The Work
Excellence in action. Each project represents the pursuit of arete through building, creating, and solving meaningful problems. From transforming education to empowering communities, these ventures embody the philosophy that excellence is not a destination, but a way of being.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle
The Forge of Professional Excellence
Vixxo
Current Workplace
Leading AI transformation at a nationwide facilities solutions company. Building the future of facilities management by architecting an AI-powered marketplace that turns fragmented service delivery into intelligent orchestration. From self-serve onboarding to predictive analytics to instant payouts, creating systems where every job generates intelligence, every technician becomes a trusted partner, and "waiting for a fix" becomes obsolete. This is arete applied to the intersection of AI, marketplace dynamics, and enterprise operations at scale.
Laboratories of Excellence
Each venture is an experiment in excellence—testing ideas, building communities, and creating value through the disciplined pursuit of craft and continuous improvement.
RevivaGo
An on-demand, two-sided marketplace connecting consumers with vetted, licensed clinicians for in-home medical wellness services. Starting with mobile IV hydration and vitamin injections in Queen Creek, AZ. Making safe, medically-supervised IV therapy as easy as hailing a ride.
RevivaGo Peptides
Research-use peptide supply for qualified buyers 21 and older. Rigorous attestation, no medical advice, and no public store. Built for buyers who understand the boundary between research supply and clinical care.
VeinCraft Academy
Hands-on IV cannulation training with live patients. Small classes, direct instructor feedback, and mastery-based progression for nurses, paramedics, and mobile IV professionals. First stick, every time.
RN Coach
AI nurse career assessment agent. Personalized guidance for understanding strengths, specialty fit, and next moves without generic job-board noise.
Peptide Health Lab
Research-cited peptide education. Every compound graded by the strength of human evidence behind it, built for informed conversations with licensed providers, not vendor hype.
Mastery Lab
The embodiment of arete in digital form. A platform dedicated to helping people pursue excellence through deliberate practice, continuous learning, and the disciplined development of their craft. Where ancient wisdom meets modern tools for transformation.
MarketyHub
Online marketplace connecting market owners, vendors, and consumers. Saturday-morning farmers' market energy brought online, with community-driven commerce, vendor management, and local discovery.
DEREX Tools
Excellence in simplicity. Individual sockets and wrenches from Harbor Freight's ICON and Quinn tool lines. Sometimes excellence means having exactly the right tool for the job: no more, no less.
Salt & Iron
Trail running community and media platform. Onboarding the next generation of trail runners with content, social, and Strava integration.
Birthday Party Central
AI party planner agent with local vendor booking. Plan the perfect party from theme to vendors in Queen Creek, Gilbert, Mesa, and Chandler.
Fight Simulator
Online boxing simulation game. Build your fighter, train your skills, and compete in the ring.
You Must Read This
Curated essential books for the excellence journey. Antifragile, Pragmatic Programmer, Phoenix Project, and the shelves that actually change how you think.
dereklikes
Personal taste map. What has my attention, my refuge, and where my time and money actually go. Categories from trail to philosophy to caffeine.
ManaRank
Competitive identity for Magic: The Gathering Commander players. Track your games, earn competitive ratings, and climb leaderboards at your local game store. Giving playgroups the competitive edge they deserve.
Groove Tape
AI-powered Spotify playlist design through a guided chat interface. Describe your mood, era, genre, and vibe, then review AI-curated track lists and create playlists on Spotify with one click.
Agile Weekly
Pursuing excellence in team leadership and software craft. Weekly insights on agile methodologies, authentic leadership, and building high-performing teams that embody the principles of arete in their daily practice.
Township Cards
A card matching tool for Playrix Township players. Register your card inventory during collection events and get automatically matched with compatible trading partners who have cards you need and need cards you have.
Flowtopic
Excellence in conversation and collaboration. An application for running lean coffee meetings that embodies the principle of "doing over saying", creating structured, meaningful discussions where ideas flow and decisions emerge naturally.
On the Anvil
Projects in the forge, not yet ready for the arena. Each one represents a domain acquired and a build plan in motion.
After the Stork
Parenting guidance for the transition after birth. Domain acquired, build plan in motion.
Daddy Bootcamp
Fatherhood preparation and coaching for expectant and new dads. Domain TBD.
Derek Coaching
Executive coaching and leadership development for leaders serious about arete. Transform teams through being, not position.
Endurance Leader
Endurance sports leadership and community for athletes pursuing excellence in long-distance sport.
Exploring Medical Careers
Career exploration for aspiring healthcare professionals evaluating paths into medicine.
Fit Intuition
Fitness guidance that listens to your body. Training decisions grounded in intuition and deliberate practice.
Fitvo
Fitness tracking and coaching platform for athletes building consistent training habits.
Fit×Food
Nutrition and fitness integration for performance-focused eating that supports the work.
Faith-centered community and content at forchrist.com.
Made to Run
Running community and resources for runners building a lasting movement practice.
Mobile Peptide Therapy
Mobile peptide therapy delivery connecting patients with licensed providers.
MoodArk
Mood tracking and mental wellness tools for building emotional awareness and resilience.
Paramedicine Education
Education platform for paramedicine professionals advancing clinical skills and career paths.
Ruck Packs
AI ruck training planner with personalized programs, weight progression, and event preparation.
The Mom Lab
AI maternal wellness guidance for trying-to-conceive, pregnant, and postpartum moms. Trustworthy health content with care service referrals.
Van Ghost
AI art critique and analysis tool. Upload your work and get feedback through the lens of art history's masters.
Visual Remedies
Visual health and remedies education for evidence-informed wellness decisions.
The professional body for AI-native builders. Community, events, certification, and training.
Why AZ
Arizona lifestyle and relocation content for people considering the desert as home.
Ready to Pursue Excellence Together?
Excellence is not a solo journey. I'm always open to collaborating with others who are serious about pursuing arete in their work, building meaningful projects, and creating environments where people can flourish.
Connect with Derek