Complete Website Rebuild.

Kum & Go

Complete Website Rebuild.

Project Overview

Kum & Go recently underwent a massive transition and rebranding of their loyalty program. Working with the Figma design system created by their awesome UI/UX team, I completely rebuilt the Kum & Go public website from scratch within a tight deadline of four weeks, saving the company over $600,000 per year.

Project Background

Kum & Go was acquired by Maverik, one of the largest convenience store chains in the United States, in August 2023. During the following months, the two brands began to merge loyalty programs.

In February 2024, as contracts with vendors were sunsetting, we had a tight deadline to move the public website to the same internal server as maverik.com. I built the entire site with CMS integration in less than four weeks.

Cost v. Cost

The original website was built using Next.js, React, and Contentful by two groups of contractors. They built the old website in 18 months, and the combined contractor fees and enterprise services cost the company over $1,000,000.

Ongoing maintenance, updates, and vendor contracts would cost over $600,000 annually. So, the company decided to eliminate the ongoing expenses and bring everything in-house.

A Fresh Perspective

I didn’t have access to the original codebase, so I worked with the UX/UI designers at Kum & Go to interpret the Figma design system and translate it to CSS within a fresh new codebase.

Though the original website was built with Next.js, React, and Contentful, I built the new website using Astro, which I find to be faster and more user-friendly than Next.js in many ways. The original plan was to continue using Contentful for dynamic data, but the company ultimately decided to eliminate Contentful and use Astro Content Collections as the content management system. The site architecture changed, but the functionality remained the same.

Despite the tight deadline, I rebuilt the website with full functionality and CMS integration using industry-standard practices, saving the company over $600,000 in annually recurring costs.

Technologies

Astro, TypeScript, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop

Nick Bravo

Principlal Frontend Engineer

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Principal Frontend Engineer with 15+ years of experience driving digital transformation through scalable, high-performance websites. Expert in Astro, React, TypeScript, JavaScript, Tailwind CSS, Node.js, and modern web standards including accessibility, Core Web Vitals, and SEO. Proven ability to align engineering, design, and marketing to deliver measurable business impact.

EXPERIENCE

Principal Frontend Engineer

Maverik, Salt Lake City, UT | July 2023 - Present

Recruited to provide strategic leadership and full ownership of the web ecosystems for Maverik and Kum & Go, including customer-facing websites and the unified Careers platform.

  • Directed the digital transformation of web properties, architecting scalable platforms that expanded monthly traffic from 22K to 640K page views (29x growth) over two years, advancing enterprise marketing and customer engagement objectives.
  • Spearheaded the complete rebuild of the Kum & Go public website in under four weeks, integrating CMS and API solutions that improved performance, accessibility, and reliability while delivering $600K+ in annual operational savings.
  • Established enterprise-level coding standards, frameworks, and best practices using Astro, React, TypeScript, and modern DevOps workflows, ensuring long-term scalability and maintainability across brands.
  • Partnered with Marketing, PR, and Digital Product leadership to align web initiatives with business goals, accelerating campaign launches and strengthening Maverik's and Kum & Go's digital presence.
  • Championed cross-functional collaboration and workflow optimization, enabling faster go-to-market execution and improving communication across technical and non-technical teams.

Web Development Consultant & Architect

Astropost, Salt Lake City, UT | March 2022 - Present

Transitioned a freelance practice into a systemized consulting business, introducing structured client onboarding and project management workflows that improved scalability and client satisfaction.

  • Directed enterprise-level web architecture strategies to deliver high-performance, privacy-focused websites optimized for speed, security, and long-term maintainability.
  • Designed and implemented scalable, headless CMS and API-driven codebases, ensuring adaptability and seamless integration with evolving business needs.
  • Led the digital transformation of Unredacted Magazine, creating an interactive, accessible, and visually compelling digital publication platform beginning with Issue 002.
  • Advised clients on strategic technology adoption, aligning modern frameworks and performance practices with business objectives to strengthen digital presence and competitive positioning.

Adjunct Faculty - Visual Art & Design

Salt Lake Community College, Salt Lake City, UT | December 2023 - Present

Delivered instruction across beginner to advanced levels in graphic design, UI/UX design, and web development, fostering both creative and technical skill growth.

  • Guided students in industry-standard tools including Visual Studio Code, Figma, and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
  • Taught core web technologies and principles—Semantic HTML, CSS, JavaScript, responsive design, and accessibility—emphasizing modern standards and best practices.
  • Incorporated real-world project management and DevOps methodologies to prepare students for professional workflows and collaborative environments.

Freelance Graphic Designer / Web Developer

Freelance, Salt Lake City, UT | May 2007 - March 2022

Founded and grew a 15-year freelance practice delivering end-to-end digital solutions—websites, user interfaces, visual identities, and online assets—for small businesses, nonprofits, and public organizations.

  • Directed web strategy and digital branding initiatives for diverse clients, ensuring alignment between technical execution, marketing goals, and long-term business growth.
  • Built scalable, engaging websites and digital products with a focus on usability, accessibility, and performance, strengthening client visibility and customer engagement.
  • Partnered with public safety, political, and nonprofit organizations to deliver mission-driven pro bono projects, expanding community impact and building trusted digital presences.
  • Established a reputation for strategic consulting, helping clients adopt modern technologies, strengthen digital ecosystems, and maximize ROI from their web platforms.

Graphic Designer / Web Developer

8fish, Sandy, UT | June 2008 - September 2009

Recruited as a graphic designer and illustrator, and rapidly advanced to lead web developer, leveraging prior experience to expand the agency's digital capabilities.

  • Directed the design and development of the Maverik Kick Start website, supporting a regional adventure TV show and strengthening Maverik's brand presence in the competitive convenience retail market.
  • Elevated client brands by delivering integrated digital solutions—websites, graphics, social media content, and marketing assets—that aligned with broader business and marketing strategies.
  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to bridge creative design with technical implementation, setting a precedent for scalable, brand-focused digital experiences.

Police Officer

University Of Utah Police Department, Salt Lake City, UT | March 2021 - July 2023

  • Spearheaded educational and community outreach campaigns as a liaison between the police and marketing departments.

Police Detective

Price City Police Department, Price, UT | November 2015 - March 2021

  • Developed and oversaw a comprehensive training and equipment program.

Police Lieutenant

Wellington Police Department, Wellington, UT | August 2010 - November 2015

  • Improved transparency and community relationships by building the department's first website and social media channels and generating timely press releases.
  • Developed and implemented a Reserve Officer Program that reduced personnel expenditures by 20% and increased shift coverage by 50%.

EDUCATION

Bachelor Of Science | Digital Cinematography

Full Sail University
  • GPA 3.99 | Valedictorian

Associate Of Applied Science | Graphic Design

College Of Eastern Utah

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

  • HTML / CSS
  • JavaScript
  • TypeScript
  • React
  • Git and CI/CD
  • Headless CMS
  • API Integration
  • Responsive Design
  • Design Systems
  • Web Performance
  • Core Web Vitals
  • Web Accessibility
  • SEO Best Practices
  • SCSS / SASS
  • PostCSS
  • Tailwind CSS
  • Node.js
  • UI/UX Design
  • Figma
  • Adobe CC