For non-technical founders & small businesses
I turn “here’s what I need” into a system that works. You get a clear plan, an honest price, and a former NVIDIA systems engineer making the technical calls, before you commit to anyone.
Utah-based · in person along the Wasatch Front, remote anywhere
Founders
Before you hire a dev shop or freelancer, I’ll tell you what you actually need, what it should cost, and what to build first, so your runway goes into the product, not rework.
Small businesses · 5–50 people
A custom tool, portal, or app that fits how your team really works, designed so you only build what off-the-shelf software can’t already do.
Already building with AI
I’ll review what you have, keep what’s solid, fix what isn’t, and put real tests around it so it keeps working as you grow.
AI + experience
AI tools are remarkable, and I use them every day. They let me design, build, and test in days what used to take weeks, and that speed shows up in your price and timeline. But software that works in a demo isn’t the same as a system you can run a business on.
You get AI speed with an engineer’s judgment. Every design is mine, and every line is reviewed and tested before it reaches you.
Services
Every engagement starts with a design, and every price is agreed before work begins.
Easiest first step
Not ready to commit to a project? Send me the dev-shop quote, the plan, or the AI-built prototype you’re unsure about. In 2–3 hours I’ll review it and send a short written summary: what’s solid, what’s risky, and what to ask before you spend more.
$500–$750 fixed
Get a second opinionStart here
1–2 weeks. Requirements interview, system design, tech stack with build-vs-buy calls, a cost and timeline estimate, and a phased roadmap you own.
$3,000–$6,000 fixed
Build
A defined slice of the roadmap: an MVP, a web app with its backend, or an iOS app. Delivered and paid for one phase at a time.
Fixed price per phase
For teams of 1–5 devs
GitLab or GitHub setup, CI/CD, automated testing, environments, and deployment, so your developers ship safely from day one.
$4,000–$8,000 fixed
Ongoing
About 8–10 hours a month: decision support, reviewing contractors and quotes, and help hiring your first engineers.
From $2,000/mo · 3-mo min
How it works
Tell me what you’re trying to do. I’ll tell you honestly whether you need me, and if a sprint makes sense.
You get a written plan in plain English: what to build, what to buy, what it costs, and in what order. Take it to any builder, or build with me.
Each phase has a fixed price and a clear finish line. Half up front, half on delivery. You’re never locked into the whole project.
About
I’m Daniel Rushton. I spent seven years at NVIDIA on the OptiX ray-tracing SDK, writing high-performance C++/CUDA and building the automated test and CI/CD infrastructure that kept it reliable.
The skill that matters most for you: picking up an unfamiliar problem quickly, finding the right technologies to combine, and explaining the tradeoffs to people who don’t write code.
Also · audio
Before software, I was a recording engineer and producer, and I still run a small studio. If your product touches audio, like recording, music, podcasting, or sound processing, you get someone who understands both the code and the sound.
Yes, that’s the point. Every plan is written for the person paying for it: what gets built, why, what it costs, and what you can skip. Technical details are there for whoever builds it, but you won’t need them to make decisions.
For a quick prototype, often yes, and I’ll tell you if that’s all you need. The trouble starts when real customers, real data, and real money depend on it. AI-generated code can look finished while hiding security holes, data-loss bugs, and designs that won’t grow with you. I use the same tools, plus the experience to recognize when their output is wrong.
Yes, and it’s a big part of why my fixed prices and timelines are what they are. AI speeds up the typing; the design decisions, code review, and testing are mine. Our agreement spells out how your code and data are handled.
Yes. That’s exactly what the Second Opinion review is for: in a few hours I’ll tell you whether the scope, price, and technology make sense, and what to ask before you sign. For a bigger project, an architecture sprint gives you a full independent plan to compare against.
No. The sprint plan is yours. Take it to any developer or agency. Many clients do, and keep me on as an advisor to review the work.
Every engagement has a short written agreement covering scope, price, and ownership of the work. Fixed-fee work is 50% up front and 50% on delivery. You own the code and designs you pay for.
30 minutes, free, no pitch. You’ll leave with a clearer picture either way.