Professional achievements
• Designed product from prototype to production with several Fortune 500 enterprises.
• Pioneered a new form of warehouse execution.
• Developed pitch and position to raise more than $16 million in venture capital funding.
• Finalist for the Thiel Fellowship.
Community involvement
Helped start Simple + Sweet, an ice cream company that donated over 50,000 meals to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank.
Making Arkansas more attractive to young professionals
“Northwest Arkansas has made strides in becoming more appealing to young professionals. However, the state needs increased capital resources, investors willing to take on greater risks and several significant business exits over the next decade. These efforts are crucial for fostering intergenerational wealth transformation and creating more opportunities.”
What you’re most passionate about in your career
“Designing novel technology solutions that augment frontline workers to make their jobs easier. In the age of artificial intelligence and advanced automation, it’s more important than ever to utilize these developments to serve people, strengthen our global supply chain and reimagine a more equitable future where individuals are valued for their contributions.”
The biggest obstacle you’ve overcome
“Recovering from multiple knee surgeries. I tore my ACL at 11 years old, one of the youngest documented cases, and underwent three reconstructive knee surgeries over the next four years, including a double knee surgery. This journey set me back in school, required years of physical therapy, and to this day, I manage inflammation and flare-ups that can make daily activities uncomfortable. However, it taught me the importance of emotional maturity, daily practice and setting clear goals.”
First job and lesson learned
“My first job was at 16 working for Omar Kasim at Con Quesos, where I served customers tacos in the front of the house. Working 20 hours a week while in high school, I experienced firsthand the effort required to run a business and learned the importance of patience and communication in the service industry. I also learned the significance of being passionate and excited about your work.”
A small habit that has helped you succeed
“One small habit I’ve incorporated into my daily life is practicing mindful awareness. There is no right or wrong way to practice mindfulness, but personally, I have found it helpful to go on walks surrounded by nature, engage in specific breathwork exercises, consistently stretch and do yoga.”
One book everyone should read and why
“The one book that everyone should read is the ‘Tao Te Ching.’ It is a Chinese classic text about the foundation of Taoism. I personally recommend the Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English translation. It is rooted in timeless wisdom on living a simple, balanced and harmonious life by understanding and aligning with the natural world. After thousands of years and numerous translations, it’s still one of the most practical texts I’ve ever read.”
A word that describes you
“Creative.”
Who you look up to and why
“I look up to Marc Lore. I first met Marc in early 2020, right before the pandemic, and shortly after we started Ox. He provided me and founder Charu Thomas with transformative advice in the early stages of building our company. I had the pleasure of touring and visiting one of his restaurants in New York City for his new venture, Wonder, and was blown away by the attention to detail and, most importantly, the food.
“His former ventures, Jet.com, which was acquired by Walmart for $3 billion, and Diapers.com, acquired by Amazon for $550 million, are textbook examples of building valuable ventures. Lastly, he’s also working to build a city of the future called Telosa, where he’s developing a ‘reformed version of capitalism’ inspired by geoism, which incorporates progressive social equity and environmental conscientiousness, while also promoting market efficiency and fiscal responsibility.”
