My journey into technology began with childlike curiosity when my father brought home our first computer—an Apple II+. Rather than just using it, I immediately took it apart to understand how it worked. This natural inclination to explore technology's potential has defined my career.

 

In elementary school, I co-created an adventure game with a friend, proving early on that I could build, not just consume technology. When my mother insisted computers weren't just for gaming, I embraced programming and discovered the thrill of connecting to other systems through phone lines and modems.

 

After a brief detour into gymnastics and social life during high school, I reconnected with technology in college. While studying engineering, I found creative ways to utilize the university mainframes, creating collaborative workspaces before they were common. My curiosity led me to explore physical and digital infrastructure across campus, connecting with like-minded tech enthusiasts.

 

When the internet emerged, I knew I had to be part of this revolution. My first venture, NetSource, began in my basement and grew so rapidly that we exhausted the neighborhood's copper phone lines—leading to the amusing sight of multiple phone company trucks arriving to upgrade infrastructure just for us. This period taught me valuable lessons about business capital needs and the personal costs of entrepreneurship.

 

After corporate IT experience and several successful years as an independent consultant (helping companies navigate Y2K and build effective IT teams), I joined a distribution company as it was poised for growth. Over the next decade, I helped transform a $50M operation into a $300M global enterprise with 18 warehouses serving thousands of retail stores.