OUR THOUGHTS

Brands are built around stories. Here are a few of our own.

Four Strategies for Effective Brainstorms

strategy
•
Mark Garcia

Majestyk Featured as NYC Leader in Development

news
•
Sean O'Shea
Majestyk was featured as a leader in mobile development and UX design in an annual report highlighting over 200 of the best creative, design and development companies in NYC. Clutch, a B2B research, ratings and reviews firm based in Washington, DC, acknowledged us as a leader in four of their research categories.

Favorite Things

studio
•
Mark Garcia
Work on your summer bod 2018 while also making a positive social impact, achieve your dreams of being Diplo (or going to see him) and stretch out those PTO days. Each week, team Majestyk gets together and shares some of our favorite things with one another. Now we're sharing them with you.

Four Strategies for Effective Brainstorms

strategy
•
Mark Garcia
Properly structured brainstorms are a highly effective tool in ideating creative solutions. Here are four guidelines to keep in mind for your next brainstorm session.

Establishing Your Brand

design
•
Mark Garcia
Many people think that when you talk about a “brand,” you’re referring to logo design. While that is not entirely wrong as the terms are often used interchangeably, there is much more to it than that. In short, a brand can be defined as the way your customers perceive you. So what makes a brand successful?​ ​H​ere are some starters on establishing an awesome and successful brand.

A Primer on Pursuing UX Design Through an Immersive

design
•
Jade Ng
“What will I be getting myself into?” is a common thought that crosses the minds of people considering a UX Design Immersive Class. For many such as myself, attending an immersive meant leaving behind a previous career to develop a new one. Stepping away from the familiar to the unknown can be terrifying, but knowing what to expect can make it feel much less daunting. Here’s what I would have told my younger self to expect before I began my journey into UX.

Favorite Things

studio
•
Mark Garcia
Each week, team Majestyk gets together and shares some of our favorite things with one another. Now we're sharing them with you.

Establishing Your Brand

design
•
Mark Garcia

Establishing Your Brand

design
•
Mark Garcia

A Primer on Pursuing UX Design Through an Immersive

design
•
Jade Ng

My First 30 Days

culture
•
Guest Blogger
I have had several great internships in the past. But I have never been granted responsibility like I have at Majestyk. There is something that feels good about responsibility, a certain type of respect and trust. At Majestyk, I feel that I am benefiting from my experience but at the same time, also bettering the company as well. In the realm of internships, there really isn’t a better outcome.

What People Don't Know About Startups

startup
•
Mark Garcia
Everybody thinks #startuplife is about the continuously replenished kegerator, relaxed dress code and dogs roaming the office. While these are incredible benefits you could find, it's not all happy hours and ping pong games at the office. For the young corporate professional looking to take the leap or the new graduate dreaming of entrepreneurship, listen up. Here are some things you didn't know about startup life.

TECHnically Dating

culture
•
Mark Garcia
Dating in the digital age isn't what it used to be and 2018 doesn't show any signs of slowing down. ​While we can tell you to hate the player and not the game, there is no denying the fact that dating in this day and age might mean you have to get in the game.​ We polled our employees and get the good, bad and ugly about online dating.​​

You Like Us, You Really Like Us

studio
•
Mark Garcia
Last year we had the good fortune of being named a Top NYC Mobile Development Company by Clutch, a D.C. based ratings and review platform. While that’s reason enough to celebrate, it was the client feedback we got that gave us the feels. Getting positive feedback from clients helps boost company morale and can be a well needed reminder that we're on the right track. In the spirit of reflection, and before the year starts getting away from us, here's what some of our previous clients had to say.

My Majestyk Internship

culture
•
Guest Blogger
Working here has pushed me out of my comfort zone, whether it’s not being afraid to give your opinion or to believe in your ideas. So I thought learning a little from the people who have worked here much longer than I have, would give me some invaluable lessons.​ As part of my last day at Majestyk, I asked everyone in the office to give me one piece of advice that has helped them most in their career. ​

My First Month at Majestyk

culture
•
Guest Blogger
Internships are about helping students learn about the industry and provide them with valuable real world experience. They’re also a good indicator of overall company health, like those little fish that hang by sharks or those birds that ride hippos.
SHOW ALL

Favorite Things

studio
•
Mark Garcia
Each week, team Majestyk gets together and shares some of our favorite things with one another. Now we're sharing them with you.

Why You’re Not Getting Ahead (And What You Can Do About It)

startup
•
Anthony Marra
In general, they say if you’re not learning, you’re not growing as an individual. Sometimes, it seems hard to keep up with the fast paced standard set for us. Here are some tips on how you can stay ahead of the game in tech.

Podcast Roundup: Dreamers and Doers

studio
•
Jade Ng
In Part 3: Dreamers and Doers, I introduce the podcasts that keep me focused on stepping up my game. If there’s something you aspire to achieve, take a listen to add fuel to your fire. These podcasts are not only inspirational and instructional. They give insight into how some of our world’s brightest minds think

App Iteration (Chapter 3 of 3)

development
•
Sean O'Shea
Your app is live – time to celebrate! Go ahead and pop that bubbly but your work isn’t done yet. Maintaining an app over the course of its life cycle is a labor of love. In Chapter 2 of this guide we described the multistep process of app development. Now that you’re in the app store it’s time to iterate.

Majestyk Emerging as a Leading Mobile App Developer in New York

studio
•
Mark Garcia
Majestyk appeared this year for the first time in new research published by Clutch, a Washington DC based ratings and review firm. Part of what differentiates Clutch is its incorporation of client reviews into how we compare to our competitors, where they take first-hand accounts of our work with clients, and aggregate them into a score out of five (we currently hold a 4.9 average across our nine reviews)

Favorite Things

studio
•
Mark Garcia
Each week, team Majestyk gets together and shares some of our favorite things with one another. Now we're sharing them with you.

Favorite Things

culture
•
Mark Garcia
Each week, team Majestyk gets together and shares some of our favorite things with one another. Now we're sharing them with you.

Developing an MVP (Chapter 2 of 3)

design
•
Mark Garcia
When building an initial version many users go with an MVP or “minimum viable product” approach. The philosophy behind an MVP is simple – get something to market as quickly as possible, acquire users and iterate based on user feedback rather than assumptions. The challenge with an MVP is streamlining your feature set to provide just enough features for validated learning and continued iteration. In this chapter we’ll dive into the multistep process of developing your app.

Generating B2B Ideas

strategy
•
Benjamin Hoopes
Have you ever wanted to come up with a business idea, but thought that all the good ones are taken? What if there was a place where you could find unlimited ideas and customers? While B2B may seem less sexy, you’ll need less customers to make money. Business owners can also tell you specific business problems that bother them every day. Here’s how to tap into the never ending pile of viable business ideas.

Picking the right AWS services for your application

development
•
Tinashe Musonza
In this post I'm going to talk about using Amazon Web Services (AWS) to develop applications. We will go over which services make more sense and how to efficiently use the services in a cost effective way. AWS offers a lot of services so we won't be able to cover them all but here are the ones you should know about.

Podcast Roundup: The Digital World

studio
•
Jade Ng
Introducing podcasts that explore technology and the Internet. Because whether we love it or hate it, we all have to live with it, right?

The Chemistry of Success​

culture
•
Guest Blogger
In today’s evolving business world, office culture has become much more of an integral ingredient towards successfully running a business. The thought behind this notion explains that companies run better when all of their employees are on the same page. Office outings give a positive reinforcement towards the company that their employees are all thinking and working alike.

Favorite Things

culture
•
Mark Garcia
Each week, team Majestyk gets together and shares some of our favorite things with one another. Now we're sharing them with you.

Turning Your Idea Into a Reality (Chapter 1 of 3)

development
•
Sean O'Shea
Do you have the next billion-dollar app idea? A lot of people think they do but having a great idea is just the start. There are a lot of steps involved in bringing that idea to life. Before reaching out to designers, developers or even investors there are a few things you need to do. In this three-part guide, we’ll break down some of these essential steps for you to help get you started.

Eliminating Stress at Work

culture
•
Anthony Marra
Stress in the workplace can be both physically and emotionally draining. It’s proven that stress lowers energy levels, reduces metabolism rates, and just creates an overall lazy feeling; that doesn’t sound too attractive. Here are 7 tips to help you reduce stress in the workplace.

Favorite Things

culture
•
Sean O'Shea
Each week, team Majestyk gets together and shares some of our favorite things with one another. Now we're sharing them with you.

My First Month at Majestyk

culture
•
Guest Blogger
Internships are about helping students learn about the industry and provide them with valuable real world experience. They’re also a good indicator of overall company health, like those little fish that hang by sharks or those birds that ride hippos.

API Design Tips and Pitfalls

development
•
Tinashe Musonza
Most mobile and distributed applications have an API to easily plug into and almost every application uses at least one. Everyone is doing it! But, not everyone is doing it right. Creating a rich API that can be easily scaled requires some planning and thinking. Here are some of the best practices and pitfalls we've discovered to help you build a great API yourself.

Podcast Roundup: Gain Some Knowledge

studio
•
Jade Ng
Download a podcast app, get on your commute and feed your brain on the way! Here are some of my favorite "general knowledge" podcasts.

July 4th Icon Set (Freebie)

design
•
Anthony Marra
Feeling extra patriotic for July 4th? We've got just what you're looking for. Enjoy our free red white and blue themed icon set for the fun-filled weekend!

Favorite Things

culture
•
Mark Garcia
Each week, team Majestyk gets together and shares some of our favorite things with one another. Now we're sharing them with you.

Communicating for Memory

strategy
•
Benjamin Hoopes
The brain thinks through visual imagery. Emoji keyboards, Snapchat, and gifs are digital tools that allow us to express ourselves through images. Yet, we don't always have the opportunity to communicate through pictures.

The Art of “The Interview”

culture
•
Mark Garcia
While interviewing seems straightforward in theory, in truth, it’s an art form. The nuances involved in a good interview have the same degree of separation as the color salmon has from the color pink. Translation, they’re easy to miss. Having just gone through a series of interviews for summer internship positions, we noticed the devil is definitely in the details. Keeping these simple tips in mind on your next go round can be the difference between hired or fired.

Are You Connected?

tech
•
Anthony Marra
Technology has proven to change the way we live and interact with one another. With the rapid advance in technology, CD-ROMs, cassette tapes, and even landline phones have become obsolete.

Memorial Day Icon Set (Freebie)

design
•
Jade Ng
Memorial Day is right around the corner. We're remembering​ ​those who gave their lives for freedom with this icon set - on the house!

Work Smarter, Not Harder: Defeating the 60 Hour Work Week

culture
•
Mark Garcia
It's no secret that when you work for a startup you're wearing all kinds of hats and your typical work week is closer to 60 hours than 40. Sometimes it’s hard not to think about work even after leaving the office but giving yourself a chance to breathe will do far more for your productivity than you think. For the entrepreneur and startup go getter, this is all easier said than done. Here are some tips to help you disconnect and avoid startup burnout.

Women Who Shaped Modern Technology

tech
•
Jade Ng
Did you know that women majoring in computer science dropped from almost 40% to 17% in the mid-to-late 1980s? Despite the low number of women in tech these days, it’s important to recognize that they played an integral role in the evolution of science and computing.

The Benefits of Test-Driven Development

development
•
Tinashe Musonza
As a developer, you need to be able to have faith in your code, otherwise you find yourself having sleepless nights thinking about a failing code deployment. Many developers distance themselves from Test-Driven Development (TDD) because there is a notion that writing tests is a waste of time. I have found Test-Driven Development to be of great value in software development, and here are some benefits that I found useful.

Casting a Technical Cofounder

startup
•
Benjamin Hoopes
The role of an entrepreneur is akin to that of a movie producer. It’s the producer’s job to make sure everything happens in perfect timing and lighting, from the finding the right idea to funding and casting. For an entrepreneur, the “casting” of a technical partner can be a major challenge. Finding a person with the right engineering chops is only half the battle. The often overlooked challenge is finding someone that you truly mesh with and can trust.

We Built a Toy: The Start of CogniToys

tech
•
Donald Coolidge
Back in 2014, IBM invited teams from all over the world to design an app that harnessed IBM Watson’s cognitive computing capabilities (the same technology that beat Ken Jennings, the Jeopardy champion). Majestyk was selected from more than 3,000 submissions as grand prize winners. Our future-thinking proposal – to build a cognitive smart toy that learns and grow with your child which we’ve aptly named CogniToys.

Building Your Social Empire

startup
•
Anthony Marra
Have you ever realized why bloggers are so successful with their following? They have one central focus for their brand whether it be fashion, lifestyle, travel, etc; they find their target audience and maintain interest on a daily basis. Building a brand can be tough, but social media has opened up so many possible ways of connecting with your target audience.

Collaborative Culture: My First Exposure to Startup Life

culture
•
Guest Blogger
“Most employees don’t come in until around 10am.” Oh...that’s interesting, actually. My first internship was in a corporate environment - I needed to be in at 9am sharp. Here, there is writing all over the walls here and an an open floor space with no more than one office.

Cultivating a Growth Mindset In and Out of Work

startup
•
Jade Ng
Cultivating a growth mindset is a daily practice. To embrace it, you have to be mindful, find time for self-reflection, and keep a consistent drive to learn and practice. Changing the way we think may seem like a daunting task but it’s definitely achievable in small steps.

A Brand New Look for Our Bold Vision

studio
•
Mark Garcia
As the agency turns 4 this year we wanted to do something big. Something that both excited and scared the living hell out of us – rebrand. The unveiling of our new identity signifies a huge milestone for the agency and heralds a series of captivating evolutions the brand will undergo over the course of the year.

Tips to Help Raise Money for a Newly Launched App

startup
•
Donald Coolidge
Raising money is hard. While the process can often times be lengthy there are a few things you can do to make everything run a little smoother.

Network and energy efficient mobile applications

tech
•
Tinashe Musonza
You have a great idea for a mobile app and you have thought about how everything should work. You look for a developer and behold you find one with a rate that’s too good to pass. What you don’t realize is, with a few clicks on the web any knowledgeable developer can now create mobile apps, but is every developer creating network and energy efficient applications.

My First Week at Majestyk

startup
•
Guest Blogger
Internships are a good indicator of overall company health, like those little fish that hang by sharks or those birds that ride hippos.

(Design Resources) We Like

design
•
Mark Garcia
We love what we do but sometimes our creativity fails us leaving us high and dry. We all have our go-to resources for when we’re stuck in a rut but if you’re looking for something new, here are a four of our favorites.

Startup Life

startup
•
Mark Garcia
Earlier this year I joined Majestyk as their fearless new creative director. I say “fearless” because I was deeply entrenched in the corporate life for a majority of my professional career and taking the leap to a startup was a BIG change that was both exhilarating and terrifying. Now that my transitional period is over and I’m all in, I can say that the excitement is still there while the terror has subsided.

Two Roads: Foursquare’s New Path

design
•
Mark Garcia
For a few of us, ‘checking-in’ on Foursquare is as routine as our morning cup of coffee. It’s one of those things that is just part of our day. How else are we expected to unlock Badges and hold on to those highly coveted Mayorships? From checking-in to checking-up on others (we’re not stalkers…promise), Foursquare’s features added a personal touch to going places.

Unplugging Web Design

design
•
Mark Garcia
Business owners with an active online presence must now consider the importance of the mobile market and acclimate to their audiences on the go. But how does one effectively represent their business in the mobile area?

IBM Watson Mobile Developers Challenge Finalists

tech
•
Donald Coolidge
Back in February at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, IBM invited teams from all over the world to design apps that harness the Watson supercomputer’s cognitive computing capabilities on smartphones and mobile devices. Out of more than 3,000 submissions, Big Blue announced in April that our entry was among those narrowed down to the shortlist of 25 semi-finalists.

Importance of Office Culture

startup
•
Donald Coolidge
We strive to build an environment where team members want to come to work and are armed to be as productive as possible. We give each person the ability to take control of his/her projects and take as much responsibility as possible – it has worked brilliantly.