From corporate IT to independent builder

The corporate chapter

I spent over 20 years at EDS and HP, starting as a systems engineer and eventually becoming a solutions architect. I led teams, delivered manufacturing execution systems for automotive clients like Volvo and DEUTZ, and later moved to China as part of HP's global team.

Those years taught me how to ship under pressure, how to listen to customers (even when they don't know what they want), and how to build systems that don't break on a Friday at 4pm.

But after two decades, I wanted to build my own things. So I left corporate life and went independent.

The training apps – and the takedown

I built a suite of exam preparation apps. QuizzerWiz, TOGAF prep, AWS and Azure exam trainers, Chinese driver's license test – over 8 apps across iOS, Android, Windows, and web. They worked. People used them. I had a real business.

Then trademark complaints came in. Not lawsuits – just platform takedown notices from Apple, Google, and Udemy. Within days, my apps were gone. Years of work, removed from stores. No court. No appeal. Just platform power.

That was the wake-up call. I had been building for other people's problems – and renting space on platforms I didn't control. I decided to change everything.

The Airbnb that broke me (then saved me)

While rebuilding, I started hosting on Airbnb. I thought it would be easy extra income. Instead, it was chaos. Spreadsheets. Missed messages. Double bookings. Late-night panic when a guest couldn't check in.

I was using five different tools to run one small rental. It was ridiculous. So I did what I always do: I built my own solution.

Private Host HQ started as a personal tool – an app to run my guest stays without losing my mind. Offline-first, portable data, no subscription traps. Just something that worked when I needed it.

Other hosts saw it and wanted it. So I polished it and released it. Today it's a real product, used by independent hosts who don't want to be locked into rental platforms or duct-taped spreadsheets.

Then I realized: the same approach works for life

After losing my training apps, I noticed other gaps. I had no habit tracker that stuck. No fair way to make decisions with my partner. No central place for my documents. No plan for what happens when I'm gone.

So I built those too. My Perfect Tomorrow became the umbrella: Habit Hero, Flick Decide, Identity Buddy, and When I Am Gone. Four tools, one purpose – reduce mental load so you can focus on what matters.

They're not revolutionary. They're just useful. And I use every single one of them.

The live case study

Dumaguete Travel is my own Airbnb property site. 5-star reviews. Consistently booked. It runs on the same tools I sell – Private Host HQ for operations, and a WordPress setup that shows real availability, guest reviews, and trust signals.

It's not a demo. It's my actual rental. If the tools weren't good, I'd be the first to know. And I'm not shy about showing it.

What I'm doing right now

My main focus is Private Host HQ. I'm actively building companion apps for guests and service providers – turning a single-host tool into a complete ecosystem for independent rentals.

I'm also open for contract development work. If you need a website for your rental property, a custom app, or someone who actually understands both code and real-world operations – let's talk.

I'm not a consultant who never ships. I'm a builder who uses what I make. That's what you get if you hire me.