Technology changes. Good principles endure.
From building systems to solving bigger problems.
Established in 1998, Untiedshoes has been built on nearly three decades of experience, trusted client relationships and a commitment to doing things properly. Longevity like that doesn't happen by chance. It's earned through understanding clients, delivering on promises and building partnerships that stand the test of time.
From the early days of Classic ASP to today's cloud-based platforms, modern .NET applications and API-driven systems, I've worked through enormous changes in technology. Throughout that evolution, the fundamentals of successful delivery have remained the same: understand the problem, make sound decisions and build solutions that last.
My experience spans bespoke software, complex eCommerce platforms, enterprise applications and integrations, helping organisations create new digital services and evolve the systems they depend on.
It's shaped a straightforward philosophy: the right solution isn't necessarily the newest technology or the most elaborate architecture. It's the one that addresses the business need, works within the constraints and provides a solid foundation for the future.
Today, Untiedshoes brings that experience together through technical consultancy, solution architecture and hands-on engineering. I help organisations make informed decisions, overcome technical challenges and get more value from their digital platforms.
Practical expertise. Clear direction. Technology with a purpose.
Craig Richards - Experience you can draw on. Advice you can understand.
My journey in digital technology began in 1998, when I started out as a freelance developer. From the early days of Classic ASP through the evolution of ASP.NET and the modern .NET ecosystem, I've spent nearly three decades designing, building and evolving digital platforms.
Throughout that time, I've worked with organisations ranging from smaller businesses to established brands and enterprise clients, including Deloitte, NEC, Lotus F1 Team, the British Olympic Association, Dulux, AEG, Ryobi, SCS Sofas and Coventry College.
My experience spans the full lifecycle of digital projects, from initial discovery and solution architecture through to hands-on engineering, integration, performance optimisation and long-term platform evolution. I specialise in the Microsoft .NET ecosystem, with extensive experience in Umbraco CMS, nopCommerce, eCommerce and API-driven systems. As a nopCommerce MVP, I also bring recognised expertise in the platform and its wider ecosystem.
But technical expertise is only part of the picture. I believe good consultancy starts with listening, understanding the business and making complex technology accessible. I'll explain the options, discuss the trade-offs honestly and help you understand the implications of different approaches, without unnecessary jargon or making technology seem more complicated than it needs to be.
Every recommendation should have a clear purpose and a tangible benefit to the business. Whether we're exploring a new idea, addressing an existing technical challenge or planning the next stage of a platform's development, my aim is to provide clear direction, practical advice and solutions that stand the test of time.
My approach is straightforward: clear advice, sound technical thinking and a genuine focus on helping your business move forward.
Clear thinking. Practical advice. Delivery that makes a difference.
I believe good technology consultancy starts with understanding the problem, not prescribing a solution. Every recommendation should have a clear purpose, address a genuine need and support the wider objectives of the business.
Before recommending technology or defining an architecture, I take the time to understand the business, its existing systems, its users and the challenges it needs to overcome. That means asking the right questions, challenging assumptions and identifying opportunities that might otherwise be missed.
Technical recommendations need to work in the real world. My background in hands-on software engineering means I can assess the practical implications of architectural decisions, identify potential risks and develop solutions that balance immediate requirements with performance, maintainability and long-term flexibility.
You work directly with me, from initial discussions and technical planning through to implementation and ongoing improvement. There's no disconnect between the person providing the advice and the person who understands the engineering required to deliver it.
‘Why are you doing this two days before Christmas?’ was Craig’s first question when he replied to our email enquiry on December 23rd 2010.
I answered because, with this ‘Beast from the East’, I hadn’t seen a customer for nearly three months here in the North East, but they were still golfing down in the South West and other parts of the UK! Secondly, I wanted someone who could help, guide, teach and train us, and who was local enough to come and show us how to do things. As a Golf Professional at a busy Club, my strengths lie there.
Our relationship with Craig started there. He rang us, came to see us and took the time to understand what we actually wanted. That was important to us. Other companies we enquired with emailed us back and ‘told us’ what we should do.
Our brief was to create a clean, unfussy site that made us look a lot bigger than we were, and he certainly did that.
That approach has continued ever since. Craig has helped us maintain, update and improve the site, while continually advising us on new ideas, technology and opportunities. He has always taken the time to understand what we are trying to achieve before advising us on the best way forward.
We now have many more skills ourselves and are still learning more. You cannot afford to stand still or you will get left behind in this incredibly fast-moving business.
Along the way, Craig also helped us rebrand our logo and image to be crisper and more up to date. He has also helped us with the integration and management of our social media channels and advertising.
I can’t recommend Craig highly enough. He is a man of many talents, but what has really stood out for us is his ability to understand what we need, explain the options and then provide the technical expertise to make it happen.
Employing Craig as our technical consultant was definitely one of our better decisions.
