Internal Tools & Operations Automation
John
Cole
Stax
I build the internal tools, automations, and custom software your business actually needs — and I make sure they keep working.
What I Do
- Internal web apps & dashboards
- Workflow & process automation
- Spreadsheet replacement
- Tool integrations (QuickBooks, Stripe & more)
- Legacy system rescue
- Ongoing support after launch
Free 30-min consultation
Why it matters
A plumber doesn't just run water. They make sure it doesn't come back up.
Anyone can prompt an AI into writing code that looks like it works. ChatGPT, Cursor, a college intern with a free weekend — they'll all give you something that demos fine.
The problem shows up three months later when it silently drops records, breaks when two people use it at once, or becomes impossible to touch because nobody understands what it does.
I've been building software professionally for years. I know where things fail. I design around those failure modes before they cost you money.
A good plumber charges more than a guy with a wrench. You're not paying for the hour — you're paying so it doesn't flood.
Vibe coding vs. Stax
Vibe code has no error handling
It works until someone does something unexpected. Then it fails silently and you find out when the damage is already done.
It doesn't scale
Works for 3 users, falls over at 30. Works for 100 records, chokes at 10,000. Nobody built for your actual future.
Nobody's accountable
The AI doesn't answer emails. The freelancer's moved on. I stay on your system after launch — that's how I work.
What I build
The tools your business actually needs
Internal Web Apps
Custom dashboards, admin tools, job trackers, order systems. Built for how your business actually works — not a generic template.
Workflow Automation
Eliminate the copy-paste between systems. Automated approvals, notifications, data pipelines — the repetitive stuff that eats your team's time.
Integrations
QuickBooks, Stripe, shipping carriers, CRMs. Your tools should talk to each other. I make that happen without duct tape.
Reporting & Dashboards
Real-time numbers from your actual data sources. Not a spreadsheet rebuilt by hand every Monday morning.
Legacy System Rescue
Old Access databases. Aging PHP apps. Excel-driven workflows held together by one person who's about to retire. I modernize them without burning everything down.
Ongoing Support
I don't disappear after launch. Requirements change, things break, and you'll want to add features. I stay on as your operations evolve.
Real work
What this looks like in practice
Auction & Logistics
End-to-End Auction System
Bidder registration, real-time bidding, invoicing, and payment reconciliation. The DIY version couldn't handle concurrent bids and was silently losing money.
→ Hours of admin work cut per auctionWarehousing
Inventory Control System
Barcode scanning, automated reorder points, supplier integration. 15 spreadsheets replaced by one source of truth that doesn't quietly drift during peak season.
→ Stock-out errors eliminatedReal Estate Operations
House Flipping Dashboard
Contractor scheduling, expenses, progress photos, profit by property. Owner was piecing together 5 different systems by hand — details were slipping through the cracks.
→ Real-time view of every projectFinance & Reporting
Automated KPI Dashboard
Pulls from QuickBooks, Stripe, and bank feeds automatically. Previously rebuilt by hand every week — 2–3 hours and always a day out of date.
→ Executives trust the data nowWant to see what this could look like in your operation? Book a 30-minute call →
Who this is for
You probably fit if you're in one of these
Pricing
Flat price. No hourly surprises.
Small systems
$5–12k
Single workflow automations, reporting dashboards, integrations between 2–3 tools.
Medium systems
$12–25k
Custom internal apps, multi-step workflows, legacy system replacement.
Large systems
$25k+
End-to-end operations platforms, complex integrations, multi-team rollouts.
Every project is quoted with a fixed price before we start. You know what you're getting and what it costs.
Let's talk
Free 30-minute call. No pitch. Just an honest look at your situation.
Tell me what you're running on. I'll tell you if I can help, how long it would take, and roughly what it costs. If I can't help, I'll say so.