Dave is a writer, bookkeeper, and recovering self-development junkie, chronically plagued with too many creative ideas. He has a tendency to make systems out of everything and always sees ways to continually improve upon processes (even when they don’t need to be improved). His ideas have gotten him into trouble with people who were protective of the status quo, and he has become increasingly unapologetic about his rebellious streak and tendency to buck tradition. He has a vision for revolutionizing the institution of the hyperlocal community by innovating simple and accessible mental health and communication strategies that deepen trust between individuals and within small groups. His philosophy is based on creating macro-level social and political change through micro-level interactions and models that can be easily replicated and shared. His ultimate goal is to help foster locally self-reliant communities made up of empowered, self-governing individuals.

Earlier in his career, Dave worked with large companies that ran on systems, hierarchy, and deeply embedded processes. Later, he began working with much smaller businesses—and something clicked. He started to see how much harder it was for small teams to grow without a shared structure, especially when founders clung more tightly to personal ego than to principles that could scale. These early experiences planted the seeds for a new question: what does it take to build something truly sustainable without sacrificing your individuality?

Dave’s background started out in technology, as he learned how to program computers at age 10 and spent the first decade of his career working on automated control systems. He made his first attempt to start a business in 2007 as a writer. Early on, he worked with a variety of clients in marketing, copywriting, and strategy. Over time, he began noticing deeper, more systematic problems in their business models but frequently encountered resistance when he tried to address those deeper structural issues. When he fell into an opportunity to work as a contract bookkeeper, he started getting a flood of insights about the relationship between finance and behavior in the operation of a business, which eventually gave birth to his vision to build a “self-awareness engine”—a system that helps individuals and organizations reflect on their habits, decisions, and underlying motivations—which is now his primary focus.