My Professional Journey
With over 20 years of experience building software and leading engineering teams, I help organizations cut through the AI hype to build systems that actually work. My experience across traditional ML, data infrastructure, and modern LLM applications helps me figure out what's worth building and then build it right.
Professional Experience
I founded PragmaNexus to help teams cut through the AI hype and build systems that actually work. I focus on figuring out what's worth building first, then provide strategy, implementation, and training to make it happen.
Built Teamshares' data strategy and infrastructure from the ground up. Established a software team and technical platform that empowered colleagues across all departments to make data-informed decisions related to acquiring and operating small businesses. Teamshares is backed by QED Investors, Khosla Ventures, Slow Ventures, Union Square Ventures, and other top-tier investors.
Collaborated with the Head of Quantitative Research to develop quantitative investment algorithms and build the software/data infrastructure necessary for backtesting and executing these algorithms at scale.
Helped build and scale a Data/Machine Learning platform that discovered and analyzed emerging consumer brands across hundreds of data sources. The platform automatically identified and evaluated over 100,000 small consumer businesses, guiding investment decisions and facilitating hundreds of successful equity and debt transactions. CircleUp was backed by Google Ventures, Union Square Ventures, QED Investors, Clayton Christensen's Rose Park Advisors, and other prominent investors.
Helped develop one of the first digital interviewing platforms, enabling millions of job applicants to apply for positions through asynchronous audio or video recordings from their smartphones or computers.
Developed Derivatives/Credit Default Swaps trading software for a multi-billion dollar hedge fund, gaining valuable insights during the 2007-2008 global financial crisis.
Built and launched 7 iOS applications as side projects and learning experiences.
Current Focus: Large Language Models
I'm building production systems in the large language model ecosystem - the kind that process real documents, handle actual customer data, and solve problems that weren't solvable before these tools existed. My work spans strategy, implementation, and training, helping teams figure out what's worth building and then building it right.
My Product-First Approach
I believe the most important question isn't "Which technology should we use?" but "What business problems are we trying to solve?" I start with understanding your actual problems, then figure out what's worth building - whether that's an LLM application, traditional ML model, or simpler solution.
This approach leads to focused solutions that solve real problems rather than chase technology trends. It's about using the right tool for the job and building something that works for your specific situation.
Leadership Philosophy
I believe effective leadership multiplies a team's impact. Throughout my career, I've prioritized building, coaching, and mentoring engineering teams. Nothing frustrates me more than seeing exceptional talent stifled by inadequate leadership.
My leadership approach centers on empowering teams to do their best work. This means clear communication, thoughtful delegation, and creating an environment where innovation thrives. This experience in coaching and mentoring teams is why training and strategy work are such important parts of what I offer - the best systems are ones that teams can understand, maintain, and improve.