I'm a product- and customer-first Technology and Product leader who turns software into commercial results. I build scalable platforms, drive innovation and growth, and navigate the legal and governance risks that define the AI era.
With a Master of Laws (LLM) in IT & Privacy from the University of Illinois Chicago and executive leadership training at Kellogg, I bring unique perspectives to the work I do. I'm also an autodidact with interests across a range of topics from history to astrobiology, so if you're doing pub trivia night, I'm the guy.
On my work...
- Range: Led technology across the full company lifecycle — from global public companies like Groupon, serving hundreds of millions of customers and millions of merchants, to zero-to-one startups like Chief during its unicorn scaling phase.
- Industries: ecommerce, FinTech, SaaS software, social and membership platforms, EdTech.
- Scale: Most recently led technology for AI-driven EdTech platforms serving 17M+ students and 1M+ teachers.
- Angel investor: Work closely with ealry-stage companies in the midwest not just as a check but to help shape their product strategy and coach their Technology teams.
- Board governance: Serve as a Board Director and Technical Advisor, helping companies navigate growing pains and technology hype cycles and produce compliant, durable business value.
I now work with a select set of companies as an advisor — validating product strategy and roadmaps, scaling engineering teams, modernizing MVPs into platforms, and preparing technology for M&A diligence, fundraising, and board scrutiny. I don't just run product and technology — I align it with P&L to build resilient organizations that drive sustained growth.
John J. Higginson