I build and run the software
your business depends on.
Maybe an app needs rebuilding, a customer portal has nobody looking after it, or a process should have software behind it. I build the software, keep it running, and keep improving it as the business changes. The technical decisions get made and explained by one accountable person.
I’m Alex Leon. I founded 8th Lane Interactive in Miami in 2008 and I do the work myself. You deal with me from the first conversation through the build and every month after it.
Most recently I took over an events platform whose rebuild had stalled after more than two years and had the new app in users’ hands within weeks.
What part of your business would you like me to take on?
Your app or interactive product.
A customer app, a collection of learning games, a platform that needs rebuilding, or the app your last developer built that nobody can maintain. I handle the development and stay responsible for updates, fixes, and the next improvements.
Your customer, member, or staff portal.
A place for people to access information and get things done. I build it around how your business works, connect it to your systems, and look after its ongoing development and upkeep.
A workflow that needs better software.
A process held together by manual steps or disconnected tools. I build the system behind it and can take on the recurring work needed to keep that workflow operating.
If it already exists, we start with a free assessment: what is there, what is fragile, and what to fix first.
Tell me what you need →Software built around a real business need.
The work continues
after launch.
When I take on an app, portal, or system, we agree on what it needs now and what I’ll keep handling. That becomes a monthly arrangement, so you always know what is covered.
- Build and rebuild
- Design and develop the app, portal, or system the business needs.
- Make the technical calls
- What to build, what to buy, what to leave alone, and why. You get the reasoning in plain language and the decision stays yours.
- Manage and maintain
- Hosting, deployments, monitoring, backups, security updates, app-store releases, and the integrations that break when a vendor changes something. When a problem comes up, I investigate it and fix it.
- Keep improving
- Develop features and improvements as the business and its users need them.
- Operate the workflow
- Carry out agreed recurring tasks, such as running a content pipeline or administering the platform it serves.
Some engagements include the recurring work around the software, such as running a content pipeline or looking after the community that uses the platform. We decide that scope together, so you know exactly what is in my hands.
The person who builds it
stays responsible for it.
Start with one part
of the business.
Bring me a system that’s already in use or something the business needs to create. For an existing system, the first step is a free assessment. Then we agree on the initial work and the continuing role.
Talk with Alex →Understand the business
We look at who uses this part of the business, what it needs to do, and what would make it work better.
Agree on what I’ll own
I scope what I’ll build or change, what I’ll look after afterward, and how ongoing improvements will be covered.
Build or rebuild it
I do the development and you see progress as it happens. Where an existing system is involved, we plan the transition so nothing goes dark.
Run it and improve it
I stay responsible for the agreed software and recurring tasks. We set priorities for the next improvements and keep the scope clear as needs change.
A few things people
ask first.
- Can you work with software we already have?
- Yes. I start with a free assessment of what is there, what is fragile, and what to fix first, then recommend a practical way forward.
- What if we need something new?
- I build it, and we plan for running it from the start.
- What exactly do you manage after the build?
- Hosting, deployments, monitoring, backups, security and dependency updates, app-store releases, the integrations, and the recurring tasks we agree on.
- How does pricing work?
- An initial build or transition fee, then a monthly arrangement that covers upkeep and a set amount of improvement work. We scope both together before anything starts.
- Who owns the code and the accounts?
- You do. Everything lives in accounts in your name, and you can bring it in-house or to another developer whenever you choose.
- Is this a fractional CTO arrangement?
- In part. A fractional CTO usually advises and manages your developers. I do that where it is useful, but the core of the arrangement is that I build and run the software myself.
- Do you work alongside our existing developer or agency?
- Yes. We agree on roles and communication before work begins, and I don’t approach your client or your team outside that arrangement.
Working through an agency? See how that works →
You’ll work
with me.
I’m Alex Leon. I’ve been building digital products since 1998 and have run 8th Lane Interactive since 2008. My work spans mobile apps, web platforms, integrations, and systems that support day-to-day business operations.
Before 8th Lane Interactive I was the CTO of a search-marketing startup, which is where I learned that the technical decisions matter as much as the code.
I get to know what the business needs, do the development, and stay close to the work as it evolves. You’ll have a direct relationship with the person responsible for it.
Meet Alex →What would you like to put in my hands?
Tell me about your business and the app, portal, or process you need built, rebuilt, or looked after. We’ll talk through what it needs to do and what you’d like me to keep handling.