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Worldview

"One sees clearly only with the heart. The essential is invisible to the eyes."
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
"Le Petit Prince"

Worldview

Personal

I'm blessed to be the husband of a beautiful, creative and passionate wife. We share three amazing children who have high hopes and strong academic foundations. Life, therefore, is an adventure unfolding daily to reveal new truths and mysteries. Though quite imperfect ourselves, Carol and I have been enormously enriched by choosing to swallow fear and invest in our children's education, imagination, and worldview as a top priority. We do the same for each other as husband and wife. More light and beauty exists in the world than darkness and ugliness, but you must actively and fearlessly seek it out. The resources to do so tend to follow these brave decisions. Because we've seen the fruit of this repeatedly, we continue to invest in ourselves and each other - pushing past perceived limitations. We have traveled together by plane, train, automobile, bus, and countless footsteps - learning language, experiencing culture, and embracing the people we find. Now, our children are beginning to explore university choices in the United States and the United Kingdom, while Carol and I ponder an empty nest.

Photo: Bayeux, France - Manoir de Conjon, 2023

Worldview

Professional

My own father was and is rather fearless. I originally entered computer programming and entrepreneurship in 1995 as a result of his innovation before pursuing my own innovations shortly after. Software development remains a passion and still lies at the core of my productivity. I keep my technical skills sharp to ensure a quality delivery and to inspire younger developers to give - and get - their personal best. I enjoy the creative and learning process immensely and have come to adore the teaching process as well - at least for those who have a teachable spirit and are equally eager to grow and gain without limitation according to their own merits. I've experienced failure. I've experienced success. I've learned from both. I continue to accept and manage risk in tech entrepreneurship because of its impact. By choosing to participate in human innovation with an open heart and mind, I meet and learn from amazing people around the world, and pass on what words of encouragement that I can offer.

Photo: San Jose, California - Finovate, 2015

Founder Portfolio

As a founder, I've invested time, talent, and capital in a number of currently active companies. Here are a some more recent ones and their status.

Co-Founder

Soaring Titan

Soaring Titan is "Elevating Businesses Through Artificial Intelligence", and I am excited to move this initiative forward in our Louisville community with co-founder, Michael Browning. Michael and I co-founded Onovative together and saw its successful acquisition in 2020. It's a partnership with a proven track-record. Artificial intelligence fundamentally changes how people get work done and how businesses serve customers. Services available from the various providers are changing and improving rapidly. Demystifying AI and crafting tailored strategies that seamlessly integrate to meet unique business challenges is what Soaring Titan is all about.

Technical Co-Founder

LeadTrust

I co-founded LeadTrust with long-time friend and tech colleague, Keith Cornish. A SaaS product launched into BETA in January of 2024, LeadTrust "promotes, captures, and rewards free referrals," helping companies to gain recommendations from their existing clients, employees, and partners in new, multi-channel ways. Referrals are historically the best performers in both Marketing and Staffing Funnels without traditional acquisition costs, yet many programs remain homegrown, poorly maintained, and rarely optimized. LeadTrust fixes this. In addition to leveraging a serverless, AWS backend and React + NextJS frontend, we're excited to be pioneering AI Agents to automate tasks that facilitate its operation.

Technical Co-Founder & Passive Shareholder

Onovative

I co-founded Onovative, a US-based FinTech company, in 2012. Onovative is "deepening relationships with data" in the area of Marketing Automation. Employing lean startup principles, inbound marketing, and a great team, Onovative developed two SaaS products, validated its model, successfully fundraised, and became a well-known national brand before 2015. Onovative was acquired by Main Street Incorporated in 2020. I maintain a minority interest, and continued to advise through the transition, but chose to explore new opportunities in 2021.

Fractional CTO

So what's a Fractional CTO? A “fractional” C-suite leader is not a consultant, but rather a true member of your executive team. A fractional executive has all customary responsibilities, but operates on a part-time basis so you “pay only for what you need.” It's a model that's gaining rapid adoption, especially among startups and scaleups, which is why I apply my time in the same manner for companies that I've personally co-founded since 2020. Being both a founder and a fractional leader compliment one another. It's a great recipe for keeping creative energy high, and sourcing insight and inspiration across a diverse landscape of business realties. This tends to avoid “tunnel vision” and “echo chambers” so that everyone wins.

I’m currently based in the US (New York City timezone), but also work and travel extensively in the United Kingdom and European Union. I easily flex my schedule across timezones. Billing for fractional leadership is through my business entity and off-payroll (Independent Contractor / Outside IR35). I carry both General and Professional Liability Insurance Policies. I can be paid in USD, GBP, or EUR, so whatever is easiest for you.

Please don’t hesitate to book a free session to chat. I’m always happy to share and gain insight with great people from around the world!

Clay is a highly accomplished and versatile professional with a strong track record in entrepreneurship, business leadership, and technology. With his wealth of experience and expertise, Clay is exceptionally well-equipped for consulting roles, offering valuable insights into business innovation, technology, and strategic investment opportunities. Working with Clay was not only professionally enriching but also a great pleasure, as his collaborative and forward-thinking approach added significant value to our projects and made our working relationship truly enjoyable. -- Valerio Tenace, PhD

Get in touch

If you think that there may be synergies to explore between us, please feel free to contact me below or connect with me on LinkedIn. I look forward to knowing you.