I spent years building products for other people.Now I am giving my own ideas a proper chance.

Learning to understand people

I started by learning how people really use things.

My career began in business analysis before I moved into product management. I learned about user experience, user journeys and what it takes to make life easier for the people using a product.

I was never interested in building something simply because it could be built. I became fascinated by products that solved a genuine problem, felt easy to use and included the thoughtful details that made people excited to come back.

Every role taught me something different. I learned how to listen closely, question assumptions, understand what users actually needed and turn complicated problems into experiences that felt much simpler.

Building for myself

Then I chose to build something of my own.

More than two years ago, I stepped away from contracting to focus on Thistleberry Cake Studio full time and teach myself how to build applications.

It was a big change. I went from helping large organisations shape their products to sitting with my own ideas and learning how to turn them into something real. I have been building ever since.

The apps did not begin as abstract business ideas. They came from real life.

Building around real life

I have built them in the spaces between everything else.

I have worked on them around running my cake business, raising my family and handling the responsibilities that could not simply be put on pause. I kept learning, testing, rebuilding and taking the next small step whenever I could.

I am proud of how far they have come. 30DARE is now available on the App Store. Cake Aide Pro and Lanterhome are real products too. They are not ideas waiting for someone else to make them happen.

Why I am asking now

This is why I am asking for your backing.

What I have never been able to give these products is one focused period of time. Time to work without constantly stopping and starting. Time to improve what is already there, complete the work that is still in progress and help more people discover what I have built.

The minimum goal of £2,000 would give me the breathing room to focus properly for one month. Reaching £5,000 would also help with testing, product costs and the work needed to launch the apps more widely.

You can choose something useful or enjoyable in return, from app access and workshops to cake credit and baking experiences. If you would rather simply back me, you can choose your own amount from £5.