Buying software2 min read
Nine questions to ask before hiring someone to build your internal tools
How to hire a developer, agency or freelancer for automation and internal software without ending up with something nobody can maintain.
[Service 002]
Custom software & web application development
Software built around your business, not the other way round. Customer portals, operations platforms and internal systems, tailored to how your team really works, from a small business to a multi-location operation, and built to stay fast as you grow.
- Typical timeline
- 6–12 weeks
- Engagement
- Project
- Where
- Los Angeles + remote
[You probably need this if]
- 01Off-the-shelf software forces your team to work around it
- 02You have outgrown spreadsheets and no-code tools
- 03Customers need a portal to self-serve what they now email about
- 04A previous build works, but nobody wants to touch it
[What you get]
- Data model and architecture
- Full application build
- Auth, payments and email
- Deployment and handover
[What it looks like]
Before → after
Customers email for order status and documents
A portal with status, invoices and reorders
Bookings managed across a calendar and a spreadsheet
A booking system with deposits and reminders
A prototype held together by one contractor
A documented codebase with tests and a deploy pipeline
[Common tools on these projects]
Integrates with
- PostgreSQL
- Supabase
- Stripe
- Resend
- Vercel
- Sentry
- GitHub
[What happens after you email]
How it works
- 0130 min, free
Call
You describe what is slow. I ask where the time actually goes. If I am not the right fit, I say so on the call.
- 021–2 weeks
Audit
I map how the business runs, the tools and the manual steps between them, and put a time and dollar cost on each. You get a written plan whether or not we continue.
- 033–12 weeks
Build
Fixed scope, weekly updates, working software early. You see it running on your own data before it is finished.
- 04Ongoing, optional
Hand over
Documentation, a recorded walkthrough, and access to everything. Retainer support if you want it; not required.
[Custom web applications]
Questions
What do you build with?
TypeScript, Next.js and PostgreSQL for most things. Widely known, well supported and easy to hire for later. The stack is chosen so you are never dependent on me.
Do you do design?
I design functional interfaces that are clear and fast to use. For a heavily branded consumer product, I work alongside your designer.
[Custom web applications near you]
[Other services]
[Further reading]
Tell me what is slow.
A 30-minute call, no charge. You will leave with a clearer picture of the problem whether or not we work together.
● Booking projects for Q4 2026