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Why does this studio exist?
Because small organizations kept getting the same two bad options: a template they would outgrow, or an agency that would outprice them.
High Sierra Technology started in 2021 with one client — a regional news site that needed a publishing workflow no page builder sold. That project set the pattern for everything since: organizations with real technical requirements, small budgets, and nobody in-house to hand the problem to.
The studio has stayed intentionally small. You will not be introduced to a project manager, and your work will not be reassigned to a junior developer at the end of the quarter. The trade-off is honest: we take fewer projects at once, and we say no to work that does not fit.
Who is behind it?
John Fansler
Founder & Lead Developer
Full-stack developer shipping production web and iOS software since 2021, working in TypeScript, React, Next.js, and Swift.
- Primary stack:
- TypeScript, React, Next.js, PostgreSQL
- Mobile:
- Swift, SwiftUI, WatchOS
- Payments:
- Stripe subscriptions, invoicing, refunds
- Based in:
- Eastern Sierra, California — working remotely across the US
- Contact:
- john@highsierratechnology.com
What do we actually promise?
Four commitments that show up in every contract we write.
- You own everything
- The domain, the hosting account, the content, and the source code stay in your name. If you ever want a different developer, you hand them a repository, not a ransom note.
- Fixed scope, fixed price
- Work is quoted from a written scope before it starts. If the scope changes, we re-quote in writing. There is no hourly meter running in the background.
- Boring infrastructure
- We pick tools with long support horizons — PostgreSQL, TypeScript, Next.js, Stripe, Swift — over whatever launched last month. Your site should be dull to operate.
- Accessible by default
- Keyboard navigation, real focus states, semantic landmarks, and colour contrast are part of the build, not an upsell. Every project is checked against WCAG 2.2 Level AA.
How did we get here?
Studio founded. Eastern Sierra Now becomes the first client and is still one today.
Nevada Fire Chiefs Association and Nevada Emergency Preparedness Association come on board, adding statewide nonprofit work.
MyStych ships to the App Store — a project-tracking app for knitters — alongside the BHOV podcast site.
PlayBallComms launches for iPhone and Apple Watch, using peer-to-peer connections so coaches can call pitches without internet.
Each of these is on the portfolio page with a live link, so you can judge the work rather than the description of it.
What happens if you get in touch?
You send a short description of the problem. You get a reply with clarifying questions, usually within one business day, then a written scope and a fixed quote. If the honest answer is that a template would serve you better, that is what you will hear.