CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORY
From Fixing a Broken App to Becoming a Trusted Technology Partner
SickWeather initially hired Technology Rivers to fix problems with its existing Android application. After successfully addressing those issues, the relationship expanded into iOS, analytics, dashboards, backend development, and eventually followed Graham Dodge into another startup.
“There was never anything that we had problems with that they couldn’t work on, and that was why they became so invaluable to our team.”
Graham Dodge (Founder & Founding CEO, SickWeather)
Hear Graham's Experience Working with Technology Rivers
Graham Dodge shares how Technology Rivers went from solving problems with SickWeather’s Android application to becoming a broader development partner. He discusses the team’s ability to fix problems, adapt to changing needs, communicate effectively, and work as though they were part of his own team.
Client
Graham Dodge
Role
Founder & Founding CEO, SickWeather
Engagement
Existing Application Development & Ongoing Product Development
Industry
Digital Health / Disease Surveillance
Focus
Android, iOS, Java, Analytics, Dashboards, Backend Development
Why Graham Values Working with Technology Rivers
They Fix the Problems
Technology Rivers was initially brought in because SickWeather had problems with its existing Android application. Graham says one of the things he valued most was the team’s ability to actually fix the problems they encountered rather than simply work around them.
They Adapt as Needs Change
The engagement did not remain limited to its original Android scope. As SickWeather’s needs changed, Technology Rivers expanded into iOS, analytics, dashboards, backend work, and other development needs.
They Work Like Part of the Team
Graham describes having Technology Rivers accessible through multiple communication channels as though the developers were members of his own team. That accessibility became an invaluable part of the relationship.
Communication Without the Friction
Graham had previously experienced communication failures with other development providers, particularly distributed overseas teams. He says those problems went away after moving to Technology Rivers.
“What made me happiest about working with Technology Rivers was their ability to actually fix the problems that we had initially and to then adapt to our current needs at any given time.”
Graham Dodge (Founder & Founding CEO, SickWeather)
FIXING AN EXISTING APPLICATION
SickWeather Already Had an App. It Needed a Team That Could Fix It.
SickWeather is a digital disease surveillance platform. Graham describes the business as powering about half a billion dollars a year in digital healthcare advertising.
Technology Rivers did not enter the story to build SickWeather from a blank page.
The company already had an Android application, but the application had problems that needed to be fixed. SickWeather hired Technology Rivers for its Java and Android development expertise to take over that work and address the issues with the existing app.
That starting point is important.
Not every software engagement begins with an idea and a blank screen. Companies can already have users, software, business operations, and significant investment tied to a product when the technology itself becomes the problem.
In those situations, the challenge is different: understand an existing application, determine what is going wrong, fix it, and create a stronger foundation for continued development.
For SickWeather, successfully handling the Android application opened the door to a much broader relationship.
“I initially turned to Technology Rivers because of their expertise in Java and Android development. Then I figured out that they were capable of so much more than that.”
Graham Dodge (Founder & Founding CEO, SickWeather)
HOW THE RELATIONSHIP EXPANDED
Fix the Immediate Problem. Then Keep Building.
The first assignment was focused: address SickWeather’s Android application.
Once Technology Rivers demonstrated its ability to solve those problems, Graham began relying on the team for more.
Android Development
SickWeather initially selected Technology Rivers for its Java and Android expertise and brought the team in to address problems with its existing Android application.
iOS Development
As Graham became familiar with the team’s broader capabilities, the relationship expanded to include SickWeather’s iOS development.
Analytics & Dashboards
Technology Rivers later helped SickWeather build analytics and dashboard capabilities, expanding the engagement beyond the mobile applications themselves.
Backend Development
The relationship also grew to include additional backend development work as SickWeather’s technical needs evolved.
What began as a focused application-repair engagement became a much more comprehensive technology relationship.
AN ADAPTABLE DEVELOPMENT TEAM
A Team That Could Handle Whatever Came Next
Fixing the original Android problems was important, but Graham points to what happened afterward as one of the biggest reasons Technology Rivers became valuable to SickWeather.
The team adapted.
As new needs appeared, Graham did not have to continually search for another specialist or another development company.
Technology Rivers could move from the immediate problem into whatever the company needed next.
“There was never anything that we had problems with that they couldn’t work on.”
That ability allowed the relationship to evolve organically.
Challenge: SickWeather’s technical requirements extended beyond the original Android problems.
Technology Rivers’ contribution: The team adapted its role as those requirements expanded across mobile, analytics, dashboards, and backend development.
Why it mattered: Graham gained a development team he could continue turning to instead of rebuilding the technology relationship every time a new requirement appeared.
COMMUNICATION & COLLABORATION
When the Communication Problems Went Away
Graham came to Technology Rivers with experience working with other service providers and development companies.
That history influenced what mattered to him.
He specifically recalls problems working with other overseas development teams where too many points of communication resulted in failures.
His experience with Technology Rivers was different.
“All of that went away when we moved over to Technology Rivers.”
Graham describes having access to the Technology Rivers team through multiple communication channels as though the developers were members of his own organization.
For him, that accessibility became invaluable.
The significance was not simply faster communication. It changed the nature of the relationship from handing work to an outside development company to working with a team that felt integrated into SickWeather.
“Having their team accessible through various communication channels as if they were members of our own team has been invaluable.”
Graham Dodge (Founder & Founding CEO, SickWeather)
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
One Technical Need Revealed a Much Broader Development Team
Graham initially approached Technology Rivers for a specific reason: Java and Android development expertise.
The subsequent engagement demonstrated a broader range of capabilities.
Java & Android
The original reason SickWeather turned to Technology Rivers and the starting point for the relationship.
iOS Development
The mobile relationship expanded beyond Android once Graham became familiar with the team’s broader capabilities.
Analytics & Dashboards
Technology Rivers later supported SickWeather with analytics and dashboard development.
Backend Development
Additional backend development further expanded Technology Rivers’ role within the product.
The story is less about any single technology than what the progression demonstrates: Technology Rivers was able to enter through one defined technical problem and continue supporting the product as the scope evolved.
A RELATIONSHIP THAT CONTINUED BEYOND SICKWEATHER
Graham Brought Technology Rivers Into His Next Startup
The relationship did not end with SickWeather.
Graham later became a Founder and CTO of SMGB (Scan My Golf Ball).
When the new startup needed a technology partner, Graham introduced Technology Rivers based on his previous experience working with the team.
Technology Rivers subsequently worked with SMGB to develop its mobile application, which allows golfers to scan golf balls and receive recommendations based on their skill set and swing characteristics.
The progression tells the larger story:
Fix SickWeather’s Android application
Expand into iOS development
Build analytics and dashboards
Support backend development
Become an extension of Graham’s team
Graham brings Technology Rivers into SMGB
That last step provides a different kind of endorsement.
Graham did not simply approve additional work inside the same company. When he became involved in another startup that needed software development, he brought the Technology Rivers relationship with him.
THE BOTTOM LINE
“Just Do It. Just Work With Them.”
Graham’s recommendation is unusually simple and direct.
His experience with Technology Rivers started with a concrete technical problem: SickWeather had an Android application that needed to be fixed.
From there, Technology Rivers demonstrated five qualities that expanded the relationship:
- Problem-Solving: The team addressed the problems that originally brought SickWeather to Technology Rivers.
- Adaptability: As SickWeather’s needs changed, the team moved beyond the original Android assignment.
- Technical Breadth: The relationship expanded across Android, iOS, analytics, dashboards, and backend development.
- Accessibility: Graham felt he could communicate with Technology Rivers as though the developers were members of his own team.
- Earned Trust: The relationship ultimately carried beyond SickWeather when Graham introduced Technology Rivers to his next startup.
“In considering Technology Rivers, I would say just do it. Just work with them. You’ll see immediately the difference between whatever you’ve done previously and what happens for your company and for your business working with Technology Rivers.”
Graham Dodge (Founder & Founding CEO, SickWeather)
Video Transcript
The Full Conversation
[0:00] I’m Graham Dodge. I’m the executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Gigabit Innovation Collaboratory, the founder of Garnish Health, and the founder and founding CEO of Sickweather, which is a digital disease surveillance platform that powers about half a billion a year in digital healthcare advertising.
[0:15] I found Technology Rivers through networking with other developers in Baltimore.
[0:23] I had met their founder, Ghazenfer Mansoor, through some other networking events there.
[0:32] I initially turned to Technology Rivers because of their expertise in Java and Android development.
[0:39] Then I figured out that they were capable of so much more than that. So while they were initially helping us with our Android app, we then moved over to iOS development.
[0:47] Technology Rivers having their team accessible through various communication channels as if they were members of our own team has been invaluable. And so I would definitely recommend using Technology Rivers again and again.
[1:05] What made me happiest about working with Technology Rivers was their ability to actually fix the problems that we had initially and to then adapt to our current needs at any given time.
[1:13] There was never anything that we had problems with that they couldn’t work on and solve, and that was why they became so invaluable to our team.
[1:30] I had experience with many other service providers and have a development company, and it was actually that previous experience that turned me to Technology Rivers because of the problems I ran into with other teams, especially teams with overseas development that had too many points of communication failures.
[1:52] And all of that went away when we moved over to Technology Rivers, and it has been a very comprehensive working relationship ever since.
[2:00] So in considering Technology Rivers, I would say just do it. Just work with them.
[2:07] You’ll see immediately the difference between whatever you’ve done previously and then what happens for your company and for your business working with Technology Rivers.
More Client Stories
Hear from other technology leaders and founders who have worked with Technology Rivers across existing products, new applications, and long-term software development engagements.
Gorkem Sevinc
Technology Executive | MileMarker / eMocha
Gorkem shares two perspectives on working with Technology Rivers: becoming the technology team when a startup did not have one internally, and later extending an established engineering organization when more development capacity was needed.
Beverly Klau
Founder & CEO, Verbina
Beverly came to Technology Rivers after another development firm had produced an application that was buggy, clunky, and not usable. Technology Rivers overhauled the application, fixed the problems, and continued improving the product.
Independent Reviews
Explore independently published reviews of Technology Rivers across leading software development review platforms.
Clutch
GoodFirms
DesignRush
Have an Existing Application That Needs the Right Team Behind It?
Whether you’re dealing with problems in an existing application, need to modernize or extend a product, or want a development team that can take on more as your technology needs evolve, Technology Rivers can help you fix what’s not working and keep building from there.