{I like to build things with purpose}
Who am I?
I'm a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but before any of that I am a dad. Working on things that will make the world a better place has always been at the center of what motivates me.
Started out over 20 years ago in music marketing and print production. My career like my life has always been about survival and seeking out meaningful experiences more than money, greed or fame. My childhood was pretty rough, so I work extra hard to make sure my son has a better ride.
Music, art, photography, film, design and technology have been at the center of my world as long as I can remember. They have led me to great things and they are a huge part of who I am. If you care to know more about that journey, you can read it here and here.
Fun Facts
- Prior to 2015, I once got a full breakfast at McDonald's well after 10:30am.
- I ran an industry recognized agency from 2003 to 2017 and I still have a full head of hair. 👴
- Exited a Martech SaaS 8 months after launching it (it was a fire sale).
- Advised my states congressional leaders on internet policy (told them to leave it alone and go away).
- Randomly helped launch a top 10 public blockchain & my name ended up in the genesis block (still deciding if that is a good or bad thing).
- My travel pics have been viewed over 100,000,000+ times. Seriously. 🤯
- This dude thinks I'm an underdog.
- More proud of this game I built for my son than any of the stuff above.
My Values
- Family first.
- Lead from behind.
- Business is personal.
- There is a higher power.
- Preparation and presentation.
- Dreams are goals with deadlines.
- When you put the needs of others above your own great things happen.
- Nothing is (or will ever be) perfect… but you sure as hell can try.
- What you’re worth often depends on what you value.
- Sustainability and people over profit.
My Professional Life
I’m the principal consultant and founder of axzm, a turnkey digital product strategy firm based in Dallas, TX (founded in 2003). When I have something to say, I speak at conferences like Pubcon and Big Design from time to time.
I’ve had the chance to work with some amazing brands on projects ranging from one-off consulting gigs and small landing page promotions to rebranding initiatives, e-commerce and ERP systems, as well as comprehensive digital marketing programs in both B2B and B2C markets. Since 2016, I have worked at the intersection of distributed, federated and decentralized networks/systems. You can learn more about my work here.
My Hobbies
Photography, film, DJing, producing, skateboarding, snowboarding, biking and camping are all things I love, but seldom have time for anymore. I plan on changing that in the coming years.
My Speaking
2012
2013
- Pubcon Austin – Campaign Development for Content Marketing
- SFIMA Conference – Stop Selling SEO
- Pubcon New Orleans – Bruce Lee Guide to Strategic Content
- Results Oriented Web Conference – Bruce Lee Guide to Strategic Content (Extended Cut)
- Big Design Conference – Selling Guns to Gandhi: The Art of Content Buy-In
- Search Engine Journal – Local Social
- Pubcon Las Vegas – Bruce Lee Guide to Strategic Content (Remix)
2014
- Pubcon Austin – Crouching Stakeholder, Hidden Content
- Pubcon New Orleans – Creating and Selling Awesome Content in Boring Niches
- SFIMA Conference – How to Get Content Buy-In
- Digital Marketing For Business Conference – Getting the C-Suite to Buy-In to Your Content
- Pubcon Las Vegas – Catching Fireflies: Measuring the Value of Content
- Big Design Conference – Growth Hacking With APIs
- State of Search Conference – Hyper Local Content Strategy
2015
- Pubcon Austin – Local Content Strategies
- Search Engine Journal: 3 Takeaways
- Through The Looking Glass: Overcoming Organizational Perspectives