What should customers focus on most now?
Prepare for the next step: it’s time for brands to start redefining what mobile is. What makes your life easier is mobile, not just phones. We are not far from the next breakthrough, so it is the right time to stabilize for the next wave of innovation. There aren’t any other major breakthrough hardware technologies that have hit the market lately, aside from Apple Vision Pro, but nothing has had the same success with users as mobile devices or smartwatches. This is the perfect time to update mobile apps as we are in a stable software cycle with mature APIs.
Using AI across products: Brands should consider how they can use AI to extend current products and make them more accessible and useful to users.
Consolidate your Tech Stack: Managing multiple Tech Stacks for mobile and web costs more and takes longer due to multiple QA cycle requirements. Companies increasingly want one tech stack to manage everything. That’s where the industry is going.
Creating apps to grab users’ attention: Another important user behavior is app saturation. Users don’t want to download an app for everything they do and often end up forgetting about the app. App makers should consider what features can make their apps stand out and capture users’ attention within a short period of time.
What is unique about having a culture that is a balance of 50% engineers and 50% creatives?
A 50/50 balance between engineers and creatives promotes a shared understanding of the product development process, from strategy and design to engineering. This shared language eliminates the need for retraining and reduces communication breakdowns that often occur in companies with disparate teams. A shared understanding enables smoother collaboration between teams, leading to more efficient and innovative product development. A cohesive team like ours can better align product goals, design aesthetics, and technical feasibility, resulting in higher quality products.
There are companies that simply do what customers ask, but our biggest differentiator is that we want customers to be successful. We want to be good partners, so we ask them tough questions that make them think. It’s important to have a team that can meet these needs and work with you to answer the tough questions.
What is the best way to keep employees motivated and working at a high level?
The past few years have been difficult and the whole world can see what is happening in the software industry. We motivate our teams by talking about our progress on ongoing work, encouraging people to earn certifications, and giving them opportunities to speak about their passion projects.
We want our teams to feel empowered to try new technology and keep learning. It’s like dressing for the weather: you have to adapt to the situation. I tell them, ‘Stay curious, keep learning the basics, and don’t panic if the industry takes a turn. Remember, the fundamentals are always there, even when things get out of hand. Just keep exploring and growing.
I have experienced both ups and downs in the industry. It’s a cyclical pattern. When you analyze the data, you see that there are always peaks and valleys. We’ve reached the bottom, but the only way from here is up. And every time that happens, something new is created. In 2007, the mobile industry was having a hard time (kinda boring 🙂), but then Apple came along and things changed. That’s what’s so exciting for us: there’s always something new on the horizon.
My vision is to build a team that is not only technically proficient, but also deeply committed to creating software that has a positive impact on both our team members and the people who use our products. We will achieve this by fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration and, most importantly, open communication.
What excites you most about the future of mobile?
It’s great to see the impact we can make in so many sectors, from healthcare to finance and e-commerce. Our work touches people’s lives in a big way, and that’s what makes it so exciting. It’s like being a problem-solving superhero, helping companies take their products to the next level in all kinds of areas.
A favorite project you’ve worked on over the years and why?
One of my favorite projects in recent years has been working with a large e-commerce client. We had a super tight deadline: only three to six months to build and launch a new platform. It was challenging because we had to work with existing code and integrate new technologies. And then of course there was the whole COVID-19 thing, which made the job even more challenging. We needed to make sure our team had everything they needed to work remotely and still meet the deadline.
Another cool project was working with a financial services provider. We did everything from creating a mobile app to the web and the backend, and it really helped us understand how that industry works. Every time I learn something new it becomes a favorite project.
One piece of advice you would tell your younger self?
If I could go back and talk to my younger self, I would say, “Take a deep breath and slow down a little.” The first ten years I was so focused on my career that I missed a lot. It’s definitely helped me grow, but I sometimes wonder where all the time went.
It is also important to specialize in something. I tried to do everything, but that made it difficult to be really good at anything.
Finally, be flexible. In a rapidly changing industry like ours, it is essential that we are able to adapt and adapt our strategies as necessary.
