Hey, I’m Mike.

I’m a full-stack marketer and design nerd with an obsessive curiosity. I love building things, thinking critically, and getting my hands dirty.

I’ve led go-to-markets for early-stage (<$10MM ARR) SaaS companies and built the product, design, and development teams at Kalungi, where I currently lead GTM and product marketing.

In 2021, I co-authored the book, T2D3: How some software startups scale, where many fail with Stijn Hendrikse.

 

Ideas that drive my work

These are some of the values that describe how I work and make decisions.

  • Be intensely curious, stay passionate, seek outside expertise, challenge your own ideas, and care about what you build.

    Use the best available playbooks until you’ve collected enough experience to build your own.

  • Universal advice is rarely helpful, most answers are nuanced.

    Always start with first principles. Fundamentals will never change or fail—understand them deeply.

    Use independent, ground-up reasoning and derive advanced concepts from the basics.

  • Kindness should be default.

    Being friendly, kind, and forgiving of mistakes is positive and productive. We remember how we felt long after we forget the details of an interaction.

    Assume the best in others, communicate kindly, and understand that others usually intend to be helpful. When you step back, you’ll find your teammates often have the same goals as you.

    Friction typically results from unequal information or different interpretations of the same information.

    Prioritize working with other kind people. Be comfortable leaving conversations and turning away from projects with the wrong people. You can’t change the unkindness of others, but you can always preserve your own.

  • Good execution of an idea matters much more than the idea itself.

    Excellent work is the result of the right blend of vision and execution. Most challenges have multiple paths to a resolution, but no resolutions follow the path of poor delivery.

    Ideas only work once they’ve been grounded in reality with practical plans.

  • Few efforts show immediate downstream results. Take a long-term view when planning, executing, and measuring programs.

  • Uninterrupted hours create quality time and quality work. Days divided into tiny blocks of time are a terrible way to work.

    ‘ASAP’ can often (and should) be avoided through good planning.

    Labeling something as ‘urgent’ for someone else disregards their priorities. Sometimes, this is necessary—most of the time, it is not.

    High-quality thinking and great work are rarely done as soon as possible.

What others say about working with me

  • Bonnie walker

    Product Marketing Manager

    “Mike leverages deep marketing knowledge both on strategic and tactical levels to build toward top-quality results. His demeanor brings calm and clarity to the most complex challenges and when he speaks, people listen. It is a rare few that possess the combination of skills that Mike brings to the table. If you have the opportunity to work with Mike, seize it with both hands. I promise you will be the better for it.”

  • Stijn Hendrikse

    Founder, Chief Marketing Officer

    “Mike has an amazing amount of talent and sometimes a quick 5-minute engagement from his side can make other people’s work 5x better. He ‘ships’ like the best of them, and has become a visionary and a thinker who turns ideas into reality. CEOs trust him – and his work ethic, attention to detail, and talent for design keep them wanting to work with him.”

  • Brian Graf

    CEO

    “Mike is a "Midas" of marketing and adds incredible value to whatever team or initiative he focuses on. He is one of the best marketers that I've had the pleasure of working with. The depth of knowledge he has around marketing strategy, content, design, website development, podcasts, etc. is extremely impressive. He’s one of the few people who is an exceptional marketer across the board, not just in one discipline.”

  • Michael Eggerling

    Director of Marketing

    “I’ve worked with 100’s of marketers but never met anyone with the same level of understanding of the modern growth marketing landscape as Mike. He has a deep understanding of marketing tools, techniques, theories, and methodologies. He’s a passionate learner, a hard worker, and a shining example of someone who is really honing their craft.”

  • Kati Keilty

    Senior Designer

    “I had the advantage of having Mike as a manager early on in my design career. Not only did he take the time to get to know and understand his team on a personal and professional level, but he made everyone feel valued and heard. The level of care, attention to detail, and strategic perspective he has for his work is unmatched.

    In a world that demands immediacy, Mike stands out by taking the time to deliver insightful and purposeful feedback. He leads with intent and has such a passion for his craft; I am very fortunate to have learned from him.”

  • Xavier Uzcategui

    Senior Marketing Manager

    “It isn't easy to encapsulate Mike's impact on Kalungi in words. His influence is profound, and his presence remains a source of inspiration. Mike drove us towards significant strategic goals with tactical foresight and thoughtful reflection without ever needing to assert himself loudly.

    His leadership style is rare and inspiring, embodying the true essence of influence with his mere presence. His legacy at Kalungi is not just about what he achieved but also how he empowered us to strive for excellence. He makes everyone around him better.”

  • Kailey DeLozier

    Designer & Marketing Specialist

    “Working with Mike was the highlight of my time at Kalungi. Mike took a chance on me as a young designer and built me into the professional I am today. He was constantly putting my growth first as both a designer and marketer. Always asking questions and helping me take my skills to the next level—something I will never forget.

    His ability to take ownership of others’ professional growth and also prioritize his own goals is admirable. If you ever find yourself presented with the chance to work Mike I would 100% take it, I am beyond grateful that I did.”

  • Adriana Rubio

    Integrated Marketing Manager

    “I can honestly say that Mike is one of the best marketers out there. If that's not enough, Mike is also an amazing designer and product leader. During my time working with him, he designed and developed several products and services from scratch that helped boost our company's revenue significantly.

    Mike is absolutely someone you want on your team and at the table when making strategic decisions.”

  • Armando Nabas Filho

    Account Executive

    “Mike is a commercial journey expert, whether from the marketing or sales perspective, he can always bring a fresh take to tackle challenges. Mike is also an excellent designer, which plays a major part in the solutions he develops. I've had the pleasure of working with Mike on both the sales and marketing sides of the house, and he has never failed to impress with his deep subject matter expertise.”

  • Kaia D’Albora

    Marketing Manager

    “Mike is a talented leader, designer, writer and all-around guy. He’s careful in his work, thoughtful in his conversation, and passionate about finding smart solutions. He delivers top-quality work and believes in taking the time to do it right. As a manager, he is kind and considerate and his feedback is always constructive. He challenges you to grow, learn from your experiences, and dig into the knowledge you didn't know you had.”

  • Leyi Lei

    Product Designer

    “Mike is an incredibly multifaceted leader. From his marketing, design, and product expertise, it was like reaching into a treasure chest with the breadth of knowledge he had. He met me where I was, gave me the direction that I needed, but ultimately trusted me and made me confident in my abilities to succeed. Until I met Mike, I had never experienced the kind of thoughtfulness and intentionality that he possessed. I am always beyond excited to work on projects with Mike, and it’s something I cherish.”

  • Amec Velásquez

    Web Manager

    “If I had to describe Mike in 3 words, they would be ‘Knowledge,’ ‘Instincts,’ and ‘Heart.’ Mike's knowledge of marketing, design, project management, and product development (to name just a few) is impressive. Even when he doesn't have the answer, his instincts are spot-on, and his advice is reliable. Working with Mike is rewarding and enjoyable. He consistently shows up with genuine enthusiasm, kindness, and warmth. He's not just a great marketer; he's a great leader, mentor, and friend.”

  • Liz Fieno

    Content Marketing Manager

    “When you work with Mike, you're not just joining forces with a product marketing visionary: He's thoughtful, detail-oriented, and leads by example. During our time at Kalungi, I've seen Mike wear many different hats (successfully) - from CMO to Product Lead to Designer to Author.

    He never stops pushing boundaries and exploring avenues for growth, and I strive to emulate how he focuses on both the big picture and minute details. Mike's taught me how to be a better marketer, communicator, and colleague.”

  • Rachel Mcbryde

    Content Marketing Specialist

    “Mike has a very calm presence and is highly knowledgeable in product marketing, leadership and design. As a leader, he provides excellent feedback and takes the time to nurture his team members towards completing projects. As a designer, his attention to detail and ability to translate project and product briefs into creative visuals is terrific. He's always there to give a helping hand and never strays from a peer in need. I am lucky to have been on the receiving end as his learnings have stayed with me till today. I’m genuinely grateful for his mentorship and always look forward to working with him.”

  • Linda Luu

    Design Manager

    “In the time that I've known Mike, he has helped me hone my skills as a designer and level up as a leader. He has been a great mentor and leader to everyone at Kalungi, displaying admirable communication skills, empathy, & dependability. It has been an honour to work with such a kind, creative, and passionate person.”

  • Ee-Anne Lee

    Digital & Paid Marketing Specialist

    “Mike is an all-around natural leader. His calm demeanor creates a welcoming environment to collaborate with him in projects. He was never hesitant to share his wealth of knowledge in marketing strategy, product designing, and copywriting. I always came out of every discussion with a nugget of information that I still implement up to this day in my Marketing career. It’s been a great pleasure to work with Mike and there’s no doubt others would be too.”

  • Migs Escobar

    Graphic, Web & Motion Designer

    “A natural leader in both his words and actions, Mike is one of those people that lead with example and inspire you to grow in all avenues of your life. He's an extremely detail-oriented individual professionally and as a person—may it be your design problems, systematic questions or even just how your life is actually doing, he will dissect the situation and honestly just provide a ton of value in any given area. From his leadership style to even just how he holds himself as a person, Mike is someone I hold in high regard and will be my "style guide" (designer jargon) for my future endeavors.”

  • Adam Roy Kilvert

    Account Executive

    “Mike was a mentor to me and so many others. He would always find the time to help you develop, challenge your thought process and help guide you on your own journey of discovery.

    Mike is a powerhouse in Digital Marketing and the Design space. Acting not only as Design Lead for Kalungi and heading up many of its internal projects, Mike was also an Associate CMO who built real rapport with his clients who were also some of our longest-standing contracts—testimony to Mike's unwavering commitment, professionalism and incredible ability to think outside the box when attacking problems.”