He / Him
Hi. I'm Paul.
Professional geek.
Master of memes.
Advocate.
A people-first leader who builds clarity, momentum, and trust across teams and projects.With over 25 years of experience, I specialize in turning complex challenges into streamlined solutions that actually work. My focus is on outcomes, honest communication, and helping others do their best work without the corporate nonsense.
Outside the Office (a.k.a. Real Life)
When I’m off the clock, I’m all in on the roles that matter most—husband, dad, grandpa, friend, and just a decent human trying to make a dent in the universe. My life is happily anchored by a tight-knit crew, both human and canine. Whether it’s a zoo trip with the grandkids or a long walk with my wife and our dog to reset the brain, I find joy in the small, grounding rituals that make life feel whole.I believe how we treat people—friends, strangers, and everyone in between—says more about us than anything on a résumé. I’m loyal to a fault, I show up when it counts, and I carry my values everywhere I go. My core beliefs don’t clock in and out with the workday. Kindness is strength. Empathy is a learned superpower. And listening? Criminally underrated.Beyond family life, I’m engaged in causes that mirror what I stand for: social justice, diversity, inclusion, and equity. I believe in science, in love without conditions, and in lifting people up regardless of where they started. I try to live those beliefs through service, honest conversations, and being there when it’s not convenient.When the world quiets down, you’ll catch me buried in an audiobook, toying with a pet project, or rewatching a favorite series for the fourth (okay, fifth) time. I’ve got a soft spot for dad jokes, memes that hit too close to home, and wildly specific rabbit holes—ask me about something, and I’ll probably have a TED Talk ready.Bottom line: I’m a human first. I lead with heart, humor, and a healthy respect for not taking life too seriously. Because in the grand scheme of things, showing up—fully and intentionally—matters more than playing it safe.
My Values
Core values form the bedrock of an individual's character, shaping both personal and professional actions and choices.These are the principles that drive how I work, how I lead, and how I show up for people—whether it's clients, colleagues, or the community. They shape the decisions I make, the way I handle challenges, and the energy I bring into every conversation. Think of them as my internal compass, keeping me aligned and grounded.Here’s what guides me:
INTEGRITY is the commitment to do the right thing, even when no one’s watching—or when doing the wrong thing would be easier and more profitable. It’s about honesty, transparency, and following through on your word. In a world full of shortcuts, integrity means taking the high road (even when it’s a steep uphill climb). It builds trust like compound interest: slow, steady, and powerful over time.
EXCELLENCE means setting a higher bar—not to show off, but because you care. It’s about doing things with intention, precision, and pride, whether it’s a major presentation or formatting a spreadsheet. Excellence isn’t perfectionism; it’s a refusal to settle for “meh.” It’s the drive to keep improving and showing up as your best self, even on Mondays.
SERVICE means putting others first with purpose and heart. It’s about being useful, not just helpful—solving real problems, not just making a show of caring. Service means showing up consistently, doing the unglamorous work, and focusing on the impact rather than the credit. At its best, service transforms transactions into relationships and customers into loyal advocates.
LEARNING is the fuel that keeps you evolving—not just professionally, but as a human being. It’s a mindset that sees mistakes as tuition payments for wisdom. Embracing learning means being curious, coachable, and never too proud to ask a “dumb” question (which usually turns out to be the smart one anyway). The world doesn’t stand still, and neither should your knowledge.
ALTRUISM is showing up for others without keeping score. It’s the instinct to lift others up, give without expectation, and leave things better than you found them—whether that’s a person, a business, or a community. Altruism isn’t about self-sacrifice for martyrdom’s sake; it’s about making kindness a strategy, not just a sentiment. When you lead with generosity, you create ripple effects that go far beyond what you can see.
HUMOR is a pressure valve, a bridge builder, and often the best way to tell the truth. It lightens the heavy stuff and reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously—even when the stakes are high. Humor isn’t just about cracking jokes; it’s about perspective, timing, and knowing when to use levity to bring people together. Done right, it can turn tension into trust and awkwardness into authenticity.
These values matter to me and should matter to the people I work with. Taken together, they form a foundation that is grounded in doing good work for the right reasons, while still having a little fun along the way. They influence how I build relationships, make decisions, and navigate uncertainty. Whether I'm solving a complex business challenge or just responding to an email with a well-placed GIF, these values keep me aligned with what matters most: doing meaningful work, staying true to myself, and helping others do the same.For more about my leadership philosophy, click here.
My Career and backstory
I'm a builder—not of just systems or software, but of relationships, teams, and trust. Over the past 20+ years, I’ve worked across industries and job titles, but the common thread has always been people. I help smart folks do their best work by removing roadblocks, clarifying the chaos, and creating an environment where collaboration actually works.My career started in the kind of places that teach you everything you don’t learn in school: tech support queues, customer onboarding calls, and troubleshooting marathons that ended with, “Thanks, Paul. You saved my day.” Those early years gave me something invaluable—empathy, urgency, and a real understanding of how people interact with systems (and how those systems often fall short).Eventually, I stepped into product and team leadership roles at a la mode, where I helped evolve products like WinTOTAL and TOTAL Sketch. I worked hand-in-hand with devs, QA, and business leaders to ship updates that mattered. From there, I joined Appraisal Scope, and later CoreLogic after an acquisition, navigating the shift from nimble startup to enterprise bureaucracy without losing my sense of purpose (or humor). Through it all, I stayed focused on connecting the dots between what users need, what the business wants, and what the tech can actually deliver.But like any seasoned pro, I reached a point where I wanted to build something from scratch. Something different. Something new.So I co-founded PLS Balance My Books, a modern bookkeeping firm built to serve small businesses with clarity, honesty, and a no-BS approach to financial organization. We’re not your typical number-crunchers—we help overwhelmed owners make sense of their money, clean up the chaos, and actually understand what’s going on under the hood. I lead operations and strategy, using everything I’ve learned about product delivery, systems thinking, and human-centered design to make sure our services are simple, effective, and dare I say…enjoyable?It’s been a wild shift—from building software for tens of thousands of users to building a firm that works one-on-one with entrepreneurs—but the core remains the same: listen hard, fix real problems, and leave things better than you found them.I’ve spent over two decades doing this in various forms, and while the industries and roles have changed, the mission hasn’t: build stuff that works and support the people behind it.
My Leadership Philosophy
Built on five tenets: Trust, Clarity, Empathy, Accountability, and Culture
For more about my core values, click here.1. Trust First, Authority Second
I don’t lead with a title—I lead with trust. Before I expect a team to follow me, I earn their confidence by being transparent, showing up consistently, and doing what I say I’ll do. That trust forms the foundation for everything else: communication, decision-making, and collaboration. Leadership isn’t about control—it’s about creating an environment where people feel safe to do their best work.2. Clarity Over Chaos
Ambiguity kills momentum. I’ve seen brilliant teams grind to a halt not because they lacked talent, but because they lacked direction. So I lead with clarity—clear goals, clear priorities, clear roles. I ask hard questions like “What are we really solving for?” and “What’s the next smallest step we can take that moves us forward?” I believe every team deserves a clear runway—and it’s my job to pave it.3. Empathy Is a Leadership Superpower
Technical skills build systems. Empathy builds teams. I take time to understand where people are coming from—what motivates them, what frustrates them, and what they need to succeed. I check in often and listen more than I speak. I don’t believe in “leave your feelings at the door”—I believe the emotional health of a team is directly tied to its performance.4. Accountability with Heart
Empathy doesn’t mean low standards. I believe in holding people accountable—but doing it in a way that builds them up, not breaks them down. I give honest feedback, own my mistakes, and expect others to do the same. I don’t tolerate finger-pointing, passive aggression, or blame games. Accountability, when done right, creates autonomy, confidence, and results.5. Culture by Design, Not Accident
Great culture doesn’t happen organically—it happens intentionally. I focus on designing team culture that values psychological safety, open dialogue, shared wins, and yes, even well-timed memes. I want people to look forward to showing up, knowing they’re seen, respected, and part of something that actually matters. Culture is how we work when no one’s watching—and I treat it like part of the product we’re building.These five tenets guide how I show up as a leader. They’re not just philosophies—they’re practices I’ve built over 25 years of working with people, solving hard problems, and learning (sometimes the hard way) what real leadership looks like.
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