Founder · Advisor · Investor
I build things.
Thirty years. Twelve ventures. Seven exits. Over $75M raised. $1M+ deployed as an angel.
I have started companies from nothing, fixed brands that were broken, helped founders raise capital when investors kept passing, and invested in the ones I believed in. Now and then I take on something larger than a business.
30
Years
12
Ventures built
7
Exits
$75M
Raised
Four things I'm known for
Building from scratch
I have started twelve companies. Some failed fast, which is fine. Several scaled. A few made a real dent. I know what it takes to go from an idea that sounds insane to a business that works. I also know the point at which most founders make the mistakes that are hardest to recover from, because I made most of them first.
See the ventures →Fixing broken brands
Most brand problems are not design problems. They are clarity problems. BRANDEM OS introduces mathematical precision to brand building - seven interconnected pillars (Beacon, Resonance, Authority, Narrative, Delivery, Engagement, Momentum) that convert founder vision into market dominance. No subjective guesswork. Proven frameworks and scalable systems built over thirty years of watching great products get buried under the wrong story.
See BRANDEM OS →Getting founders funded
Technical founders build great products. The ones who can't raise are usually not failing on the product. They are failing on the narrative - how they explain what they are building, why it matters, and why now. I diagnose that gap and fix it. FundingDX is where that work lives.
Get diagnosed →Investing in founders
$1M+ deployed as an angel over 15 years. Pre-seed through Series A. I write cheques between $50K and $100K and bring syndicate co-investors for larger rounds. I have sat in the founder's chair enough times to know what it feels like when investors keep passing. That experience shapes every cheque I write.
See investment thesis →Current work
What I'm building, running, and working on right now.
FundingDX
A funding diagnostic for founders who get meetings but can't close rounds. I find the gap between the product and the pitch and tell you what is actually blocking the raise.
BRANDEM™ OS
A mathematical brand strategy framework. Seven pillars, precise equations, and scalable systems that convert founder vision into category-defining brands. No guesswork.
The England Archive
A three-year documentary portrait project documenting the people keeping England's traditions, craft, and landscape alive. Eight regions. Five subject categories. A systematic record made while there is still someone to make it.
Advisory
Strategic advisory for founders navigating fundraising and brand positioning. A small number of relationships at any one time.
Built across industries
From a 135-year-old English gunmaker to a Maldives resort to a Dominican cigar house. Thirty years of building things that work, in markets most people never cross paths with.
Wine · Napa Valley
Hollow Brook Winery
Premium wine label. Built the brand for a private vineyard in California's most competitive region.
Firearms · London
Watson Bros.
Heritage gunmaker, est. 1885. Bespoke rifles and shotguns crafted on Pall Mall for over a century.
Hospitality · Maldives
Brennia Resort
Luxury island resort in Raa Atoll. Built the entire guest experience from the ground up.
Premium Cigars · Dominican Republic
Santa Domenica Puros
Handrolled premium cigars. Built the product, the packaging, and the commerce layer from scratch.
F&B · Singapore
Pecking Tales
International fusion restaurant. Built the concept, the positioning, and the digital presence.
Real Estate · Jeddah
Lamina
Ultra-luxury residential tower in central Jeddah. Built the positioning for a landmark property.
Fashion · India
Elegore
Luxury fashion house expanding from India to the US and European markets.
Real Estate · Hong Kong
Braden Realty
Ultra-luxury property acquisition across Hong Kong, London, Dubai, Tokyo, and Mumbai.
Retail · Dubai
Love, Shop, Pray
Concept store selling curated fashion, art, accessories, and perfumes for contemporary women.
Fashion · Saudi Arabia
Manar Al-Rawi
Iconic abaya designer. Bridging tradition and technology in Saudi fashion.
Blockchain · New York
OnChain
Blockchain consulting across business intelligence, AI, NFTs, and cryptocurrency.
Finance · Ontario
Livictus
Comprehensive financial planning. Retirement, estate planning, and wealth management.
About me
30 years building companies. 12 ventures launched. 7 exits. Over $75M raised in startup funding. $1M+ deployed as an angel investor across 15 years. Brands built for ESPN, Microsoft, Target, and the US Army alongside hundreds of startups from first dollar to exit.
I have sat in the investor's chair and I have sat in the founder's chair. I have watched brilliant companies fail to raise because their positioning was invisible to them and obvious to everyone across the table. I have watched average companies close rounds in weeks because they understood exactly how investors needed to hear their story.
That pattern is what led me to build FundingDX.
60+ countries explored, Leica obsessive, quantum mechanics nerd. Still building, still investing.
What people say
From founders, CEOs, and operators I've worked with over the years.
Day Adeogba
Founder
"What makes Mash outstanding is his ability to combine experience, insight, and passion into feedback that creates real movement. I look forward to continuing our conversation."
Dennis Zelazowski
Founder
"Mash gave a thorough and insightful review. I will incorporate his suggestions into my revisions, which made a lot of sense. He understood the conflicts and contradictions in our story that needed corrections."
Xia Lin
CEO & Founder
"Working with Mash was a transformative experience for our fundraising journey. As a first-time founder, I initially struggled to identify the core components that resonate with investors. Mash changed that completely."
Tony Drummond
Founder, Tokenomics.net
"In just one hour, chatting with Mash was a game-changer for my business. He gave me some incredibly valuable ideas and pointed out some landmines we were sure to walk into. It's great to learn from such an experienced and kind person."
Joe Russell
CEO, Valensor
"Mash and his team were amazing. They were able to take our vision and produce a truly creative and unique package. What struck me most was their desire to make our company happy. Mash was always willing to answer our questions and help us arrive at a decision."
Michael O. Wehr
CEO, StrataTex
"We have used Mash and his team on several projects. Each time they did a stellar job and we always managed to narrow in on the perfect solution for our needs. It is always rewarding working with the team."
Perry DeGregorio
Founder, Azzan Exhibits
"Excellent strategy service and plans for rolling out and campaigning to reach our market. I particularly enjoyed my strategy calls with Mash and applied a lot of his suggestions and action items to our launch."
Steve Turner
Founder, Turn2Coaching
"It was such a pleasure to work with Mash. Nothing was too much of a problem and I would have to say that it's great to work with people who do actually put the customer needs first."
Liana Alexander Raye
CEO, Harlequin Starr International
"Mash has a team of experts who are extremely visionary and pioneering. I have no idea how they created what they did based on the vague brief I gave them, but they have worked wonders. I look at them as an extension to our team. Just brilliant."
Writing
I write about what I have seen - in thirty years of building companies, in the funding market, and in the places most founders overlook.
Read the writing →Let's talk
I work with a small number of founders and companies at any one time. If you are building something and want strategic capital behind it, get in touch.
Get in touch →