About — Firebug Agency

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I'm Chris. I've spent my career building systems and processes that help organizations do what they do — better, faster, and smarter.

My background spans science journalism, institutional communications, and technology strategy — but the thread running through all of it is the same: figuring out how to implement the right tools and processes so organizations can actually reach their goals. I've done that work across research institutions, media companies, and content platforms.

That experience matters because AI isn't just a technology problem — it's a systems and strategy problem. The organizations that succeed with AI aren't the ones with the most technical firepower. They're the ones that understand how to redesign their processes around what's now possible, and execute methodically.

I started building with AI tools early — not as a hobbyist, but as someone responsible for real output at real organizations. I've designed AI-powered production pipelines, automated operational workflows, built data platforms from scratch, and constructed custom agent systems. I've also made every mistake along the way, which means I know which shortcuts work and which ones waste your time.

Firebug exists because I kept having the same conversation — with colleagues, with friends running nonprofits, with startup founders, with agency owners. They all said some version of the same thing: "I know AI matters. I don't know where to start. I don't have anyone who can help me figure it out." So I became that person.

I work with a small number of clients because I believe the only way this works is through deep understanding of your business. I'm not interested in scaling to 50 clients. I'm interested in being genuinely useful to 6-8 at a time.

Background

The path that led here.

Ongoing

Building platforms, systems, and AI workflows

I design and operate production systems, data platforms, and AI-powered workflows across multiple organizations and projects. From content pipelines to structured databases to custom agent builds — I ship real things that solve real problems.

Throughout

Technology implementation for organizations

Across every role, the constant has been identifying the right technology, designing the processes around it, and getting organizations to adopt it effectively. I've done this at research institutions, media companies, and content platforms — always focused on outcomes, not tools for tools' sake.

Foundation

Marketing, PR, and communications leadership

Years leading marketing, public relations, and communications at world-class research institutions — managing campaigns, media strategy, brand positioning, and audience development. That experience taught me how to translate complexity into clarity and drive organizational change, skills that directly inform how I help clients adopt AI.

What I believe

AI doesn't replace judgment. It amplifies it.

The best AI implementations don't remove humans from the equation — they give humans superpowers. They compress weeks of research into hours, surface patterns invisible to the naked eye, and automate the tedious work so people can focus on what actually requires a brain and a beating heart. That's what I build for my clients.

How I operate

The principles behind the work.

Honesty over salesmanship

If AI isn't the right solution for something, I'll tell you. I'm not here to sell you on AI for AI's sake. I'm here to make your organization more effective — and sometimes that means saying "don't bother with this one."

Build, don't just advise

The world has enough consultants who hand you a PDF and disappear. I build working systems. When we're done talking strategy, I roll up my sleeves and actually create the thing.

Stay small, stay useful

I deliberately keep my client roster small. Every organization I work with gets real attention, real thought, and real responsiveness. I'd rather be great for six clients than mediocre for sixty.

Plain language, always

I come from journalism. I believe in clarity. You'll never hear me say "leverage synergies" or "paradigm shift." I explain things in plain English and make sure you understand what we're doing and why.

What I work with

Tools, platforms, and capabilities.

AI platforms

Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and the broader ecosystem of foundation models and APIs

Automation

Custom workflow design, MCP integrations, agent building, API connections, and prompt engineering

Content systems

WordPress, Notion, Substack, editorial pipelines, publishing workflows, and content repurposing systems

Data & platforms

Supabase, structured databases, data modeling, and building data-driven platforms from scratch

Development

Next.js, Vercel, GitHub, and modern web stacks — enough to build and ship real products

Strategy

AI roadmapping, tool evaluation, competitive analysis, team training, and organizational change management

I started Firebug because too many smart organizations are flying blind on AI.