Upright

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am co-founder of a social services startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Upright?

We developed a website and needed to make some significant changes to it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project has migrated. When we first started with them we worked on development and took a deep dive into the business model. We reassessed everything and almost started over at square one. We settled on some best practices before starting design and follow-up work. We’ve since started prototyping to see how we want to change and shift. We’re partway through the process.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with everyone there. I primarily work with Danielle (Product Lead, Upright) but have worked with Paul (Financial Direction, Upright) on modeling, Jordan (Director of Business Development, Upright) on modeling, and Emma on copy editing issues. I believe all the members of their New York team share equity as co-founders. I have also worked with Mariusz (Operation Manager PL, Upright) & Witold on their Polish team.

How did you come to work with Upright?

I’ve known Danielle since before she started at Upright. She brought us in as an early client and I trust her judgement. I’ve worked with several different development companies and this one is by far the easiest to work with.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent about $4,500 so far. I anticipate paying them more as we go into future sprints.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around July 2017 and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have statistics or results for our project yet. I referred them to my husband’s company and they’ve already completed and launched their site. We’ve had strong feedback on the launch there.

How did Upright perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re strong. They’re a new company, however, and they did change the project management tools they were using. In spite of that, they’re accountable, transparent, and fairly easy to reach at any time. They don’t overcharge for their services.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s quite a diverse team with strong women entrepreneurs. I’m not a developer. In the past, I’ve been frustrated by the attitude and runaround of other shops. With them, I can be candid if I don’t understand something, without any risk of condescension. Sometimes I push back fairly aggressively on ideas and they respond in a good way. It’s a nice working relationship.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re a startup too. We’ve definitely shifted what we’re doing, but using them was a risk I was willing to take. I refer them frequently, especially to other female entrepreneurs.