Turning real-world experience into accessible, affordable IT solutions for others.
When I first started working with a start-up in Leicesterāinitially as a direct employeeāI didnāt walk into a high-tech environment or a ready-made infrastructure. I walked into an empty roomā¦ with a tight budget and a vision.
That challenge laid the foundation for Open Source IT Solutions.
š» Building Infrastructure on a Shoestring
With a tight budget, I sourced a refurbished Dell R220, upgraded it to 16GB RAM, and got to work. That single, reliable box became the heart of a self-hosted tech stack that powered a growing business.
I wasn't just solving technical problemsāI was solving business problems without breaking the bank. That mindset still drives everything I do today.
š Getting Online (Literally)
One of the first things I arranged was the installation of a broadband lineāsounds simple, but it was foundational. No cloud. No services. No roadmap. Just a line into a small office and the freedom to build from scratch.
š ļø Open Source in Action
Rather than throwing money at SaaS tools, I turned to the open-source community. Here's what I implemented:
š Leantime
Used for project managementāespecially valuable in a production environment where predicting delivery dates and manufacturing times was essential.
šØāš¼ OrangeHRM
Provided a system for managing employee information. Later on, I worked to enable and test its time logging features for internal accountability.
š„ Frigate
Used as a cost-effective security solution, Frigate was paired with a TP-Link C100 smart camera to keep an eye on the car park. It offered motion detection and real-time alerts without the need for expensive CCTV infrastructure.
š WireGuard
Set up for remote access, giving key team members a secure way into the internal network when working off-site.
š BookStack
Created for internal process documentationābecause good infrastructure isnāt just hardware and software, itās the knowledge you build and share with your team.
š« Ticketing System ā osTicket
Before I moved on to explore new opportunities, I deployed osTicket to continue offering external support. This gave employees a clear and familiar way to raise IT issues or requestsāeven after I was no longer working onsite.
ā±ļø Kimai2
To keep things transparent and professional, I hosted my own instance of Kimai 2āa lightweight, open-source time tracking system. It allowed me to log hours spent on support and bill accordingly, without any guesswork or confusion.
š¦ InvenTree for Stock and Supply Management
Another key solution I rolled out was InvenTreeāan open-source inventory management platform. It allowed the company to:
- Keep better track of stock levels
- Manage component usage and ordering
- Predict supply shortages before they became a problem
It replaced messy spreadsheets and manual tracking with something scalable and self-hostedāagain, at no extra cost beyond hardware and time.
š± From One Business to Many
That project sparked something bigger. I realised there are countless small businesses, non-profits, and start-ups out there that need reliable infrastructureāwithout enterprise pricing or unnecessary complexity.
Thatās why I started Open Source IT Solutions.
Itās not just about saving money (though thatās a big part of it). Itās about:
- š Empowering people with tools they control
- š§© Creating tailored, maintainable solutions
- š”ļø Promoting privacy, transparency, and resilience
- š¬ Offering support thatās practical and down-to-earth
š§ Personal Reflection: Finding My Place
Looking back, I sometimes think about whether I struck the right balance between supporting the business technically and contributing in other areas. With my background in IT, I naturally focused on systems that could make things easierātools to help with planning, communication, and day-to-day processes.
While I wasnāt directly involved in physical production, I hoped that by setting up the right tools, I could give the team more time and space to focus on what they did best.
It was a learning experience, and it shaped how I approach IT solutions todayāpractical, accessible, and aimed at making real-life work smoother.
š¬ Whatās Next?
Whether youāre a solo founder trying to get your first project online, or a small team looking to streamline internal processesāyou donāt need to reinvent the wheel. The solutions are out there. Iāve used them. Iāve lived them. And I want to help others do the same.
If you're looking for affordable, open-source-first IT consulting, you're in the right place.
š§ Get in touch
š Or check out the blog for more real-world guides and stories.
