Technology decisions without the guesswork
Founders make technology decisions early, often in a hurry: which platform to build the store on, whether to hire a developer or use off-the-shelf software, where to host, how to handle customer data. Some of those choices are cheap to change later. Others lock you in for years.
An IT business consultation gives you a structured conversation about those choices with someone who has set them up before. You leave with a written plan, not just opinions.
Who this is for
- Founders about to spend money on a website, app or software build.
- Small businesses whose tools have grown piece by piece and no longer fit together.
- Companies facing their first customer security questionnaire or data protection question.
- Non-technical founders who want a second opinion on a developer's proposal or quote.
What we can cover
- Build or buy: whether a SaaS product, a no-code tool or custom software fits your need and budget.
- Stack review: the tools you use today, where they overlap, and what to drop.
- Hosting and architecture: a sensible setup for your traffic and budget, without over-engineering.
- Security and data: the minimum controls to put in place, and what customers in the US, UK and EU will ask about.
- Vendor proposals: reading a developer or agency quote and spotting gaps in scope, ownership and support.
- Roadmap: what to do this month, this quarter and later.
How the consultation works
- Pre-call questionnaire. You describe your business, your current tools and the decision in front of you.
- Consultation call. We go through your situation and the options, with screen-sharing where it helps.
- Written summary. You receive the recommendations, the reasons and the order to do things in.
- Follow-up questions by email for a short period after the call.
If you want us to carry out the plan, our IT services, custom software and ERP and CRM setup teams can quote for it. You are under no obligation to use them.
What to prepare
- A short description of your business and who your customers are.
- A list of the software and services you pay for today.
- Any quotes, proposals or specifications you want reviewed.
- Known constraints: budget range, deadlines, compliance requirements.
Timeline
Consultations are usually scheduled within a few working days of booking. The written summary typically follows within a few working days of the call.
Common mistakes this helps you avoid
- Building custom software for a problem an existing tool already solves.
- Signing a development contract that does not give you the source code or the accounts.
- Choosing hosting sized for a million users when you have fifty.
- Collecting customer data before you know how you will protect and delete it.
- Paying for three tools that do the same job.
Questions founders often bring
Most consultations start with one concrete decision. These are the ones we hear most, and the kind of answer you can expect.
Shopify, WooCommerce or a custom store?
For most new stores, a hosted platform like Shopify gets you selling fastest, with payments, hosting and security handled for you. WooCommerce gives more control but makes you responsible for hosting, updates and security. A custom store only makes sense when your checkout or catalogue is unusual enough that platforms fight you at every step.
Should I hire a freelancer, an agency or an in-house developer?
A freelancer suits a well-defined, short project. An agency suits a larger build where you need design, development and testing together. An in-house developer makes sense once software is your product and you have continuous work. We look at your roadmap and budget to suggest which stage you are at.
Which cloud provider?
AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure can all run a small business well. The better question is usually how much you want to manage yourself. A managed platform costs a little more per month but saves engineering time, which is usually the scarcer resource for a small team.
What do US enterprise customers expect on security?
Larger customers often send a security questionnaire before signing. They typically ask about multi-factor authentication, access control, encryption, backups, incident response and vendor management. Having clear answers, and a few simple policies written down, shortens sales cycles noticeably. Some will eventually ask for SOC 2 or ISO 27001, and it helps to know which one your market prefers before you invest.
Is my developer's quote reasonable?
We cannot tell you the right price for someone else's work, but we can tell you whether the quote covers what you need: design, testing, deployment, documentation, handover of accounts and code, and support after launch. Quotes that look cheap often leave these out.
Related services
If your questions are about the business rather than the technology, a business consultation may fit better. You can also book a call to decide which one you need. See current pricing.
IT consultation at a glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| What it is | A short consultation on tools, hosting and security for your business. |
| Format | A call with a written summary. |
| Best for | Founders choosing between tools, or between building and buying. |
| Follows with | A prioritised list of what to do first. |
| Obligation | None; the summary is yours. |
Build or buy
| Question | Lean towards buying if | Lean towards building if |
|---|---|---|
| Is it a core differentiator? | No, many companies need the same thing | Yes, it is why customers choose you |
| How unusual is the process? | Common process | Highly specific to you |
| Do you have people to maintain it? | No | Yes, or you can retain a team |
| How quickly do you need it? | Soon | You can wait for a better fit |
Most small companies should buy for everything except what makes them different. We help you decide where that line is.
Questions founders bring
- Which email, storage and collaboration tools should we use?
- Where should our website and data be hosted?
- What security steps will clients expect from us?
- Is it time to build custom software, or can a tool cover it?
See custom software and IT services for the follow-on work.
Preparing for a good consultation
- List the tools and accounts you use today.
- Write down your biggest technology worry.
- Note any customer requirement you must meet, such as a security questionnaire.
- Bring a rough budget and timeline.
The more specific the picture, the more specific our advice. You leave with a written summary that sets out what to do first, what to defer and what to avoid.
What the written summary includes
| Section | Contents |
|---|---|
| Where you are | The tools and risks we found |
| What to do first | A short prioritised list |
| What can wait | Items that do not need action yet |
| What to avoid | Common mistakes for your setup |
| Next steps | Who could help and what it may cost |
