Blogs » Building the Tee Time App: Dustin Ward on Partnering with Technology Rivers
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Dustin Ward is a social entrepreneur, community advocate, and former minister who’s passionate about creating equitable opportunities through connection. With a deep love for golf and a mission to drive inclusion, Dustin launched Tee Time—an app designed to connect people through the game of golf and foster inclusive community experiences.
While Dustin had the vision and the drive, building an app was new territory for him. It wasn’t until he partnered with Technology Rivers that his idea was transformed into a tangible, scalable digital product—ready to make an impact.
Watch the video to hear Dustin Ward’s story of how Tee Time came to life with the help of Technology Rivers.
The Audio Transcription: From Vision to Reality with Technology Rivers
I’m Dustin Ward, founder of Tee Time. The idea for Tee Time came from my larger mission-driven business, It Is Time, which is rooted in promoting equity and inclusion. I’ve always seen golf as a way to connect people from different walks of life, and I wanted to use technology to make those connections more intentional and accessible. That’s where the vision for Tee Time began.
When I first started exploring app development, I realized very quickly that I was in over my head. I’m not a coder and have no technical background. I tried to piece things together on my own but quickly hit a wall. The process was time-consuming, and I knew that if I kept trying to do this myself, it would delay everything else I was working on to grow the business.
Before founding Tee Time, I was in ministry—I earned a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. One of my former classmates and close friends, Moy, introduced me to Technology Rivers. He had worked with them in the past and thought they would be a perfect fit for what I was trying to build.
From the first conversation, I could tell this was the right team. Technology Rivers had the technical expertise and a deep understanding of what it takes to bring an idea to life. More importantly, they listened. They weren’t trying to push their own solutions—they focused on what I was trying to create and helped me refine it into something functional and scalable.
The communication throughout the project was phenomenal. Whether through email, Slack, or Zoom, the team was always responsive and clear. When they presented the full layout and app flow to me, it became real—I could see Tee Time taking shape in front of me.
They handled every challenge and timeline change with professionalism and consistency. We had a target launch date in March, and they met every milestone leading up to it. That reliability gave me the confidence to move forward, knowing I had a real product coming to life.
What I appreciate most about Technology Rivers is how they made something intangible—an idea—into something real and usable. I now have a tool that reflects my mission and has the potential to grow into a sustainable, impactful business.
Are you a founder with a big idea but no technical background?
Technology Rivers helps founders like Dustin turn purpose-driven ideas into real products—efficiently, professionally, and with strategic support every step of the way.
👉 Let’s talk about your project.
