Summary

Creative entrepreneur with hands-on operating experience, a passion for technology, and a strong financial background. I’ve worked in a number of internet-centric roles in several startup ventures, and am interested in ideas that leverage the power of new technology to change daily routines.

Work Experience

Elements Brands : 2010 — Present : Founder

• Created a portfolio of high-margin consumer brands sold exclusively via e-commerce.
• Focused obsessively on automation and outsourcing, so my focus remains exclusively on product development and marketing.
• Through proprietary vendor relationships and a lot of custom code, the business practically runs itself day-to-day, leaving me free to travel and hit the slopes on big powder days.

Matchbox Labs : 2012 — Present : Founder

• Guide a class of undergraduates each semester through a practical entrepreneurship curriculum, hands-on internships, and idea generation.
• Promising ideas are seed funded at the end of the semester, and then developed over the summer into profitable businesses.
• Built a mentor network of over 25 successful entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and business leaders to guest lecture and advise students one-on-one.
• Creating a growing community of consumer packaged goods companies to provide internships and networking opportunities for Matchbox Labs students and graduates.

Hosting.com : 2009 — Present : M&A / Corporate Development / Integration

• Focused on acquisitions, due diligence and post-deal integration as our company grows in partnership with our investors at Pamlico Capital (formerly Wachovia Capital Partners).
• Also work as needed on internal strategic projects wherever I can help.
• Hands-on “jack-of-all-trades” operating and strategic experience in a cutting edge technology company.

Edgeview Partners : 2008 — 2009 : Investment Banking, M&A Analyst

• Valued and sold lots of companies in several industries, with a specific focus on technology.
• Small deal teams gave me an integral role in all aspects of the M&A process, including CIM authoring, due diligence and interaction with senior management.
• Published a monthly newsletter featuring analysis of technology sector trends and dealmaking.
• Many hours of financial modeling and market analysis.
• Ordered lots of takeout.

Prostate Cancer Foundation : 2007 — 2008 : Online branding and marketing

• Helped coordinate a full website redesign and rebranding of the PCF with the goal of removing the stigma around prostate cancer and encouraging men to get regular PSA tests.
• Worked with folk singer Dan Fogelberg’s widow to market and release his single “Sometimes a Song” after his death from prostate cancer. The song reached #1 in its genre on both iTunes and Amazon.com, raising thousands of dollars for the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Function Technologies : 2006 — 2007 : Co-founder

• Function’s primary product was Groupvine, a web app that made organizing college groups like fraternities and club sports teams easy.
• Wrote proposals and won over $15,000 in seed grants.
• Responsible for everything from financial forecasting to sales calls to PHP programming.
• Ran the whole thing from a dorm room, and eventually a small corner in the basement of the Calloway Business School.
• Eventually sold the company in my senior year.

Keybanc Capital Markets : Summer 2007 : Summer Analyst, Industrial Technology Group

• Worked as a full-time analyst for the summer.
• Wrote offering memoranda and marketing documents for Altra Industrial Motion’s (AIMC) $180 million follow-on equity offering.
• Developed a healthy appreciation for “4-star spicy” Indian food.

Past Projects, Consulting & Other Experience : In my free time

• WFU Entrepreneurship Office: Worked as a student adviser to faculty developing new courses and curriculums. Completely redesigned the department’s website and worked to integrate professors from other departments into the entrepreneurship curriculum.
• WhoBook MOBI: Created a mobile web optimized version of 37Signals’ popular Highrise CRM tool using their public API.
• College Garage: Local, campus specific classified ads for college students. Ruthlessly murdered by Facebook Marketplace.
• Kaplan: Tutored high school students to prepare them for the SAT.
• Deacon Outfitters: Designed, printed and sold several styles of Wake Forest-themed tshirts. Sold both on campus and online. Yes, this was my stupid frat boy business idea (everyone tries one), but it taught me a lot about rejection (door-to-door sales) and made enough money to buy plenty of beer. For a college student, I’ll call it a win.
• CES Techs: Helped small and medium businesses with websites, computer setup and networks during summers in high school and college.

Education

Earned a bachelor of science degree in Business with minors in Computer Science and Entrepreneurship from Wake Forest University in 2008.

• Recipient of the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award and a John C. Chambers grant.
• Inducted into the Upsilon Phi Epsilon Computer Science Honor Society.
• Vice President and Co-founder of the Wake Forest Entrepreneurship Society, now over 200 students strong.

Personal Tidbits

Enjoy meeting new people, trying new things and staying in shape. I’ve always been in awe of excellent musicians, but have been struggling to learn the guitar myself for over a year now.

I also like movies, gadgets and almost anything related to the internet. Get in touch if you’ve got a question, cool project or just want to chat about something interesting.