Hi, I’m Alan.
Some Projects
When I was 8 years old, I bought a book out of a dusty old magazine in my parents’ attic called “How to Win the Lottery,” and won.
Thus began a lifetime obsession with “beating the game.”
I sit at the crossroads of finance, strategy, innovation, and customer research. I also advise companies that can benefit from my experience in product strategy and user experience design.
I worked as a strategy and innovation consultant for 10 years. Before that, I worked at a DE Shaw funded startup focused on behavioral finance. I teach classes on innovation, creativity, and customer research at UC Berkeley and Stanford.
I enjoy the detective work required to see what others don’t, and using that to drive value. I get excited about unorthodox research methods and new insights. I like digging into the details of financial statements, while also pondering bigger picture dynamics. I collect examples of competitive advantages. I think most companies don’t understand their customers as well as they should.
In 2009, I spent 5 months living in Buddhist monasteries in Asia learning meditation. It was harder than anything else i’ve ever done.
Understanding StitchFix’s customer retention curve and keep rates
A new mission statement and cultural values for Target
