Plain-English guides for founders and small businesses
Practical answers on security certificates, due diligence, AI, and choosing who builds your product. Written from about seven years building and leading technology at a cybersecurity SaaS company.
Security and compliance
What bigger customers ask for, what it costs, and how to answer honestly.
Related service: Enterprise Readiness
- How much does Cyber Essentials cost?Updated The certification fee, what it leaves out, and the reasons small firms fail first time.
- ISO 27001 for startups and SMEs: when it is worth itUpdated When it is worth doing, what certification involves and costs, and where small companies overspend.
- How to answer a supplier security questionnaireUpdated What the questions are really checking, and how to answer honestly without bluffing.
Building the right thing
Deciding what to build, whether to build at all, and where AI fits.
Related service: Innovation Build
- The questions I ask before writing a line of codeUpdated My discovery process made public: five questions that decide whether to build at all.
- Build, buy or no-code?Updated When off-the-shelf wins, when no-code is enough, and when custom software earns its cost.
- Adding AI to your product without the riskUpdated Where AI pays back for a small business, and the guardrails that keep it safe.
- What I check in a vibe-coded app before launchUpdated What to check and fix in an app built with AI tools before real users and their data arrive.
Working with technology
Choosing who builds it, and getting ready for investors and acquirers.
Related service: Fractional CTO
Rather talk it through?
If a guide raised more questions than it answered, book a free 30 minute call. We work out whether I can help, and which door you're at.