About Us
We Practice Transparency
We are a team of equal contributors who speak openly and honestly with clients, and who take the practice of transparency so seriously that we work in an office with glass walls. We share successes as a team, and we test until work is perfect. We can show where our time goes, and more importantly, what our time creates.
As Creators
Good work is worth sharing, especially if it means you don't have to do the same things over and over again. As designers and developers we're completely transparent through the whole creative process.
As Consultants
Not all surprises are good surprises. We communicate often with clients and bill for exact consulting hours, making us surprisingly awesome to work with.
We Pursue Excellence
The beauty of having nothing to hide is that we have a lot to show off. We demand excellence, and make it a point to hire the best and produce the best. We test work thoroughly, provide attentive customer service, and work to be generally likeable. Whatever skill you need, there is more than enough excellence to go around.
Designers
With enough swagger to be permanently lopsided, our designers take pride in their role as visual communicators. Designers consider client direction, user behaviors, changing capabilities of the web, and still find time to make each project look uniquely amazing. Being professionally invested in all that they touch, their work is held up like a trophy of talent. We almost feel bad about making these expert planners and logical creators out to be mere picture drawers. Almost.
Apple Keyboard
(Beer-Related)
Developers
Development is the personality of the web. You can only get by on good looks for so long before people start demanding something more functional and lasting. We know the value of solid development, and that’s why we look for more than just talented developers. Our team is also highly motivated and always looking for opportunities to teach and learn. Well versed in the Ruby on Rails framework and beyond, our developers are excellent problem solvers and early adopters.
We Create Fun
We think honest and hard work should be rewarded. By creating fun, we avoid the trap of taking ourselves too seriously, and are reminded that we love what we do. Though quick breaks and social outings may seem like small payment for tireless problem solving, it’s amazing what having a drink in a pair of jeans can do to make work feel like play.
We Do Stuff Together
Computers can suck you in and make you forget you’ve gone a whole day without speaking. That’s why at least once a month, we get together for an outing of sophisticated or mindless fun and remember how to speak. Whether we’re bowling, go-karting, or cooking fine cuisine, we’re doing it together. Hand holding not required.
No Mercy on the Table
The Ping-Pong table has no loyalties, and it is the great equalizer of Envy employees. It has many imitators, but it stands alone as a monument to much needed breaks and unadulterated competitive banter. Without the table, we’d be forced to fill breaks with conversation, which would inevitably end up being about work, nullifying all breaks.
The Older the Better
We don’t need to drink to have fun, we just typically do. Whether that’s winding down on Whiskey Wednesdays or gearing up around the Kegerator on Friday, drinks seem to have worked their way into the fabric of our culture. We’re not saying it’s a problem, we’re just saying we could stop, and we choose not to.
We Foster Education
Only so much of the talent we possess is the result of genetics, the rest was learned. We pay homage to that enlightenment by using our talents to enrich the knowledge of others. We foster education for the public, for our students, and for ourselves through a number of initiatives, all in an attempt to eradicate sloppy code from the world.
Code School
As coders and life-long learners, we know that most people learn by doing. We developed Code School as an online educational platform and a perfect learning cocktail of video resources, coding in the browser, and gamification principles. At the core of all our research, we found that if zombies can’t get someone excited about learning to code, nothing can.
Ruby 5
We know you’re busy building, creating, and having lives. That’s why we offer you bi-weekly Ruby 5 podcasts that help you build better, create cleaner, and make Ruby a pleasant addition to your educational life. As a news-sharing resource for the Ruby community, we provide all the geek speak you need to know, and some you don’t.
BarCamp Orlando
We sponsor and facilitate BarCamp Orlando, an annual community-building event that fosters cooperative learning. As a free event, BarCamp allows for quick lessons and showcasing of technologies such as Ruby, PHP, Java, and C, all in a choose-your-own-adventure format. For the non-developers in attendance, we also present on graphic design, music, photography, and other new media.
Tech Events
Wait, don't move to Seattle to find a tech scene! Orlando actually has a happening tech community. One of our initiatives at Envy Labs is to keep all the local techies abreast of meet-ups and talks. That's why we produce the monthly newsletter Tech Events. If you'd like to drop in on the Orlando iOS Developer Group, learn when the Orlando Ruby Users Group meets, come to Design Orlando for designers, or hear about other local groups—signup for this email newsletter.
