~/ask-a-founder

Ask a Founder

What's the biggest lesson from your first startup failing?
Capital without conviction burns fast. We raised too much money before we understood the problem. Every company since has been bootstrapped or revenue-funded. Ship first. Fundraise never.
Detroit or Scottsdale?
Detroit made me. Scottsdale sharpened me. Detroit taught hustle, community, and building from nothing. Scottsdale gave me space to think, trails to clear my head, and proximity to the desert. I need both.
What would you tell a first-time founder?
Get to revenue. Not a pitch deck, not a logo, not a landing page. Revenue. Everything else is theater until someone pays you.
Favorite part of building HealPay?
The first four years were brutal — no revenue until 2014. But once it clicked, watching consumers settle debts on their own terms was the whole point. Payments should be human. That never changed.
Why fintech?
I started in finance, built an ad network, then stumbled into payments. Fintech isn't a choice — it's where money, software, and real people collide. Every transaction tells a story.
Best trail you've ever hiked?
Trolltunga, Norway. 14 hours round trip. You earn that view.
One piece of gear you never hike without?
A camera. Phone, DSLR, drone — doesn't matter. The best camera is the one you use.
What's the overlap between hiking and startups?
Both are type-two fun. Miserable in the middle, worth it at the summit. And the people who quit at mile three never see what's at mile ten.
What's next?
More trails, more products, more photos. The trail doesn't end — it just finds new terrain.
~/favorite-hikes

Favorite Hikes

~/favorite-bites

Favorite Bites

~/been-there

Places I've Been

~/bucket-list

Bucket List