Django Developer, UK Based
Software development for founders who need it running, not just written.
Most of my work happens in the final 20% of a project. The part where software becomes a product. I take systems from wherever they are and get them into production. Properly. (I usually end up working in Django, but that's a detail for later.)
Tell me about your project
The problem I solve
There's a gap between code that works and software that runs.
It's wider than most developers admit, and it's where a lot of projects quietly die. The gap between 80% and production-ready turns out to be most of the work.
You hired a developer and got a repository.
The code might even be good. But it's not live, it's not monitored, and every time you ask about deployment you get a different answer. You've paid for something you can't use yet.
You built it yourself with AI tools and it's "nearly ready."
It demos well. You can show people. But when you try to deploy it, or hand it to someone technical, things start unravelling. Missing migrations. Secrets stored in code. Incomplete error handling. Authentication that works in testing but struggles in production. The gap between 80% and production-ready turns out to be most of the work.
You inherited something messy.
Maybe you bought a business, maybe a co-founder left, maybe a contractor disappeared. You've got a system that sort of works and no real understanding of what's holding it together.
All three of these are solvable. They're also exactly the kind of problem I work on.
What I bring
Before becoming a developer, I spent 15 years running a heavily regulated business, and I've been running businesses of one kind or another since 2008. That's why I care about reliability, auditability, compliance, and systems that still make sense six months after launch.
I came to Django development after watching what happens when software meets reality. Real users, real pressure, real consequences when things break. That means I think about your system the way you do: what breaks under load, what an auditor will ask for, what happens when a user does something unexpected, and what you'll need to change in 18 months.
I can take a project from conception to deployed, and I specialise in the part most developers skip. All of my work is done remotely, and I use the right tools to make sure communication and progress tracking are clear throughout.
- Django systems built for production from day one
- 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
- Subscription platforms, community platforms, and anything with real users doing real things
- Deployment, monitoring, and the operational reality of running software
Projects
Work that's built, deployed, and running.
Community Platform • Live
High Mile Heroes
A community platform for high-mileage car enthusiasts, with active entries and real users. Built around engagement and community ownership, reducing reliance on social media platforms. The hard part was building something the community would actually use.
Visit site →
Subscription Platform • Live
Cosmic Lessons
A subscription platform built from scratch: authentication, payments, content delivery, and deployment. The difficult part wasn't any single feature. It was making them work as a coherent system that a non-technical founder could actually operate.
Visit site →
Personal Platform • Live
LJ Talks
A personal content and writing platform. Built, deployed, and maintained independently. Demonstrates the full stack from design to production hosting.
Visit site →Regulated Environment • Private
Building Safety Platform
A compliance and audit system for building management. Required careful thinking about data integrity, audit trails, and what "done" actually means when inspectors and insurers are involved. Happy to discuss the work if you're building something in a similar space.
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 seriously for the last several years. I'm based in the UK.
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.
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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