Custom Platforms
Architecture decisions, build-vs-buy trade-offs, and practical guidance for founders commissioning their first production platform.
How to Brief a Web Development Agency Properly
Requirements failure — not coding failure — is the single most documented cause of software project disaster. Here is what to put in the document that prevents it.
· 10 min read
When to Build Custom vs Stick with SaaS: A Decision Framework for UK SMEs
SaaS list prices rose 12.2% in 2024 — more than four times general inflation. But "custom is cheaper" is not the same as "custom is right." Here is the honest framework, with the maths and the specific thresholds where the answer changes.
· 12 min read
Why UK Software Quotes Vary 4× On the Same Brief
UK software agencies routinely quote 4× apart on the same brief. None of them is lying. Here's what they're actually pricing — and why "free" proposals cost you twice.
· 9 min read
Signs You've Outgrown Your Current Software Stack
Your operations didn't break in a single moment. They've been degrading gradually while you explained away each symptom. The data on when UK SMEs actually hit the wall is more specific than most owners realise.
· 14 min read
Why Your MVP Doesn't Need to Be an App (And What to Build Instead)
Building a full product before you have traction isn't ambition – it's the single most common reason early-stage founders run out of runway before anyone's noticed them.
· 2 min read
Legal Foundations Tech Founders Overlook When Building Digital Products
After a decade building platforms and MVPs, we've seen what happens when tech founders focus entirely on the product and forget the legal scaffolding around it. Not legal advice.
· 3 min read