I build, rescue, and scale SaaS, AI tools, and complex web apps

  • Laravel
  • Vue
  • React
  • Python
  • Node.js
  • TypeScript
Vincent Schmalbach

I help founders and product teams build web apps, fix troubled codebases, and add AI to the parts of the product where it actually helps.

Laravel is my main client stack. I'm a Germany-based freelance full-stack developer with 15+ years across SaaS, APIs, backend systems, integrations, automation, performance work, and technical project rescue.

I'm all in on AI and use it every day on real software work. I move fast, stay meticulous, and can jump into existing products without hand-holding.

"HIRE VINCENT. Seriously."

Ariel Ozick, CTO, Wired Rhino, Inc.

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Vincent Schmalbach

More than just code

You don't need to have everything figured out before we talk.

I look at what exists, ask the right questions, and turn it into a concrete plan.

Then I build it.

What I can work from

A rough idea

You know there is something worth building, even if the shape is still rough.

A broken feature

A key part of the product is stuck, fragile, or not doing what users need.

An old codebase

There is existing code, history, and business logic that needs to be understood first.

A slow app

Pages, jobs, imports, or searches are slow enough that users and teams feel it.

A messy integration

External APIs, data sync, payments, CRM, or internal tools are not behaving cleanly.

A product where AI belongs in the workflow

AI should become part of how the product works, not sit beside it as a demo.

I've built and maintained SaaS products, ecommerce systems, high-traffic content sites, internal tools, AI tools, and long-running client platforms.

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Work I Do A Lot

Some of my recent client work looks like this.

Build a SaaS or business app

You have a rough product idea or internal tool that needs to become a real app: data model, billing, APIs, queues, admin screens, and deployment.

Rescue or modernize a codebase

Your app works, but parts of it slow everything down: old Laravel/PHP versions, unstable deployments, slow queries, broken integrations, or unclear ownership.

Add AI to a product

You have an AI idea, or a place where AI might help, and need it built into the actual product: extraction, content, research, customer features, or internal automation.

Get a senior read on it

Bring me in to look at the app, ask the awkward questions, make technical calls, mentor the team, or build the first version.

Where I Can Help

Sometimes the hardest part is figuring out what to do first.

Founder-led products

You know the business problem, but not every technical step. I can help turn it into a working product without losing sight of tradeoffs.

Complex existing systems

Your app already has history: old code, integrations, data issues, slow parts, and edge cases that need careful handling.

Teams that need ownership

You need someone who can own the technical path, communicate clearly, and keep the project moving.

Recent Work

A few examples of the projects I get pulled into

AI Agent Content SaaS

Built a B2B SaaS from scratch with Laravel, Vue, and Spark. It runs AI agent jobs, handles difficult scraping, and bills customers.

  • Tech:Laravel, Vue.js, Spark/Paddle, Redis/Horizon
  • Challenges:AI orchestration, anti-bot techniques, billing

Real Estate Platform Rescue

Took over a legacy Laravel 5 app, upgraded it to Laravel 11/PHP 8.3+, added AI translation, and stabilized the integrations the business depends on.

  • Tech:Laravel (5 to 11), PHP (7.4 to 8.3+), DeepL/Anthropic AI
  • Challenges:Legacy code, Salesforce integration, multilingual

Big Data Search Engine

Built a search platform for 200M+ records with sub-50ms responses, using Laravel, MeiliSearch, and layered caching.

  • Tech:Laravel, MeiliSearch, Multi-layer caching
  • Challenges:Performance at scale, high availability, big data

Core Stack

Tools I use most often

Backend

Laravel, PHP, Python, Node.js, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis

Frontend

Vue, React, Inertia, Livewire, TypeScript, Bootstrap, Tailwind

AI & Automation

OpenAI, Anthropic, agent jobs, scraping, extraction, integrations

Delivery

APIs, queues, billing, deployments, profiling, migrations, testing

AI, used like an engineer

I've been using AI since the GPT-3 beta. Now it is part of how I build software every day.

Faster without lowering the standard

AI helps me move through more work. I still make the technical calls. Architecture, tradeoffs, testing, and production quality stay my responsibility.

AI inside actual products

I've integrated OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI, and custom agent workflows into SaaS products, content systems, translation workflows, internal tools, and automation-heavy apps.

Part of how I code

Claude Code, Codex, and my own agent workflows are part of my normal development setup. I use AI to read codebases, plan changes, write tests, refactor, debug, and ship.

The result is not vibe coding. It is senior engineering with a much faster loop.

I Work From What You Have

A rough idea, repo access, a screen recording, or a list of problems is enough.

1

Context

Send what you have: a short description, repo access, a screen recording, a list of problems, or just the rough idea.

2

Audit

For existing systems, I check the risky parts first: architecture, performance, integrations, deployment, and data.

3

First move

We choose the first useful move: rescue sprint, feature build, upgrade, AI feature, or ongoing support.

4

Build and stabilize

I build, explain tradeoffs, and keep you updated while the useful parts get done.

Have a project that needs a plan and code?

Send what you have and I'll tell you how I'd approach it.

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