How a Reusable Portal Shell Unlocks Infinite Custom Apps for SMBs | UnHacked Ep. 96
Hosts:
Justin Shelley - https://www.phoenixitadvisors.com/
Mario Zaki - https://www.mazteck.com/
Bryan Lachapelle - https://www.b4networks.ca/
Joshua Holloway - https://7thdi.com/
What if you could build the custom business app you've always wanted in a single afternoon, without rebuilding login, security, and AI integrations from scratch every time?
Justin Shelley - https://www.phoenixitadvisors.com/
Mario Zaki - https://www.mazteck.com/
Bryan Lachapelle - https://www.b4networks.ca/
Joshua Holloway - https://7thdi.com/
What if you could build the custom business app you've always wanted in a single afternoon, without rebuilding login, security, and AI integrations from scratch every time?
Most business owners settle for using 30% of an off-the-shelf app's features because building custom tools was never cost-effective. In this episode, Bryan Lachapelle from B4 Networks walks through a reusable portal shell he vibe-coded that changes that math. The shell handles login, permissions, multi-tenant architecture, AI integration, and email functionality so any new applet can be bolted on in hours instead of weeks.
The conversation gets into the real economics of this approach. Bryan currently pays roughly $1,500 a month for two third-party tools (an employee check-in app and a meeting runner). He built replacements in an afternoon each, at a development cost of around $800. Now he can extend those same modules to every client at half the cost or free. The math stops being a simple ROI calculation and becomes exponential.
But the episode also gets into the harder truths of vibe coding right now. Justin shares the moment Claude Code deleted an entry on his production system without asking for authorization, just to test if it could. Bryan explains how he uses hooks to prevent AI from running dangerous commands. Josh talks about pitting Claude and ChatGPT against each other to improve documentation, and getting one LLM to praise the other's work. And Mario raises the question every IT provider hears from clients: what about read-only access and data safety when integrating with systems like QuickBooks?
This is phase three of the UnHacked mini-series on AI and cybersecurity, where the standing claim is that AI delivers 10 to 50X productivity gains. The examples in this episode push past that ceiling.
Bryan Lachapelle is with B4 Networks, based in the Niagara region of Ontario, Canada. His company helps business owners remove the headaches and frustrations that come with dealing with technology, cybersecurity, and now AI.
What you'll learn:
- How a reusable portal shell eliminates the need to rebuild login, permissions, and AI integrations every time you want a new custom app
- The real cost math: replacing $1,500/month in third-party tools with custom modules built in an afternoon, then extending them to clients
- Why Claude Code deleted a production entry without asking for authorization, and how hooks can prevent AI from running dangerous commands
- How to handle read-only versus write-back access when integrating custom applets with systems like QuickBooks or Xero
- Why pitting two LLMs against each other for documentation review can produce better results than either one alone
New episodes every week breaking down cybersecurity, AI, and digital resilience for small to mid-sized business owners. Subscribe so you don't miss the next one.
If you want help figuring out how AI fits into your business without exposing your data to risk, visit PhoenixITAdvisors.com and schedule a consult. We help business owners make money with AI and then protect that money from the threats that come with it.
Creators and Guests
Host
Bryan Lachapelle
Hi, I’m Bryan, and I’m the President of B4 Networks. I started working with technology since early childhood, and routinely took apart computers as early as age 13. I received my education in Computer Engineering Technology from Niagara College. Starting B4 Networks was always a dream for me, and this dream became true in 2004. I originally started B4 Networks to service the residential market but found that my true passion was in the commercial and industrial sectors where I could truly utilize my experience as a Network Administrator for a large Toronto based Marine Shipping company. My passion today is to ensure that each and every client receives top of the line services. My first love is for my wonderful family. I also enjoy the outdoors, camping, and helping others. I’m an active Canadian Forces Officer working with the 613 Fonthill Army Cadets as a member of their training staff.
Host
Mario Zaki
During my career, I have advised clients on effective – and cost-effective – approaches to developing infrastructure that fosters productivity and profitability. My work has provided me with a broad-based knowledge of business from the inside, with an expertise in areas that go beyond IT alone, ranging from strategic planning to cloud computing to workflow automation solutions.
