Spinning off an internal project of a large corporation into a standard product for the benefit of many other companies was my first pivot experience (alineo). Later, I turned a professional services business (synesix) into a trading company, a physical distribution channel into a B2B2C e-commerce business (careware), and a digital communications hub into an integration and orchestration platform (Allthings).
With my co-founders and teams, we scaled the companies to 7 / 8 digit annual revenues. We built up hundreds of B2B customer relationships with customers like AIG, AXA, Canon, Credit Suisse, FM Global and UBS. We also sold products and services to more than a million end consumers. In 2018 we exited careware, and I’ve merged, recycled, bought, integrated and sold several other companies during my whole career.
On a personal level, I’ve pivoted too. Growing up in a pretty strict religious environment, I embraced a more open perspective in my twenties. My entrepreneurial journey has involved many role shifts: from teacher to corporate employee, first-time small business founder to CEO of company with nearly 100 employees, and from board president back to solopreneur again. I have experienced incredible hype phases and repeatedly seen the valley of tears.
Finally, as a dad of two, I’ve also seen how humans can transform and grow into the next version of themselves.