Building, Applying, and Networking
Here's what I've been up to and what's next.
In my last post, I talked about my transition from full-time employment to full-time solopreneurship. The big question since then has been: what's next?
For me, the answer is a mix of building, applying, and networking—making things, putting them into action, and connecting with people along the way. Here’s what I’ve been up to:
0. I Got Married!
Getting married to my best friend and partner under the northern lights in a one of a kind Ice Chapel was the most magical experiences of my life. We flew half way around the world to Rovaniemi, Finland to battle the blistering cold (natives called it mild at the time) and to say our vows and I dos.
1. Building a Job Tracking Tool
One of the first things I needed was a way to track job applications, resume versions, and the status of everything in one place. I didn’t want to live in a mess of Google Docs and spreadsheets. So, I started building a tool specifically for this—one that keeps job details, resumes, and interview notes all in one system.
The goal? Make applying for jobs less of a black hole. I want to track which resumes get the best responses, see which companies are ghosting, and automate follow-ups. It’s starting as something for me, but if it works well, I might open it up for others.
2. Launching Gardner Tech Group
Another big milestone: I officially launched Gardner Tech Group, a consulting company focused on helping businesses integrate AI effectively. Our first product is a training program for companies of all types—tech, law, healthcare, finance—on how to use AI properly without falling into costly mistakes.
I kicked things off with a blog post on how AI can be an expensive mistake if used incorrectly (read it here). The idea is to demystify AI for businesses, cut through the hype, and show them how to use AI practically and efficiently.
3. Building Useful Tools (AI, but Local)
I’ve been experimenting with AI-powered tools, but with a different approach: keeping everything local. One of the biggest things I hate about most AI services is that they require you to send all your data to the cloud.
So I built a local AI email triage tool—something that reads and categorizes my inbox, drafts responses, and helps me stay on top of emails, all without ever uploading my data to a remote server. It runs entirely on my machine, meaning privacy isn’t a concern.
I’m starting with email, but I’m also thinking about applying the same approach to other tools—things like AI-powered meeting notes, scheduling, and research assistants that don’t require giving away all your data.
4. Writing & Building in Public
One of my goals this year is to write more and share more of my work openly. The best way to improve ideas is to get feedback early, and the best way to grow a network is to show what you’re working on.
That means more blog posts, more open discussions about what’s working (and what’s not), and more transparency about the process of building a business. If that sounds interesting, stick around—I’ll be sharing updates regularly.
What's Next?
More building, more writing, more sharing. I’m focused on growing Gardner Tech Group, refining my job tracking tool, and exploring more ways to leverage AI without sacrificing privacy.
If you’re working on similar things, let’s connect. Have ideas? Want to collaborate? Hit reply.