Hiring someone far away feels risky. Here's how I make it safe.
These are the questions people are often too polite to ask — about whether I'll show up, how I keep you posted, what happens if the plan changes, and what happens when something goes wrong. You shouldn't need a call to find out.
Five promises you can hold me to.
I don't vanish halfway through a project.
If I take the job, I finish the job. If something changes on my side, you hear it from me first, with a plan attached.
I tell you straight away when something changes.
Bad news travels fast on my projects. A delay you hear about on Monday is just scheduling. One you find out on Friday breaks trust.
I won't sell you software you don't need.
If a spreadsheet and one small automation would fix it, I'll say so — even when a bigger build would pay me more.
I write everything down, so you never depend on me.
Every job ends with written instructions and a proper handover. You should be able to let me go and keep everything working.
I care more about a long friendship than one big invoice.
It's why most of my work comes from past clients and people they refer, not from cold pitching.
Everything you'd want to know before we speak.
What actually happens after I hire you?
We start with a check-up: one working call plus a look at your tools and how you work. You get a written map and a suggested order of fixes. Only then do we agree the work, the price and the dates. Nothing gets built before we both understand the problem.
How often will I hear from you?
A written update at the end of every week, without you having to chase me — what moved, what's next, and what I need from you. Plus a shared board you can check any time, and calls booked in your time zone, not mine.
What if we're in different time zones?
I work on GMT+1 and have worked with UK, EU and US clients since 2016. UK and EU overlap most of the day; for US clients I keep afternoon and evening slots free. Time zones have never made a project late.
What if something goes wrong?
You'll hear it from me, with the cause, the fix and the new date. If the mistake was mine, I fix it at my own cost. That has sometimes cost me money. I still do it, because the relationship is worth more than the invoice.
What if we need to change the plan?
Small changes I just absorb. Anything bigger gets written up with its own price and timeline, and you decide before any work starts. No surprise bills.
How do payments work?
A deposit to start, then payments as each stage is delivered — not based on hours passing. For bigger jobs we can use a contract or escrow platform if that makes you feel safer. I'm happy either way.
Who owns the work?
You do. Accounts are set up in your name, the code and content are yours, and all the instructions are handed over at the end. I don't hold anything back.
Why do clients stay for years?
Because the systems keep working and they always know what's going on. Several clients from 2016 and 2017 are still in touch, and some have become real friends. That's the part I'm proudest of.
Still have a question I haven't answered?
Just ask. I'd rather answer an awkward question now than leave it hanging over a whole project.
Book a Systems AuditNo sales pitch. A straight answer and a written plan you can use, with or without me.