What if I do not know exactly what I need built?
That is a normal starting point. Describe the problem in your own words; I will ask the right questions, help figure out what actually needs to be built, and put the options in writing - including the simple one, if a simple fix solves it. Scoping ends with a staged plan: scope, stages with deliverables, timeline and price.
How do payments work?
Fixed price or hourly, in CAD or USD - whichever fits the project, agreed in writing before the work starts. Larger projects are split into milestones with a clear deliverable for each: you pay for a milestone after you have accepted its result, so your risk is capped at one stage, never the whole budget.
What timezone are you in?
Eastern Time (EST/EDT). I am based in Ottawa, Canada - the same timezone as New York and Toronto, and 5-6 hours behind most of Europe. In practice that means same-day replies during US and Canadian working hours, and answers in the European afternoon. A convenient fact - though the work itself is async and written-first, so timezone rarely blocks anything.
How fast do you reply?
The same business day, EST - both to the first message and during the project. Communication is written by default: every answer can be re-read, searched and forwarded to a colleague, and decisions do not live only in someone's memory of a call.
Do you sign NDAs?
Yes. Most of my ten-plus years of enterprise work - fintech, government systems - was done under NDA, so working with confidential material is my normal mode, not an exception. Nothing about your project appears in my portfolio without your written consent.
Do we need calls?
No. Scoping, the staged plan, progress demos and acceptance all work in writing - that way every decision is recorded and easy to return to. If you prefer a call, we can schedule one in EST business hours, but it is never a requirement.