Founder 🤖

My Founder Philosophy

I identify problems, dive deep into potential solutions, and scale those solutions as the market demands. This journey started with running a production company in high school, co-founding a pizza company in university, and launching four entertainment-focused businesses with my business partner, Rusty Ruthven. These ventures were on the cutting edge of entertainment technology, bootstrapped, and profitably operated, following lean startup principles.

ShowCal Co-Founder | January 2019 - Present

ShowCal is a workforce management platform designed specifically for the entertainment industry. Originally created to keep track of my own jobs and function as a personal agent, ShowCal has grown into an essential tool used by production teams worldwide.

Key Features:

• Coordinate crew members on various productions

• All-in-one solution to manage schedules, bookings, rates, and timecards

• Seamlessly organize production complexities

• Facilitate smooth communication between producers, clients, agents, managers, and crew

Mission: ShowCal aims to eliminate the administrative burden on entertainment professionals, allowing them to focus on their creative work.
Skills: REST API, Airtable, No-Code Development, Web Design, Entrepreneurship, Collaborative Problem Solving, Technological Innovation, Product Launch, Business Development, Cross-functional Team Leadership, IT Strategy, Databases, Technology Integration, Entertainment Industry, Creative Problem Solving, Product Strategy, Leadership, Product Development

Film Gear South Africa Co-Founder | May 2015 - Dec 2023

As a co-director of Film Gear South Africa, I helped establish Africa's first and largest e-commerce store for professional film equipment, featuring over 10,000 SKUs from brands worldwide. We built a proprietary pricing model that updated hourly based on currency rates, shipping, duties, and tax rates. We achieved over $1 million in sales despite having only one full-time employee. The store was built on Shopify and integrated Airtable and various automation platforms to streamline fulfillment and customer success.

Key Accomplishments:

• Developed backend integration for www.filmgear.co.za

• Built a Hollywood-standard premium utility cart for film and photography sets

• Attended global trade shows and secured exclusive distribution rights for various brands

• Gained extensive experience in global logistics, supply chain management, foreign currency, and international business

Ultimately, we decided to close Film Gear in 2024 to focus on ShowCal.
Skills: Team Management, Collaborative Problem Solving, Technological Innovation, Solution-oriented, Project Management, Community Outreach, Product Launch, Business Development, Cross-functional Team Leadership, Agile & Waterfall Methodologies, IT Strategy, Technology Integration, Entertainment Industry, Creative Problem Solving, Product Strategy, Leadership, Vendor Management, Product Development, Artificial Intelligence (AI), IT Integration

StreamVT Co-Founder | January 2019 - January 2022

*Sold the StreamVT IP and hardware to a private buyer

Developed a high-end bonded cellular streaming platform combining hardware and software for the film and commercial industry, used worldwide for real-time remote production.

Key Accomplishments:

• Initially, we tried to sell the technology to others, believing it was the future, but after no one took the chance, we decided to figure it out ourselves.

• Sourced components from different industries to compile a unique offering of hardware and software allowing for sub-second HD video streaming from a production set to any screen, anywhere in the world

• Built a franchise model to sustainably scale StreamVT's business, especially during the COVID pandemic, leading to the deployment of various units worldwide

• Collaborated with producers’ associations globally to develop strategies for efficient production during the pandemic and establish best practices for post-pandemic remote production

Skills: Video Production, Team Management, Collaborative Problem Solving, Technological Innovation, Project Management, Live Streaming, Product Launch, IT Strategy, Technology Integration, Creative Problem Solving, Product Strategy, Leadership, Product Development, Streaming Media, Lead Generation

Kelvin Corner Co-Founder | October 2018 - March 2021

Kelvin Corner was a co-working space designed to bring together high-end creative clients from South Africa and around the world. With Film Gear South Africa's growth, we needed a space that could not only serve as our base of operations but also act as a hub for collaboration and community for creatives.

Key Accomplishments:

• Successful Fundraising Campaign: Raised funds to renovate and launch Kelvin Corner as a production hub.

• Comprehensive Production Space: Created a space featuring a cafe, gallery, editing suites, board rooms, private offices, and gear storage/workspace.

• Facilitated Collaboration: Provided a unique environment for local and international creatives to unite, fostering collaboration and growth.

• Business Support: The co-working space ultimately allowed our other businesses to flourish, despite the challenges of managing a co-working environment.

Skills: Team Management, Entrepreneurship, Collaborative Problem Solving, Project Management, Community Outreach, Live Streaming, Business Development, Strategic Leadership, Cross-functional Team Leadership, Technology Integration, Creative Problem Solving, Leadership, Coworking

Pizza Dude Co-Founder | September 2013 - June 2014

Pizza Dude LLC was a student-run, homemade Italian-style pizzeria in Greencastle, Indiana. Growing up in Chicago, I always appreciated good pizza, and when I arrived in rural Greencastle, I noticed a lack of reasonably healthy food options. My co-founder, Adam Folta, initially started by buying frozen pizzas and selling them from his dorm. I then joined the business, and we transitioned to making completely homemade pizzas out of our fraternity kitchen, employing multiple staff members during our three nights of operation each week. We developed strong business relationships with DePauw University and the local community.

Key Accomplishments:

• Homemade Production: Transitioned from selling frozen pizzas to creating completely homemade pizzas.

• Employment Growth: Hired, trained, and managed over ten employees.

• Community Engagement: Built business relationships with DePauw University and the town of Greencastle.

• Investment Opportunity: This ultimately led to an introduction to a local brewer and investor, resulting in a plan to raise $750,000 to open a pizza brewery.

• Learned Key Lessons: Gained valuable insights into food operations, hospitality, and creating a fun workplace environment.