Saritasa creates and develops custom and commercial-grade software systems that simplify complex operations and create meaningful user experiences. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Saritasa founder and CEO Nik Froehlich to gain a deeper understanding of the company.
Nik Froehlich’s Background
What is Nik Froehlich’s background? Froehlich said:
“I’m Nik Froehlich, the founder and CEO of Saritasa. I’m also a husband, father of four (five if you count our dog), traveler, sailor, and technology enthusiast.”
“My drive to build something of my own comes from my father, a German immigrant who built a business and a life from the ground up in a new country. He taught me that you have two choices in life: work for yourself or work for someone else. That mindset, combined with a strong work ethic, has shaped everything I’ve done.”
“My passion for technology started back in high school when I got my hands on an Apple IIe in a tech class, and it never really let go. That said, I’m not a programmer or developer myself. I’m a businessman who understands how technology can solve real business challenges. Today, I focus on leading Saritasa, a technology consulting and development firm, and on building a team of exceptional talent to help our clients stay competitive, innovative, and future-ready.”
Formation Of The Company
How did the idea for the company come together? Froehlich shared:
“I started my first company in my early twenties after dropping out of college. That first business was a concrete sidewalk repair service where I fixed uneven sidewalks using a scarifier machine. With a small loan from my dad, I started the business in 1987, which eventually grew into a national business with locations across the US.”
“That business helped me realize the power of technology. I created a database on the original Macintosh computer and a CRM to help manage our internal processes, which helped us grow to over 20 branches in 9 states. That might sound typical today, but back then (before the internet or email) it was cutting-edge.”
“Over time, friends and other business owners turned to me for help implementing technology in their businesses.From 2000 to 2005, I began consulting on the side, while still running the sidewalk company. Then, in 2005, I sold the concrete grinding company and dove full-time into technology consulting and development. That was the start of Saritasa.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Froehlich reflected:
“There have been so many meaningful moments, but a few stand out. Signing the lease for our first major office (10,000 square feet in Newport Beach, CA) and seeing it fully remodeled to our specs was a big milestone. Launching our New York office in downtown Manhattan was another exciting chapter. And of course, I always look forward to our end-of-year holiday parties, where we bring together employees and their partners to celebrate the wins and reflect on how far we’ve come.”
“But honestly, what means the most is the team we’ve built over the years. Those shared moments of growth, collaboration, and celebration are what really stick with me.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Froehlich explained:
“We offer full-spectrum innovation through strategy, design, and development. Our services include:
— Custom Software Development
— Mobile App Development
— Web Development
— Legacy Modernization
— UI/UX Design
— Virtual Reality Development
— Augmented Reality Development
— DevOps
Basically, anything software-related, we do. We’ve also begun enhancing some of our client’s projects with artificial intelligence, from predictive analytics to customer support chatbots.”
Challenges Faced
What challenges have Froehlich and the team face in building the company? Froehlich acknowledged:
“One challenge relates to sustainability in business. A sustainable business needs a high-cost of entry to be sustainable, otherwise, it becomes a commodity, which in itself, is a completely different business model.”
“At my previous concrete grinding company, I found a solution to a problem with high demand and no competition initially. However, the low barriers to entry eventually led to competitors who could offer the same service at lower prices, making the business unsustainable.”
“With technology consulting, the cost of entry is very high. While websites can be built inexpensively, providing valued consulting services and complex solutions for businesses requires experienced, talented resources working as a team, which takes many years and many projects to achieve.”
Evolution Of The Company’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since its launch? Froehlich noted:
“We’ve evolved significantly from our founding in 2005, which makes sense given how quickly technology moves. Back then, our focus was on websites and custom software. While custom software is still the core of what we do, we’ve expanded into mobile app development, IoT, virtual and augmented reality, and now artificial intelligence. In fact, we had an app live on the App Store the very first day it launched in 2008.”
“One of the things that drew me to technology in the first place is the rapid pace of progress – there’s always something new to explore. But we’re not interested in chasing trends just to be trendy. We believe in what I call ‘purposeful innovation.’ That means staying on the cutting edge, but only applying new technologies when there’s a clear, practical benefit for our clients. Innovation for its own sake doesn’t serve anyone. We focus on using proven, modern tools to build real, lasting value.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Froehlich
“Over the last 20 years, we’ve hit more milestones that I can count, but a few stand out. I still remember how proud I was when we moved into our 10,000-square-foot office in Newport Beach. It was a major step and a real sign of our growth. In 2018, we expanded to the East Coast by opening a New York office, and I make frequent trips to help build the team. While that physical office eventually closed due to COVID, many of the incredible people we hired during that time are still with us today.”
“COVID was a major turning point. Like every business, we had to pivot quickly to remote work, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It expanded our ability to serve clients nationwide and allowed us to build a more flexible, distributed team. Most recently, we opened a new office in Tampa, Florida, and it’s been incredibly exciting and rewarding to see that grow.”
Customer Success Stories
Can you share any specific customer success stories? Froehlich highlighted:
“We’ve been fortunate to work with a wide range of clients over the years, from startups to Fortune 500 companies, and many of those relationships have lasted for years (and some for over a decade). One that stands out is SportsThread. What began in 2014 as an idea from a solo entrepreneur to help high school athletes get noticed by recruiters has grown into a leading social media platform for student-athletes, complete with tools for event and ticket management. It’s been incredibly rewarding to support their growth from the ground up.”
“More recently, we partnered with ASCO Power Technologies, a Schneider Electric company, to create immersive virtual and augmented reality experiences. These tools are now helping their sales teams deliver impactful, portable product demos by bringing complex equipment to life in a way that’s both engaging and easy to understand.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Froehlich affirmed:
“Saritasa differentiates ourself through its approach and values:
— We believe in mutual success – We care about successful customers, fulfilled employees, and useful solutions, finding the right balance of outcomes for common benefit.
— “We solve problems.” – We are a team of driven experts, passionately committed to wrestling with the most complex business problems and applying technology systematically to solve them.
— We value partnerships over projects – We don’t take a transactional approach to engagements, instead fostering personalized relationships built on trust and the perpetual delivery of benefits over time.”
“For our AI chatbot development specifically, our custom-designed intelligent chatbot solutions are being adapted to automate interactions, enhance customer support, and enrich sales interactions. Rather than leasing off-the-shelf AI chatbots, Saritasa clients guide development to create chatbots uniquely suited to meet their needs, and they own the chatbot solution with no additional fees or licenses attached.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the future company goals? Froehlich concluded:
“One of our main goals is to continue investing in technology that helps our clients stay innovative and competitive. Right now, all eyes are on AI, and for good reason. We’re approaching it with our usual mindset of “purposeful innovation.” That means we’re not just jumping on the hype train, we’re thoughtfully evaluating where AI can genuinely add value.”
“We regularly review our active projects to identify potential use cases for AI, and when we find a good fit, we collaborate with clients on R&D and proof of concept work. It’s still a developing space, so while we’re excited about the possibilities, we’re also committed to being responsible and realistic in how we adopt and apply this technology. Our goal is to keep clients at the forefront without compromising on quality or trust.”
