Backendhance

Technology that delivers. Not just promises.

You know what's not working. But between diagnosis and change lies a gap — built from competing priorities, missing context, and decisions nobody wants to make. I help you close that gap.

When I can help Who's behind this

Two starting points — one goal

The situation differs. The core problem is the same: technology and business goals have drifted apart.

You know what's broken. Getting it fixed is the hard part.

You're new to the role, or you've just taken ownership — and you can see the problems clearly. But diagnoses don't move things forward on their own. What's missing is someone with hands-on experience who doesn't just assess and walk away. Not a consultant who delivers slides and disappears.

Something feels off. You just can't pin it down.

Releases take too long. Costs keep climbing and nobody can explain why. Your team says it's complex — but you don't know if that's true or if something is fundamentally broken. You need an honest read from someone with no interest in making the problem look bigger than it is.

From problem to decision — and hands-on when needed

Assessment

I look at what's actually going on: architecture, processes, team dynamics, product fit. Without a predetermined answer.

Clear priorities

You don't get a list of 40 recommendations. You get a clear view of what matters now — and why.

Execution (optional)

If you need it, I stay involved. Not as an outside commentator, but operationally: in architecture decisions, in team work, in the day-to-day.

What others say about working together

No promises — just experiences from real projects.

15+: Years of experience
10: Industries
220M: Users reached

My teams and I had the special challenge of renewing our aging B2B platform technology. [...] His consultation took the form of a three-day workshop with our entire development team and led to highly successful results.
Marcus proved to be extremely competent and professional. [...]
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that working with Marcus was a very positive experience. His ability to understand complex technical challenges and find pragmatic solutions has left a lasting impression on us. [...]

Andreas Rasic

CTO / CIO @ S&S Internet Systeme GmbH

The goal for [the] one-day workshop was to analyze the current situation to lay the foundation to make decisions on towards which direction we should develop our tech stack and development team. Before we started, my main concern was that we wouldn't be able in just one day to produce sufficient results, thus ending up without a valid roadmap. But that wasn't the case at all. Instead, we had a very effective workshop, which was also a lot of fun and exactly met our expectations. [...]
I am very satisfied with the result and would recommend Marcus to anyone who needs conceptual guidance in structuring their tech stack and/or technology team.

Arne Paul Oltmann

Co-Founder & CEO @ limbiq system GmbH

Marcus is an exceptional architect and developer whose technical proficiency and pragmatic approach make him stand out in my career. He possesses a deep understanding of the tools he works with and consistently delivers effective solutions to any challenge he faces. One of his strengths is his ability to question requirements and build only what is necessary, without overcomplicating things.

Dr. Bastian Schlich

Vice President Engineering @ Magicline GmbH

Working with Marcus always has been a pleasure, both on a personal and a professional level. Understanding the technology is one thing, guiding and motivating a team to deliver results often requires a different skillset. Marcus has both skills in his toolbox, highly recommend to work with him.

Roland Hänel

CTO @ grandcentrix, A Vodafone Company

Backendhance — that's

Marcus Held

I'm a software architect. For more than fifteen years I've worked on systems under real pressure — with teams that need to ship, and decision-makers who need clarity. Not in controlled environments, but inside companies that are growing, rebuilding, or stuck.

What I've learned along the way: technical problems are rarely purely technical. An overly complex architecture usually has a decision history behind it. A slow team often has a process that no longer fits reality. I look at both — and say what I see.

Backendhance is intentionally solo. No subcontracting, no project team I'm coordinating while you wait. You work directly with me. That means short lines of communication, clear accountability, no handoffs.

My goal isn't to be the consultant who's always right. It's to be the one you trust when it matters.

Connect with me

Backendhance beyond client work

I speak at conferences and write about architecture and software development — sharing what I've learned in practice. No textbook theory.

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Let's find out if I can help.

No pitch, no sales call. An honest conversation about your situation — and whether an architecture review is the right next step.

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