I work with Australian businesses (and the occasional overseas client) on database and data-engineering work. Most engagements start with a free 30-minute scope call. Below is what I typically do.
DB Engineering
Building new databases or fixing slow ones. SQL Server, Postgres, Snowflake.
What this looks like:
- Designing a new database from scratch (schema, indexing, security model, deployment).
- Diagnosing why an existing database has gone slow, then fixing it. Often a single afternoon of query tuning or index work reclaims most of the lost time.
- Ongoing health checks for production databases. Backups, monitoring, patching, query performance reviews.
Best for: businesses whose database has grown out of its original design, or needs to be set up properly from day one.
Migrations
Moving data from one platform to another without breaking the business. On-prem to cloud. Legacy systems to modern ones. Spreadsheets to proper databases.
What this looks like:
- Planning the cutover so live operations are never interrupted (or interrupted only when expected).
- Writing the ETL or CDC plumbing that moves the data, and verifying it on the other side.
- A post-migration validation pass so you know nothing was dropped or corrupted.
Example: I migrated a Melbourne legal firm onto a modern stack. Watch the client tell the story →
Best for: businesses moving from SQL Server to Postgres, on-prem to AWS or Azure, or off a spreadsheet-based system.
Dashboards
Power BI dashboards built on clean data, so leadership can trust what they’re looking at.
What this looks like:
- Working out what the executive actually needs to see before any pixel is laid down.
- Building the data model behind the dashboard (the part most agencies skip), so the numbers stay correct as the business grows.
- Power BI mostly. SSRS or a custom web dashboard if Power BI is the wrong tool.
Best for: businesses with data but no clear picture of how the business is performing.
Custom Apps
Full-stack web apps where the database is the centre of gravity. Node.js, Postgres, AWS.
What this looks like:
- Replacing a team’s tracking spreadsheet with a real application that handles concurrent users and grows with you.
- Building custom applications from scratch when off-the-shelf software doesn’t fit.
- Designing for maintainability so the next developer (whether me or someone else) can pick it up.
Example: tournly.app, a tournament management SaaS I designed and shipped. Visit tournly.app →
Best for: businesses outgrowing spreadsheets, or with a workflow that no off-the-shelf tool fits.
How engagements work
Most projects start with a free 30-minute scope call. We talk through what you have, what you need, and whether I’m the right fit. If yes, I send a written proposal with scope, timeline, and price.
I work on fixed-price engagements where possible (smaller scoped projects), or day-rate for ongoing work. No retainers you can’t cancel, no minimum contracts.
