Practical Solutions, Neighborly Rates

One person. A wide range of practical skills. Someone to call when a task needs doing well. Virtually available anywhere in the NRV and beyond.

I'm the whole of Layman's Business Services — research, design, websites, digital tools, newsletters, and the odd jobs in between, for small businesses, nonprofits, and busy people around the New River Valley. No jargon, no corporate pricing, no runaround.

Edward Long, owner of Layman's Business Services in the New River Valley

How I got here

For years I've been the person friends, coworkers, and local organizations come to when something needs figuring out: a website that needs fixing, a pile of information that needs sorting, a flyer that needs making, a process that could run smoother.

It turns out that's a job. So I made it one. I keep the language plain because most people don't need the jargon — they need the thing done. And I keep the rates neighborly because that's who I'd rather work with: the shop down the street, the nonprofit run on grant money, the person with a good idea and no tech department.

If it's practical, I'm interested — and if it's something I haven't done before, I'm willing to learn it. If it's genuinely not mine to do, I'll tell you straight and point you to someone better. And you won't pay for work that doesn't meet the bar we agree on. Satisfaction guarantee: if it doesn't match what we agreed on, I'll fix it free — or you don't pay for that part of the project.

What that means for you

  • Plain-English updates — you'll always know what's happening and why.
  • A clear price before any work starts — no surprise invoices.
  • One point of contact — the person you email is the person doing the work.

What I can take off your plate

Closer to a virtual assistant who can also build you a website.

Online research

Fact-finding, resource lists, comparison research, and clear summaries you can actually use.

Data & directory vetting

Confirming that lists, guides, and records are accurate — by website, map, and direct phone calls. Delivered as a clean spreadsheet or web page.

Graphic design

Flyers, social posts, simple logos, and clean document layout. Canva for quick turnarounds, Photoshop for the detailed work.

How-to guides & tutorials

Step-by-step visual walkthroughs that let your staff or customers do the thing without calling you.

Newsletters & digital publishing

Editing, layout, and turning a finished PDF into a page-flip edition people can read on their phone.

Websites

Building small business and organization sites, and keeping existing ones current, working, and secure.

Apps & digital tools

Custom software for a specific job. Wayfinder, a resource-navigation app for communities, is the one I'm proudest of.

Workflow & efficiency

A fresh set of eyes on a process that's slower or clunkier than it should be, and a plain plan to fix it.

General assistant support

Data entry, document formatting, online errands, and the tasks that don't fit a category. If it's on your list, ask.

Don't see your task? Ask anyway — the list really does go on.

The one I'm proudest of

Wayfinder

A web app that helps people find the local services they need — food, housing, healthcare, legal help, reentry support — without having to know the name of an agency first. Built for the New River Valley, now licensed to other regions. I designed it, built it, vetted every listing, and I keep it running.

280+ local services2 regions liveEN / ES bilingual2024 since launch
Visit nrvwayfinder.com
NRV Wayfinder — locally curated, regionally utilized. Find your path to community resources across the New River Valley.

Proof, not promises

A few recent projects that draw on my range of skills.

Spreadsheet + public web page

Regional housing resource guide

A regional government commission hired me to check every listing in their old housing guide — by website, map, and phone call — and hand it back as a working spreadsheet plus a public web version they still publish today.

View the published guide →
Step-by-step walkthrough

Public transit how-to

A clear, illustrated guide showing residents how to use Google Maps to find and ride public transportation — made so people could follow it without help.

Page-flip digital edition

Community newsletter

Monthly editing and layout for a community newsletter, plus turning each finished issue into a page-flip edition that reads well on a phone.

Design samples — [add favorites]

Flyers & graphics

Event flyers, social graphics, and document layouts for local groups and small businesses.

Tell me what you need done

Your message comes straight to me, no account manager, no phone tree. Tell me what you're trying to get done, and I'll tell you whether I can help. I'm a skilled problem solver, and I'll take 24–48 hours to consider your situation and figure out the best way to help. Once we agree on a plan of action, I can give you an estimate of what the project will cost.