Under the Mountain
    Software
    Start
    Accepting two new engagements for Q3

    From Legacy Spreadsheets to AI-Powered Velocity.

    We build rapid prototypes and turn complex manual processes into shared business rules on the web.

    Start a DiscoverySee how we work
    Three Pillars

    A focused practice for teams that need to move.

    Rapid MVPs

    Get to market within real budget and time constraints. We compress months of build into weeks of focused, opinionated execution.

    Typical outcome
    Production prototype in 4–8 weeks.

    Legacy to Web

    Centralize spreadsheet sprawl into a single source of truth. Shared business rules, audit trails, and real workflows on the web.

    Typical outcome
    75%+ reduction in manual labor.

    AI Automation

    Custom generative AI agents and automated content engines, built into the systems your team already uses every day.

    Typical outcome
    Hours back per person, per week.
    The Technology Fiduciary

    We work in your best interest. Always. Out loud.

    A fiduciary owes their client truth, judgment, and full disclosure. Most software vendors do not work that way. We do.

    • Best-interest by default
      If a feature won't pay for itself, we'll say so before you sign — and again before we build it.
    • Truthfulness over comfort
      Hard updates delivered the same day they're known. No green-status theatre.
    • Daily updates, every day
      A short structured note in your channel of choice. Status, blockers, what's next, what we need from you.
    client-acme
    Daily Update
    UM
    Under the MountainAPPToday at 9:02 AM
    On trackDay 12 of 30
    Shipped yesterday
    Quote builder MVP behind the staging flag. Sales reviewed; two copy fixes coming today.
    Today
    Migrate the pricing rules out of pricing-2024.xlsx into the rules engine. Pair with @dana from finance at 2pm.
    Blockers
    None. Need login for the legacy reporting tool by EOD to scope the read-only export.
    Burn
    12 of 30 days · 38% of budget consumed · on track to land 4 days early.
    Field Notes

    Weekly writing for operators and builders.

    Featured·Practice

    Ownership Mindset

    The default relationship in technology consulting is dependency. The vendor holds the knowledge, the code, and the keys to the infrastructure. This is sold as a convenience, but it's a strategic trap.

    Jun 22, 2026·4 min read
    Read the post
    Practice

    Budget as a Creative Constraint

    Most conversations about custom software begin with a simple question: “What’s the budget?” But this is the wrong question. It implies that for a little more money, you can have a little more software

    Jun 15, 2026·4 min read
    Practice

    The Value of Daily Updates

    Every executive who has ever commissioned a software project knows the feeling. You sign a contract, the teams disappear for two weeks, and you’re left hoping for the best. The pit in your stomach is

    Jun 8, 2026·4 min read
    Practice

    Why I Don't Say "No"

    Every ambitious project starts with a big vision. That vision is critical. It’s the North Star. But in the real world of execution, every project also operates within two fundamental constraints: a fi

    Jun 1, 2026·4 min read
    Discovery

    Tell us what's slow.

    A 30-minute call. No deck, no pitch. We listen, ask, and tell you whether we're the right fit — and who is, if we aren't.

    • Mutual NDA available on request
    • We respond within one business day