DBL Systems

Expert Freelance Development

I’ve led my freelance software development and digital strategy shop for over 15 years, working solo and leading teams of up to 15 designers and engineers.

This experience has equipped me with a diverse skill set in both individual and team-based project management.

I am more than just a freelance software developer though; I am an entrepreneur at heart with a Computer Science degree and a rich history of building and nurturing tech products & solutions.

When you work with me, you gain an expert resource & partner.

My specialization in Ruby on Rails dates back to 2008, reflecting deep-rooted expertise. This proficiency led me to be a senior instructor for a Ruby on Rails bootcamp in Bali, with my curriculum adaptations extending to local workshops & bootcamps over the years.

My technical agility extends beyond Ruby on Rails to encompass full stack development, React, Vue, HTML, CSS, PostgreSQL, AI/ML and more.

I consider myself stack and language agnostic but I particularly enjoy working with cutting edge and open source technologies.

Beyond coding, I am a co-founder of Cowerks, a coworking space community; the Jersey Shore Tech Meetup, a 2500+ member community of tech enthusiasts and leaders; and Asbury Agile, a renowned tech/startup conference.

Let’s connect to explore how my skills can align with your vision.

Skills & Technologies

Languages & Frameworks: Ruby, Rails, Hotwire, Javascript, React, React Native, Flutter, Vue, Node, Next.js, Angular, Wordpress, PHP, Sinatra, HTML5, Tailwind, CSS3, Jekyll, Hugo, Machine Learning/AI, Squarespace

DevOps & Infrastructure: Linux, AWS, Heroku, PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, Git, Blockchain, Docker

Tools & Practices: SEO/SEM, Cybersecurity, Agile Methodologies, Asana, Obsidian, Trello, Jira, Monday, Slack, Pivotal, Google Hangouts

Recent Work

SoundFly - Revolutionizing Online Music Education

SoundFly stands out as a dynamic online music school, offering an extensive range of courses and personalized mentorship programs. This platform is expertly designed to cater to the varied learning needs of individuals, enabling them to either progress at their own pace or engage in deep, mentor-led learning experiences.

Our collaborative effort with the founder and the dedicated team at SoundFly was instrumental in transforming their existing platform. We successfully transitioned to a Software as a Service (SaaS) subscription model, a strategic move aimed at enhancing the platform’s scalability and boosting monthly recurring revenues.

This transition not only refined the user experience but also solidified SoundFly’s position in the market as a leading online destination for music education.

Technologies: Ruby, Rails, API Development, Stripe Payments, PostgreSQL, Heroku

Viply - Simplifying Beach Access in New Jersey

Viply, available for both iOS and Android, is an innovative mobile app designed to streamline the purchase and management of beach passes, ensuring effortless access to New Jersey’s scenic beaches.

My team and I played a crucial role in the development of this app. We collectively focused on the database and backend design, ensuring robust and reliable performance. A custom API was developed to ensure seamless integration with both iOS and Android platforms. Additionally, we crafted an intuitive admin system, which not only simplifies the process of onboarding new customers but also effectively manages transactions and addresses customer support inquiries, thereby elevating the overall user experience.

Technologies: Ruby, Rails, API Development, iOS, Android, Braintree Payments, Heroku, PostgreSQL, Project Management

Wilderness Travel - Sustainably Minded Adventure Travel

Wilderness Travel specializes in crafting environmentally conscious and culturally respectful adventure trips, offering a wide range of experiences from African safaris to hiking in the Alps and expedition cruises in Antarctica.

I served as a consultant to expedite their development timeline, integrating key technologies like Elasticsearch and Sidekiq, and acted as a part-time ‘hired gun’ to assist in the successful launch of their new features.

Technologies: Ruby, Rails, React, Elasticsearch, Sphinx, Sidekiq, MySQL, AWS Cloudsearch

Staying Neat - Make Coming Home The Highlight of Your Day

Started during the pandemic by a local Philadelphia cleaner & entrepreneur, Staying Neat is an online booking platform that offers professional cleaning services to help clients declutter and organize their spaces, enhancing functionality and aesthetics in homes and offices.

I was hired to help build and launch their online booking, payment and scheduling platform leveraging technologies such as Ruby on Rails and Stripe Payments.

Technologies: Ruby, Rails, Stripe, Heroku, MariaDB, Project Management

Seamwork - Creating Personalized Wardrobes

Seamwork is a company dedicated to inspiring and supporting creativity in sewing, offering a subscription-based platform with access to an extensive library of sewing patterns, educational resources, and a private community for members.

I served as a consultant for Seamwork to help speed up the pace of some of their internal development projects where I refactored their codebase to use background processing as well as integrate Turbo and Hotwire to improve performance on certain parts of their site.

Technologies: Ruby, Rails, Sidekiq, Turbo, Hotwire, MySQL

FRESH Markets - Pop Up Shopping For Local Communities

Asbury Fresh has been a cornerstone of Asbury Park’s community since 2012, creating vibrant pop-up markets that connect local artisans, food purveyors, and farms directly with consumers.

This is a business I founded and have grown over the past decade in Monmouth County & Central NJ. Our custom CRM & Payment platform is built on Ruby on Rails and PostgreSQL, with Stripe handling payments.

Technologies: Ruby, Rails, Heroku, Turbo, Hotwire, API Development, PostgreSQL, Stripe Payments, Project Management

The Surf Village - We Created the Space. You Create the Memories.

The Surf Village offers stylish and intentionally designed bungalows in Bradley Beach, NJ, catering to families and groups with a range of one, two, and three-bedroom accommodations for vacations at the Jersey Shore.

This is a personal real estate development & investment project. As it pertains to software development, I created the website, did all the copywriting, and integrated our third party booking and payments platform. This site was built on Squarespace but uses Hospitable and Stripe to manage and handle bookings and payments.

Technologies: Squarespace, API Development, Stripe Payments, Project Management, Copywriting

My Online Toolbox - Grow Your Business With More Quality Leads

MOTB collaborates with small businesses to offer a comprehensive series on education, strategy, and website development, aimed at consistently generating targeted leads in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

My team and I serve as a technology partner for MOTB where we manage dozens of client Wordpress sites, handling everything from security and maintenance updates to new marketing page creation, and SEO & usability audits.

Technologies: Wordpress, Project Management, MySQL, Hosting Management, SEO, SEM