Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with Dariusz Tarczyński, CEO and founder of TDSOFT, a Directus user whose team is building some innovative applications in the sports betting space.
They’re also using Directus for building out internal apps. We asked Dariusz about his latest project, Bettor Signals, and his experience with using the Directus platform.
We also encouraged him to share some lessons learned with the Directus community. (You can view the full interview here.)
Q. Dariusz, thanks so much for your time today. Why don't you tell us about TDSOFT and the Bettor Signals project?
Dariusz: TDSOFT is a company based in Poland that builds innovative software products for customers and for ourselves. We have a lot of experience in the sports industry, sports betting and entertainment.
A few of our employees were savvy about sports tipping – so eventually they came up with the idea for the Bettor Signals project. It’s a system that sends users brief sports tips called “signals” through posts and messages on the website, and on social media platforms.
The whole concept is about delivering quality tips to bettors in new ways that are more accessible through modern communications channels.
Q.What were some of the considerations you had prior to building out the project?
Dariusz: We wanted to make sure our page wasn’t just another website with tips, but something more for the next generation of bettors.
We also needed a solution that would allow us to serve a global audience. The sports betting market potential is enormous in some countries, such as Canada, where betting is only now beginning to be legalized.
Q. Why did you choose Directus?
Dariusz: I was looking for a technology that would allow me to start up projects rapidly and get to the business logic as quickly as possible.
Some of our developers had read articles about Directus, and the platform fit in quite nicely with our development environment. When we heard that it had been rewritten in JavaScript, we were able to move forward.
I first started using Directus around January 2022 for a gamification project. It allowed me to test out new concepts quickly and create a very simple CMS with a web hook to connect to a project management application to retrieve a task list. It was really easy, plus I can also get reports and insights.
Q. How are you using Directus to build out Bettor Signals?
Dariusz: Directus is the content hub that we use to push content through to the front end of the Bettor Signals website, as well as automatically publish posts on different media platforms such as Telegram, Twitter and Instagram.
Q. What are some of the benefits of using Directus?
Dariusz: Directus has allowed us to cut development time significantly. I was surprised at how quickly we were able to build the site.
Not only that, but we could deliver it in a way that is scalable. We just started a couple of months ago, and the traffic is still growing, but we’re ready to handle a hundred times as much traffic as we have now.
Q.Who uses your platform?
Dariusz: We have two types of users: bettors and content providers. The content providers are professional sports tips stores and sports enthusiasts that enter content though our content management system, which is powered by Directus.
We use Directus for our backend, as well. At the end of the day, Directus is the content hub that powers everything on the backend.
Q. What features of Directus do you appreciate most?
Dariusz: One of the features we used extensively is Directus Flows.
Flows allows us to streamline the process of delivering content to different platforms. When someone on the editorial team creates a new signal, we get notified automatically.
That way we can quality-test and approve the content, and we don’t have to keep checking the platform. It also allows us to schedule publishing as part of the flow. Additionally, the concept behind Flows and their visual presentation in Directus is best-in-class.
Another cool feature is Theming, which enables us to brand the CMS front-end experience for our content providers.
Q. Do you have any tips for other Directus Users?
Dariusz: You don’t have to host it yourself. Also, allow your developers time to really explore the platform and understand the breadth of features before diving into specifics.
Q. What other additional projects do you have in mind that you plan to tackle with Directus?
Dariusz: Right now we’re working with another customer in the sports industry to build an innovative content pipeline that provides high-quality content for multiple websites from a single backend.
We will use it to prepare and edit content before it’s launched globally. Directus enables us to deliver that service within the timeframes and budget the client has specified.
Q. What’s the overall value of Directus for your company?
Dariusz: With Directus, the cost of prototyping a project is very small, which means we can provide the model and structure to the customer, such as how we will accomplish the content feed, gather feedback on the live product and modify the site with ease. It doesn’t require tons of documentation or hours on calls to finalize the design.
We can build a model very quickly and cost-effectively to showcase to the customer before starting the actual project. The API is ready, and we can instantly create a quick frontend prototype and deliver a CMS within days.
Q. What does the future hold for TDSOFT?
Dariusz: We invest heavily in R&D, and we see an opportunity for products in the office gamification space. We are getting ready to launch an amazing gamification and leaderboard tool internally.
Through ogamify.com, employees will be challenged with real tasks and compete against each other, as well as against common challenges and group challenges, to achieve rewards or badges.
We treat self-development seriously here at TDSoft – it's not only about the technology, but also personal development and living a healthy lifestyle. All of these things that come together to enable productive and fulfilling life.
Our whole team is working together toward achieving their individual personal and professional development goals, and Directus is helping to support that effort.