Story
I grew up between Abu Dhabi and San Diego, spent twenty years in Colorado, founded two companies and took my camera around the world. Moving that much teaches you to listen first, and to earn trust from people who don't owe you any.
Today I do business development. The stories open the conversation. Listening and following through do the rest.
How I work
I use AI for the work before and after a meeting, so my time goes to the meeting itself.
Field Command
The command center I built with Claude to run my last territory. It gives me live updates on pipeline and deal flow, briefs me every morning, shows who can introduce me to whom, and drafts the follow-ups. The $250K is real; the deals and names behind it are invented.
Ask me for a walkthrough
The network
The intros I can make, and who can make them for me.
The radar
Every room worth my time for the next four months, ranked by what past rooms produced.
The intel
Five people worth a note each morning, each tied to news about their company.
Research
A brief on every firm I pursue: history, ownership, financing, leadership.
Sales tools
For Protiviti's legal practice, a map of its services by industry, buyer and trigger.
Brand
This site and empyrealfilms.com, both designed and built with Claude.
Claude · Microsoft Copilot · Salesforce · Apollo
Chapters
Early years
Abu Dhabi · Hawaii · San Diego
Abu Dhabi until I was ten, then Hawaii, then San Diego.
Born in Virginia, raised in Abu Dhabi until I was ten, then Hawaii, then San Diego for middle and high school.
University
Denver · La Rochelle
Management and finance, cum laude, with a term in France.
A B.S. in Management with a minor in Finance and an A.S. in Entrepreneurship from Johnson & Wales University, both cum laude, with a study-abroad term at Excelia Business School in La Rochelle, France.
2020–now
San Diego · Aspen
Film and photography for luxury real estate and hospitality.
Homes from $5 million to $100 million and up for brokers at Engel & Völkers and Sotheby's International Realty, and TV commercials for Marriott and Audi. I've sold every job myself, more than $500K of work, and 90% of it came from repeat clients and referrals.
2021–2024
Denver
Flagship Store Lead in a $100-million-a-year store.
A 180-person store doing more than $100 million a year. I led floor operations, coached the team, and grew small-business accounts 20% over two years through relationship selling.
2022–2025
Denver
A natural medicines brand I founded, funded and ran.
I raised $300K from investors, built the supplier and distribution partnerships, negotiated pricing, terms and renewals, and took revenue past $150K. When the regulations shifted in 2025, I wound it down.
Founders can tell when you've sat in their chair.
2026
San Diego · Los Angeles · Denver
Thirty partners in twelve weeks, $250K of late-stage pipeline in four months.
Business development for an outsourced accounting, CFO, tax, payroll and HR firm. In twelve weeks I built a referral network of 30+ partners across three markets, most of them new relationships. In four months, that network and 70+ one-on-one meetings produced $250K in late-stage pipeline. I ran it all from Field Command, the command center I built for the job.
2026–now
San Diego
Board member and chair of NextGen.
NextGen is the chapter's young professionals group for private equity, banking, law and accounting. I produce every event myself, from the guest list to who should meet whom. NextGen events average 50+ people, and I brought in five sponsors in my first three months as chair.
Now
San Diego
Choosing my next business development seat carefully.
A company that grows through relationships and wants someone who can open doors across industries and borders.
Words
I've watched Taj build relationships firsthand, and he's the real deal: genuine, creative, full of ideas, and he brings energy and drive to everything he does. People want to work with him, and that's the hardest thing to teach in business development.
San Diego firms looking for a BD hire who will actually open doors: give Taj a call.
You are a powerhouse and a Market Maker. The work you did in such a short period of time is Legendary! I look forward to seeing what we can do/build/partner up on next.
It was such a pleasure working with you! You’re a true professional, an amazing collaborator, and just an all-around great person to work with. I would wholeheartedly recommend you to anyone and would jump at the chance to work together again. Any team would be lucky to have you!
100% endorsement from me. Hope I get to work with you in the future. You were building some great networks and will be an invaluable addition to whoever snatches you up first.
Contact
The best way to know whether I'm the right hire is a coffee. I'm in San Diego and happy to travel.
Phone
Résumé