ANIMATION INSPIRATION
As a child, I was constantly amazed by technology and obsessed with how to create inventions to solve my problems. Key influences were the city in the sky in the Jetsons and all the wacky inventions the mystery gang used to solve mysteries in Scooby Doo.
BUBBLING OVER WITH AMBITION
Of all my favorite childhood business ideas, the one that stands out is going door to door getting people to pay to watch me blow bubbles on their front porch. From an investor perspective, what’s not to love? An asset light business model in a massive greenfield market.
WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AS A KID?
I was goofy, with a whole lot of energy, constantly thinking about business ideas for how to get spare cash for my Lincoln log piggy bank. One that stands out the most is going door to door getting people to pay to watch me blow bubbles on their front porch — and from an investor perspective, what’s not to love? An asset light business model in a massive greenfield market. 😉
ARE THERE LESSONS YOU LEARNED AS A CHILD THAT HAVE STUCK WITH YOU?
It’s a saying as old as time, but “measure twice, cut once” has always stuck with me. From an extremely young age, I could be found in the garage with my dad, helping him build or fix various things around the house. My dad’s reminders to “measure twice, cut once” weren’t only about cutting wood properly, but also about always taking pride in the work you do, no matter how big or small the project.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO GROW UP IN YOUR FAMILY?
I grew up with three siblings — and we were always super competitive with each other, whether we were playing basketball in the front yard or the classic multi-day game of Risk! It definitely drove an early competitive spirit in me and helped shaped me into who I am today.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR FAMILY?
Kindness. My mom is probably the most empathetic person I know, and that really carried over to how my siblings and I were raised — our relationship with each other and those around us.
SHIFTING OVER TO YOUR CAREER: DO YOU HAVE ANY MEMORABLE EARLY WORK EXPERIENCES?
The last job I had before I started working in finance was at a large lacrosse events company. We would drive around the Midwest and run tournaments with hundreds of teams. Each event was like setting up a mini-business from scratch, for just a couple of days. It was an awesome experience.
HOW ABOUT DOWNTIME: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND A SATURDAY?
I love to start my mornings with a long walk with my dog and fiancé somewhere around the bay. Active hobbies are also a favorite of mine, so depending on the season I might be playing in a lacrosse league, snowboarding, or even taking wood-working classes.
AS LONG AS YOU ALWAYS MEASURE TWICE.
Yes, thanks to Dad, I’m a model student.
