Overview

Gender

male

Investor Type

Angel

Investor Stage

Seed

Technology entrepreneur and strategist working with niche marketing, branding, UI/UX, productization, social mechanisms and platform creation. Focused on applying new technologies and initiatives across businesses, from macro-level strategy down to on-the-ground or code-level.

In startup world, Mike has played key roles in various startup ecosystems around the world. He has worked with and/or advised startups from Y Combinator, Idea Labs, 500 Startups, Yetizen, Raptor Group and others. As the strategist on the founding team at Kogi BBQ, which prompted a worldwide twittering food truck phenomenon, Mike has spoken worldwide on digital media and his work has been covered by most major news outlets. As one of the youngest CTO's of a publicly traded company, he also paved the road for wireless technologies in the Las Vegas gaming industry.

As a consultant, Mike has worked on strategy and implementation for companies both large and small, from local small businesses to Fortune 500's, including Microsoft, Amadeus, Nolet's Gin, Fatburger, Burger King, Fedex, Outrigger Hotels, Wynn Hotels, The Tasting Panel Magazine, NVIDIA, Toynami, UNICEF CCI, and others, often alongside or in tandem with top agencies and studios. As a creative director, his teams have won numerous awards and recognition, including 2 ADDY's.

As a speaker & guest lecturer, Mike has presented at many conferences such as iStrategy Conference (Opening Keynote), SXSW, Social Media Week, TWTRcon, and more, as well as at renown colleges such as UCLA, USC, Loyola-Marymount and others. As a subject matter expert, Mike has been called on by Fast Company, NPR, FOX, LA Times, LA Weekly, Village Voice, SF Weekly, KHON, HPR and many more.

Areas of Experience: social media, branding, identity, business development, web architecture, digital strategy, marketing strategy, productization, marketplaces, crowdfunding, food & beverage, hospitality, lifestyle, consumer goods, gaming, niche content, luxury brands.