About

I first started learning and working with the FileMaker platform back in high school. Back then it was FileMaker Pro 7, which while a revolutionary version of FileMaker, pales in comparison with what current versions can do.

Ever since getting my toes wet with FileMaker, I’ve always had an interest in it and have worked with FileMaker off and on for various projects over the last 15 or so years. In 2022 I decided to formalise my FileMaker knowledge and successfully passed the notoriously difficult certification exam to become a Claris FileMaker Certified Developer - on the first attempt I might add.

I’ve always enjoyed working with FileMaker - I enjoy the low-code, rapid development environment and creating something, often from scratch, is very rewarding. I get a kick out of seeing people use things that I’ve designed and built as well as knowing what a positive impact it’s having. My main career however doesn’t have much cause for me to put my FileMaker skills and passion to use, so I decided to start Side Hustle Developments to scratch that itch and to make professional FileMaker development more accessible to small businesses.

For fifteen years I owned and operated an outsourced IT service provider with a team of ten at its biggest. We used solutions that I developed in FileMaker for managing customers, jobs, and sales activities, to name just a few. During this time, I worked with businesses across a wide range of industries, everything from manufacturing to construction, to consulting and legal. This experience has given me a wide range of knowledge of how all sorts of businesses operate.

These days, I work in the IT management and leadership field, with special interests in infrastructure and cybersecurity.

I’m a problem solver by nature, through and through. Combine this with my ability to envision and design a process and visualise data structures, and it’s a winning combination for designing business software and systems. This allows me to be a one-stop-shop for the design, development and implementation of custom business software solutions.

Why Side Hustle?

As an experienced business owner myself, I also know first hand what it takes to run a business, keep it organised, and make it successful. I bring all of this knowledge and experience to my FileMaker development clients.

As the name suggests, Side Hustle Developments is a freelance development business that I do alongside my ‘real’ job. As a one-man-band, I handle the end-to-end process of getting to know a business, designing the solution, and making it come to life. There’s no inefficiencies of internal meetings, passing on knowledge, etc - it’s all just me! All of this allows me to make professional FileMaker development services more accessible to smaller businesses with a more affordable offering when compared with one of the larger agencies.

Based in Christchurch, New Zealand, I work with organisations of all shapes and sizes across both New Zealand and Australia.