Stable Kernel

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder and CEO of a private equity-backed restaurant operating company. We develop, acquire, and operate restaurant concepts.

What challenge were you trying to address with stable|kernel?

In one of our new concepts, we wanted to resolve an issue or what we refer to as a pain point in many restaurants. When you come into a restaurant, you usually have to stand around waiting for a seat, especially in a great restaurant on a Saturday night. Once you get through that initial wait time and sit down at your table, you have to wait to be served. Finally, when you're ready to leave, you can't go until you get your check. That last part is probably one of the biggest pain points of a restaurant experience. We asked ourselves, "How can we use digital technology, specifically a mobile app, to resolve these pain points?" Think about Uber pay. What if somebody asked you, "Would you take a cab or car off a stranger?" Three or five years ago, you would have probably said no. But, nowadays, Uber is so convenient. It shows up, you jump in, you go where you need to go, you jump out, and you pay. We engaged stable|kernel because we wanted to create a similarly convenient experience for restaurants.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Before approaching stable|kernel, we looked at the market, analyzed existing mobile apps, and performed an impression test. We were then able to say, "Here's what the competition looks like. Here are the features and functions that are out there. Here's what we want to do."

They took that information and performed their own impression test. Then, they scoped out the actual programming and design of our app from the wireframes to coding. Much of it involved integrating existing systems since there are many point-of-sale, lobby call and ordering systems out there. However, there was no end-to-end system that lets me order and pay for a pizza or a salad as I leave my apartment. That way, I can just walk to the restaurant, pick it up, and it's already paid.

We also wanted a system that would allow me to place an order on my way to a restaurant and reserve a table. Five minutes after I arrive, my food shows up in front of me. I can eat and then I can literally just walk out the restaurant and the whole transaction is done. That's what they scoped for us. They integrated many different applications in iOS and Android.

How did you come to work with stable|kernel?

We chose stable|kernel based on the following factors. First, we wanted a company that was small so that they were still very creative and would find our project interesting. But, we also wanted a company that had the capability to grow with us. Aside from that balance, we wanted somebody local in Atlanta. stable|kernel scored high on all three of those. Also, we vetted three other firms in Atlanta and stable|kernel gave us a fair price.

How much have you invested with stable|kernel?

We have invested more than $200,000 with stable|kernel.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with stable|kernel around January 2016. Now, we're wrapping up the first version release of the app for a September [2016] opening. We still have an ongoing relationship with them, and we already have a roadmap for adding features to our app.

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

stable|kernel's main strength is programming. They actually hired an additional Android programmer specifically for our project. That showed commitment on their part, and that was a big deal for us. stable|kernel has also been very responsive to issues and challenges.

How did stable|kernel perform from a project management standpoint?

stable|kernel should work on having great project managers. At first, the project didn't seem to be making progress after several weeks. Apparently, much was already being done on the back-end, but we couldn't see it, and it wasn't being communicated properly. We also noticed that the programming manager was coding and trying to lead difficult meetings. When we raised the issue, stable|kernel brought in a different project manager and the meetings improved. They became more structured and focused, giving us clarity on what was being accomplished. If there were any gating issues, we were able to work more easily through those things.

What did you find most impressive about stable|kernel?

stable|kernel's passion for the project was by far the biggest thing that impressed me. There were many firms out there who said they could help us, but the passion didn't come through. stable|kernel was excited about what we were trying to do, and that came through. They actually turned down larger, more financially stable clients that offered mundane work. They said, "Look, you guys are a startup, but you're doing something really cool. This is industry changing, so we'd rather work with you guys." That made a huge difference.

Are there any areas stable|kernel could improve?

stable|kernel needs to improve their project management since the project manager role was missing upfront. They need to make sure they stay on top of things as they grow and understand that it's not just about the coding. A client can't really appreciate the process if a project manager does not communicate where they are, what they are doing, and the value created that week. That is true particularly in the phase where you're not actually selling anything yet. It's another thing to walk in and say you can see the difference in the app from week to week. Communicating with the client is as important as the actual code itself.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with stable|kernel?

We had meetings every week so we stayed close and that helped on the partnership side, too.

Please describe your organization.

The organization is called Food Finder GA. It's a registered Georgia and federal nonprofit 501(c)(3).

What is your position?

My role is adviser. My son founded it and serves as the CEO.

What business challenge were you trying to address with Stable Kernel?

My son came up with the idea for Food Finder about three years ago. He had seen a "60 Minutes" news story about a difficult situation for kids in Florida. He was in high school at the time and figuring out what type of volunteering he could do. He didn't just want to work a few hours a week at a food pantry. He wanted to do something a little bit bigger than that. At the time, I was working with a startup in San Francisco that used geolocation to do retail intelligence work through crowdsourcing. He asked a pretty smart question, "Why can't your people find all the food banks and get that information to the poor people?"

He talked to our developers and they suggested he do a mobile app, but it was horribly expensive, so they suggested a website instead. He crowdfunded through Indiegogo about two years ago and got the site up and running. He won some awards for the website, but his thought all along was to do an app. The price had come down a little, but it was still very expensive. The project manager from his website work introduced him to the folks at Stable Kernel, and they loved the idea so much that they offered to do it at cost. Jack set out to get funding and received it from the Arby's Foundation. The original vision was an app for high school students that locates you and all the closest free food sources around you. You can touch the pins to see the address and directions so you barely have to do anything.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Jack is a bright kid, but he wasn't interested in being a coder or learning any of the stuff he had to deal with on this. Because of my background, I knew enough about the processes and the technology to help guide where it needed to be. Jack had interviewed a number of companies. When he finally met with Stable Kernel, the first thing they did was not pitch their service, which was huge. They understood the problem that needed to be solved, and they were interested. The owner began architecting on a whiteboard, which is not something we asked them to do. It just was natural for those guys. That first website was done in Chennai, and it was spaghetti code all over the place. It didn't crash a lot but it wasn't elegant, by any means. The first thing Stable Kernel did was clean up that code and make the site much more responsive. They did that on their own time. Then they moved onto app development and took it from a real user's perspective. They were able to create exactly the experience Jack had been hoping for on both iOS and Android platforms.

How did you come to work with Stable Kernel?

The tech community in Atlanta is not very large, but the mobile app side is pretty established. There's the Atlanta Mobile Marketing Organization, and I was asked to go to one of those meetings because of my work in the mobile world. I was introduced to Sara Woodward, who is the head of business development over at Stable Kernel. That's the original way that I met them. From that point, Jack was "interviewing" mobile developers trying to find the right fit. When he met with Stable Kernel, it was just a natural fit.

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

It was $18,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The initial kickoff meeting was back in February [2016], and that was after the Arby's Foundation had committed to the funding. The work didn't begin until we got the funds from Arby's, which came through in early April. The development ended in early May, we approved everything in mid-May, paid them in late May, and the apps went live in the app stores a couple weeks into June.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

From a metrics standpoint, it's super early because it's only been out three weeks. I'm seeing a steep curve in downloads and use, but it's still in the dozens because kids are out for summer, and we're trying to get the word out. In terms of the website, we've been able to use Google Analytics for the past two years, and we saw more than 10,000 unique users of the Food Finder GA website. That was with little to no awareness building.

Our local CBS station found out about the app somehow and wanted to do a story on Jack. That story was on air last Friday, and we assume it will cause quite a bit of increased awareness and use.

How did Stable Kernel perform from a project management standpoint?

I've been in mobile for the last six or eight years in various capacities, usually as an EVP [executive vice president] of a retail-based organization. Almost all of the platforms I've worked with have been purely mobile or mobile-centered. I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of all of that. It was remarkable how these guys handled it from a project management standpoint, both from a customer discovery side and from the actual work and wireframes that were produced. They made sure they were on track consistently and were asking questions when they needed to. Keeping in touch with us on the timeline was terrific. They were not working on a commercial timeline that's guided by spending or revenue but, rather, they were doing it for the kids' sake, and they were very in touch with that.

What distinguishes Stable Kernel from other providers?

The quality and thoughtfulness of the work seem so much better than other mobile development houses that I've been around. Mobile development houses are trying to sell a service. Stable Kernel never sold us anything. They showed us their capabilities and their work, but nothing more. They asked us what we wanted to accomplish and if they were the right people for the job. What I saw from them was a genuine interest in the idea of helping kids find their closest free food. They loved the output. They loved the use of the app. To see that emotional connection really mattered. They honored our request for at-cost production completely with no push back, no questions, no nothing. The whole experience as a customer was terrific.

Is there anything Stable Kernel could have improved or done differently?

I don't remember anything that caused me to say I wish they'd done this, that, or the other thing. It was extremely smooth.

Please describe your organization.

Our startup has developed an application aimed at changing the way in which people search for furniture.

What is your position?

I am the founder of the company.

What business challenge were you trying to address with stable|kernel?

We needed help in building the technology behind my company's solution. We had a great idea but didn’t have the skill sets necessary to bring it to fruition.

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

stable|kernel has helped with the design and development of our consumer-facing mobile application for iOS. We intend to expand our app to Android within the following months. We will most likely use them for that project as well.

Their team initially included two developers and a part-time designer. We've reduced the number by one developer since then.

How did you come to work with stable|kernel?

We approached a handful of software development companies in Atlanta and in other locations. stable|kernel was recommended to us by an acquaintance. I reached out to them and started a standard sourcing process, narrowing my options between their company and one other firm. We ultimately chose them based on expertise and management approach.

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

The total development cost so far has been $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work is still in progress. We started working together at the beginning of November of 2015. We plan to use stable/kernel's services for the foreseeable future.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We've had a clear statement of work for the first 10 weeks of development. stable|kernel delivered on everything that was promised so far, and we've even included extra features in the application. That kind of flexibility is almost unheard of when it comes to development. 

During the first phase of work, they've done everything that was expected of them, and even more.

How did stable|kernel perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been great in this respect. One of the main reasons for choosing them is that they are ten minutes away from my house, which makes it easy to connect with their team face-to-face. stable|kernel has provided a dedicated project manager which we've used as a point of contact in order to stay on top of what they're working on. They take input from us constantly. There's been a lot of transparency in our collaboration in deciding what should or shouldn’t be prioritized.

We are working with another engineering team for the backend of the application. stable|kernel has helped keep the entire operation moving from a project management standpoint.

We use Slack and Pivotal Tracker for project management. The tools were recommended by them.

What distinguishes stable|kernel from other providers?

I found them to be the most collaborative out of all the companies that I initially considered for this project. They had a creative way of thinking about how we should build our solution. It was a big part of why they won the work. I've been very happy with our collaboration.

Is there anything stable|kernel could have improved or done differently?

I don't think so. They've done an all-around excellent job in supporting us throughout this effort.

Please describe your organization.

We specialize in manufacturing HVAC [heating, ventilation, and air conditioning] equipment, water heaters, pool and spa equipment, home generators, and so on.

What is your position?

I am the manager of digital services.

What business challenge were you trying to address with stable|kernel?

We were launching our Internet of Things initiative. We wanted to be able to remotely control our water heaters and HVAC equipment. We reached out to stable|kernel for developing the necessary applications for this. We do not have a mobile development team in-house so it was necessary to find an external partner with the suitable expertise.

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

The development team they supplied was composed of two people during our first project, which they bumped up to three later on. Right now, we have five full-time resources from stable|kernel. They support the development of our IoT app as well as our recently released contractor app, for both iOS and Android phones and tablets. They provide UI/UX [user interface/user experience] design as well.

I was the original developer in my company, in charge of the back-end functionality. I developed the API [application programming interface] that stable|kernel then used to build the rest of the application features. We ultimately realized that we didn't have the internal resources to continue this work, so we brought them in to redo the back-end portions, as well as to handle our contractor app.

How did you come to work with stable|kernel?

We found them through one of the design agencies we use. Joe Conway, the owner of stable|kernel was brought in by that agency in order to design a first version of the app. stable|kernel has expanded to more than 10 developers since that time. 

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

The total development cost for our first project was between $200,000 and $1 million. This year, the budget will be well over $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with stable|kernel for more than two years. We have an ongoing relationship.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The only issues we've ever had with the apps are due to the back-end system on which we're dependent, and not the fault of stable|kernel. The back-end has been built by me in a short period of time. They've done a good job of mitigating these limitations.

How did stable|kernel perform from a project management standpoint?

We are a digital group pushing boundaries from a technological standpoint. Stable|kernel is an extension of this philosophy, pushing development even further. They have a broader depth of knowledge than us. We recognized from the start that app development was their specialty and left it up to them.

As such, from a milestone perspective, we set quarterly goals for feature development. Stable|kernel was dependent on our internal time and resources, which became a challenge for us but, every time we delivered something, they were on top of it. Any time there was a slip in scheduling, it was due to our internal resources, on which stable|kernel was dependent.

One of the things they do well is project management. As a developer, I can sit down with their team, figure out what can be done, and set tasks. Their project manager will give us a timeframe for everything we've set.

They use Pivotal Tracker for their internal project management. We use Slack for communication. We collaborate through a yearly agreement for five full-time resources.

What distinguishes stable|kernel from other providers?

They're always pushing us to do more for the app and the services we provide. Whenever we have any amount of free resources, stable|kernel will give us a list of possibilities for adding value for our customers. They're more than a vendor to me. It's more of a partnership.

Please describe your organization.

Our aim is to simplify scheduling for the amateur sports world. We've created a utility app that allows coaches, parents, and players to create or follow as many games as they want in order to stay up to date.

What is your position?

I am a co-founder and the CEO [chief executive officer] of the company.

What business challenge were you trying to address with stable|kernel?

We are nontechnical people although I have a background in UX/UI [user experience/user interface] design. We were looking to find someone capable of working alongside us in executing the first version of our iPhone app.

We were looking for developers who not only understood technical requirements, but could understand what we were trying to accomplish with our company. Many other firms are focused on technical elements, without understanding revenue models and the big picture in general.

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

stable|kernel has developed our app for iOS devices, exclusively. At the height of the development process, our team was composed of four to five developers.

The communication was done directly with the developers. It was a completely transparent process and everything was up to date on a daily level. We used Slack for internal communication. It's an outstanding piece of software.

How did you come to work with stable|kernel?

We've been tied to the development community for a while. Knowing many developers in Atlanta, I was able to meet the owners of a few big companies. stable|kernel came through a reference after asking who the best developer in Atlanta was. Many people gave me Joe Conway's name [Conway is the CEO of stable|kernel]. It was a comfortable decision to contact them.

Our first meeting showed their competency to understand what we were trying to do as a business and what our long-term goals were. They also showed that they were capable of building scalable software in an efficient way.

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

The total development cost has been between $60,000 and $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We were introduced to their owner in June 2015.

Development was finished in October 2015. We intend to create an Android version in the future. The fact that they've hired one of the best Android developers around makes it a no-brainer to continue the work with stable|kernel.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The entire development process was very smooth. I've never gone through a collaboration that went as well as ours.

The app has been launched to end users. We've seen very positive reviews and have seen how people are interacting with it. So far, 500 teams were created through the app from users. A team consists of roughly 15 to 20 people, so that says something about its popularity.

We've not had any significant issues with the app. There is a minor bug in it, which was largely our fault. It hasn't been seen by the users, so I couldn't be happier with its current iteration. I don't have to worry about it breaking.

How did stable|kernel perform from a project management standpoint?

They work very well with other in-house teams, which speeds up the process. We know our own capabilities and can leverage them to accelerate our sprint, getting us to where we want to go.

stable|kernel works on a fixed-priced model, mostly. This is better both for them and the client. It gets everyone on the same page, whereas hourly pricing leaves out transparency. Whenever they told us that something would cost a certain amount, they stuck to that price. If there's any need for additional work, it will be handled by them. stable|kernel have the ability to scope out a project and know what it will cost. They haven't gone over budget yet, and most projects are delivered under budget. We mainly used Slack and Pivotal Tracker for project management.

What distinguishes stable|kernel from other providers?

The biggest differentiator is that they understand us. They really go out of the way to grasp the business logic behind your solution, and that goes a long way. Right now, the one in Georgia is better than them. They care about the client.

stable|kernel has worked on a couple of subsequent iterations for free. The big differentiator for them is that they're great businessmen and know how to keep a client happy. stable|kernel didn't have to do any of the work they did after the first version was launched, but they did.

They've invited us to different events in the city and have kept in touch. The relationship didn't end with the build of our project. I feel 100 percent comfortable recommending stable|kernel to anyone.