Age 12. A computer. A book. Everything started.
When I was 12 or 13, my family got a computer. It came with a programming book. I started reading it, doing the exercises, and just like that — I was hooked. I started writing games, sketching out sprites, and having a blast.
But I grew up in a small town in central Kansas. There were no computer clubs, no coding groups, no mentors to tell me this could be a career. So programming stayed a hobby — something I did for fun, at a pretty immature level, for over a decade. I loved it, but I didn't know what to do with it.
KU. MATLAB. Structural analysis. The hobby becomes a skill.
In my late twenties, I went back to school at the University of Kansas and studied mechanical engineering. That's where I first applied my development skills professionally — through MATLAB, a language we used for matrix math, graphics, and computational analysis.
After graduating, I found a position split between software development with MATLAB and computer analysis with simulated structures. It was solid engineering work, but the itch to build my own things never went away.
The leap. Quit engineering. Built the company.
While working the engineering job, I started dabbling in web design and development in the evenings. The same thing that happened with that programming book happened again — I fell in love with it. After about three years, I made the leap. I quit and started Philsquare in 2010.
We started as a boutique website development company focused on unique design and great customer service. In 2014, I discovered Laravel and made the decision to commit everything to it. Every project, all Laravel. That bet shaped everything that came after.
"I discovered Laravel in 2014 and committed everything to it. Twelve years later, I still reach for it every single day."
Built software. Got noticed. 100K scorecards a year.
Somewhere along the way, disc golf became a serious pursuit. I've been playing for over 10 years — practicing, training, playing tournaments. And because I can't help myself, I started building software for it too.
I built a social platform for disc golfers. Then a tournament management system called DG Tournaments. It got enough traction that the PDGA — the official governing body of disc golf — offered me a job.
I took it. During my time there, I built the Digital Scorecard, which is still in active use today. Roughly 100K scorecards per year go through that system. It's probably the most widely-used thing I've ever built.
Corporate years. Led teams. Came back sharper.
In 2019, I wound Philsquare down. Business had slowed, life was changing, and I needed to make the pragmatic call. I went back to corporate work and spent about four years leading development teams at different companies.
It was valuable experience. I learned how larger organizations work, how to lead teams, and what I wanted — and didn't want — for my own company. In 2023, I relaunched Philsquare with a sharper focus: 100% web applications. No more website design. Just internal tools and operational software that help businesses run smoothly.
Skeptic → power user. Now it's how I work.
About two years ago, I started using Claude. Honestly? I wasn't super impressed at first. I used it for minor things and it was fine but not transformative.
But it kept improving, and I kept giving it more to do. Then at some point, I was hooked. I wanted to push and see how far I could go with AI. How much of my workflow could it enhance? What could I build with it that I couldn't build before?
The answer turned out to be: a lot. I now use Claude Code extensively — writing production code, developing marketing plans, processing documents, and more. It's not a novelty. It's how I work.
— A typical Tuesday —
Skeptic → daily driver
What I'm doing right now.