Exploring Ideas: A Blog on Technology, Startups, Food, and More

Welcome to my blog where I share thoughts and insights on technology, startups, and life in Atlanta. Browse through the articles below or explore by topic.

Trail Report: Southside Park

May 1, 2024

Southside Park is Atlanta’s only (official) ITP mountain bike trail system. Located in south Atlanta, it’s become a favorite among local riders for quick after-work sessions and skills development. Also pretty banging for trail running (w/ Atlanta Snack Club ideally). Trail System Overview With about 8 miles of singletrack, Southside isn’t huge, but the quality is super high. The trails here are s...

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Decision Making Under Uncertainty: Lessons from Practice

April 15, 2024

The following is excerpted and adapted from my private notes during my time at Predikto (2014-2018), exploring how to make complex decisions under uncertainty in technical startups. The Nature of Uncertain Decisions Decision-making is a game of compromise. In simple cases, where information about a decision and its various outcomes is complete and available, finding the optimal path is straightfor...

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Science vs. Engineering in Startups: A Tale of Two Methodologies

March 15, 2024

The following is excerpted and adapted from my private notes during my time at Predikto (2014-2018), exploring the intersection of scientific and engineering methodologies in startup environments. This is part of a series on startup structure and methodology, following Startup Structure and Information Flow and Decision Making Under Uncertainty. The Challenge of Technical Startups Startups in nasc...

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NASA Technology Readiness Levels: A Software Development Perspective

February 17, 2024

NASA’s Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) have become a standard way to assess the maturity of technologies in certain industries like aerospace and defense. Originally developed by NASA in the 1970s, TRLs provide a consistent framework for evaluating how close a technology is to being deployment-ready. This framework has become increasingly relevant for modern software development, particularly i...

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Startup Structure and Information Flow

January 18, 2024

The following is excerpted and adapted from my private notes during my time at Predikto (2014-2018), exploring how information flows through startups and its impact on company structure. This is part of a series on startup organization and methodology, including posts on Science vs. Engineering in Startups and Decision Making Under Uncertainty. Process, Structure and Information Startup developmen...

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Trail Report: Chewacla State Park

November 26, 2023

It’s amazing how much can change in a decade. During my time as an undergraduate and graduate student at Auburn University, Auburn had a handful of basic trails at best - more of a “better than nothing” option than a destination. Fast forward to today, and the state park has undergone nothing short of a renaissance, now with over 20 miles of some of the most impressive singletrack I’ve ridden. The...

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Homemade Melloncello (Cantaloupe Liqueur)

November 1, 2023

If you love Limoncello, get ready to meet its delightful summer cousin: Melloncello! Made with fragrant cantaloupe instead of lemons, this homemade liqueur is very sweet, smooth, and tastes like pure sunshine. It follows the same basic principle - infusing fruit into high-proof alcohol and then sweetening it with simple syrup. It takes a bit of patience for the infusion, but the process itself is ...

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Investment Review: Scout Space Systems

October 30, 2023

This post is part of my angel investing series where I review investments after they’re completed. These posts are not investment advice, solicitations, or offers of any kind. They are simply my thoughts on companies I’ve invested in and how they fit into my thesis. For background on my approach to angel investing and my investment thesis, see my introduction to this series. Company Overview Scout...

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Banana Old Fashioned: A Surprisingly Good Twist

September 22, 2023

Got a bottle of banana liqueur gathering dust? Before you dismiss it, consider this: it makes a surprisingly good Old Fashioned. The liqueur adds a subtle sweetness and fruity depth that pairs beautifully with bourbon or rye. Seriously, give it a try. It sounds a bit weird on paper, but the key is balance. You’re not making a banana bomb, just adding a nuanced layer to a classic. Banana Old Fashio...

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Investment Review: Jericho Security

August 24, 2023

This post is part of my angel investing series where I review investments after they’re completed. These posts are not investment advice, solicitations, or offers of any kind. They are simply my thoughts on companies I’ve invested in and how they fit into my thesis. For background on my approach to angel investing and my investment thesis, see my introduction to this series. Company Overview Jeric...

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