Liam Newton - Software Engineer & Founder of HiveSuite

About

Software that gets used, not just shipped

I’m the Founder & Developer of HiveSuite, a business management platform built for contractors, tradespeople and small businesses. HiveSuite makes quoting, invoicing and admin fast and effortless, with AI-powered features that save time and boost productivity.

I built it after seeing first-hand how small businesses struggle with manual paperwork and inefficient systems. My goal is simple: make business admin as painless as possible - so people can focus on their work instead of their paperwork.

Alongside HiveSuite, I’ve worked as a software engineer helping modernise a legacy ERP platform and mentoring junior engineers. Before software, I spent a decade in technical sales and logistics - which is exactly why I build tools that make sense to the people using them on the ground.

The story

From one business to a platform

HiveSuite didn’t begin as a polished product. It started as a simple, custom-built tool made to cut down the admin for just one business - functional, but clunky, and never intended for public use.

But even that early version made something clear: the problem wasn’t unique. Across the country, small teams and contractors were fighting the same time-consuming admin. So rather than patch up a one-off tool, I decided to build a proper platform - one that worked for any business that needed to simplify its workflow without overcomplicating it.

It hasn’t stopped since. HiveSuite is built independently, from real feedback, long nights and constant iteration - and it isn’t “finished”. That’s the point. It’s still growing, still improving, and helping more people every day.

It wasn’t built in a boardroom or driven by investors. It was created independently - one feature at a time.

Liam Newton, on building HiveSuite

2023 One business, one problem
A custom tool built for a single trades company - functional, but never meant for public use.
2024 NXPortal ships
The first external version, released once it was clear the admin problem was everywhere.
Jan 2025 HiveSuite is born
A complete ground-up rebuild under a new brand, built for UK trades from the ground up.
Oct 2025 HiveSuite 2.0 goes public
Public launch with Google sign-in, Stripe, an installable PWA and a 30-day trial - now HiveSuite Limited (Co. No. 16791803).

Experience

Where I’ve worked

From the warehouse floor to founding a SaaS platform - a decade of building, selling and supporting, then learning to ship software professionally.

HS HiveSuite

Jan 2025 – Present

Founder & Director · Self-employed · United Kingdom (Remote)

I founded and built HiveSuite, a cloud-based business management platform for contractors, trades and mobile service businesses. As the sole developer, I handle everything from backend and infrastructure to UI design, product planning, deployment and customer experience - taking it from a side idea to a fully functioning SaaS platform with paying, recurring subscribers.

Built the full stack - quoting, invoicing, CRM, scheduling, payments and team management - as one integrated platform, evolved from NXPortal to a ground-up HiveSuite rebuild.
Created HiveIntel, natural-language analytics that answers plain-English questions like "who hasn't paid me?" from live business data.
Integrated Stripe (payment links with automatic reconciliation), QuickBooks, Xero, Google OAuth sign-in and validated CSV data import.
Built in robust application security: role-based access with 14+ granular permissions, AES-256 encryption, CSRF protection, prepared statements and full activity logging with IP tracking.
Shipped a native Android app (Google Play) and an installable PWA (HiveCrew) for field teams, with push notifications across web and mobile.
Ran the whole operation solo - servers, deployments, backups, onboarding, landing pages, SEO and product direction.

SaaS Development Startup Development PHP MySQL JavaScript Full-stack Product Design AI Features App Security Payments DevOps

Visit HiveSuite

AG Amtivo Group

2022 – 2026 · 3 yrs 7 mos

Full-time · United Kingdom (Remote)

Software Engineer Oct 2025 – Apr 2026

Contributed to modernising a legacy ERP platform, took ownership of front-end JavaScript and database work, and mentored junior and application-support engineers - refactoring gnarly legacy code into modern, maintainable practice.
Junior Developer Oct 2022 – Sep 2025

Grew from junior into a trusted full-stack developer, delivering robust, well-structured software across the ERP and internal business systems - turning vague operational problems into working tools with Classic ASP, JavaScript and SQL.

Classic ASP VBScript JavaScript jQuery SQL Legacy Modernisation Mentoring

NW Newton Waterproofing

Ongoing · Contract

Developer (Contractor) · United Kingdom (Remote)

On-and-off contract development over the last couple of years - building internal tools and NetSuite / SuiteScript customisations, including turning manual spreadsheet processes into proper web applications.

NetSuite SuiteScript JavaScript REST APIs Internal Tools

NW Newton Waterproofing

2012 – 2022 · 10 yrs

United Kingdom

Technical Sales Advisor / Logistics Co-ordinator Jul 2017 – Oct 2022

Advised customers on technical products and co-ordinated logistics - the front-line experience that shaped how I build software for trades today.
Technical Sales Advisor May 2016 – Jul 2017
Sales Advisor Mar 2015 – May 2016
Warehouse Assistant Oct 2012 – Mar 2015

Skills

What I work with

Full-stack web development, product thinking and the practical business knowledge that comes from a decade on the tools and the phones.

Languages & Web

JavaScript PHP SQL HTML CSS jQuery MySQLi Classic ASP VBScript C#

Product & Platform

SaaS Development Startup Development PWA & Mobile UI / UX Design Onboarding & Funnels SEO & Analytics

Engineering & Ops

Software Development REST APIs NetSuite / SuiteScript Legacy Modernisation Servers & Deployment Security & Backups Stripe, QuickBooks & Xero

Business & People

Technical Sales Customer Experience Logistics Mentoring Product Direction

Recent work

Five months of shipping, solo

A snapshot of what I’ve designed, built and released on HiveSuite between April and August 2026 - often several updates a week, end to end, on my own.

HivePlanner V2

A ground-up rebuild of the scheduling engine: faster calendar, drag-to-reschedule, full job inspector, kanban pipeline, recurring jobs and cost tracking.

May 2026

Compliance Documents

Build and issue UK industry-standard certificates, RAMS, method statements and checklists - Gas Safety CP12, EICR, PAT, fire safety - with signature capture and branded PDFs.

Apr – Jun 2026

HiveIntel - AI reporting

Ask your business a question in plain English and get real answers pulled from live data - revenue, profitability, inventory and site-log reports, no spreadsheets.

Ongoing

Xero & QuickBooks sync

Two-way accounting integrations that keep customers, invoices, quotations, suppliers, purchase orders and ledger entries in sync automatically.

Jul 2026

Interactive quotes

Customers accept or decline from a branded magic link - no login - choose pricing tiers and optional extras, and trigger a deposit invoice the moment they confirm.

Jun 2026

HiveCrew & mobile apps

An on-site app for engineers - check-ins, job timers, photos, materials and certificates - plus a native Android app, an installable PWA and push notifications across web and mobile.

May 2026

Selected releases

Shipping, month after month

A selection of major HiveSuite releases since launch - a steady cadence from the first planner to AI reporting, a customer portal and accounting integrations.

Aug 2026
Site Log & sign-off approvals
Structured site-visit records with photos and checklists, plus admin sign-off on completed jobs.
Jul 2026
Xero & QuickBooks sync
Two-way accounting integrations for customers, invoices, suppliers, purchase orders and ledger.
Jun 2026
Interactive quotes
Magic-link accept/decline with pricing tiers, optional extras and automatic deposit invoicing.
May 2026
HivePlanner V2 & HiveCrew
A ground-up planner rebuild plus a dedicated field app, with push notifications across web and mobile.
Apr 2026
Compliance Certificates
Build and issue UK industry-standard certificates from jobs, with branded PDFs and revisions.
Jan 2026
Customer Portal
Branded client logins to track jobs, approve quotes, pay invoices via Stripe and message securely.
Dec 2025
Custom statuses & drag-and-drop scheduling
Configurable workflow stages across jobs, quotes and invoices, plus stronger platform security.
Nov 2025
HiveIntel reporting
Plain-English business questions answered instantly, with saveable reports and scheduled delivery.
Oct 2025
HiveSuite 2.0 public launch
Streamlined sign-up, Google sign-in, Stripe payments, an installable PWA and a 30-day trial.
May 2025
HivePlanner
Visual, calendar-based job scheduling with real-time status and automatic client updates.

References

What colleagues say

Recommendations from people I’ve worked alongside.

AT Aaron Trevena Software Engineer at Netcraft · managed Liam directly

“ Liam made a significant contribution to modernising the legacy ERP platform, and to mentoring the junior and application-support engineers. He was a quick, enthusiastic learner who took ownership of projects - particularly front-end JavaScript and database work - and brought attention to detail and quality so that software was robust and easy to work with. Very much a team player, and someone I’d gladly work with again.

RH Robert Hope Software Engineer, Kent / London · worked on the same team

“ I really enjoyed working with Liam at Amtivo. He is genuine, reliable and professional, with a strong work ethic and clear communication. He approaches challenges in a calm, practical way and is someone you can trust to do things properly. I have a lot of respect for Liam and would not hesitate to recommend him.

AC Anabel Cortez Muñoz Software and Application Support · worked with Liam across teams

“ I had the pleasure of working with Liam as a Software Engineer, and he was a true asset to the team. Knowledgeable, proactive, and consistently bringing innovation - new ideas and better ways of doing things. Easy to work with, reliable, and quick to pick up new skills. His contributions had a positive impact on the team and our progress. I would highly recommend him to any team.

Learning

Self-taught, shipping-first

No computer-science degree - I learned to build by building. Real systems, real users, real feedback have been the syllabus.

Self-taught developer

Grew from support and internal tooling into full-stack engineering - then designed, built and shipped an entire production SaaS platform, solo. Everything here was learned on the job and by doing.

Ongoing · every day

Get in touch

Let’s build something useful

Whether you run a small business that could use HiveSuite, or you’re looking for a developer who ships - I’d love to hear from you.

liamnewton@hivesuite.co.uk

LinkedIn HiveSuite Email