Before we begin.

Through the work itself. Tabularia and PaySegue are live products you can try, and the case studies and experience page show the problems, decisions, and results behind my client and product work. On the introductory call, we talk through your product and how I would approach it. If you would like to see me work on your system before a longer engagement, we can start with a scoped paid assessment or introductory project, with its deliverables and fee agreed up front.

You work directly with Allen Mackley. I can work alongside your engineering team or take over development and maintenance of your app. I stay involved through the decisions, implementation, review, and changes in production.

Yes. I can work in your repository, follow your code review and release process, and use the tools your team already uses for planning and communication. I can also go through your vendor onboarding, security review, and contract requirements before work begins. Mackley Studios is a US business, and I invoice at the start of each month.

Hands-on engineering on the work we agree on: new features and integrations, improvements to an existing system, or taking over an app, with assessment and technical recommendations along the way. We agree on goals, scope, and involvement, then work through milestones you can try and review.

Yes. Bring the project to the introductory call. We can assess whether one month is enough, whether it needs several milestones, or whether a separately scoped engagement would be more suitable.

No. We agree on the level of involvement and priorities for your initiative. This is a nonexclusive consulting engagement, with deliverables and expected timing discussed before work begins. If you need exclusivity or greater involvement, we can discuss a separate agreement.

When I work with your team, the work happens in your repository, so you can review the code and documentation as it progresses. For an app I host, we agree on repository access and handover at the start. Ownership and any third-party license requirements are recorded in the agreement before work starts.

We keep upcoming work in your team’s existing tracker, such as Jira, Linear, or GitHub Issues, or in a shared board I set up if you don’t have one, and choose priorities together around the agreed initiative. As new needs emerge, we decide what to bring forward, defer, or scope separately. Larger projects are divided into milestones so you can review progress and adjust direction.

After the introductory call, most communication happens asynchronously in the tracker, alongside your team’s usual channels. Each piece of work states what a successful result looks like, and priorities, questions, progress updates, demos, and feedback stay with it.

Timing depends on the request and the system it touches. Before work begins, we agree on the next deliverable and its expected timing. Small changes and major integrations have different schedules. Progress is reviewed in manageable steps.

Changes go through your code review and release process, or one we agree on. Feedback within the agreed brief is part of the work. If the goal changes or new requirements emerge, we update the scope and priorities together. Each milestone has a clear point at which we review and accept the work.

We start with a short introductory call to hear about your product and confirm fit, availability, and a start date. Pricing and engagement terms, including any vendor onboarding your company requires, are agreed in writing before work begins. Invoices go out at the start of each month on the payment terms in the contract. Once onboarded, we set the first priorities in the tracker and clarify the brief and expected timing.

Monthly consulting engagements range from $16,000 to $30,000 USD, depending on scope, complexity, and the level of involvement you need. We agree on the initiative and monthly fee before starting. If the scope or involvement changes, we discuss any adjustment before proceeding.

Hosting, paid APIs, software licenses, third-party services, and any specialist work are separate unless explicitly included in the agreement. This engagement does not include round-the-clock incident response or an emergency support guarantee. Additional costs need approval before they are incurred.

Yes. For month-to-month engagements, you can stop renewal before your next billing period and continue working through the period already billed. The fee reserves capacity for that period. Unused time does not roll over or become credit for future work. Returning later is subject to availability and the rate agreed at that time. We confirm the renewal date and how to give notice before payment.

Yes. We discuss your roadmap, expected duration, and the level of involvement you need. Longer engagements are agreed individually, with the monthly fee, scope, and renewal or exit terms confirmed in writing. There is no automatic quarterly or annual discount.