Why I Ditched Agencies and Went Solo
I've worked at agencies. I've seen how the sausage gets made. And I realized something: most of what clients pay for isn't the actual work.
It's the overhead.
The Agency Math
When you hire an agency, here's where your money goes:
- Account manager (talks to you, doesn't build anything)
- Project manager (schedules meetings, tracks progress)
- Designer (might work on your project part-time)
- Developer (actually builds the thing)
- QA (tests it)
- Office rent, software, insurance
- Profit margin (usually 30-50%)
By the time money reaches the person actually building your website, it's been sliced multiple ways. That 200,000 baht project? Maybe 40,000 goes to development.
The Solo Developer Math
When you hire me:
- You talk to me (the person building it)
- I design it
- I build it
- I test it
- Done
No telephone game. No waiting for the PM to relay your feedback to the dev who's juggling five other projects. No meetings about meetings.
Agency Model
- Multiple handoffs
- Slower communication
- Higher overhead
- Structured process
- Good for large enterprises
Solo Model
- Direct line to builder
- Fast iterations
- Lower overhead
- Flexible process
- Good for SMEs
When Agencies Make Sense
I'm not saying agencies are bad. They make sense when:
- You're a large corporation with complex needs
- You need a team of specialists (iOS, Android, backend, design)
- You have a huge budget and want hand-holding
- Legal/compliance requires formal contracts and processes
But most Bangkok businesses? They don't need that. They need a website that works, delivered fast, without burning through their budget.
What You Get Working With Me
Direct communication. You message me, I respond. No intermediaries. If you have a question at 9pm, I'll probably answer it.
Faster delivery. No coordination overhead. No waiting for approvals through a chain of command. I can ship updates the same day you request them.
Lower cost. My overhead is a laptop and an internet connection. I pass those savings to you.
Skin in the game. My reputation is on the line with every project. I don't have a brand to hide behind. If I do bad work, it follows me.
Why Bangkok
Moved here from the States. Kept the work ethic, dropped the American prices.
Cost of living is lower. I don't need to charge Bay Area rates. You get quality work at Bangkok prices. We both win.
Bottom Line
Agencies aren't evil. They're just optimized for a different type of client.
If you're a Bangkok business that needs a website, app, or dashboard—and you want it built right, built fast, without the corporate overhead—that's what I do.
One dev. No agency. Just results.