Independent Software Developer • UK Based
I turn complex ideas into software that works in the real world.
I work directly with founders and small teams to build subscription platforms, community products, internal tools, and business-critical systems, from the first conversation through to secure deployment and ongoing development.
18 years running businesses • Django & Python • Security & deploymentHow I can help
You need more than somebody who can write the code.
The software has to fit the business, protect the people and data inside it, survive contact with real users, and remain understandable as it grows. I take responsibility for that whole journey rather than handing you a repository and calling it finished.
Products and platforms
Turn a strong idea into a production-ready subscription service, community, portal, or other customer-facing application, with security, administration, and deployment considered from the beginning.
Internal tools and automation
When work is repetitive, time-consuming, or too important to check casually, I build a system for it. That might be a dashboard, CRM, learning platform, compliance workflow, reporting tool, or something specific to how your business operates.
Technical rescue and production
I assess stalled, inherited, or AI-assisted systems, explain what is really there, and work out the most sensible route forward. Sometimes that means repair; sometimes it means rebuilding the right parts.
You work directly with me throughout: the person understanding the problem, making the technical decisions, writing the software, and getting it live.
The people I work best with
You care deeply about what you're building. I do too.
I work best with people who are building something they genuinely believe should exist. It might support a community, teach something valuable, make difficult work easier, or solve a problem you understand first-hand.
You do not need to arrive with a technical specification. Bring me the idea, the problem, and the reason it matters. I will help you make the right decisions and turn it into software that is thoughtful, secure, and realistic to run.
What I bring
Before becoming a developer, I spent 15 years running a heavily regulated business. I know that software is not successful because it passes a demo. It has to work for the business, withstand scrutiny, and still make sense six months after launch.
I came to Django development after years of making decisions where reliability, records, compliance, and people's trust mattered. That experience shapes how I build: I think about what happens when a user does something unexpected, what an auditor might need, how the system will be operated, and what the business may need to change next year.
Being independent keeps the process lean. There is no agency hand-off or unnecessary layer between you and the work, but there is still clear scope, communication, and accountability.
- Django systems built for production from day one
- Full builds from conception to deployed: architecture, features, infrastructure
- Subscription platforms, community platforms, and anything with real users doing real things
- Internal dashboards, CRMs, learning systems, reporting tools, and workflow automation
- Replacing repetitive processes and fragile spreadsheets with dependable business systems
- Assessing and rescuing AI-assisted or rapidly-built MVPs
- Taking over stalled or abandoned work and getting it over the line
- Compliance, audit trails, and regulated environments
- Deployment, monitoring, and the operational reality of running software
Recent Projects
Selected systems I've built and taken into production.
Client Subscription Platform • Soft Launch
Geoff Trader
An evolving subscription platform built around an established trading community. It includes tiered memberships, gated content, payments, account management, and the foundations for ongoing community-led development. I have taken it from requirements and implementation through hosting, security, deployment, and launch.
Visit geofftrader.co.uk →
Community Platform • Live
High Mile Heroes
A community platform for high-mileage car enthusiasts, designed, built, and deployed to a tight launch deadline. It supports member participation, vehicle submissions, images, moderation, and the practical tools needed to run a growing community outside social media.
Visit High Mile Heroes →
Independent Subscription Product • Live and Evolving
Cosmic Lessons
A live learning platform combining subscriptions, member accounts, payments, personalised content, administration, and custom calculations for planetary positions. The calculation system is accurate and used daily, while the learning experience and feature set continue to evolve.
Visit Cosmic Lessons →Compliance Platform • Private and In Development
Building Safety Platform
A substantial system for a regulated environment, involving structured evidence, auditability, role-based access, data integrity, and security-sensitive workflows. The details remain confidential, but I can discuss the kind of technical and operational thinking this work requires.
How I Work
A straightforward process.
Most projects start with a conversation. Sometimes you have a working system that's stuck. Sometimes you have a folder of code and a list of unanswered questions. Sometimes you're not entirely sure what's wrong. All of that is fine.
1. Initial conversation
You tell me what you're building, where you're stuck, and what success looks like. I'll ask questions, and I'll be straight with you about whether I think I can help.
2. Technical review
I look at the code, infrastructure, deployment setup, and operational risks. The goal is understanding reality rather than assumptions.
3. Plan and proposal
You'll get a clear explanation of what's needed, what's risky, what's already working, and what it'll take to get where you want to go.
4. Build, fix, deploy
This is where the work happens. Features, infrastructure, deployment, monitoring, testing, documentation. Whatever the project actually needs.
5. Handover and support
The goal isn't just working software. It's software you understand, can operate, and aren't afraid of six months later.
About
I'm Laura.
I've been running businesses since 2008 and building Django systems for the last few years. I'm based in the UK, work remotely, and have professional indemnity insurance in place.
I work with founders and small teams who need someone who can own a difficult technical problem end to end. Not just write code to a spec, but think about what the system actually needs to do and make sure it does it properly.
I like the kind of work that requires real thinking. Messy starting points, unclear requirements, systems that need unpicking before they can move forward. That's usually where I do my best work.
If something's stuck, broken, or never quite made it to launch, let's talk.
FAQ
Questions I get asked.
Why Django?
Django is a mature Python framework with strong foundations for authentication, data management, administration, and security, so you're not paying me to reinvent standard components that already work.
For you, that means more effort can go into the parts that make your product different. You fully own the code, it runs on standard infrastructure, and another experienced Python developer can work with it if we stop working together. No proprietary platform lock-in.
What can you build?
Anything that needs users, data, or business logic behind it. That includes subscription platforms, booking systems, customer portals, dashboards, bespoke CRMs, learning management systems, reporting tools, payment integrations, compliance workflows, and membership sites.
I also build internal tools around the way a business actually works. If a task is repetitive, time-consuming, dependent on a complicated spreadsheet, or has to be checked thoroughly every time, it may be a good candidate for a purpose-built system.
For simpler needs like a marketing site, a landing page, or a blog, I'll use WordPress where it's the right fit, or clean HTML and CSS when it isn't. No unnecessary frameworks, no bloat. Everything works on mobile, loads fast, and is built with security in mind from the start.
Do you use AI in your development work?
Yes, daily. It helps me work faster and catch things I might miss. But I treat it as an assistant, not a replacement for knowing what the code does and why.
The reason this matters to you: a lot of systems are being built right now with no-code and AI tools by people who can't debug them when something goes wrong. That's fine for a prototype, but if real users, real payments, or real data are involved, you need someone who understands what's underneath. I use AI where it genuinely helps, and I always stand behind the code it produces.
Can you rescue a project that's stuck or broken?
That's a large part of what I do. Whether it's an MVP that was never finished, a deployment that keeps failing, or a codebase that the previous developer left in a state, I'm comfortable picking up other people's work and getting it to a place where it actually runs and can be maintained.
The first step is always an honest assessment. Sometimes it's fixable, sometimes it's faster to rebuild parts of it, and I'll tell you which.
What happens after launch?
You're not left on your own. I make sure you understand how to operate what I've built: what to monitor, how updates work, and where to find things. If you want ongoing support, I'm available for that. If you'd rather bring someone else in, the code is clean, documented, and built on standard tools that any experienced developer can work with.
The goal is software you're confident running six months later, not something you're afraid to touch.
How much does a project cost?
Every project is scoped individually. After an initial conversation, I'll recommend either a focused technical review or a clearly defined delivery phase. You'll understand the likely cost, priorities, and risks before work begins, and the scope will not grow without a conversation.
Larger projects can be divided into sensible phases. That keeps investment focused and creates useful progress without compromising the foundations the later work will rely on.
The best way to get a realistic answer is to describe your project and I'll come back with an honest estimate.
Hire me
Tell me about your project.
I take on a small number of projects at a time. If you've got something that sounds like the work above, including if you're not sure whether it's salvageable, the best thing to do is describe it. I'll give you an honest answer.
I'll respond within a couple of days. If it sounds like a fit, we'll find a time to talk.
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