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Ref. 04 · Brackish & Co.

CEA — Chief Executive Angel

A full small-business operations platform for a solo coaching practice — client portal, invoicing, scheduling, marketing hub — built and shipped as a Field Kit in under three weeks.

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CEA — Chief Executive Angel cover illustration
Ref. 04 · cover · Brackish & Co.

Role

Solo designer + full-stack build · 3-week turnaround

Year

2026

Stack & Surfaces

TanStack Start · Custom /admin + client dashboards · Stripe invoicing · Brevo transactional + newsletter · Web Push (PWA)

[Problem]

Chief Executive Angel is a solo coaching practice, and the owner was paying monthly for a stack that still didn't work well together: an old Wix site, Calendly for booking, Stripe for invoicing, Brevo for newsletters, Google Docs for handoffs, and nothing that gave her clients a single place to see what was happening. Turnover was quiet and expensive.

[Approach]

  • 01Replaced the Wix site with a fast, editable Field Kit build on her own domain (chiefexecutiveangel.com) — she edits copy, services, and photos herself from a private /admin.
  • 02Wired in bookings, invoicing (Stripe), a client portal with per-project timelines and messaging, a marketing hub with optional draft help, and Brevo-powered newsletters — all under one login instead of five subscriptions.
  • 03Shipped a client dashboard so her customers see their own project timeline, invoices, documents, and a direct message channel to her — no back-and-forth in email.
  • 04Full mobile PWA with web push notifications so both the owner and her clients get real-time updates without paying for SMS.

[Outcome]

Live at chiefexecutiveangel.com in under three weeks, replacing five separate subscriptions with one owned platform. Now in retainer/maintenance mode. Comparable custom-agency build would have run $8k–$25k+ upfront with $500–$2,000/mo ongoing; delivered at Field Kit rate.

[The finished build]

Chief Executive Angel home screen

[Client note]

“This is so full service and way more than I would have even thought to ask someone for. It feels like my whole online presence as well as the backend that I interact with are undergoing the transformation I've needed. A real makeover for my business that aligns with its growth over the last 10 years, and I particularly love that my clients and community will have easier access to connecting with everything I offer.”

Mel, Chief Executive Angel

[What's actually built in]

Every Field Kit ships with the same real infrastructure — not a template site with a contact form bolted on. Each tile below is a live system in this build. In plain terms first, then the tech underneath.

Editable site + /admin dashboard

You edit copy, prices, hours, and photos yourself from a private dashboard.

Replaces: Squarespace / Wix / Webflow editor

Contact & inquiry form

Public form that routes to your inbox and into your admin inquiries queue.

Replaces: Typeform, Jotform

Newsletter signup

Double opt-in newsletter signup; subscriber list visible in your dashboard.

Replaces: Mailchimp / Substack signup widget

One short link for social media (/links)

One short, easy web address (yoursite.com/links) that you put in your Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook bio. It's a single tidy page holding every link you want people to tap — book, shop, menu, directions, newsletter. Like a tinyurl or Linktree, except it's yours, it's free, and you edit it yourself.

Replaces: Linktree, Beacons, bit.ly / tinyurl

Mobile-friendly + basic SEO

Responsive layout, meta tags, sitemap, and social-share images.

Replaces: Yoast, RankMath

Basic integrations & embeds

Connect the outside tools you already use — Google Calendar, Google Maps, YouTube/Vimeo embeds, Instagram feeds, Stripe, standard OAuth logins, and any service with a normal embed code or public API. Complex custom syncs are a separate add-on.

Replaces: Zapier lite, most embed / connect widgets

Branded PDF export template

Guides, invoices, and one-pagers export in your brand.

Replaces: Canva Pro exports

Basic analytics dashboard

Traffic, top pages, form submissions, and booking counts — visible in your admin.

Replaces: Fathom lite, GA basics

Handoff Cost Sheet + Package Add-ons

Visible pricing, retainer/package system, client-package usage tracking.

Replaces: Manual pricing pages + spreadsheets

Custom Domain + Site Email

Your site sends its own emails from you@yourdomain — signup confirmations, receipts, booking notices — with proper authentication so they land in inboxes, not spam. A personal inbox at your domain is separate: if you already use Google Workspace or Outlook, I connect your domain's mail to it; if not, I help you pick and set one up, and that provider bills you directly.

Replaces: Postmark / Resend + manual DNS

Point-and-click site editor (featured)

Move, resize, and restyle things on your own pages by clicking them, without touching the dashboard forms. Featured in every Field Kit: you change your own site the moment you want to, no waiting on me.

Replaces: Webflow Editor, Elementor

Comparable custom-agency build: $8k–$25k+ upfront, $500–$2,000/mo ongoing, 8–20 weeks. Field Kit: shipped in weeks, one owner, no monthly SaaS tax. Sliding-scale Driftline rate available.

[The Tide Line]

Field notes from the tide.

West Coast seaweed, in one inbox: the news, the policy moves, the science worth knowing, plus walk dates and the occasional letter from me. Quiet, never noisy. Unsubscribe any time.