01 / Introduction
Hi, I’m Kevin.
Billiam is my consulting practice. I’m a software developer and fractional CTO, and I work directly with the businesses that hire me.
I help small and mid-sized businesses with custom software they still rely on, but that’s become difficult to change or improve. Usually, the original developer has moved on or is no longer a fit. You don’t need a full-time developer, but the system is too important or specialized to replace outright.
I’ve spent more than fifteen years building software and leading engineering teams, including healthcare systems in Lesotho and Nigeria, logistics software, publishing, and AI. I still write the code.
We start with what you want to get done: update an old database, connect systems, or add the features you’ve been putting off. I help you decide what to keep, what to change, and how to get there.
How we get started
02 / Working together- Free intro call · 25 minutes.
- Tell me what your system does, what has become difficult, and what you want to change. We’ll work out whether I can help and what the next step should be.
- A system review, if needed.
- If we need a closer look before pricing the implementation, we start with a separate, fixed-price review. You get findings, priorities, and a recommended plan you can use whether or not we continue together.
- A defined project.
- We agree on the scope, price, and what counts as finished before implementation begins. Larger upgrades happen in phases, each with its own deliverables and finish line.
What we can get done
We choose a useful piece of work with a clear finish line. For example:
- Upgrade an old database. Make it easier to maintain and add the reports or features your team needs, with a plan to move and check the existing records.
- Connect your systems. Get information flowing between your existing tools so staff stop entering the same details twice.
- Improve custom software. Take over from a previous developer, fix recurring problems, and add the changes you’ve been putting off. That can include automation and AI where they’re useful.
- Move a website or aging server. Smaller projects are welcome too. Move off a platform you’ve outgrown, with a plan for your content, customer access, and the transition.
Email and documentation
You work directly with me. I send weekly progress updates during implementation: what’s done, what’s next, and any decisions I need from you. Day-to-day work happens over email, with calls as needed.
I write a lot of documentation, in plain text, sent to your inbox: how your system works and why changes happen. Your code, accounts, and data stay yours, along with the information another developer would need to take over.
Some of my work
03 / Experience- Textbook MediaPublishing operations
- Overhauling the legacy systems behind an established publishing business on BigCommerce, connecting commerce, fulfillment, and internal operations.
- Partners In HealthLong-term system development
- Continuing to modernize a system I originally built twelve years ago. Sixteen people use it in their daily work. The interface stays familiar while the underlying software gets faster and supports work both online and offline.
- Content publisherCustom commerce & delivery
- Helping a publisher move from Zoom and email to a custom e-commerce system that generates a personalized PDF for each customer.
- Tu FlotillaFleet management
- Building a custom vehicle fleet management system with AI agents to help with daily operations.
- Focus-group operationsCustom internal software
- Modernized a manual process built around survey tools and a local laptop into custom software for running focus-group operations.
- BlueCargoExisting software takeover
- Helped turn contractor-built software into a system a growing engineering team could maintain and improve.
A price for a project
04 / PricingThe intro call is free. After that, I quote for a defined piece of work, with the scope, price, and completion criteria written down before we start.
If the system needs investigation first, I price that review separately. Larger upgrades are split into phases you can approve one at a time. Any changes to the agreed scope are priced before the extra work begins.
Post-launch fixes and handover are agreed as part of the project. Ongoing maintenance or fractional CTO support is a separate choice.
Frequently asked questions
05 / QuestionsCan you work with what we already have?
That’s where we start. We look at the code, database, hosting, and how your team uses the system. I’ll explain what I can take on, what we can keep, and where a replacement may be worth considering.
What if the original developer is gone?
You don’t need to have all the technical answers. Start with whatever access and documentation you have. We’ll identify what’s missing and whether we can get enough access to do the work before committing to an implementation.
Can we keep using the system during the upgrade?
We plan the changes around daily operations. Depending on the system, that can mean testing changes separately, moving data in stages, and agreeing on any downtime and a recovery plan before a switch.
Do we have to replace everything?
No. We start with the problem you want to solve and keep what still works. An upgrade might be a new feature, a connection between systems, or replacing one fragile part.
What kinds of businesses do you work with?
Established small and mid-sized businesses that rely on custom software or an old database. My work spans publishing, healthcare, logistics, and other industries.
How do we communicate?
You work directly with me. Day-to-day communication happens over email, with weekly progress updates during implementation and calls when we need to work through a decision. I document how the system works and why we make changes.
What happens after the project?
We agree on handover and post-launch fixes as part of the scope. Ongoing maintenance, further projects, or fractional CTO support can be arranged separately. This is not a 24/7 support service; critical systems need an agreed support plan.
Who owns the software?
You own the code, accounts, and data. Documentation is part of the work, so another developer can pick it up if we stop working together.
06 / Contact
What have you been putting off?
Tell me what your system does and what you’d like to change. We’ll arrange a free 25-minute intro call to see whether I can help. You don’t need to know the technical details.
Thanks for your message.
A confirmation email is on its way to you.
Prefer email? Write to kevin@billiam.co.
Kevin