Custom software
Tools shaped around how you actually work — no off-the-shelf compromises.
What this is
Custom software is worth it when the tools you already pay for have started working you instead of the other way round.
The usual picture: seven different services on seven different invoices, none of them talking to each other. You have stopped using half of them because they are outdated and awkward, and you have quietly got used to being challenged by your own systems.
The fix is rarely a ground-up rebuild. More often it is a small piece of code, or an MCP server, that connects what you already have and gets it talking. Sometimes it is worth combining three of those tools into one thing that fits how you actually work.
What to bring to the first conversation
You do not need a spec. You need to know where it hurts. Tell us the pain points and we will find you an option.
- 01Which tool do you avoid opening, and what do you do instead?
- 02What gets typed into two systems because they do not talk?
- 03What breaks when the person who knows how to do it is off?
- 04What are you paying for monthly and no longer using?
What this looks like
- 01
Connect what you have
A small piece of custom code, or an MCP server, joining tools that were never designed to talk. Usually the cheapest real fix available.
- 02
Replace three things with one
When the overlap between subscriptions costs more than a purpose-built tool would, we build the tool.
- 03
Build from the ground up
For the case where nothing off the shelf fits how you work, and forcing it has already cost you more than building would.
Why us for this
Lee Franks spent 25 years running operations before starting this — restaurants with full P&L, asset auctions for banks and the FDIC, a warehouse for a large internet sales company, and a sales floor. You are hiring someone who has been on your side of the table.
What it costs
Scoped after we understand the pain points, not before. Anyone quoting custom software before hearing your problem is quoting a template.
Nothing is too small and nothing is too large. A one-afternoon integration is a legitimate project, and so is a system that replaces three of your subscriptions.
If you can tell me your pain points, we can figure out an option. Nothing is too small and nothing is too large.
Straight answers
When is custom software worth it over off-the-shelf?
Custom software is worth building when commercial off-the-shelf software forces your team into clunky workarounds, charges excessive per-seat fees, or fails to connect your existing tools. If an existing product forces you to compromise your core process, a targeted custom tool pays for itself quickly.
What does a custom build cost?
Targeted automations and internal workflow tools start at smaller fixed scopes, while full-featured applications depend on database complexity, user roles, and third-party API integrations. We provide fixed-scope, transparent quotes upfront before writing code.
Who owns the code?
You own 100% of your custom code and application repository upon delivery. The only exception is if your solution incorporates one of our proprietary licensed software modules, in which case standard software licensing terms apply.
What happens if I need changes in two years?
We are always available for further services and updates as your business grows. Additionally, all code is written cleanly using modern standards and thoroughly documented so any qualified developer—or our team—can easily update or expand it down the road.
Also on the bench
- 01Websites
Fast, editable, on-brand sites built to convert — not just to win awards.
- 03Ecommerce
Stores that load fast and check out faster. Built to scale with your catalog.
- 04Marketing
Content and a plan, staged to your budget. No magic promised.
- 05Operations
We map the messy parts and fix the bottlenecks quietly killing your margins.
- 06AI advisory
Where AI helps, where it's hype, and what to do about it. No buzzwords.
Need custom software?
Thirty minutes on your actual problem. No deck, no discovery theatre, no obligation to hire us.