Ian Swain — software & automation · Philadelphia

I build the software your team keeps doing by hand.

I spent 13 years running operations before I wrote a line of code. Now I build the tools that handle the repetitive part — bookings, guest questions, lead capture, whole websites. Built around how you actually work, live in days, and the code is yours.

No subscriptions No lock-in You see it live before the final invoice
13 years running operations Full source code — yours to keep Live in days, not months Based in Philadelphia
Where to start

Two ways in.

Both land in the same short form. Pick the one that sounds like you.

You run a local business

One thing, handled well.

A restaurant, shop, rental, or service that needs one problem solved — guest questions, bookings, a lead system, or a site that turns visitors into customers. I build it, deploy it, and hand you the keys. Usually live within a week.

Start a build
You've got a bigger project

A system, built to spec.

A custom internal tool, a multi-part workflow, or an app you've been meaning to get built right. Scoped properly, tested against your real data, documented, and fully yours at handover. No retainer required to own it.

Scope a project

Not sure which? Start with a $499 Discovery Sprint — a 5-page written audit of what to automate first, credited toward the build.Book the sprint

Proof

Not mockups. Builds you can watch.

Every link here loads — no cold starts, no “coming soon.” Starting with one running live for a Philadelphia restaurant.

Live client build

AI guest chatbot — Due Sorelle, South Philadelphia. Answers hours, menu, and reservation questions around the clock, so staff stop repeating themselves. Press play.

What I build

Scoped to your workflow. Not a template.

Every build includes the source code, deployment, and two weeks of support after launch. You see it running before the final invoice.

01
lead captureMost requested

Lead capture & booking

Guest questions, reservations, hours, and lead collection handled 24/7. Every inquiry is captured as a named lead. Your staff stops answering the same three questions by phone all day.

Typically live in
~48 hours
02

Website design & rebuild

Coded from scratch — no page builder, no theme. Fast, mobile-first, and built to turn visitors into leads. If your site looks like it was made in 2015, this is the fix. The code is yours.

Typically live in
1–2 weeks
03

Custom automation system

You show me where time and revenue leak. I map the full workflow, build the fix, and test it against your real data before handover. Deployed, documented, and yours — no recurring fee.

Typically live in
1–3 weeks
04
$499Start here

Discovery Sprint

A 5-page written audit: your current workflow against an automated one — every time cost, every gap, every fix, in priority order. If we build together, the $499 comes off the project.

Delivered in
5 business days
How it works

Three steps. No mystery.

01

You describe the problem

Plain language. What's eating the time, and what it should look like once it's fixed. No jargon needed on your end.

02

I build it and show you

I design, build, and deploy. You watch it run live before the final invoice — no scope creep, no surprise bill.

03

You own it

Full source code, documentation, and two weeks of support after launch. No subscription, no lock-in, no dependency on me.

The usual dev shop
  • Long contracts with no exit — fees forever
  • They keep the code; you can't leave
  • Weeks of discovery before you see anything
Working with me
  • One flat build — no recurring fees
  • Source code delivered; yours to keep or move
  • Running live in days, not weeks
About

13 years running operations.
Now I build the systems.

I spent 13 years in operations — retail, multi-channel, front-of-house. I watched good teams lose hours a day to work a decent system handles in seconds. So I learned to build the systems.

I don't hand you a subscription and walk away. I build the tool, deploy it, hand over the code, and you own it — no lock-in, no recurring fee, no dependency on me to keep the lights on.

I work with restaurants, local businesses, and anyone tired of doing by hand what a machine should be doing.

What I build with
PythonJavaScript / NodeFlask / FastAPIHand-coded front-endsLocal AI (Ollama, Whisper, ComfyUI)PostgreSQL / SQLiteTested & security-auditedn8n automationRender / Vercel / Netlify

I run the AI locally — models, voice, and image generation on my own hardware. A build can skip the per-seat SaaS fees and keep your data in-house.

Start

Tell me what's
eating your time.

contact@iswain.dev

Describe the task — I'll tell you if it can be automated,
and what it'd take. Usually a same-day reply.

Available Mon–Sat · 9am–9pm ET

Start a project →