I spent 15 years in the electronics industry, working my way from entry-level positions to designing and managing complex automation systems for high-end residential and commercial clients. While my career started after dropping out of an Electrical Engineering program, the apprenticeship approach allowed me to develop the practical ability to teach myself complex technical skills, with real-world results serving as the ultimate test.

The long version is detailed in My Story, but what follows are the highlights that led directly to what I am doing now...

 

Apprenticeship (1996-2001)

After a few years as an AV tech at a Law Firm and Convention Center, I took a pay cut to join a home theater company as a manual laborer. I was quickly moved into the warehouse managing inventory and scheduling, and over the next five years went on to set up and manage the company's internal network, became certified in Panasonic PBX, Lutron lighting, and Crestron automation systems, and became the resident ISF-certified projector calibrator. By the end I had been involved in everything required to run a 30-person electronics installation company: programming, project management, system design, proposals, sales, and the selection and implementation of the CRM and ERP systems the business ran on. It was a great experience, but after 5 years I was ready for the next step.

 

Founder (2001-2003)

We were three partners, all under thirty, and we achieved quite a lot in a short period. We engaged an attorney, formed the company, secured a $50k line of credit, signed a three-year lease on office and warehouse space, and recruited an experienced front office administrator and a contract electrician from my previous employer. Through my prior relationships with Panasonic, Lutron, and Crestron reps, and a substantial deposit from a previous client that required all three product lines in their new home, we secured dealerships for all three manufacturers quickly. Eighteen months in, we were seven people covering payroll and operating expenses with no outside funding, with over $1M of scheduled business in various stages of completion and the trust of high-end builders and architects in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.

However, there were irreconcilable differences in operating philosophy between the partners, and it seemed the best path forward was for me to leave. It was the most informative experience of my career: I learned what it takes to build a functioning company from nothing, and I learned that alignment between partners matters as much as capability, and those lessons were very valuable going forward.

 

Independent Contractor and Consultant (2003-2009)

After leaving my ex-partners there was no downtime. Within a month I had a deposit on a $150k project, and for the next six years worked as a contract programmer, designer, and consultant to multiple AV companies while also working with residential and commercial clients directly. Some clients are covered by NDAs that remain active, so the Previous Work page names projects rather than people. What I will say...

  • Programmed and implemented the Crestron interface to the security, camera, and access control systems at the Texas Governor's Mansion in downtown Austin
  • Programmed and implemented whole-house automation at the Austin home of a US Congressional Representative
  • Designed and managed installation of automation, lighting, telephony, gate entry, and audio-video systems for a 24,000 sq. ft. residence outside Austin
  • Obtained a Canadian work visa to complete multiple Crestron projects in Vancouver, including a system aboard a 55-foot motor yacht
  • Worked in homes that could have been, and in some cases were, featured in Architectural Digest

It goes without saying that my work involved a high degree of trust (and the occasional background check), and because of the clients involved, work mostly came from trusted referrals. I was fortunate to sustain my career doing work for people who were often not easy to impress...and for that I am very thankful.

 

Working Sabbatical (2009-2025)

In the summer of 2009, feeling burned out after years of nonstop projects, I left Austin for a writer's cabin in the North Carolina mountains. That decision started a journey that took me to California, Guatemala, Canada, China, Taiwan, and Thailand. Even though my intention was to write a book, a lot of unexpected things happened along the way:

 

OLED Lighting Research (2025-present)

In November of 2025 I began an unsuccessful search for OLED lighting for a personal project, which led to asking a question: why is no one manufacturing flexible OLED lighting in North America? It took several months but I was able to answer the question, and that has resulted in a new venture. What started as a personal need, revealed an opportunity that I wasn't looking for, but now feel an obligation to pursue. The process thus far has involved:

  • Literature review across solution-processed OLED materials and device architectures: emitter systems, solvent orthogonality, encapsulation approaches, etc
  • Manufacturing process economics: vacuum thermal evaporation, roll-to-roll, and sheet-to-sheet slot-die deposition
  • Equipment and supplier landscape: coating equipment, substrate and material options, encapsulation
  • Facility research: site selection criteria, workforce analysis, and financing structures
  • Engaging industry advisors: OLED chemistry, manufacturing, and architectural lighting

Things are moving quickly, and I'll share more publicly as things develop. If you've been directed here in connection with that venture, the materials you've received cover the business, and this page covers me...

 

More about Projects →

How I Got Here →