Gerard McLean
Gerard McLean
Solving complex problems at the intersection of technology and communication
Available for Employment & Consulting
Based in Viborg & Aarhus, Denmark
Solving complex problems at the intersection of technology and communication
Available for Employment & Consulting
Based in Viborg & Aarhus, Denmark
Multi-talented professional who bridges technical expertise with creative communication
Here's the truth: I used to sell exercise bikes to people with paralysis. I was very good at it. That experience taught me everything I need to know about understanding complex products, communicating value clearly, and connecting with people authentically.
I have a BA in English from the University of Minnesota and 30+ years building businesses, creating content, and solving problems where technology meets communication. I've helped transform four industries, written five books, and hosted three podcasts. Most recently, I migrated TourneyCentral to Google Cloud and learned to work collaboratively with AI tools to extend my capabilities—not replacing my judgment, but amplifying what I can accomplish.
What I bring to a team: I can take something technical and make it understandable. I write clearly. I build things that work. I know when AI-generated content sounds artificial and how to fix it. And when projects get complicated, I help teams see the path forward. I get things done, but I do my best work collaborating with others—whether that's people or tools.
Whether you're hiring or need consulting services
Strategic planning, market analysis, revenue opportunity identification, and partnership development. I've built businesses that transformed their industries.
From concept to launch—web applications, content management systems, and digital tools. Created one of the first searchable job boards on the internet.
Writing, video production, training materials, and communication strategy. I make complex topics accessible and engaging for any audience.
Book design, editing, publishing strategy, and market positioning through SharktoothPress. I help indie authors bring their stories to life professionally.
I don't take credit for other people's work. When something succeeds, it's because a team made it happen. My role is usually to help connect the dots—translate between technical and business needs, spot problems before they become fires, and make sure everyone understands the goal.
I learn by doing. I built TourneyCentral because I needed to understand the technology well enough to talk intelligently with developers and customers. I wrote books to understand publishing before helping other authors. I create podcasts to stay sharp on storytelling. Every skill serves a purpose, and most of what I know, I learned working alongside people who were better at it than me.
I'm comfortable being the least technical person in a technical conversation and the most technical person in a business conversation. That's useful. I ask questions that help teams see gaps they might have missed. I'm good at taking complex information and making it accessible without dumbing it down.
When software goes wrong or needs changes, I have a simple philosophy: "It's just software." There's no mystery or magic involved. If you approach problems methodically and logically, any problem can be solved—even if it looks complicated and impossible.
I also remind teams that "computers make very fast, very accurate mistakes," so we need to be careful what we ask them to do and test thoroughly before executing. And when something breaks? "There are no anomalies in software, just requests we didn't quite understand." It's about taking responsibility and improving communication, not blaming bugs.
I thrive in environments where collaboration matters more than hierarchy. Give me a problem, a team, and some space to work, and I'll help us figure it out together.
Because life isn't just about work
My mission is simple: I want to teach 100 people to play the harmonica, form a band, and play some venues—in person or virtually. I just think that would be cool.
I'm not trying to go pro. I just like the idea of bringing people together, creating something fun, and a hundred people who couldn't play harmonica last year actually doing it this year. Together. Maybe badly at first, but together. Lifelong learning isn't a buzzword—it's playing a blues riff at 50 because you finally decided to try.
Visit 100Harmonicas.com
For hiring managers wondering how all these pieces fit together
Looking at my resume, you might think: "This person has done too many different things. Where's the focus?" Fair question. Here's the thread that connects everything.
I started at Target in retail. I learned how businesses actually work on the ground—customers, operations, problems that need solving right now. From there, I moved to Huffy where I created training for thousands of field technicians who never came to an office. That taught me to communicate complex technical information to people who learn by doing, not by reading manuals.
At SPAR, I ran HR for 5,000 field merchandisers. I built the first IVR system to collect daily data from people scattered across the country. That's where I learned to build technology solutions for real business problems—not because it was cool, but because it was necessary.
Then I sold exercise bikes to paralyzed people. Sounds random, right? But that job required me to understand extremely complex medical technology, explain it clearly to people in the most difficult moment of their lives, and close deals where the stakes were incredibly high. I got good at making the complex understandable and earning trust quickly.
When I started Rivershark in 1995, I took everything I'd learned—technology, communication, training, sales—and built businesses around it. NARMS.com solved labor sourcing for an entire industry. TourneyCentral transformed how youth soccer tournaments operate. I didn't just manage these—I built the software, created the content, trained the users, and sold the service.
Here's what you're actually hiring: Someone who understands business operations from the ground up. Who can build the technology when it doesn't exist. Who can communicate technical concepts to non-technical people. Who can train teams, create content, and get things done. Not because I'm unfocused—because I learned that to solve real business problems, you often need to be able to do all of it.
I wrote five books because I wanted to understand publishing before helping other authors. I created podcasts to stay sharp on storytelling. I spoke at SXSW because I had something to say about authenticity in social media. Every skill serves a purpose. Every experience builds on the last.
What looks scattered is actually strategic. I'm not a specialist who only knows one thing. I'm someone who can see the whole picture, connect the dots between technology and business needs, and actually build the solution. That's rare. That's valuable. That's what you need when you have a complex problem that doesn't fit neatly into one department's job description.
Author and publisher through SharktoothPress
Available for full-time employment, consulting, or project work
Viborg & Aarhus, Denmark