To build custom software or go with an “off-the-shelf” or SaaS solution - such as Shopify or WooCommerce - is a quandary many eCommerce business owners find themselves facing. There are benefits to both sides. Off-the-shelf lends itself to a faster runway to going live, while custom allows you to build the specific support and services your website needs. SaaS solutions have easy-to-add-features, while custom allows you to choose and expand on the exact features you need and want. So which is the right choice for you?

At Near Apogee, all of our development projects account for the use of a project manager. But why is that?

At Near Apogee, we have been a remote company from pretty much day one. So for us, we are working in a fairly normal pattern. Though for many, that is not the case -- and we get that!

In the midst of what is happening in our country with COVID-19, we’re aware that many businesses are sending employees to work from home for their safety. For many, this is their first attempt at working remotely....

Tuning into a podcast has become one of the main ways that modern businessmen and women are learning, connecting, and consuming new ideas and information. We love listening at Near Apogee and wondered - what podcasts are our business-minded peers listening to? 

Before we gained the capability to connect with each other online, how in the world did we develop our business relationships with collaborators? We had to depend on word of mouth, referrals, pen and paper proof to make decisions on which vendors we should choose to work with - looking back, it seems so simple, so direct. 

The very first step in any business is the entrepreneur’s conception of a great idea. And making that idea reality begins with the creation of a prototype. But what happens after that?

Recently, we realized not everyone, or company, knows how to budget for a new software project. Coupled with the fact that people are almost always over optimistic and software isn’t cheap, this is a topic that needs addressing!

“Nerd” stereotypes may be far out there, but the reality remains that sometimes communication gaps do appear between tech-centric and non-technical folks. At Near Apogee, we created a client advocate position specifically to remedy that.

So what’s a stack? And why should you care? Learn about the main parts of a stack and introduce some values that may help you build a better product.