👋🏽 Hey!
The first thing most people ask me is how to pronounce my name. Here you go (more accurately, though, it would be this way) – but I’m not picky. Anything with a Z or an S in it I’ll respond to.
I’m a father, partner, founder, software developer, coach, author, hot sauce snob, and more nouns.
I’m dedicated to creating more human connection in the world. I’m currently building…
- Relatable is a CRM that helps professionals maintain relationships with the people they care about.
- BeMoreRelatable is a cohort-based coaching program that guides people on how to deepen their relationships with their sphere.
- The Sphere is a weekly newsletter where I talk about building and maintaining a strong network.
Previously…
I co-founded Contactually and led it as CEO from an idea in 2011 to an enterprise SaaS company with eight figures in revenue when it was acquired by Compass in 2019. After, I was GM at Compass, leading the development of their CRM platform, as well as a number of training and coaching initiatives. I left in January 2021 to pursue new ventures.
I owe much of my career to having the right relationships, and much of my work has been to help others build and grow their network. Beyond Contactually (a relationship-oriented CRM), I’m the author of Success Is in Your Sphere: Leverage the Power of Relationships to Achieve Your Business Goals (McGraw Hill, 2019). I also co-created the DC Tech Meetup which, since its founding in 2010, has been one of the largest of its kind in the country. I love hosting dinners and breakfasts and surrounding myself with awesome people.
Also…
I speak, write, and am interviewed on business relationships and relationship marketing, real estate technology, and entrepreneurship – from big conferences to high school classrooms. If you’d like me to speak for your audience or want to interview me for something, just reach out. If you need my speakers’ bio, here you go.
I write occasionally on my blog and post more frequently on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, or Mastodon. You can start with my recommended posts. If you’d like to stay up to date, you can subscribe for updates.
You can also occasionally find me lurking on Reddit, Quora, Facebook, and GoodReads.
I do a little bit of angel investing.
I’m grateful to receive a number of accolades in my career so far, including Washingtonian Tech Titan (numerous), Swanepoel’s Power 200, and a Finalist for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year.
I’ve also had a number of other projects and investments over the years, some small, some large, some completed, and many failed/never launched.
I live in Washington, DC with my wife, and two kids.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if I can be helpful, or know of a really great breakfast burrito near you.