Custom Software Development
I build software that solves real problems.
Product-minded technical leader with 40 years of experience. I help businesses ship solutions that work—no fluff, no framework worship, just clear thinking and steady execution.
About
40 years of building things that work.
I've worked across enterprise and SMB, especially on platform and integration-heavy projects. My background spans software and systems work—networking, middleware, embedded—plus project and people leadership.
Twelve years at IBM taught me how to ship at scale. Building products at Splinterlands showed me the startup pace. Now I help businesses solve problems they thought were too hard or too niche for off-the-shelf solutions.
"My mental model always starts with first principles. Local files on bare metal. Less abstraction. What's the simplest thing that actually solves the problem?"
Process
Spec-driven development
Every project follows a structured methodology. No surprises, no scope creep, no "that's not what I meant" moments.
Discovery
Understand the real problem, not just the symptom
Specification
Document exactly what we're building and why
Implementation
Build, test, and iterate with regular check-ins
Handoff
Documentation, training, and ongoing support
Portfolio
Recent work
MediaBeast Suite for Tiny Media Manager
The problem: Movie collectors had no good way to publish or share their Tiny Media Manager collections online.
The solution: Desktop app that authenticates with Netlify, deploys a static site, and syncs collection data automatically.
Experience
Career History
Building MediaBeast suite. Custom software consulting for SMBs.
Product strategy and roadmap management for blockchain trading card game.
IT infrastructure management and system maintenance.
WebSphere Embedded Development. Middleware, systems integration, embedded systems.
Education
Contact
Let's Talk
Whether you have a project in mind or just want to explore possibilities, I'm happy to chat. No pressure, no pitch—just a conversation.
Or email me at john@johnbrantly.com
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