David is the founder of Skylark Creations LLC, an AI-native creative technology studio based in Colorado that builds apps at the intersection of ancient insight, emerging technology, and play. Operating as a high-leverage solo "product lab," he uses agentic development workflows to design, build, and ship production-grade apps across iOS, Android, and web—moving from idea to production in days.
Current Skylark projects include BuddhaUR (iOS & Android), a conversational guide to early Buddhist wisdom with AI-powered dialogue grounded in authentic suttas—showing encouraging early retention with organic paying subscribers; QuickBite, a group food decision tool that helps friends converge on restaurant choices through fast, fair voting; AniMoment, which transforms your photos into contemplative audio meditations about the relationships between all things around you; Decomposer, an AI-powered planning tool that transforms messy goals into clear, structured plans; BloomEDU (iOS), a focused learning app for mastering wildflowers with photo-rich lessons and smart quizzes; and Sagent (iOS), which lets users consult timeless minds like Buddha, Jesus, Carl Sagan, and Mark Twain about modern dilemmas.
David also maintains the open-source Cursor Environment Docs project, an auto-updating documentation system that keeps AI development assistants smart about your project.
Beyond these flagship projects, David maintains a portfolio of 20+ actively developed experiments—from citizen science (Prairie Dog AI Listening) to creative games (Urban Beaver, DreamFlyer) to social coordination tools (Frolic)—using rapid prototyping and instrumentation to test traction and decide where to focus next. He brings together a deep love of wisdom traditions, humanistic AI, nature, and simple, joyful design.
He regularly shares insights on AI, philosophy, and product strategy through his blog Uncaged Minds, where he explores the intersection of technology and human experience with a focus on purposeful innovation.
David co-founded and served as CEO & Chief Product Officer of Jointly (2018-2025), a purpose-driven cannabis wellness technology platform. He conceived and launched the industry's first AI-powered virtual assistant for personalized product recommendations, leveraging 500K+ user data points. Under his leadership, Jointly grew to 500,000+ downloads with tens of thousands of monthly active users, achieving 35% retention at 30 days. He authored the "Theory of Purposeful Cannabis Consumption," reframing market perceptions and establishing cannabis as a holistic wellness tool.
From 2010-2020, David founded and operated Santa Monica Mountains Cyclery, building it into one of Southern California's top cycling retailers. He achieved 10 consecutive years of revenue and profitability growth, maintained a 4.92 average rating across 1,200+ five-star reviews, and pioneered innovative drop-ship partnerships that increased online sales by 60% year-over-year. The business culminated in a successful acquisition by Trek Bicycle.
Earlier in his career, David held leadership roles at McMaster-Carr (2002-2009), where he oversaw a $1B+ distribution operation with 300+ staff, implementing groundbreaking e-commerce parametric search and achieving 99.4% fulfillment accuracy. He also worked at Click Commerce Inc., Navistar, and other enterprises, consistently driving innovation in data-driven operations and e-commerce.
His educational foundation includes an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business (2002), a B.A. in Economics & Statistics from Northwestern University (1996), and a B.S. in Computer Science from Oregon State University (2016), providing him with a unique blend of business strategy and technical expertise.
David is a passionate naturalist dedicated to daily mindfulness and mountain hikes. He's fascinated by geology, botany, ecology, and early human history - always exploring how technology and nature can co-exist. His approach to product development is deeply influenced by these interests, seeking to create technology that enhances rather than replaces human connection with the natural world.
Beyond technology, David enjoys cycling, community advocacy, and playing both piano and banjo. His musical tastes lean toward bluegrass, jamgrass, folk, and reggae - genres that reflect his appreciation for authentic, community-driven creativity. He's a proud dog companion on every adventure, finding that the best product insights often come during long walks in nature.
David believes in harnessing technology to improve consumer well-being, with an emphasis on mindful product design and responsible AI development. He's particularly interested in how AI can augment human capabilities while preserving what makes us uniquely human - creativity, empathy, and our connection to the natural world.
David welcomes thoughtful conversations about AI, entrepreneurship, product strategy, or philosophy. Whether you're building something interesting, exploring new ideas, or just want to connect, feel free to reach out.
The best way to connect is through LinkedIn. For a more interactive experience, try chatting with ChatDDK, his AI persona that can answer questions about his work and philosophy.