ThatG33k
ThatG33k
Yonela

I BUILDTHINGSYonelaFOR THEWEB.

Software, products, experiments
and things I probably didn't need
to build.

CAPE TOWN
SOUTH AFRICA

A few numbers

0+

years building software

0+

ecommerce experiences shipped

0+

monthly visitors across storefronts

0+

products built from scratch

And I'm still building.

Selected work

06 projects

Things
I've built.

HOT BEAUTIES
01

HOT BEAUTIES

Commerce · BeautyCOMPLETED
02

DAILYBOOKINGS

Marketplace · ServicesIN PROGRESS
ZAMA
03

ZAMA

Marketplace · CommerceBUILDING
04

MAYA

Social · Community · Real-timeBUILDING
05

PINKY

Wellness · Commerce · ContentCOMPLETED
06

MARKDAE

Marketplace · Commerce · PlatformBUILDING

Want the deeper story behind the work?

Visit my portfolio

Selected work

03 projects

Things
I've built.

A few things I've been building lately. There's more if you want to dig around.

Want the deeper story behind the work?

Visit my portfolio
What I do

Ideas into things.

From product thinking to launch, I help turn ideas into useful digital products.

01
Applications

Custom applications

Web apps, platforms, dashboards and internal tools built around how your business actually works — not the other way around.

React · Next.js · TypeScript · Node.js
02
Commerce

E-commerce & digital products

Commerce experiences designed to sell, scale and integrate with the systems behind them — from custom storefronts to complete platforms.

Shopify · Hydrogen · Stripe · PostgreSQL
03
AI & Automation

AI & automation

AI connected to real business processes — automating repetitive work, connecting systems and creating useful product experiences.

AI · Agents · APIs · Automation
04
Systems

Systems & integrations

The infrastructure underneath the product. APIs, databases, third-party integrations, admin systems and the workflows that make everything work together.

APIs · PostgreSQL · REST · GraphQL
Just writing codePassing things aroundBuilding without context

I don't just build the thing.
I get involved in the whole thing.

From figuring out what should exist, to designing it, building it, breaking it, fixing it and getting it into production — I like being close to the actual problem.

I like making things that actually work.

See what I've been building

The engineer
behind the products.

I'm Yonela Johannes, a full-stack engineer based in Cape Town, building products across commerce, SaaS and consumer platforms.

My work sits between engineering, product thinking and user experience. I enjoy taking ideas from a blank page and turning them into products people can actually use.

Over the last few years I've helped ship digital experiences for brands including Vans, Crocs, Birkenstock and Under Armour, working across everything from APIs and databases to frontend architecture and customer-facing experiences.

🚀

Full Stack Engineer

Commerce • SaaS • Product Systems

“I enjoy turning rough ideas into products people genuinely want to use.”

5+

Years building products

6+

Commerce experiences shipped

100K+

Monthly visitors reached

4+

Years in production teams

Current focus

Building modern digital products.

From storefronts and SaaS platforms to mobile applications and internal systems — I enjoy working across the full journey from concept to production.

What people said
after we shipped.

A few words from founders, business owners and people I've worked with while turning ideas into products.

What stood out was how quickly an idea could turn into something real. There was very little back and forth — he understood what I was trying to build and just got it.He understood what I was trying to build and just got it.

🚀

Hlomla

Founder

The small details made the biggest difference. It felt like more than just getting a website built — the whole thing actually felt considered.The whole thing actually felt considered.

✨

Pinky

Business Owner

I expected the technical side to be complicated, but everything came together smoothly. The result was much better than what I had imagined at the start.The result was much better than I imagined.

💡

Lungile

Client

What surprised me was how much thought went into the things I hadn’t even considered. It felt like working with someone who actually cared about the end result.It felt like someone who genuinely cared about the outcome.

🎯

Khaya

Founder

Good products aren't built by writing code.
They're built by understanding the problem first.

How it works

From idea
to something real.

A straightforward process designed to keep the important things clear — what we are building, why we are building it and where we are going next.

Conversation

Start with the idea

Free to start

Tell me what you are thinking about, what problem you are trying to solve, or where your current product is getting stuck. You do not need a polished brief — a conversation is enough to begin.

Step 01
Direction

Define what to build

Clear scope

We turn the conversation into something concrete: the goals, product scope, priorities, technical direction and a realistic path to launch. You know what is being built, why it matters and what comes next.

Step 02
Build

Turn it into something real

Project-based

Design, development, integrations and iteration happen in the open. You stay involved at the important moments while I handle the technical work needed to move the product forward.

Step 03
Launch

Ship, learn and improve

Built to grow

Once everything is ready, we launch. From there, I can hand everything over or stay involved as your technical partner — improving the product as your users and business evolve.

Step 04
Start with a conversation

No pressure · No complicated brief required

Three steps.
No surprises.

Every project starts with understanding what actually needs to be built. From there, we build, launch and — if you need it — keep improving together.

01
DISCOVERY

Understand

Start with clarity

Scope first

We start with the problem, not the technology. We talk through what you are trying to achieve, what already exists, what needs to change and what success looks like.

What you get

01Problem & goal definition
02Product / feature scope
03Technical direction
04Project roadmap
05Clear estimate & next steps
02
BUILD

Create

Project-based

Built around the scope

Once the direction is clear, I build the product from the ground up — keeping you involved without making you manage the technical details.

What you get

01Production-ready product
02Responsive user experience
03Backend & database systems
04Required integrations
05Deployment & handover
03
PARTNERSHIP

Improve

Ongoing support

After launch

Launching is not always the finish line. I can stay involved to improve the product, ship new features, solve problems and help it evolve as your business grows.

What you get

01Feature development
02Product iteration
03Technical improvements
04Performance & maintenance
05Ongoing technical support

No fixed package required

Your project does not have to fit into a box. We can shape the engagement around what you actually need.

Start a conversation

Have something?

You don't need a finished brief. Bring the idea, the problem, the business goal — whatever you have. We can figure out the rest together.

Send an email

Have a project in mind? Send over whatever you have — a brief, an idea, or just a rough direction.

johannesyonela@gmail.com
Email me

Start a conversation

Sometimes it is easier to talk through an idea first. Reach out and tell me what you are trying to build.

WhatsApp
Message me

My portfolio

See more of the products, platforms and digital experiences I have worked on.

yonelajohannes.vercel.app
View portfolio

LinkedIn

Connect with me, follow what I am working on, or get in touch professionally.

LinkedIn
Connect

GitHub

Explore my code, experiments and projects.

github.com/Yonela-Johannes
View GitHub

Tell me what you're building.

A few sentences about the idea, your goals and where you are currently at is enough to get the conversation started.

Good ideas are better
when they become real.

Let's build something useful.

Cape Town · South Africa

Open to new projects