For Small Business Owners
If you're a small business owner in the Tampa or Lakeland, FL area, this page is for you.
I'm Tim Bailey Jones — a software engineer and Linux consultant with 30+ years of experience. I mainly work with enterprise clients, but I also genuinely enjoy helping small businesses get more out of their technology without handing all their data and budget to BigTech.
What I Can Help You With
Get Your Cloud & SaaS Costs Under Control
Monthly subscriptions add up fast. Many small businesses are paying for tools they don't fully use, or paying cloud prices for workloads that could run cheaper on a simple server. I can audit what you're spending, find the waste, and help you right-size — or get out entirely.
Take Back Control of Your Data
When your files live in Google Drive, your email is in Microsoft 365, and your customer data is in some SaaS platform you barely understand, you don't really own your business data — they do. I help businesses move to self-hosted alternatives where your data stays on your hardware, in your building, under your control.
Popular options I can set up and support:
- Nextcloud — your own Google Drive / Dropbox, on your server
- Odoo — full business software (CRM, invoicing, inventory, HR) without per-seat fees
- Bitwarden — self-hosted password management for your whole team
- Security cameras & NVR — own your footage, no cloud subscription, no monthly fees
AI Tools — Without Sending Your Data to BigTech
AI can genuinely help small businesses work faster. But most AI tools send everything you type to servers you don't control. I can help you:
- Put AI tools to practical use in your day-to-day workflow
- Set up private, local AI that runs on your own hardware — your customer data, contracts, and internal documents never leave your building
- Add AI features to your existing website or application
Website & Application Development
I've been maintaining and improving websites and web applications for small businesses for over a decade. My longest client relationship is with GoTonight.com, a Tampa-area live music and events platform — over 12 years of ongoing development and support.
I build and fix things. I don't do content updates or SEO.
Linux Server Setup & Ongoing Support
Whether you already have a server in your back office or want to spin one up on DigitalOcean, I can:
- Set up and configure Linux servers
- Install and maintain your self-hosted applications
- Set up automated backups so you never lose data
- Provide ongoing remote administration and support
- Monitor your systems and respond when something breaks
What I Don't Do
To keep my focus sharp, I don't take on:
- Windows PCs or Windows Server
- Microsoft 365 (Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive)
- Website content updates or copywriting
- SEO
How It Works
I work on a project or hourly (time & materials) basis — no long-term contracts required. You pay for what you need.
For clients in the Tampa and Lakeland area, I'm available for on-site visits. Most ongoing support is handled remotely.
Let's Talk
If any of this sounds like what you've been looking for, I'd love to hear about your situation.