Why We Built FencePencil as a Productized Agency
The thinking behind turning a traditional agency into a productized offering with fixed-scope packages, managed hosting, and compliance add-ons.
Most agencies operate on a time-and-materials basis. You estimate hours, the project inevitably takes longer, and both sides feel the tension. We wanted something different.
The Problem with Traditional Agencies
Custom software projects are hard to scope. Requirements shift, priorities change, and the "simple feature" turns into a three-sprint odyssey. T&M billing creates misaligned incentives — the agency benefits from scope creep, the client suffers.
Our Approach: Fixed Scope, Fixed Price
FencePencil packages are designed with clear deliverables:
- Starter Kits — pre-built platforms you can customize
- Custom Builds — scoped engagements with defined milestones
- Managed Hosting — we run your infrastructure so you don't have to
- Compliance Add-ons — SOC 2 and HIPAA certification, maintained monthly
Each service has transparent pricing. No surprise invoices, no ambiguous "additional hours."
The Tech Behind It
We built our own platform to manage the entire lifecycle:
- Client Portal — real-time project visibility, milestones, invoices
- Admin Dashboard — project management, resource allocation, billing
- Infrastructure Automation — Terraform modules for AWS and Azure
- Compliance Tooling — automated evidence collection, policy templates
What's Next
We're actively building out the platform. The marketing site, client portal, and admin dashboard are live. Next up: billing automation, deployment pipelines, and the compliance engine.
If you're interested in working with us or just want to follow along, get in touch.