be for the app, and it gave us an idea of what it’s going to cost to build it out fully. Again, this was much cheaper than if I was wrong and I just paid an app development company to build an app for me.

How did you come to work with Neon Roots?

Neon Roots was my first choice based on what they offered. My wife and I decided that we wanted to work with a group a little closer to where we live, which is Denver. There’s a very well regarded firm in Boulder and so I took the Rootstrap description from the Neon Roots website and I turned that into a statement of work. I took the statement of work to this app development company and they looked at it and quoted it, and said that they could do it. We agreed to that and signed a deal.

I went up and had the first couple of meetings, and after the first couple of meetings, the owner said that they were overwhelmed and that there were too many options. She said that they thought we should do this a different way and gave us a whole different quote and took our agreement and ignored it. In that whole process, she decided that she had earned about 50% of our deposit and wanted us to put another deposit up so we could move forward working under her new plan, which would be on an hourly time and materials basis. Needless to say, we said no and fired them. We went back to Neon Roots and asked if they would take it on and they agreed. They saw all the things that the first group saw, but they had a much better grasp of what to do and how to address it. They got us the product they promised.

How much have you invested with Neon Roots?

We have spent $15,000. I thought that was very reasonable for the amount of effort they put into it and for the product that we got.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Just to see the idea on paper was exciting. These are ideas that we’ve had for our own business. My wife is the expert when it comes to running a company and the financials. She has always wanted to have one place to capture all of these different parts of a running company. For her to see that on paper was exciting. Then, when we did the final look, my wife’s first comment was “my brain is on TV”. We did that meeting with Neon Roots via video chat and they put up the first page and she just stared at it. Through the conversation, they were very accurate in pulling out and creating what her vision was for how this app would function and how it would look. Beyond the fact that it was a great product, they were really able to bring to life the vision that my wife has been carrying around in her head for a number of years, which is fantastic.

What did you find most impressive about Neon Roots?

They’re very casual, which we appreciated. Neon Roots is very little in the way of overt formalities. The team was very encouraging and interactive. They all had feedback. The Chief Executive Officer, Ben Lee, is a visionary. He had a lot of great industry insight and application and user insights that we had not considered. Napoleon was our primary point of contact. He was always on time, always articulate, and always let us complain or applaud, but kept meetings on track. He was terrific. They had a nice vibe and they have a terrific product offering.

Are there any areas Neon Roots could improve?

No. I’m sure that other people would wish that they were a little more willing to take on their projects. We noticed in our initial meeting that Ben Lee’s partner in the business was signing letters declining projects. I think it’s terrific that they won’t take on a project that they don’t agree with or think they’re not going to enjoy. When you’re in business, it’s very hard to turn away work. If you’re able to turn away work because you have a philosophy or you’re too busy and your ethic is such that you’re willing to turn that away instead of reducing your value in other places, I think that’s very ethical. It’s a very impressive thing to do.

5.0
Overall Score We got along well with the group. We worked well on the project. The partnership was good.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They set a schedule with us. There were several times that we pushed it out because we were in the midst of having to do other work. They were very accommodating and didn’t give us a hard time when we were late. They were always on time.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    There was never any discussion about changing the cost. In fact, we think they actually did a little extra work for us. They incorporated some mobile views of the high-definitions that weren’t on the statement of work.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    It was exactly the product that they offered us. We have the final deliverables as they promised and the high-definition click through models are exactly what we hoped for.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I’ve already referred several people to Neon Roots.

App Development for Consumer-to-Retailer Platform

"Neon Roots is very thorough and responsive. They really vetted the market to see what was out there and not reinvent the wheel."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
Project summary: 

Neon Roots delivered a clickable prototype app to connect high-end consumers with retailers through exclusive offers. They used their proprietary MPV program, which helps startups flesh out their app ideas.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Detroit, MI
Founder, Bond Club Shop
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Neon Roots carefully considered target demographic and market information to deliver the best solution. During a fast-paced iteration process, they offered several strong design options, and even provided assistance beyond the project scope. They were a valuable tech co-founder in the app space.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Bond Shop Club is a platform dedicated to reconnecting the high end consumer with larger retailers by offering exclusive incentives that are available instore only for club members. We’re currently into development to launch at the top of 2017.

I’m the founder and Chief Executive Officer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Neon Roots?

I had the idea for the platform and I vetted the revenue model and business idea in general over a few months in order to get the details flushed out. I didn’t have a CTO [Chief Technology Officer] at the time. So the development aspect was a very large challenge to overcome in terms of limitations and what would be an appropriate way to approach a job like this. It was something I didn’t know.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, it involved iOS with expansion into Android. We’re also considering different web options.

How did you come to work with Neon Roots?

I researched different development and mobile firms dedicated to being a “tech cofounder” for a startup that didn’t have one. That’s how I came across Neon Roots. There were several companies from New York, LA, and Chicago that said they were the mobile development firm for startups. There were more that were focused on enterprise companies.

What I liked about Neon Roots was just looking at their marketing and them saying that they were going to take my startup and bring it to life. I had a call with one of their evangelists. He had a startup and also didn’t have a CTO, and he was saying how much Neon Roots really helped him to flush out his business model, and go through and create that clickable prototype which he could use to raise more funds and also to make sure he had a solid and scalable business model. From there I stayed in close contact and decided that Neon Roots would be the route I would go for building the initial prototype and vetting a business model.

How much have you invested with Neon Roots?

Between $10,000 and $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The initial prototype is finished. That minimum viable product was part of the Neon Roots’ bootstrap program, as well as all the deliverables in order to build out that business model.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The bootstrap program lasted approximately two weeks. Through that time period, I had several different Skype conference calls with three different individuals. The founder of Neon Roots hopped on several of the calls. I also had a project manager as well as another CTO/business development executive that were really doing a lot more research on the market - what’s out there, what’s scalable, and the best way to approach the business.

At the end of the two weeks, they delivered a clickable prototype. They used a lot of the information based on what my target consumer was, what that market looked like in terms of market potential, and ways to market this to target that demographic. Considering this was a platform based business focused on connecting individuals with retailers, it was important to identify exactly how this product will work in terms of working with companies and retailers on the backend process.

What did you find most impressive about Neon Roots?

Neon Roots is very thorough and responsive. They really vetted the market to see what was out there and not reinvent the wheel. If I had any questions or concerns, or if I wanted to make any additions towards the ultimate framework for the app, they were very accommodating to that. They were supportive in giving me several options for development and potential business contacts. I think they do some unparalleled work, and I didn’t feel like the team just wanted to take my money. There was even some work they provided to me after the project was officially finished.

Are there any areas Neon Roots could improve?

Based on the fact that they’re working with several clients that don’t have tech cofounders, I asked for a short synopsis of the mobile capabilities and how, if I were to pitch my platform to a retailer, would I explain the technical capabilities. It would have been great if that sort of training and information was part of package from the start.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    I think they do some unparalleled work and I didn’t feel like the team just wanted to take my money.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    Neon Roots was top notch in terms of professionalism. I would work with them again.