Three practices, one principal.

AI-leveraged engineering.

Production code from a senior engineer running a fleet of frontier models. Faster than one engineer working alone, deeper than agency tier, with the reasoning trail intact for review. The methodology is documented at /ai-workflow.

• A1
  What you get

  Production-grade code reviewed end-to-end by a principal. The work product includes the design rationale, the alternatives considered, and the reasons the chosen path won. Test coverage matches the risk profile of the system.

• A2
  How AI is leveraged

  Frontier LLMs (Claude, GPT, Gemini) operate as research assistants, code reviewers, and second-opinion engines. The orchestrator-delegation pattern is documented at /ai-workflow. Phil stays in the loop on every decision; AI accelerates the work, it doesn't replace judgment.

• A3
  Good fits

  Greenfield system design with a tight architecture-first phase. Migrations and rewrites where the legacy code is the constraint. Infra-as-code work where the tradeoffs need a senior reviewer in the room. Most engagements run 4 to 12 weeks of focused work.

Hardware and firmware.

Embedded systems work with first-hand experience. We're currently shipping Panakoes, an AI wearable with a 4-microphone studio-grade audio path on a low-power BLE 5.4 MCU; see /work/ for the full hardware breakdown. The studio takes hardware-and-firmware engagements where the bill of materials, the audio or sensor signal chain, and the firmware architecture all need a senior reviewer.

• B1
  Where this practice helps

  PCB design review and component selection. Audio and sensor signal-chain analysis (LDOs, decoupling, ground topology, RF shielding). Firmware architecture, RTOS selection, and the buffer-and-DMA patterns that keep real-time audio glitch-free under load.

• B2
  What you get

  An architecture document with the chip-level decisions and why each one won. A schematic-block diagram, a bill of materials with stock and lead-time notes, and a firmware skeleton that the in-house team can build on.

• B3
  Good fits

  Pre-schematic feasibility and architecture work. Hardware due diligence on an existing design. Firmware re-architecture where real-time constraints are the bottleneck. Engagements typically run 3 to 8 weeks for a focused phase.

Fractional diligence.

Technical due diligence for investors and operators. Fractional CTO for founders who need a senior voice in the room without committing to the full hire. We read the code, review the architecture, interview the engineering team, and write a memo with a defended verdict, not a checklist of pleasantries.

• C1
  Diligence engagements

  Pre-investment technical review for VCs and operators. Code, architecture, infra, hiring posture, security and audit trail, technical debt, key-person risk. Output: a memo with a defended verdict, not a checklist of pleasantries.

• C2
  Fractional CTO

  For founders pre-CTO-hire. Architecture decisions, hiring and interviewing technical candidates, vendor evaluation, board-level technical communication. Time-boxed engagements (10 to 15 hours / week, 3 to 6 months) so the role is real without becoming permanent.

• C3
  Good fits

  Series A / B technical diligence where the deal team needs a senior outside read. Pre-seed and seed founders who want a principal in the room before the first technical hire. Operators investigating a build-vs-buy or vendor decision.

• M1
  Scope memo

  For paid engagements, a short scope memo lands in days, not weeks. Deliverables, calendar, fee, what's in scope, what isn't, and the assumptions both parties are agreeing to.

• M2
  Pricing posture

  Most diligence and architecture work is fixed-scope. Build engagements run T&M with a not-to-exceed cap. Rates are senior-engineer-with-AI-leverage, not agency. We'll share the rate sheet as soon as we have a real fit on the conversation.

• M3
  Working pace

  Most engagements use weekly working sessions plus async written updates. Our output is artifact-first: code, schematics, architecture documents, decision records. Status meetings exist when they earn their slot.