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The person behind it
About Joseph Richard
I'm Joseph Richard, a software developer in the Greater Chicago Area with about 30 years of experience, 24+ of them in Java. I build things, test ideas, and share what actually happens.
For most of my career I've built enterprise software for capital markets, health insurance and manufacturing: systems where reliability, integration and maintainability matter more than anything flashy. Code, Create and Care is where I point that experience at my own projects, using AI tools like Claude to build faster, and showing what works, what breaks and what I learn along the way.
- ~30 yrsbuilding software
- 24+ yrsof Java
- 2certifications
- 2published books
Why I started Code, Create and Care
I spent decades building systems for other people. Many of them were successful and valuable, but at the end of each project, they belonged to somebody else. At this point in my life, I want to spend more of my time building things I actually own.
So that's what this channel is: real projects, not hypothetical tutorials. A website I built with Claude and then made my own. A $0 email capture system instead of another monthly subscription. A links page that replaced Linktree and Carrd. An AI-animated version of my children's book. I build what I need, use it, and improve it when I hit a real problem. When something works, I'll show you. When it breaks, I'll show you that too.
Code
Websites, software, automation and troubleshooting, built out in the open.
Create
AI, YouTube, animation, books and products, from the first rough idea to the shipped thing.
Care
Scam prevention and informed technology decisions: what things cost, and what's worth it.
How I think about AI
I use Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT and other AI tools every day, and they make me faster. But the biggest gains come when an experienced person is steering: knowing what to ask, which answers to challenge, and what good work looks like. AI can type. I still need to understand the system I'm responsible for.
I also write about the practical side of AI for small businesses: what's worth automating, how to get an online store ready for AI shopping agents, and why a person should still approve anything that affects customers, money, or what goes live on a website.
Experience
Technical
- Java 24+ years
- IBM i / iSeries, RPG 16+ years
- J2EE / Jakarta EE 12+ years
- Agile software development 12+ years
- Spring MVC / Spring Boot 10+ years
- JavaScript / CSS 9+ years
- EJB 3 / JPA 7+ years
- React / Angular 6+ years
- AWS / Google Cloud 4+ years
- Kubernetes / Docker / OpenShift 4+ years
Application servers: JBoss, GlassFish, WebSphere and WebLogic.
Industries
- Capital markets 10+ years
- Health insurance 8+ years
- Financial messaging FIX & SWIFT
- Manufacturing integration EDI
Certifications
Books
-
Don't Get Scammed A plain-language guide to spotting the scams targeting everyday people, and the simple habits that stop them. -
Meet the Forest Friends A read-aloud picture book for ages 3 to 8 about Benny the bunny finding the courage to say hello.
See every book at josephrichardauthor.com.
Where to start
New here? These three show what the channel is about.
- I used Claude AI to replace Linktree & Carrd How I built my own links page and saved $199 a year.
- Stop paying $50/mo for ConvertKit A $0 email capture system with Google Sheets and Apps Script.
- How to keep your coding skills when AI writes the code What 30 years of development taught me about comprehension debt.
Work with me
For sponsorships and partnerships, see the Sponsor Media Kit. For anything else, email joseph.richard@codecreatecare.com.