I didn't start with a computer science degree or a garage full of investors. I started as an Army veteran back home in Vineland, NJ, trying to figure out what came next after service — the same question a lot of veterans get stuck on the day the uniform comes off.
The problem I kept running into
Small contractors and local business owners lose money every single day they can't answer the phone. A missed call is a missed job. I watched it happen to people I know personally — guys running one-man operations who couldn't afford a receptionist and couldn't be on a ladder and on the phone at the same time.
That's the problem QUEENEE was built to solve: an AI-powered virtual front desk that answers calls, books appointments, and follows up with leads — so a contractor never loses a job because they were mid-job.
Building it without a technical co-founder
I'm not going to pretend this was easy or that I had it all figured out from day one. Building QUEENEE meant learning enough about AI conversation engines, phone systems, and databases to get something real into the hands of small business owners — while also running HSW365 Media, my music career, my streetwear line, and raising a family.
The truth is, most people who could use a tool like this never get introduced to it, because the AI industry talks past small business owners, not to them. That's part of why I talk about this as much as I talk about music or my books — the story is the same story: figure it out, keep moving, don't wait for permission.
From the block to the boardroom (sort of)
I've lived a version of this story before — from incarceration and homelessness, through a cancer diagnosis, to fatherhood and now running a multi-brand company spanning tech, music, fashion, and film. QUEENEE isn't separate from that story. It's the same resilience applied to a different problem.
What's next
QUEENEE is actively onboarding small business owners who are tired of losing calls and losing jobs. If that's you — or if you just want to hear the full story of how a veteran with no tech background built an AI company from scratch — reach out or check out what we're building.
Explore QUEENEE and the rest of the HSW365 ecosystem at hsw365.co.