Conner Frey
Verified Expert in Engineering
Software Developer
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Toptal member since February 4, 2026
Conner is a senior full-stack software engineer with extensive experience building scalable, high-performance web applications. He specializes in TypeScript, React, Next.js, and Node.js, with a strong focus on clean architecture, thoughtful UX, and maintainable systems. Conner has been a founding engineer across multiple startups and was recently the CTO of a music tech AI ads company, where he has shipped reliable features end-to-end, from back-end APIs to polished front-end experiences.
Portfolio
Experience
- JavaScript - 12 years
- React - 12 years
- Node.js - 12 years
- PostgreSQL - 10 years
- React Native - 10 years
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) - 10 years
- TypeScript - 6 years
- Next.js - 4 years
Preferred Environment
React, React Native, Next.js, Docker, Amazon Web Services (AWS), tRPC, Prisma, Figma, PostgreSQL, JavaScript, Tailwind CSS, Application State Management, Full-stack, Web Development
The most amazing...
...thing I've developed is an iOS location scouting and planning application for the film industry called Locatr.
Work Experience
Full-stack Engineer
KALO
- Standardized the front-end design system by migrating legacy components into a scalable TypeScript-based UI library (Radix UI, Tailwind, TanStack), reducing UI regressions and accelerating feature delivery 3x, with Storybook-driven visual validation.
- Built the internal admin interface to reduce the manual work of C-levels for onboarding and managing users and organizations.
- Integrated new authentication into the application.
Chief Technology Officer
SymphonyOS
- Accomplished a full platform rebuild, eliminating technical debt, resolving hundreds of legacy bugs, and stabilizing the codebase.
- Built and launched Website Builder, empowering 1,000+ artists to deploy brand-specific sites with integrated data collection and analytics, driving paid subscription growth and reducing customer churn.
- Architected an external RESTful API allowing partners to embed our AI ads technology within their applications, increasing revenue.
- Managed and mentored a team of four engineers, owning code review standards, pull request workflows, hiring, onboarding, and the production of a CI/CD pipeline to maintain code quality and delivery velocity.
- Accelerated product velocity by 5x and drove MRR growth from $40,000 to $50,000 in one month. Reduced churn by 5%.
Lead Front-end Software Engineer
Afterparty
- Owned the entire front-end architecture, partnering closely with C-level leadership and our designer to evolve the product through multiple pivots and support growth through Series B funding ($12 million raised).
- Built core user-facing products, including a live video streaming service, an NFT marketplace, real-time chatrooms, and an AI chat.
- Trained technical and non-technical team members on our custom CMS, enabling product and marketing teams to update live promotional content independently and increasing iteration speed fivefold.
Lead Front-end Engineer and UI/UX Designer
Music Audience Exchange - MAX
- Designed the UI/UX and built custom websites for brand partnerships and campaigns with major partners, including Canon, Coors Light, and Cricket Mobile, owning the front end end-to-end.
- Built an admin and client data platform unifying artist and brand insights, directly improving campaign matching, execution visibility, and performance outcomes.
- Collaborated closely with design to improve UI/UX, enhancing usability, clarity, and overall user experience.
Lead Front-end Engineer and UI/UX Designer
Red Shepherd
- Designed and built the point-of-sale interface and admin/client dashboards supporting cached processor-specific fees to dynamically route transactions and minimize per-transaction costs for around $1 million in annual recurring transactions.
- Managed a team of two engineers, driving execution through clear deadlines, technical leadership, and detailed product specs.
- Participated in founding-level discussions with executive leadership to shape product direction and technical strategy.
Experience
Locatr App
Portfolio Website
https://connerfrey.comEducation
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science and Engineering
University of Southern California - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science and Engineering
University of California, Davis - Davis, CA
Skills
Libraries/APIs
React, Node.js, Zod, Stripe
Tools
Prisma, Figma, Sequelize, Agora
Languages
JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, HTML5, C, C++
Frameworks
React Native, Tailwind CSS, Material UI, Redux, Next.js, tRPC, Express.js
Paradigms
Mobile Development, Object-oriented Programming (OOP)
Platforms
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Vercel, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Docker
Storage
PostgreSQL
Other
Tailwind UI, AI Tools, Application State Management, Full-stack, Web Development, Large Language Models (LLMs), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Software Development, Algorithms, Software Architecture, Computer Science, Engineering, Turborepo, Web UX, Web UI
How to Work with Toptal
Toptal matches you directly with global industry experts from our network in hours—not weeks or months.
Share your needs
Choose your talent
Start your risk-free talent trial
Top talent is in high demand.
Start hiring