Before you hire a developer: The 5 Questions That Will Save You 20,000€ ON YOUR NEXT TECH PROJECT
You have an idea.
It is a brilliant idea. A mobile app that connects local suppliers, or perhaps a custom client portal that will completely change how your industry manages logistics.
Naturally, your first instinct is to open your laptop, find a developer, and say:
“How much to build this?”
The developer looks at your three-page brief, nods enthusiastically, and throws out a number. Let’s say it is 35,000€
You pay the deposit. Six months pass.
Suddenly, the project is delayed. The database doesn't scale. The user interface looks like a government tax portal from 2004. The developer explains that "user authentication" and "payment gateway integration" weren't included in the original scope.
If you want them fixed, it will cost another 20,000€
This is the point where most founders realize they didn't just buy software. They bought an expensive, high-maintenance pet that they don't know how to feed.
At Nayéh, we see this happen constantly.
Not because developers are malicious. But because businesses frequently try to solve business logic problems with code.
Before you write a single line of software or hand over a deposit, you need to answer five questions. They might just save you 20,000€
1. Can We Build This With Two Spreadsheets and a Zapier Account?
We live in an era of spectacular software.
You can build a fully functioning prototype of almost any business model using tools that already exist. Airtable, Softr, Webflow, and basic automation can handle 80% of what early-stage startups actually need.
If your business cannot survive using a smart combination of existing software, custom code will rarely save it.
Don't build a custom content management system because you don't like how WordPress looks. Don't code a proprietary messaging platform when Slack or WhatsApp Business works perfectly.
The best code is the code you didn't have to write.
2. Who Owns the Architecture When the Developer Walks Away?
Imagine buying a house, but the builder is the only person on earth who knows where the water shut-off valve is located. Or how the electrical wiring is connected behind the drywall.
That is exactly how most custom software is built.
Developers have preferences. Some love Node.js. Others swear by Python or Flutter. If you don't understand the underlying technology choice, you are trapped.
If that developer leaves, gets a new job, or simply stops answering your emails at 4:00 PM on a Friday, can someone else take over?
Before you start, ask for a clear, documented technology stack that a standard mid-level developer can step into tomorrow morning. If the code requires a single, hyper-specialized genius to keep it alive, you don't own an asset.
You own a hostage situation.
3. Are We Automating a System That is Actually Broken?
Software does not fix bad processes. It just makes them happen faster.
If your team struggles to communicate internally, a custom dashboard won't fix their communication. It will just give them a more expensive place to ignore each other.
If your sales pipeline is messy, a custom CRM will just store the mess more efficiently.
Before you invest in tech, map out the human workflow on a whiteboard. If the whiteboard looks like a chaotic spiderweb, your software will too.
Fix the workflow first. Then write the code.
4. What Happens When 10,000 People Use It at the Same Time?
It is easy to build something that works for five people sitting in a room testing it on their laptops.
It is a completely different problem when 10,000 people try to log in, process payments, and upload files simultaneously.
Scale changes software completely. Databases slow down. Servers crash. Security vulnerabilities that didn't matter during the demo suddenly become major corporate liabilities.
You don't need to build a system that can handle millions of users on day one. That is a waste of money.
But you do need to know the breaking point. Ask your developer: “What is the exact limit of this architecture before we need to rebuild it?”
Knowing the answer prevents you from crashing during your biggest launch week.
5. Is This a Feature, or is This the Entire Business?
This is the ultimate distinction.
If you are a logistics company, your competitive advantage is how you move freight, manage warehouses, and build relationships. Your mobile tracking app is simply a feature that helps you do that.
If you are a software-as-a-service (SaaS) startup, the app is your business.
If it is just a feature, look for the simplest, cheapest way to deliver it. Do not over-engineer an administrative tool. Keep your capital focused on what actually makes you money.
Save the heavy, custom engineering budgets for the things that your competitors cannot easily copy.
The Best Tech Strategy Costs Nothing
The temptation to start building immediately is incredibly strong. Writing code feels like progress. Spending money feels like momentum.
But the most successful digital products aren't defined by how complex their code is.
They are defined by how clearly the founders understood the problem before they started.
At Nayéh, we don't believe in building software for the sake of looking modern. We believe in building systems that reduce friction, protect your margins, and scale without breaking your bank account.
Before you hire a developer, take a step back. Answer the hard questions on paper.
Your bank account will thank you later.
The most expensive code in the world is the software you have to build twice because you didn’t ask the right questions the first time.
