I'm Rey Gutierrez

I'm a freelance full stack web developer born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. My fascination with computers started early and evolved into a deep passion during high school. I pursued web development in college at the Illinois Institute of Technology, where I majored in Information Technology and Management. This academic journey and multiple post-graduation certificates equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of computers, web development, and web design. Further independent study has lead me to understanding computer language paradigms, and what it means to contribute code to a sustainable software project.

Throughout the years I have had the pleaseure of working with all sorts of clients and companies. This includes working at a startup that made a proprietary IoT device, working for consultancy agencies on internal tooling, and working with small businesses to develop web application platforms for them to advertise and sell their goods.

Currently, I’m based in Chicago and work with clients here locally face to face, but I am also continuously work remotely with clients all over the country. I have alternated through hobbies throughout the year and right now I am really enjoying reading books on pyschology and neurodivergence.

My core values as a developer:

• Pragmatism

A successful piece of software needs to meaningfully touch its user base and respect the values of its domain. There is no use being overly idealistic and producing bloated software where the returns will be minimal. Conversly it is important not be brash and build with the future in mind. Striking balance between providing value and paying the bills today vs tomorrow, is at the forefront of all my thinking about software when it comes to getting to work.

• Thoroughness

I am naturally a thorough person. In recent times, especially when you can prompt your way to 80% of the answer, this is an attribute that is harder to appreciate immediately. It is something I have seen time and time again be of great value, and for this reason I insist on reading all the code changes in a commit, on at least glancing over the documentation with my own eyes, at asking piercing questions that get everyone to truly think about what it is we are doing and why.

• Transparency

Transparency is very efficient which is why I strongly insist. If I don't know something, I'm a blocker or at least potentially one. I don't like getting in the way of good software. I like when all parties involved can get a good deal whether it's with clients directly, employers, collaborators, or co-workers. Tranparency implies meaningful communication and ends in trust which is the glue of all social systems.

Testimonials

“I had an amazing experience working with Raise Rivers on my online website. Raise Rivers made sure they understood what my vision was and made it come to life. I can honestly say Rey loves what he does and is very dedicated to his business. I would recommend Raise Rivers without hesitation for any project.”

Rosy

Business Owner, Rosita Pink

“I was impressed with how custom the work was. The website has elevated my professional status and has given me access to new vendors and customers. ”

Everardo

Business Owner, SV Granite

“I was sincerely impressed by the Movie Night website and what it accomplished. It is a simple site, but it accomplishes everything that is needed; it allows us to create accounts, suggest films to watch, vote on them, and then submit our reviews afterwards if we are interested. This site has been instrumental in making our movie nights much more efficient, allowing us ample time to focus on enjoying the film we came together to watch. Visually, the website is easy to follow and intuitive, featuring backgrounds that evoke a cinematic mood.”

Tony

Site User, Movie Night

Tools I Use

DevelopmentDesign

Docker

Heroku

Ruby on Rails

Hotwire

Git