What we ship
Senior engineering,
built to ship.
Every engagement is senior-level, AI-first, and framed around an outcome — not a scope document. Sprint starts at $10,000. Build and Fractional scale with the problem.
01
AI-First Applications
We don’t bolt AI onto existing products. We architect systems with intelligence at the core — custom model integration, LLM-powered workflows, and data pipelines designed to get smarter every week. The goal is leverage, not a talking point.
What this looks like in practice
- Ship a working AI feature in weeks, not quarters — with evaluation baked in
- Wire Claude, OpenAI, or a self-hosted model into the software you already run
- Replace manual workflows with machine-driven ones that stay auditable
- Build the evaluation rig so you know whether the model actually makes things better
- Design for the day the model gets smarter — not locked to a single provider
02
Custom Web Applications
Full-stack engineering for the business logic off-the-shelf software can’t handle. Internal tools, customer portals, SaaS platforms, data-driven applications — built for the businesses who know their process better than any vendor ever will.
What this looks like in practice
- Replace a $40K/year SaaS stack with software you actually own
- Wire legacy systems together so your team stops living in spreadsheets
- Build the internal tool that cuts a recurring 6-hour task down to under an hour
- Architect the SaaS your team needs but no vendor sells
- Ship on Vercel, AWS, or your own infrastructure — your rules
03
iOS & Android Apps
Native and cross-platform mobile engineering built for performance. Kotlin Multiplatform and Compose Multiplatform share business logic across platforms while every UI stays native. One codebase. Two app stores. Zero compromise on feel.
What this looks like in practice
- Ship iOS and Android from one codebase without the usual cross-platform compromises
- Native feel on both stores — not a wrapped web view
- Push notifications and offline sync that actually work in the field
- App Store + Play Store deployment handled end to end
- Built to hand over — no proprietary frameworks, no lock-in
04
Software Engineering
Architecture reviews, technical due diligence, and senior judgment on hire. When your team needs an experienced engineer to evaluate a stack, plan a migration, or audit a codebase, you get twenty-eight years of perspective — not a junior consultant reading off a checklist.
What this looks like in practice
- Get a second opinion from a senior engineer before you commit — not after
- Unblock a stalled migration with one week of focused review
- Audit a codebase you inherited and get a prioritized punch list
- Pre-acquisition technical due diligence for businesses and private equity
- Judgment calls on AI adoption — what will pay off, what won’t
05
Headless WordPress, by design
Headless WordPress
Most agencies install a $50 theme and call it a website. We engineer something different: a custom-designed frontend running on top of WordPress, decoupled. Your team keeps the editing experience they already know. Your visitors get a site built like enterprise software — sub-second loads, real security, no plugin bloat, no rebuild every two years. This very site is built that way. By design.
What this looks like in practice
- A custom-designed frontend — your brand, not a WordPress theme
- Headless architecture — WordPress for your editors, Next.js for your visitors
- Sub-second loads on the slowest connection your buyer actually uses
- Real security — the WP admin never lives where attackers look
- No plugin tax, no theme dependency, no rebuild every two years
- Same stack we use for Fortune 500 apps
Why headless
Yes, we build websites. We build only one kind.
Most businesses don't lose customers because their site looks dated. They lose them because it loads slowly on a phone, breaks twice a year when a plugin updates, or gets hit by whatever WordPress exploit is making the rounds. A headless build solves all three — at the architecture level, not as patches.
The editor side stays familiar. Your team logs into WordPress the way they always have. The visitor side is something completely different — a custom-engineered frontend running on the same infrastructure that powers Fortune 500 applications. Sub-second loads. Real security. A design ceiling wherever you want it.
And because we ship the codebase, you own it. No agency retainer to keep the lights on. No vendor lock-in. No rebuild every two years when the theme stops being maintained. The frontend evolves with your business. The content stays editable by your team.
How they compare
Same WordPress editor for your team.
A completely different site for your visitors.
How engagements work
Sprint. Build. Fractional.
Three pricing models, matched to the shape of the problem. All three are senior-led, fixed-scope or scoped-monthly, and start with a free 30-minute audit.
01
Sprint
2–4 weeks · one focused outcome. A working prototype, a migration unblock, a technical audit with an action plan you can execute. Fixed price, fixed timeline, no scope creep.
02
Build
6–16 weeks · a shipped product. Custom software, a SaaS MVP, an AI integration that lives in production. Architecture, engineering, deployment — all by the engineer writing the code.
03
Fractional
Monthly retainer · embedded senior capacity. For businesses who need a CTO's judgment without hiring one. Direct access, no layers, no project managers in the middle.
Process
How We Work
Step 01
Conversation
We talk. You tell us what you need, we tell you what's possible. If we're a fit, we'll know quickly.
Step 02
Architecture
We plan the right solution before writing a single line of code. No surprises, no scope creep.
Step 03
Engineering
We build, test, and deliver. Direct communication throughout — you always know where things stand.
FAQ
Common questions
How many clients does Champlin Enterprises take at a time?
Fewer than 10 active engagements at any time. Three of those slots are available per quarter. That cap is a quality decision, not a capacity constraint — every project gets the full weight of 28 years of engineering experience.
What is the minimum engagement size?
Sprint engagements start at $10,000. Build and Fractional engagements scale with the problem. There are no free audits, discovery workshops, or speculative proposals beyond an initial 30-minute call.
Do you outsource or subcontract any work?
No. Every line of code is written by Kevin Champlin personally. No offshore teams, no account managers, no junior developers layered between you and the engineer. This is the product.
Can Champlin Enterprises handle AI integrations in production?
Yes. AI-first applications are the primary focus. Work spans Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI), and open-weight models (Llama, Qwen, DeepSeek), with end-to-end delivery of retrieval, fine-tuning, evaluation harnesses, and production deployment.
Does Champlin Enterprises work with startups or only Fortune 500?
Both. The common thread is that clients understand what senior-level engineering is worth. Typical startup engagements are Series A or later, or well-funded seed teams with a clear product thesis. Fortune 500 engagements are usually AI pilots or code audits.
What does the engagement process look like?
Four steps: (1) 30-minute discovery call to determine fit. (2) Written technical plan and proposal before any code is written. (3) Build, test, and deliver with weekly demos and direct async communication. (4) Complete ownership handoff — no vendor lock-in, no proprietary frameworks.
Is Champlin Enterprises available for technical due diligence or code audits?
Yes. Common engagement patterns include acquisition diligence, investor-mandated reviews, and pre-platform-rebuild audits. Typical scope is one to three weeks.
Where is Champlin Enterprises located?
Chicago, Illinois — 1449 S Michigan Ave, Ste 13946. Work is delivered remote-first. Kevin is available for on-site engagements with clients in the Chicago metro area on request.
A softer step
Not sure which engagement fits?
Most businesses don't know whether they need a Sprint, a Build, or a Fractional engagement until they've had thirty minutes of real conversation about the work. That's what the Free AI Opportunity Audit is for: thirty minutes on Zoom, three concrete places AI quietly pays for itself in your business, a one-page plan emailed within 48 hours. No pitch. No follow-up sales sequence.
Three engagements. Every quarter.
A real problem. A real budget. A bias toward shipping. Start with a 30-minute audit — no pitch, no follow-up sequence.
30-minute call. One-page plan emailed within 48 hours. No pitch deck.