Greetings! I’m Justin Daniel.
I’ve spent 15+ years at the intersection of digital commerce, learning, and the kind of organizational chaos that only large organization can produce. I have thoughts and perspectives on these fields and where they are heading as well as what it takes to build a successful career. If any of that sounds compelling then keep an eye on this space.
What I Actually Do:
My career has lived in two lanes that most people treat as separate: eCommerce and digital merchandising on one side, customer education and learning & development on the other. I’ve run both, sometimes simultaneously, at companies like Lowe’s, PetSmart, JCPenney, and Bloomreach.
What that background gives me is a perspective that’s equal parts practitioner and educator. Someone who has shipped real work at scale and then had to figure out how to teach other people to do the same. That’s a combination that turns out to be pretty useful in an era when AI is changing both fields faster than most of us can keep up with.
The Academic Side:
The professional landscape is ever changing and can be intimidating to those entering the workforce for the first time. Whenever possible I share what I have learned with the next generation of professionals. I currently serve as an Industry Fellow at Santa Clara University and previously taught courses as an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of North Texas. I have also guest lectured at Texas A&M and participated in student facing presentations at the University of Central Florida. I’m almost always surprised and impressed by the questions college students ask.
Why This Site Exists:
For most of my career I let the logos on my resume do the talking. Good companies, good work but I never invested much in articulating what I think about the state of these fields and where they are heading. That felt like a missed opportunity, so this is my attempt to rectify that.
What Justin Thinks is the umbrella for all of it. Articles for certain, perhaps a book eventually, and who knows what else. The through-line is a genuine attempt to share what I’ve learned in a way that’s actually useful to someone else. No fluff, no thought leadership theater. Just honest perspective from someone who has done the work.
Let’s Connect:
The best place to follow along is LinkedIn, where new articles are promoted and thoughts are shared what week to week.
If you want to reach out directly about the writing, about speaking, about anything else then please use the contact page.