MVP rescue and platform repair
For products that worked in the demo but struggle with real users, and codebases your team is afraid to touch.
Starts with a fixed-price assessment for $2,500.
Signs you need this
- Things slow down or break as more people use the product.
- Features that used to take days now take weeks.
- The developer or agency who built it is gone, and nobody fully understands the code.
- Your cloud bill keeps climbing and nobody can explain why.
- You’re worried about security or how customer data is handled.
How I approach it
Assess
Read the code, infrastructure, and logs to find what’s actually wrong, not just what’s loudest.
Stabilize
Fix the problems hurting users and revenue first, so the business stops bleeding while we plan the rest.
Plan
A prioritized list of what to fix, what to rebuild, and what to leave alone, with the reasoning for each.
Rebuild where it matters
Replace the weak parts in steps, keeping the product running the whole time. No big-bang rewrites.
From my work
Revenue leak stopped
Diagnosed a flaw in Atmosfy’s text and email outreach system that was causing recurring revenue leakage, and had it fixed within a week.
Recurring cost eliminated
Moved Atmosfy’s video processing from AWS to Cloudinary and negotiated the partnership instead of hiring a dedicated specialist.
Secrets moved out of code
Moved a home insurance platform’s API keys and sensitive data into cryptographic storage without breaking existing features.
How it works
$2,500 assessment
You get a written assessment of what’s wrong and a prioritized repair plan with fixed quotes. If you go ahead with the repair work, the $2,500 is credited toward it.
Most rescues start with a short, fixed-scope assessment so you know what you’re dealing with before committing further. From there it’s a defined repair project, done mostly in focused evening and weekend blocks, with regular check-ins during the day.
Common questions
What does a rescue cost?
The assessment is a fixed $2,500, credited toward the repair work if you go ahead with me. Repairs are quoted as a fixed price once we both know what we’re dealing with, so there are no open-ended bills.
How is this different from an architecture review?
A rescue assessment is narrower and faster: it focuses on what’s broken right now and how to stop the damage, and ends with a repair plan I can quote. An architecture review is broader, covering architecture, code, security, and cost, and suits a system that works but that you want checked before growth, a raise, or a rewrite.
Will you want to rewrite everything?
Rarely. A full rewrite is usually the most expensive and risky option. Most platforms can be stabilized and improved in place, and I’ll tell you plainly if yours can’t.
What stacks do you work in?
C# and .NET, Node.js, React and Next.js, React Native, TypeScript and JavaScript, PHP, SQL Server, and Elasticsearch, on AWS and Azure.
Can you work with our existing team?
Yes. Often the best outcome is your team understanding the system well enough to keep it healthy after I’m done.
When are you available?
Phoenix Powered is my independent practice, so I do most hands-on work in evenings and on weekends and schedule calls during the business day, usually one or two a week. That works well for building, reviews, and advisory work. If you need someone in meetings all day, I’ll say so on the intro call rather than overpromise.
Other ways I can help
- Fractional CTO or tech lead
Roadmap, architecture, hiring plans, and investor conversations, for a set number of hours each week. I mentor as I go, so your team keeps improving after I step back.
- Architecture and security reviews
A focused look at your architecture, code, and security, with a prioritized list of what to fix and why.
- Build your platform
From the first line of code to launch: architecture, backend, web and mobile apps, and the cloud they run on. It’s what I did for Atmosfy.
- Automation and systems integration
Connect the tools your business runs on and automate the manual work between them, from API integrations to scheduled data exports.
- Stubborn bug fixes
The bug that keeps coming back, or that nobody can reproduce. I track it to the root cause, and you only pay for the time I use.
Tell me what you’re working on.
Book a free 30-minute call to talk through the project and your timeline. If you’d rather start in writing, send a few lines by email.
Book a free 30-minute intro callPrefer email? [email protected]Message me on LinkedIn