I build software with AI agents, lead engineering teams, and help companies figure out what's next.
Engineering operator with startup CTO experience, now deep in agentic engineering and AI product development. I have been writing code and shipping products since I was a teenager, long before anyone was paying me to.
Former CTO at Ivy Energy. SDBJ Leaders of Influence in Technology 2024.
Software engineering is being reinvented right now. I'm in the middle of it.
I work at the intersection of agentic engineering and hands-on product building. That means using AI agents not as toys or demos, but as real tools in real workflows: writing code, reviewing architecture, managing complexity, and shipping faster with smaller teams.
I build with tools like Claude Code daily, including custom hooks, multi-agent workflows, and specialized tooling that pushes what's possible with agentic development. I also use these tools to ship real products, like NotePulse, a SaaS I built from zero to launch using AI-assisted rapid iteration.
The way software gets built is changing. The engineers who understand how to truly work with AI agents, not just use them, will define the next era. That's what I'm focused on.
A few things I believe
AI is doing to software what factories did to craftsmanship.
The same forces that democratized manufacturing are now democratizing code. Most of what's being produced is noise. But somewhere in the flood are the next great inventions of software.
Execution beats strategy every time.
The best plan is the one that ships. I have seen too many teams spend months architecting the perfect system while competitors ship something good enough and learn from real users.
Teams are the system. Tools are the amplifier.
AI tooling amplifies what's already there. If the team has clear ownership, good judgment, and strong execution habits, AI makes them dramatically faster. If not, it just makes the mess faster too.
Build for independence, not dependency.
Whether it's a company, a product, or a career, the goal is to own the outcome. I believe in building things that generate leverage, not just income.
I have been building since before anyone was paying me to
My career doesn't start with a first job. It starts with a teenager publishing apps and running a business. Every role since has been a chapter in the same story: build, ship, learn, repeat.
Indie Builder
Published 50+ mobile apps and games, amassing over 1 million downloads. Ran Junior Fountain, a school business that earned $10,000+ in profit in under a year. Wrote guest articles, appeared on podcasts. Building and shipping as a teenager.
Military & Education
Software developer in the Republic of Korea Air Force, receiving an Excellence Award for development work. Then UC San Diego for Computer Science, where I mentored 30 students through CodePath's iOS program and won Zoohackathon 2017 building with Google Cloud Vision ML.
Ivy Energy: Engineer to CTO
Joined as the first full-time engineering hire and built the original MVP. Grew from Software Engineer to Head of Engineering to CTO in under three years. Scaled from ~2 customers and 200 units to 30+ customers and 6,000+ units live. Grew the team from 2 to 8+ engineers plus a Data Science team. Managed a $2M budget across Product, Engineering, Data Science, and IT/Security. Led SOC2 compliance. Supported the company's $10M Series A.
Independent Operator
Fractional CTO advisory for founders scaling past funding. Founding software engineer at Saidi Health, where a strategic platform decision accelerated the MVP timeline. Building AI-native products. Deep in agentic engineering, using and pushing the boundaries of AI-assisted software development every day.
Selected projects
Ivy Energy Platform
Event-driven, microservices architecture powering virtual grid solar distribution. Built from the ground up, then modernized as CTO to support 6,000+ deployed units.
Python, JavaScript, AWS, Snowflake
NotePulse
Lightweight SaaS that tracks Notion page views with data stored directly in Notion. Built from zero to launch using AI-assisted development.
Next.js, Vercel, Notion API
Smartphone Tycoon
Simulation game where players run a smartphone company with AI-powered NPCs. Work in progress.
React, TypeScript, Three.js
50+ Mobile Apps
Published over 50 apps and games as an independent developer in the early 2010s, totaling 1M+ downloads across iOS and Android.
iOS, Android, Entrepreneurship
Beyond the code
SDBJ Leaders of Influence in Technology 2024
Recognized by the San Diego Business Journal for technology leadership and impact.
7CTOs Podcast
Guest appearance discussing engineering leadership, startup scaling, and technology strategy.
Korean Armed Forces Excellence Award
Awarded for software development contributions during military service in the Republic of Korea Air Force.
App Fresh Podcast & Bright Newt
Early career podcast and guest writing about indie app development and mobile publishing.
From people I've worked with
Sean brings a rare combination of deep software engineering expertise and a highly collaborative, team-oriented approach to leadership and strategy. He is highly forward-thinking in his approach to emerging technologies, particularly in AI and intelligent systems.
Michael Farina
Senior Product Manager, Schneider Electric
Sean ramps up extremely fast, asks the right questions, and is not afraid to speak up when something does not make sense. He brings clarity to ambiguity and demonstrates strong ownership and judgment.
Marcus Greene
Founder, Saidi Health
He didn't just rest on the technical foundation he built; he actively worked to improve our processes, from establishing clear roadmaps to completely reorganizing our chaotic Slack channels. He led by example.
James Forbes
Senior Technical Program Manager, Sony
Sean combined deep technical expertise with strategic vision, directly contributing to Ivy's growth, market differentiation, and industry leadership.
Austin Young
VP of Marketing, Ivy Energy
Let's talk about what you're building
I'm open to the right opportunity, whether that's a full-time engineering leadership role, a consulting engagement, or fractional CTO advisory. Here's how we can work together.
Engineering leadership or senior IC roles where I can build, scale, and lead at a company solving hard problems.
Fractional CTO advisory for founders scaling past funding. Engineering execution, leadership, and AI strategy.
Learn more →Short-term technical leadership, architecture reviews, AI strategy, and engineering assessments.
Get in touch
Drop me a message or book a time to talk. I read everything and respond to anything thoughtful.