About Me
Hi, I'm Ben. I'm a technical product consultant, software engineer, and former startup founder who still loves to build.
I help companies bring complex ideas to life by combining emerging technology with sharp execution and a lot of empathy. But before all that...
From Spokane to Nike
I grew up in Spokane, WA, and studied Computer Science at the University of Portland. My first job out of college was in banking software. It paid the bills, but I spent most of my time staring out the window.
Then I discovered Flash (back when it was Macromedia) and fell in love with bringing stories to life through animation and interactivity. I started building websites for Portland musicians, restaurants, and wineries. That work led to Nike, where I helped build NikeTeam.com.
Dusky Goose Winery (2008)
Nike Team Uniform Builder
The LA Chapter: Big Brands, Big Ideas
Eventually, I moved to LA and joined Hooky Interactive, working alongside ex-TBWA\Chiat\Day creatives. I led dev work for microsites and games for brands like Lexus, Kia, Fox, South Park Studios, and Disney.
One of my proudest projects was launching the South Park Avatar Creator. Millions of characters were created. Adobe even featured it at their MAX conference.
But after a while, I wanted to build something more lasting than a short-lived marketing site.
South Park Avatar Creator
Kia Soul Campaign
Glee Interactive Experience (FOX)
From Startup Curiosity to Exit
Living in Venice, surrounded by fitness influencers and wearable tech, I joined Gold's Gym, lost 50 pounds, and got hooked on the science of behavior change. That's where Vimify started.
My co-founder Marko and I built Vimify in 2014 to make lifestyle change easier (and more fun) through community. We bootstrapped the company to over 100,000 users, generated $4M in revenue, and eventually sold the business in 2020.
As a founder, I wore just about every hat: product manager, engineer, designer, QA, marketer, and janitor. That experience gave me a deep foundation in what it really takes to ship great software.
Accelerator Application Video
Vimify Logo
Trail Running in LA
Consulting for the Innovators
Since 2017, I've worked as a product and program consultant. First with Philosophie, and now independently. I've led programs across various industries, including fintech, e-sports, Web3, and AI.
What I love most is diving into messy problems, collaborating with brilliant people, and helping cross-functional teams unlock their best work.
The Philosophie Office
How I Work
I'm known for being curious, calm under pressure, and relentlessly organized. I ask a lot of questions and stay close to users. I've learned (sometimes the hard way) to slow down and get aligned before jumping into solutions.
I've led product discovery sprints, shipped zero-to-one launches, run design workshops, built roadmaps, defined KPIs, and managed full go-to-market rollouts. I've also written plenty of code along the way.
And Outside of Work...
I live in Portland, OR, with my wife, our 4-month-old daughter, and a very opinionated 2-year-old Cavapoo. I recently got into pickleball. I also love snowboarding, golf, and any excuse to hike around Oregon.
The First Family Photo
Blue Pool, Oregon
Queso the Cavapoo
Let's Connect
I'm a builder at heart. I've been in your shoes as a founder, developer, and product lead. I bring big curiosity, calm energy, structured thinking, and a deep commitment to collaboration. If you're working on something interesting, I'd love to hear about it.
Let's Chat