Writing

Notes from the field.

Thoughts on applied AI, forward deployed engineering, enterprise software, international geopolitics and economics, and building technology that solves real problems.

New essays and episodes go out on FDE Pod.

My Substack and podcast, exploring Applied AI, Forward Deployed Engineering, enterprise software, startups — and the builders turning technology into real-world outcomes.

FDE19 October 20266 min read

From Silicon Valley to TechCrunch Disrupt

From watching Disrupt on HBO's Silicon Valley, to becoming an FDE, to teaching 50 founders at Disrupt how to become one.

Applied AI14 October 20267 min read

The AI Software Development Life Cycle

Build on the frontier. Run on the right size. Most companies only do one.

Applied AI9 October 20267 min read

AI Transformation Needs an Owner

AI transformation needs owners, and the CEO is one of them.

Applied AI21 September 20269 min read

This Is Not the End of SaaS

I spoke at Dreamforce and demoed Claudeforce to hundreds of executives. The UI might be going away. The system of record is not.

Applied AI8 September 20267 min read

How to Think About AI

Every board is asking the same question. Very few executives have a good answer. The hard part isn't the technology. It's knowing where to apply it.

FDE28 July 20268 min read

Forward Deployed Engineering 101

I gave the FDE 101 talk to a thousand AI engineers. It's a design partnership that scales into enterprise and never ends.

FDE9 June 20264 min read

What It Means to Be a Forward Deployed Engineer

The best commercial motion in enterprise software is the one nobody puts on the org chart.

FDE8 June 20266 min read

The Flat Title: Why "Member of Technical Staff" Works

At Palantir, "Forward Deployed Engineer" was completely flat—no Senior, no Staff, no Principal. "Member of Technical Staff" shares that spirit. A flat title isn't a gimmick. It's a forcing function.

FDE4 June 20262 min read

We Free Smart People to Work on Hard Problems

What Rippling on the Road reminded me about the real job of an FDE

FDE22 May 20261 min read

What Is a Forward Deployed Engineer?

Lessons from My Propel 2026 Keynote - May 2026

Technology18 February 20266 min read

The Cost Paradox: Why Cheaper Software Means More Software

When costs drop, people don't buy less—they spend the same and buy more. This counterintuitive truth explains why cheaper software development won't kill software companies. It will make them more valuable.

Technology18 February 20267 min read

Where Foundation Models Can't Beat Software Companies

Software companies can access foundation models via API, but foundation models can't easily replicate complex software systems. This asymmetric advantage creates durable moats that foundation model companies cannot match.

Technology18 February 20266 min read

The Real-World Moat: Beyond Code

Software is more than code. Regulatory licensing, money movement, insurance enrollment, and tax filings create moats that go far beyond what foundation models can replicate. These real-world complexities are where software companies have their strongest advantages.

Technology25 January 20263 min read

MCPs Are Quietly Replacing Postman and curl

MCPs are quietly replacing Postman and curl—and most people haven't noticed yet. Agentic tools just gave users a shorter path to what they actually want.

Philosophy30 October 20247 min read

Technology as a Means, Not a Goal

Technology is the means, not the goal. Perfect code belongs in academia. Solve the problem, then iterate.

Experience22 April 20246 min read

Lessons from Working Abroad

We're all the same. So let's have empathy for one another as the world gets smaller.