Hi, I'm Doug, founder and builder of Basefound!

For the past 25 years, I've had an exciting but somewhat accidental career in banking and fintech. I consulted for banks, built platforms, and advised payment companies. The work has been meaningful, but I've never felt fully connected to it.

I grew up drawn to creative activities and imagined a life in architecture, advertising, or music production. At 21, I joined a touring band as a singer and guitarist. We played 29 states and Europe and released eight records. It was an incredible run, but eventually my life shifted in a different direction.

A few random pivots led me into financial technology. I worked for a bank, started a company, consulted for years, and helped others build their ideas. I've been successful, but that lingering feeling persisted. Something was missing.

This past summer, while my dog Jocko was in the hospital (he is fine now), I finally paused long enough to create something for myself: an AI journal that talks back. I had tried journaling for years without sticking to it because entries just sat there. When I built what became Basefound, I felt clarity I hadn't experienced in years. Friends tried it and felt clarity too, and that is when this shifted from a project to a mission.

As part of ongoing research for Basefound, I recently worked with an IRL coach trained in Simon Sinek's "WHY" framework. Together we landed on mine:

To help people give their personal stories the authority they deserve so they can achieve their life's purpose.

Most of us are surrounded by unexamined wisdom. Basefound helps us see our own words clearly, through meaningful historical and thematic perspectives, so we can grow with intention.

So that's me!

I'm here in Chicago with my two dogs, still playing music, still creating, and finally building something that feels like home.

Remember, it is never the wrong time to connect with your purpose!