My review of summer 2026
We thought summer would be good. We didn't know we'd thrive. Here's what I remember from Pinecrest, the cousins, and a sailing trip through Croatia that gave me back a feeling I'd been chasing since 2009.
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Latest posts
How I'm voting - June 2026
My ballot endorsements for the June 2026 primary — Tom Steyer for governor, Josh Fryday for lieutenant governor, and yes on local measures G, A, and H.
The purpose of building
I hope I never lose the drive to build. If I have one superpower, it's the interest and ability to build over a long period of time. This is what it takes to make a durable business. A durable business takes time. If it's built fast, it can end fast …
Finding my politics
Reflections on attending a political fundraiser, speaking out against purist ideology, and discovering a home in the progressive middle.
My Life in AI
I haven't written anything here about artificial intelligence, even though I use it every day. My work life is entirely dependent on it now. Being without it would feel like doing my job with no internet. The main tool for me is Claude Code. I run a tech company, and …
Thinking a lot about community
My dog is named Charlie. I kind of wish we spelled it differently. She could be Charley, the same spelling that Steinbeck used in "Travels with Charley." But that's not the way we spelled it when we named her. I live with this mistake every day. Charlie likes to be …
Where the Red Fern Grows
I have been reading Where the Red Fern Grows , one chapter each night, to my kids. I can't take credit for this idea; it was my wife's. I've been the one keeping it going, though. I love this book. It was first recommended to me by my Aunt Harriet some …
Twenty-five years since I graduated high school
Today I went to my high school reunion. I went because I wanted to go, and also because I organized it. Why did I organize it? I don't know. I'm writing this post to figure that out. I'm a sucker for nostalgia. I wrote about it in my post about …
0 to 1, 1 to 10
The journey from rejecting venture capital to raising $5M for Shovels, building a big data business focused on the physical world and climate companies.
My best advice for entrepreneurs
Celebrating Shovels reaching $80K MRR and sharing the most important lesson: the quality of your idea determines your success more than execution alone.
Short post of appreciation
A father reflects on presence, parenting priorities, and the fragility of life after learning about a friend's husband in a coma.
Thoughts on building a brand
Brand as promise: why logos don't make companies, culture drives brand success, and why Shovels doesn't need a rebrand but better execution.
The process
My messy but organized fundraising process: evolving strategy, transparent team communication, and learning through real-time Discord documentation.
The vertical approach
Platform vs point solution strategy: why companies must become platforms first, then add vertical solutions, not the other way around for Shovels.
I'm down with ICP
Deep dive into ideal customer profile (ICP) development for Shovels, exploring the matrix of 'what' we offer versus 'who' we serve across multiple dimensions.
A short essay on free will
A philosophical argument defending the existence of free will and challenging deterministic views about human choice and agency.
Doing it the slow way
Reflecting on progress building Shovels while teaching, choosing deliberate growth over rushing to find product-market fit.
What I want in 2024
Setting ambitious goals for 2024: growing Shovels to $10M ARR, enhancing teaching with case studies, deepening friendships, and maintaining peak fitness.
The importance of mentors
Reflecting on my college mentor Lisa Bauer and missing that unique relationship - someone older and wiser who opens doors and advocates for you.
Happy 41st birthday to me
Celebrating 41 years with gratitude for family, community, and finding fulfillment as a husband, dad, homeowner, teacher, and entrepreneur.
A few things I learned from watching Einstein
Reflections on Albert Einstein's complex personality and life lessons from watching the Genius series about his personal and professional struggles.
Why are some communities in Contra Costa County unincorporated?
Exploring unincorporated Saranap: the benefits of avoiding city politics, why annexation is costly, and how LAFCO governs municipal formation.
Data transformation >> data extraction
Why data transformation creates more market value than extraction in the ETL framework, using MightySignal and AppMonsta as case studies.
An exploration of deep exhaustion
Reflecting on why extreme endurance cycling challenges like the Belgian Waffle Ride push physical and mental limits through deep exhaustion.
1994: A year in music
Reflecting on being twelve years old in 1994 and how the thirty-year distance to that pivotal music year feels different now than it did then.
Knocking your NOx off
Exploring new Bay Area Air Quality Management District regulations requiring zero NOx standards for heating appliances to reduce pollution and protect public health.
Mobile homes are a piece of the housing puzzle
Making the YIMBY case for mobile homes as part of California's housing solution, covering affordability, ownership, flexibility, and environmental benefits.
Why I'm taking a break from parallel entrepreneurship
Why the author is shifting from parallel entrepreneurship to focus full-time on climate tech startup Shovels with venture funding.
My trip to NYC with Lily
A magical father-daughter trip to New York City with my 8-year-old, exploring landmarks, shows, and creating unforgettable memories together.
Business evaluation: Slo Carbon
Evaluating Slo Carbon's potential to use carbon offsets for home electrification, exploring cash flow challenges and offset market realities.
Is it okay to be a nice CEO?
Exploring whether being a nice CEO is compatible with business success, analyzing Glassdoor ratings versus stock performance to find the answer.
Taking advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act in Contra Costa County
How Contra Costa County can leverage $1.4 billion in federal infrastructure funds to build a green economy through manufacturing and services.
Platforms versus point solutions
Why Shovels should be a platform, not a point solution: learning from competitors, understanding market dynamics, and building for scale.
Business evaluation: Alumnify
Evaluating Alumnify, a B2B data platform that tracks college and company alumni for marketing, recruitment, and alumni relations using Live Data's extensive contact database.
Meet Murphy
Introducing Murphy, our new goldendoodle adopted after Blue Boy's passing, from dog-sitting experiments to finding the perfect family companion.
I'm fundraising this time -- and here's why
Why I'm pursuing venture capital for Shovels after previously bootstrapping, making the case for capital when building something big, green, and local.
Climate tech is my next big thing
After MightySignal's acquisition and a challenging year of teaching, I've pivoted to focus on climate technology as my next entrepreneurial venture in the growing green economy.
Business evaluation: Shovels
Comprehensive business evaluation of Shovels, a construction data platform that analyzes building permits and contractor performance to solve information asymmetries.
The Descent of Blue
A heartbreaking tribute to Blue, our beloved chocolate lab, chronicling his decline from perfect companion to final goodbye under the oak tree.
So this is 40
A detailed account of my last day in my thirties - morning routine, teaching at DVC, music practice, and reflections on turning 40.
Why it's good to befriend your competitors
Why befriending competitors pays off: real examples from Scripped, Scripted, Toofr, and MightySignal that led to mergers, investments, and exits.
Business evaluation: Ahoy
Evaluation of Ahoy, a web3 bounty app for conditional fundraising that could revolutionize political donations and voting incentives.
Business evaluation: Clime
Evaluating Clime, a climate tech solution for detecting home energy inefficiencies, but struggling to find a real customer problem despite solid technology.
Exercising the writing muscle
Reflections on developing creative habits including daily reading, playing piano, and establishing a regular writing practice.
Hacking for climate sales
Applying sales automation and psychology techniques to climate technology sales, leveraging mission-driven appeal and mimetic desire.
A summary of our first home projects
Overview of initial home improvement projects completed before the major addition and remodel, establishing the foundation for bigger changes.
The lives people live
Exploring six levels of life ambition from simple living to having fun, featuring celebrities like Dave Grohl, Obama, and analyzing self-actualization.
Ode to the wheelbarrow
A thoughtful appreciation of the wheelbarrow's elegant engineering, combining ancient wheel and lever technologies for modern utility.
How I wrote my children's book
The story of how a nostalgic Monday night poem became a published children's book with help from a Reddit illustrator, costing $1,700 and three months to complete.
My first month of real teaching
Teaching two in-person Introduction to Business sections at DVC is exhausting but rewarding - authenticity, preparation, and stamina are key.