I wish someone had told me this before I hired a development team for my app

Developing an app from scratch is an exciting journey, but also full of challenges. Finding the right development team can be a complex task, and many wish they had known certain key points before hiring. At Mobilenik, we've seen firsthand the challenges and learnings of many entrepreneurs and companies looking to create a mobile app that truly delivers value. Below, we share with you some fundamental aspects that will help you make more informed decisions.

1.Define your vision… and then drill down into details
A clear idea of what you want to achieve with your app is just the beginning. It is essential to transform that idea into a detailed vision. Define the essential functionalities, how you expect users to interact with it and what your ultimate goals are. This will help you not only to better communicate your needs, but also to align the development team with your vision and avoid misunderstandings along the way.

2.Evaluate their expertise in your type of app.
App development varies according to its objective (e-commerce, entertainment, productivity, etc.). Make sure the team has experience in the type of app you need, as each category has specific challenges.

3.Think about UX design from the beginning.
Make sure the development team includes experienced UX designers and that user experience is present at every stage of the development process. The interface and usability of the app are critical to its success, and defining them from the start is essential to avoid changes and costly modifications in the future.

4.Communication is key
Effective communication can make a big difference in the development of your app. A team that provides frequent updates, listens to your ideas and provides solutions to problems is invaluable. Look for a team with a transparent work methodology, where you can be aware of progress, changes or possible setbacks at every stage.

5.Make sure your team thinks about scalability and maintainability.
It's easy to get excited about a first functional version, but consider from the beginning how your app will evolve. Is the team creating a scalable architecture? Do they offer maintenance plans or future upgrades? These aspects make the difference between an app that manages to adapt and grow and one that remains stagnant because it is not prepared for the evolution of the market and users.

6.Don't limit yourself only to the budget
Hiring a development team is an investment and, as with any investment, cheap can be expensive. While it is important to stick to a budget, it is also important to evaluate the quality-price ratio. It is preferable to choose a team with fair rates and a solid portfolio than an inexpensive one with no proven experience.

7.Testing and constant feedback are not optional.
Finally, make sure the team considers the testing phase as an essential part of the development. Testing the app on different devices, getting feedback from real users and making constant improvements are crucial actions for a successful app. A committed team at this stage will be the best ally to achieve your goals.

Hiring a development team can be the decision that takes your project to the next level, or it can become a challenge if you don't choose the right partner. At Mobilenik, we are committed to guide you and offer you a transparent, professional and aligned collaboration with your goals. We know that developing an app is an important bet, and we work to make this process a positive and success-oriented experience.

How to Build a Billion-Dollar Marketplace — Do’s and Don’ts from the Growth Expert Behind Grubhub, Pinterest, and More

Think of a typical Friday night. Maybe you’re heading out to a local concert, which you RSVP’d to through Eventbrite. But before you head out, you order a pre-show meal from DoorDash. Finished with your meal, you Uber to the venue — but not before tossing on that new hat you bought off Etsy.

In the span of a few hours, you used four marketplace apps — without thinking twice.

Although these marketplaces have now become stitched into the fabric of our routines, their paths to product-market fit were far from seamless. Just ask Casey Winters, the seasoned growth expert behind massive marketplace success stories like Grubhub and Pinterest.

Across his storied growth career, Winters has cultivated a healthy appreciation for the black diamond-grade slopes these marketplaces must navigate to unlock sustainable growth. “When you’re building a marketplace, you’re tasked with generating demand and supply — so it can take longer to get the product to fully unlock,” he says.

As a growth leader and now an angel investor and advisor for marketplace startups, Winters has a multi-dimensional view into the exact moves that separate ubiquitous marketplaces from the also-rans. In this exclusive interview, he demystifies the 0-1 process into a simple punch list of do’s and don’ts that can turn promising startups into massive, multibillion-dollar marketplaces.

Picking an idea

Do: Choose a market with many suppliers
Just about any product can be bought and sold through an online marketplace. But even though a product category has hints of demand, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to grow into a mammoth offering. That’s why Winters emphasizes that founders must be thoughtful about choosing a market that actually has growth potential — right from the start.

Don’t: Target customers who always want the same thing
The dream for any business is to create a product where customers come back again and again. But when building a marketplace, you actually don’t want to target markets where customers make the same exact purchase over and over.

Finding early customers

Do: Find a scalable acquisition loop
“The point that gets talked about the least in marketplaces, but is extremely important, is figuring out if you have a sustainable advantage for acquiring either supply or demand,” says Winters. “Successful marketplaces tend to have a really scalable acquisition loop.”

Don’t: Shy away from some upfront non-scalable work
Uncovering a scalable acquisition loop is key if you want to launch a successful marketplace — but it doesn’t allow you to skip out on pounding the metaphorical (or even literal) pavement.

Retaining customers

Do: Understand all three steps of customer acquisition
As the oft-repeated story goes, in the early days of Facebook, the team noticed that users who acquired at least 10 friends in the first 14 days were much more likely to stick around. Getting to that tenth friend was considered the “magic moment” in Facebook customer acquisition.

Don’t: Overdo the discounts
With the insight that a second order in the first 30 days often leads to habitual use, it’s tempting to offer a tantalizing discount to nudge customers towards that behavior. But Winters warns that discounting is a dangerous dance.

Expanding the customer base

Do: Raise supply standards over time
“Grubhub’s software itself was hacky for a long time, but the restaurants were getting more demand,” says Winters. “Meanwhile, folks ordering delivery were seeing way more options than they had in the past.”

Don’t: Be rigid with your value prop
Winters notes that these standards can evolve over time. For example, in the early days of ridesharing, proving the safety of the product was paramount — but that evolved as ridesharing became more commonplace.

Evolving from startup to scaleup

Do: Level up your data sophistication
While building intricate software is not on an early marketplace’s to-do list, robust data analysis should be. When Winters partners with marketplaces after Series A or Series B, the first step is building up data capability. “We enrich the dashboards that your team should be paying attention to and we double-check that you're looking at the appropriate slice of data,” says Winters.

Don’t: Ignore supply churn
One particular red flag marketplaces tend to mistake for yellow is supplier churn. “A lot of times, people are acquiring a lot of supply that doesn't really get any transactions and then that supply will churn,” says Winters.

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