You could say cars are in my blood. My dad has been a lifelong car guy – buying, trading, selling, and always on the hunt for the next deal. I remember us trying to count all the cars he'd owned by the time I was 12, and we lost track somewhere after 100! Growing up around that kind of automotive passion was infectious. I loved learning about cars, being around them, and, believe it or not, even hanging out at dealerships. I always thought I'd be a natural salesman, but the traditional car-buying experience always felt...off, to put it nicely. That's part of what drove me to create Clutsh – to build a better way to buy cars, a way that's open, honest, and maybe even a little fun. For instance, I once bought a new Kia Soul, and the whole dealership experience was so frustrating that I wrote a blog post about it.

Over the years, I've become the go-to car guy for friends and family. I've personally bought and sold numerous vehicles, navigating everything from private party transactions to dealership negotiations, both new and used. I've even snagged a car off the online auction site Cars and Bids, which was a whole new learning experience, and one that showed me another area ripe for improvement in the car-buying process. That purchase of a Saab 9-3 Aero SportCombi through Cars and Bids brought its own frustrations (the purchase went great .. but shipping was a nightmare). It's another example of how the system is broken and how I envision Clutsh can help make things better, particularly when it comes to those extra steps like shipping and delivery.

At Clutsh, we don't just rely on general knowledge. We have areas of deep expertise, and I happen to be obsessed with the nuances of certain models. Take the Fiat 500 and the Ford Focus ST/RS. I've owned multiple examples of each and have spent countless hours researching their intricacies. This means I can tell Clutsh clients exactly which model years and trims offer the best combination of reliability, performance, and value, which colors hold their value best, and the specific options to look for or avoid. Clutsh isn't just about my personal favorites because this is the level of detail and dedication we bring to every car search. We want to build a product, build a team of experts who are just as passionate and knowledgeable about the cars they specialize in, so every Clutsh client benefits from this in-depth understanding. It's this level of specialized knowledge that sets us apart.

I've always been a builder and a fixer. In my roles at fast-growing startups, I had to think on my feet, move quickly, and not be afraid to fail and try again. I've built and managed teams, and I'm ready to apply that same unrelenting, give-a-fuck attitude to the car-buying process. I'm here to build a better way to buy cars and fix what's broken in the current system. While I was at Procore we had three core values - Openness, Ownership, and Optimism - that really resonated with me. I've adopted those values as my own, and they're at the heart of what I want Clutsh to be.

Here's what truly sets Clutsh apart: Our vision is big. We work for YOU – the car buyer. We are only motivated to do anything and everything to make YOUR experience better. We're not content with just fixing one little piece of the puzzle; we want to overhaul the entire system, addressing each and every step, from initial research to final delivery and beyond. Long term, I envision Clutsh becoming the go-to resource for anyone looking to buy a car, transforming the experience into something transparent, empowering, and maybe even enjoyable.

I don't care if it's not how it's always been done – in fact, that's the whole point.