IT services for Wisconsin and Chicago businesses
One engineer, five kinds of work. Pick the one that matches your problem, or book a call and we'll figure it out together.
Network & securityCustom software & appsAI & automationInfrastructure & backupsCompliance & advisory
Network & security
Layers 1–7
Design and install of firewalls, switches, Wi-Fi and VPNs, with segmentation so guests, phones and payment systems can't see each other.
A good fit if
- Your Wi-Fi drops or slows down when the office gets busy
- Guests, cameras and staff all share one flat network
- You're replacing an aging firewall or adding a location
- Remote staff need secure access to the office
What's included
- Site assessment and network diagram
- Firewall policy, VPN and remote access
- Switch and VLAN design
- Wireless planning and access point placement
- Commented configuration backups
Typical tools: Fortinet FortiGate, FortiSwitch and FortiAP; Cisco Catalyst and ISR; Palo Alto Networks; Arista
Custom software & apps
Layer 7
Web and mobile applications built to fit how your business actually works, from booking and payments to internal tools.
A good fit if
- You're paying for software that does half of what you need
- Staff copy data between systems by hand
- You want an app customers can download
- You need a booking, scheduling or point-of-sale system
What's included
- Product planning and clickable prototypes
- Web apps and mobile apps for iOS and Android
- Payments, email and calendar integrations
- Hosting, monitoring and updates
Typical tools: React, Next.js, Node.js, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Prisma, Drizzle, Capacitor, AWS
AI & automation
Layer 7
Practical automation that drafts the repetitive work, such as summaries, replies and reports, and leaves the decisions to people.
A good fit if
- Your team spends hours on the same reports every week
- You want to use AI but don't want customer data leaking
- You need a daily brief pulled from several systems
What's included
- Workflow review to find the right first task
- AI agents with human review built in
- Integrations with Microsoft 365 and your existing tools
- Guardrails for what data the AI can and can't touch
Typical tools: Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot Studio, Cursor
Infrastructure & backups
Layers 1–2
Servers, storage and backups sized for a small business, set up so restoring a file or a whole system is a routine job, not an emergency.
A good fit if
- You don't know when your last good backup was
- A single old server runs everything
- You want to move off a costly cloud subscription
What's included
- Virtualization hosts and containers
- Network storage with versioned, automated backups
- Tested restore procedures
- Power and rack planning
Typical tools: Proxmox, Docker, Synology, APC
Compliance & advisory
All layers
Plain-language technology plans and security reviews from an engineer who works under utility-grade compliance standards every day.
A good fit if
- You've been asked about your security practices by a client or insurer
- You're comparing vendors and quotes you can't evaluate
- You need a technology roadmap for the next two to three years
What's included
- Security and configuration reviews
- Vulnerability and patch process design
- Vendor-neutral quote review
- Technology roadmap and budget
Typical tools: NIST CSF, NIST SP 800-53, NERC CIP experience, ITIL change management
Working with us
How much does a project cost?
It depends on scope, so every project starts with a free consultation and a written quote. Small office network refreshes and focused software builds are priced as fixed projects; ongoing support can be hourly or a monthly plan.
Do you offer ongoing support?
Yes. After a project you can keep us on for updates, monitoring of what we built, and changes as your business grows. There's no requirement to sign up for support to get a project done.
Will I be locked in to Layer One?
No. Every project ends with documentation, diagrams, configurations and admin access handed to you. Another engineer should be able to pick it up from what we leave behind.
Do you work with home offices?
Yes, especially home offices that handle business data or need a secure connection to an office network.
Can you work with our existing IT provider?
Yes. We often handle a specific project, such as a firewall replacement or a custom app, alongside an existing managed service provider.