I believe life is too short to write the wrong software. After 20 years of building things, I've learned that the hardest part is rarely the code — it's knowing what to build and why. In the evenings, I help a small number of people get that clarity before they build.
Most software problems aren't technical. They're clarity problems.
If you're a founder, CTO, or tech lead second-guessing a big decision — or just want someone experienced to think it through with — this is exactly why this exists. Most things start with a free 30-minute call.
Helping you design systems that stay understandable as they grow. I look at domain models, service boundaries, where data lives and why. I write things down so the reasoning doesn't disappear.
Getting AI to actually work for real users. Not chasing what's trendy, but figuring out what's genuinely useful and building that carefully. I've made the mistakes so you don't have to.
Someone to think out loud with. Architecture decisions, hiring, hard tradeoffs. I have opinions and I'll share them honestly, even if it's not what you want to hear.
Weekly 60-minute sessions with an engineer, tech lead, or founder. We pick a real problem you're stuck on and work through it together.
A close look at what you have, with a written summary you can actually use. What's working, what worries me, and what I'd do next. Mostly async with two short calls.
Every hour spent maintaining something nobody loves is an hour not spent building something that matters. I care about this deeply. Software either empowers people or exhausts them — there's not much in between.
Writing code is the easy part. Understanding the problem, the users, the business — that's the craft. The best thing I can do for someone is help them make that leap.
I've seen software that genuinely delights people. Not just works, but sparks something. That's the bar I hold myself to, and the people I work with. Anything less is just noise.
The most useful thing I can tell you is usually what not to build. But we have to talk first.
30 minutes, no slides. You tell me what's hard, I ask a lot of questions.
One page: what I think the problem is, what I'd do, how long, what it costs.
Usually a one-week pilot. If either of us isn't into it, we stop — no hard feelings.
Async where it works, in-person when it matters. You keep the code, the tests, the docs.
Wouter supported our platform for several years and he's a world-class developer. Friendly, down to earth, and completely focused on solving the actual problem. He doesn't stop until he's sure it's fixed.
In ten years of working together, Wouter became one of the most trusted people on our team. Deep technical knowledge, but always looking beyond the technology. He makes pragmatic, balanced decisions — and when things get hard, he dives in without hesitation. Customers were lucky when Wouter was on their case.
There are only a handful of people I'd call a true brother-in-arms. Wouter is one of them. First to jump in when there's a problem, last to leave. I can't think of a project I wouldn't want him on.
Six years working together, and Wouter is without doubt one of the most knowledgeable architects I've met. Incredibly broad, always approachable — for a technical question or just a good laugh.
No forms, no sales process. Pick a slot and we'll talk. I'll show up curious and honest.