Introduction:

When Joe Pardavila invited me onto Entrepreneur Authorities, I knew we weren’t just going to talk about technology — we were going to talk about translation. About what happens when creativity, chaos, and clarity collide.

In this conversation, I trace the path from a kid selling candy and paintballs in Arizona to building SKAFLD Studio, and how the nickname Hurricane CTO evolved from a running joke into a leadership philosophy. Because at its core, the “hurricane” isn’t about disruption — it’s about learning to bring calm to it.

Key Topics I Covered:

1. The Origin of the Hurricane

I share how the name Hurricane CTO came from my wife — and how it followed me from flooded server rooms at the Clippers to boardrooms at Fortune 500 companies. What began as a description of chaos became a method: the ability to stay grounded and guide others through it.

2. The Entrepreneurial DNA

Before startups and sports tech, there was paintball. I talk about discovering that entrepreneurial instinct early — from selling Costco candy at school to creating side businesses in college. That “builder’s gene” never went away; it just evolved from product to platform.

3. The Translator’s Role

One of my favorite threads in this episode is communication — how my theater background shaped my approach as a technologist. I explain why the best CTOs aren’t defined by how much they know, but by how clearly they can make others understand. Translation isn’t just a skill; it’s a leadership act.

4. Technology, Trust, and Overcorrection

We also dig into the evolution of how companies think about tech. Twenty years ago, executives feared it. Today, they chase it. I talk about how real innovation sits somewhere in between — using tools with purpose, balancing cost, value, opportunity, and liability — and why technology only drives transformation when trust leads the way.

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Conclusion:
What ties it all together is the same through-line that’s guided every stage of my career: I love building. Whether it’s systems, stories, or startups, I’m drawn to the zero-to-sixty moment where ideas take shape and people find clarity in the storm. That’s what the Hurricane Method is really about — not the chaos itself, but the calm you create inside it.

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