Application Stewardship
Guiding your Portico-supported software — and your team — through the next stage of its life.
The Journey After Launch
You've launched. The app works, and it's serving real users.
But as new needs appear and the tech landscape shifts, you start to feel the uncertainty that comes after the first build.
A new integration comes along. A dependency changes. A feature request raises questions you didn't have to answer before.
Your team is capable, but now the system is growing beyond the edges of what's familiar.
You don't need another rebuild. You need someone who can help you navigate what's next: to keep things steady, evolving, and ready for the future you can't quite see yet.
Application Stewardship is calm, ongoing guidance that helps your technology and your team grow confidently together.
Our Highest Intentions
This is meant to be a calm, ongoing way to keep your technology healthy and evolving: without rushing, rebuilding, or losing clarity.
We want you to experience software as something grounded and reliable — where things work, evolve, and feel cared for. Here's what that means for us:
Feel Steady Through Change
To know that your application can evolve alongside your business without losing its shape or integrity.
Grow With Confidence
To see new integrations, updates, and opportunities as natural steps — not disruptions or risks.
Have a Trusted Partner
To know there's someone who already understands your system and can guide you through both the small fixes and the big decisions.
Strengthen Your Team
To help your developers feel supported, skilled, and confident using the Portico framework: not dependent, but empowered.
Experience Calm Technology
To turn your relationship with software into something grounded and reliable where things work, evolve, and feel cared for.
These intentions guide our stewardship work.
We're here to help you tend what you've built — to stay in relationship with your technology as it changes, and to grow alongside it.
Who It's For
Before we begin, it helps to be clear about who this kind of work serves best; and who might need something different right now.
Application Stewardship is for teams who want to tend what they've built — to stay in relationship with their technology as it changes.
Who it's for:
You already have an application with a solid foundation. You've launched something real, and now you want to keep it healthy as it grows. You value thoughtful evolution over constant reinvention. You want guidance from someone who knows your architecture, can teach your team, and can step in to build or repair when needed. You care not just about what works today — but about how it will hold up tomorrow, and the kind of experience you're creating for the people who use it.
Who it's not for:
This isn't a hands-off maintenance plan or an emergency hotline. It's not for teams looking to outsource ownership or hand over responsibility. If you want a quick rebuild, the lowest hourly rate, or a transactional relationship, this won't be the right fit. This is for those who want to tend what they've built — to stay in relationship with their technology as it changes, and to grow alongside it.
If that sounds like you on the left, you're in the right place.
We built Application Stewardship to help you maintain the clarity, integrity, and momentum you started with.
Our Approach: Steady Evolution
Most support relationships are reactive: fix what breaks, answer what's urgent, move on.
We take a different approach — one that's proactive, educational, and grounded in the long-term health of your application and your team.
Application Stewardship is about keeping your technology steady and evolving through natural growth, not crisis management.
1. We already know your system.
Because we built your foundation, we understand its architecture, patterns, and potential. There's no onboarding, no ramp-up time — just immediate, informed guidance when you need it.
2. We teach as we support.
Every interaction is an opportunity to help your team understand the Portico framework more deeply. Our goal is to make your developers more confident and capable, not more dependent.
3. We handle both strategy and execution.
Whether you need architectural guidance for a new feature, code reviews, dependency updates, or hands-on implementation, we can step in at the right level — from high-level planning to detailed execution.
4. We keep things calm and predictable.
No surprises, no emergencies, no panic. We help you stay ahead of changes through regular check-ins, proactive updates, and clear communication about what's coming next.
5. We're invested in your long-term success.
This isn't transactional support — it's a partnership. We succeed when your application stays healthy, your team stays confident, and your business keeps growing.
What Stewardship Includes
Application Stewardship is flexible, ongoing support tailored to your needs as they evolve.
Here's what you can expect from our partnership:
Ongoing Technical Guidance
Architectural advice, code reviews, and strategic planning for new features or integrations. We help you make decisions that align with your foundation and support long-term growth.
Framework Updates & Maintenance
Proactive dependency updates, security patches, and framework improvements. We keep your application current and secure without disrupting your workflow.
Developer Support & Mentorship
Direct support for your development team through Slack, code reviews, and pair programming sessions. We help your developers master the Portico framework and solve challenges as they arise.
Feature Development Support
When your team needs additional capacity or specialized expertise, we can step in to build new features, refactor complex systems, or solve challenging technical problems.
Regular Health Checks
Scheduled reviews of your application's performance, security, and architecture. We identify potential issues before they become problems and help you plan for sustainable growth.
What You Experience
- Confidence that your application is evolving thoughtfully and sustainably.
- A development team that feels supported, skilled, and empowered.
- Clear, proactive communication about technical decisions and changes.
- A trusted technical partner who knows your system inside and out.
- Technology that feels calm, reliable, and ready for whatever comes next.
How Stewardship Works
1. Flexible Engagement Models
Choose the level of support that fits your needs: from light advisory guidance to hands-on development partnership. We structure our engagement around your rhythm and priorities.
Why it matters: You get exactly the support you need, when you need it — without paying for coverage you won't use.
The experience: A calm, predictable relationship that adapts as your needs evolve.
2. Direct Access to Your Steward
Work directly with the same developer who built your foundation. No handoffs, no context-switching, no explaining your system to strangers.
Why it matters: We already understand your architecture, your goals, and your team's working style.
The experience: Immediate, informed guidance from someone who truly knows your system.
3. Regular Sync & Planning Sessions
Scheduled check-ins to review progress, plan upcoming work, and address any emerging questions. These sessions keep everyone aligned and moving forward with clarity.
Why it matters: Proactive planning prevents surprises and keeps your technology evolution smooth.
The experience: Structured but flexible conversations that respect your time and priorities.
4. Asynchronous Support via Slack
Quick questions, code reviews, and technical guidance available through dedicated Slack channels. Your team stays unblocked without waiting for scheduled meetings.
Why it matters: Maintain momentum and productivity while learning from real-time feedback.
The experience: Responsive, thoughtful support that fits into your team's natural workflow.
Pricing
Custom Retainer
Application Stewardship is offered as a monthly retainer tailored to your specific needs and level of support.
Pricing is determined based on the scope of support, team size, and expected engagement level.
During our initial conversation, we'll discuss your needs and create a stewardship plan that fits your budget and goals. As with all our work, we offer Heart-Centered Pricing — an approach rooted in mutual respect and openness.
Application Stewardship Inquiry
For teams ready to grow with ongoing guidance and support.
Stewardship Terms
Application Stewardship is offered as an ongoing partnership, structured around mutual commitment and clear expectations.
Engagement Structure
Stewardship is provided on a monthly retainer basis. We work together to define the scope of support that fits your needs — from light advisory to hands-on development partnership.
Monthly retainers are billed at the beginning of each month and include the agreed-upon hours of support, regular check-ins, and async access via Slack.
Minimum Commitment
We ask for a 3-month minimum commitment to allow time for meaningful progress and relationship-building. This ensures we can provide the depth of support and continuity that makes stewardship work.
After the initial period, the engagement continues month-to-month with 30 days' notice for changes or cancellation.
Adjusting Support Levels
As your needs change, we can adjust the level of support — increasing capacity during major initiatives or scaling back during quieter periods. We'll check in regularly to ensure the arrangement stays aligned with your goals.
Heart-Centered Approach
If circumstances change — whether technical, financial, or personal — we're open to honest conversation. Our goal is to support you sustainably, and that means being flexible when life requires it.
Application Stewardship works best when both parties are invested in the long-term health of the work. We approach this partnership with care, clarity, and mutual respect.