Hi, I'm Rick
Entrepreneur, executive, continuous learner, and the person behind this site. I share what I'm reading, thinking, and building—mostly so I don't forget it, and partly because someone out there might find it useful.
The longer version
I grew up in North Carolina and went to Duke University, where I studied Economics and Computer Science. Those two fields turned out to be a useful combination. One teaches you how systems work, the other teaches you how to think about incentives and tradeoffs.
My career has been built around companies at the intersection of services, data, and technology. I spent nearly a decade as CEO & President of PeopleKeep (formerly Zane Benefits), building software and services that helped small businesses offer healthcare benefits to their employees. After that, I founded LegUp Health, a company focused on making health benefits less painful for small business owners and their employees. And, I'm currently at Windfall as VP of Revenue Operations.
Along the way, I've developed a somewhat obsessive habit: I consume a lot of content (e.g. books, podcasts, speeches, articles, etc.), and I take notes on the ideas I don't want to forget.
"The person who takes notes learns twice."
What I write about
Most of my writing falls into a few overlapping areas: decision-making (how to think more clearly), leadership (how to build and lead teams), and systems (how to set up your life and work so things compound over time).
My notes are exactly what they sound like: my takeaways from a book, a speech, article, or podcast. I try to distill the most timeless ideas and make them useful to someone who hasn't read the source material. Think of them as a well-organized reading journal that's open to the public.
Why I share it
Writing is how I think. It forces me to clarify my understanding of ideas and sharpen my opinions on things I care about. Vague thinking hides behind vague sentences—writing exposes both.
Working in public creates a virtuous loop of accountability that I've come to value. Knowing something might be read changes how carefully I think it through. And I genuinely benefit from hearing from people all over the world who want to engage with what I'm thinking and writing about—those conversations have made my thinking better.
Some of my best professional relationships started with someone reading something here and reaching out. If that's you, I'd love to hear from you.
Working together
I consult with a small number of executives and founders on strategy, decision-making, and building better systems. If you're working on something interesting, I'd be glad to hear about it.