Business Efficiency & Technology · Portage, MI

I help small businesses cut the busywork, fix what's slowing them down, and grow with confidence.

Every business has something clunky. A manual process, a spreadsheet that's one tab from disaster, or a workflow nobody's questioned in years. I find it and fix it: whether that's a custom tool, some automation, or just a clearer way of doing things.

Tell Me What's Slowing You Down See Examples
Any
Industry doesn't limit it. If it's a real problem, I'll figure it out
Fast
From conversation to working solution
$0
To see a solution before you commit
1
Person you talk to, start to finish
Connor Klok
Connor Klok
Founder, Klok Ventures
LinkedIn Get in Touch
What I Help With

If it feels harder than it should be, that's where I start.

I don't lead with a specific tool or technology. I start with the problem and build whatever actually solves it.

Automate the boring stuff
Manual scheduling, repetitive data entry, timecards retyped into payroll. If your team does the same tedious task every week, it can probably be automated.
Bring clarity to messy processes
When nobody's quite sure who's responsible for what, or where things stand, a clearer system, not necessarily new software, often fixes it.
Build a custom tool or app
Sometimes the right answer is software built specifically for how you work. Accessible from any phone, no app store required.
Spot growth you're not seeing
An outside look at your operation often surfaces opportunities. Efficiency gains, untapped capacity, places you're leaving money on the table.
How It Works

From conversation to a real fix, fast.

No lengthy discovery phases. No assumptions about what you need before I understand your business.

01 —
Brief call, 30 minutes
We talk about your business and what's costing you the most time, money, or sanity. I ask the questions. You bring the domain knowledge. No pressure to know what the "solution" should look like. That's my job.
02 —
I figure out the right fix
I'll tell you honestly what I think will actually work, not just what I'm used to building.
03 —
You see it before you commit
A working demo, a sample tool, or a clear written plan, whatever fits the project. You see real, tangible progress before any major commitment, and we refine from there.
04 —
Delivered and supported
You get something that works and that your team can actually use from day one. Hosting, updates, and continued access run on a straightforward subscription. No separate scramble to arrange maintenance after launch.
Examples of My Work

A few examples of problems I can solve.

Tap through on your phone. Each one is a real, working prototype built for a specific industry. If you don't see your industry below, that doesn't mean I can't help. Tell me the problem and we'll figure out the right shape for it together.

Fleet & Ticketing
SignOut
Equipment Rental
SignOut
Quotes to jobs, electronic tickets with signatures, driver scheduling, and a customer portal, with live equipment and sign inventory
Tier-Gated
RepCount
Fitness Studio
RepCount
Class capacity, membership tiers, and expired-membership blocking, all checked live at booking
Event-Triggered
FollowUp
Lead & Communication
FollowUp
Missed calls, after-hours messages, and lapsed customers, captured automatically, responded to correctly
Auto-Blocking
PawStay
Pet Boarding
PawStay
Boarding & grooming with real date-range capacity checks and vaccination compliance built in
2-Sided Portal
RentRoll
Property Management
RentRoll
Rent tracking, maintenance requests, and lease renewals, with a real tenant portal alongside the manager view
Auto-Rebooking
Rounds
Home Services
Rounds
Recurring cleaning & lawn care scheduling. Complete a visit and the next one on the plan books itself
BOM-Driven
GrainWorks
Manufacturing
GrainWorks
Raw lumber to finished furniture to shipping. Production checked against real material availability
Service Status
AutoTrack
Auto Service
AutoTrack
Live RO status, digital approval, and advisor chat
Booking & Rewards
Lumière
Med Spa
Lumière
Client portal with visits, journey, and rewards
Menu & Ordering
Mezzanine
Restaurant
Mezzanine
Table-side menu, ordering, and loyalty
Event Planning
Thistle & Vine
Event Venue
Thistle & Vine
Event timeline, vendors, checklist, and budget
Field Ops
BuildLog
Construction
BuildLog
Field ops: punch list, daily log, safety, change orders
Doc Delivery
Dispatch
Professional Services
Dispatch
Auto-personalized invoices, reports, and requests sent in bulk
Property Tour
OpenDoor
Real Estate
OpenDoor
Property tour with buyer notes and lead capture
Live Wait Times
NextUp
Restaurant / Salon
NextUp
Walk-in queue with projected wait times calculated from real station availability, plus a live customer view
Retainer Tracking
Billable
Consulting / Agency
Billable
Hourly time logged against a retainer, with live balance tracking and one-click invoice generation
Coverage Gaps
ShiftBoard
Retail / Restaurant Staff
ShiftBoard
Weekly shift schedule with automatic short-staffed flags and a real swap-request approval flow
Always-On Console
Meridian
Field Services / Traffic Control
Meridian
Crew scheduling, fleet maintenance tracking, and a computed on-call rotation, with a live client portal for equipment requests
One more: real, proprietary work, not a demo.
Proprietary Internal Tool
Traffic Control Layout Planner
A custom GIS-based planning tool I built that automatically calculates sign orientation from live road-network data, auto-generates formatted legends from placed inventory, and manages multi-phase project layouts, replacing manual CAD drafting entirely. Proprietary. Not available for license, resale, or distribution.
Still Looking?

A few more problems I can help solve.

Not every fix needs to be a full custom app. Sometimes it's a smarter process, a simple automation, or a small tool that just does one thing well. Tap a category to see the problems and exactly how each one gets fixed.

  • Double-booking because two people manage the same calendar
    → One shared, live calendar everyone actually uses, no more two people booking the same slot
    See it solved in PawStay →
    Booking a run checks the real date range against every existing stay before it's confirmed.
    Also solves this: RepCount, NextUp
  • No way to see which staff member is actually free before promising a time
    → Real-time staff availability, visible the moment you're on the phone with a customer
    See it solved in Rounds →
    Each technician shows a live available-now or on-a-job status, not a guess.
  • Recurring appointments falling through the cracks
    → Recurring visits auto-schedule the next one the moment the current one's marked done
    See it solved in Rounds →
    Completing a visit automatically creates the next one based on the customer's plan.
  • Last-minute cancellations with no easy way to fill the gap
    → An open-slot list that surfaces automatically so you can offer it to the next customer
    See it solved in Rounds →
    A cancelled visit becomes a visible open slot with one tap to fill it, not a gap that just disappears.
  • No automatic reminder texts before appointments, leads to no-shows
    → Automatic text reminders sent a day (or an hour) before every appointment
    See it solved in Rounds →
    Each visit shows whether a reminder's gone out, with a one-tap send for anything still pending.
  • Techs crisscrossing town instead of running an efficient route
    → Jobs grouped and ordered by zone, so the day is actually driveable
    See it solved in SignOut →
    The job board filters and sorts by zone, so the day is actually driveable.
  • Customers standing around not knowing how long they'll actually wait
    → A live projected wait time, calculated from real station availability
    See it solved in NextUp →
    Each wait time is calculated by simulating the actual queue against station availability, not a guess.
  • Missed calls during business hours turning into missed business
    → A missed call is automatically logged as a lead flagged for callback, nothing forgotten
    See it solved in FollowUp →
    A missed call is captured and added to the inbox automatically, flagged for a manual callback.
  • Customers texting "on your way?" with no visibility into arrival time
    → A live status link customers can check themselves, no text required
    See it solved in SignOut →
    A customer portal shows live job status without a phone call.
    Also solves this: Mezzanine
  • Quotes sent and then never followed up on
    → An automatic follow-up nudge a few days after a quote goes cold
    See it solved in SignOut →
    Any quote sitting untouched 7+ days gets automatically flagged, with a one-tap follow-up.
  • No easy way to collect reviews after a good job
    → A review request sent automatically right after a job's marked complete
    See it solved in FollowUp →
    Marking a job complete automatically sends a review request.
  • Repeat customers not recognized or remembered
    → A simple customer history that shows up automatically: what they ordered, when, what they liked
    See it solved in Mezzanine →
    Every order ties back to a loyalty account that remembers past visits.
    Also solves this: Lumière
  • Nobody responding to messages that come in after hours
    → An after-hours auto-reply that sets expectations and captures the message properly
    See it solved in FollowUp →
    An after-hours message triggers an automatic reply instead of going unanswered.
  • No way to know if a client actually opened the documents you sent
    → Read receipts show exactly when a client opens what you sent them
    See it solved in Dispatch →
    A document shows unopened or opened the moment the client actually views it, not just sent.
  • Invoices built manually, one at a time, from memory
    → Invoices generated automatically from the job or ticket, nothing retyped
    See it solved in SignOut →
    Invoices generate directly from the ticket's recorded equipment and hours.
    Also solves this: Billable
  • No single place to see who actually owes what
    → One dashboard showing exactly who's paid, who's overdue, and by how much
    See it solved in RentRoll →
    One rent roll shows every unit's paid or late status at a glance.
    Also solves this: Thistle & Vine
  • Recurring billing done by hand every single month
    → Subscription customers billed automatically on their own schedule
    See it solved in RepCount →
    Active memberships roll up into a live monthly revenue total automatically.
  • No automatic reminders for overdue invoices
    → Automatic overdue reminders sent without you lifting a finger
    See it solved in RentRoll →
    A late payment shows exactly how many days overdue, with a one-tap reminder.
  • Payment collection stuck at "mail me a check"
    → A payment link sent with every invoice, card or bank transfer, paid in a tap
    See it solved in RentRoll →
    A payment link goes straight to the tenant, tracked until it's actually sent.
  • Add-on charges and tips tracked on paper, if at all
    → Add-ons captured right on the ticket, rolled into the invoice automatically
    See it solved in SignOut →
    Extras get added right on the ticket and flow straight into the invoice.
    Also solves this: AutoTrack
  • Hours tracked in a notebook, invoiced from memory at the end of the month
    → Every hour logged once, flowing straight into the invoice automatically
    See it solved in Billable →
    An invoice generates directly from logged, unbilled hours, nothing re-typed.
  • A client blows past their retainer with nobody noticing until the invoice
    → Every logged hour checks the retainer balance before it's even submitted
    See it solved in Billable →
    Logging time shows exactly how close a client is to their retainer limit, before you submit the entry.
  • Loyalty rewards tracked on paper or not offered consistently
    → Points earned automatically and redeemed in one tap, the same every time
    See it solved in Lumière →
    A client's point balance is checked before a reward can be redeemed, deducting automatically.
    Also solves this: Mezzanine
  • No idea what's actually in stock without a physical walkthrough
    → Live inventory counts that update the moment something's used or returned
    See it solved in SignOut →
    Equipment counts update automatically as tickets move gear in and out.
    Also solves this: GrainWorks
  • Equipment sent to a job site and never tracked coming back
    → Equipment tied to the job it's on, nothing disappears without a record
    See it solved in SignOut →
    Every item leaving the yard is tied to a specific job and ticket.
  • Reordering happens reactively, after something runs out
    → Low-stock alerts that lead straight to a reorder, not just a red flag
    See it solved in GrainWorks →
    A flagged material can be reordered in one tap and tracked through delivery, restocking automatically on arrival.
  • No visibility into which items go missing or get damaged most
    → Damage and loss logged right on the return ticket, tracked over time
    See it solved in SignOut →
    Damage and loss get logged on the return ticket, with a fee attached automatically.
  • A truck or a piece of equipment falls overdue for service without anyone noticing until it fails
    → Every vehicle's maintenance status flagged automatically as it approaches due, not after
    See it solved in Meridian →
    Days-until-due is computed from real service history, with a consistent threshold flagging anything approaching across the whole fleet.
  • Every quote built from scratch instead of a repeatable template
    → Saved quote templates for your common jobs. Fill in the specifics, done
    See it solved in SignOut →
    A new quote can start from a saved equipment template instead of a blank form.
  • No tracking of win/loss rate on quotes sent
    → A simple win/loss view so you know what's actually converting
    See it solved in SignOut →
    Every quote carries a status through pending, awarded, and converted.
    Also solves this: OpenDoor
  • Pending quotes forgotten instead of followed up on
    → Quotes that flag themselves after sitting untouched for too long
    See it solved in SignOut →
    The same stale-quote flag surfaces anything sitting too long, so nothing waits silently.
  • What's quoted doesn't match what's actually delivered or billed
    → The quote becomes the job, nothing gets re-typed or lost in translation
    See it solved in SignOut →
    Converting a quote to a job carries the exact line items forward untouched.
  • Change orders approved over a phone call with no paper trail
    → Change orders sent for approval right in the app, building a clear running total
    See it solved in BuildLog →
    An owner can approve or reject each change order directly, with the contract total updating automatically.
    Also solves this: AutoTrack
  • No visibility into where staff are or what job they're on right now
    → A live board showing every tech's current job and status
    See it solved in SignOut →
    A live board shows every driver's current job and status.
    Also solves this: Rounds
  • Time tracking on paper, or not happening at all
    → Every hour logged against a client, flowing straight into billing automatically
    See it solved in Billable →
    Time gets logged against a specific client and flows straight into an invoice, nothing written down separately.
    Also solves this: SignOut
  • Licenses and certifications expiring with nobody noticing
    → Expiration alerts that show up weeks before it's a problem
    See it solved in PawStay →
    Every vaccination record tracks its own expiration date, flagged before it lapses.
    Also solves this: SignOut
  • New hire paperwork redone from scratch every time
    → A standard onboarding checklist that doesn't rely on anyone's memory
    See it solved in BuildLog →
    Every new hire gets the same six-step checklist, tracked to completion instead of relying on memory.
  • Nobody notices a shift is short-staffed until someone doesn't show
    → Coverage gaps flagged automatically, calculated from real headcount
    See it solved in ShiftBoard →
    Each shift shows assigned headcount against what's actually needed, flagged red if short.
  • Shift swaps happen over text with no record anywhere
    → A swap request tracked and approved right in the app
    See it solved in ShiftBoard →
    Approving a swap request removes that person from the shift immediately, updating coverage in real time.
  • Day-of event timeline living in a PDF nobody can actually find
    → A live timeline every vendor can check on their phone, updated in real time
    See it solved in Thistle & Vine →
    Checking off the current moment automatically advances the timeline to what's next for everyone watching.
  • No idea which month, service, or customer is actually profitable
    → A dashboard that breaks down revenue by service, customer, and month
    See it solved in RentRoll →
    A dashboard breaks down revenue collected, outstanding, and lost to vacancy.
    Also solves this: RepCount
  • No way to tell what actually needs attention today without checking every project one by one
    → A needs-attention list surfaces exactly what's stale or falling behind, automatically
    See it solved in RentRoll →
    The dashboard surfaces late payments and expiring leases together, so nothing requires checking every unit individually.
  • No-shows quietly wasting a table's turn with no record of the pattern
    → Every no-show logged automatically, so patterns become visible
    See it solved in NextUp →
    No-shows are tracked alongside served parties, visible on the daily dashboard.
  • No visibility into busiest days or times to staff around
    → Real scheduling data showing your actual busy periods, not a guess
    See it solved in RepCount →
    A dashboard chart shows fill rate by time of day, so you know exactly where to staff up.
  • Nothing to look at except a bank balance to know how business is going
    → A live dashboard of the numbers that actually matter, updated automatically
    See it solved in RepCount →
    A live dashboard tracks recurring revenue, active members, and bookings in real time.
    Also solves this: RentRoll, ShiftBoard
  • Competing offers on a property tracked in someone's head or a messy email thread
    → Every offer ranked and compared side by side, with counters tracked in real time
    See it solved in OpenDoor →
    Every buyer's offer is ranked by amount with counter-offer status, so nothing gets lost.
  • Permits, licenses, and insurance certs expiring untracked
    → Automatic expiration tracking with advance warning, not a surprise
    See it solved in SignOut →
    Permit expiration dates are tracked per job and flagged automatically.
    Also solves this: PawStay
  • Required inspections or safety documentation kept on paper
    → Digital records tied to the job, searchable instead of filed in a drawer
    See it solved in BuildLog →
    Safety items get logged and tracked digitally instead of on a clipboard.
  • Signed contracts buried in an email inbox with no real system
    → Contracts stored and organized by customer, not by memory
    See it solved in RentRoll →
    Every unit's lease document is attached right to the record, one tap to open.
    Also solves this: Dispatch
  • Before/after job photos scattered across different phones
    → Photos captured and attached directly to the job record, every time
    See it solved in PawStay →
    A request can include a photo attached directly to the record, visible to staff immediately.
    Also solves this: RentRoll
  • Customers surprised by repair charges they never actually approved
    → Each repair line item requires explicit customer approval before work begins
    See it solved in AutoTrack →
    Work can't start on a line item until the customer has approved that specific charge.
    Also solves this: BuildLog
  • Leads from a form, call, or DM getting lost in the shuffle
    → Every lead lands in one place automatically, no matter where it came from
    See it solved in FollowUp →
    Every lead, call, form, DM, walk-in, lands in one tagged inbox automatically.
  • No idea where new customers are actually coming from
    → Simple source tracking so you know what's actually bringing in business
    See it solved in FollowUp →
    Every lead is tagged by source, rolled up into a dashboard breakdown.
  • Past customers never re-engaged for repeat business
    → Automatic re-engagement outreach for customers who haven't been back in a while
    See it solved in FollowUp →
    Anyone inactive 60+ days is surfaced automatically for one-click re-engagement.
  • Referrals happening with no way to track or reward them
    → A simple referral tracker so good customers get credit for sending business your way
    See it solved in FollowUp →
    Referrals are tracked from referrer to reward, with credit issued automatically.

See something familiar? Tell me about it →

When An App Is The Right Call

If the fix turns out to be an app, here's why I build it this way.

When a custom app genuinely is the best solution, I build what's called a Progressive Web App. It gives your customers an app-quality experience without the friction, cost, or gatekeeping of the app stores.

Works Offline
I build for real-world conditions: job sites with no signal, basements, rural properties. Everything loads from cache and syncs the moment connectivity comes back.
Installs from a Link
I send you a link. You text or email it to your customer, they open it and add it to their home screen in two taps. No App Store, no Play Store, no review process in the way.
Fast to Build & Change
A native app from an agency takes months and costs tens of thousands. I can take this from a conversation to a working product remarkably fast, and when something needs to change, it deploys instantly. No app store review standing in the way.
Any Device, Any Screen
I build it once and it works on iPhone, Android, tablet, and desktop. Your field crew can be on Android while your clients are on iPhone. Same app, same experience for everyone.
Fully Branded
I make sure every pixel reflects your brand: your name, your colors, your voice. Not a white-labeled SaaS tool with someone else's logo in the corner. A product that looks like you built it yourself.
About
"Most software gets built backwards. The tool comes first, then everyone bends their workflow to fit it. I start with how you actually work, and build from there."
— Connor Klok, Founder
Connor Klok
Founder, Klok Ventures
cklok5174@gmail.com
Portage, MI
linkedin.com/in/connor-klok

I'm Connor, a business efficiency and technology consultant based in Portage, Michigan. I build custom tools and better processes for small and mid-size businesses that deserve better than what's available off the shelf.


I work with owners and operators directly. No account managers, no handoff to a junior developer, no six-week waiting period. You talk to me, I build it, you run your business on it.


I didn't come to this from a coding bootcamp. Before consulting, I built and still maintain the operations platform that tracks 200+ simultaneous work zones for the business I came from: automated crew and equipment capacity forecasting, multi-year efficiency analytics, the whole system. I know what it's like to actually run a business, not just build software for one.


I specialize in Progressive Web Apps because they hit a sweet spot that nothing else does: native-quality experience, web-speed delivery, and a cost structure that actually works for businesses that aren't Fortune 500 companies. For lighter operational fixes, scheduling, payroll, dispatch, the same thinking applies.


If you have a workflow that's running on paper, group texts, or a spreadsheet someone built in 2018, I can probably fix it fast.


Connor Klok

Connor Klok · Portage, MI · LinkedIn

How I Work

Agency-quality output.
Without the agency overhead.

I'm going to be straight with you about something most consultants won't say out loud.

I use AI as a core part of my development workflow, and that's why your project costs less and moves faster than it would anywhere else.
What used to take a team of developers weeks to produce, I can deliver in a fraction of the time using modern AI-assisted tools, without sacrificing quality. I'm transparent about this because it directly benefits you: lower cost, faster turnaround, and a consultant who focuses his time on strategy, design decisions, and understanding your business rather than grinding through boilerplate code.
The expertise is still mine
AI doesn't know your industry, your customers, or what your workflow actually needs. I do. The judgment, the questions I ask, the decisions I make: that's the service you're paying for.
Speed becomes your advantage
A traditional agency quotes 8–12 weeks. I can put a working demo in your hands fast. That speed isn't cutting corners. It's what happens when you combine the right tools with focused expertise.
Cost savings pass to you
Agencies charge high hourly rates because they have large teams, offices, and overhead. I have none of that. AI tools let me work lean and pass the savings directly to you without a drop in quality.
Think of it like power tools vs. hand tools
A skilled contractor using a nail gun builds faster than one using a hammer. The craftsmanship, the planning, the precision, the decisions about what goes where, is still entirely theirs. AI is my nail gun. Your project benefits from both the skill and the speed.
Pricing

There's no price list. There's no fixed product.

Every project is different, so the price is too. I figure out what you actually need first, then give you a real number, not one pulled from a generic package.

Curious what your project would cost?
Tell me what you're trying to build or fix. I'll come back with a real quote, and a clear sense of what it would take.
Request a Quote
Connor Klok

Let's figure out what's slowing you down.

Tell me a little about your business and what's bugging you. I'll come back with real ideas, not a sales pitch.

Start the Conversation

No spam, no pressure, no obligation. I personally read every message.