ABOUT ME
MY STORYI am a builder. For over 20 years I have placed myself in environments that challenged me and forced me to grow. From my early beginnings, turning wrenches at an Audi dealership to traveling the world and advising hundreds of startup founders and corporate innovation groups, the road has been anything but straight and predictable, and I’m ready for the next destination.
I invite you to explore this journey marked by innovation, leadership, and a relentless pursuit of transformative solutions. With decades of experience spanning startups, corporate development, and community building, my career is a tapestry woven from countless collaborations and inspiring encounters. Each role has not only shaped my professional landscape but has also enriched my personal growth, thanks to the brilliant minds I've had the privilege to work alongside.
Check out more of my experience below to discover the milestones of this journey and the potential paths toward future partnerships and achievements. Thank you for joining me in this ongoing adventure of discovery and impact.
Key Skills and Strengths
Open Innovation
Investment Analysis
Strategic Partnerships
Sales and Go-to-Market Strategies
Startup Ecosystem Engagement
Innovation Strategy Development
Leadership and Team Empowerment
Certified Lean Stack Coach
Sales Leadership
Program Development and Deployment
Operations Management
Business Model Validation
Inclusive Community Building
Emerging Technology Trends
Due Diligence
Problem / Solution Fit
Experience
Innovation Strategy Development:
Skilled in orchestrating open innovation initiatives and integrating them into corporate cultures, notably at MassChallenge and Houston Exponential. Led the creation of strategies that bridged gaps between startups and established corporations, fostering a vibrant ecosystem of innovation.
Designed and implemented cross-sector innovation programs, involving collaboration between tech startups and traditional businesses, which enhanced product innovation and accelerated market readiness.
Established frameworks for continuous innovation, including setting up innovation labs and partnerships with universities and research institutions, boosting the innovation pipeline and facilitating round table discussions on innovation enterprise launches.
Sales Enablement & Team Leadership:
Experienced in crafting effective sales messaging and strategies and leading high-performance teams at CareerBuilder and Monster.com, developing systems and training programs that consistently exceeded sales targets.
Transformed sales teams into quota-shattering high performers through strategic leadership and comprehensive sales enablement tools and techniques.
Created a culture of success by integrating sales management systems that monitored key performance indicators, fostering a data-driven approach to sales enablement.
Ecosystem Building:
Expert in creating and nurturing networks of startup experts, investors, and founders, stimulating substantial economic and entrepreneurial growth in ecosystems around the world.
Spearheaded initiatives that connected over 10,000 mentors, alumni, and investors, creating one of the largest active networks of startup expertise and venture capital in Texas.
Orchestrated community engagement programs, including pitch events, workshops, and annual conferences to facilitate knowledge sharing and networking.
Strategic Partnerships:
Adept at forging alliances and partnerships that aligned with organizational goals and drove market expansion. Developed strategic relationships across defense, space, and sports sectors to foster innovation and commercialize new technologies.
Negotiated partnerships with foundations, academic institutions and industry leaders that enabled access to new technologies and research, integrating them into viable commercial strategies.
Managed and expanded strategic partnerships, extending market reach and enhancing organizational capabilities in new and emerging markets.
Operations:
Innovative in developing programs at Houston Exponential and MassChallenge that leveraged emerging technology trends to enhance business model validation and market entry.
Pioneered the development and launch of targeted accelerator programs that supported over 500 startups from ideation to commercialization, incorporating lean startup methodologies and customer development techniques.
Supported innovators from underserved communities and developing countries through the creation of mission aligned acceleration programs that were designed to be immediately impactful and long-term sustainable.
Full resume available on demand or connect with me on LinkedIn