About Me
I’m a serial entrepreneur and startup junkie with more than a few wins and handful of losses under my belt. I have a wide range of experience in the technology space and am well known as an inspiring leader among my peers. I am a dreamer and inventor, a father and a husband and I have a passion for generating new ideas that simply won’t quit.
I’m an outspoken and opinionated voice in nearly every business situation, but I respect those around me and flourish in a team environment. I am very active in the Southern California business community and have a growing following of entrepreneurial minded professionals across a variety of social media outlets. I maintain a well read blog, www.cmplx.ly, where I share my honest experiences about being an entrepreneur and the ups and downs that go along with that.
I started my career nearly 16 years ago in plastics. I joined a somewhat stodgy manufacturing company where I literally turned things upside down as a product manager. I was quite successful there and learned how to conceptualize, design, develop, package, market and distribute ideas. I also came to understand what it takes to bring products to market.
As the internet revolution started to take shape, I jumped ship and got my first taste of what I call “startup fever”. The first company I joined had a successful exit to a large DVD distribution company called Express Media. I would say it was a bit of right place, right time, but I worked hard and was rewarded with a nice bit of cash.
With a head twice the size of my body, and a pocket full of dough, I started my first software company in 1999; just before things went south. And while the million dollars we raised wasn’t enough to make it work, I actually learned more than I could have ever imagined from that failure. I received a doctorate in revenue creation, and most importantly I learned how a viable business model and a strong team trumps “cool” any day.
In early 2000 I propped up my now deflated head and started a software consulting firm called ThinkLogic. The company focused on Microsoft web application development, and it was here that I really learned how to build business around software. ThinkLogic became mildly successful, with several million in revenue and was quite profitable. But it wasn’t until 2005 that I truly realized the opportunity building this software consultancy would afford me.
The SaaS model was taking off and the idea of licensing software rather than building one-off’s that I didn’t own became highly appealing. I also began to see that team was re-building virtually the same software for each new client we acquired; with mild configurations. In discussing this observation with a college friend of mine, who had recently finished his MBA at Marshall, he suggested that we start a SaaS business based on the application I had been building; Leads360 was born.
Over the next 6 ½ years, we proceeded to build a great company that is now over 60 employees, with a run rate approaching $15 million and profitable. In 2008 we raised $5.25 million from Rustic Canyon Partners and have since assembled an incredibly talented management team. Over the years I’ve been everything from CEO to janitor, head of marketing to sales engineer. I’ve designed sell sheets, forged partnerships, created help documents, build product roadmaps and just about everything else. I’ve sold our product to some of the biggest consumer brands in the market and made sure they got implemented right. Leads360 has been an incredible ride and I’ve experienced more than I could ever have imagined.
But it’s not exactly a startup anymore. It’s got some of the pieces I’m looking for, but it doesn’t have that early stage fire that I live for. And as much as I love what it has become, I’m also sad to see how I fit, I know it’s time to spend at least a little time on other things. In June of 2011 I began working three days per week at Leads360 focusing on building and nurturing our enterprise accounts. I now spend Thursday’s and Friday’s in Santa Monica at Coloft on a variety of consulting and innovative projects I explore additional opportunities.
Some of my strengths are:
- Charismatic leadership with the ability to enroll people in a vision
- Extremely high attention to detail
- Strategic thinker and innovator
- Iterative problem solver and massive-multitasking
- Highly tactical with the ability to execute in a rapid development environment
- Very strong UX and UI skills; both in terms of wire-frames and information architecture
- Strong knowledge of software develop process and programming logic
Some of my weaknesses are:
- Finance and analytics
- Lack of patience and quick decision making
- Non confrontational and can be passive aggressive
- Spontaneous and impulsive
- Networking and schmoozing
Some key areas of expertise are:
- SaaS, on-demand application development
- Mobile
- Business process management
- Consumer and B2B lead generation and internet marketing
- Raising capital and venture financing
- Public speaking, events and evangelizing
- Team building and leadership
I currently live in Los Angeles with my wife Aya and our twins, Wolf and Dahlia. While I have no plans to move, my family and I are not fully tied to Southern California. I hold a bachelor’s degree in English from Arizona State University. Moreover, my extended family has been involved with Young Presidents Organization since I was 10 years old. I am previous member of EO and an active participant in the YPO legacy community.
I’m not a typical entrepreneur. I dance to my own drummer and regularly find alternative ways to get things done and accomplish goals. I’m highly accountable and I’m fun to work with… and I’m ready for what’s next.
Please contact me to learn more or schedule time to connect.
