Ben is available for hire
Hire BenBen Carey
Verified Expert in Engineering
Solution Architect and Full-stack Developer
Tampa, FL, United States
Toptal member since March 6, 2018
Bio
With over 20 years’ development experience and a decade of high-level consulting across fintech, proptech, and AI, Ben is a senior engineer, Laravel specialist, and product strategist with a rare blend of deep technical expertise and strategic insight. He's led platform rebuilds, scaled startups into high-revenue ventures, and architected AI-driven systems used by startups and enterprise clients. Ben brings a product-led approach to building software that is scalable, resilient, and unrivalled.
Portfolio
Intrface
Apache, Technical Project Management, Project Planning, Project Discovery...
Sine Macula
Apache, Technical Project Management, Project Planning, Project Discovery...
Verifast, Inc
Laravel, PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL, Full-stack, Vue, React...
Experience
- Full-stack - 20 years
- JavaScript - 20 years
- PHP - 20 years
- Pixel Perfect - 20 years
- Technical Architecture - 20 years
- Product Strategy - 19 years
- Laravel - 11 years
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) - 10 years
Availability
Full-time
Preferred Environment
CTO, Technical Architecture, Full-stack, PHP, JavaScript, Laravel, Vue, Amazon Web Services (AWS), PhpStorm, GitHub
The most amazing...
...thing I’ve built is a custom full-stack framework used to accelerate dozens of scalable web and API platforms from MVP to production.
Work Experience
Co-founder | Technical Director
2019 - PRESENT
Intrface
- Managed day-to-day operations of the consultancy while driving product and technical strategy across client engagements.
- Oversaw all engineering activities, including architecture, development standards, and cross-project code reuse.
- Designed and maintained the company’s internal and client-facing server infrastructure to support scalable delivery.
- Developed and maintained the company’s corporate site, positioning services and showcasing case studies.
- Built internal development frameworks used to accelerate MVP builds for early-stage clients across multiple sectors.
- Acted as fractional CTO for startups, guiding hiring, technical planning, and investor documentation.
- Delivered investor-ready prototypes and toolkits that directly supported successful fundraising efforts.
Technologies: Apache, Technical Project Management, Project Planning, Project Discovery, Project Timelines, Technical Leadership, CTO, Back-end, Startup Consulting, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Product Strategy, API Development, Database Design, DevOps, SQL, Web Development, PWA, Progressive Web Applications (PWAs), User Experience (UX), Full-stack, User Interface (UI), Linux, SCSS, CSS, HTML, Laravel, Lumen, Vue, JavaScript, PHP, MySQL, Web, REST APIs, JavaScript MVC, Windows, Git, Twilio API, PHP Frameworks, Project Management, Ubuntu, Node.js, Redis, Code Review, Refactoring, Agile, Jira, Optimization, Pixel Perfect, API Integration, Architecture, APIs, Product Management, Mentorship & Coaching, Leadership, MacOS, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Clean Code, Model View Controller (MVC), Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Cloudflare, Responsive Development, JSON, PhpStorm, Balsamiq Mockups, MariaDB, Bitbucket, Modernizr, CentOS, Memcached, DataGrip, Webpack, Unit Testing, Project Scoping, Sketch, Laravel Mix, Vanilla JS, Front-end, HTML5, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Amazon EC2, AWS IAM, Amazon Simple Email Service (SES), AWS Lambda, Software Design, Software Architecture, System Architecture Design, Scalable Application, Scalable Architecture, Requirements Analysis, Technical Consulting, AWS Cloud Architecture, CSS3, PHP 7, MVC Design, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, CI/CD Pipelines, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, SaaS, NGINX, Bootstrap, Microservices, Enterprise, Amazon RDS, Amazon ElastiCache, Amazon Aurora, Cloud, User Management, Amazon, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Stripe, Front-end Development, TypeScript, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Stripe API, Startups, Automation, MySQL Performance Tuning, MySQL Server, Technical Architecture, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Chatbots, Migration, Web Applications, Solution Architecture, System Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure
Founder | CEO
2007 - PRESENT
Sine Macula
- Founded and operated a boutique consultancy delivering full-stack development and product strategy for 30+ startups.
- Mentored over 50 startup founders on technology leadership, MVP execution, and fundraising preparation.
- Designed and developed custom platforms across fintech, SaaS, CRM, and marketplace applications.
- Built reusable development toolkits and internal infrastructure to accelerate delivery and reduce tech debt.
- Delivered production-grade applications with SEO-optimized, accessible front ends and scalable back-end systems.
- Oversaw infrastructure planning, deployment, and DevOps workflows across client projects from prototype to launch.
Technologies: Apache, Technical Project Management, Project Planning, Project Discovery, Project Timelines, Technical Leadership, CTO, Back-end, Startup Consulting, Vue, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Product Strategy, API Development, Database Design, DevOps, SQL, Web Development, Progressive Web Applications (PWAs), PWA, User Experience (UX), Full-stack, User Interface (UI), Linux, MySQL, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, PHP, Web, REST APIs, JavaScript MVC, Windows, jQuery, Laravel, Git, Rackspace Cloud, Twilio API, PHP Frameworks, Project Management, Ubuntu, Microsoft SQL Server, Node.js, Redis, Code Review, Refactoring, Agile, Jira, Optimization, Pixel Perfect, API Integration, Architecture, APIs, Product Management, Mentorship & Coaching, Leadership, MacOS, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Clean Code, Model View Controller (MVC), Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Cloudflare, Responsive Development, JSON, PhpStorm, Balsamiq Mockups, MariaDB, Lumen, Bitbucket, SCSS, Modernizr, IIS, Ejabberd, XMPP, CentOS, Adobe Photoshop, Facebook SDK, Memcached, DataGrip, Webpack, Unit Testing, Project Scoping, Sketch, Laravel Mix, Laravel Elixir, Vanilla JS, Front-end, HTML5, Writing & Editing, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Amazon EC2, AWS IAM, Amazon Simple Email Service (SES), AWS Lambda, Software Design, Software Architecture, System Architecture Design, Scalable Application, Scalable Architecture, Requirements Analysis, Technical Consulting, Enterprise Architecture, AWS Cloud Architecture, Enterprise Application Architecture, CSS3, PHP 7, MVC Design, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, CI/CD Pipelines, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, SaaS, NGINX, Microservices, Amazon RDS, Amazon ElastiCache, Amazon Aurora, Cloud, User Management, Amazon, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Stripe, Front-end Development, TypeScript, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Stripe API, Startups, Automation, MySQL Performance Tuning, MySQL Server, Technical Architecture, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Chatbots, Migration, Web Applications, Windows Server 2012, Solution Architecture, System Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure
Senior Full-stack Engineer | Tech Lead | Solution Architect
2023 - 2023
Verifast, Inc
- Audited the existing codebase and advised on scalable, object-oriented patterns to improve maintainability and performance.
- Provided continuous consultation on product strategy and UX, aligning technical decisions with business growth objectives.
- Re-architected the back-end API using modern Laravel best practices and a modular project structure to improve maintainability and velocity.
- Led the build of an AI-powered document classification and extraction engine used for financial verification, replacing traditional OCR with higher accuracy.
- Scaled the company from $20,000 to $600,000+ in monthly recurring revenue, with a roadmap toward $1+ million and $150+ million valuation targets.
- Built and led a high-performance engineering team, implementing CI/CD pipelines and cross-functional development standards.
- Delivered roadmap planning across 3-month, 1-year, and 5-year horizons to align product evolution with strategic fundraising and enterprise goals.
Technologies: Laravel, PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL, Full-stack, Vue, React, Cloud Infrastructure, Solution Architecture, System Architecture, Technical Leadership, Technical Architecture, Migration, Web Applications
Senior Full-stack Engineer | Tech Lead
2020 - 2021
Space
- Led discovery and planning for the MVP, aligning technical requirements with business objectives.
- Designed and developed a scalable RESTful API integrating numerous third-party logistics and storage services.
- Architected, implemented, and maintained the full web infrastructure stack on AWS, including deployment pipelines.
- Provided continuous product and UX consultation, ensuring cohesive alignment between user experience and growth goals.
- Collaborated with designers to shape the mobile onboarding flow and optimize funnel performance for conversions.
- Developed live operational dashboards and reporting tools to support real-time decision-making and executive oversight.
- Implemented CI/CD processes and mentored the engineering team to raise code quality and delivery velocity.
Technologies: Leadership, Architecture, API Integration, Technical Consulting, AWS Cloud Architecture, User Experience (UX), CSS3, PHP 7, MVC Design, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, CI/CD Pipelines, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, Tailwind CSS, NGINX, Microservices, Amazon RDS, Amazon ElastiCache, Amazon Aurora, Cloud, User Management, Amazon, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Stripe, Front-end Development, TypeScript, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Stripe API, Startups, Automation, MySQL Performance Tuning, MySQL Server, Technical Architecture, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Chatbots, Web Applications, Solution Architecture, System Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure
Senior Tech Consultant
2020 - 2021
Northamptonshire Healthcare
- Conducted a full technical audit of the NHS patient portal and internal systems to assess reliability and scalability.
- Identified critical UX bottlenecks, feature limitations, and architectural flaws across multiple system layers.
- Delivered a comprehensive blueprint and phased project plan for a full-stack rebuild and infrastructure migration.
- Recommended hardware upgrades and new internal infrastructure to support future scalability and maintainability.
- Aligned all technical recommendations with NHS governance, security protocols, and data protection compliance standards.
- Collaborated with internal teams to prioritize technical debt and structure implementation sequencing for rollout.
Technologies: JavaScript, Microsoft, Technical Consulting, Enterprise Architecture, Enterprise Application Architecture, User Experience (UX), PHP 7, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, NGINX, Enterprise, Cloud, Cost Estimation, Technical Architecture, Migration, Web Applications, Solution Architecture, System Architecture
Senior Full-stack Engineer | Tech Lead | Product Strategist
2019 - 2021
Global Food and Drink Company
- Led architecture and development of a global-scale PWA deployed across multiple international markets.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to optimize user acquisition funnels and drive conversion performance.
- Built custom preloader, installer, and HTML5 mini-game integrations to increase engagement across front-end experiences.
- Implemented localization infrastructure for full English and Chinese parity, meeting regulatory and UX standards.
- Delivered executive-level technical reporting, system documentation, and post-launch roadmap recommendations.
- Acted as primary technical liaison across product, design, and marketing, aligning cross-team engineering efforts.
- Deployed end-to-end infrastructure on Azure, including pipelines for release automation and localization updates.
Technologies: JavaScript, Product Strategy, Progressive Web Applications (PWAs), PWA, Vue, Azure, Full-stack, User Interface (UI), Web Development, CSS, API Development, Web, DevOps, Back-end, REST APIs, JavaScript MVC, Git, Project Management, Node.js, Code Review, Refactoring, Agile, Optimization, Pixel Perfect, API Integration, Architecture, APIs, Product Management, Mentorship & Coaching, Leadership, HTML, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Clean Code, Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Cloudflare, Responsive Development, JSON, PhpStorm, Bitbucket, SCSS, Modernizr, Webpack, Unit Testing, Project Scoping, Sketch, Three.js, Vanilla JS, Front-end, HTML5, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Software Design, Software Architecture, System Architecture Design, Scalable Application, Scalable Architecture, Requirements Analysis, Technical Consulting, Enterprise Architecture, AWS Cloud Architecture, Enterprise Application Architecture, User Experience (UX), CSS3, PHP 7, MVC Design, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, CI/CD Pipelines, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, NGINX, Microservices, Enterprise, Amazon RDS, Amazon ElastiCache, Amazon Aurora, Cloud, User Management, Amazon, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Front-end Development, TypeScript, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Stripe API, Startups, Automation, MySQL Performance Tuning, MySQL Server, Technical Architecture, Web Applications, Solution Architecture, System Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure
Senior Full-stack Engineer | Consultant
2019 - 2021
WildEarth
- Designed, implemented, and maintained the infrastructure for a global PWA serving over 1 million active users.
- Defined the initial UI/UX strategy and collaborated cross-functionally to deliver an intuitive, high-performing experience.
- Developed a highly scalable progressive web app optimized for low-latency content delivery in bandwidth-constrained regions.
- Built a custom content delivery and caching layer to support seamless livestream playback and user interaction.
- Provided architectural guidance and full-stack implementation across multiple iterations of the platform.
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), CSS, Apache, Technical Leadership, Design, Vue, Lumen, Product Strategy, JavaScript, PHP, Full-stack, User Interface (UI), PWA, Web Development, SQL, API Development, Database Design, Web, DevOps, Back-end, MySQL, REST APIs, JavaScript MVC, Laravel, Git, Twilio API, PHP Frameworks, Linux, Project Management, Ubuntu, Node.js, Redis, Code Review, Refactoring, Agile, Jira, Optimization, Pixel Perfect, API Integration, Architecture, APIs, Startup Consulting, Product Management, Mentorship & Coaching, Leadership, HTML, MacOS, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Clean Code, Model View Controller (MVC), Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Cloudflare, Responsive Development, JSON, PhpStorm, Balsamiq Mockups, MariaDB, Bitbucket, SCSS, Modernizr, CentOS, Memcached, DataGrip, Webpack, Unit Testing, Project Scoping, Sketch, Vanilla JS, Front-end, HTML5, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Amazon EC2, AWS IAM, Amazon Simple Email Service (SES), AWS Lambda, Software Design, Software Architecture, System Architecture Design, Scalable Application, Scalable Architecture, Requirements Analysis, Technical Consulting, AWS Cloud Architecture, User Experience (UX), CSS3, PHP 7, MVC Design, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, CI/CD Pipelines, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, NGINX, Microservices, Enterprise, Amazon RDS, Amazon ElastiCache, Amazon Aurora, Cloud, User Management, Amazon, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Front-end Development, TypeScript, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Stripe API, Startups, Automation, MySQL Performance Tuning, MySQL Server, Technical Architecture, Migration, Web Applications, Solution Architecture, System Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure
Senior Full-stack Engineer | Tech Lead | Product Strategist
2018 - 2019
A High Profile Travel Industry Startup
- Architected and led the development of a scalable RESTful API powering the company’s core mobile application.
- Collaborated closely with designers to define and optimize UX flows for high mobile engagement and usability.
- Built and deployed the full web infrastructure stack on AWS, including CI/CD pipelines and environment provisioning.
- Led the end-to-end development of a bespoke admin portal for internal data and workflow management.
- Provided ongoing consultation on product strategy and UI/UX, shaping the roadmap during critical launch phases.
Technologies: PHP, Lumen, Product Strategy, JavaScript, Full-stack, Web Development, CSS, Apache, SQL, API Development, Database Design, Web, DevOps, Back-end, MySQL, REST APIs, Laravel, Git, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Twilio API, PHP Frameworks, Linux, Project Management, Ubuntu, Node.js, Redis, Code Review, Refactoring, Agile, Jira, Optimization, API Integration, Architecture, APIs, Startup Consulting, Product Management, Mentorship & Coaching, Leadership, HTML, MacOS, Clean Code, Model View Controller (MVC), Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Cloudflare, Responsive Development, JSON, PhpStorm, MariaDB, Bitbucket, SCSS, Modernizr, CentOS, Memcached, DataGrip, Webpack, Unit Testing, Project Scoping, Vanilla JS, Front-end, HTML5, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Amazon EC2, AWS IAM, Amazon Simple Email Service (SES), AWS Lambda, Software Design, Software Architecture, System Architecture Design, Scalable Application, Scalable Architecture, Requirements Analysis, Technical Consulting, Enterprise Architecture, AWS Cloud Architecture, Enterprise Application Architecture, User Experience (UX), CSS3, PHP 7, MVC Design, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, CI/CD Pipelines, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, NGINX, Microservices, Amazon RDS, Amazon ElastiCache, Amazon Aurora, Cloud, User Management, Amazon, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Front-end Development, TypeScript, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Stripe API, Startups, Automation, MySQL Performance Tuning, MySQL Server, Technical Architecture, Web Applications, Solution Architecture, System Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure
Senior Full-stack Engineer
2018 - 2018
Global Retail Company
- Built and deployed targeted landing pages for PPC campaigns, optimized for speed and conversion.
- Developed a dynamic system to auto-generate responsive landing pages from CMS inputs.
- Delivered pixel-perfect implementation of designs with full cross-browser and device compatibility.
- Refactored the front-end architecture to align with enterprise standards and support long-term scalability.
- Integrated tracking and analytics tools to support A/B testing and data-driven design iterations.
- Collaborated with global marketing and engineering teams to localize content and improve conversion across international markets.
Technologies: PHP, JavaScript, Vue, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Full-stack, Web Development, CSS, Apache, SQL, Database Design, Web, Back-end, MySQL, REST APIs, JavaScript MVC, Laravel, Git, PHP Frameworks, Project Management, Node.js, Refactoring, Agile, Optimization, Pixel Perfect, API Integration, APIs, HTML, MacOS, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Clean Code, Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Responsive Development, JSON, PhpStorm, SCSS, Modernizr, DataGrip, Webpack, Project Scoping, Vanilla JS, Front-end, HTML5, Software Design, Software Architecture, System Architecture Design, Scalable Application, Scalable Architecture, Requirements Analysis, Technical Consulting, Enterprise Architecture, AWS Cloud Architecture, Enterprise Application Architecture, User Experience (UX), CSS3, PHP 7, MVC Design, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, CI/CD Pipelines, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, NGINX, Microservices, Enterprise, Amazon RDS, Amazon Aurora, Cloud, User Management, Amazon, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Stripe, Front-end Development, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Stripe API, Startups, Automation, MySQL Performance Tuning, MySQL Server, Technical Architecture, Migration, Web Applications, Solution Architecture, System Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure
Technical Lead | Product Strategist
2016 - 2018
Zoomdoc
- Directed the ongoing product strategy and UX for a fast-moving healthtech startup during its launch and fundraising stages.
- Oversaw both mobile and API development efforts, ensuring technical scalability and user experience alignment.
- Provided startup consulting across positioning, growth strategy, and investor readiness documentation.
- Collaborated with the founding team to define core features, shape technical priorities, and accelerate time to market.
Technologies: PHP, Laravel, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Twilio API, Sockets
Technical Lead and Product Strategist
2016 - 2018
Snatch Media
- Led product strategy and UX development, shaping the app’s core experience from prototype through high-growth scale.
- Provided startup consulting and hands-on mentorship throughout the product’s incubation and market launch.
- Directed mobile and API development, and engineered the infrastructure to auto-scale during traffic surges exceeding 30,000 signups per day.
- Created technical and investor-facing materials that helped position the company for a successful second funding round.
- Managed a cross-functional team of 10 (three designers and seven developers) to deliver the product under aggressive deadlines.
- Hired, coached, and performance-reviewed junior developers, helping them level up quickly during the development cycle.
Technologies: Autoscaling, Startup Funding, Startups, Product Strategy, Leadership, Linux, Laravel, PHP, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Full-stack, User Interface (UI), Web Development, CSS, JavaScript, Apache, SQL, API Development, Vue, Database Design, Web, DevOps, Back-end, MySQL, REST APIs, JavaScript MVC, Git, Twilio API, PHP Frameworks, Project Management, Ubuntu, Node.js, Redis, Code Review, Refactoring, Agile, Jira, Optimization, Pixel Perfect, API Integration, Architecture, APIs, Startup Consulting, Product Management, Mentorship & Coaching, HTML, MacOS, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Clean Code, Model View Controller (MVC), Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Cloudflare, Responsive Development, JSON, PhpStorm, Balsamiq Mockups, MariaDB, Lumen, Bitbucket, SCSS, Modernizr, CentOS, Adobe Photoshop, Memcached, DataGrip, Webpack, Unit Testing, Project Scoping, Sketch, Laravel Mix, Laravel Elixir, Vanilla JS, Front-end, HTML5, Writing & Editing, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Amazon EC2, AWS IAM, Amazon Simple Email Service (SES), AWS Lambda, Software Design, Software Architecture, System Architecture Design, Scalable Application, Scalable Architecture, Requirements Analysis, Technical Consulting, AWS Cloud Architecture, User Experience (UX), CSS3, PHP 7, MVC Design, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, NGINX, Microservices, Amazon RDS, Cloud, User Management, Amazon, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, Firebase, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Stripe, Front-end Development, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Stripe API, Automation, MySQL Performance Tuning, MySQL Server, Technical Architecture, Web Applications, Solution Architecture, System Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure
Vice President of Partnerships and Product Strategy
2016 - 2018
E-Man (Global Intermedia Limited)
- Reviewed and vetted incoming startup pitches as part of the E-Man investment panel, selecting candidates for incubation.
- Negotiated and closed startup onboarding deals, managing both technical qualification and business terms.
- Oversaw the delivery of creative and engineering milestones across multiple concurrent startup projects.
- Led internal process reviews and implemented new systems to improve design and development efficiency.
- Directed product strategy workshops for E-Man’s startups, including high-growth ventures like Snatch.
- Conducted detailed code reviews for front-end, back-end, and API infrastructure across all incubated teams.
- Managed a cross-functional team of 15+ engineers, designers, and strategists responsible for launching early-stage products.
Technologies: Apache, Technical Project Management, Project Planning, Project Discovery, Project Timelines, Technical Leadership, CTO, Back-end, Startup Consulting, Vue, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Product Strategy, API Development, Database Design, DevOps, SQL, Web Development, User Experience (UX), Full-stack, User Interface (UI), Elasticsearch, MongoDB, MySQL, Linux, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, PHP, PWA, Web, REST APIs, JavaScript MVC, Windows, jQuery, Laravel, Git, Twilio API, PHP Frameworks, Project Management, Ubuntu, Node.js, Redis, Code Review, Refactoring, Agile, Jira, Optimization, Pixel Perfect, API Integration, Architecture, APIs, Product Management, Mentorship & Coaching, Leadership, MacOS, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Clean Code, Model View Controller (MVC), Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Cloudflare, Responsive Development, JSON, PhpStorm, Balsamiq Mockups, MariaDB, Lumen, Bitbucket, SCSS, Modernizr, CentOS, Adobe Photoshop, Memcached, DataGrip, Webpack, Unit Testing, Project Scoping, Sketch, Laravel Mix, Laravel Elixir, Vanilla JS, Front-end, HTML5, Writing & Editing, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Amazon EC2, AWS IAM, Amazon Simple Email Service (SES), AWS Lambda, Software Design, Software Architecture, System Architecture Design, Scalable Application, Scalable Architecture, Requirements Analysis, Technical Consulting, Enterprise Architecture, AWS Cloud Architecture, Enterprise Application Architecture, CSS3, PHP 7, MVC Design, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, CI/CD Pipelines, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, SaaS, NGINX, Bootstrap, Microservices, Enterprise, Amazon RDS, Amazon Aurora, DigitalOcean, Cloud, User Management, Amazon, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, Firebase, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Stripe, Front-end Development, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Stripe API, Startups, Automation, MySQL Performance Tuning, MySQL Server, Technical Architecture, Web Applications, Solution Architecture, System Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure
Founder | CEO | CTO
2014 - 2018
Bubbla
- Integrated a customized ejabberd-based XMPP chat system with real-time syncing and presence detection.
- Led and maintained end-to-end product strategy, balancing technical scalability with market positioning.
- Developed the complete web and API stack to support real-time messaging and user engagement workflows.
- Built an efficient phone contact import and smart matching system to power viral user acquisition.
- Engineered intelligent, automated marketing flows to promote the app organically across user networks.
- Designed investor-facing pitch decks and supplemental materials for multiple funding rounds.
- Created a secure online investor data room to manage and track funding communications and document access.
- Managed infrastructure, product growth, hiring, and day-to-day operations across both CEO and CTO roles.
Technologies: Apache, Technical Project Management, Project Planning, Project Discovery, Project Timelines, Technical Leadership, CTO, Back-end, Startup Consulting, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Product Strategy, API Development, Database Design, DevOps, SQL, Web Development, User Experience (UX), Full-stack, User Interface (UI), Elasticsearch, MySQL, Ejabberd, Linux, Vue, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, PHP, PWA, Web, REST APIs, JavaScript MVC, Windows, Laravel, Git, Rackspace Cloud, Twilio API, PHP Frameworks, Project Management, Ubuntu, Node.js, Redis, Code Review, Refactoring, Agile, Jira, Optimization, Pixel Perfect, API Integration, Architecture, APIs, Product Management, Mentorship & Coaching, Leadership, MacOS, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Clean Code, Model View Controller (MVC), Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Cloudflare, Responsive Development, JSON, PhpStorm, Balsamiq Mockups, DeployHQ, MariaDB, Lumen, Bitbucket, SCSS, Modernizr, XMPP, CentOS, Adobe Photoshop, Facebook SDK, Memcached, DataGrip, Webpack, Unit Testing, Project Scoping, Sketch, Laravel Mix, Vanilla JS, Front-end, HTML5, Writing & Editing, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Amazon EC2, AWS IAM, Amazon Simple Email Service (SES), AWS Lambda, Software Design, Software Architecture, System Architecture Design, Scalable Application, Scalable Architecture, Requirements Analysis, Technical Consulting, AWS Cloud Architecture, CSS3, PHP 7, MVC Design, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, NGINX, Microservices, Amazon RDS, Cloud, User Management, Amazon, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, Firebase, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Stripe, Front-end Development, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Stripe API, Startups, Automation, MySQL Performance Tuning, MySQL Server, Technical Architecture, Web Applications, Solution Architecture, System Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure
Lead Web Engineer
2012 - 2015
ManSys Limited
- Designed and developed the company’s public-facing websites and all internal web applications.
- Migrated the company’s legacy desktop ERP system to a modular web-based platform used globally for import and export documentation.
- Managed the company’s entire server infrastructure, including provisioning, deployment, and uptime monitoring.
- Led the end-to-end UX and interface design for a large-scale internal web app, starting from a blank canvas.
- Refactored and modernized legacy databases, improving query efficiency and long-term maintainability.
- Built and maintained secure web services and APIs to support external clients and third-party integrations.
Technologies: Technical Project Management, Project Planning, Project Discovery, Project Timelines, Technical Leadership, Back-end, Startup Consulting, Product Strategy, API Development, Database Design, DevOps, SQL, Web Development, User Experience (UX), Full-stack, User Interface (UI), IIS, Apache, Windows Server, Linux, CSS, HTML, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, JavaScript, PHP, Web, Web Services, REST APIs, JavaScript MVC, Windows, jQuery, Git, PHP Frameworks, Project Management, Ubuntu, Node.js, Agile, Optimization, Pixel Perfect, API Integration, Architecture, APIs, Product Management, Mentorship & Coaching, Leadership, MacOS, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Clean Code, Model View Controller (MVC), Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Cloudflare, Responsive Development, JSON, PhpStorm, Balsamiq Mockups, MariaDB, Bitbucket, SCSS, Modernizr, CentOS, Adobe Photoshop, Facebook SDK, Memcached, DataGrip, Webpack, Unit Testing, Project Scoping, Vanilla JS, Front-end, HTML5, Writing & Editing, Software Design, Software Architecture, System Architecture Design, Scalable Application, Scalable Architecture, Requirements Analysis, Technical Consulting, CSS3, PHP 7, MVC Design, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, SaaS, NGINX, Bootstrap, Microservices, Cloud, User Management, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, Firebase, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Front-end Development, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Startups, Automation, MySQL Performance Tuning, MySQL Server, Technical Architecture, Web Applications, Windows Server 2012, Solution Architecture, System Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure
Founder | CEO
2010 - 2014
Shout at Night Limited
- Defined and led the product strategy for a full-stack social platform targeting peer-to-peer content sharing.
- Designed the platform’s branding, UX, and frontend architecture to support high-volume, user-generated content.
- Built the complete backend and API infrastructure, including authentication, moderation, and real-time data feeds.
- Developed a fully bespoke content and user management system, with integrated payment functionality and admin controls.
- Launched and scaled the platform independently, from concept to deployment, with no external technical support.
Technologies: Apache, Technical Project Management, Project Planning, Project Discovery, Project Timelines, Technical Leadership, CTO, Back-end, Startup Consulting, Product Strategy, API Development, Database Design, DevOps, SQL, Web Development, User Experience (UX), Full-stack, User Interface (UI), MySQL, Linux, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, PHP, Web, REST APIs, JavaScript MVC, Windows, jQuery, Laravel, Git, Rackspace Cloud, PHP Frameworks, Project Management, Ubuntu, Node.js, Redis, Code Review, Refactoring, Agile, Jira, Optimization, Pixel Perfect, API Integration, Architecture, APIs, Product Management, Mentorship & Coaching, Leadership, MacOS, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Clean Code, Model View Controller (MVC), Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Cloudflare, Responsive Development, JSON, PhpStorm, Balsamiq Mockups, MariaDB, Lumen, Bitbucket, SCSS, Modernizr, CentOS, Adobe Photoshop, Facebook SDK, Memcached, DataGrip, Webpack, Unit Testing, Project Scoping, Sketch, Vanilla JS, Front-end, HTML5, Writing & Editing, Software Design, Software Architecture, System Architecture Design, Scalable Application, Scalable Architecture, Requirements Analysis, Technical Consulting, CSS3, PHP 7, MVC Design, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, NGINX, Microservices, Cloud, User Management, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Front-end Development, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Startups, Automation, MySQL Performance Tuning, MySQL Server, Technical Architecture, Web Applications, Solution Architecture, System Architecture
Web Developer | Designer | Startup Consultant
2002 - 2007
Freelance Clients
- Built and launched over 30 bespoke web platforms and internal tools for early-stage startups across multiple industries.
- Designed one of my own products that went viral, reaching 100,000+ visits in its first week with minimal promotion.
- Mentored more than 50 startup founders on technical strategy, product planning, and MVP execution.
- Architected scalable back-end systems for high-growth startups, including modular APIs and lightweight frameworks.
- Created reusable codebases and internal libraries that reduced development time by over 40% across multiple client projects.
- Consulted for venture-backed startups to scope and deliver MVPs, often leading the entire product and development workflow solo.
- Developed and maintained custom CMSs, real-time dashboards, and transactional systems tailored to each client’s growth phase.
Technologies: Apache, Technical Project Management, Project Planning, Project Discovery, Project Timelines, Technical Leadership, CTO, Back-end, Startup Consulting, Product Strategy, API Development, Database Design, DevOps, SQL, Web Development, User Experience (UX), Full-stack, User Interface (UI), MySQL, Linux, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, PHP, Web, Web Services, REST APIs, JavaScript MVC, Windows, jQuery, Laravel, Git, Rackspace Cloud, Twilio API, PHP Frameworks, Project Management, Ubuntu, Microsoft SQL Server, Node.js, Redis, Code Review, Refactoring, Agile, Jira, Optimization, Pixel Perfect, API Integration, Architecture, APIs, Product Management, Mentorship & Coaching, Leadership, MacOS, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Clean Code, Model View Controller (MVC), Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Cloudflare, Responsive Development, JSON, PhpStorm, Balsamiq Mockups, MariaDB, Lumen, Bitbucket, SCSS, Modernizr, IIS, Ejabberd, XMPP, CentOS, Adobe Photoshop, Facebook SDK, Memcached, DataGrip, Webpack, Unit Testing, Project Scoping, Vanilla JS, Front-end, HTML5, Writing & Editing, Software Design, Software Architecture, System Architecture Design, Scalable Application, Scalable Architecture, Requirements Analysis, Technical Consulting, CSS3, PHP 7, MVC Design, Scalability, API Documentation, Databases, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, NGINX, Cloud, User Management, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Front-end Development, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Startups, Automation, MySQL Performance Tuning, MySQL Server, Technical Architecture, Windows Server 2012, Solution Architecture, System Architecture
Experience
AI-powered Document Engine for Financial Verification
I developed a proprietary AI engine to classify and extract structured data from complex financial documents, without relying on traditional OCR. It uses a combination of visual analysis, layout detection, and language modeling to parse documents like bank statements, pay stubs, and IDs with exceptional accuracy. The system can intelligently identify document types, normalize field values, handle variations in layout, and reject invalid submissions with context-aware feedback.
Compared to every major vendor we benchmarked, this engine outperformed them in speed, accuracy, and reliability, making it, in my view, the most robust solution on the market today. It now serves as the core of VeriFast’s verification platform, which is used by enterprise clients for onboarding and compliance workflows.
Compared to every major vendor we benchmarked, this engine outperformed them in speed, accuracy, and reliability, making it, in my view, the most robust solution on the market today. It now serves as the core of VeriFast’s verification platform, which is used by enterprise clients for onboarding and compliance workflows.
AI Name Matching Engine for Identity Validation
I designed and implemented a lightweight AI-powered service to compare names and determine whether they represent the same person, even when spelling, ordering, or formatting differ. For example, it understands that “Jonathan David Smith” and “John Smith” could be a valid match, while “David Jonathan” and “Smith John” are likely not.
The engine uses rule-based logic combined with string similarity, token collapse, common nickname lookups, and cultural pattern handling. It’s been especially effective in KYC and identity-checking workflows where false negatives can block legitimate users, and false positives can raise red flags. It’s now part of a broader verification pipeline, helping platforms resolve ambiguous user submissions without needing manual review.
The engine uses rule-based logic combined with string similarity, token collapse, common nickname lookups, and cultural pattern handling. It’s been especially effective in KYC and identity-checking workflows where false negatives can block legitimate users, and false positives can raise red flags. It’s now part of a broader verification pipeline, helping platforms resolve ambiguous user submissions without needing manual review.
Lightweight API Toolkit for Laravel Projects
To streamline the early development phases of Laravel-based applications, I built a lightweight API toolkit that includes modular libraries for request validation, smart query parsing, custom response handling, dynamic filters, and authentication scaffolding.
This system allows me (and teams I’ve mentored) to spin up production-grade APIs in hours, not days, without relying on bloated starter kits or overengineered frameworks. Each component is fully decoupled, testable, and designed for rapid extension across MVPs, internal tools, and client-facing products. It’s now part of my standard build stack and has significantly accelerated delivery time across dozens of projects.
This system allows me (and teams I’ve mentored) to spin up production-grade APIs in hours, not days, without relying on bloated starter kits or overengineered frameworks. Each component is fully decoupled, testable, and designed for rapid extension across MVPs, internal tools, and client-facing products. It’s now part of my standard build stack and has significantly accelerated delivery time across dozens of projects.
SPA Prerendering and Route Validation via AWS Lambda
Most single-page applications deployed to static hosting return a 404 for every route other than the root, simply because the route doesn’t correspond to an actual file. This breaks SEO, causes confusion for crawlers, and forces developers to implement hacky fallbacks.
To solve this, I built a Lambda-based prerendering service that validates requested routes against the actual structure of the SPA and returns proper responses: a pre-rendered HTML snapshot for valid routes, or a true 404 for anything that doesn’t exist. It hooks into the deployment pipeline, crawls the app to capture all navigable routes, and stores renderable snapshots that are served at the edge via CloudFront or equivalent.
The result is a fully static SPA that behaves like a server-rendered app from the outside - proper status codes, crawlable content, and vastly improved SEO without requiring SSR frameworks or custom server hosting. It’s lightweight, infrastructure-agnostic, and production-proven.
To solve this, I built a Lambda-based prerendering service that validates requested routes against the actual structure of the SPA and returns proper responses: a pre-rendered HTML snapshot for valid routes, or a true 404 for anything that doesn’t exist. It hooks into the deployment pipeline, crawls the app to capture all navigable routes, and stores renderable snapshots that are served at the edge via CloudFront or equivalent.
The result is a fully static SPA that behaves like a server-rendered app from the outside - proper status codes, crawlable content, and vastly improved SEO without requiring SSR frameworks or custom server hosting. It’s lightweight, infrastructure-agnostic, and production-proven.
Modular Laravel Extension for Scalable Architecture
Laravel is a powerful framework, but as projects grow, its monolithic structure can create real headaches for scalability and maintainability. To address this, I built a fully integrated Laravel extension that preserves Laravel’s core conventions while introducing true modular architecture.
With this extension, every module behaves exactly like the native app directory, meaning each one has its own models, controllers, views, and routes, fully self-contained and independently manageable. This makes large-scale codebases far easier to organize, extend, and test, especially in fast-moving environments or multi-team setups.
Initially created as an extension to both Lumen and Laravel for API-first development, the framework has since evolved into a production-ready system I use across nearly every project I touch. It eliminates set up bloat, reduces architectural debt, and enforces best practices from the moment a project begins. I’ve used this system across social networks, CRM platforms, and SaaS applications, and it’s been instrumental in helping teams scale fast without sacrificing clarity or quality.
With this extension, every module behaves exactly like the native app directory, meaning each one has its own models, controllers, views, and routes, fully self-contained and independently manageable. This makes large-scale codebases far easier to organize, extend, and test, especially in fast-moving environments or multi-team setups.
Initially created as an extension to both Lumen and Laravel for API-first development, the framework has since evolved into a production-ready system I use across nearly every project I touch. It eliminates set up bloat, reduces architectural debt, and enforces best practices from the moment a project begins. I’ve used this system across social networks, CRM platforms, and SaaS applications, and it’s been instrumental in helping teams scale fast without sacrificing clarity or quality.
Modular PHP Framework for Scalable Web Systems
Before I adopted Laravel, I designed and built my own PHP framework from scratch. I preferred working without opinionated libraries because it gave me full control of the architecture and forced me to deeply understand routing, middleware, state, security, and performance.
As my projects scaled, I needed something more structured and maintainable, so I developed a modular framework tailored for scalable web and API development. It included its own routing engine, configuration system, ORM-style query builder, middleware stack, and CLI tooling.
I used and refined this framework across dozens of client projects over five years. By the time I moved to Laravel, I had already implemented many of the same core concepts, just with my own hands. The experience taught me when to build, when to adopt, and how to architect for long-term resilience. It also shaped how I approach systems today: with clear intent, scalability, and full-stack awareness.
As my projects scaled, I needed something more structured and maintainable, so I developed a modular framework tailored for scalable web and API development. It included its own routing engine, configuration system, ORM-style query builder, middleware stack, and CLI tooling.
I used and refined this framework across dozens of client projects over five years. By the time I moved to Laravel, I had already implemented many of the same core concepts, just with my own hands. The experience taught me when to build, when to adopt, and how to architect for long-term resilience. It also shaped how I approach systems today: with clear intent, scalability, and full-stack awareness.
Modular JavaScript Loader (JavaScript API)
Before module bundlers like Webpack or modern dependency management became the norm, I built a JavaScript API that let me manage my front-end libraries in a more controlled, scalable way. At the time, importing JavaScript files manually across pages felt messy and redundant, especially for larger apps with lots of shared functionality.
So, I developed a centralized system to register, load, and version my JavaScript modules on demand. Instead of hardcoding dozens of
So, I developed a centralized system to register, load, and version my JavaScript modules on demand. Instead of hardcoding dozens of
Intelligent Automated Outreach System
One of the most rewarding systems I’ve built was an intelligent, automated marketing engine designed to boost user acquisition for a mobile app. The goal was to move beyond batch-and-blast messaging and create a system that would dynamically identify, filter, and engage potential users based on behavioral triggers and contextual relevance.
The engine worked by analyzing in-app activity patterns, user demographics, and interaction history, then using that data to generate real-time outreach across multiple channels. It was designed to feel personal but remain automated, avoiding the kind of blunt, intrusive tactics that typically lead to churn or drop-off.
Within days of deploying the system, we saw a sharp increase in organic engagement and onboarding velocity. The user acquisition rate nearly doubled overnight, and retention saw measurable gains due to the relevance of the outreach. The system also significantly reduced manual marketing overhead and became a key part of our growth stack. It wasn’t just a campaign tool, it was a fully integrated engagement layer built to scale.
The engine worked by analyzing in-app activity patterns, user demographics, and interaction history, then using that data to generate real-time outreach across multiple channels. It was designed to feel personal but remain automated, avoiding the kind of blunt, intrusive tactics that typically lead to churn or drop-off.
Within days of deploying the system, we saw a sharp increase in organic engagement and onboarding velocity. The user acquisition rate nearly doubled overnight, and retention saw measurable gains due to the relevance of the outreach. The system also significantly reduced manual marketing overhead and became a key part of our growth stack. It wasn’t just a campaign tool, it was a fully integrated engagement layer built to scale.
Smart Query Parser for Laravel APIs
I built a custom query parsing engine for Laravel and Lumen that provides GraphQL-like flexibility within RESTful APIs. The goal was to empower developers to shape the response of an API call directly through the request URI, supporting filters, sorts, limits, pagination, field selection, and more, without the verbosity or complexity of raw query logic scattered throughout controllers.
As the system matured, I integrated smart eager loading, automatic relationship resolution, and intelligent defaults to avoid the N+1 problem without over-fetching. The parser also supports modular configuration and can be dropped into any Laravel project with minimal set up.
While initially designed to streamline admin and reporting APIs, it quickly became a core part of my back-end toolkit, reducing duplication, enforcing consistency across endpoints, and significantly speeding up internal tooling builds. In many ways, it gave my APIs 90% of the power of GraphQL, with none of the overhead.
As the system matured, I integrated smart eager loading, automatic relationship resolution, and intelligent defaults to avoid the N+1 problem without over-fetching. The parser also supports modular configuration and can be dropped into any Laravel project with minimal set up.
While initially designed to streamline admin and reporting APIs, it quickly became a core part of my back-end toolkit, reducing duplication, enforcing consistency across endpoints, and significantly speeding up internal tooling builds. In many ways, it gave my APIs 90% of the power of GraphQL, with none of the overhead.
Smart Contact Sync Engine for Growth
While building user acquisition systems for mobile-first apps, I developed a contact syncing engine that became one of the most effective growth mechanisms I’ve engineered. The idea was to leverage the user’s contact list—not just to import data, but to identify and prioritize high-value outreach opportunities using contextual filters.
The system synced the user’s contacts with the back end in real time, then applied intelligent matching based on phone number patterns, previous user behavior, time zones, and metadata. It could trigger targeted invites, smart nudges, and preemptive onboarding workflows - without feeling intrusive or spammy. What made it especially effective was its subtlety. It didn’t blast everyone in the contact book. It picked who to reach, when, and how, maximizing conversion while maintaining user trust. Within a few days of rollout, the app’s invite-driven growth rate surged, and we saw a measurable lift in activation metrics.
I’ve since adapted this engine for several other applications - each time tweaking the logic for the audience. Still, the core strategy remains one of the most efficient, technically satisfying growth solutions I’ve implemented.
The system synced the user’s contacts with the back end in real time, then applied intelligent matching based on phone number patterns, previous user behavior, time zones, and metadata. It could trigger targeted invites, smart nudges, and preemptive onboarding workflows - without feeling intrusive or spammy. What made it especially effective was its subtlety. It didn’t blast everyone in the contact book. It picked who to reach, when, and how, maximizing conversion while maintaining user trust. Within a few days of rollout, the app’s invite-driven growth rate surged, and we saw a measurable lift in activation metrics.
I’ve since adapted this engine for several other applications - each time tweaking the logic for the audience. Still, the core strategy remains one of the most efficient, technically satisfying growth solutions I’ve implemented.
Resilient Web Crawlers for Structured Data Extraction
I’ve built numerous crawlers and scrapers designed to extract structured data from some of the most inconsistent, poorly structured websites imaginable. While scraping may sound simple on paper, real-world implementations require handling everything from malformed HTML and dynamic content loading to pagination quirks and bot mitigation tactics.
Over time, I developed a toolkit of resilient crawler patterns - complete with retry logic, rate-limiting, user-agent spoofing, proxy rotation, and DOM-based parsing - to ensure reliable extraction across varying environments. These scripts weren’t just throwaway utilities; they became core data pipelines used internally to automate reporting, support sales ops, and populate back-office tooling.
In several cases, the data being scraped was locked behind JS-rendered interfaces, requiring headless browser control and asynchronous resolution strategies to extract meaningful content. I’ve also built schedulers, storage engines, and diff-checking logic only to sync changes rather than entire datasets. It’s a technically messy space, but I’ve built systems that handle the chaos quietly and consistently, exactly how automation should.
Over time, I developed a toolkit of resilient crawler patterns - complete with retry logic, rate-limiting, user-agent spoofing, proxy rotation, and DOM-based parsing - to ensure reliable extraction across varying environments. These scripts weren’t just throwaway utilities; they became core data pipelines used internally to automate reporting, support sales ops, and populate back-office tooling.
In several cases, the data being scraped was locked behind JS-rendered interfaces, requiring headless browser control and asynchronous resolution strategies to extract meaningful content. I’ve also built schedulers, storage engines, and diff-checking logic only to sync changes rather than entire datasets. It’s a technically messy space, but I’ve built systems that handle the chaos quietly and consistently, exactly how automation should.
Early Viral Platform for Peer Content Sharing
While still in school, I built a peer-based content sharing platform designed for students to post thoughts, jokes, and experiences anonymously. I only shared it with a handful of friends, but within 24 hours, it went viral across the entire region. Students from across the South West of the U.K. were posting content almost every minute. At its peak, the platform was receiving over 20,000 visits per day.
The website was designed and built entirely by me, with real-time data feeds, dynamic user moderation, and tools to detect abuse and protect user anonymity. It was hosted on minimal infrastructure but scaled gracefully due to lean code and efficient caching strategies. I learned more in those first few weeks of firefighting, scaling issues, and keeping servers alive than any tutorial could’ve taught me.
This project didn’t just go viral; it gave me my first hands-on lesson in infrastructure under pressure, UX at scale, and the power of momentum when a product truly resonates with its audience.
The website was designed and built entirely by me, with real-time data feeds, dynamic user moderation, and tools to detect abuse and protect user anonymity. It was hosted on minimal infrastructure but scaled gracefully due to lean code and efficient caching strategies. I learned more in those first few weeks of firefighting, scaling issues, and keeping servers alive than any tutorial could’ve taught me.
This project didn’t just go viral; it gave me my first hands-on lesson in infrastructure under pressure, UX at scale, and the power of momentum when a product truly resonates with its audience.
Skills
Libraries/APIs
REST APIs, Laravel Elixir, Twilio API, API Development, Modernizr, Node.js, Vue, jQuery, Stripe, Stripe API, Three.js, Facebook SDK, React, Sockets
Tools
Sketch, AWS IAM, Amazon Simple Email Service (SES), Webpack, Balsamiq Mockups, Apache, PhpStorm, Git, Bitbucket, NGINX, Amazon ElastiCache, MySQL Performance Tuning, Jira, Adobe Photoshop, DataGrip, GitHub
Languages
Bash, HTML5, SCSS, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, SQL, PHP, CSS3, PHP 7, TypeScript
Frameworks
Laravel, JavaScript MVC, Laravel Mix, Vanilla JS, Lumen, Tailwind CSS, Bootstrap
Paradigms
Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Unit Testing, Clean Code, Responsive Development, Model View Controller (MVC), DevOps, Database Design, Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Refactoring, Scalable Application, Requirements Analysis, Enterprise Application Architecture, MVC Design, Microservices, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Automation, Agile
Platforms
Amazon EC2, AWS Lambda, Amazon Web Services (AWS), DeployHQ, Rackspace Cloud, Web, Linux, MacOS, Windows, Amazon, Windows Server, Twilio, CentOS, Ubuntu, Azure, DigitalOcean, Windows Server 2012, OS X, iOS, Android, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Microsoft, Firebase
Storage
Amazon S3 (AWS S3), JSON, MariaDB, MySQL, Databases, Amazon Aurora, MySQL Server, Redis, Microsoft SQL Server, Memcached, MongoDB, Elasticsearch
Industry Expertise
Project Management
Other
API Integration, Architecture, Leadership, Design, Back-end, CTO, Technical Leadership, Project Timelines, Project Discovery, Project Scoping, Project Planning, Technical Project Management, Progressive Web Applications (PWAs), Front-end, Writing & Editing, Startups, Startup Funding, Autoscaling, Full-stack, Cloudflare, APIs, PHP Frameworks, Web Development, Optimization, Pixel Perfect, User Interface (UI), Web Services, Startup Consulting, Product Strategy, User Experience (UX), Product Management, Mentorship & Coaching, Code Review, PWA, Software Design, Software Architecture, System Architecture Design, Scalable Architecture, Technical Consulting, Enterprise Architecture, AWS Cloud Architecture, Scalability, API Documentation, CI/CD Pipelines, Landing Pages, Cloud Architecture, SaaS, Enterprise, Amazon RDS, Cloud, User Management, Mobile Back-end, eCommerce APIs, UI Development, UI Animation, Cost Estimation, Front-end Development, Cloud Infrastructure, Solution Architecture, System Architecture, Technical Architecture, Migration, Web Applications, Algorithms, IIS, Ejabberd, XMPP, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Chatbots, OpenAI GPT-4 API, OpenAI, Gemini
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