Northlight.
A mobile product for independent makers — A pocket studio for independent makers — invoicing, orders and inventory that respects how small teams actually work.
Overview
Northlight wanted a mobile product that felt made for one-person businesses, not a shrunk-down enterprise tool. We designed and built it for both platforms.
The challenge
Makers live on their phones between other tasks. Every flow had to be finishable in the gaps — at a market stall, on a train, one-handed.
- Cross-platform without feeling generic
- Offline-first for markets and studios
- Flows finishable in under a minute
- A look that feels crafted, not corporate
Our approach
We prototyped the three flows makers do daily, tested with real sellers, then built native-feeling apps from a shared core.
- One design system, two native shells
- Local-first data with quiet sync
- Haptics and motion tuned per platform
- A weekly TestFlight the makers used for real
The outcome
Northlight shipped to both stores with a look and feel makers describe as “finally, one that gets it.” Daily active use is high because the app fits the day, rather than demanding one.
“The first tool that fits how I actually work.”
Under the hood
One React Native + Expo codebase for both stores; Supabase provides Postgres, auth and realtime order events, Stripe Connect routes split payouts to makers, and Fastlane keeps releases boring.
- Realtime order feed via Supabase channels
- Stripe Connect Express payouts with KYC flow
- OTA updates through Expo for instant fixes
- Store releases automated with Fastlane lanes
Also considered Native twins were overkill for this surface area — Expo delivered both stores in the same sprint.