Technology Leader
Technology Leadership
I’m a technologist, strategic advisor, and lifelong learner who’s spent the last few decades helping startups build real things with real people in the real world: which is to say, it’s been messy, exhilarating, and exactly where I thrive. As a Fractional CTO, I work with early-stage teams to bring focus to the chaos, structure to the ambition, and technical depth to the pitch decks. My leadership style blends product vision, pragmatic engineering, and human connection. I still write code, still debug the tough stuff, and still believe the best solutions come from teams who trust each other enough to wrestle with hard problems and stay aligned through the unknown. I also co-host the How Many CTOs? podcast, where I talk shop with fellow engineering leaders about what it really takes to lead technical teams.
Startup Experience
I started writing code at 12 because I wanted my computer to do something it couldn’t. I’ve been chasing that same itch ever since. Over the years, I’ve lived through the full spectrum of startup life: greenfield builds, tight deadlines, unexpected detours, wild growth, hard resets, and the occasional 2 a.m. production fire. I’ve held many titles (CTO, CEO, lead engineer), but I’m most proud of the teams I’ve helped build and the products we’ve delivered under pressure. I’ve had the privilege of solving complex problems alongside incredibly talented teams, especially in the moments that test a company’s character and separate the resilient from the rest.
What draws me in, time and again, is the messy middle: the stretch when things are unclear, fragile, and very real. That’s when I show up best: thinking clearly, moving deliberately, and helping the team find its footing so we can keep pushing forward.
Endurance and Execution
Much like an ultramarathon or a summit push in a whiteout, startup life demands grit, patience, and a healthy disregard for comfort. As an ultrarunner, skier, and avalanche educator, I’ve spent a lot of time operating in uncertainty, making calls with limited data, keeping people safe, and managing risk when failure isn’t theoretical.
That mindset maps directly to my professional world. Whether I’m scaling infrastructure or helping a founder prepare for a raise, I approach the work with endurance, humility, and an eye on what matters most.
Experience Across the Spectrum
Throughout my career, I’ve worked across the full arc of the tech lifecycle, from sketching MVPs on whiteboards at seed-stage startups to scaling systems for public companies serving millions. I’ve built distributed architectures, overhauled brittle codebases, and launched products across web and mobile platforms, often under pressure and always with purpose. I’ve had the privilege of building large-scale systems and pioneering technologies that advance industry standards, while helping teams grow without losing their soul.
I care deeply about code quality, team culture, and systems that scale without drama. I’ve helped organizations mature their engineering practices while preserving the creative spark that drives real innovation. Like planning a technical rescue or a multi-day alpine route, I’ve learned that successful technology leadership requires the right team, clear objectives, and the wisdom to adapt when conditions inevitably change.
My Philosophy
Whether I’m troubleshooting a distributed system failure or navigating whiteout conditions on a high ridge, my approach stays the same: stay curious, move with purpose, appreciate the journey, and always keep an eye on what’s next. The most worthwhile goals, technical or otherwise, usually require both patience and the occasional leap of faith. I’ve learned to adapt when the path forward isn’t clear, to keep learning even when things go sideways, and to trust the team beside me as much as the tools in my pack.
True success isn’t just the summit or the ship date: it’s measured by the team you bring with you, the problems you solve along the way, and the systems you leave behind that others can build upon.
If you’re curious about how I like to work with others, I’ve also written a User’s Manual: a candid, evolving guide to how I see myself as a teammate and leader. It’s a living document, rooted in self-awareness and open to feedback, because I believe the best teams are built on trust, clarity, and a shared commitment to learning.