Software developer · Technical founder
For more than fourteen years, I’ve turned messy operational problems into working products—owning architecture and implementation through deployment, QA, and what happens after launch. Today I run a portfolio of my own products and take on consulting work through DeftForge.
The numbers behind the work
Measured outcomes from products and platforms I led.
Selected work
The shipped work below is live or publicly available, and I remain responsible for the products I operate. These descriptions focus on customer value and my responsibility for each product. Confidential implementation details remain private.
Hospitality technology. Production product. Founder, developer & operator.
Guest-experience software for vacation-rental operators. Guests get answers about the property when they need them, helping operators avoid answering the same questions repeatedly.
I founded OnStay and run it end to end—from product direction and development through release quality and production support.
Personal health technology. Live product. Creator, developer & operator.
A personal health app built on a simple principle: health data should be useful to the person it belongs to, on their terms. It is permission-first by design, with clear boundaries about what it will and won’t do.
I own HealthSource from product definition and development through releases and day-to-day operations.
Operational discovery. In production. Lead developer.
A guided tool that helps organizations map how their operations actually work, then turns that map into clear findings and better software decisions.
I lead its implementation, quality, and production reliability. It is designed to be a practical starting point for consulting engagements.
Release quality. Live product. Creator & developer.
A release-confidence tool for teams that want evidence, not gut feel, before software reaches customers.
I created shippingszn, and it reflects the same release standards I hold my own products to.
Commercial real estate. Live product. Product, architecture & development.
Decision-support software for commercial real-estate professionals evaluating opportunities—built to make the analysis faster, clearer, and defensible.
I own the product direction, architecture, development, and delivery.
Learning technology. Native product. Creator & developer.
A study app that helps people practice consistently and remember what they learn.
I created SmartDeck AI and run the whole product—direction, native releases, and ongoing support.
Also shipped
In development
Their problem spaces are public. Their names will be shared at launch.
Trust & transactions
In developmentA guided flow designed to reduce risk and awkwardness when two people complete a high-value purchase.
Property finance
In developmentA borrower-first marketplace designed to make specialized property financing easier to compare and understand.
Systems engineering
The portfolio is operated with one consistent engineering standard—the unglamorous, load-bearing work that keeps software trustworthy after launch.
Every product moves the same way: defined, built, verified against real user journeys, released with a rollback path, and maintained after launch.
Sensitive data stays protected, high-impact changes stay constrained, and nothing ships without evidence that it works.
Sign-in, permissions, and product separation are treated as core product responsibilities rather than afterthoughts.
Each product is discoverable where it should be, with a clear boundary between public evidence and confidential product details.
Experience
Fourteen-plus years across enterprise platforms, software delivery, product leadership, and founder-led engineering.
2025 — Present
Ryan Zaucha Portfolio / DeftForge
I build and operate my product portfolio, and take on consulting, process discovery, and custom software work through DeftForge.
2019 — 2023
Developerly
I co-led a 16-person software company delivering workflow, automation, and compliance systems for healthcare staffing clients.
2013 — 2025
StaffBot / TotalMed
I led product strategy across ATS, VMS, workforce, and mobile platforms used at enterprise scale, including the platforms behind the career outcomes above.
How I work
Reliable software begins with clear boundaries: what the system should do, what it must never do, and who is responsible when something breaks.
I work across product definition, design, implementation, infrastructure, testing, release, and ongoing operations because quality improves when those responsibilities stay connected. I collaborate across product, engineering, operations, and leadership while remaining accountable for technical decisions and production outcomes.
Working scope
Commercial work
That is the work I do through DeftForge: process discovery, consulting, and custom software—from the first conversation to a running system. If you’re dealing with a workflow that is costly, repetitive, or hard to manage, let’s talk.