My views are largely shaped by my childhood growing up in Vermont and working in my family’s small businesses. My parents have dabbled in almost everything: storage units, car washes, convenient stores, historic restoration, commercial and personal real estate, maple sugaring, and even pumpkin patches. To me, entrepreneurs were simply business owners and innovation was common sense, a way of life. ‘Rural’ life gave me a framework on how to think about success and my own pursuit of happiness. But the cities where I’ve lived my entire adulthood (Boston & Los Angeles) have given me an important perspective.
In 2012, I started a software company, SyncOnSet Technologies, with three co-founders. The software is now an industry standard that is relied on by TV and film crews around the world; we won an Engineering Emmy in 2016 for our contributions to the industry. My greatest successes and failures, both professional and personal, have been part of SyncOnSet. When starting my first company, most of the advice I received went in one ear and out the other. I had no prior experience telling me that what I was being told was extremely relevant and important. I’m a strong believer that naiveté can be a powerful motivator, but after 8 years of building a company, I find I’m often reading articles and advice I wish I had received or taken years ago.
I plan to post on a range of topics: innovation, startup advice, society, and really anything that fascinates me about the world. I geek out on innovative ideas. I receive the most amusement from the wacky and highly impractical inventions. But I have tremendous admiration for the individuals and teams attempting to tackle real problems (small and big) facing society today. This is very much an experiment and I have no idea what direction this will go in. This blog is a mini venture of its own.