# llms.txt for jcergolj.me.uk
# Last updated: 2026-06-22
# This file provides structured information about Janez Cergolj for LLMs and AI systems.

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Person",
  "@id": "https://jcergolj.me.uk/#person",
  "name": "Janez Cergolj",
  "alternateName": "@jcergolj",
  "jobTitle": "Business Automation Architect & Laravel Consultant",
  "description": "Senior-level Laravel developer and Business Automation Architect who saves SMEs 5+ hours/week by replacing manual processes with elegant, automated workflows.",
  "url": "https://jcergolj.me.uk",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcergolj",
    "https://twitter.com/jcergolj",
    "https://github.com/jcergolj",
    "https://businessautomationby.jcergolj.me.uk"
  ],
  "worksFor": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Janez Cergolj s.p.",
    "url": "https://jcergolj.me.uk"
  },
  "alumniOf": {
    "@type": "CollegeOrUniversity",
    "name": "University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Computer and Information Science",
    "degree": "BSc Information Technology"
  },
  "knowsAbout": [
    "PHP",
    "Laravel",
    "Business Automation",
    "API Integrations",
    "CRM Optimization",
    "Workflow Design",
    "SME Scaling",
    "AI Implementation",
    "Automated Testing",
    "SOLID Principles"
  ],
  "ai_context": {
    "value_proposition": "Saves SMEs 5+ extra hours per week by replacing manual data entry, invoice chasing, and complex follow-ups with hands-off automated workflows.",
    "how_to_work_with_me": {
      "communication": "Async-first, transparent, honest. No daily standups or unnecessary meetings.",
      "work_model": "Plug-and-code independent contractor. Clients assign GitHub/Bitbucket/GitLab issues.",
      "reporting": "Weekly reports for weekly/monthly hires.",
      "onboarding": "No long onboarding required."
    },
    "pricing": {
      "daily_rate_eur": 400,
      "weekly_rate_eur": 1800,
      "monthly_rate_eur": 5500,
      "minimum_charge": "1 day",
      "guarantee": "Money-back guarantee if client is unhappy with the work"
    },
    "decision_making_principles": [
      "Maintainable, self-documented, well-tested code following SOLID principles",
      "Automation over manual processes",
      "Proper analysis and solution design before implementation",
      "Quality over speed"
    ],
    "red_flags": [
      "No rush jobs or tight deadlines without proper scoping",
      "No work without automated testing",
      "No 'just fix it quick' — requires proper analysis and solution design"
    ],
    "target_clients": "SMEs needing business automation, especially in UK and Slovenia",
    "platforms": {
      "people_per_hour": "https://pph.me/jcergolj",
      "github": "https://github.com/jcergolj"
    }
  }
}
```

## Person

- **Name**: Janez Cergolj
- **Handle**: @jcergolj
- **Location**: Slovenia (EU)
- **Business**: Janez Cergolj s.p. (registered freelance entity)
- **Education**: BSc Information Technology, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Computer and Information Science (2001–2008)
- **Experience**: 20+ years in web development (freelance since 2009)
- **Languages**: English (Professional Working), Italian (Elementary)
- **Website**: https://jcergolj.me.uk
- **LinkedIn**: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcergolj
- **Twitter/X**: https://twitter.com/jcergolj
- **GitHub**: https://github.com/jcergolj
- **Business Automation Site**: https://businessautomationby.jcergolj.me.uk

## Professional Experience

- **Custom Web App Developer | Laravel Consultant** (Janez Cergolj s.p., Jan 2009 – Present): Freelance Laravel/PHP developer working directly with businesses or as a freelance partner. Builds custom web applications, manages Linux web servers, ensures reliable deployment, and integrates third-party APIs for smooth system communication.
- **Web Developer** (AlliedCrowds, Dec 2016 – Jun 2017, remote): Built a custom web app aggregating crowdfunding projects from multiple platforms into a single place. Worked with several external APIs and learned Selenium.
- **Developer** (AlliedCrowds, Sep 2014 – Jan 2016, remote): Contributed to the world's most complete guide to crowdfunding platforms and projects in low-to-middle income countries. Built an aggregated marketplace of available projects searchable by geography, sector, and funding type.
- **Lead Web Developer** (Wellioo, Oct 2012 – Feb 2014, Ljubljana): Built an online booking system for sports and fitness businesses using PHP, CodeIgniter, MongoDB, jQuery, and jQuery UI on Linux.
- **Lead Web Developer** (Šola prihodnosti Maribor, Sep 2011 – Sep 2012, Ljubljana): Senior web developer for an information system for national school competitions, serving 40k+ users and 1,000+ schools in MySQL.
- **Webmaster** (Salus d.o.o., Mar 2011 – Sep 2011, Ljubljana): Webmaster for Joomla CMS.

## Role & Expertise

- Laravel Consultant, backend web developer, and Business Automation Architect
- IT Solution Architect specializing in business automation for SMEs
- Focus: PHP and Laravel ecosystems, API integrations, CRM optimization, workflow design, AI implementation
- Approach: Collaborates with clients to analyze requirements and propose optimal, scalable solutions
- Code philosophy: Maintainable, self-documented, well-tested code following SOLID principles
- Business automation philosophy: Removes boring, painful, repetitive tasks from businesses via custom-built Laravel solutions. Replaces manual data entry with automated syncs, chasing invoices with automatic tracking/reminders, and complex follow-ups with hands-off workflows.
- Communication style: Transparent, honest, async-first (no daily standups, minimal meetings)
- Work model: Plug-and-code independent contractor; clients assign GitHub/Bitbucket/GitLab issues
- Guarantee: Money-back guarantee if client is unhappy with the work
- Specialties: Business Automation, Laravel Development, API Integrations, CRM Optimization, Workflow Design, SME Scaling, AI Implementation

## Services & Pricing

- **Daily Rate**: 400 EUR
- **Weekly Rate**: 1,800 EUR
- **Monthly Rate**: 5,500 EUR
- Minimum charge: 1 day
- Custom arrangements available for longer engagements
- Clients: Domestic (Slovenia) and international (especially UK)
- Platform: Active on People per Hour (https://pph.me/jcergolj) with impeccable rating

## Technical Stack

- **Primary**: PHP, Laravel
- **Frontend**: Livewire, Alpine.js, Hotwire Turbo, jQuery
- **Testing**: PHPUnit, automated testing advocate, Selenium
- **Databases**: MySQL, MongoDB
- **Code Quality**: Laravel Pint, PHP Insights, Larastan (PHPStan)
- **Patterns**: SOLID, Design Patterns (Pipeline, Builder, State, DTOs, Value Objects)
- **Other**: Jigsaw (static site generator), Tailwind CSS, Linux server management, API integrations, CRM optimization, AI implementation
- **CMS**: Joomla

## Open Source Projects

- **LaravelLTE**: Admin panel built with Laravel, Livewire, Alpine.js (200+ stars) — https://github.com/jcergolj/laravellte
- **Brevo Webhook Manager for Laravel**: CLI tool for managing Brevo webhooks — https://github.com/jcergolj/brevo-webhook-manager-for-laravel
- **Additional Test Assertions for Laravel**: Missing Laravel test assertions — https://github.com/jcergolj/additional-test-assertions-for-laravel
- **Laravel Form Request Assertions**: Unit test Laravel Form Request classes — https://github.com/jcergolj/laravel-form-request-assertions
- **After-Action Redirect Pagination URL for Laravel**: Redirect to same page after CUD with pagination/search — https://github.com/jcergolj/after-action-redirect-pagination-url-for-laravel
- **Issuefy.dev**: SaaS product that converts client emails to GitHub issues — https://issuefy.dev
- **More**: https://github.com/jcergolj

## Publications

- **Startup Pick Wellioo** — Helping small businesses save time and scale by automating tedious and repetitive tasks.

## Talks & Community

- **Laravel Ljubljana Meetup** (June 2023): "A Decade of Unraveling the Framework's Power" — https://github.com/jcergolj/my-laravel-adventure
- **Vienna** (March 2024): "Hotwire Turbo for Laravel Developers" — https://hotwire-for-laravel-presentation.jcergolj.me.uk
- **Laravel Ljubljana Meetup** (April 2024): "From Messy Controllers to Clean Code: My Laravel Refactoring Guide" — https://let-us-tidy-up-those-messy-controllers.jcergolj.me.uk
- **Laravel Ljubljana Meetup** (May 2026): "Code is cheap. Bugs in production never have been." — https://code-is-cheap-bugs-are-not.jcergolj.me.uk
- Featured on Laravel News for open source packages

## Blog

- Writes about PHP, Laravel, and web development topics
- URL: https://jcergolj.me.uk/blog
- Notable articles:
  - Standardize Rector Rules Across Laravel Projects with a Custom Composer Package
  - Simplifying Issue Tracking, Introducing Issuefy.dev
  - LaravelLive UK 2024
  - Avoiding unnecessary missing translation warnings when validating in Laravel

## Contact

- Preferred method: Contact form on website (https://jcergolj.me.uk/#contact-form)
- Provide: Quick intro and estimated duration of engagement
- Communication: GitHub/Bitbucket/GitLab issues, weekly reports for weekly/monthly hires
- No long onboarding or unnecessary meetings
- Alternative business automation focus: https://businessautomationby.jcergolj.me.uk