Akel Aguad

Full-stack developer and web consultant with over 9 years of experience building web products from zero to launch. I've worked with media organizations, startups, and small businesses across the US and Latin America. At Rainsystems, I help newsrooms cut through the noise and make smarter digital decisions, from strategy to shipping.

Recent dispatches

Web and product · Oct 22, 2026

When Backend Work Goes Right, Nobody Notices: A PHP2Shell Story

On October 21, a critical flaw called PHP2Shell put most WordPress sites at risk. One of our clients, a news site with over a million page views a year, was pat

Commissioning web work · Aug 5, 2026

Five Proposals, One Decision: What to Ask Each Agency Before You Choose

You have five web development proposals and no clear way to compare them. Here are the questions that cut through the noise.

Strategy · May 24, 2026

Grant Cycles Are Killing Your Product Roadmap

One- and two-year grant cycles make it nearly impossible to build a platform that actually serves your audience long-term. Here's how to plan anyway.