I grow people and businesses.
I led M&A for a billion-dollar company, helped scale a bootstrapped business to the top of the Inc. 5000, and now run Outperform Ventures. This is where I write down what I've learned about business, investing and leadership. Subscribe to follow what I'm investing in and building.
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Tools for leaders who build companies
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- AI-Proof Test
How AI‑proof is my business?
See how easily AI could copy or undercut what you sell.Get your answer - AI Check
Is AI helping or hurting us?
Find where AI is paying off and where it is costing you.Get your answer - Exit Math
What would I take home?
Work out what lands in your pocket if you sell.Get your answer - Valuation
What is my company worth?
See the range a buyer or investor would likely pay.Get your answer
Latest writing
All writingOct 23, 2026
How to Spot Aphorism Slop in AI Writing
AI adds quotable lines that sound wise and carry no facts. I gave the habit a name. Here's how to spot it, with examples and the one test I use on every draft.
Oct 23, 2026
Why California's Poor Will Pay the Billionaire Tax
California's billionaire tax sounds like a bill for a few hundred people. Meta built Mark Zuckerberg a way to pay it without giving up any control, and the cost flows back to everyday Californians through higher prices.
Oct 23, 2026
Own Assets or Be Left Behind
Elon Musk's $1 billion Skydance investment is the latest example of owners putting their ownership to work. The gap keeps growing. Pay yourself first, take some off the table, and own boring companies alongside AI.
Oct 23, 2026
How Leaders Can Use AI to Recover From Hard Weeks
Most leaders use AI for work. I've started using it to plan recovery: saunas, cold plunges, quiet places to think, and better choices when I'm tired.
Oct 23, 2026
Why Forward-Deployed Engineers Are the Future
Forward-deployed engineers sit between businesses that need help adopting AI and people who need new skills. SaaS, consultancies and dev shops used to fill that spot. They can't anymore.
Oct 21, 2026
Trump's Data Center Dividend Shows AI Has to Give Back
President Trump says data centers should make their own electricity and pay the communities around them a dividend. I think it's the first clear sign of where AI is headed. AI is good for companies and investors, and it has to start paying society back.