Entrepreneurial finance and business leader with 16 years of experience developing and operating businesses, most recently building an AI-driven SaaS platform. I have a strong analytical mindset and a track record of growing businesses and executing projects.
Experience
Co-Founder
February 2025 – PresentVerchAINew York, NY
- Founded VerchAI, an AI-driven visual merchandising (VM) platform that aims to solve how retailers manage in-store configurations and optimize product assortments
- Defined the product roadmap and company vision for the platform while building and shipping the MVP
- Built entire platform architecture, including a 3D configurator (React, Three.js, SQL) and developed a consolidated dashboard that streamlines collaboration between global marketing, VM teams, and regional markets, reducing their review times, lowering costs, and accelerating store rollouts
Co-Founder and Managing Director
June 2018 – February 2025Bistro 108Pittsburgh, PA
- Conceived and executed the vision for a multi-level European-style food hall, leading all aspects of planning, development, and the successful launch of the establishment
- Built and managed a leadership team (Events Director, Marketing Director, General Manager, AGM, Executive Chef) growing headcount to 40+ employees
- Led the business through the COVID-19 pandemic, securing over $1.1M in grants and incentives, and regrew the team from 5 employees at the end of 2020 to over 40 employees within 6 months of restrictions easing
- Oversaw the launch of a profitable event space, growing to $1.5M within 3 years
- Drove revenue growth from $1.1M in 2019 to $4.5M in 2024
- Introduced a fully integrated operational tech stack (POS, CRM, accounting, inventory, and HR) delivering real-time P&L reporting and automated reconciliations
- Managed all business finances, P&L, payroll, inventory, vendor payments, reconciliations, and audits across all business units
- Prepared all financial reports, budgets, forecasts, set incentive programs, monitored performance targets, constantly refined cost-saving measures, and ensured profitability by conducting regular reviews
- In the June 2019-March 2020 period, I stepped away from operations to oversee the completion of the 4-story building with DiCio Real Estate
CFO & General Manager
August 2014 – June 2018DiCio Real EstateHoboken, NJ
- Structured and negotiated financing, refinancing, loan execution and project management for real estate acquisitions and renovation projects, totaling over $20M; serving as the main point of contact for lenders
- Increased total value of the real estate portfolio by 390% in 10 years - a 14.5% AAR
- Built multi-project and portfolio-level financial models to guide development strategy
- Led the acquisition of a mixed-use property via a multi-property refinance. Increased the value from $2.4MM to $6.6MM following a $900K renovation and tenant repositioning
- Developed and launched Bistro 108/The PA Market, a European-Style food market inside one of the properties, as well as The Art Room, as a hybrid art gallery and event space, enhancing commercial values and revenue streams
- Managed all day-to-day finance operations and oversaw audits, insurance, and compliance documentation for multiple lenders and tax entities
- Maintained consistent occupancy through fostering a lead pipeline and negotiating lease agreements and renewals, working with both local tenants and national retail chains
- Stepped in as General Contractor to oversee the completion of a $4.8M, ground up 4-story mixed-use building, hiring and managing subcontractors while overseeing budget, payments, draw down requests, and payments with the lender
VP Finance and Business Development
May 2009 – August 2014Xipto IncNewark, NJ
- Joined as production coordinator, quickly advanced to finance and operations leadership.
- Built custom SQL queries and dashboards that automated advertiser campaign performance reporting, saving hundreds of hours in manual work
- Took over all finance responsibilities after CFO's exit: managed audits, budgeting, tax filings, board reporting, and investor relations
- Prepared financial plans and pitch materials that supported multiple funding rounds, including Seed Round, convertible notes, NJEDA loan, NOL resell, and a Portugal-based investment
- Reported directly to CEO and President, working cross-functionally across finance, operations, and business development
Education
NJIT – BS Finance & Entrepreneurship
Summa Cum Laude (2009)
Skema Business School – BS Business & MIS
(2007)
Skills
Business Skills
ExcelQuickbooksP&L ManagementFundraisingBudgetingFinancial Modeling
Technical Skills
JavascriptVBANode.jsReactExpressSQLGit
Languages
EnglishFrenchPortuguese