Bay Area technologist for small business
I build, connect, and operate the software your business needs — workflow automation, custom tools, integrations, and AI agents when they fit. One accountable engineer. Custom-fit to your shop. No per-seat licenses, no waiting on a vendor's roadmap.
Discovery audits, Fractional CTO, AI agent retainers, and project work — on-site across the East Bay or remote.
Senior technologist for small and medium businesses — solutions to business problems, AI when it fits.
- 01
Discovery Audit.
$2,500 · MONEY-BACKOne week, on-site. I learn your operation end-to-end and deliver an Opportunity Report — the top opportunities I find, with hours saved and dollar value for each.
See what's included - 02
Fractional CTO.
MONTHLY RETAINER OR PROJECT WINDOWA senior technologist in the room — strategy, architecture, vendor diligence, hiring, and hands-on build work. A few hours a week, every week, or scoped per project.
How it works - 03
Managed AI Agents.
INSTALL + MONTHLY · MOST POPULARA small fleet of custom AI agents deployed on a server in your office. I build them, install them, and keep them running. Tuned to your daily pain. One bill. My cell phone.
See the agents - 04
Project work.
SCOPED PER PROJECTCustom software, system integration, workflow automation — the things you already know you need built. Routed through a short conversation so we're solving the right problem.
Start with a conversation
Verticals I focus on.
- 01
Independent insurance agencies.
Bay Area agencies of 3-25 staff on HawkSoft, EZLynx, or AMS360 — the ones drowning in carrier documents and worried about Applied and Vertafore eating the independents.
For insurance agencies - 02
Restoration contractors.
Restoration shops handling fire, water, and mold. The work is insurance-claim-funded, the jobs run long, and customers need real updates while you're on-site.
For restoration contractors
Other Bay Area small businesses — 5 to 50 staff, document-heavy operations — usually fit the same patterns. Talk to me about your industry.
- 01 — Discovery
I start by listening.
Every engagement opens with a free 30-minute call before I write any proposal.
- 02 — Software
Buy before you build.
I'll recommend off-the-shelf wherever it fits, even when there's no build at the end of it.
- 03 — Engagement
Discovery before the build.
Larger build engagements start with a week-long Discovery Audit — money-back guarantee on the report, fee credits 100% toward what follows. Smaller scopes get a proportional scoping conversation. Either way, no proposal arrives without context.
- 04 — Retainer
One bill, one engineer.
Flat monthly retainer covers operations, cloud AI costs, model upgrades, and on-call. No surprise invoices. No ticket queue. My cell phone.
Most small businesses could use a technologist, a programmer, a systems person, and an AI engineer — but can't afford four hires. I'm all four.
The AI agent retainer is the most popular engagement. I also take on fractional CTO and advisory work, project builds, and integrations.
Talk to me about what you actually need
Lee McDole.
I have twenty years of experience across product studios, food tech, fintech, and video games. I've been a lead programmer, an engineering manager, and an independent technologist. I've built ground-up systems on tight timelines, run nearshore QA teams, and deployed software onto custom installations domestically and abroad.
My strengths include translating between business goals and engineering reality, making the right call about whether to build or buy, and making sure technology serves your team and your customers. I work best with owners who want a senior technologist to make the calls and own the outcome — not a body shop they have to micromanage.
Ready to talk?
Every engagement starts with a conversation. There's no sales pitch — just a 30-minute call to understand what's working, what isn't, and whether I can help.
Book a free 30-minute review