Amulay & The Dev Team

Thank You Amulay

I want to take a moment to acknowledge Amulay and his team for stepping in when we needed help. They brought their expertise to the table at a critical time and gave us hope when the project seemed to be falling apart. I’m thankful for the work they did to try and get us back on track, even though the results didn’t always meet expectations.

Challenges with the Development Team

Despite their efforts, there were significant challenges during the project. Missed deadlines became a recurring issue, and the contract was mistakenly left on test-net, causing a $1,100 loss, which I reimbursed out of the project funds. Additionally, technical issues such as wallet connectivity problems and high gas fees created delays and frustration. Ultimately, the project saw very little return on investment, with about 80% of the funds going to Amulay and his team, totaling over $70,000+.

Over the span of six months, the team experienced notable turnover. Some members left, and others were let go, though the reasons for their departures were never entirely clear. Eventually, it came down to just Amulay, Yash, and one other individual whose name I can’t recall. Together, they helped create and implement the contracts on Remix, but the process was far from smooth.

Subcontracting and Financial Oversight

One major issue was that much of the work wasn’t done by Amulay himself. Instead, he subcontracted tasks to developers in India via platforms similar to Fiverr or Upwork. While outsourcing can be cost-effective, we were paying a premium for his management, significantly increasing our expenses without a proportional return in quality or efficiency.

Payments to the team were another source of frustration. Amulay required payments to be made through a portal in India, claiming the Indian government imposed a two-thirds tax on cryptocurrency transactions. While I complied with this process, I’m still uncertain about the validity of that claim. This payment method added unnecessary complexity and raised doubts about transparency.

Technical and Management Issues

The project faced numerous technical challenges. The contracts were plagued with bugs, security flaws, and high gas fees, all of which required constant revisions and extended the timeline. Communication also suffered due to time zone differences between the U.S. and India, leading to delays in responses and updates.

Missed deadlines and unclear direction were recurring problems. At times, it felt like we were drifting without a solid plan, with changes being made without long-term goals in mind. The lack of effective project management and oversight compounded these issues, and tasks often fell through the cracks.

Financial Impact

Looking back, it’s clear we overpaid for the work delivered. Many tasks were relatively simple and could have been completed for a fraction of the cost. If we were to approach this project today, the same goals could be achieved for around $15,000. The rapid evolution of the industry has made development more accessible, but at the time, we were navigating uncharted territory and paid far more than we should have.

Here’s a breakdown of the approximate amounts spent:

• Brian (U.S.-based developer): $6,000

• Amulay and team: $70,000+

I know there were additional charges related to development, but I can’t remember all of them. The exact details of those expenses have become difficult to piece together, but I know they were significant.

Reflection

In the end, while I’m grateful for the initial support and effort from Amulay and his team, the results fell far short of what we expected. The financial burden, technical issues, and lack of clear management ultimately hindered the project’s success. These challenges were tough lessons, but they’ve provided valuable insight into what went wrong and how to approach similar ventures in the future.