Ragnar Laud

Senior Web Application Engineer

I build robust full-stack products and solutions for web and mobile platforms.

About

Back in 2010 I got pretty interested in technical stuff about video games: the hacking, modding, servers, and eventually got around to building a few small games. That tinkering sparked a passion for making computers do cool things, that still burns strong to this day. Ever since that time, I've had the pleasure of working on many interesting and fun projects, helping startups realize their visions, and building products that create value.

My main focus nowadays is building digital products and solving issues both people and businesses have using technology. Currently I work as a freelance full-stack developer building apps and solutions for web and mobile platforms.

In my free time I'm usually either building my ideas into software, reading up on various topics (current topics include business and sales), or messing around with electronics projects.

Experience

  • Apr 2020 - Present

    Founder - Softrix

    Providing web and mobile development and consultancy services to clients. Providing mentorship and internship to junior developers. Building and experimenting with product ideas.
    React Next.js Node.js PostgreSQL AWS Stripe
  • Mar 2023 - Present

    CTO - Kahn Digital Media

    Helping drive the companies digital services offering and providing consultation for clients regarding their digital needs. Leading the technical planning, implementation, and delivery of digital solutions to clients. Managing the digital systems used internally within the company.
    React Next.js Node.js PostgreSQL Docker Navirec API
  • Dec 2021 - Mar 2023

    Senior Software Developer - VNTRS

    Lead the development of a real-time audience engagement solution targeted towards big stage events. Developed a Minimum Viable Product for electricians to help streamline their day-to-day work.
    Flutter Firebase React Node MySQL RabbitMQ Redis Docker
  • Jan 2021 - Jul 2021

    CTO / Lead Developer - TenantPass

    Built the Minimum Viable Product for TenantPass. Developed a web based solution for landlords to help manage the tenant screening process. Implemented tenant scoring and verification through Open-Banking technology. Built a mobile application for tenant onboarding, verification, and profile management.
    Angular Node PostgreSQL RabbitMQ Docker AWS Plaid Stripe
  • Dec 2019 - Apr 2020

    Full-Stack Developer - Trinidad Wiseman

    Developed an e-commerce and part-matching platform for computer parts. Developed an algorithm for matching computer parts and finding issues within configurations.
    Nuxt.js Vue Laravel MySQL
  • Nov 2018 - Nov 2019

    Full-Stack Developer - MeetFrank

    Supported in building new features for both business clients and end-users. Improved the performance and accuracy of internal analytics tools. Helped improve the MeetFrank chatbot architecture and internals.
    React Node.js MongoDB Redis AWS Circle-CI
  • May 2018 - Nov 2018

    Full-Stack Developer - LeverCode

    Developed a solution for merchants to help them accept DagCoin. Supported the development of the DagCoin ecosystem.
    Angular Node.js PostgreSQL AWS
  • Jul 2017 - May 2018

    Full-Stack Developer - DevTailor

    Built backend services for an e-commerce platform handling product search, checkout processes, and order history. Built backend services for internal e-commerce processes handling order packaging, inventory management, logistics, and delivery. Developed web-based mobile applications handling order packaging, managing inventory, and handling delivery and logistics.
    Angular Node.js PostgreSQL AWS Google Maps API Algolia API Puppeteer
  • Aug 2016 - Jun 2017

    Junior Web Developer and System Administrator - Zen Media

    Managed the servers and databases used for hosting the affiliate websites and running the backend systems. Built tools for managing affiliate parameters and visualizing affiliate data.
    Node.js EJS MySQL

Projects

  • A place to showcase my skills and experience

    React Next.js Tailwind
  • Shindig

    COMING SOON

    Events management and ticketing platform for small to medium sized venues and events

    A digital platform for venue managers, event organizers, and people looking to have fun. Enables venues to manage events held in their venues as well as sell and verify tickets, both online and at the door. Allows event organizers to create, manage, monetize events and engage with attendees. Makes it easy for people to find events around them, find people with similar interests, and overall have a more fun life.
    React Next.js Node.js PostgreSQL AWS Stripe
  • Freelancer Tool

    COMING SOON

    A web-based tool for automating the routine from freelancing

    In my experience a lot of time is constantly wasted as a freelancer managing client documents, creating development proposals, tracking project scope and progress, and invoicing clients. There are solutions to each of these problems individually, however I failed to find one that suited my needs as a whole without being overly complex or costly. That is why I started building a tool that would not only solve my problems but hopefully also those of other freelancers such as myself. The application will simplify and automate the overhead work of freelancers, allowing them to focus on what they love to do.
    React Next.js Node.js PostgreSQL
  • Catering System

    COMING SOON

    Web application that makes providing catering services easier for restaurants

    This project started from a single restaurant wanting a system to help with keeping track of their catering workflow. Soon enough we realized that there is value to be seen among the restaurant industry from a tool like this. Together with KDM and Viktus I am leading the development and technocal direction of the currently untitled application. The application helps restaurants save time by simplifying proposal creation, automatically splitting work up between stations, managing the timely delivery of logistics of the orders, and providing statistics and analytics on everything. Although currently in the MVP stage, we plan on launching as a SaaS this year.
    React Next.js Node.js PostgreSQL Docker Navirec API
  • Electrician App

    Mobile solution for simplifying electrical work

    Helps electricians keep track of and manage various blueprints across all their electrical projects. Visualizes the electrical wiring, conduits, electrical boxes, and other components throughout a blueprint. Enables tracking the installation and inspection phases of electrical components. Enables billing clients both on a fixed and hourly rate.
    Flutter Firebase
  • Real-time audience engagement solution

    I lead the development of the project and provided technical consulting to the client. Added support for various real-time modules to help solve more use-cases event organizers had. Developed internal analytics tools for clients to help understand viewer engagement better. Improved the client interface for managing events.
    React Node MySQL RabbitMQ Redis Docker
  • TenantPass

    Tenant screening and property management platform for landlords

    I was in charge of planning and developing the MVP of TenantPass, which for the first few months was 100% on my shoulders. The MVP consisted of a mobile-friendly web interface built with Angular, with the backend built on top of Nest.js, and everything hosted on AWS (EC2 + S3 + RDS). For screening, we had opted to go with Plaid as our Open-Banking provider, along with Stripe for payments from tenants as well as landlords. After getting our first round of investments, I was in pt in charge of filtering, interviewing, and later on leading the development team we had put together. Sadly, since none of us had much experience building a startup on a managerial level, mistakes were made by hiring uncompatible people and eventually we ran out of runway and had to close up shop. This was, however, a huge learning experience for all of us. Personally, it was the first time leading a team as well as development in general, and many valuable lessons were learned during development, hiring, and leading efforts.
    Angular Node PostgreSQL RabbitMQ Docker AWS Plaid Stripe
  • CompuBuilder

    E-commerce solution with component compatibility matching

    The project was meant as a competitor to platforms like PCPartPicker, with a focus on local computer parts stores. The solution was built on Nuxt.js with Laravel as a backend, and hosted on on-site servers owned by Trinidad Wiseman. I was onboarded to the project mid-way through to help finish development of the Minimum Viable Product. This was all right before The Big Sad of 2020, during which the client started having difficulty paying the cost of development and before long we had to drop the project, followed by me leaving the company.
    Nuxt.js Vue Laravel MySQL
  • Online headhunting app where recruiters approach candidates

    My first responsibilities after being onboarded were improving the performance of database queries, both on the application side as well as the client-facing analytics and statistics tools. Due to the fact that data was stored in MongoDB with a lot of relations, it was quite a challenge, especially since I had not had much real-world experience with document databases before this. Luckily, when I found out about aggregations, I was able to improve the performance of the systems by a huge margin, from around a minute per request to a few seconds on the higher end. After this, I joined the rest of the team in building new features into the app as well.
    React Node.js MongoDB Redis AWS Circle-CI
  • Application for accepting DagCoin as a merchant

    DagPay was a solution I was put in charge of to help merchants accept DagCoin, the (centralized) cryptocurrency the company was then affiliated with. The solution was built with Angular and Node.js, and hosted on company-internal servers.
    Angular Node.js PostgreSQL AWS
  • E-commerce and logistics platform

    FreshGO was an e-commerce platform, similar to food delivery platforms nowadays, but with a slightly different goal: To get groceries from multiple stores to you on the same day in a single delivery. The platform consisted of the web store itself and back-office applications for collecting the groceries in-store, delivering them from the store into the intermediary warehouse and later to the customer, and for managing and tracking the location of orders within the intermediary warehouse. Sadly the business model was flawed, and although a lot of money was put behind the project, the company behind it could not make the business model work even at scale and had to end the project.
    Angular Node.js PostgreSQL AWS Google Maps API Algolia API Puppeteer
  • Affiliate System

    An affiliate tracking system used by Zen Media

    Node.js EJS MySQL