Growth, Strategy, and Product Excellence
From startups to enterprise success—building products, driving strategy, and scaling operations to deliver real results.
Do Simple Better
Former Chicago Cubs Manager Joe Maddon’s mantra is “Do Simple Better“, and I think that succinctly encapsulates what true product development and business strategy are all about.
Do Simple Better doesn’t imply your application or product is basic or bland; rather, it means you provide a wonderfully easy-to-use experience while performing incredibly complex tasks behind the scenes. It means you focus on making your customers’ lives easier, automating processes, and removing complexity whenever and however possible.
I’ve been intimately involved in the creation of software products from concept to delivery to hyper-growth (#12 on inc. 500) and ultimately sale. I’m fascinated by behavioral economics and data-driven decisions and have been fortunate to speak on these topics across the country.
I’m lucky enough to call the mountains of Utah home where you can find me golfing in the summer and snowboarding in the winter. Finally, I’m a father to three rambunctious girls who’ve caused my hair to go prematurely grey.
Insights & Experiences
A collection of stories, strategies, and occasional mishaps from the world of product management, leadership, and figuring things out as I go.
The Mullet Effect: How Humor Created Product Stickiness
Sometimes, the most impactful element of a product’s success isn’t found in a strategic roadmap or a sleek UI—it’s in a well-placed laugh.
Harnessing AI to Create Targeted Customer Cohorts
By leveraging AI to analyze transaction data, we uncovered key customer cohorts, optimized our marketing strategies, and achieved a 50% revenue increase in key segments.
AI Maturity: Creating a Self-Assessment
At Xima, we developed an AI self-assessment framework using a structured maturity model to evaluate our current capabilities, identify growth opportunities, and strategically shape our AI roadmap.
Identifying the Cornerstones of Exceptional Product Managers
A truly exceptional Product Manager is blend of confident cross-functional communication, relentless curiosity, strategic empathy, and a CEO-level ownership.
How Vindy Optimized the Shopping Cart for Thousands of Items
At Vindy, we transformed the traditional checkout experience by designing a scalable, intuitive shopping cart that streamlines bulk purchasing, minimizes friction, and maximizes efficiency for campus bookstores.
A Data-Driven Approach to Choosing an AI Strategy
By leveraging our unrivaled data collection foundation and focusing on AI-driven Insights and Optimization Recommendations, I helped Xima empower call centers with smarter decision-making and a clear competitive edge.
From Outputs to Outcomes: Building Roadmaps That Actually Matter
By leveraging AI to analyze transaction data, we uncovered key customer cohorts, optimized our marketing strategies, and achieved a 50% revenue increase in key segments.
Navigating Enterprise Deals Without Derailing Your Roadmap
Enterprise deals can fuel growth, but the real challenge is saying yes to the right requests—ones that scale—while protecting your product roadmap from one-off distractions.
My Framework for Building Products Customers Love
Presenting to a board isn’t about showing off what you know—it’s about delivering clear, concise insights that drive informed decisions.
How to Design Better Metrics.
Making better decisions isn’t about always being right—it’s about having a clear process, learning from mistakes, and moving forward with confidence.
Presenting to Boards: Capturing Attention & Driving Decisions
Presenting to a board isn’t about showing off what you know—it’s about delivering clear, concise insights that drive informed decisions.
Effectively Incorporating User Feedback into Product Development
Effective product management requires strategically collecting, analyzing, and prioritizing user feedback to enhance the product while aligning with business goals.
Case Study: Increasing checkout conversion by 25%.
If you’re dealing with high cart abandonment rates, start by analyzing your user experience. Identify the friction points, experiment with solutions, and iterate quickly.
Experience
2018 - Present
Vindy
President & Chief Product Officer
Created an inventory marketplace for college stores that has experienced explosive growth since its inception and currently works with hundreds of campuses nationwide. In 2019, the product was acquired by private equity to expedite expansion until its strategic acquisition in 2025.
- Oversaw company growth and profitability by creating all pricing and revenue models, designing innovative product feature enhancements, and leading cross-functional teams across product, technology, and sales.
- Introduced AI-driven cohort analysis to segment customers, enabling targeted product development and personalized marketing strategies.
- Built and scaled the product management function from the ground up, including hiring, mentoring, and developing a high-performing team of PMs, designers, and analysts.
- Defined the product vision and roadmap based on market research, user feedback, and internal stakeholder alignment, resulting in a 3x increase in product adoption.
- Developed a SaaS revenue model through a proprietary Amazon integration, generating millions in purchases within the first 12 months.
- Introduced a business intelligence platform that enabled college stores to analyze historical textbook market pricing and demand data, empowering market-driven purchasing decisions.
- Pioneered a drop shipment feature that reduced hard costs by 50%, streamlining logistics and improving operational efficiency.
- Secured a partnership with the largest campus store lessor, capturing 50% market share and reinforcing industry dominance.
- Implemented a just-in-time inventory feature tailored to the campus store market, transforming customer purchasing habits and saving campuses millions.
2022 - 2024
Xima
Chief Product Officer &
Dir. of Marketing
Led the product and UI/UX teams, implemented a robust product management framework, and spearheaded innovative feature developments that doubled the active user count and 10x’d customer interactions in just 18 months. Also overhauled the marketing approach, increasing website leads sevenfold and generating millions in new pipeline revenue through strategic partnerships and targeted campaigns.
- Defined the product vision and roadmap based on market research, user feedback, and internal stakeholder alignment, resulting in an exponential increase in product adoption.
- Developed a comprehensive product research framework evaluating financial implications, risks, development efforts, and success metrics, aligning initiatives with business goals.
- Led the company’s first AI offering with an intuitive insights and recommendations dashboard to help customers make more efficient decisions.
- Leveraged prospect and customer feedback to develop a UCaaS solution that created millions in new pipeline in 12 months.
- Designed and implemented a new, simplified pricing model to maximize revenue through feature bundling, which increased per-customer profitability by 25%.
- Assumed control of the marketing department and overhauled the entire website experience, increasing website leads from 5% to 50% of inbound leads in nine months.
2013-2018
Sidewalk
VP Product, VP Marketing,
& VP Marketplace
VP Product
Managed, created, and innovated the company’s five software products and product team to transform the distribution of higher education content. This included all product development, pricing strategies, prototype creation, and user experience testing. Participated in the hyper-growth ($48M annual revenue) that resulted in it being named #12 for growth (#1 for education) on the Inc. 500.
- Developed KPIs and product analytics dashboards to monitor feature performance, user behavior, and conversion funnel health across the platform.
- Constructed annual revenue forecasts, including proforma P&Ls, strategic pricing initiatives, and growth proposals for each company product.
- Oversaw the creation of the company’s first SaaS offering through a software acquisition from Brigham Young University.
- Established and evangelized agile product development practices, dramatically improving team velocity and reducing time-to-market by over 30%.
- Directed all operations for the campusbookrentals.com product ($28M annual revenue) until its sale to Nebraska Book Company.
VP Marketing
Managed marketing department, including developing an in-store marketing program for hundreds partner stores, SEO, and affiliate management for the company’s e-commerce presence.
- Created a scalable client onboarding process that leveraged technology to introduce clients to company software.
- Created a unique in-store marketing program that decreased spending by hundreds of thousands annually and facilitated 10% year-over-year growth.
VP Marketplace
Created a B2B marketplace for college stores. Oversaw revenue growth and profitability, designed all product features, supervised a product sales and account management team, and directed all warehouse logistics.
- Developed an automated textbook sourcing process, resulting in $5 million in new revenue within 18 months.
- Saved college stores over $4 million in textbook expenses over 2 years.
- Constructed logistics technology to process hundreds of thousands of books annually with a 0.001 error rate.
Est. 2012
Goma Marketing
Founder
Goma Marketing helps insurance agencies modernize their marketing strategies to meet the evolving expectations of today’s digital-first consumers. Through consulting, creative services, and technology, we help agencies generate leads, improve retention, and build lasting brand equity.
- Lead strategic consulting engagements with insurance agencies, guiding marketing transformation efforts tailored to unique business goals and customer segments.
- Utilize AI to analyze customer behavior and intent, creating tailored website experiences that adapt to each user segment for maximum engagement and retention.
- Developed a proprietary sales and marketing system that leveraged email, eBooks, videos, landing pages, and whitepapers to engage, retain, and cross-sell customers automatically.
- Advise on omnichannel marketing strategies and digital ad spend to improve ROI, optimize acquisition funnels, and enhance customer lifetime value.
2006 - 2012
Swarts, Manning & Assoc.
Product Manager
Created and managed risk management programs for middle market businesses, including procurement, claims management, and risk aversion in commercial accounts ($25,000 to $250,000 in annual premiums).
- Created specialty insurance programs for medium to large commercial accounts ($25,000 to $250,000) within the education, construction, and restaurant industries.
- Managed the Sales Department and mentored all new agents, assisting with all aspects of the client growth, including prospecting, policy quoting, new business proposals, networking, and marketing.
Honors & Awards
2025
Board of Directors
Rocky Mountain Skyline Bookstore Association
Participated as the Vendor Trustee.
2024
Featured Speaker
ICBA
“How to Leverage Marketplace Data to Influence Purchasing Decisions
2023
Featured Speaker
RMSBA
“Data-Driven Decisions’
2023 - 2025
Advisory Council
Independent College Bookstore Association
Engaged with the executive team in the strategic direction of the association.
2022
Keynote Speaker
Tri-State Association
“How to persuade administration, faculty, and employees with data-driven stories.”
2021
Presenter of the Year
CAMEX
National Association of College Stores: Presentation “How Uber is Changing Textbooks.” Awarded Presenter of the Year
2020
Keynote Speaker
CACS
“Marketplace Factors to Consider When Managing Inventory”
2019
Keynote Speaker
GACS
“The Effects of Technology on Textbooks”