All views are my own...
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Evolving Our Tech Strategy: Singer to Raptor
In early 2024, I likened our platform and Tech Strategy at The Collecting Group to a Singer 911. It made sense at the time: take a solid base (the Porsche 964), iterate on it with care and craft, and transform it into something beautiful, powerful, exclusive, and meticulously engineered. Something rare. A halo product. A…
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What’s it like to drive the radical Alpine A110R
A road-legal track machine that embodies Alpine’s racing spirit. The A110R takes everything great about the A110 and sharpens it; stripping weight, adding aero, and cranking up the focus. I had the chance to drive one on real-world roads, and even on cold, damp Cornish roads, it delivered a connected, intense experience few modern cars…
Posted in Cars -
Shipping Icebergs: The Quiet Triumph of User Merging
I’ll admit to overusing two analogies: bowling alleys (a post for another day) and icebergs. Tech initiatives, especially the ones I refer to as Momentum Builders, Debt Paydowns, and Risk Reducers (see: Gambler or Scientist), often resemble icebergs. Only the part above the waterline is visible to the business. This makes selling and celebrating them…
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Gambler or Scientist
Win or lose? I prefer experiment and learn. 3 things occurred: 1. CTO Coachings on “Bets” – Learning to break work into plays (business cases) that I can sell to the business. Every initiative falls into one (or more) of four categories: Momentum Builders (iterative improvements, process gains) Debt Paydown (tech debt, foundational work) Revenue…
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What’s it like to drive the original Honda NSX?
A car that forced Ferrari to evolve, influenced the McLaren F1, and was fine-tuned by Senna himself. I had the chance to get behind the wheel of one, and it didn’t disappoint. Silky ride quality, precise balance, and an analogue experience that feels as special today as it must have 30 years ago. Read my full article on the Collecting…
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The Phoenix Project?
A team member asked if our strategy and approach was lifted from the Phoenix Project. They wondered if that’s why I split our engineers into two squads: one focused on features, owning our frontend repos, and the other on platform, owning the backend and cleaning up the “messy middle”. We have a learning budget at…
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Remote, first
I’ve always been a strong advocate for remote work, especially in the tech world. It offers flexibility, allows people to work from where they’re most productive, and makes a lot of sense for our industry. With Amazon forcing everyone back to the office, I can’t help but disagree with a one-size-fits-all approach. That said, our…
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Problems & Finitude
Last night, I went to a talk by Oliver Burkeman, for the launch of his new book, Meditations for Mortals. It was a brilliant evening, and his ideas hit home. He made a point that stuck with me: we all have problems, and they never fully go away. Some people’s problems are a lot worse…
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Changing Gears: Navigating the Road to Executive Tech Leadership
Two years in feels like a good moment to reflect on the journey so far and the road ahead. Just after my 1-year on post, things escalated as I became Head of Engineering and joined the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) at The Collecting Group (TCG), Collecting Cars and Watch Collecting. I’ve survived my first board…
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Andrew Walsh Driver Training
The best way to enjoy your newly purchased dream car? Upgrade the driver. Learn from the unfortunate fate of my Elise (S2 Sport Tourer). I took guidance from a friend and enrolled at Andrew Walsh Driver Training.
Posted in Cars
