Specialist build the tools, Generalist build machines.

“So, what do you do for a living?”

Every time I hear that, I get a mini panic attack. I should have a clean answer. A neat title. One lane I dominate.

But here’s the thing — I didn’t pick one sport. I didn’t go all-in on a single specialty. I took the longer, messier road — the generalist path. And I think there’s real value in that. Maybe even a secret advantage.

To be clear: I focus on growth. But the path to growth? Rarely straightforward. I’ve seen it over and over — the goals are clear, but the resources, structure, or skill sets aren’t. That’s usually when I get pulled in. (Cue me stepping out of a phone booth.)

So, why do generalists get a bad rap?

Because most companies hire based on boxes. Job titles. Checklists. They want a specialist who can do one thing really well — because that feels safer.

But here's the catch: specialists build depth. Generalists build direction.

When you're scaling a company, launching a new product, or fixing something that's stuck, you don't just need someone who knows one tool — you need someone who knows how the whole system works. Someone who can step back, spot the bottlenecks, and ask the questions no one else is asking.

That’s not a brain surgeon.That’s a builder.A connector.A generalist.

Why Am I Even Talking About This?

Because I believe every part of a company — product, process, even billing — is a marketing opportunity. That’s not theory. I’ve lived it (and shoutout to James, who drilled that into my head early on).

So yeah, maybe “generalist” doesn’t fully capture what I do. But here’s what it does represent: someone who’s sat in multiple seats, across multiple industries, and can see the whole board — not just one square.

Honestly? That’s where innovation comes from. That’s how weird, useful, overlooked ideas happen. That’s how you grow.

Here’s the Part I Struggle With

The job market.

I scroll job boards and realize only after reading the fine print what they’re actually looking for. So I rewrite the title on my resume and apply. But every time, it feels… fake.

So maybe this post isn’t about generalists vs. specialists.

Maybe it’s a rant about a hiring system that still doesn’t know what to do with people like me.

The job market.

I scroll job boards and realize only after reading the fine print what they’re actually looking for. So I rewrite the title on my resume and apply. But every time, it feels… fake.

So maybe this post isn’t about generalists vs. specialists.

Maybe it’s a rant about a hiring system that still doesn’t know what to do with people like me.

What get crazy though is the job market, I look at the sea of job boards and realize only after reading the job title, what they are really looking for. So I change the title on the resume and apply, but it feels fake and maybe this is not a post about Generalist or Specialist, maybe this is my rant against a very broken hiring system?  

I grow businesses. I find what’s broken, what’s stuck, or what hasn’t been built yet — and I fix it. Or I build it. Or I connect the people who can.

If you see a job title for that, send it my way.