Mike K.

"I spent 15 years managing P&Ls before I started engineering the AI that drives them." Most AI projects fail because the engineer doesn't understand the business, and the executive doesn't understand the tech. I am the exception. I am a Deep Learning specialized AI Engineer who speaks the language of the C-Suite. The Evolution: From Finance to Deep Tech My journey didn't start with code; it started with capital. I learned resilience and adaptability at a Big 4 bank during the 2008 financial crisis and scaled private equity backed operations of consumer goods companies. I learned how businesses breathe, how they bleed, and how they scale. But I realized that strategy without implementation is just a wish list. I spent 4 years at Gap Inc. (Office of the CTO) as a "Full-Stack Operator," leading strategic initiatives that impacted over 2,500 resources. This was my catalyst. I stopped just managing technology and started engineering it. The Specialization: Deep Learning & Business Intelligence Today, as the Founder of Zeppelin Foundry, I don't just "consult." I build. I specialize in Deep Learning and AI Automation—not as a hobby, but as a surgical tool for business transformation. I look at a company like an engineer looks at a machine. I find the friction, and I build the AI solution to eliminate it. Proven Impact (The "Business Engineer" at Work): - Deep Learning Implementation: For a multi-million dollar building materials firm, I deployed a custom AI validation solution that cleaned 30 years of legacy data in just 4 days. That is a 93% reduction in time compared to the projected 8-week manual timeline. - Autonomous Lead Generation: I engineered a fully autonomous AI outbound solution for a SaaS firm, driving a 30%+ net increase in sales leads month-over-month. - Global Scale: At Gap Inc., I executed a 3-year strategic plan for 2.5K+ resources, resulting in 9-figure labor cost savings by aligning technology roadmaps with corporate priorities. - Revenue Growth: Overhauled an e-commerce tech stack to drive an 11x increase in direct-to-consumer sales for an international apparel brand. Why Hire Me? You aren't just hiring an AI Engineer; you are hiring a T-Shaped Operator that bridges the gap between operational challenges and technology. 1. I understand your "Why": I’ve owned $15M+ P&Ls. I know why ROI matters. 2. I build the "How": Whether it’s Deep Learning models, custom LLM integrations, or autonomous agent workflows, I build for durability and scale. 3. I bridge the gap: I can explain a neural network to your board of directors and a strategic roadmap to your engineering team. My Life Philosophy: I am a lifelong learner—from an MBA to being an early adopter of the latest AI tools like Claude Code. I believe we are currently in the greatest shift in business history. You can either be disrupted, or you can be the disruptor. Let’s build the latter.