Okay, good question
What Is
This, Exactly?
Glad you asked. Buckle up, this one's a bit of a story.
The honest why
I want to work closer to the product. So I built one.
After spending years working alongside some genuinely talented Product Managers, something became really clear to me: I want to be closer to the product and the people using it. I love working with people. I obsess over the details. I can take something deeply technical and explain it to anyone in the room. Whether that's a PM role, a Solutions Engineer, or a Customer Engineer, what draws me in is the same thing: work that lives at the intersection of technical depth and real customer impact.
Now, do I have a traditional PM or client-facing background? On paper, maybe not. But companies see "Software Engineer" and assume I can't hold a conversation with a customer, and that's just not true. Every single day as an engineer I've been collaborating with cross-functional teams, partnering with PMs, and bridging the gap between technical and non-technical people. Connecting with people is just what I do. Give me a chance. I was a marketing intern doing direct sales (probably the hardest job I've ever had) and a Foot Locker retail associate, and I loved every second of it. So yeah, it might've been a while ago, but the ability to connect with people doesn't expire.
The best way to prove I can think like a product person is to actually be one. So what did I do? I built a product. A whole one. From scratch.
My product
This website
My clients
You (yes, you reading this right now)
My deliverable
Figma design files (coming soon, I promise)
Success metric
Whether this leads to an opportunity
Is it a little unconventional? Absolutely. Does it showcase that I can think like a product person, ship like an engineer, and hustle like someone with a point to prove? I'd like to think so.
And hey, if you're here reading this page, that means the product worked. You're the client. Welcome. I'm glad you made it this far. Say hi →
Tech stack
Built with
- ▸
Next.js
Framework: App Router, server components
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TypeScript
Type safety across the whole codebase
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Tailwind CSS
Utility-first styling with a custom theme
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Framer Motion
All animations and scroll-triggered effects
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React Leaflet
Interactive travel map
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Claude AI
AI collaborator for design, code, and copy
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Vercel
Deployment and edge hosting
Design thinking
Key decisions
Dark with warmth
Most dark portfolios feel cold and a little intimidating. I wanted mine to feel like a warm evening, hence the terracotta accent, the near-black background, and the cream text. Intentional, not accidental.
DM Serif Display
The heading font does a lot of heavy lifting. Its editorial quality makes the portfolio feel crafted and considered, not like something spun up in an afternoon (even if parts of it were).
No JavaScript for layout
Everything structural (the grid, the timeline, the card sizing) is pure CSS. JavaScript (Framer Motion) is reserved for motion only. Fast by default, not by accident.
Easter eggs
The hover-name trick, the hidden dot, and the bottom message exist because I think portfolios should have a little personality. If you found them all, hi 👋.
“The best way to predict the future is to build it.”
Abraham Lincoln (probably not, but still)