Advisor. Innovator. Veteran startup leader with 3 successes, 3 mediums, and 4 fails. Amateur wakesurf instructor. In pursuit of Twelve: my next BHAG.
Welcome.
I’m an experienced CEO, advisor, and entrepreneur with a history of taking ventures from napkin to exit. In EOS terms, I’m a visionary (not integrator) and am adept at tackling big problems.
I have had the privilege of serving as the CEO and/or cofounder for more than a dozen for profit and non-profit companies over the last 25 years. I thrive on product and user experience innovation, entrepreneurship, assembling teams, and bringing new ventures to life.
I’m an out-of-the-box thinker and innovator—and have authored or co-authored numerous patents and sold one related to visual search to Microsoft.
In mid 1997, I sold my first company to Broadcast.com, where our team became “Broadcast.com Interactive Group” and subsequently built several web-based products that became profitable parts of the company.
In 1998, I left to start Musicforce.com, an ecommerce music brand focused on Christian music, which quickly became the online leader. Within 12 months, we sold the company to Gaylord Entertainment.
In 1999, started Stick Networks and led a team that invented and patented a handful of mobile technologies that just today are showing up in iPhone and Android devices. Through that process, I built a rock-star team of innovators and advisors, including Patricia Roller (founder, CEO, Frog Design)—and got to shake hands with Steve Jobs and pitch our product and platform to Apple’s then COO, Phil Schiller, 7 years before the iPhone was introduced.
From 2000 through 2023 I was engaged as a turnaround CEO, founder, cofounder, advisor, or managing director within several technology, manufacturing, and advertising firms in the DFW area. Through that period I experienced a few hits but moreso, a few failures—and had 3 children and about 1,000 hours of therapy. I also became a huge Richard Rohr fan, fell in love with stoicism, and my life was changed by this book.
In 2020, with cofounder Powell Kinney, I started AllOY, a technology company bringing ADAS and light autonomy to the world of recreational boating. We raised an initial pre-seed round of $1.5m and proved up some of our initial theses—and build a prototype of the technology that allowed a boat to avoid other boats autonomously.
In 2023, I consulted on the acquisition of a millwork manufacturing company (Robert Shaw Manufacturing) in Fort Worth. Subsequently I was asked to serve as CEO to turn around and help stabilize and grow the business.
I have an undergraduate degree in film and media from Texas Christian University and lived abroad on and off between 2000 and 1993 - 2000, including Sydney, London, and Brussels.
I’m grateful to have a loving partner, Julia, and an amazing blended family with 5 amazing kids, Shaw, Madelynn, Ella Kate, Akasia, and Brayden.
I’m a recovering workaholic and love anything creative. I love travel, golf, tennis, and anything on or behind a boat.
Work
Twelve Marine Ventures, Founder
Twelve is a semi-autonomous, electric, marine-tech company focused on the global recreational boat market.
Stripes Ventures, Stripes Agency, Managing Director
Stripes Ventures funds customer acquisition and demand generation campaigns, which are developed and executed by our agency, Stripes, a paid social media agency based in Dallas and Los Angeles.
We invest in programs where we believe our involvement can have outsized returns or where a typical fee arrangement isn't ideal for either party.
Stripes Agency, Advisor
I initially served on the advisory board of Stripes Agency, a data-driven, paid social agency.
I initially served on the advisory board of Stripes Agency, a data-driven, paid social agency. The agency helps companies envision and execute paid social media and move from vanity metrics to ROI-driven ones and industry strengths historically have been with universities, non profits, B2B, and CPG.
Chop Secrets, Cofounder, Managing Partner
I was one of the initial cofounders of this food publisher and orchestrated the company's sale in mid-2017, and its subsequent repurchase in March of 2018. Also led the rebranding to Chop Secrets and the building of new strategic plan, new product development, and new content partnerships.
Digital Takeover - Managing Partner
Initially an advisor and investor, then managing partner of this social media publisher where I helped grow the business and ultimately lead its sale in June, 2017.
Doublewide Partners - Managing Partner
I was the founder and an investor in this user-experience-focused incubator that acquired, started, and operated a number of small SaaS businesses including ZenCash, one of the first online receivables management apps, and Blinksale, one of the first web-based invoicing apps.
Viewzi, Inc, Founder, CEO
Viewzi was an innovative, visual search company, started in 2006. My team and I invented a novel approach to visual search that involved disambiguation of the search term, then selection of specific data sources including external search engines, and then the presentation of results to the user in a view tailored for that data type. Our IP was granted and ultimately sold to a Fortune 50 company.
Stick Networks, Inc, Founder, CEO
I was the initial founder and helped build a team of innovators that developed technology at the intersection of mobile, wireless Internet, location awareness, and rich content & app delivery--7 years before the iPhone was released. We filed over 30 patents and build a hardware partnership with Compaq, before they were acquired by HP, to build a device that would run our visual operating system.
Other Interests
Wake Surfing
About 10 years ago I made the switch from wake boarding to wake surfing. The initial motivation was the difference in falling from 20+ MPH vs 10 MPH. But after a few runs with the guys, I was hooked. I might post some videos.
Photography
I have been shooting since I was a kid in Wally Linebarger’s photography class at TCA. After graduating, I attended TCU in Fort Worth where I received a degree in RTVF with a minor in Business and Photography. I have a lot of organizing to do still, but some of my work is here.
Impact
Recently I joined the board of We Are All Homeless, a non-profit based in Dallas, started by my long-time friend, Willie Baronet. Our mission is to increase awareness about homelessness, and connect you and me, with the people behind the signs.
