Swenson He - Out of Business

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Power Music Inc

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Provide fitness music for fitness professionals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Swenson He to accomplish?

• Build us an application for Fit professionals to consume our product

SOLUTION

How did you find Swenson He?

Existing relationship w owner

Why did you select Swenson He over others?

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

How many teammates from Swenson He were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

It was really a "build it from the ground up" Application. They had to transfer our existing web technologies into iOS and Android. Also, there was the large lift of creating a fluid UX.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Monthly updates and milestones.
• Troubleshooting and problem solving along the way.
• Many features we wanted created an "onion layer effect" of us then needing additional add ons.
• Swenson was great at recognizing this early and communicating it us clearly.

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

The communication was constant and detailed. Timing was in flux as our needs kept changing. Swenson did an incredible job managing not only the project, but us and our expectations.

What was your primary form of communication with Swenson He?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The level of their engineers, their desire to find perfection, and their relentless problem solving capability. Our stack is large and complicated. It was not always constructed pursuant to best practices. Swenson He always figured out the best way to resolve what often seemed like insurmountable challenges.

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

No. I think Swenson was our "Ace." We couldn't have done this without them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Product of FORE Enterprise

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Predict employee turnover with advanced AI

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Swenson He to accomplish?

• Build frontend Dashboard
• Build company website

SOLUTION

How did you find Swenson He?

Online Search

Why did you select Swenson He over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Swenson He were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Web App: Deliver a dashboard with multiple pages. Delivering data visualizations, user preferences, and seamless site navigation. Repeat dashboard for new clients and support evolving backend data structure. 
• Company Website: multi-page website demonstrating mission and services of our company. Multiple iterations and design processes. Minor integrations with 3rd party apps.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Client dashboard built and repeated and deployed for existing and new clients. 
• Functioning website. 
• Lots of great design plans for future development. 
• Minor SEO optimizations.

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

Fairly responsive even during off hours. Attentive team of full stack engineer and UX designer. Good monthly forecasting and budgeting. Sometimes found issues that repeated and took multiple iterations to resolve, but overall they're attentive and supportive of our team's ambitions.

What was your primary form of communication with Swenson He?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The ability to iterate designs in a timely manor and adapt to our evolving needs.

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

Sometimes the communication of timelines is a bit ambitious and would prefer to be a bit more conservative in estimations. However there's also a significant responsibility on our end to be clear with the expectations and deliver our end of the development in a timely manor.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Energy and Decarbonization Analyst of Mazzetti

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are healthcare MEP design engineers and sustainability professionals with a focus on sustainable, energy efficient, and net zero carbon design

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Swenson He to accomplish?

• Help create a website to house a Guidebook for Decarbonizing Healthcare facilities
• Design the website to be effective in encouraging usage and engagement from our target users
• Establish knowledge management system to house the Guidebook content

SOLUTION

How did you find Swenson He?

Online Search

Why did you select Swenson He over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Swenson He were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Swenson He helped design the website, they designed the logo, the UI and UX, helped integrate our knowledge management system, Guru, into our website so the content can be easily updated by our technical experts without the ongoing management of a software engineer or product manager.

They helped us create and realize our vision for the website and the end result was a very beautiful and impressive platform that has the tools and thoughtfulness to be useful and effective for our target user group. Key deliverables includes providing 3 versions of the website with additional features and a full integration to our existing KMS program.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Measurable outcomes included producing a website that included all features and capabilities that were required, staying within budget, and staying on schedule. Swenson He completed all 3 to perfection. Their communication throughout the project was very professional and reliable and their support resulted in a successful project.

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

Swenson He expertly managed the project tasks, schedule, and budget. They were very reliable for weekly deadlines and overall project progress. All items were delivered on time and within budget. They responded to our needs in a very professional way and made great use of Slack and email communication to ensure our requests were being heard and we were updated regularly on their progress and completion.

What was your primary form of communication with Swenson He?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Swenson He's technical capabilities, product management style, and professionalism were extremely impressive. Their team was also very personable and fun to work with.

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

None that come to mind as a result of working with them on this project. We had a great experience working with Swenson He.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of kommu

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

kommu is your trusted home-sharing and travel network.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Swenson He to accomplish?

• Design a prototype
• Build a scalable MVP
• Launch our app in the iOS App Store

SOLUTION

How did you find Swenson He?

Referral

Why did you select Swenson He over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

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

The objective is to develop an iOS app that enables users to connect with their trusted network and streamline home-sharing and travel arrangements. To foster trust and facilitate connections, we aimed to create a user-friendly product that presents inventory availability and allows seamless booking of each other's spaces. With the mobile app, users receive instant notifications when a friend's place is up for grabs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Deliver a working prototype within 1 month of engagement
• Launch in the iOS App store within 6 months of engagement

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

Swenson He proved to be an exceptional partner throughout our project. Their responsiveness and clear communication made them a pleasure to work with. Despite our budget constraints, they collaborated with us to identify key features and deliver a reliable product that users could trust and scale effectively.

Their insights as fellow consumers also brought valuable perspectives to the design and development process, improving the user experience without compromising on cost. Whenever we encountered issues that could impact our growth or user satisfaction, they were quick to address them and ensure a smooth outcome. Overall, Swenson He exemplified professionalism and provided outstanding value to end users.

What was your primary form of communication with Swenson He?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We were impressed by Swenson He's exceptional grasp of our challenge and their willingness to collaborate with us throughout the development process, even with a tight budget. Unlike other service providers who would simply deliver what was scoped out, Swenson He went above and beyond to create a product that exceeded our initial expectations. Their deep understanding of the problem and opportunity allowed them to make insightful adjustments to the scope, resulting in a superior end product.

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

We have no complaints at this time. Swenson He met their commitments and delivered the product within the agreed-upon timeframe. They are excellent.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a sports digital marketplace platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Swenson He?

We hired Swenson He to create a tappable prototype and basic landing page to present to investors and other key with a goal of raising funds. We plan to have other projects in the near future including the development of an MVP, and hopefully a full-featured product as well.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We searched online and also spoke with people within our network for recommendations on software development firms. We started with a sizable list of vendors and spoke with the vast majority of them, and then narrowed down to four finalists. Of the four finalists, Swenson He stood out based on their prior work; but, especially, it was their understanding of what we wanted to build and also how they communicated in how they can help us to reach our next milestone which is to present our prototype to investors and raise funds.

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

We started off with discussions on what I was trying to build. We went through a discovery process where we honed in on what we wanted to include in the prototype, and what we felt were unnecessary for the immediate future. I worked with the creative director and product manager who were both excellent throughout the process.

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

We started off with David, the VP of Sales, who, in my opinion, is one of the best individuals I have spoken with amongst all the different software development firms. David helped us with the onboarding process, and he handed the project off to Daniel, the project manager; and we primarily worked directly with the creative director, Aaron, and senior product manager, Alexa, who were both excellent throughout the project in their performance and professionalism. There were other team members from Swenson He who contributed as well. Throughout the process, David was there for us to ensure our experience with Swenson He was going smoothly and we were getting the most out of the collaboration.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Without sharing too much about our platform, the prototype has garnered a very positive reaction from many potential, key stakeholders in our platform. The prototype and website, which were both built by the Swenson He team, have helped us reach some immediate goals which are encouraging for us as we near our ultimate near-term goal of raising funds from investors.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The communication between us and Swenson He was excellent. Whether it was about deadlines, any big or small requests, or even bouncing around suggestions and ideas, the Swenson He team was so responsive and on top of everything. Most importantly, they earned our trust and confidence early on in the project with how organized, straightforward, and precise they were with every step of the process.

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

I would say the personnel of Swenson He is what makes them special. Obviously, I can only speak predominantly about the individuals with whom I spent a lot of time with and communicated with frequently. But, those individuals were just so great at each of their roles; and that is why they are able to function so well and put out great end products. As a customer, there is nothing better than to work with a vendor who has individuals, from start to finish, who know what they are doing and can not just build a product, but help and guide the customers along the way so that the product is truly something that can turn into a successful business.

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

There were some parts of the project that could have been done a little bit quicker. But, they definitely got the job done to our utmost satisfaction.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the inventor of an app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Swenson He?

They’re developing an iOS application for me.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I built a prototype with a different development company and decided to find a new vendor to build the product. They were able to create a fully functional MVP for us.

It came in under budget, and the process went very smoothly. We had weekly check-ins, and the communication was up to the highest degree. Every question was answered within an hour, and Marine (Product Manager) and Garrett (VP of Technology and Product) were both really great at helping me learn the ropes of a technical project. They spoke to me with compassion and understanding without taking control away. Ultimately, I ran the design and felt very respected.

The app is an interactive vision board that lets you navigate your calendar and understand what your patterns for self-care are. The mobile app has features that allow users to create short-form video content through imagery uploaded into our API, along with affirmations and the ability to have your own calendar where you can input certain aspects around your life to pursue a long-term goal

What is the team composition?

I’ve been in contact with David and Marine, as well as Garret. It’s been very simple to have direct contact with these people.

How did you come to work with Swenson He?

I went through an arduous process of interviewing over ten developers to find someone that connected with my own personal values, and Swenson He very much aligned with them during the onboarding process.

David (VP) provided the utmost care and communication to me, really helping me understand what was involved in the process, as I’m a non-technical person. I also had multiple meetings with Nick (Founding Partner) to talk about the designs for products we were already building.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $60,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2021–April 2022. We’re in a holding pattern right now, as I’m busy raising funds, but we’re going to soon move into the evolution phase.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The whole team felt very cohesive and synergistic. They’ve built a great product, and we’re now seeing results. We’ve received over 350 users in three weeks without doing any marketing whatsoever.

I want to work with them again, but I don’t have the money right now. They actually added more funnels free of charge so that we can measure what’s happening. The app has a 47% retention rate. I’m very happy with the designs and how everything has gone. They’ve certainly exceeded our expectations.

Bugs are certainly expected, but we move through those as soon as we identify them. There haven’t been any crashes.

How did Swenson He perform from a project management standpoint?

Responsiveness and communication are my core values, and that’s why I ultimately chose them. If I ever had a tiny question — even on the weekend — someone would get back to me. Their customer service was second to none.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication was the biggest highlight.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so. I’m really happy with their service, and I’m very happy that I trusted my gut and decided to work with them over other companies.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I can’t say a bad word about them, so definitely check them out and see if they’re the right fit for you. Obviously, they were the right fit for my project, but I’m not sure what other kinds of projects they tackle. They’re very professional. You’d be hard-pressed to find better than them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The Lumistella Company is a global intellectual property company dedicated to bringing Santa’s North Pole to life for children around the world through consumer products, entertainment-based content and unique branded experiences. Digital Media Manager - I manage all things digital - from digital marketing campaigns, to gaming, to mobile apps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Swenson He, and what were your goals?

Rebuild the Scout Elf Ideas App for Android and iOS. Goal was to redesign and modernize the existing Scout Elf Ideas App for 2021 as well as build a solid foundation to continue updating the app with exciting features.

SOLUTION

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

I worked with Swenson He in the past. Knowing how incredibly professional and talented this team is, a first to mind recommendation to my supervisors as trust worthy developer.

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

To rebuild and launch our Scout Elf Ideas App with React Native for Android, iOS devices for the 2021 holiday season. Steps:

• Ideated UX/UI
• Identified MVP
• Final Designs
• Coordinate with our internal Dev on existing APIs
• Development begins
• Testing
• Launch App

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

That I know of, five.

• Nick, Managing Partner - Introductions, and initial ideation
• David, President of Sales - Ongoing account management
• Marine - Product Manager - Ongoing product management
• Garrett - Senior Developer - Oversees app development
• Alan -Developer - Lead developer on our project

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

From start to finish, Swenson He's communication and execution was flawless. As expected, working with Swenson He was efficient, clear, and professional. The app has maintained a 4.6 app store review and looking forward to continue working with them in 2022.

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

Our product manager (Marine) is exceptionally efficient in communication and execution. Next steps were always clear. We used a client channel in Slack for most of our communication as well as a 30 minute weekly call on Zoom. Swenson He is very responsive.

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

The flawless execution in every phase of development.

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

No areas of improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Grants and Marketing for the nonprofit Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach. We provide after-school and summer programming for the most at-risk and underserved youth in our community.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Swenson He, and what were your goals?

When COVID-19 hit, we realized we did not have a reliable vehicle to communicate with our Club youth and parents. We applied for a grant with Swenson He and were luckily chosen to get a mobile app created to solve this issue.

SOLUTION

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

Swenson He listened to everything we needed and very quickly realized how they could help solve everything. They graciously agreed to donate their services.

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

I had in-depth conversations with their team where we discussed the specifics of each of our problems. Their team collaborated and presented an easy-to-use app that gave us the ability to notify parents of emergencies and upcoming programs. They made it extremely easy to use and dual-language as most of our families do not speak English.

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

David: Vice President, Sales & Client Success: supervised the entire project.
Marine: The amazing person who took care of everything we needed.
Alexa: Second in command in making the app happen.
Daniel: The technical guru to helped make it all happen on the back end and nicely talked me through the technical items.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our measurable outcomes consisted of creating a communication app that was easily accessible for our demographics. Everything was done in a timely, professional, and patient manner.

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

Swenson He is extremely great at communicating each part of the process - especially for those that know nothing about app development. I felt that I was heard and each of my questions were well taken care of. Marine was a delight to speak to and work with.

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

We are incredibly grateful for this donated item, that being said, I never felt like I wasn't a paying customer. They got behind our mission and believed in the cause and the problem they were fixing with their project. They are all exceptional people.

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

They were fantastic and I don't see any area for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of tiderC, a public benefit corporation whose goal is to reduce food insecurity in college students. Basically, we provide a means for all college students to eat, whether they have the funds to pay for food or not.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Swenson He?

We needed help to create an application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we had a few meetings with Swenson He to scope my needs and see whether they could help me or not. After that, we had more meetings to go over the design concepts and other assets involved in the project.

They then created our logo and a really great mobile app, as well as a website and an admin panel to control the app. They did everything from scratch.

Swenson He did a great QR code functionality implementation. Students can scan QR codes whenever they go to a restaurant, and we can keep track of their activity. From the admin panel, we can approve our service to the students, and we can control how much they owe to restaurant owners. Additionally, they implemented a map that shows nearby restaurants affiliated with our service.

What is the team composition?

I regularly meet with 3–4 people from Swenson He, including their VP of sales. However, I’m not sure about the roles of their other team members, but they’re all incredibly great. Additionally, 8–9 more people interact with us on a Slack channel that we use to communicate.

How did you come to work with Swenson He?

We had heard good recommendations about Swenson He; a lot of people said they were very good. A friend close to my family had used them for an app, and he had nothing but praise for them. We felt they would be great.

However, what drew me towards them was their level of support; they continue to support companies after completing the projects. I didn’t want just to have an app built; I wanted their help afterward to keep my app alive and expand my company.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent somewhere around $100,000–$250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in December 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Swenson He promised to deliver my app by a certain date and did it. We had some delays because I wanted to add a few other things to the app, so that wasn’t their fault. Despite that, they were able to deliver on their promises and meet the deadline.

The app is now live and available in the App Store. However, we’re still in the process of getting more restaurants to partner with us, and we will start advertising the app soon.

How did Swenson He perform from a project management standpoint?

Swenson He performs very, very well, and everything has gone very smoothly. We communicate through Slack, where we have a shared channel. We also arrange meetings whenever necessary.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Swenson He’s willingness to help their customers expand their company is impressive. They’ve worked very closely with us to ensure that our marketing is good and our logo design is great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything that they could improve on — everything went very well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Swenson He is willing to meet with you as much as you need. If you ever want to have another concept made or go over certain assets, arrange a meeting with them, and they will be very happy to oblige.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and CEO of a company that offers e-commerce services to the public called Gacha World.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Swenson He?

Swenson helped us with the entire development of our platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Swenson developed the front- and backend of our mobile app for Android and iOS. The backend development included features to support inventory management and accounting. Although we did most of the design work, their team created the entire UI/UX and shopping experience until the checkout process.

We sell exclusive products from Japan, so it's an e-commerce app. Swenson actually developed the Gacha machines, which were games for the platform. They essentially helped us gamify the shopping experience.

What is the team composition?

I've worked with 5–6 high-level people from Swenson. I worked with the president and CEO, the head of product development, and the head of design. Swenson also dedicated a project manager to our project.

How did you come to work with Swenson He?

We met about 20 development agencies in the Los Angeles area, and I met each one of them. We chose Swenson because we liked their smaller size, and their entire team was willing to work with us. Their budget was also reasonable.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $1 million on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in January 2020, and we’re still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We secured about 200,000 downloads and about 50,000 customers out of that group. Overall, their work has had a positive impact on our business.

How did Swenson He perform from a project management standpoint?

They meet deadlines, and we’ve had great communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Swenson meets deadlines. If they come across any issues, they let me know as soon as possible and immediately take care of them. When needed, they’ll assign additional staff to the project to get it done.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of any way for them to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We were able to work with everyone at their company, including their CEO. Their team has a lot of experience running businesses and launching startups. They gave us development and business advice, which I highly recommend listening to.