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The Astronaut Test

We have a strict bar for everyone on our team.

Would you enjoy being stuck in outer space with us?Would you trust us to get you home?

You are going to spend a lot of time with your AI partner. They should be people you like having in the room and people you trust when things get hard.

We’re business peoplewho got obsessed with AI.

We’ve built companies, led teams, advised executives, shipped technology, raised capital, and lived with the consequences of real business decisions.

Now we spend our time helping companies figure out what AI actually means for them.

Our commitment to you

We put trust and value ahead of everything else. These are the commitments that keep us honest.

Trust comes first.

We tell you what we actually think, including when the answer is no, not yet, or that you are solving the wrong problem. We recommend what creates the most value for your business, even when it creates less work for us.

We help you uncover the right answer.

We bring experience, informed opinions, and honest challenge. We help you see what is likely to work, what is not, and when the smartest move is to wait. Then we combine that judgment with your understanding of the business to help you reach the right answer at the right time.

We build capability, not dependency.

We want your people to become more confident, capable, and equipped to make good decisions as AI continues to change. Your organization should become stronger because we were there.

We own the work and the experience.

There are no shortcuts. We do what we say, take responsibility when something misses, and stay with the work until it is right. We sweat the details you should not have to manage and continually look for ways to exceed your expectations.

Core values
R
Relatability.
Meet them where they’re at and keep it simple.
U
Unreasonable hospitality.
Listen intently. Delight customers. Leave an impression.
T
The score takes care of itself.
The little things add up.
R
Radical candor.
Talk it out with honesty and respect.
E
Extreme ownership.
Own the outcome. Don’t pass the buck.
M
MAFO.
Try things and learn things.

The people behind unburdn.

Nick Machol

Nick Machol

CEO
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Top rolesFormer CEO of Machol & Johannes and Almanac Technologies; DU B-School Board chair; YPO chair and member
Big wins$60M+ turnaround; 250+ hires; 550-unit real estate portfolio
CredentialsCPA (inactive); DU magna cum laude (Accounting & MAcc)
Hot take“Less mundane work, more human impact.”
Off the clockTwo-time 50-mile GoRuck finisher; annual Alaska heli-ski addict
Chris Cohen

Chris Cohen

COO
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Top rolesFounder; COO; Startup advisor
Big wins$40M+ ARR growth enablement; 2× Inc. 500 operator; built and led three multi-state teams
CredentialsYPO Key Associate; Perplexity Business Fellow; On Deck Strategy & Ops Fellow; Guest Speaker at Claremont Colleges
Hot take“Adopt or go extinct. AI literacy is non-negotiable.”
Off the clockStudent of boxing (thanks to Sam); natural-wine bar hunter; hikes and fetch with Kato
Jason Walkow

Jason Walkow

President & CTO
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Top rolesFounder of multiple startups; Engineering Leader; Community Builder; Dad of two
Big winsBootstrapped to millions in revenue and an exit; INC 5000; Gator 100; multiple technology transformations
CredentialsFounder, boulder.codes; Boulder Startup Week Lead (Hackathon & Pitch Comp); frequent AI speaker
Hot take“AI is the most transformative technology since the internet.”
Off the clockBasketball, dad jokes, hiking and fishing. Lifetime BJJ Blue Belt
Sam Goldberg

Sam Goldberg

CSO & GC
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Top rolesFounder & GC of multiple startups; USC Law adjunct professor; PEF chapter co-lead
Big wins$30M+ capital raised; founder of companies that have generated over $200M+ in revenue; partnered with companies including CBS, IBM, and WPP
CredentialsFederal judicial clerkship; patent license; Simpson Thacher alum; valedictorian (high school); summa cum laude (college); Order of the Coif (law school)
Hot take“AI can usher in an era of expanded human knowledge.”
Off the clockMilitary historian, painter of mountains, and jump-roping legend
Bryan Berman

Bryan Berman

Managing Director
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Top rolesFounder and CEO of Berman Investments; Chairman, numerous YPO global programs and chapters
Big winsBuilt and exited from two $100 million revenue companies; YPO Global Leadership Award, 2023
CredentialsJD, Vanderbilt University Law School; State and Federal Bar Admissions; 20+ years M&A legal and operational consulting across multiple industries; Advisory Board and Executive Committee Member for various insurance, fintech, and defense tech companies; holder of two patents
Hot take“Go Big or Go Home!”
Off the clockUSTA 4.5 tennis player; extreme-environment hunting and fishing addict; instrument-rated pilot
Megan Edwards

Megan Edwards

Client Partner
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Top rolesChief of Staff; Head of Strategy & Enablement; Director of PMO
Big winsSaved $20MM in operating costs in under 15 months; built operating systems from scratch for rapidly scaling companies; led enterprise-wide transformations
Credentials15+ years across operations, strategy, transformation, and change; fintech, banking, and startup experience
Hot take“Most transformation problems aren’t technology problems. They’re people, process, and adoption problems.”
Off the clockMom of 3 (soon to be 4), non-profit sports league operator, avid hiker, book club lifer, and usually planning a trip or event
Jacob Bochner

Jacob Bochner

Senior AI Engineer
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Top rolesEngineering and intelligence analysis background; builds software that solves client problems
Big winsShipped AI solutions to track foreign military operations for senior national security policymakers
CredentialsEngineering and intelligence analysis expertise
Hot take“Most companies are only extracting a fraction of the value that AI can offer.”
Off the clockPickleball, sports, and DIY football betting models
Karisa Fernandez

Karisa Fernandez

Operations Manager
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Top rolesPartnerships management, product leadership, and software engineering at startups; often first in the role
Big winsPartner work that contributed to a $35M raise; post-M&A integration across international teams; new processes built from scratch
CredentialsKeeps clients and operations moving; nothing falls through the cracks
Hot take“AI rewards curiosity. Show up, learn, win.”
Off the clockDogs and cats, good music, good food, and good people
Marilyn Horabuena

Marilyn Horabuena

EA to the CEO
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Top rolesMom of two; U.S. Senate staffer; Program Director; Bank Lead
Big winsHead Teller and top sales performer in banking; helped startups and small business owners build reliable operating systems for staffing, onboarding, emergency preparedness, and continuity plans
Credentials20+ years in executive admin; trusted right hand to Chiefs of Staff and Executive Directors
Hot take“If it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t exist.”
Off the clockProud member of the Boss Moms Club
Taylor Gordon

Taylor Gordon

Client Experience Coordinator
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Top rolesOperations and project management; property owners association leadership; client and executive support
Big winsMade complex work run smoother across higher education, financial services, property management, and large-scale recovery; managed high-stakes projects and millions in assessments; earned an MBA while working full time and raising three boys
CredentialsMBA, Appalachian State University; experience in operations, project management, finance, governance, and client relations
Hot take“The best technology doesn't replace the human side of work, it gives us more time for it.”
Off the clockLocal events with her husband and sons; serving at church; the latest house project; days in the mountains of Western North Carolina
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