R&Y Labs

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of a fintech company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company offers a refreshing approach to traditional budgeting by providing an app-based platform that helps users pay down debt, save money for specific goals, and prioritize what matters to them while creating a positive relationship with money, ultimately helping users to achieve their financial well-being.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire R&Y Labs to accomplish?

• Reduce onboarding friction
• Create a way to educate users about platform

SOLUTION

How did you find R&Y Labs?

• Referral

Why did you select R&Y Labs over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

What was the size of R&Y Labs’s team?

1 Employee

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

R&Y worked on re-imagining and testing of the user experience. We were experiencing a lot of friction in early testing that showed that our on-boarding and user journey was failing our users. We needed a full map of the new flow, but also needed to establish users actively enjoying the new product. This required 3 iterations in addition to our first product. Understanding where users were getting hung up.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Full report documenting findings.
• User map along with designs.
• User recordings of them using the product.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

From the beginning this was a collaborative experience. We felt aligned from the beginning and were able to keep with the deadline. Our biggest barrier was trying to schedule time with users during a very busy holiday break, but were able to overcome that and found that our testers would stay on the calls well over the scheduled time. This meant the users felt very included in the testing, which speaks volumes about how well R&Y worked with them!

What was your primary form of communication with R&Y Labs?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email
• Messaging App

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

They worked on a budget. It was not a meter running type of project. It was, a we'll deliver this and we'll do it amazingly well for this price. Simple. This was such a great experience. In addition, our user testing went so well that users would stay well past the scheduled time with the R&Y team. This showed the commitment by R&Y but also that the users felt like they were apart of the team, well done R&Y!

Are there any areas for improvement or something R&Y Labs could have done differently?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at Allsurance.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Allows consumers to manage insurance policies via a centralized platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire R&Y Labs to accomplish?

• Discovery sprint and prototype build-out
• User acceptance testing

SOLUTION

How did you find R&Y Labs?

• Online Search
• Referral
• Clutch Site

Why did you select R&Y Labs over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Company values aligned

What was the size of R&Y Labs’ team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

This SOW represented the efforts needed to run a Discovery Sprint (Virtual) which was used to scope out the MVP for an insurance aggregation and management technology solution.

1. Executive Summary of Discovery Sprint
2. Low fidelity prototype + Figma Design Files
3. Feedback report from usability tests
4. Prioritized Project Roadmap

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Feedback report from usability tests

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The experience I had working with Randy and Kristen at R&Y Labs was great. They laid a very clear project plan for the discovery sprint and executed on it flawlessly within the agreed upon timeframe. They were accessible to answer questions and patient through the process.

What was your primary form of communication with R&Y Labs?

Virtual Meeting

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

Their approach towards discovery and MVP roll-out allowed me to test the market and get real user feedback.

Are there any areas for improvement or something R&Y Labs could have done differently?

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Loupe is ta pioneering streaming art platform, the #1 Lifestyle app in 70+ countries on Apple TV, also on Amazon Fire, Android TV, Comcast Xfinity, LG, Samsung TV Plus, Univision, web stream, and has an out-of-home partnership with Caesars Entertainment. Now with 3M+ monthly users, Loupe is integrating its industry-first WalletStream™ to display your Art NFTs on TV and a blockchain-enabled marketplace on Flow. I am the CEO and Founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with the vendor?

R&Y has architected and executed all Loupe digital media streaming technology and patents for both living room TVs (10+ TV platforms) and Out Of Home (DOOH), as well as our integrated e-commerce marketplace for physical and NFT art.

SOLUTION

What is the scope of their involvement?

R&Y has architected and executed all Loupe digital media streaming technology and patents for both living room TVs (10+ TV platforms) and Out Of Home (DOOH), as well as our integrated e-commerce marketplace for physical and NFT art.

What is the team composition? 

We work with multiple team members at different times

How did you come to work with the vendor?

We were introduced through Atlanta’s tech start up community. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Ongoing!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have grown from 15,000 monthly active users to over 3M and been successful with multiple
capital raises.

How did the vendor perform from a project management standpoint?

They been a great partner in managing roadmaps and timelines for all of the interrelated development projects and launches at our business.

What did you find most impressive about them?
All R&Y team members have been consummate professionals in project road mapping and execution. In particular, Randy (Partner) has performed as a core team member at Loupe, fully integrating with our workflows, team, partners and investors. Everyone values and respects his contribution during Sprint reviews and partner meetings. I do not believe Loupe would be where it is as a business without his contribution.

Are there any areas they could improve? 

Nope, besides to clone themselves!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm an executive at a company with a mobile application focusing on the hourly job seeker.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R&Y Labs?

We hired them to develop an MVP of our mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

R&Y Labs built the MVP of our mobile app for iOS and Android. We provided them with wireframes and documentation, and the team did the initial database work and development, including the UI/UX design. They started from a skeletal model and built it up into a product that could be usable in the marketplace. 

The app is a geofencing service that helps match hourly job seekers with local employment opportunities. R&Y Labs also provided IT consultancy and minimal web development services. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with around five different people from R&Y Labs.

How did you come to work with R&Y Labs?

They were referred to us by someone who had worked with them in the past. We were pleased with this individual's work, so we sought out R&Y Labs. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $100,000–$250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together roughly from around January–September 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were happy with the final product — R&Y Labs did a nice job for us. Although we had some issues through testing, the team was very timely and helpful in their responses. Additionally, we were pleased with our teams' interaction and R&Y Labs' timing and advice. They were very professional and put a nice personal touch into their work; I highly recommend them. 

How did R&Y Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

They delivered the project on time and within our budget. As for communication, we had weekly standup meetings and used a product management tool they recommended. Additionally, R&Y Labs managed expectations very appropriately. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed by how R&Y Labs managed expectations. While that's where many companies fail, their whole team did a good job of setting expectations and then guiding them. In any development project, everything goes great until it doesn't, and R&Y Labs managed all aspects of that process very well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there wasn't anything they needed to improve; the team worked well together. They did a good job running their business. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend R&Y Labs. Also, since you're hiring professionals, listen to what they have to say and let them do their job. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

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

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R&Y Labs?

We utilize them to build out prototypes and generally available software solutions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

R&Y Labs spent some time understanding our project and going into the processes and planning. After that, we moved into resource discussions of our needs from a customer management perspective. They also worked with us to provide coverage, especially during odd hours, for our clients across the world.

What is the team composition?

We work with two people from their side, including the CEO.

How did you come to work with R&Y Labs?

They were referred to me by a trusted source. I went with them because of the effort and time they put in to understand the project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent more than $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2018, and we’re still working with them. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They have various resources, and they’re all very good at what they do.

How did R&Y Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve managed the project pretty well. We communicate with them through email and Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I think it’s the amount of time they take up in trying to get to know me, my company, and our needs — they really try to align with us and feel like an extension of our team.

Are there any areas they could improve on?

They can do a better job in terms of pricing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Constantly communicate with them — they’re very good at taking feedback, which has been critical for us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Cullie, a photo editing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R&Y Labs?

Our previous developer was going through some organizational changes and therefore can’t provide their services anymore, so we hired R&Y labs to complete the development of our app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Apart from the continued development of our iOS app, R&Y Labs has also helped us with some of the initial structures of the build and cleaned them up. One of the requirements we’ve given them is to give users the ability to open the app and access a poll for photos submitted in the last 30 days.

They also help us create an interface where users can see completed photos that they can download and share.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is Calvin (Partner).

How did you come to work with R&Y Labs?

They were recommended to us by our previous developer.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested somewhere between $30,000–$50,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in May 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before we worked with R&Y Labs, we didn’t have a functioning app so the partnership has been super effective because they got us off the ground and running. They just have this can-do attitude and eagerness to provide us with something that hasn’t been done before. 

Calvin and the team were able to execute what we wanted, and we found that to be really invaluable as a small business.

How did R&Y Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly use Slack to communicate and we would have weekly calls every Monday to discuss the progress of the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with their willingness to learn and try new things. R&Y Labs is in an uncharted area with our business, but they’re very well-suited for the challenge.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they could improve on, but I wish we had started working with them earlier.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice would be to stay as close to them as possible because they’re certainly willing to be available to you as much as you want. They have a wealth of knowledge and they can provide you with a lot of information, so make sure you make the most out of your engagement with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am CEO of a staff engagement software solution

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire R&Y Labs?

We needed to transition from a licensed prototype platform to a production system

SOLUTION

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

Recommended by a trusted colleague. Speed and competency mattered.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Several senior developers helped transition the platform and lay foundation for long term internal team.

Describe the recruitment process in detail.

C level discussions quickly led to project definition and scope.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The company was able to move forward and is now successful with its own internal team.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow and communication has been too notch.

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

They're always eager to resolve problems and add value to the partnership.

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

Aspects needed improvement were worked out in real time. I was impressed how they took feedback and made needed changes.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a video messaging startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire R&Y Labs, and what were your goals?

Our product relies heavily on rock solid audio and video capturing capabilities, something we internally has no experience building. We leveraged the help or RY Labs to develop the core A/V infrastructure, among other initiatives such as improved deployment processes and other app development including real-time processing of videos.

SOLUTION

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

We we referred to the firm based on their track record successfully working with agile tech startups.

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

We started with a fluid UX prototype that required RY to be very flexible as we developed the core video capabilities. RY was able to leverage AWS for video capture, processing, transcription and more.

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

There were 3 people, with some work being done by the founders, which was appreciated.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have had a highly scalable, reliable audio and video recording service for years now. Our support tickets are near zero.

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

We communicated through secure messengers and had great protocols in place for sensitive data sharing. This was much appreciated.

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

They clearly understood how to work with very early-stage startups.

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

Very satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Im co-founder / ceo.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire R&Y Labs, and what were your goals?

They were tasked to build the Android version of our iOS app.

SOLUTION

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

We selected R&Y because we had worked with them before and trusted them to do a good job.

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

They had to rebuild our iOS app in Kotlin.

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

2-3

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Really solid MVP

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

They're very easy to work with.

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

Not that I can think of.