About

How I got here

I started writing code when I was 12, messing around with YaBasic on a PlayStation 2. Sony had shipped it as a "home computer" to circumvent import taxes, but for me it was a gateway into software that's now lasted over two decades.

Since then I've worked on all sorts of things — crypto trading platforms at Archax, collateral management software at CloudMargin, digital banking at Nationwide, and most recently AI chatbots at OneBot. I've been a software engineer, a technical lead, a Scrum Master, and occasionally the person who just fixes things when they're broken.

What I do now

These days I work with startups, usually somewhere between pre-seed and Series B. I help with:

• Building full-stack systems — frontend work with React and web3 tooling, backend services with Node.js and TypeScript, deployed on AWS
• Designing architecture — determining what to build, and more importantly, what not to build
• AI integrations — connecting LLMs, building conversational systems, wrangling vector databases
• Getting teams unstuck — code reviews, mentoring, untangling messy deployment pipelines

I'm comfortable working across the stack. My particular strengths are in backend infrastructure, performance, and making technical decisions that won't bite you later, but I'm equally at home building frontends — particularly for trading platforms and web3 applications. If you need graphic design or brand work, I'll tell you upfront and help you find someone better suited.

Who I work with

I work best with founders and small teams who:

• Are working on something in fintech, crypto, SaaS, or AI
• Need hands-on technical work, not merely advice
• Value straight talk over corporate speak
• Want someone who'll tell them when they're about to squander time and money

Tech I know well

Frontend: React, Next.js, TypeScript, Tailwind, web3/Ethereum integrations Backend: Node.js, TypeScript, Express, C#, .NET Databases: Postgres, MySQL, Redis, DynamoDB, MongoDB Cloud: Mostly AWS (Lambda, SQS, SNS, ECS, DynamoDB) Other: WebSockets, real-time systems, API design, testing

I can work with other tech when needed, but these are the tools I reach for when I'm building something from scratch.

How I work

Usually it goes something like this:

1. We discuss what you're trying to build and what's actually impeding progress
2. I determine where I can help — architecture, coding, fixing broken things, or simply being a sounding board
3. I do the work, keep you in the loop, and try not to make things more complicated than they need to be
4. When we're done, you have something that works and a codebase you can hand off to someone else

I'm based in Swindon, UK, though most of my work is remote. I'm generally available during normal UK hours, with some flexibility.

Get in touch

If you're working on something interesting and think I might be able to help, just email me. I'll let you know pretty quickly whether I'm a good fit.

Email: will@fortytech.co.uk Phone: 07796687935