Case Study · Custom Code
Lotus Ledger
A premium SaaS marketing site that started on WordPress and Elementor, hit a wall when the client demanded scroll-trigger animations, and was rebuilt from the ground up as a fully custom-coded Next.js site — deployed on the client's own Vercel infrastructure, with all copy and graphics created from scratch.
01
The Challenge
The client needed a premium, single-page SaaS-style marketing site for their POS software business — comparable in quality to helcim.com — but after the first version was built on WordPress and Elementor, they came back requesting premium scroll-trigger animations throughout the site. That level of motion design simply wasn't achievable with the tools already in use.
On top of that, the client wasn't willing to move to standard WordPress hosting. They wanted the site version-controlled through their own existing GitHub account and deployed on their own Vercel setup and domain — meaning the entire build had to fit inside infrastructure I didn't own or control, with no fallback to standard hosting if things broke.
Adding to the complexity: the client had no content or graphics prepared at all. Every line of copy, every visual, every device mockup had to be created from scratch — there was nothing to implement from, only a brief to interpret and build from the ground up.
Homepage hero — Your Salon, Beautifully Run.
02
My Approach
First version on WordPress and Elementor
Built the initial site on WordPress and Elementor to match the client's early design direction — a premium SaaS-style informational page comparable to helcim.com in quality and feel.
Full rebuild in custom code when WordPress couldn't deliver
When the client requested premium scroll-trigger animations throughout the site, WordPress and Elementor couldn't support the level of motion design required. Rather than compromise, I rebuilt the entire site as a fully custom-coded Next.js application from scratch.
Deployed inside the client's own infrastructure
The client wanted the site version-controlled through their own GitHub and deployed on their existing Vercel account and domain — not standard hosting. I worked entirely within their pipeline, including troubleshooting GitHub-to-Vercel sync and auto-deploy disconnects when they surfaced.
All copy and graphics created from scratch
The client had no content or visuals prepared. I wrote all site copy and created premium, software-specific graphics myself — including device-framed POS app mockup screenshots to visually showcase the product — since nothing was supplied.
Multiple rounds of design refinement
Iterated through several feedback rounds: updating the hero gradient and imagery, replacing emoji icons with a professional icon set, removing a custom cursor that hurt scroll performance, and rebuilding a card-stacking section to match the client's updated direction.
AI Receptionist + per-technician dashboard — features page
03
The Result
A fully custom-coded, premium SaaS marketing site delivered and deployed entirely within the client's own GitHub and Vercel setup — with scroll-trigger animations, original copy, and device-framed product graphics all created from scratch. The project involved a successful mid-project pivot from WordPress to fully custom code without losing the client, and multiple rounds of refinement completed smoothly to the client's satisfaction.