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Biography

As you have already figured out, the name of the blog is in honor of Richard Feynman, my personal hero. Physics has the same basic means of inquiry that we need to use in business and has rich metaphors for thinking about markets. New markets are baby universes - they are born, expand, merge, and collapse. Exploring the physics of these phenomena means asking dumb questions and being prepared to be surprised by the answers - and applying this to the multiverse of software startups and open source technology is what this blog is all about.

I've been in five startups (NetStudio, Brightware, WebHarbor, Xoriant, and Ofoto) and four established companies (Broderbund, Fair Isaac, BEA Systems, and Microsoft). I now work for Apigee as VP of Strategy.

Before joining Apigee in September 2009, I worked at Microsoft from 2004-2009 where I led worldwide Open Source and Linux Strategy. I worked at BEA Systems before that from 2002-2004 in the WebLogic Integration product unit as Director of Market Development, focused on technical market strategy under Chet Kapoor and Dave Hinman. Our team grew revenue for WLI from $20M to $100M in 2 years, and from a Gartner Magic Quadrant "Niche Player" to "Leader". Prior to that I was Director of Engineering at Ofoto before, during, and briefly after the Kodak acquisition.

I had the extraordinary opportunity to stand on the shoulders of giants at UCSD, where I got my BS in Cognitive Science (AI meets Neurobiology) - Pat Churchland, Don Norman, Edwin Hutchins, and other greats taught there... a truly amazing experience that has shaped much of how I think today.

In real life I'm an avid husband, father of two, mountain biker, guitarist and food-eater - I appreciate everything from the humble burger to sea-urchin sushi. I live with my wife and children in my favorite place on earth, Marin County, California.

Interests

guitar, history, cognitive science, philosophy, mountain biking, eating, physics, tennis, coaching kids' sports, running.