From Redundancy to Indie Developer: My Journey So Far

smallpixel started before I needed it to. Redundancy was looming on the horizon, and rather than wait for it to arrive, I decided to get ahead of it. After more than twenty years working in IT across many different sectors, I had built up a set of skills that belonged to me — not to any one employer. The question was what to do with them.

The answer was to build something of my own: software that's honest, useful, and respectful of the people who use it.

Twenty Years, Many Sectors

Two decades in IT teaches you things you can't learn from a course. You learn how different industries solve problems, where technology genuinely helps and where it gets in the way, and how to cut through noise to find what actually matters.

That experience shapes everything under the smallpixel name. No bloat, no jargon, no overcomplication. Just carefully considered tools that do their job well.

Honest, No-Nonsense, Transparent

I don't claim to know everything — nobody does. What I promise is that if I don't know something, I'll go and find out. You'll always get a straight answer about what's possible, what it will cost, and how long it will take.

My pricing works the same way: honest and transparent, like everything else I do. No hidden fees, no surprise invoices, no upsells you don't need.

Embracing AI

I'm a firm believer in using the right tools for the job — and these days that includes AI. I embrace it fully in my design and development work: exploring ideas faster, iterating on designs, and handling the repetitive groundwork so I can focus on the details that matter.

That said, I don't reach for the latest and greatest technology just for the hell of it. New for new's sake helps no one — I use what I think is right for the job, whether that's a cutting-edge tool or a tried-and-tested approach.

The judgement, spirit, and twenty years of experience? Those still come from me. AI just helps me deliver better results, faster.

Helping Small Businesses

Alongside my apps, I'm now taking on small website projects. Big agencies aren't interested in a five-page site, and the DIY builders leave you wrestling with templates. There's a gap in between — and that's where I can help.

If you run a small business and need a clean, fast, professional website — built by someone who speaks plainly and charges fairly — get in touch. I'd be glad to help you take advantage of twenty years of experience at small-business-friendly prices.

What's Next

I have some exciting ideas for both this website and my apps. Here's the roadmap:

• Android apps — bringing the same privacy-first experience to Android users.
• Desktop companion apps — for Windows and macOS first, with Linux to follow.
• More apps — new ideas are already taking shape.

Everything will stay true to the same principles: no accounts, no ads, no tracking, and honest one-time pricing.

Where to Find Me

You might notice I'm not on every social platform just yet. That's deliberate — I'd rather concentrate on getting things right and into a position I'm happy with. Not perfect: happy. Perfection doesn't exist in IT anyway; things change far too quickly for that. But right? Right is always achievable.

I'm excited about the future — come along for the ride.