Custom applications
A spreadsheet can do a lot. Sometimes it ends up running half the business. I build applications around the work you need to do.
Document tracking · Scheduling · Internal tools
Pittsburgh built. Business focused.
Good software should pull its weight.
I build custom applications, automation, and websites for small and medium businesses. You work directly with me.
You know where the work gets stuck. I’ll learn how your business runs, then we’ll work out what’s worth building.
Let’s talk about your projectA conversation is a good place to start.
Get a starting estimate
Founder ledVeteran ownedPractical by designLocal roots. Remote welcome.
What I can build for you
Maybe you’re tracking documents, coordinating jobs, or moving the same information between systems every day. Tell me how it works now and what you’d like to change.
Automation & integration
If you’re copying the same information from one system to another, there may be a better use of your afternoon. I connect systems and automate repeat tasks.
Connected systems · Reporting · Repetitive tasks
Business websites
I build websites that help people understand what you do and how to get in touch. If customers need to do more online, we can talk through that, too.
Business sites · Customer portals · Web applications
How we’ll work together
I think of myself as a digital construction worker.
Before I start building, I need to understand the job. Who will use the software? What takes too long? What happens when something goes wrong?
We’ll agree on what to build, check it against the work it needs to do, and discuss what care it will need once it’s in use.
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Understand the job
We’ll talk through the problem, the people, and the way your business works.
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Agree on the build
We’ll agree on the scope and what to expect before I start building.
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Build, test, refine
I’ll build and test the software. We’ll review it together against the job we agreed on.
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Keep it working
We can arrange maintenance and improvements by agreement as your needs change.
AI is useful. Experience still matters.
“Couldn’t I just use AI to make this app myself?”
Absolutely! AI puts a lot of knowledge within easy reach. However if you want to build an app yourself you'll soon find it difficult to really zero-in on what you need.
I look at it like drywall. You can hang it yourself and patch holes in your wall. It's easy to get an amature finish. Getting a professional finish takes practice and years of experience.
Like professionally doing drywall, software has a lot of complicated nuiances. Someone has to test changes, get them safely onto the live site, and fix things when they break. AI can help with that work, but you still need to understand what it’s doing.
If you’d rather spend your time running your business than learning to maintain an app, that’s where I come in. I’m responsible for what I build, whatever tools I use.
Joseph Dillon Founder & developer
The person doing the work
I’m Joseph Dillon, the developer behind Steel Lion Technologies in Pittsburgh.
Sixteen years of Army service and leadership are a big part of my story. I served as a medic, an infantry officer, and finally a cyber operations leader. I deployed once to a cushy post in the desert land and once to support the Army Cyber Protection Brigade. That work taught me to prepare, take responsibility, and see the job through. I bring the same habits to software.
My software background spans business applications at PPG, financial applications at Refinitiv, and research tools at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Now I put that experience to work for small and medium businesses through Steel Lion.
When we work together, you talk directly with me; from our first conversation through building the app and then through any ongoing care we agree on.
Experience before Steel Lion
PPGRefinitivOak Ridge National Laboratory
Organizations from my professional background; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.
Estimate a project
Get a starting price for a custom business application. Pick what you need, then email me the summary. We’ll talk through the scope before you decide whether to go ahead.
Your application starts at — What’s included?
That includes sign-in, access roles, layouts for phones and larger screens, backend and database setup, and initial deployment. Two features are included in any combination of data screens, dashboard widgets, and AI summaries. Each additional feature is .
All amounts are in USD. This is an estimate for discussion, not an agreed quote.
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Tell me what’s getting in the way
You don’t need a technical brief. Tell me what takes too long, what keeps going wrong, or what you wish your tools could do. We’ll start there.
Let’s talk.
Based in Pittsburgh, PA.
Working locally and remotely.
Email me at
joseph@steellionllc.com