My current systems (Q3 2025)
”For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.” H. L. Mencken
Previously at the Volcano Base I was enjoying the latest DearsonOS patch update (my birthday). Since then I’ve been using service design techniques to help not one but two charities to do more with less. And I’m working with my first construction client. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy learning about a new industry at 500mph.
I’ve also being developing “Dinner Monster” (working title). It’s an AI system to help me understand and manage the infuriatingly divergent food preferences of my teen kids. I can cook up a digital storm, but in the kitchen I’m pretty lame. Embarrassingly lame. My hope is that Dinner Monster will help me cook shit the kids will eat, while not killing them, or introducing long-term harmful health issues. The alternative is Baked Beans, which, admittedly, is less energy-intensive than AI, but more likely to alienate. Heinz might want to consider adopting that strap-line.
Mission Briefing
My current systems (Q3 2025)
As a system designer and Alpha Geek I’m often asked what my system looks like. What software do I use to run the Volcano Base?
The answer changes almost as rapidly as software itself does. I have to experiment with new tools and features. I can’t confidently recommend the right thing if I don’t know what I’m talking about. Hell, I don’t work for McKinsey where that seems to be acceptable.
The first, and perhaps only, thing to say about systems is “there is no perfect system”. There. I said it. That’s going to hurt the biz dev efforts, but it’s true. Ask Galileo. Or the Pope.
It’s also important to say “what works for me might not work for you”. I’m picky about UI and UX. I’m picky about automation and interoperability. I have hardware and OS preferences. I have a limited budget. I care about digital sovereignty. I believe surveillance capitalism is unethical. The Volcano Base systems reflect all of that, but there are always compromises. I wish there were fewer tools, but there we are.
As they say on YouTube, let’s get into it.
This is the kit
n8n
n8n has become the glue that stitches lots of my day-to-day work together, whether using AI or not. It’s an incredibly useful orchestration suite for connecting software applications together and designing all manner of weird and wonderful automated workflows. If you’re interested in playing with it, and don’t mind a technical learning curve, I recommend self-hosting it. I tend to set that up for most of my clients, so they have their own version.
Tana
What to say about Tana. It’s awesome. It’s an AI-enabled workspace and it’s the only tool I have open all day.
It’s not perfect, and the mobile experience is still improving, but it feels like a futuristic company in a box. I’ve built my CRM system in there, deal tracker, project management, meeting agent integration, task lists associated with projects, companies associated with people, day-to-day interstitial journalling, habit tracking, etc. It accepts and understands my dictation. I capture and work on my ideas there. It pulls in all the notes I make on web pages, PDFs, ebooks and newsletters for reference. It allows me to share work on the open web and I haven’t even touched team collaboration features yet.
But the best thing by far is the built-in AI. In the Olden Days I’d create custom GPTs to help me with certain repetitive work. I’ve rebuilt almost all of them inside Tana. The advantage is I can switch to any AI provider’s model without a separate subscription AND have access to my notes, work, ideas etc as context.
It’s not for everyone, especially if technical stuff puts you off, which is why I’m not using it for client collaboration (yet).
Whimsical
I needed a simple way to collaborate on projects with clients and other consultants. Just sharing docs, tasks and status in one place. As a solo operator, Whimsical makes this cheap and super simple. Bear in mind that most of my clients specialise in fields other than technology, and Whimsical does everything it needs to do for my situation and the people I work with.
The killer feature for me is the integrated diagramming tools. I can paste mermaid code directly, or even convert descriptions into diagrams via ChatGPT. It's replaced MindNode, Freeform, Miro and Mural for me.
Cal.com
I’ve tried almost every calendar scheduling tool out there. From the clunky appointment setters available with Google and Microsoft’s products, through Calendly and SavvyCal, etc etc.
Cal.com offer the features I wanted, including integrations with the rest of my system.
It’s incredibly user-friendly and, remarkably, FREE.
FreeAgent
Accountancy software for smaller businesses. Why not something more popular like Xero? This comes down to aesthetics. FreeAgent offers all the power of Xero with a human-centred interface. Invoicing is almost fun! Who am I kidding - invoicing is always fun.
While FreeAgent makes my life simple, my business bank account is with Starling. They just acquired a small business accounting platform called Ember. So, when they integrate that, I might make the switch.
Ghost
I’ve been building my own websites since the web was created, but there comes a time when you want to spend less time on that sort of stuff. I experimented with a bunch of systems (and still do) but ended up choosing Ghost for my website and newsletter. It gives me the option to dick about with code if I want, knowing that mission critical systems are being taken care of behind the scenes. One small but potentially important Ghost feature is ActivityPub compatibility. So creating a Ghost site instantly syndicates your content across the Fediverse.
Mail, docs, calendar, conferencing
Yawn. Still with me? This is the most boring part of the system. You might want to skip to the honourable mentions below.
Sadly, not every business has migrated off old-school file-systems into workspaces that use structured, relational data. And they probably won’t for a long time.
Equally sadly, my clients have a wide variety of providers that I need to be compatible with, especially for video calls and documents. So, as a preference, I use Apple’s native apps (mail, calendar, iCloud) but I also have Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 (and that only so people can book Teams meetings because, let's say it together, "Microsoft sucks"). Everything’s been integrated as far as possible so data flows to one UI.
I don’t want any of them. By and large they all suck. Linear documents are the worst way to communicate information, presentations are dreadful, and email is a curse. But there we are. You can’t win all the fights.
Honourable mentions
Raycast
Never use your mouse again.
1Password
Secure password management is critical.
Plausible
Privacy-friendly alternative to Google Analytics. I self-host it.
Readwise Reader
Web highlighting, newsletter subscriptions, PDF highlights, Kindle highlights, RSS feeds. Anything I’m reading passes through Reader at some point or another, before the good bits end up in Tana.
Tally
Elegant but powerful form-builder for data capture, surveys etc
Buffer
Automate social media posting. I haven't got around to creating my own version in n8n yet. I will.
Ulysses
For all long-form writing using Markdown. I can push from Ulysses directly to Ghost. I fantasise that one day I’ll use Ulysses to write a book. One day. Or is it a classic Getting Things Done case of “someday, never”?
ChatGPT
For oh so many things, but less so as I use the AI features of Tana instead. I do use the OpenAI API quite a lot still though. I quite enjoy bringing custom GPTs along to workshops as an additional participant.
VS Code + Codex
For creating unique web applications. Having Codex available inside VS Code is incredibly powerful.
CleanMyMac
Keeping the hardware clean and safe.
Cleanshot X
For screenshots and annotations. I do so many as part of my work, I needed a way to make it painless and attractive.
Screen Studio
For screen recordings. I tried them all. Screen Studio is the best.
Epilogue
The software will change, but one thing is likely to stay the same: structured data operated on by AI.
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