General Management
Above all, my professional interests lie in how to use innovative technologies or combinations of technologies to create and pursue profitable Web business ventures. To do this, I rely on some of my key skills, which include:
I work hard at being a fast learner and a creative thinker. I think strategically, but I always make a point of learning how the fundamentals of a situation or opportunity really work, and as a result, I can usually accomplish a great deal. I've researched, planned, launched, sold and managed a number of new business ideas, and I think this experience helps me identify when an idea might be a home run, when it might need to change and adapt, or when it might have to fall by the wayside.
Internet Related
I started in online ventures when I pitched hard to establish Medifile.com, the Web presence of Medifile, Inc.
From there, I was the fifth person to join Gomez.com, which later became a leading global authority on the Web user experience and e-commerce excellence. Our clients included E*TRADE, Schwab, Fidelity, Delta Air Lines, Orbitz, and many more similarly leading e-commerce ventures.
I've been involved in several startups, mainly in the online space, and I've been thrilled to have the experience. In more recognizable settings, I've been a VP at Digitas, perhaps the world's leading interactive agency.
For awhile, I tried making a business out of two MIT developed open source technologies, Simile and DSpace. The principal investigators and many others involved were very generous with their support and encouragement. Difficulties in attracting a qualified technical partner caused me to move on.
I was the president of Survol, Inc., a company with a unique and very promising mobile browsing technology. My parting with the company was amicable and I wish it and its founder, Stan Lyness the very best.
During the Spring & Summer of '07, I was a consultant at a Monster.com. It was interesting work and the problems and opportunities I saw are all very familiar to me. I parted on good terms and met many people that I respect a great deal. There's no question the people there are talented.
For about 3.5 months I worked as a product manager at Metatomix, a company that's trying to develop Semantic products. The company released me unexpectedly and without cause. The engineering team is a very talented bunch and I really enjoyed working with them.
Several months later I was thrilled to join TopQuadrant. These people are giants in the Semantic Web industry and I'm convinced they have an extremely bright future. The company has a product suite that's mature, stable, and easy to use (if you're a developer). TopQuadrant could also probably supply a number of customer references to any prospective buyer, which places them in a unique position among Semantic Web technology vendors. After less than two months I had to leave TopQuadrant when Metatomix chose to enforce my non-compete agreement.
Going forward, my plans are to continue to develop my understanding of the technologies and experiences that make the Internet and Web such a transformational medium and the business opportunities that result. I'm working on a couple of business ideas right now and when they're a little more concrete I'll either launch one of them, pitch a company on hiring me to pursue the market(s) I have in mind, or I'll use the knowledge I gain to try and knock the cover off the ball wherever I happen to be.
