Advisory for software leaders, founders, and investors
Practical, operator-level perspective on Laravel and PHP, developer tools, AI-assisted development, and software services markets.
- CEO & co-founder, Tighten
- Author, Laravel: Up & Running (O'Reilly)
- PHP Foundation board
- Host, Laravel Podcast • Business of Laravel • Pragmatic AI
I've spent my career building software, leading engineering teams, running a consultancy, creating developer education, and hosting technical podcasts—most of it deep inside the Laravel and PHP communities.
I'm most useful when you need an operator's read on how software teams, developers, agencies, and technical buyers actually make decisions: what they trust, what they pay for, what they ignore, and where products and services lose credibility—not abstract market commentary.
If that's the perspective you need, get in touch.
Common questions I help answer
- Will this developer tool resonate with Laravel and PHP teams?
- How are software teams and agencies actually adopting AI-assisted development?
- What do technical buyers pay for—and what do they ignore?
- How should we position an application modernization or rescue offer?
- Is this company's traction in the developer ecosystem real?
Engagement types
Expert calls
Best for: market diligence, product and category validation, developer-tool buyer behavior, Laravel/PHP ecosystem dynamics, AI adoption among software teams, and software agency economics.
Format: a short, focused 30–60 minute call.
Output: direct operator perspective and honest answers.
If you'd normally route this through an expert network, you're welcome to reach out directly instead.
Advisory sprints
Best for: evaluating a developer-tool product or market opportunity, reviewing positioning for a Laravel/PHP, AI, or software-services offer, assessing a modernization or rescue strategy, or mapping ecosystem players and buyer concerns.
Format: a discovery call plus a focused review.
Output: a written summary or follow-up session.
Ongoing advisory
Best for: companies that want recurring access to my perspective on product, positioning, community and developer relations, AI adoption, developer experience, or software consultancy strategy.
Format: retained, with a limited number of slots.
Output: ongoing counsel, plus ecosystem introductions where they make sense.
Availability & pricing
Expert calls are typically billed hourly. Advisory sprints and retained advisory are scoped case by case, and I keep only a few retained engagements active at a time.
Areas I advise on
Ecosystems
Laravel, PHP, open source, and developer communities.
Developer tools & AI
Developer experience, AI-assisted development, AI adoption inside engineering teams, and dev-tool go-to-market.
Software services
Consultancy operations—pricing, hiring, delivery, and positioning—plus application modernization and rescue projects.
Market perspective
Buyer behavior across agencies, startups, SMBs, and mid-market teams; sponsorships; technical content; and community-led growth.
Who I work with
- Investors and analysts doing market or company diligence
- Founders building developer tools, AI products, or software platforms
- Software leaders evaluating Laravel/PHP, modernization, AI adoption, or engineering services
- Dev-tool companies working on developer adoption, community-led growth, and sponsorships
- Software agencies and service businesses evaluating pricing, positioning, retainers, or delivery strategy
Background
I'm the CEO and co-founder of Tighten, a software consultancy known for building, rescuing, and modernizing web applications and development teams. I've worked in and around Laravel since its earliest days, wrote Laravel: Up & Running (O'Reilly), serve on the board of the PHP Foundation, and host The Laravel Podcast, The Business of Laravel, and Pragmatic AI.
Between running Tighten and hosting those shows, I spend most of my time with the people who build, buy, and sell software. My read on these markets comes from operating in them, not observing them.
Confidentiality
I don't share confidential client information, private company information, trade secrets, or material non-public information. Advisory work is based on my own experience, public knowledge, market patterns, and professional judgment.
Get in touch
Send me a short note about what you're trying to understand, the type of engagement you have in mind, and your ideal timeline.
I'm selective about advisory work, but I respond personally to serious inquiries. I'll tell you honestly whether I'm the right person for it—and if I'm not, I can usually point you to someone who is.