Independent reviews
Want me to review your product?
I am Serena, a retired college mathematics professor. I spent thirty years explaining things clearly to people who were counting on me to be honest with them, and that is the same standard I hold myself to here. If you make software, a service, or a product you believe in, I am open to trying it and writing about it. There are conditions, and they are not negotiable.
What matters to me
- 1
I do not accept payment. Ever.
No sponsorship, no fee, no gift cards, no revenue share, no affiliate commissions on anything I review. If money changes hands, the review is an advertisement, and I will not write one.
- 2
I pay for what I use, whenever I can.
Josef and I paid full price for the software and services written about on this blog. If a product cannot be evaluated without a trial or a demo account, I will say so plainly at the top of the review.
- 3
You do not see the review before it is published.
No previews, no approvals, no edits from your marketing team. I will happily correct a factual mistake after publication if you show me the evidence, but the opinion is mine and it stays mine.
- 4
The verdict may not be the one you want.
If I like it, I will say so with reasons. If I do not, I will say that too, just as plainly and just as fairly. Every review on this blog names both the good and the frustrating parts, because a review with no drawbacks is not a review.
- 5
I use it long enough to have a real opinion.
I do not write a verdict after an afternoon. Depending on the product, that usually means several weeks to several months of ordinary use, including the moments when something goes wrong.
- 6
I disclose anything a reader would want to know.
Free access, a trial extension, a conversation with a founder, a personal connection: if it exists, it is stated in the review itself, in the first few paragraphs, not buried at the bottom.
- 7
I write for the reader, not the company.
My readers are mostly people my age making careful decisions with money they worked hard for. My only obligation is to them. That is the whole reason this blog is worth anything.
- 8
No paid links, no removals for a price.
I do not sell links, do not publish guest posts, and will not take a published review down in exchange for anything. If a product genuinely improves, I will update the review and say what changed.
How the process works
- You write to me and tell me what the product does, who it is for, and why you think my readers would care.
- I decide honestly. I only take on things I would plausibly use myself. If it is not a fit, I will tell you so rather than write something lukewarm.
- I use it properly for weeks or months, keep notes as I go, and ask you questions if something is unclear.
- I publish the verdict here, with the good, the bad, and a clear recommendation either way. You find out when everyone else does.
What I will politely decline
- Sponsored posts, paid placements, or anything with a fee attached.
- Pre-written copy, press releases, or drafts for me to publish under my name.
- Requests to approve, soften, or preview the review before it goes live.
- Anything I would not feel comfortable recommending to a former student or a friend.
Get in touch
Send me a short note about your product, who it helps, and how I would get access. I read everything myself and reply to the ones I can genuinely take on.
A quick personal note: I also still teach. I keep a few one-on-one math tutoring spots open each month for high school and college students, and you can read about that here.