124 results found
Every tool you see on this site — the chatbot, the daily blog posts, the social media, the QR tracking, the AI video generator — was built and is run by one developer. It's all for sale to small b...
Twenty years of building things for small businesses taught me that the shiniest code often hides the dumbest decisions. Here's my list.
Most low-code AI automation platforms charge $200-400/mo for workflows a short Python script handles better. Here's how to build your own in an afternoon.
Choosing a popular tool vs custom-built isn't rebellion - it might be the most boring, responsible thing you do for your business this year.
Multi-step forms and chatbot pop-ups get all the buzz. A simpler above-the-fold layout quietly converts better for most small businesses.
Everyone says post more. The math says post better. Here's how a blog for lead generation actually works when you stop chasing volume.
Most map pack ranking advice leads to the same three agencies. Here's the step-by-step approach that costs nothing monthly and actually holds up.
The best solo developer workflow isn't built from Top 10 lists. It's built from the weird stuff that actually works when nobody's watching.
Most booking system small business guides push expensive monthly subscriptions. Here's what a Bay Area dog groomer taught me about picking the right one.
Etsy takes 12%+ per sale. A custom artist shop website costs less per year than two months of marketplace fees. Here's how to make the switch without losing customers.
That $99/month middleware connecting your POS to your online store? It's basically a toll bridge you built yourself. There's a better way.
Most Bay Area CPAs pay $300+/year for website builders. Carrd costs $19/year and loads faster on mobile. Here's who it works for and who should skip it.
That booking widget on your wellness studio site might be quietly eating 3% of every appointment. Here's what's really going on and what to do about it.
SEO costs $1,500/month and takes six months. Google Business Profile is free and shows up tomorrow. For most tradespeople, the choice is obvious.
Your physical menu cost $800. Your website menu is a tilted PDF. Popmenu fixes that - here's an honest look at what it does, what it costs, and whether it's worth it.
Everyone reaches for managed databases, Kubernetes, and microservices first. But the companies quietly shipping fastest often run SQLite, a VPS, and a deploy script.
That SEO plugin you installed? It handles meta tags, not speed. Here's a real 7-step guide to fixing small business website speed - tested on hundreds of actual sites.
Every no-code subscription feels great on day one. By month eighteen, you're basically a tenant on your own website. Here's when Webflow makes sense and when it doesn't.
Squarespace and Wix are popular for a reason. But an affordable web developer for small business might cost less long-term. Here's how to actually decide.
The myth: your business data is automatically safe inside AI tools. The reality involves 47 pages of Terms of Service you definitely didn't read.
A nail salon owner spent $1,100 on three popular SaaS tools over two years. The free alternatives do the same work for $0 a month.
Turns out the hottest job title in tech is just 'person who writes clear instructions.' Here's how to use AI content writing for your small business - no computer science degree required.
Most small business chatbots answer five questions and punt the rest. Here's what actually works when you compare chatbot vs human support.
A step-by-step guide to automating the boring stuff in your business using free and cheap tools - no $800/mo software required.
Mailchimp is the default email marketing pick. For most small businesses, MailerLite does the same job for less - or free.
Your landing page has about 3 seconds before visitors bounce. Here's how to build an above-the-fold section that makes them stay.
Most small businesses pay $3,000-5,000/month for content managers. Here's how to run a content calendar honest about what actually moves the needle.
Most citation services blast your business info to 200 directories nobody visits. Here's how to set up the three local citations that actually get you found.
Most solo devs copy someone else's editor config and hope for the best. Here's what actually moves the needle when you're building for clients by yourself.
A real breakdown of how one Bay Area restaurant ditched $380/month in SaaS fees for a custom ordering system that costs less than a large pizza.
Most web dev tutorials skip the boring stuff. A free desktop crawler shows you exactly what they left out - and what it's costing your search traffic.
Your studio booking system is currently a group chat. Vagaro costs $30/month and gives your clients a book-now button instead of your phone number.
Shopify costs $39/mo before you sell anything. Here's how to run an online store with no subscription using Stripe, free hosting, and tools that already exist.
Most professional services sites skip the one page that actually converts visitors into leads. It's the online equivalent of never asking for the date.
Dental websites all look the same because they're built from the same three platforms. Here's what the top-performing offices do differently.
Most HVAC websites look fine and do nothing. Here's what the sites that actually generate calls have in common - and the cheaper path nobody's marketing to you.
Ghost kitchens don't have a storefront. Your website IS the storefront. Here's what actually works when your entire brand lives online.
Everyone assumes small businesses need MySQL or Postgres on a managed server. SQLite handles more than you think - and costs nothing to run.
Your Google listing is basically a dating profile - and yours needs work. A step-by-step guide to local SEO basics that actually get you found.
Webflow is excellent for a lot of businesses. But there's a specific point where custom code wins - and most people cross it without realizing.
A custom CMS for your small business means a dashboard built around your workflow - not a template's idea of it. Here's what it costs and how it works.
Most small businesses use 4-6 AI tools daily without reading a single privacy policy. Here's a free 30-minute audit checklist that replaces the $15K consultant.
Most small businesses pay for 14 features and use two. A smarter SaaS tool alternative approach saves money and actually works better.
A practical guide to spotting AI-written competitor blogs - and what their shortcuts reveal about where your own content strategy should go next.
Your site's search bar is decorative. A chatbot trained on your own content actually answers customer questions - here's how it works and what it costs.
A step-by-step guide to building AI agent workflows that handle real busywork - without enterprise software or a six-figure budget.
You're paying for 14 SaaS tools. You use three. Here's what happens when a small business owner finally audits the credit card statement.
Most A/B testing advice assumes enterprise traffic. Here's how to actually run useful tests when your site gets hundreds of visits, not hundreds of thousands.
The Cheesecake Factory has a 21-page menu and nobody calls it the best at anything. Here's why your content marketing small business strategy shouldn't look like that either.
Regular SEO and local SEO are different games with different rules. Here's how to set up local SEO for your small business in 2026, step by step.
A squirrel dad vibe-coded the #1 App Store hit alone. Here's how one person business dev setups actually work when nobody's watching.
Most small businesses grab Typeform or HubSpot for their signup forms. A custom-coded alternative tripled conversions for a Bay Area dental office.
Twenty years of solo developer lessons distilled into the stuff nobody puts in their LinkedIn posts. Freelance truths, told with dice rolls.
Most florists pay $80-100/month for website platforms that rank poorly in local search. Here's the alternative approach that actually books weddings.
Platform fees are eating your margins alive. Printify lets you sell custom products with zero inventory and keep more of your money.
Most service businesses skip case studies entirely. A simple case study site template changes how prospects evaluate you before the first call.
Most salon booking platforms charge $60-110/mo. Square Appointments charges nothing for solo operators. Here's what that actually looks like in practice.
Most Bay Area landscapers pay $150+/mo for platforms that bury their work. A basic custom site with real project photos outperforms all of them.
Every restaurant has a junk drawer of disconnected tech. Here's how POS integration actually fixes that - with real pricing, real tools, and zero hype.
Everyone says PHP is dead. Meanwhile, 77% of the web runs on it and local shops keep choosing it over trendier options. Here's why.
Most small business websites are quietly failing Google's Core Web Vitals. Here's how to diagnose the problem and fix it before lunch.
No-code tools are popular for good reasons. But once you hit their walls, the monthly fees keep climbing while your options shrink.
PHP runs 77% of the internet, costs almost nothing to host, and doesn't send you a subscription renewal email. Here's why boring tech wins.
The monthly fee isn't the expensive part. AI vendor lock-in is - and most small businesses don't see it until they try to leave.
I went through a client's SaaS subscriptions tool by tool. $220/month across seven platforms. Two did the same thing. One hadn't been opened since October.
Most AI content workflows produce generic slop. Here's a step-by-step guide to building an honest ai content workflow that keeps your voice intact.
Most website chatbots are a search bar in a trench coat. Tidio Lyro trains on your actual FAQ so it stops guessing and starts helping.
Zapier connects apps. AI actually thinks through tasks. Here are five workflows where the difference matters for small businesses.
You're paying monthly for software you barely open. Here's when to buy once and walk away - and when the subscription actually earns its keep.
Most conversion audit guides assume you have a CRO team and $3K/month in tools. Here's the version that works with a browser, a Saturday, and zero budget.
Everyone says social media is where the customers are. For most small businesses, a simple email newsletter crushes it on ROI, reach, and actual revenue.
Most businesses build geo landing pages wrong - churning out 50 thin city pages. Here's how to build fewer pages that actually rank and convert.
Every solo dev has a chaotic toolbelt that actually works. Here's what's happening in freelance dev tools right now - and why the weird picks matter.
Most small warehouses pay $150-300/month for inventory software they half-use. Here's what happened when one switched to a custom inventory management system build that cost less than a year of subscr...
A $2K bug, a panicking bakery owner, and the pre-launch checklist that now lives rent-free in my head. Here's what went wrong and what I check every single time now.
Bandcamp takes 10-15% of every sale. Big Cartel gives musicians a simple website with zero revenue cuts - free for up to 5 products.
Template stores are the frozen lasagna of e-commerce. Here's what custom ecommerce bay area shops are actually building - and why it tastes better.
Most financial advisor websites look great and violate SEC rules on day one. Here's what compliance actually requires and who builds for it.
HIPAA compliance for therapist websites has been turned into a $400/month industry. Here's what it actually requires and what it should cost.
Lead-gen platforms charge contractors $30-80 per lead. A single well-built site can replace all three - here's the tool that makes it practical.
Your restaurant's napkins are the perfect shade of off-white. Your website still shows hours from 2022. Square Online fixes that for $0.
A $5/month VPS runs a Fremont cabinet shop doing $412K a year. The boring stack outperforms SaaS for most small businesses - here's the math.
ADA lawsuits targeting small business websites are surging. Here's a step-by-step guide to making yours accessible before a lawyer makes it expensive.
No-code platforms are a $21 billion market. But the real question isn't which is better - it's which is cheaper for YOUR specific situation.
WordPress runs 43% of the web. But for a lot of small businesses, a custom website does the same job for less money and zero plugin headaches.
Most small businesses feed their customer data into ChatGPT without a second thought. There's a free tool that runs AI entirely on your own machine.
A real look at how to build inventory management system software from scratch - 6,700 files, one developer, and why custom beat the $400/mo SaaS stack.
Most QR codes are black holes - scans go in, nothing comes out. Here's how to build a qr code marketing strategy that tells you exactly what's working.
Most chatbot widgets answer questions nobody asked. Here's what happens when you build a custom AI chatbot trained on your actual business - with real numbers from real installs.
If you're asking 'do I need a website for my small business,' the answer is yes - and the cost of not having one is probably higher than you think.
A dental office manager burns 90 minutes a day on tasks an AI could handle in seconds. Here's the $49/month agent tool I keep installing for small shops.
One solo operator ran AI content creation for six months straight. Here's the real cost, the real output, and whether it's worth your time.
Framer is a powerful DIY website builder - but when does a Sunnyvale small business actually need a local web developer instead? An honest comparison with real pricing.
A real story about building a custom supply chain management system in PHP for a Bay Area food distributor - what worked, what broke, and what it actually cost.
Most small business websites lose leads at 9 PM when nobody's answering. An AI chatbot changes that math entirely.
What to actually look for when you search 'web developer for small business near me' - and how to avoid the expensive mistakes most owners make.
Thryv just launched AI Lead Flow for small businesses. Here's an honest breakdown of what it does, what it costs, and who should skip it.
OpenAI killed Sora. Google VEO stepped up. Here's how real small businesses are using an ai video generator to make content that actually converts.
Most Bay Area small businesses have a website nobody finds. Google Business Profile is the free tool that fixes that - here's exactly how to use it.
How a Bay Area property services company went from a broken WordPress site to a custom web app in 14 days - and doubled their monthly leads.
Most small business websites lose leads after hours. An AI chatbot for small business website changes that - here's how it actually works, what it costs, and whether it's worth it.
Most AI tools overpromise and underdeliver. Here are the ones that actually work for small businesses - with real pricing, real examples, and zero hype.
Google Veo is now inside Google Vids with AI video generation, avatars, and music. Here's what it actually means for small business owners in 2026.
Bay Area small businesses deserve websites built by people who know the market. Here's why local beats remote - and what it actually costs in 2026.
A real custom web application case study showing how a small auto parts exporter replaced spreadsheets with a built-to-fit inventory system - and saw 11% more sales.
Most small businesses slap a QR code on a flyer and hope for the best. Here's how to actually track what happens after the scan - and why it matters more than you think.
Comparing Tidio, Intercom, and custom-built AI chatbots for small business websites - real pricing, real use cases, and what actually works.
Your website might look fine to you - but your customers are bouncing. Here's how to tell if your small business site is quietly costing you thousands.
A real look at Make.com - the AI automation tool I set up for plumbers, salons, and HVAC companies - and whether it's worth your money.
Most AI automation for small business is overhyped nonsense. Here's what actually saves time and money for real owners - tested by a developer who builds it.
What building an AI trading bot taught me about ai automation for small business - and why the same principles apply to your HVAC company or bakery.
Most social tools cost $20-80/month forever and still leave you doing 90% of the work. The Full Setup package is $1,500 one-time, you own it, and it actually replaces the workflow.
A fully custom-coded landing page with a trained AI chatbot, $500 one-time. No subscription, no template. Here is what is in it and how it stacks up against Wix, Framer, and agencies.
Solo founder reflects on 20+ years of code — from writing 200 VB6 bots for Yahoo Pool forums at age 14 to building production AI systems for small businesses today. Why AI disruption is the same old...
Plugging Gmail, Drive, and Slack into your AI feels like magic until the bill arrives. Every connector is a firehose of raw data aimed at your token budget. Here is how to hand AI a clean payload inst...
New AI rules are hitting at the federal and state level. Here's what matters if you run a plumbing company, a bakery, or a med spa - not a Fortune 500.
Most small business owners think AI tools cost thousands. The real numbers tell a very different story - and some of the best tools cost nothing at all.
Most small business landing pages look fine but produce nothing. Here's how to build one that turns visitors into paying customers - step by step.
Most small business owners pay for ChatGPT and use 10% of it. Here's an honest comparison of ChatGPT and Claude - and which one actually fits how you work.
Blaze AI promises to be your entire marketing team for under $50/month. Here's what it actually does, who it's for, and whether it's worth it.
Missing customer questions after hours is costing you sales. Here's how Tidio's Lyro AI handles them automatically - and whether it's worth it.
Perplexity's Computer agent claims to replace hundreds of thousands in marketing software - for $20/month. Here's what it actually does for small businesses.
Tired of spending your Sunday nights scheduling posts? Metricool's AI features let small business owners automate social media without hiring a marketing team.
Every night your website goes dark and loses leads. Here's how Tidio's AI chatbot keeps answering customer questions while you sleep — for as little as $0/month.