April 20, 2026

As I turn 40 and am unable to deny that I’m firmly in middle age, I’m reflecting on the first half of my career: one filled with a little hard work, a lot of luck, and an overwhelming amount of good people. Atlantic Records - I was pretty naive (I didn’t fully realize I signed up for an on-site 1099 contracting job and all that that entailed) and this was a pretty bleak time in the music biz (post-Napster / pre-Streaming), but was a dream job for 22-year-old me. Thanks VICTORIA CAMERA- QUINTERO, Dan Grossman, Katie Brown, Paul Sinclair. Mindshare - I regret that I only stayed in this job for 6 months, but my colleagues gave me more grace than I probably deserved, and I mostly sucked at the job. It was just not a great fit overall, but the experience here indirectly led to a future job. I mostly look back on this job with slight embarrassment and gratitude. Thanks Rachel Sharfin, Karen Bennett, Jenny Hermanson, Jessica Lenehan. Cornerstone Agency - still probably the “coolest” job I’ve ever had. It felt like we were early to the intersection of music / media / culture / influencer marketing, and I always love hearing about other interesting folks who passed through those halls at various points. It sometimes felt like the inmates were running the asylum, and I have so so much respect for what Jon Cohen and Rob Stone (RIP) have built. Thanks John Staub, Shawn Ogren, Zeena Koda, Andy Cohn, Ashley Purdum. Fullscreen - maybe the most pivotal job of my career. So many firsts for me - managing people, working in a startup environment, experiencing an acquisition, working in HR / People Ops, working on YouTube. The number (and caliber) of folks who spent parts of their career at Fullscreen over the years is staggering. Thanks George Strompolos, Ezra Cooperstein, Sheauen Park, Dustin Goot, Nancy Mendez, Scott Birnbaum, Mark Williams, Cyrus Behzadi, James V.. StyleHaul, Inc. - my first “big boy” job. I managed a larger team, had more responsibility, and bought my first house. There were so many stories that feel too unbelievable to be true, but the things I’ll remember most were the people who are still my great friends, including-most importantly-my wife. Thanks Stephanie Horbaczewski, Olivier Delfosse, Zach Vaga, Jeremiah Bates, Dustin Peña, Sarah Abelson, Andrea Alegria, Anastassia Knight. CreateTribe - Professional misstep that I learned a lot from. First and only time I’ve had severe burnout that felt like it would never go away. A few bright spots, but unfortunately, not a time I look back on fondly. Thank you Kevin B. and Katie Hajec. YouTube - the best job I’ve ever had, and I don’t plan to leave anytime soon. More professional growth and personal milestones than I can list (got married, bought & sold houses, had 2 kids, traveled the world, coaching and mentorship, Lexapro 🫠 ). Too many people to thank. I’m sure I’ve missed dozens of important people (Maximum Mention Limit) who have coached, inspired, and befriended me. THANK YOU | 24 comments on LinkedIn