All About Soto
Hi there!
Welcome to our small, friendly team of Bristol-based WordPress experts, offering custom WordPress development, support, hosting and training. But that’s what we do, not who we are. So, who are we? We’re people who genuinely enjoy doing great work – and care deeply about how we do it.
We work with agencies and businesses to solve frustrating web problems and build sites that are fast, functional, and easy to manage. Our clients tend to stick with us – some for over a decade.
We think that’s down to a combination of technical expertise, clear communication, and genuine interest in client success… and maybe because we have several of the South West’s friendliest office dogs. No, really!
Meet the Team
(they're what make us who we are!)
Zoey O'Neill
Founder & MD
Zoey founded Soto in 2009 and wears more hats than she has shelf space for. She leads project delivery, supports clients, writes code, handles the accounts, coordinates with partners… and yes, occasionally does a bit of office cleaning, too.
With a background in GUI design, digital marketing and technical writing, Zoey focuses on helping Soto’s clients find the best solutions for their needs. She’s passionate about building a team culture that’s friendly, flexible, supportive, and full of curiosity.
Outside work, she’s usually in the water, at the gym, walking dogs, or cooking up a storm in the kitchen.
James Brooks
Developer and Support Lead
James joined Soto in 2019 as a self-taught junior developer, and has grown into our go-to expert for troubleshooting, support, and creative problem-solving. He’s proof that great developers don’t always follow the traditional route, showing what a tonne of curiosity, determination, and unwavering desire to help clients can really do. James is particularly good at making tech less intimidating for our clients, and finding simple solutions to the most complex issues.
When not coding, James is often birdwatching, hiking, baking, or sneaking in a well-deserved nap.
Mahbub Hasan
Full Stack Developer
Mahbub specialises in custom WordPress development, from building complex themes and plugins to WooCommerce setups and third-party integrations. He’s all about making websites functional, scalable, and enjoyable to use, both for clients and their audiences. He’s also the one keeping everything fast and secure behind the scenes. As a deep thinker with a methodical approach to pretty much everything in life, he’s the one who keeps us all calm, even when the challenges are big!
Outside of work, he’s usually reading, gardening, or hanging out with his best friend – his young son.
Laura Simpson
Developer and Projects Lead
With a background in maths and analytics, Laura came to web development through curiosity and self-teaching. She’s been building websites professionally for over 10 years now. She started out freelancing with Soto and officially joined the team not long after, bringing a sharp eye for detail and a love of fixing tricky problems. Laura’s a natural problem solver. She’s often the one figuring out how to make something work when it really doesn’t want to, making her a valuable part of the team!
At weekends, she’s usually on a coffee run with her dogs or hunting for treasures at flea markets.
Devon Magness-Jarvis
Administrative Assistant
As the newest addition to team Soto, Devon provides administrative and organisational support to all areas of the business, and ensures the smooth running of the office. She loves engaging with clients and working alongside our skilled developers.
When she’s not at work, Devon can be found in the library studying for her Master’s degree, or using her problem solving skills to win boardgames.
Meet the
Dogs of Soto
We have to give an honourable mention to the Soto office dogs. Admittedly they’re not all that great at coding, but morale would definitely be a lot lower without them! Meet the dogs of Soto.
Why WordPress?
We’re WordPress people through and through. We love it for its flexibility, its reliability, and the freedom it gives our clients to grow and adapt over time.
Whether we’re building a custom theme, integrating a plugin, or helping someone switch over from a more restrictive CMS, our goal is always the same. We want to create something that works beautifully, not only for our clients but for their users, too.
For us, custom WordPress development isn’t just a service. It’s a craft. And after 16+ years of working with it, we still get excited about what’s possible.
