My background and experience is in agribusiness and horticulture, with an emphasis on Sales and Sales Leadership. My agronomy roots give me a unique experiential profile that is a combination of technical and sales expertise.

I’ve worked with growers from all over the world – experiencing different cultures and systems – including working with some of the most technically advanced production systems.

I’ve had the opportunity to work directly with owners and investors who are taking the risk, their management teams, and the operations people at all levels within the organization. I’ve walked the fields together with my clients and literally tasted the fruits of their labors.

I became an advisor because I’m a problem solver and opportunity finder

I had a great experience working with a business advisor while in a leadership role for a wholesale nursery business. The advisor helped us grow our business and increase our top line revenue exponentially. At the same time, we worked together to transition leadership from the founders to the second generation. I found the entire process fascinating, and I could see how the advisor added tremendous value.

When I left that position and was considering “what’s next?” I recognized that I had a lot to offer as a business advisor.

I like working with people. I like helping people. I like being a problem solver and an opportunity finder. I saw that my experience in sales leadership, revenue growth, and strategic planning – were areas where a lot of companies could use some help to maximize their businesses’ value.

Where I can best help: developing a strategic plan to increase sales and revenue, improving sales leadership, helping owners exit

I have a proven track record for increasing sales and revenue.

As a former sales executive, I’ve had a lot of experience serving on leadership teams and leadership committees – developing the vision and strategic plans for business development and revenue growth.

I’m also excited about helping business owners sell their companies when they are ready to exit. I’ve worked on a few of these projects as an intermediary, finding potential buyers and putting the deal together, and I’m looking forward to doing more of them.

A good deal is a win-win for all involved. It’s really rewarding to look at a company 5 years after the sale and see that it continues to grow under the new leadership and the people who are working there continue to develop. It’s very fulfilling to play a role in perpetuating this legacy.

Sales is in my blood; listening is my secret weapon

I am very passionate about sales. I’m tenacious and persistent about putting deals together - I’m always thinking of ways to make things happen. You might even say that I’m aggressive in this way.

Yet, when I meet with people, I always take a humble approach with a calm demeanor. I ask Socratic questions and listen closely to their answers.

I believe this is my greatest strength as a business advisor. I work at the intersection of being tough and persistent with the issue at hand, while remaining curious and respectful of the people involved.

About me personally: I could spend all weekend outside – and I love to travel

I love working in my garden and tending my hazelnut orchard. My wife will verify that I can spend an entire weekend outside.

I’m also a big fan of the family vacation. I enjoy taking my family on exotic trips. Instead of spending the money on fancy hotels with extravagant bells and whistles, we spend the money getting to someplace cool and different. We’ve been to Europe, South America, and the Middle East – and just about every national park in the US.

Once we get there, we go low budget. This has led to some amazing adventures and mishaps – like the time our low-cost rental RV went up in flames in New Zealand.

The best thing about these family trips has been the impact on our kids. Traveling is just part of who they are. My daughter joined the Peace Corps and lived in Armenia for 2 years. My son has travelled internationally while competing for the US national fencing team. He now has friends from France and from all over the US and Canada.

I believe that travel opens our eyes to the world, giving us insight, perspective and understanding that we wouldn’t get otherwise.