See it in practice
Civic engagement platform
A self-initiated product I designed and built end to end: public websites, a team dashboard, and privacy rules built into how the data is stored.
Read the case study: Civic engagement platformStudio
Small on purpose. Serious about what I build
Bear.Works is my one-person web studio in the Philippines, built around one idea: the person you talk to is the person responsible for what gets built.
Why I started Bear.Works
I started Bear.Works to build things that make someone’s work easier: a website that brings in the right enquiries, or a system that replaces the spreadsheet everyone is afraid to touch.
I’ve built and looked after websites and web applications as part of development teams. Bear.Works is my own studio, set up so nothing gets passed along: you explain what you need to me, and I plan it, design it and build it. When a project needs a specialist designer or tester, I bring one in and stay responsible for their work.
I take on one build at a time, and I’ll tell you honestly what fits your timeline, even if that means suggesting something smaller to start with.
If you get in touch, you’ll be talking to me.
Why the name
People often ask what Bear.Works means. Read it out loud: bear works. That’s the whole idea. I’m the bear, and I do the work.
The bear is a grizzly, my spirit animal. A grizzly mostly works alone, takes its time, and looks after what’s in its care. That’s close to who I am, and to how I run this studio: one person, steady, and careful with what you trust me with.
The dot is a play on words. Bear.Works reads as a short sentence and as a web address, so I kept the dot and made it part of the brand. Say it “bear dot works”, the same as beardotworks.com. You’ll find the dot at the end of every heading on this site, too.
What you can expect
A few things that are true on every project.
- You talk to me.
- From the first message to launch, your questions come straight to me, the person doing the work. No account managers, no hand-offs.
- A fixed quote before work starts.
- After a short call, you get a written proposal with the scope, timeline and price, so you know exactly what you’re agreeing to.
- You see it before it’s built.
- You approve a mockup before development starts, then see working progress at every check-in, not just status updates.
- One build at a time.
- Your project never competes with another build. If I’m in the middle of one, I’ll tell you the earliest start date up front.
- Everything in your name.
- Your domain, hosting and accounts are yours from day one, and the code is yours once the final payment is made.
- Two weeks of fixes after launch.
- If something in the agreed scope doesn’t work as it should in the first two weeks, I fix it at no cost.
Why a small studio
Staying small is a choice. It keeps communication direct, decisions quick, and every project in the hands of the person who planned it.
Nothing gets lost between people.
The person who hears your requirements is the person who designs and builds them. With no one in between, there are fewer misunderstandings, quicker decisions, and a result that matches what you asked for.
Built around how you work.
I don’t push every project into the same template. The scope, the design and the technology follow what you’re trying to do.
Practical technology.
WordPress where it fits, custom code where it doesn’t. I choose tools for the job in front of me, not because they’re new.
Built to be maintained.
Clear code, sensible tools and documentation your team can follow, so it keeps working long after launch.
Honest about fit.
If a ready-made tool would serve you better, or a project is outside what I do well, I’ll tell you.
How a project runs
Five steps, in plain terms. You’re involved in every one of them.
1. Discover
You tell me what you need, or the problem you’re trying to solve. I ask questions until the requirements are clear, then we agree on what to build first.
You get: A written scope, timeline and fixed quote.
2. Design
I turn your requirements into a mockup of the product, so you can see how it will look and work before anything is built.
You get: A mockup to review and give feedback on.
3. Build
I develop in small steps and test as I go. You see working progress, not just status updates.
You get: Regular check-ins with working software.
4. Launch
I deploy, check everything works with real people and real data, and hand over what your team needs.
You get: A live product and a clear handover.
5. Improve
After launch I can keep supporting, maintaining and improving the product, as much or as little as you need.
You get: Support from the person who built it.
Timeline
Most websites launch 5–6 weeks after the start date. Larger systems and apps launch in stages, starting with the part that matters most.
What I build with
Proven tools, chosen for each project. You’ll always know what your site or system runs on, and why.
- Websites and online stores
- WordPress
- WooCommerce
- Web apps and business systems
- Next.js
- React
- TypeScript
- Tailwind CSS
- Data and hosting
- Supabase (Postgres)
- Vercel
or a WordPress host of your choice
Who I work with
I do my best work with people who want to be involved, and who want to deal directly with the person building their project.
A good fit
- Small and growing businesses and organizations in the Philippines
- Founders building the first version of a product
- Teams whose work lives in spreadsheets and chat threads
- Clients abroad who are happy to work across time zones
Probably not the right fit
- Projects that need a large team, or round-the-clock support, from day one
- A complete app in a few days
- Anything involving fake reviews, copied designs, or collecting people’s data without their consent
- Political campaigns
Not sure which side you’re on? Ask. If I’m not the right fit, I’ll say so quickly, and point you somewhere better if I can.
Where I work
I’m based in the Philippines and work remotely, over video calls, chat and email. Calls happen at set times we agree on at the start, and decisions are confirmed in writing, so there’s always a record of what was agreed.
My focus is businesses in the Philippines, but I’m open to projects from abroad. I work on Philippine time (GMT+8), and I always give call times in both time zones.
- Based in
- The Philippines
- Works
- Remotely
- Time zone
- GMT+8
- Replies
- Usually within a few working days
- Languages
- English and Filipino
Business registration
Bear.Works is a registered business. I’m registered with the Department of Trade and Industry as BEARDOTWORKS WEB DEVELOPMENT SERVICES (Business Name No. 8546738) and with the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Scan the badge to verify my registration.
Questions about working with a small studio
Is it really just one person?
Yes. I lead and build every project, and I’m your single point of contact. When a project needs a freelance designer or tester, I bring one in and stay responsible for their work.
What if you’re unavailable?
Your domain, hosting and accounts are in your name from the start, and you get the code and documentation at handover. You’re never locked in, and another developer could pick up the work if they needed to.
Can you take on a large project?
Yes, in stages. I take on one build at a time and launch larger projects in phases, starting with the part that matters most. If a project needs a large team from day one, I’ll tell you honestly.
Do you work with clients outside the Philippines?
My focus is businesses in the Philippines, but I’m open to projects from elsewhere. I work remotely, so the main thing to agree on is meeting times across time zones.
What does Bear.Works mean?
It reads as “bear works”: I’m the bear, and I do the work. The grizzly is my spirit animal, and the dot is a play on words that I kept as part of the name. Say it “bear dot works”, the same as the web address.