Website design & development
A better presence online.
Professional websites for small businesses and individuals who want their online presence to better reflect who they are and what they do.
I design and build everything directly, from simple, fast websites to custom applications when a project needs more.
Hi, I'm Nathan.
I spend most of my professional life building software and solving technical problems. I started in mechanical engineering before moving into computer science and software engineering, and that background has taught me to care as much about how something works in practice as how it’s built.
I’ve seen plenty of great small businesses and talented people whose online presence doesn’t reflect the quality of their work. A professional website shouldn’t require an agency-sized budget. By handling the design and engineering directly, I can keep the process simple and the cost reasonable while still building something polished and genuinely professional.
You'll work directly with me from our first conversation through launch.
Software engineering is my day job. See my engineering work
Who I work with
I'm especially interested in working with two kinds of clients. You might see yourself in one of them.
Small businesses
Your website should match the quality of your business.
For established local businesses, independent firms, restaurants, trades, practices, and other businesses that have outgrown their current online presence.
Whether your current site feels dated, is hard to use, or just doesn't represent the business you've built, I can help modernize it.
Restaurants · Contractors · Clinics · Consultants · Family businesses
Individuals & professionals
Give your work somewhere better to live.
For professionals who want more than a résumé and a LinkedIn page to tell their story, establish credibility, or stand out.
Your experience, projects, writing, and accomplishments deserve a place you actually control.
Consultants · Founders · Engineers · Academics · Career changers
A few examples
Original concept sites I built to show different styles and the kinds of projects I take on, not client work. Click into any of them and look around.
Ember & Rye
A neighborhood spot focused on wood-fired cooking, good wine, and a menu that changes with the season.
View sample site
Cornerstone Exteriors
A local roofing company built around clear communication, dependable work, and an easy quote process.
View sample site
Ashford & Vale
An independent advisory firm helping leadership teams work through strategy, growth, and operational challenges.
View sample site
Maya Ellison
A personal site that brings together a designer’s work, background, writing, and professional identity.
View sample siteThese are original concept websites, made to demonstrate range. They aren't real businesses, people, or commissioned client work.
Working with me
You work with me.
There's no salesperson, account manager, or handoff to someone you've never met. We talk about what you need, I build it, and we work through it together.
I'll build what actually makes sense.
Sometimes the right answer is a simple site with very little to maintain. Sometimes a project needs real software behind it. I won't add complexity or an agency-sized process when the project doesn't need either.
I can take it further when you need to.
My background is in software engineering, so if the work grows into integrations, automation, databases, dashboards, or custom features, you won't have to start over with someone new.
Starting prices
Real starting points, so you have an idea of cost upfront. Once we’ve talked through what you need, I’ll give you a fixed price before any work begins.
Personal Presence
A polished personal or professional site that puts your work and story in one place.
- Custom design that's yours
- A few well-crafted pages
- Your own domain, set up
- Live, fast, and mobile-first
Small Business Modernization
A complete, credible site that helps an established business compete online.
- Everything in Personal Presence
- Services, story, and reviews
- Contact, maps, and location
- Content help along the way
Custom Websites & Applications
When you need real software behind the site: features, data, and integrations.
- Custom functionality, built for you
- Accounts, dashboards, or booking
- Databases, APIs, and automation
- Room to grow over time
These are starting points, not fixed packages. Final pricing depends on scope. Every project is quoted at a single fixed price before we begin, so you always know the full cost up front.
Start a projectYou own what I build.
No proprietary platform, and no paying me every month just to keep your website online.
A real domain that's yours. Your site can live at yourbusiness.com — not yourbusiness.someplatform.com or a Nathan Riojas subdomain. The domain is registered in an account you control.
- Your hosting and accounts
- Your source code
- Your data
- No mandatory monthly fee
- Free to work with someone else later
Once the site is live, you can manage it yourself, work with another developer, or come back to me for future changes. Any additional work after the original project would be scoped and quoted separately.
How it works
- 1
Talk it through
We start with a short, no-pressure conversation about what you need and what you're hoping for.
- 2
A fixed-price quote
I scope the work and send one clear price up front. You approve it before anything starts.
- 3
Design & build
I design and build the site, sharing progress so you can weigh in as it comes together.
- 4
Launch & handoff
We go live on your accounts, and I hand over everything: the domain, code, and hosting.
Common questions
How much will my project cost?
It depends on what you need, which is why I quote a single fixed price up front before any work begins. The starting prices above are an honest guide for each kind of project.
How long does it take?
Straightforward personal and small-business sites can sometimes be ready in as little as a week once I have the content and information I need. More involved projects naturally take longer. If you're working toward a specific launch date, tell me upfront and I'll let you know what's realistic and work around it where I can.
Do I own the website?
Yes, completely. Your domain, code, hosting, and data are all in your name, and you're never locked into me to keep it online.
Will my website have its own domain?
Yes. Your finished site can use a normal domain such as yourbusiness.com, not a subdomain branded around me or another website platform. If you already own a domain, I'll connect it to the new site. If you don't, I'll help you purchase one in an account you control. I can also help set up professional email addresses such as you@yourbusiness.com or inquiries@yourbusiness.com. Any ongoing third-party costs for the domain or email stay in your account, so you remain in control.
Do I have to pay you every month?
No. There's no required monthly payment to me after launch. You may have normal third-party costs, such as your domain, business email, or any paid services your site uses, and those stay in accounts you control. If you want additional changes later, that's scoped and quoted separately.
Can I update it myself?
That depends on the site. For something that rarely changes, keeping it simple is usually the better option. If you need to update content often, I can set the site up with an appropriate editor or CMS. Either way, you're not dependent on me to keep the site running.
What if I need something more complicated than a normal website?
Then we build it. I'm a software engineer, so accounts, dashboards, integrations, automation, and other custom features are all on the table when a project calls for them.
How is the site hosted and secured?
I use modern hosting and deployment practices, HTTPS, appropriate access controls, and secure handling of credentials and configuration. If your project involves customer accounts, payments, data, or backend functionality, I'll design the security around those requirements.
What happens after launch?
Once the site is live, I hand over the domain, code, hosting, accounts, and anything else that belongs with the project. From there, you can manage it yourself or work with another developer. If you'd like additional changes later, you're welcome to reach out, and I'll quote that work separately.
Tell me what you're thinking.
You don't need a technical spec. Tell me a little about yourself or your business, what isn't working today, and what you'd like to change. I'll take it from there.