Process
How a project actually runs.
Seven steps, in order, with no surprises in the middle. You'll know what happens next at every stage — and what I need from you.
- 01
Learn how your business actually runs
Before anything is designed, I want to understand your day — when you're busiest, what customers ask for, where the same job gets written down twice, and what you'd stop doing tomorrow if you could. This is the part I can't do without you, and it's the part that determines whether the finished system fits.
What you get:A conversation. No preparation needed, and no charge.
- 02
Identify the problems and the opportunities
I'll come back with what I heard: where time is going, where customers are being lost, and which of it is worth fixing first. Sometimes the honest answer is that you need less than you thought — I'd rather tell you that now than build something you don't need.
What you get:A clear written summary you can disagree with.
- 03
Plan the customer and staff experience
We work out what a customer should be able to do, and what you and your staff should see. Deciding this before any building starts is what prevents the classic outcome: software that technically works but that nobody actually wants to use.
What you get:Agreement on what the thing does, in plain language.
- 04
Design it
Then the look: your brand, your photographs, your words. Designed for a phone first, because that is where nearly all of your customers will see it. You'll see the design before it's built, not after.
What you get:Designs to react to. Changes here are cheap.
- 05
Build and test
I build it and test it properly — including the awkward cases that break real systems: two people booking the same slot, a payment that half-succeeds, a phone that loses signal mid-order. You'll get a working link to click through as it comes together, not a surprise at the end.
What you get:A link you can try, and honest progress updates.
- 06
Launch and show you how to use it
Going live is a planned event, not a hopeful one. I make sure you and your staff can actually run the thing — because a system only the developer understands is a liability, not an asset.
What you get:A working system, and the confidence to use it.
- 07
Maintain and improve it as you grow
Businesses change. New services, new staff, a second location, a busy season nobody predicted. What we've agreed for ongoing support gets written down rather than assumed, so you're never left with software nobody can update.
What you get:A system that keeps up with the business.
How I work
What you can expect throughout.
You'll always know where things stand
No silent weeks. If something is going slower than expected, you'll hear it from me rather than discover it at a deadline.
Plain language, always
If I use a technical term, I'll explain it in the same breath. You should never have to nod along to something you don't follow.
I'll tell you when you don't need something
Talking you into scope you won't use is a bad trade — you'd resent the bill and I'd have built something nobody opens.
The system belongs to you
Your data, your accounts, your domain. If we ever stopped working together, you'd keep everything and it would keep running.
Questions
The things owners actually ask.
Straight answers, including where the honest answer is 'it depends' — and what it depends on.
Do I need to understand technology to work with you?
No. You need to know how your business runs — that's the part I can't work out on my own. I'll ask about your day, your busy times, what frustrates you and what you'd stop doing if you could. Turning that into the right technology is my job, and I'll explain what I'm building in plain language as we go.
Can you redesign my current website?
Yes. I'll look at what you have, tell you honestly what's worth keeping and what's holding you back, and rebuild it. If your existing site is mostly fine and only needs specific fixes, I'll say that too — a rebuild you don't need isn't a good outcome for either of us.
Can you connect the tools I already use?
Usually, yes. Payment processors, calendars, accounting, email and point-of-sale systems can generally be connected so information moves between them automatically. Whether a specific tool can be connected depends on what it allows, so I'll check yours before promising anything.
Will it work on phones and tablets?
Yes, and that's where I start. Most of your customers will only ever see your site on a phone, and staff usually work from a phone or tablet rather than a desk. Everything is designed for a small screen first and then adapted upward.
Can you build booking or ordering features?
Yes — that's most of what I do. Booking with real availability, online ordering, quote and service requests, deposits, confirmations and automatic reminders. You can see working examples throughout the portfolio.
Do you provide hosting and maintenance?
Hosting and ongoing maintenance can be part of the arrangement. I'd rather agree the specifics with you than publish a package here, because what a one-page site needs and what a full operations system needs are genuinely different. Ask me and I'll give you a straight answer for your situation.
Can the system grow as my business grows?
It's built expecting to. Systems in this portfolio have added new services, new staff roles, payroll, rewards and whole new business lines after launch. The important part is the foundation: if the underlying structure is right, adding to it later is straightforward rather than a rebuild.
How long does a project take?
It depends on scope, and I won't quote a timeline before understanding yours. A focused website is a much shorter piece of work than a full operations system with staff roles and payroll. After our first conversation I'll give you a realistic estimate — and if something changes mid-project, you'll hear about it from me rather than discovering it at the end.
How much does a project cost?
It depends on what you need, so I don't publish prices — a number without scope behind it is meaningless. Tell me how your business works and what you want to fix, and I'll give you a clear quote before any work starts. There's no charge for that conversation.
What happens after launch?
Launch is a milestone, not an ending. I'll make sure you and your staff can actually use the thing, and we'll agree up front what ongoing support looks like so you're never left with software nobody can update. The specifics get written down rather than assumed.
Step one is just a conversation.
No preparation, no commitment, and no charge. Tell me how your business works and I'll tell you honestly what would help.