From Products to People | Startup Angel

The Early Spark: How Curiosity Ignited a Lifelong Entrepreneurial Journey

From the earliest days of my life, I’ve always been fascinated by how things work. While many kids were content playing with toys, I was the one dismantling them to see what made them tick . That early curiosity laid the foundation for a life centered around building, experimenting, and optimizing—not just in business, but in everything I do.

Before I ever thought of raising capital or scaling a startup, I was already knee-deep in side projects. Whether it was a makeshift website, a prototype app, or simply sketching user flows on paper, creating was a daily habit. These weren’t just hobbies; they were micro-experiments in entrepreneurship. Each one taught me something new about design, user behavior, and what it truly takes to bring an idea to life.

From Prototypes to Products: A Natural Evolution

Entrepreneurship, for me, wasn’t a lightning bolt moment—it was an evolution. Every product I built added a brick to the foundation. Some flopped, others gained small followings, and a few opened doors I never imagined. The real turning point came with Chessable.

Chessable wasn't born out of a spreadsheet or a business plan. It started with a passion for chess and a frustration with how difficult it was to retain opening lines and tactics. I believed learning chess could be as sticky and rewarding as learning a new language—so I set out to prove it. The result? A learning platform that caught the attention of the World Chess Champion's company and was eventually acquired.

The Chessable Exit: More Than Just a Milestone

When my startup Chessable was acquired, it was a validating moment—but it wasn’t the finish line. If anything, it was a new beginning. The acquisition was less about financial reward and more about the affirmation that with the right problem and the right solution, even niche products can find a global audience.

The real satisfaction came from knowing that something I’d built was now helping tens of thousands of people learn and love the game of chess more deeply. That impact is what fuels my drive, even more than revenue metrics or press coverage.

Why I Invest in Startups: Paying It Forward with Purpose

After the Chessable exit, I could have taken a break. Instead, I leaned into another passion: helping other founders navigate the rocky road of building something from nothing. As an angel investor, I focus on backing people, not just ideas.

Great products come from obsessive founders—people who notice a problem most overlook and feel a compulsion to solve it. When I see that fire in someone’s eyes, I’m all in. It’s not about spraying checks across the tech landscape; it’s about supporting missions I believe in.

Product Design Is Philosophy in Action

One of the lesser-discussed elements of successful startups is design—not just in terms of aesthetics, but as a philosophy. Product design is how a company speaks to its users without words. It’s how trust is built, how friction is removed, and how delight is created.

My obsession with product design comes from a belief that the best products don’t need manuals. They invite you in, guide you gently, and feel intuitive from the first click. This belief has shaped every product I’ve touched and is a filter I use when evaluating new opportunities—either as a builder or an investor.

Psychology: The Core of Every Business Decision

Entrepreneurship is not just about building products—it’s about understanding people. Psychology has always been one of my secret weapons. From consumer behavior to team dynamics, the insights I’ve gained from studying how people think and act have been invaluable.

Why do users churn? What drives loyalty? How do you keep a team aligned through turbulent times? These are psychological questions as much as they are business questions. I view psychology not as a soft skill, but as a hard advantage.

Video Games: My Unlikely MBA

To many, video games are just entertainment. To me, they’ve been a training ground for problem-solving, resource management, and even leadership. Games taught me about systems thinking, narrative arcs, and the power of feedback loops—lessons that I later applied to building products and companies.

In fact, much of my product intuition comes from my experience with well-designed games. The mechanics, the pacing, the incentives—all these elements are crucial in tech products, especially those with consumer-facing interfaces. So when I dive into a game, I’m often analyzing more than just the graphics or gameplay; I’m studying design decisions that drive player retention and satisfaction.

Startups Are My Sandbox

Startups are the ultimate expression of creativity and resilience. They are messy, unpredictable, and exhilarating. I’ve founded multiple companies, and each one has felt like a different kind of puzzle. No two journeys are alike, and that’s what makes this path so compelling.

I don’t believe there’s a single formula for success. What works for one startup might sink another. The real skill is adaptability—being able to listen to the market, pivot when necessary, and keep the vision intact even when the execution shifts.

Longevity: The Ultimate Startup

Among all my interests, longevity might be the most personal. I see it as the biggest problem worth solving—not just for me, but for humanity. What good is building amazing companies if we don’t have enough time to fully realize their impact? The science of aging is catching up to the ambition, and I’m deeply invested in learning, experimenting, and contributing wherever I can.

From sleep optimization and nutrition to the latest biohacking trends and emerging biotech, I approach longevity the same way I approach startups: with relentless curiosity and a drive to test what works.

The Name Behind the Voice: Why I Call Myself “exercise snacks”

Some people wonder about the name “exercise snacks.” It’s more than a quirky brand—it’s a metaphor for how I view growth, health, and productivity. Just like short bursts of physical activity can enhance health, small but consistent actions in any domain—whether it’s learning, investing, or building—compound over time.

The name serves as a reminder that big outcomes often come from small, repeated inputs. Whether I’m advising a founder, launching a product, or experimenting with a new routine, I keep that mindset front and center. Little steps, done often, move mountains.

Final Thoughts: What Drives Me Today

Even after an acquisition and a few investment wins, I don’t consider myself "done" in any sense. If anything, I feel like I’m just getting started. The frontier of tech, health, and human potential is expanding every day, and I plan to be part of that movement—not just as an observer, but as a builder.

My journey has been shaped by a love of product, a fascination with human behavior, and a desire to leave the world a little better than I found it. If that resonates with you, whether you're a founder, a gamer, a designer, or a fellow longevity enthusiast, then we’re probably on the same wavelength.