Stop losing hours to spreadsheets and manual work.
Lightning Developments is a Tauranga-based NZ business automation and custom software company for SMBs that need practical intranets, client portals, workflow automation, and AI strategy, shaped by someone who has actually run a business.
Not ready to talk yet? Use the Planning Bot first, get clarity, then book a conversation once the actual workflow problem is easier to describe.
Operational visibility
Dashboards, workflows, and internal systems that make bottlenecks obvious before they become expensive.
What I build
Systems that replace spreadsheet chaos with something you can actually run a business on
Intranets, portals, automations, and dashboards designed to remove admin drag and make the important stuff easier to see.
Connected systems, cleaner workflows, fewer loose ends
Company Intranets
Staff dashboards, activity tracking, compliance logs, and internal tools — all in one place. Replace the mess of spreadsheets and shared drives.
Client Portals
Give your clients a login to view their data, track progress, upload documents, and communicate — no more email chains.
Workflow Automation
Automate the repetitive tasks your team does every day. Data entry, notifications, follow-ups, report generation — all handled.
Commission & Financial Systems
Complex commission calculations, split tracking, and financial reporting — built to match your exact business rules.
Practice Management
Client records, compliance tracking, document management, and reporting tailored to professional services firms.
Data Dashboards
See what matters at a glance. Real-time dashboards that pull from your existing tools and present the numbers that drive decisions.
Why I'm different
Built by someone who's actually lived the operational mess.
Lightning Developments was founded by Rupert Gough — who built Mortgage Lab from scratch, scaled it across New Zealand, and sold it to the Maurice Trapp Group in 2022. He knows firsthand what it's like to run a business drowning in spreadsheets and manual processes.
Most developers have never run a business. Rupert has. That means he understands the operational problem behind the request, not just the feature list sitting on top of it.
Before → after
Less spreadsheet archaeology, more usable visibility.
80 → 4 hrs
Annual process reduced
5 hrs
Time to build the solution
100%
Time tracked to the second
$0
Hidden fees
Start here
If you're not sure what to do next, start with clarity instead of guesswork
Most businesses do not need more software talk. They need a better first decision. These are the two best ways to get there.
Flagship tool
Project Planning Bot
Use this if you already have an idea in your head and want help turning it into a sensible first version, with clearer requirements, trade-offs, and next steps.
Paid roadmap
Strategy Sessions
Use this if the business feels messy, slow, or overly manual and you need a practical AI or technology roadmap before committing to tools or custom software.
How I work
Clear process, calm communication, steady progress
No jargon avalanche, no disappearing act, no vague delivery theatre.
Understand the real problem
I start with the business problem, not the tech stack. What takes too long? Where do things fall through the cracks? What questions can’t you answer without digging through files?
Scope the right first version
I scope the work, give you a clear price, and build in phases. You see progress every week and give feedback as we go. No black-box development.
Launch and keep improving
You get a working system, a clear walkthrough, and ongoing support when you need improvements, fixes, or the next phase.
See what this looks like in practice
A quick walkthrough of the kind of systems I build for businesses that need less admin and better visibility.
Proof
Real results for real businesses
I work with businesses across financial services, healthcare, professional services, and more.
80 hrs
How long a process used to take annually
4 hrs
How long it takes now
5 hrs
How long it took to build the solution
One client had an annual process that consumed 80 hours of work. I built a system in 5 hours that reduced it to 4. That's the kind of result that used to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, now it costs a fraction.
Spotted something?
Just snitch.
Every project I build includes Snitch— a simple feedback button embedded right on your site. No email threads, no screenshots pasted into messages, no “can you look at the thing on the page with the button”.
Click the button, describe the change
Change wording, insert new text, remove something, or flag a layout issue. Takes 30 seconds.
It knows exactly where you are
The page URL is captured automatically. No need to explain which page — it is already attached.
Screenshot included
Grab a screenshot of exactly what you're looking at with one click. No need to explain what you're seeing.
Changes happen fast
Snitches come straight to me. Simple text changes are usually done the same day.
Spotted something? Feedback goes straight to Lightning Developments so Rupert can fix it fast.