Not Another Dev Tool

My Favorite Person Needs a Cofounder

A special announcement today from my incredible spouse, who is on the hunt for a CTO and cofounder.

Marrying her was the best decision I ever made. Starting a company with her may be the best one you make!

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Once upon a time, I saw the Komodo dragons in their natural habitat. They were majestic, imposing and the chill they sent down my spine was unforgettable. I am no dragonologist, but a friend and I decided to meet up midway, and that landed us on the Komodo island.

For me, it’s the adventures that give life its magic and the most epic ones start with companions who expand our worlds and draw us to unexpected wonders.

Today, I am seeking a partner to embark on the ultimate commercial adventure: entrepreneurship.

Perhaps you are about to team up with another developer to build another dev tool, but let me open the door to a whole new world for you. If this goes well, we’ll spend the next decade together with an exceptional team of fellow adventurers to push the frontier of a real industry.

You might be a good fit if you are:

1. Based in NYC

2. Already committed to starting a company

3. As good at your craft (ML+data) as I am at mine (see below)

4. Open-minded but decisive

5. Ambitious; our approach will be frontier and radical, not midwit or marginal

6. Down for a 10-year adventure, which may or may not involve riches or glory, but will definitely involve great people and honorable work

About me:

1. I am 10 years out of college, had some big responsibilities professionally, and am now also raising a toddler with Jordan!

2. As a private equity investor for 7 years, I evaluated hundreds of companies (and founders). My portfolio companies exceed $5bn in total valuation, ranging widely from $3mm to $2bn. On this adventure, I developed clarity of thought, a sense for order of magnitude and taste in people

3. As an operator in recent years, I defined strategies, closed deals, opened new markets, ran payroll, delivered hiring and firing decisions, etc. On this adventure, I recognized how much I have to give. One startup I coached received a ~100% valuation increase after I rebuilt the narrative and told them the numbers to ask

4. Over the years, I earned the trust of some people who think the world of me

5. I go very deep into very niche topics, in order to do that I have a high bar for what’s worthwhile; I will work 24/7 when called for, but not 996 every week

6. I consider the ultimate job of a CEO to defy gravity, as most companies see their upside shrink overtime. I have watched this happen up close twice, painfully. If I get this right, it will not be me alone - although I do have great instincts - but because our trust in each other keeps us honest, in perspective and relentless

The idea space:

You may have guessed, dear smart reader, that if the idea space was “sexy” I would have put it in the first paragraph. But remember, I am looking to expand worlds (yours and mine); you don’t need to be an insider because you have me.

This is a multi-trillion dollar industry with highly specialized talent. It was Franz Kafka’s day job and the core engine of Warren Buffett’s empire. High walls surround it but the people inside are generous, smart and fun!

Welcome to the world of insurance.

I have invested in insurance companies and operated within insurance companies as General Manager and VP of Finance. We won’t be selling insurance policies. We’ll solve structural, heavy-lifting, legacy tech debt that can build us a data moat to move the entire industry to the agentic era. Few trillion-dollar industries have this opportunity still on the table.

I have a hypothesis and people to call; we will work together on the strategy, product and plan. And if you have a better idea outside insurance, let’s pressure-test both.

Interested? Use this form to take care of logistics.

Oh, and I have a substack too if you want to follow along.

Shen Zhou and Wen Zhengming, a Ming Dynasty scroll collab!