For me, it all started with math and keyboards
I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in Math and Computer Science, then went on to get an MBA. My first job out of university was as a Software Engineer. At night, I played piano in the orchestra pit for musical theatre productions.
After I expanded my responsibilities to sales, marketing, and customer service for that company the founder asked, “Do you want to run the company?”
I did. So, I did.
We had both a US and Canadian office, and we dominated our market (administrative software for schools). The company was sold to McGraw-Hill, and I went to meet with a venture capital firm in Seattle to find my next adventure.
They were considering an investment in a small software company that made software for the mortgage industry and asked me for a business plan. Then they hired me to run it.
It was a ten-year journey from startup to IPO, and we became the leader in the mortgage software space.
I’m very proud of that team. We had to create innovative ways to capture market share, and we did. When we went public, 1 in 3 mortgages in the USA were processed using our software.
When that company sold, I was encouraged to start consulting for small software companies as a CEO mentor. The practice took off, and my clients thrived.
Then one day someone gave me a custom-labeled bottle of wine as a gift. It was easily the most disgusting bottle of wine I had ever tasted, and it started me thinking, “Why do people make bad wine? And why give a “gift” of something that tastes horrible and has your name on it?”
So, I started Northwest Cellars Winery, primarily to produce high quality wines, with an option of a custom-designed front label. Two decades and hundreds of awards later, we’ve sold personalized wine to corporate clients, non-profits, restaurants, and for special occasions. We created the “12” label during the Seahawks Super Bowl run. If you toasted the team that year, chances are you did it with our wine.
It was a very successful business, with very little competition. But after almost 20 years, it’s time to share my knowledge, expertise, and experience again with CEOs.
I’m back to having wine with dinner, playing the piano, and spending my days helping companies grow, differentiate, and succeed.
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