A life measured in
miles, deals, and pages.
Triathlete. Man of faith. Avid reader. NYC broker since 2009 — my own firm since 2014. Now I design, code, and ship software in the open. The journey, documented daily.
How I got here
- 2009 Licensed in New York. Manhattan residential — cold calls, open houses, a market learned block by block.
- 2014 Founded my own firm. Broker to broker-owner. The business taught discipline; the books taught the rest.
- Daily Swim. Bike. Run. Triathlon keeps everything honest. Every session on Strava, live, below.
- Always Faith and the library. Scripture, biographies, craft — where the miles and deals get their meaning.
- Now Shipping software. Vibe coder, designer, data architect — building this platform with AI, in public.
In the feed
Such a blessed Thanksgiving, one we’ll never forget! First hosting at my parents in some t
Elon Musk’s Secret Texas Empire Will Shock You 🤯 #ElonMusk #Texas #Tesla #SpaceX #Starbas
Jay-Z Just Lost BILLIONS to a Guy Voting From Zoom Hashtags: #JayZ #NYC #Casino #Queens #M
LA Just Spent $3 BILLION on This Right Before the Olympics 😳 #LA #LosAngeles #Olympics #C
We discuss the recent acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate by Compass for $1.6 billion in a
Attendees came for the kitchen or love island…
If you’ve got a backpack and dreams… pick one.
My bike wants closure and quads know this isn’t Zwift.
Live & long-form
2:29:17
Day 53 - Vibe Coding Apps & SaaS Sites + Sober Day 29
1:38:37
Day 52 - Vibe Coding A Community Of Builders (Fable 5) + Sober Day 25
2:47:56
Day 51 - Vibe Coding A Community Of Builders | Sober Day 22
1:53:16
Day 50 - Vibe Coding A Community (Opus 4.8 High) + Sober Day 15
2:42:23
Day 49 - Vibe Coding A Community (Opus 4.8 High) + Sober Day 12
2:28:23
Day 48 - Vibe Coding A Community (Opus 4.8 High) + Sober Day 8
In your ears
Vibe coder. Designer.
Data architect.
This site, its writing engine, the training feeds — designed and built by me, pairing with AI. The business side lives at Botensten, where builders learn to own their software instead of renting it.
The writing, always growing
New essays on health, money, faith, and habits publish here continuously. Free to read, no funnel.
6 Lead Gen Strategies That Fill Your Pipeline
What's the single biggest lead generation mistake most businesses make?
Most businesses don't have a traffic problem. They have a conversion problem wearing a traffic costume. Thousands of monthly visitors can still leave a pipeline empty if there's no system connecting those clicks to an actual path toward becoming a customer.
The strategies below are drawn from leapyn.com's breakdown of lead generation tactics that connect marketing activity to real revenue—not vanity metrics like impressions or clicks.
How does SEO compare to outbound for lead quality?
SEO leads close at a 14.6% rate. Traditional outbound methods close at just 1.7%. That's not a marginal gap—it's a different category of lead entirely.
The reason is intent. When someone searches a question and finds your content, they've already identified themselves as someone with a problem you solve. They came to you. That changes every conversation that follows.
Articles
See all
When Should You Make Your First Hire?
Make your first hire when delegating a repeatable task costs less than the revenue you lose doing it yourself. Here is the math and the playbook.
What's the Best Way to Raise Money for a Startup?
The best way to raise money for a startup: match funding to your business. Bootstrap on revenue for control; raise venture capital only for speed and scale.
Trello or Asana: Which Should You Use for Your Business?
Trello vs Asana for your business: Trello for simple visual boards and a free plan, Asana for multi-project workflows. A builder's honest pick.
Contractor vs Employee: What Each One Really Costs
A contractor costs 20-30% less than an employee for the same work. See the real loaded-cost math, a side-by-side table, and when each pays off.
Follow Your Passion or Be Practical? The Honest Answer
Should you follow your passion or be practical? Do both in sequence: build a stable base first, then grow passion from mastery.
How to Stay Motivated After a Setback: A Practical Guide
Stay motivated after a setback by acting within 24 hours, judging progress over perfection, and training resilience. Grounded in APA, Duckworth, and CDC research.
Benefits of Gratitude Journaling: The Honest Answer
Gratitude journaling raises well-being, improves sleep, and eases stress. Here's the research, real numbers, and a five-minute daily protocol.
Botensten · Venture Studio
Ideas, built fast.
The studio behind BPI, iCharles, Todd & the AI council — idea to clickable prototype in ~5 minutes.
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What the AI & search bots fetch most.
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Building in public — AI, real estate, triathlon, faith. One dispatch when something ships.
Follow the journey.
Training, deals, faith, building — documented daily. Pick a channel.