An Omaha-grown business with immense potential, Appsky is “a human-centered creative agency that specializes in software, design, and consulting.” Founder and CEO Taylor Korensky describes Appsky as a “full stack developer,” handling front and back-end development of hybrid mobile apps and progressive web apps. They also develop WordPress and ecommerce utilities for a wide range of businesses and organizations.
Appsky empowers their clients to tackle complex creative communication challenges like brand development, logo design, print design, promotional materials, web design, and mobile app interface design. Through their consulting services, Appsky’s experts make their knowledge, experience, and processes available to their clients. Appsky consults on decisions and processes related to software support, market research, usability testing, product strategy, implementation, and more.
All of these services are possible through the work and talent of Appsky’s creative dream team of software and design specialists, as well as the vision and organizational prowess of Appsky’s Chief Operations Officer Jade Jensen. As Appsky has grown, they have provided key creative services to clients in a variety of industries including real estate, agriculture, medical insurance, and various entrepreneurial ventures.
Such a diverse array of specialized projects demand a consistent, sustainable approach to business operations. Pricing, planning, hiring, budgeting, and other operational challenges are as complex as the multitude of services Appsky can offer. To reach their full potential, they needed to have clear visibility of their cash flows and simplified financial management processes.
For over 8 years, Appsky has offered clients a unique blend of technical expertise, creative vision, and innovation that requires a full team of talented specialists who can work together to create brilliant solutions. Appsky’s ability to take on unique, multifaceted projects helped grow the business early on, but also presented a bevy of billing and budgeting challenges.
The mix of specialties and proficiency Appsky needs to deliver on their value proposition can create hiring hurdles. Appsky needs to be able to hire top talent confidently, anticipating labor costs and incorporating them into their financial expectations. Any project has the potential to present new, unexpected complications that may require additional recruitment and other unforeseen expenses in order to address.
With a large team of contractors and in-house talent, Appsky had to figure out how to offer competitive wages and benefits to different kinds of employees, while keeping their projects on-budget. Appsky tried managing their own financial information using internal team members and financial management tools, but found their financial management challenges too sophisticated for a light-touch approach.
To gain more financial clarity and develop consistent processes, they also tried working with a larger financial management firm. According to CEO Taylor Korensky, that arrangement failed as well. Poor communication and a lack of entrepreneurial vision on the part of their financial management provider led to unsatisfactory results for Taylor and his team.
Long term cash flow expectations were fuzzy or unknown as the team did not have a firm grasp on profitability or expected costs for their large variety of projects. Decisions related to pricing, billing, hiring, and business loans were all made with trepidation due to limited financial visibility. Appsky was a confident group, with full faith in each other, but lacked that confidence when it came to budgeting, collections, and overall financial management.
When Taylor Korensky finally met with Mary Ferry of Advantage Insights, he was impressed with her transparency and candor.
“I don’t need someone to sugarcoat our finances. I like straight shooters—transparent people who will tell you the truth.”
-Taylor Korensky, CEO, Appsky
Mary interviewed the Appsky team about their company, services, and clients to understand billing processes and cycles. She helped Taylor and Jade identify process problem areas and design solutions for pricing structures and bill collection.
The Advantage Insights team worked seamlessly with Appsky to train and implement new processes for recording transactions and collecting payments, including an automated billing system that has resulted in an accounts receivable that sees “hardly any” late payments. Jade Jensen (COO) says that Appsky has a lot more information about their finances in general, which helps them to plan for tax season and budget business expenses appropriately.
Advantage Insights provides regular financial reports, updates, and advice, illuminating subtle changes in performance that they may otherwise miss. When Taylor, Jade, and the rest of the Appsky team have difficult operational decisions to make, they have access to a team of financial experts who are intimately familiar with Appsky’s business model and vision for growth.
As a result of their work with Advantage Insights, Appsky has been able to accept larger, more complex projects, some 3 to 4 times larger than projects they had typically accepted in the past. Their ability to take on more demanding projects and serve a broader client base has improved Appsky’s overall performance and steepened their growth path.
Taylor Korensky’s experience managing his business’s finances has shown him the value of professional financial management.
“Hire a specialist sooner than you think you need to.”
-Taylor Korensky, CEO, Appsky
Mary and the rest of the Advantage Insights team have proven a trustworthy resource for Appsky, allowing them to grow beyond what they had previously envisioned. As Advantage Insights has added services, Appsky has grown, taking advantage of those capabilities.
With Advantage Insights, you can gain a trusted, responsive, and knowledgeable partner to help you dial in your cash flow processes, forecast and budget with confidence, and design a better business model—one that maximizes your profitability and the value you can deliver for your clients.
Appsky has access to full service financial management and a team of professionals who are responsive, innovative, and thorough. In this way, Advantage Insights is an ideal partner for Appsky, another growing business delivering unique solutions for its clients.
If you want to find out how Advantage Insights can save your business time and money, and help you develop a path to success illuminated by data and smart planning, request a free consultation. The Advantage Insights team can help you identify and address exactly what may be holding you back.
Contact Advantage Insights by email at info@youradvantageinsights.com or call 402-281-3785. Hire a team of specialists that will integrate with your organization and deliver unparalleled expertise and clarity for your finances.
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