Exited Founder. Operating Partner. CPG Strategist.
I operate where creative vision meets operational reality.
I am a creative by nature, but an operator by trade. I’ve spent my career proving that a beautiful brand isn't enough, you need a strong engine to move it. As a co-founder, I didn't just design the vision for Culcherd; I built the factory, managed the P&L, and scaled the company to national distribution and a successful exit. I learned the hard way that high-level strategy is useless without the gritty, unglamorous systems required to back it up.
My background spans the full spectrum of production. I’ve had the privilege of producing content for global giants like Ford and Universal Music, but my true focus is on building things from the ground up. I help founders blend high-integrity storytelling with the operational discipline needed to build companies that last.
For me, business is ultimately a vehicle for connection. I don’t believe in a hard line between life and work; I believe in building "Third Places", ecosystems where people actually gather. Whether it’s driving growth for a CPG startup or nurturing the community at The Haven, I prioritize relationships based on resonance, not just transaction.
Today, I partner with CPG founders and agencies as a Fractional Strategist, bringing an operator’s lens to their business, helping them execute retail strategies and bridge the gap between creative vision and commercial reality. Looking forward, I am expanding to the investment side, helping capital partners evaluate M&A opportunities and operational due diligence.
I am a creative by nature, but an operator by trade. I’ve spent my career proving that a beautiful brand isn't enough, you need a strong engine to move it. As a co-founder, I didn't just design the vision for Culcherd; I built the factory, managed the P&L, and scaled the company to national distribution and a successful exit. I learned the hard way that high-level strategy is useless without the gritty, unglamorous systems required to back it up.
My background spans the full spectrum of production. I’ve had the privilege of producing content for global giants like Ford and Universal Music, but my true focus is on building things from the ground up. I help founders blend high-integrity storytelling with the operational discipline needed to build companies that last.
For me, business is ultimately a vehicle for connection. I don’t believe in a hard line between life and work; I believe in building "Third Places", ecosystems where people actually gather. Whether it’s driving growth for a CPG startup or nurturing the community at The Haven, I prioritize relationships based on resonance, not just transaction.
Today, I partner with CPG founders and agencies as a Fractional Strategist, bringing an operator’s lens to their business, helping them execute retail strategies and bridge the gap between creative vision and commercial reality. Looking forward, I am expanding to the investment side, helping capital partners evaluate M&A opportunities and operational due diligence.
Building & Executing
The Haven Cafe
As a strategic partner, I architected the operational systems and community engagement strategy for The Haven, establishing it as a high-traffic neighborhood staple in Toronto.
My focus centered on bridging a meticulously curated retail experience with sustainable unit economics, turning a standard café into a primary 'Third Place' for a wide demographic.
Fostering the CPG Ecosystem
Beyond daily operations, I leveraged the space as a physical hub for the CPG and creative communities.
It became a live testing ground and gathering point for founders, operators, and brands to connect outside the boardroom.
We transformed everyday commerce into a venue for high-level human connection, hosting curated CPG showcases for emerging local founders alongside high-impact events like Games Night with Elan Lee (co-creator of Exploding Kittens).
Much of my work centered on creating the systems and rituals, cultivating an environment where regulars naturally become collaborators, and where commerce feels deeply human.
My focus centered on bridging a meticulously curated retail experience with sustainable unit economics, turning a standard café into a primary 'Third Place' for a wide demographic.
Fostering the CPG Ecosystem
Beyond daily operations, I leveraged the space as a physical hub for the CPG and creative communities.
It became a live testing ground and gathering point for founders, operators, and brands to connect outside the boardroom.
We transformed everyday commerce into a venue for high-level human connection, hosting curated CPG showcases for emerging local founders alongside high-impact events like Games Night with Elan Lee (co-creator of Exploding Kittens).
Much of my work centered on creating the systems and rituals, cultivating an environment where regulars naturally become collaborators, and where commerce feels deeply human.
[Case Study: Connection, The Haven]
Culcherd & Above Food: from kitchen to acquisition
I co-founded Culcherd, a plant-based dairy company, and grew it from a kitchen concept to a national brand available in retailers like Whole Foods and Sobeys. This journey culminated in a successful acquisition by Above Food (NASDAQ: ABVE).
The Lifecycle & Investment
As a founder, I led the company through its full lifecycle, from early product formulation and building a certified manufacturing facility to securing investment from Arlene Dickinson’s District Ventures and the BDC. This capital gave us the runway to expand production, hire key talent, and build the operational infrastructure needed to scale.
Our brand story resonated across the industry, securing features in Strategy Magazine, Food & Drink, Edible Toronto, Chatelaine, and Toronto Life.
General Manager: Strategy & Collaboration Post-acquisition, I served as Brand and General Manager at Above Food. I held full P&L ownership, leading budgeting, forecasting, and cross-functional planning.
Cross-Functional Leadership: I collaborated directly with food scientists, engineers, and production teams to bring new SKUs to market while improving unit economics.
Sales Velocity & Team Architecture: I managed the full commercial ecosystem, directing brokers, inside sales, merchandisers, and demo staff to drive sell-through. I implemented data-driven systems to track velocity and optimize trade spend, ensuring our field efforts translated to the P&L. This operational rigor underpinned our growth and supported the team’s success at Expo West (NEXTY Awards Finalist).
Operational Grit (Problem Solving)
This chapter taught me that strategy is useless if the machine stops working. Scaling a business requires navigating a complex web of stakeholders, from negotiating with ingredient suppliers to aligning exit incentives with investors. Because I built the facility and the spreadsheets from scratch, I can bridge the gap between the high-level needs of the boardroom and the ground-level reality of the production floor.
Iota Creative
Before entering the CPG world, I spent seven years as a co-owner, executive producer, and co-owner at Iota Creative, a production studio where I learned how to manage budgets, clients, talent, and creative projects end-to-end.
I oversaw:
• Creative development
• Full production pipelines
• Crew management
• Client relationships
• Budgeting and operational planning
• Delivery of complex multi-format campaigns
• Creative development
• Full production pipelines
• Crew management
• Client relationships
• Budgeting and operational planning
• Delivery of complex multi-format campaigns
This foundation shaped everything I do now: structure + creativity, curiosity + discipline, storytelling + execution.
Some highlights include:
🎥 Directing and shooting across Canada for Ford’s Celebrating Canadians series.
🎥 Creating stop motion, green screen, and car rig setups in studio for high-energy ads.
🎥 Producing music videos and live acoustic sessions for artists like Shawn Desman, Dear Rouge, and Arkells.
🎥 Conducting emotional interviews with founders, chefs, and athletes for passion-driven brands.
🎥 Directing and shooting across Canada for Ford’s Celebrating Canadians series.
🎥 Creating stop motion, green screen, and car rig setups in studio for high-energy ads.
🎥 Producing music videos and live acoustic sessions for artists like Shawn Desman, Dear Rouge, and Arkells.
🎥 Conducting emotional interviews with founders, chefs, and athletes for passion-driven brands.
[Case Study: CPG Assets (photography), Ford GT, BC Aerial Cinematography]
Overall
In everything I do, I focus on:
🔹 Building - businesses, systems, communities, teams, and products that matter.
🔹 Execution - obsessing over the details and bringing ideas to life.
🔹 Integrity - doing what’s right, always.
🔹 Growth - constantly learning, evolving, listening, iterating, and supporting others.
🔹 Building - businesses, systems, communities, teams, and products that matter.
🔹 Execution - obsessing over the details and bringing ideas to life.
🔹 Integrity - doing what’s right, always.
🔹 Growth - constantly learning, evolving, listening, iterating, and supporting others.
I’ve gone from filming indie music videos and launching a record label in high school, to building a national food brand, to creating media that moves people. Along the way, I’ve been part of top accelerator programs, collaborated with amazing people, and built lifelong friendships through the work.
If you are building a values-aligned brand, or deploying capital in the CPG space, I’d love to connect.
If you are building a values-aligned brand, or deploying capital in the CPG space, I’d love to connect.
Life, Philosophy & Inputs
I’ve stopped trying to find "work-life balance" and started looking for integration. In a world addicted to speed, I place a premium on clarity. I don't grind for the sake of grinding; I build systems that allow for presence.
Wellness & Resilience
I view a regulated nervous system as a competitive advantage. I practice voluntary discomfort, embracing the extremes of heat (weekly sauna sessions) and cold (Lake Ontario plunges) to build mental callous. It’s not just about fitness; it’s about training the mind to remain calm under pressure.
I view a regulated nervous system as a competitive advantage. I practice voluntary discomfort, embracing the extremes of heat (weekly sauna sessions) and cold (Lake Ontario plunges) to build mental callous. It’s not just about fitness; it’s about training the mind to remain calm under pressure.
Community (The Biology of Connection)
I believe we are the caretakers of each other's nervous systems. My circle is built on depth, not breadth. From weekly rituals with my 97-year-old best friend, Nelly, to hosting community gatherings, I prioritize relationships that are grounded in wisdom and genuine exchange.
I believe we are the caretakers of each other's nervous systems. My circle is built on depth, not breadth. From weekly rituals with my 97-year-old best friend, Nelly, to hosting community gatherings, I prioritize relationships that are grounded in wisdom and genuine exchange.
Movement & Presence
I cultivate stillness through motion. Whether I’m running at sunrise to catch the first light, taking strategy calls while walking the boardwalk, or exploring the rocks with my two cats, I use nature to calibrate. I aggressively protect these moments of silence. They are where the noise fades and the real work begins.
I cultivate stillness through motion. Whether I’m running at sunrise to catch the first light, taking strategy calls while walking the boardwalk, or exploring the rocks with my two cats, I use nature to calibrate. I aggressively protect these moments of silence. They are where the noise fades and the real work begins.
These projects reflect my anchors: the discipline of calm, the depth of connection, and the grounding force of nature.