Why I built the software instead of buying it

Once we knew the real problem — kill the manual copying between call reports and payroll — the obvious question was: isn't there already an app for that?

There are hundreds. I looked at a lot of them. For a small merchandising team, nearly every option was one of three things: too much (enterprise software with a price tag and a training manual to match), too dear, or too complicated for people who just want to do their job and get home.

The tools built for small businesses often aren't built for small budgets.

So I made a call I don't recommend lightly: I built it. It's called GobyGO. Reps complete their call reports on their phones, their hours calculate themselves, and it exports straight to Xero for payroll. The spreadsheet-and-email chain just disappears.

Building your own software to solve one business's problem sounds a bit mad. But Madrin isn't the only business with this exact pain — thousands run on the same spreadsheet-and-email duct tape. So GobyGO became the thing After Five Founder is quietly building toward: not a one-off favour for my mum, but a tool any small team could pick up.

It might not work. But it's the most honest way I know to find out whether I can actually help.