insights

Insights

Plain-English notes on software, networking, and the technology small businesses actually run on.

• August 24, 2026

  Do I Need a Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace Consultant?

  What a consultant actually does for Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, and the signs your office has outgrown doing it yourself.

• August 17, 2026

  Do You Need a Custom Website, or Is Squarespace Fine?

  Most small businesses should keep Squarespace or Wix. Here's where a site builder stops being the cheaper option, and what a custom build buys you.

• August 16, 2026

  Laser vs Inkjet Printers: Which Is Better?

  For most small offices it's a mono laser — here's when an inkjet is genuinely the better buy, and the third option most comparisons leave out.

• August 14, 2026

  Do You Need an IT Company or Someone to Call?

  Most small businesses assume the choice is a monthly managed contract. Often it's overkill. Here's how to tell which arrangement your business actually needs.

• August 10, 2026

  When Your Business Software Doesn't Fit

  Too expensive, too bloated, or too basic — most small businesses are stuck with one of the three. Here's what building something that fits involves.

• August 7, 2026

  Do You Still Need Paid Antivirus in 2026?

  A client was paying over $300 a year for antivirus she didn't need. Windows and macOS include protection that tests as well, and cancelling was the hard part.

• August 3, 2026

  Startup Software Consulting Without a CTO

  You have the idea, maybe the first customers, and no one to build it. How the five options compare, and what a local partner changes that an agency can't.

• August 1, 2026

  What Small Business IT Actually Costs

  Nobody publishes a number, and there's a real reason for that. Here's how IT work is priced, what moves the number, and how to compare two quotes honestly.

• July 31, 2026

  When Custom Software Beats Off-the-Shelf

  Most of the time you should just buy the software. Here's how to tell when your business is in the minority that's better off with something built for it.

• July 30, 2026

  SaBooks: Invoicing and Proposals for Solo Pros

  SaBooks is a small app I built for sending proposals, generating invoices, and tracking payments — without juggling three tools to get paid for one job.

• July 29, 2026

  Why a Mac Mini Makes a Great Office Server

  A small office server gives you back control of your data without a rack, a server room, or a monthly bill per seat. Here's why I build them on Mac Minis.

• July 28, 2026

  GL.iNet Flint 2 Review: ISP Router Replacement

  Why ISP routers are a privacy problem, and why I install the GL.iNet Flint 2 instead — OpenWrt, no account, network-wide adblock, and a built-in VPN.

• July 27, 2026

  Why Your Office Wifi Feels Slower Every Month

  A few real reasons small-business networks slow down over time, and what actually fixes it for good — not just a router restart.