FIELD NOTES

Dispatches from the trail.

I write about branding, marketing, and the things I build to solve problems. What caught my attention, why I tried something, and what I learned along the way.

Find an idea you can put to use, or something that gets you thinking.

Latest dispatch

Local & Community/August 5, 2026/2 min readJourney to Hope: An Evening for AFSP Long Island

How I rebuilt a dance studio’s website around parentsMarketing & Strategy · Aug 3, 2026 · 6 min read

Why I left Squarespace and what I create with nowTech & Tools · Jul 16, 2026 · 5 min read

How Composure Actually Helped Me, 3 Real MomentsTech & Tools · Jun 30, 2026 · 5 min read

I Built My Own Workout Tracker Turned AI TrainerBuild Log · Workout Log · Mar 24, 2026 · 7 min read

What a Custom Claude Skill Actually Looks Like (And Why I Built One for My Blog)Tech & Tools · Mar 3, 2026 · 7 min read

The AI Tool Audit: How to Evaluate If a Tool Is Actually Worth Your TimeTech & Tools · Feb 15, 2026 · 6 min read

Why I Ditched Warby Parker for a Local Eyewear ShopReviews & Recommendations · Jan 21, 2026 · 4 min read

Small Business Spotlight: Bones and Beans CreativeLocal & Community · Dec 16, 2025 · 5 min read

What I Learned Managing Social Media for Big Brands That Small Businesses Get WrongMarketing & Strategy · Dec 11, 2025 · 5 min read

AI Slop Is Killing Consumer Trust... And Here's How Smart Businesses Can Fight BackTech & Tools · Oct 20, 2025 · 9 min read

From Tutoring to Creativity: What 700 Million ChatGPT Users Reveal About Real-World AI AdoptionTech & Tools · Sep 22, 2025 · 6 min read

The Collapse of Social Media Isn't a Crisis. It's a Reset.Marketing & Strategy · Aug 6, 2025 · 6 min read

Local & Community/August 5, 2026/2 min read

Journey to Hope: An Evening for AFSP Long Island

I'm supporting The Journey to Hope on August 19 in Bay Shore, a night of music and advocacy benefiting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Long Island Chapter.

Marketing & Strategy/August 3, 2026/6 min read

How I rebuilt a dance studio’s website around parents

The old DXNY website served families who already knew the studio. I rebuilt the path for parents choosing a class, starting with their child’s age and the questions they needed answered.

Tech & Tools/July 16, 2026/5 min read

Why I left Squarespace and what I create with now

I spent over ten years on Squarespace... I even used to work there. This is the story of why I finally left, what the transaction fees were really costing me, and the five-tool stack I create with now.

Tech & Tools/June 30, 2026/5 min read

How Composure Actually Helped Me, 3 Real Moments

I didn't know what I didn't know, until I left the Squarespace safety net and started building on my own. Three real moments with Composure showed me exactly how much I was missing, and why building without a second set of eyes is building on quicksand.

Build Log · Workout LogTech & Tools/March 24, 2026/7 min read

I Built My Own Workout Tracker Turned AI Trainer

I had years of health data sitting in Apple Health and workout logs collecting dust in Notion. Titan connects them into a system that actually tells me what to do next.

Tech & Tools/March 3, 2026/7 min read

What a Custom Claude Skill Actually Looks Like (And Why I Built One for My Blog)

Most people use AI to write an email. I built a system that runs an entire content category. Here's what a custom Claude Skill actually looks like, including the parts that broke.

Tech & Tools/February 15, 2026/6 min read

The AI Tool Audit: How to Evaluate If a Tool Is Actually Worth Your Time

Most businesses adopt AI because they think they're supposed to. Here's the 3-step evaluation process that separates tools worth your time from expensive distractions.

Reviews & Recommendations/January 21, 2026/4 min read

Why I Ditched Warby Parker for a Local Eyewear Shop

Warby Parker just killed their home try-on program. I needed new glasses anyway, so I tried a friend's recommendation. He nailed my frames on the first try and proved that expertise beats algorithms.

Local & Community/December 16, 2025/5 min read

Small Business Spotlight: Bones and Beans Creative

A look at Bones and Beans Creative Studio... 11 years of perfect reviews, custom craftsmanship, and a founder who actually cares. Here's why Monica Baker's small business is worth knowing.

Marketing & Strategy/December 11, 2025/5 min read

What I Learned Managing Social Media for Big Brands That Small Businesses Get Wrong

Big brands aren't doing anything magical with their marketing. They just don't skip the basics. Here's what I learned at Canon, Scholastic, and Accenture that applies to any size business.

Tech & Tools/October 20, 2025/9 min read

AI Slop Is Killing Consumer Trust... And Here's How Smart Businesses Can Fight Back

AI-generated content is flooding the internet, and consumers can tell. Here's how small businesses can use AI as a real tool without creating the “slop” that's killing brand trust.

Tech & Tools/September 22, 2025/6 min read

From Tutoring to Creativity: What 700 Million ChatGPT Users Reveal About Real-World AI Adoption

Still think AI is just for tech nerds? Half of ChatGPT's 700 million users are women, and most aren't using it for work at all.

Marketing & Strategy/August 6, 2025/6 min read

The Collapse of Social Media Isn't a Crisis. It's a Reset.

The breakfast posts are gone. The algorithms won. But something new is emerging... and it looks a lot more human than what we're leaving behind.

Start with a real problem.

A dance studio’s website made sense to families who already knew it. Here’s how I approached it for parents choosing a class for the first time.

Read the DXNY story