From scaling MongoDB to building with AI agents
I spent nearly two decades learning how big companies grow. Now I'm learning how small teams can create outsized value — with AI as the multiplier.
The Journey
The Executive Years
For nearly two decades, I operated at the highest levels of US tech multinationals. Most recently as Global VP at MongoDB, leading worldwide sales development through hypergrowth. I was good at it. But somewhere along the way, I started asking: What am I actually building?
The Intentional Exit
In 2023, I took a sabbatical from MongoDB. A year later I came back for one more try — bigger role, global mandate. Thirteen months in, I knew. I resigned in November 2025 and left for good in February 2026. Not because I had to. Because I’d already tested the alternative and found it wanting.
The Experiment
I became obsessed with a question: What if AI agents aren't just tools, but core team members? What if the "team" was 1 human + AI specialists? I started testing. 48-hour MVPs. Kill fast or double down. The results surprised me.
LeanAI Studio
That experiment became an AI-powered venture studio. Our structure: Scout finds opportunities, Validator tests demand, Maker builds fast, EA handles operations, and Voice steers the ship. If a product shows traction, it spins off. If not, we learn and move on.
What I'm Building Toward
The goal is a system for creating companies — a flywheel where validated products spin off and capital recycles into new bets. I'm documenting everything. Because the transition from executive to builder is about to become more common than anyone realizes.
Building in public — follow the journey from executive to founder
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