Founder · Operator · Builder
I've built two companies from zero — one sold for C$60M, one became the largest facility of its kind on Earth. Now I'm looking for the next hard problem.
Let's Talk
Toronto, Ontario
Founder · Operator · Builder
I've built two companies from zero — one sold for C$60M, one became the largest facility of its kind on Earth. Now I'm looking for the next hard problem.
Let's TalkAbout
The industry was cannabis. The problems were enterprise software, government-grade compliance infrastructure, and precision manufacturing at scale. Those problems exist everywhere.
I'm a hands-on founder and operator with 15 years building companies from zero in highly regulated, technically complex industries. At Ample Organics I wrote code, designed systems, and scaled a compliance platform to power over 80% of Canada's licensed cannabis producers — processing more than $1B in GMV — before a C$60M acquisition. At JointCraft™ I built a 60,000 sq. ft. manufacturing operation from scratch, personally deploying the ERP, designing production tooling on a 3D printer, and growing the team to 150 people and 36 million units a year.
What makes me different from most executives: I don't just set direction — I'm in the stack. I've built and shipped software, integrated AI and computer vision into operations, implemented ERP and quality management systems, and prototyped physical hardware. I understand AI transformation not as a boardroom concept but as something I've applied at ground level to compress costs, eliminate paperwork, and create competitive moats. That combination of strategic vision and technical depth is rare, and it's where I do my best work.
"John is in the 1% of the 1% of entrepreneurs. He's the rare founder who can set the strategy, build the product, and scale the operation — all at once."
Ian Morton · Chairman, Ample Organics · Founder & Executive Chairman, Summerhill Group
What I'm looking for
Full-time CEO or CTO at a technology company — early to growth stage preferred — where the role requires both strategic leadership and hands-on technical depth. Particularly drawn to AI, regulated industries, manufacturing tech, and deep software. Also open to board or advisory roles where I can contribute pattern recognition from building in complex, high-stakes environments. Open to relocation. If you need an operator who can set the vision and help execute it, let's talk.
Career
Three companies built from scratch — enterprise software, space & defence, and advanced manufacturing. Different industries, same pattern: find a hard problem, build the infrastructure to solve it, and scale.
The world's largest pre-roll manufacturing facility — a 60,000 sq. ft. federally licensed operation producing classic, infused, and specialty pre-rolls for 30+ of Canada's leading cannabis brands, plus edibles, vape filling, and full turnkey brand solutions.
Space and defence company developing mission-critical, dual-use technologies — including the LEUNR portable nuclear micro-reactor, quantum sensing, robotics, and space systems for terrestrial and lunar applications.
Bootstrapped from a dining room table into Canada's dominant seed-to-sale compliance platform — the infrastructure backbone that Health Canada and the entire licensed producer ecosystem ran on through legalization and beyond.
Visual Story
From Times Square announcements to factory floors — a visual record of building an industry.
Press & Recognition
On Camera
Recognition
Get in Touch
I'm actively seeking my next CEO or CTO role and open to board and advisory positions. I respond to every serious inquiry within 24 hours — email or LinkedIn is best.