CJR. Discuss a small project

Practical software for small businesses

Small, useful tools—without the agency-sized project.

I build focused websites, workflow automations, and internal tools for businesses that need a clear result and a manageable first step.

See the examples View starting scopes →

Portfolio note: the examples below are clearly labeled demos or local prototypes. They are not presented as paid client work.

A responsive small-business website displayed across a laptop, tablet, and phone
A good first projectOne clear problem · manageable scope · visible finish line

Three focused services

Start with the smallest version that helps.

Each engagement begins by defining the input, the finished result, and what is outside the scope.

01

Small-business websites

Turn an unclear or outdated online presence into a focused path from first visit to first inquiry.

Best for: service businesses that need a credible home online.

Explore the scope

The practical payoff: customers can quickly understand what you do, trust the business, and know how to contact you.

  • Look credible on phones and computers
  • Explain the offer without making visitors hunt
  • Give interested people one obvious next step
Go deeperSee the page strategy, deliverables, and limits

How the site earns its place

The page is organized around the questions a new visitor is likely to ask: What do you do? Is this meant for me? Why should I trust you? What should I do next?

You are seeing the approach in action: this portfolio uses the same fundamentals offered in the starter website service—responsive layout, clear visual hierarchy, layered information, accessible interactions, and a focused inquiry path.

A focused starter site can include

  • One polished, mobile-friendly page
  • Service and trust-building sections
  • A clear call to action
  • Basic search and accessibility setup
  • Delivered files and a plain-English handoff

Useful material from you

  • Your services and service area
  • Logo, colors, and existing photos if available
  • Contact details and preferred inquiry method
  • Real credentials, reviews, or proof you are allowed to publish

Important boundary: the starter scope is a focused marketing site. Online stores, membership systems, complex booking, and custom web applications need separate scoping.

Typical timeline3–5 business days

Starting investment$250

Final scope and price are agreed before work begins.

See if this fits your project →
Read the full website guide →

02

Business automations

Replace a repetitive, error-prone task with a small workflow that produces a consistent result.

Best for: recurring spreadsheet, file, reporting, or content tasks.

Explore the scope

The practical payoff: less copying and checking, fewer avoidable mistakes, and more time for work that needs your judgment.

  • Take a repeated task off your mental checklist
  • Apply the same rules every time
  • Keep a human review step before important results are used
Go deeperSee examples, fit checks, deliverables, and safeguards

What this can look like

Before

Every Friday, information is copied from several files into the same report.

After

One repeatable workflow gathers the inputs, checks them, and prepares a review-ready report.

Before

Customer or job details are renamed, sorted, and filed by hand.

After

A small tool applies the agreed rules consistently and flags anything that needs a decision.

Before

Content or documents move through the same preparation steps one item at a time.

After

A guided process handles the repetitive steps while keeping final approval with you.

What you may gain

  • A repeatable process instead of relying on memory
  • Fewer manual handoffs and copy-and-paste errors
  • Clear warnings when an input is missing or unusual
  • A consistent output that is easier to review

A good first automation

  • Happens regularly
  • Follows understandable rules
  • Uses information you can already access
  • Still allows human review before anything important happens

A focused automation can include

  • One clearly defined input-to-output workflow
  • Validation and failure checks
  • A review step before final output
  • Simple run instructions
  • One agreed revision after testing

Important boundary: the starter scope is best for one contained workflow. It does not include unsupervised financial transactions, high-risk decisions, or a large replacement for several business systems.

Typical timeline2–5 business days

Starting investment$200

Final scope and price are agreed before work begins.

See if this fits your project →
Read the full automation guide →

03

Custom tools & dashboards

Bring one scattered internal process into a purpose-built screen that is easier to use and review.

Best for: intake, tracking, calculation, or reporting workflows.

Explore the scope

The practical payoff: important information lives in one clear place, so decisions and follow-up take less effort.

  • Stop piecing together status from several places
  • Make the next action easier to see
  • Shape the screen around one real workflow
Go deeperSee use cases, fit checks, deliverables, and limits

What this can look like

Scattered intake

Replace notes, emails, and disconnected spreadsheets with one clear form and review screen.

Unclear follow-up

See what is new, what is waiting, who owns the next step, and what needs attention.

Slow calculations

Turn a repeated estimate, score, or comparison into a guided tool with visible inputs and results.

What you may gain

  • One reliable view of the work that matters
  • Less time searching across files and messages
  • Clearer status, ownership, and next actions
  • A process shaped around your business instead of generic software

A good first tool

  • Supports one team or decision
  • Has a small, known set of users
  • Uses a manageable amount of data
  • Has a clear definition of “finished”

A focused internal tool can include

  • One primary workflow or dashboard view
  • Simple forms, filters, or calculations
  • Clear empty and error states
  • Realistic test examples
  • Delivered files and handoff notes

Important boundary: the starter scope is a focused internal tool, not a full CRM, accounting platform, mobile app, or enterprise system. Larger ideas can begin with a smaller first phase.

Typical timeline4–7 business days

Starting investment$350

Final scope and price are agreed before work begins.

See if this fits your project →
Read the full custom-tool guide →
Scattered business documents moving through an organized workflow into one reviewed output

See the change

From scattered steps to one clear workflow.

The goal is not automation for its own sake. It is to make repeated work easier to run, easier to check, and easier to hand off—while keeping your judgment in the process.

Explore the automation service →

Selected examples

Proof of approach, labeled honestly.

These projects show the kinds of problems I can tackle. Scope and production readiness vary by project.

Preview of the Greenway Lawn and Garden demonstration website View live demo

Fictional demo · Website

Greenway Lawn & Garden

A responsive service-business site built to make services easy to scan and quote requests easy to start.

Problem illustrated
A local service business needs visitors to understand its offer and reach the quote path without hunting.
Approach
Mobile-first hierarchy, scannable service cards, trust cues, FAQs, and one obvious call to action.
Evidence boundary
The responsive demo and local interactions were reviewed. It is fictional, and the form sends no data.
Open the website demo →

Local prototype · Automation

Voiceover-First Content Workflow

A multi-step workflow for gathering ideas, preparing narration, creating audio, and packaging finished media metadata.

Problem illustrated
A repeated content process becomes difficult to review when research, narration, audio, and packaging are handled as disconnected tasks.
Approach
Separate stages with structured outputs, review points, and bounded fallback paths so a failure is visible instead of silently ignored.
Evidence boundary
Offline workflow tests passed. Live third-party API behavior and production throughput are not claimed.

Python · FFmpeg · structured outputs · external API adapters

Private concept · Custom tool

Business Review Dashboard

A local workspace for reviewing records, documenting decisions, preserving history, and tracking follow-up activity.

Problem illustrated
Important records, decisions, and next actions are easy to lose when they live across disconnected notes and files.
Approach
Bring one review workflow into a focused interface with persistent records, clear status, and an inspectable history.
Evidence boundary
Local tests and interface behavior were verified. It is not presented as a deployed client system.

Node.js · Express · SQLite · tested workflows

The person behind the work

Small projects deserve clear thinking too.

I’m Christopher Reed, an independent developer focused on practical websites, automations, and internal tools for small businesses.

I prefer a narrow problem, a visible finish line, and a result you can understand and own. If a request is too broad for a responsible small project, I’ll say so before work begins.

Tell me what keeps getting postponed →

A simple working process

1

Clarify

Define the problem, inputs, users, and acceptance checks.

2

Build small

Create the narrowest useful version with established tools.

3

Review

Test it with realistic examples and make one agreed revision.

4

Hand off

Deliver the files, instructions, and clear ownership details.

After you get in touch

You’ll always know what happens next.

No vague sales process and no surprise commitment. We first decide whether the problem fits a small, clearly defined project.

Step 01 · Start here

Start with the situation, not a technical solution.

You do not need to diagnose the technology. Describe the repeated task, delay, or missed opportunity in your own words.

What you share
What happens now, who is involved, and what “better” would look like.
What I clarify
The smallest responsible outcome, important constraints, and whether the idea fits this service.

Common questions

Clear answers before you commit.

If your situation is different, ask. The written project scope is always the final source of truth.

Will I own the finished files?

Yes. You receive the agreed project files at handoff. If a project uses third-party software, fonts, images, or services, their original licenses still apply and will be identified before delivery.

How many revisions are included?

Each proposal states the exact review allowance. Starter projects are generally designed around one focused revision after you review the agreed result.

Are hosting and domain costs included?

Not unless the written scope specifically includes them. Any third-party cost is shown separately and requires your approval—there are no surprise purchases.

How does payment work?

The payment amount and timing are written into the project scope before work begins. You can review the complete commitment before approving anything.

What happens if the scope changes?

I’ll explain the effect on price and timing before doing additional work. You can approve the change, save it for a later phase, or keep the original scope.

What will you need from me?

Usually: a clear description of the problem, required content or examples, timely feedback, and access to only the systems specifically needed for the approved work.

Can you provide support after delivery?

Yes, when ongoing help is useful. Support or future improvements are proposed separately, so the initial project does not quietly turn into an open-ended subscription.

Start with the problem

Have one small task that keeps getting postponed?

Describe what happens today and what you wish happened instead. I’ll tell you whether it fits a small fixed-scope project. The target response time for an initial reply is one business day.

  • Clear scope
  • Fixed starting price
  • No-obligation first reply
  • One-business-day reply target

Project inquiry

Tell me enough to point you in the right direction.

No technical vocabulary required.

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Your details will only be used to review and respond to this inquiry. Do not include passwords, payment information, or other sensitive account details.