Who Are You?
Why Should I Listen?

To answer the second question first. You should not, under any circumstances listen to me, or anybody else publishing anything anywhere, whether anonymously or using their real names. At least you should not listen if your definition of "listen" equates to "do what they say." Everybody has an agenda of their own, everybody has their own concerns that may not be the same as your own, and everybody brings their own biases to the table. So don't listen to me, because I don't know you and nothing I say should be taken as advice.

That said, I hope that you will read what I write consider it carefully, do your own due-diligence and then act in accordance with all the information you have collected, as appropriate to your own life, needs, timeframe and risk tolerance. If you can't possibly take my opinions into consideration without knowing my name, feel free to stop reading this blog. I could detail my feelings on the matter further, but Calculated Risk has done it so well that you might as well just read their take on things.

But who are you really?

I am a 20 year veteran of the technology and finance industries. I began my career as a technologist at Morgan Stanley and worked at several other financial institutions where my specialty was systems for the international securities markets. Along the way I also developed a personal interest in the financial markets and trading. I left that business (and New York) in the early 90s, when the prospects began to look better elsewhere.

In my second career, I worked in the technology business, initially in finance, but later in customer service and product marketing roles. I was a key player in implementing and developing new enterprise software applications and am experienced with several major software packages including SAP, Oracle and Peoplesoft (RIP) as well as many less well known point solutions. My employers and the companies I worked with included Intel, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, most major PC manufacturers and several small software companies.

More recently, I have served as a consultant on matters of project management and technology strategy. I started my own business focusing on these areas. I am certified as a Project Management Professional and as a meeting facilitator. I hold a BA in Economics and an MBA. At the time of this writing I am single, live in Southern California with two cats, ski a lot, paddle a kayak and continue to travel as extensively as work and feline considerations permit.

Why the Anonymity?

Because I am running a business. While I would never violate my customers' confidentiality, but some of them nonetheless might be concerned about some of my observations, even if expressed in the most general form. Some of them might not hire me if my views on some topics were well connected to my name. And certainly lots of people have been fired for expressing opinions that somebody disagreed with, even when those opinions were completely unrelated to work. So I've decided to leave my name off this site. For better or worse, I have to be a bit circumspect.

In any event, as I said above, you should not pay attention to me because of who or what I am. Nor do I believe you should necessarily ignore me because you don't know my actual name. Many, many people have been burned because they listened to individuals who were regarded as "experts." Pay attention because the things I write intrigue you and hopefully because they cause you to evaluate possibilities that you had not considered before. If you do that, then I will have done my job and you'll never need to care about who I am.

Contact