The Author

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I need to be.” — Douglas Adams

Forever Learner, Explorer, and Creative

I’m Chad — a builder by nature, a traveler by calling, and a sales professional by trade. My path hasn’t been linear, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. From the plant floors of North American manufacturing companies to the back roads of the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, every chapter has shaped how I think, how I connect, and how I show up for the people around me.

This blog is a record of the adventures that made me who I am — the rides, the borders crossed, the moments of total uncertainty, and the people met along the way. It’s also, in a small way, a professional statement: that curiosity, grit, and a willingness to go somewhere unfamiliar are the things I value most.

The Professional Story

Enterprise Account Executive — Tractian (2026 – Present)

I’m currently an Enterprise Account Executive at Tractian, a YC-backed industrial technology company building AI-powered asset monitoring and predictive maintenance tools for manufacturing environments. Tractian’s mission — helping operators move from reactive maintenance to proactive reliability — sits right at the intersection of everything I’ve spent my career working around: industrial systems, enterprise software, and the growing role of data and AI in real-world operations. I’m focused on expanding Tractian’s presence across North American manufacturing, partnering with enterprise operators to reduce downtime and build smarter maintenance infrastructure.

Enterprise Account Executive — Aucto (2022 – 2026)

I joined Aucto as one of its earliest enterprise hires, helping build and scale an industrial asset recovery marketplace from the ground up. Over nearly four years, I worked across large capital closures, complex resale programs, and asset lifecycle initiatives with some of the world’s largest organizations — including Boeing, Chobani, Nemak, and Yazaki. I was a top performer in both partnership closes and gross market value for eight consecutive quarters, and in my final phase expanded my scope to lead supply-side marketplace development and team buildout. Aucto sharpened how I think about ownership, ecosystem building, and long-term enterprise relationships.

CEO & Founder — Cheegs (2020 – 2024)

Between the road and the boardroom, I built a company. Cheegs was a men’s apparel brand I founded during the pandemic, built around a simple idea: business clothing should be as comfortable and durable as your best outdoor gear. I raised $37K through Kickstarter, built three product lines worn by thousands of men across North America, and developed manufacturing partnerships in Asia and Central America. After four years, I wound Cheegs down intentionally — proud of what it became, and clear-eyed about where my energy needed to go next. The experience made me a better operator, a more empathetic leader, and a sharper enterprise seller.

English Teacher — Beijing, China (2019 – 2020)

After 18 months on the road — crossing Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and China by motorcycle — I landed in Beijing and spent a year teaching English. It was an unexpected chapter that deepened my Mandarin, broadened my perspective on business and culture, and gave me a firsthand understanding of industrial China that still informs how I think about global supply chains and manufacturing today.

The Adventure That Started It All

This blog was born on a motorcycle. In 2018, I set off from Scandinavia with a rough plan and a camera — and spent the better part of two years riding through Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Mongolia, and China. The journey wasn’t just about miles. It was about learning to be uncomfortable, to navigate uncertainty, and to trust the process even when the destination wasn’t clear. Those are the same skills I bring to enterprise sales every day.

The posts on this blog are the honest, unfiltered record of that journey — the good days, the mechanical breakdowns, the border crossings, and the people who changed how I see the world.

A Few More Things

Languages: English (native) · Mandarin Chinese (conversational, HSK 5) · Spanish (fluent) · French (beginner)

Education: University of St. Thomas, Bachelor of International Business · University of Arizona, International Business

Favorite Quotes:
“Take only memories, leave only footprints.” — Chief Seattle
“Hell is meeting the best version of yourself that you could have been at the end of your life.” — Unknown
“The most dangerous thing you can do in life is play it safe.” — Casey Neistat

Say hello: Chad@cheegs.com · LinkedIn