Ventures
Actionworks: Education company that builds entrepreneurship and innovation programs for the U.S. Department of State, Intel, the University of Texas, and dozens more. Building with AI since 2019.
Minimum Viable Video: Cohort-based course on creating videos to get customers, connections, and capital.
Coaching: I help founders, engineers, and tech workers have more success with business and video.
(Previously) 3 Day Startup: 10-year CEO journey scaling an entrepreneurship bootcamp to 50 countries.
Personal
- My fiancé and I (and her ridiculous cats) split our time between Austin, TX and Savannah, GA
- Interests: LLMs, Formula 1, Mexican food, Alvvays, Nolan films, cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman’s theory of reality, Longhorn football
- I’m 5 years deep into writing a from-the-trenches newsletter of stories and tips on entrepreneurship, AI, and video
- I’ve had a hell of a lot easier time building companies than figuring out vulnerability; that came with Personal Boards of Directors
I manage a mysterious health condition—maybe you’ll be the one to diagnose it?RESOLVED!
Contact
DM me on X or email me at my name at actionworks dot co (not dot com).
Blog
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Stumbling to Greatness
Three years ago, I spoke at a conference for entrepreneurs in Washington, D.C. I barely remember what I talked about that day. I can’t remember any of the other speakers, except for one.
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Unfakeable Expertise
A folk singer named Dan Bern played at my college one weekend. For reasons unknown to me—perhaps my school had talked him into it or he just enjoyed teaching—he was also running a songwriting workshop the afternoon of his show. I’d clocked a thousand hours of strumming and penning lyrics in my bedroom so I showed up, thinking I might learn a thing or two.
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The Art Of Approaching Strangers: Lessons From Humans Of New York
Business and entrepreneurship depend on people. People you work with, people you sell to, people you pitch. This article unpacks what one guy learned forming connections with others by cold-approaching strangers in a famously cold city. As a bonus, I’ve found that talking to strangers is a beautiful counter-response to the arms race for attention that is the ad-driven internet. So let’s learn from a master at the practice.
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The Time I Told My Biggest Customer to Go F*ck Themselves
A story about how breaking formality created stronger connections during a high-profile Brazilian startup program.
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Oversmiling: A Simple Trick To Come Across Warmer On Camera
Temporarily making yourself look unhinged is an oddly effective strategy for on camera warmth.
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How (and why) to run a personal shareholder meeting
TL;DR: Write a “shareholder letter” to friends and acquaintances, share it two weeks before you host a gathering in Zoom, and capitalize on the ideas, conversations, and opportunities that emerge. Time required to put this in action: 2-3 hours. I’ve been in a funk for the last four months. I’m not sure if it’s because […]