Welcome to Brazen Careerist!

About Me

Here are a few more things you should know about me:

1. Though it wasn’t always the case, I currently live my life based on the five principles I write about here: Minimalism, Mobility, Adaptability, Sustainability, Entrepreneurship. I feel all five in unison provide the best recipe I can muster for achieving my version of the optimal life.

2. I used to speak five languages quite well, but now it’s more like two languages fluently (English and Spanish), and three just so-so (French, Italian, German). I’d like to get back to knowing all five.

3. I am an architect by trade. For the last five years, I have worked as an architect designing signature high-end buildings of all typologies and scales around the World. From a city of 100,000 inhabitants, to several ultra-luxury, mixed-use residential and hospitality developments, to a backpacker’s lodge in Machu Pichu. My most recent project involves designing thousands of makeshift homes as part of the long-term earthquake relief effort in Haiti. Frankly, I’d be happy designing/developing/building two to three small residential and commercial projects a year. If you have something in mind, let me know. I am always open to exploring new ideas.

4. I currently work at a well-known design firm in Miami, but would much rather generate enough income from this blog and other self-propelled projects to go back to the more nomadic, location independent lifestyle I enjoyed before joining the corporate ranks. Your contributions are much appreciated in this regard.

5. I have lived in Miami for the last four years and that is by far the longest I have lived in one place since the age of 18. In that time other basecamps include Chile, New Zealand, St. Louis, Boston, New York, San Juan and Helsinki. I’m hoping to move again very soon. My options include New York, Boston, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Berlin, London, or Munich. I am open to other suggestions.

6. I am an avid cyclist and snowboarder. I also like soccer, golf, squash, hiking, and high-altitude alpinism (none of which I have had the chance to do lately). Starting next year, I’d like to climb several well-known peaks including Mt. Rainier (Washington), Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Aconcagua (Chile), and Orizaba (Mexico).

7. I have greatly reduced my possessions and am working towards the goal of living with less than 100 things. I know the number is arbitrary, but it works for me. I like establishing concrete benchmarks.

8. I have spent my entire life cultivating my intellect and building my ‘personal brand’ (half of it unbeknownst to me). Six months ago I decided to take my own personal brand online (by developing this blog), in order to share what I’ve learned with the World. It consists of two blogs, a small design studio, and a non-profit foundation focused on education, water, and hunger. Two of these are up-and-running. The other two are upcoming.

9. I love helping people and this blog is the direct result of that passion.

10. I wish I did, but honestly, I don’t always recycle.

Education

• Washington University - St. Louis
• Masters, Architecture
• 2003 - 2006

• Tufts University
• Bachelors, History, Architectural Studies, Philosophy
• 1997 - 2001