About

GHHSoftware is me — Grant Hickey. I live in Lake Orion, MI, and have been providing IT services to businesses and individuals (officially) since 1999. It started with PC support for friends and relatives, then grew when a coworker asked if I could build a custom MS Office application to send direct-fax advertisements for his father's phone business. I got a DBA, launched GHHSoftware, and never looked back.

Around 2010, larger businesses started coming to me for more complex custom software solutions, so I formed an LLC. GHHSoftware, LLC has been going strong ever since.

My Background

I worked at Radio Shack in the 1970s, and when they offered the TRS-80 Model I in the 1977 catalog, I was hooked. I put it on layaway for a year to afford it — this was four years before the IBM PC even existed. I dove deep into BASIC, the hardware, the technical docs — everything. That obsession became a foundation that has served me across five decades of technology.

From writing DBase applications for a roller rink owner's side businesses, to earning an Associates degree in Small Computer Technology, to landing my first full-time IT job on the strength of hands-on custom work alone — my career has always been about learning by doing.

Today, my "day job" is at a large company that provides the majority of automotive data (parts, procedures, diagnostics, and more) for the entire western hemisphere. Over the years my expertise has expanded across software, hardware, networking, security, web, mobile, and cloud — covering platforms from Microsoft, Amazon, Intuit, Salesforce, and more.

AI Coding: The New Edge

The latest addition to my toolkit is AI-assisted development using Claude Code. I've integrated AI coding deeply into my workflow, and the results are remarkable: solutions that once took weeks can now be produced in days. But AI alone isn't enough — it takes decades of experience to guide it effectively, ask the right questions, recognize quality output, and know when to push back. That combination of seasoned expertise and AI speed is something very few people can offer, and it's what I bring to every engagement.

The bottom line: my clients get expert-quality software at a fraction of what a traditional development shop would charge, delivered faster than they'd expect.

What I Offer

I started GHHSoftware with a simple goal: make premier IT expertise available to small business owners who can't afford big-agency rates. Most retail IT shops charge too much and deliver too little. Truly capable engineers tend to work for companies that can pay them — not walk-in service centers. GHHSoftware gives you access to that level of talent, with the personal attention of working directly with the expert.

Because this is my side business, I can keep rates competitive. Here's what makes working with me different:

  • Your first consultation is completely free. I'll come out, learn about you and your business, walk through what's possible, and give you an honest assessment — including whether you'd benefit from any changes at all. No pressure, no charge.
  • I'm accessible. I routinely answer emails, calls, and texts without charging a dime. My livelihood doesn't depend on billing every minute, so I'm not watching the clock on small conversations.
  • You pay for results, not my learning curve. Any time I spend researching a new technology or interface to implement your solution is on me — I only bill for implementation. The knowledge I gain is mine to keep, so you shouldn't pay for it.
  • AI cuts your costs further. Routine development tasks that used to take hours now take minutes. That savings is passed directly to you.
Grant and Nancy Hickey

My wife Nancy & Me