Technology consulting & custom software for nonprofits · Grand Rapids, MI
Build the thing.
Not the workaround.
Technology consulting and custom software for nonprofits and churches — and the small businesses and teams that run like them.
I help you figure out what's actually worth building, make sense of the technology you already have, and build systems that help your people do more of what matters.
30 minutes. No pitch. No pressure.
★ 5.0 on Google
Published pricing. You own everything we build.
Who it's for
For organizations with something worth building.
Based in Grand Rapids. In-person discovery sessions for West Michigan nonprofits, churches, and small teams.
The problem
You probably don't need more software.
You need your technology to work better.
Too many tools. Manual work that should be automated. A system that no longer fits. Software you pay for that nobody knows how to use. An idea you don't know how to build. More time managing technology than using it.
There has to be a better way. That's where I come in.
Sound familiar?
“We have a spreadsheet for that.”
“I'm pretty sure we already pay for something that does this.”
“Nobody knows how this system works anymore.”
“We've been meaning to fix this for two years.”
“Could AI do this?”
“I just need someone who understands the whole picture.”
If you nodded at any of these, you might be ready for Lifehouse.
Philosophy
Technology is a tool.
Your mission is the point.
Software isn't the goal. The goal is serving people, stretching a budget, saving time, and doing work that matters.
Good technology should make the work easier, not become the work.
I don't start with
“What software can we sell you?”
I start with
“What are you actually trying to accomplish?”
What I do
So what can Lifehouse actually do?
Four things. Most engagements start with the first one, and some end there.
Straight talk
I'll tell you if you don't need me.
Seriously. The point of the first conversation is to find the right answer, not to sell you a project.
- 01
If an existing tool solves your problem, I'll tell you.
- 02
If a simple automation will do the job, we'll do that.
- 03
If your process is the real problem, we'll fix the process.
- 04
And if custom software is actually the right answer? We'll build it.
That's the difference.
How I work
A better way to build technology.
Four phases. Every project moves through them in order, and you always know which one you're in.
- 01Define
Start with the problem.
What are you actually trying to accomplish? We start there, not with the technology.
In practice: Discovery call
- 02Evaluate
Use what you already have.
Tools, people, processes, data. We look at the whole picture before adding anything new.
In practice: Feasibility workshop
- 03Design
Build the simplest thing that works.
No unnecessary complexity. No technology for technology's sake.
In practice: Project blueprint
- 04Deploy
Put it to work.
Launch it. Train your team. Learn from it. Improve it.
In practice: Build, launch & ongoing alignment
No 47-page roadmap required.
See the full process
Nate Van den Hoek
Founder & principal engineer · Grand Rapids, Michigan
Who you're working with
You don't need another developer.
You need someone who can see the whole picture.
I've spent my career building software, and I've learned that writing the code is often the easy part. The harder questions are the ones nobody budgets time for:
- What should we build?
- Why are we building it?
- How will people actually use it?
- Is there a simpler way?
That's the work I enjoy. Lifehouse exists to help organizations answer those questions and turn the right ideas into technology that works.
Sometimes I'm the developer. Sometimes I'm the strategist. Sometimes I'm the guy who says, “Don't build that.”
That's the job. More about how I work
Proof
Real problems. Real outcomes.
Real work, published with permission. Three things that changed for children's book author Sherri Prins once her custom site went live.
“Working with Nate was a wonderful experience. He created a beautiful and user-friendly website that has helped me showcase and market my book business with confidence. I truly appreciate his professionalism, creativity, and dedication to bringing my vision to life.”
Sherri Prins
Independent Author · sherriprinsauthor.com · Read the case study
More on work & outcomes.
Not sure where to start? Start with a conversation.
Have something that should work better?
Bring the thing that's been bothering you. We'll talk through it for 30 minutes, and I'll give you my honest take on what I'd do next.
No sales pitch. No obligation.
Bring one of these
- A broken system
- A crazy spreadsheet
- An idea
- A process that takes too long
- A website that needs work
- A question about AI
Or just: “I know something isn't working, but I don't know what.”
Build what matters. Skip what doesn't.