About my work.
I love creating something that hasn’t existed before.
I am an opportunity-spotter and an optimizer by nature, so I’m best suited to dynamic situations where I can put those instincts into practice, to accomplish something ambitious and exciting. I love bringing a talented team together to create something new, spotting ways to fill in gaps to positively impact others, and hopefully “great-making” things to a higher level of quality, authenticity, appeal, and humanity.
The Build Tank
Since 2009 I’ve run a consulting firm called The Build Tank, where we developed a new model for how organizations can leverage technology to its game-changing potential, rather than being held back by it.
We built a following via our thought leadership, writing, speaking, our many openly published resources, and our work helping guide organizations through that tricky but transformative transition to a more functional and powerful future.
The Curriculum
We’ve written an ever-evolving “Curriculum” of accessible, bite-size posts that explain our internal capacity-centered approach to impactful, high quality technology.
Podcast: “The Greatmakers”
We recently started a podcast called “The Greatmakers” to highlight amazing, strategic, communication-skilled technology “unicorns” like the ones we help identify and nurture, who are helping change the entire culture and impact of their organizations.
Roadmap to a Better Technology Tomorrow
We pulled together a comprehensive “Roadmap to a Better Technology” tomorrow, together with brief video overviews that explain how an organization can go from technology dysfunction to excellence.
Video and media creation
We try to always find ways to make our content as accessible, engaging, and entertaining as possible. A well executed video can sometimes be more powerful than many thousands of beautifully written words (which I also appreciate!)
Public Speaking
Talking to groups is a fun and comfortable space for me. I hope I am successfully able to be engaging, authentic, and entertaining, as well as insightful and helpful.
New Insights via “The Blarg”
When we have a compelling new insight or articulation to share, we release it on “The Blarg” as well as our email list and social channels. We consistently focus on providing helpful value to people rather than anything marketing related. However this has become a key generator of reach and new business opportunities, while providing helpful resources for new and existing audiences.
Unicorn Party!
Our model highlights a unique internal capacity skillset gap, filling it with strategic, communication-skilled technologists who end up being game changers for their entire organizations. After being accused of basing our model on looking for “unicorns,” we embraced the title and started convening a bi-monthly group of technology “unicorns” for shared problem solving and peer support.
Co-Founding of Salesforce’s Power of Us Hub
In 2012, seeing the inefficiency that every organization had to “figure out” Salesforce on their own, I crafted a proposal for a “Nonprofit Success Resource Center” and partnered with Salesforce to lead an in-depth customer study to prove the business case. In 2013 that became Salesforce.org’s highly successful shared support community “The Power of Us Hub”.
White paper on Salesforce teams
We wrote what still seems to be the only resource of its kind, a freely sharable white paper making the case to executive leadership in organizations using Salesforce about the importance of having internal capacity focused on the system, the critical work and roles needing stewardship, and the key responsibilities that should and should not be outsourced. Here I am on the Salesforce Admins Podcast having fun talking about it.
Organizational Development
When it comes down to it, we’re helping organizations fundamentally change their structures, their org charts, and their entire approach to collaboration. Doing that requires a lot of attention to diplomacy and buy-in at multiple levels, from executive leadership all the way throughout the organization.
So much of that is about communicating with people one on one, being straightforward, authentic, and demonstrating that you have everyone’s best interests at heart.
Creativity and Media
I think I used to think of my ‘creative persona’ as distinct from my ‘work persona’. But eventually I realized that both are part of the same continuum and that they make each other stronger. Which is also a lot more enjoyable! :)
Film and Video
Video is definitely one of my native languages, so to speak, and one of my favorite playgrounds. I love to grasp opportunities that appear to use the medium, and to stay open to experimentation, and to not be afraid of trying new things in pursuit of something great.
Daddy Rappin’
In an unexpected twist of fate, I ended up with a small side career as a periodic daddy rapper together with my two young daughters. It has led some unexpected places such as being featured on The Today Show along with about a half a million youtube views. But mostly it has provided our family with some warm-hearted “yearbook pieces” to document the passing of years.
Podcast and conversation
I genuinely enjoy connecting with people, understanding their unique path and their process, and finding the entertainment and humor in situations. In one example, my buddy (and business partner) and I hold a weekly conversation about creativity, which has taken on an extremely fun life of its own.
Music and music production
Creating music is a through-line in my life and provides me with incredible joy. I have produced music throughout the years, and recently surprised myself by releasing a number of heartfelt solo keyboard recordings, which was new but fulfilling territory.
Selected Past Roles
Managing Director, League of Independent Voters
Deputy Director, MoveOn PAC
Facilitator/Trainer, Posse Foundation
Project Director, Kill HIV Now
Music radio host and DJ, KCRW 89.9 FM, Santa Monica, CA
Education
B.A. 1998, Education Through Multimedia
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)