// The human behind the commits
The long version — from broken electronics and impossible questions to two businesses in Southwest Florida.
Scroll ↓Before it was websites, software, or systems, it was taking things apart just to see what was inside. Remote-control cars, old electronics, random parts that probably should have stayed assembled — everything became material for another experiment. Robotics, wires, motors, broken gadgets, and half-working inventions were the first version of the workshop.
The curiosity was never only mechanical. I was always drawn to the bigger questions too — reality, the universe, time, black holes, dark matter, quantum physics, and the unknown forces underneath everything we think we understand. That fascination with hidden systems never really went away. It just changed forms.
My first real step into the technology world came through sales at Circuit City. It was where I learned how regular people think about technology — what excites them, what confuses them, and how important it is to explain complicated things in a way that actually makes sense.
I later spent two years at UCF as a computer science major, learning the formal side of programming, logic, and systems. It gave structure to the curiosity I already had — the language behind the machines, the patterns behind software, and the discipline behind building things that work.
After leaving UCF, the path shifted into the auction and antique world. What started as a detour became its own kind of education — art, history, objects, value, provenance, and the skill of recognizing what something really is. I became deeply involved in antique auctions and developed an eye for art, collectibles, and estate pieces.
After more than ten years working closely with small businesses, I saw the same problem again and again: outdated software, expensive monthly subscriptions, clunky workflows, and missing tools for the way real businesses actually operate. I learned where the gaps were — not from theory, but from watching owners, employees, and customers deal with them every day.
After years of working inside a small business, I eventually tried to buy the company I had helped build. The deal did not move forward because of disagreements over value — what the owner believed the business was worth versus what the numbers, the market, and everyone else involved seemed to support.
After that, I stepped into a new chapter and helped start an estate liquidation company with a business partner. We transported high-end bulk collectibles from Chicago to Naples, dealing with real logistics, negotiation, timing, trust, and decisions that had to be made without a perfect playbook. That chapter sharpened my judgment, taught me to recognize warning signs earlier, and helped me understand the importance of building on clear terms, earned trust, and my own instincts.
After years of real-world business experience, I continued my computer science degree at FIU with a clearer purpose. I was no longer just studying code, logic, and systems in theory — I was connecting them to the real problems I had seen inside small businesses: outdated tools, broken workflows, and software that did not match how people actually work.
That experience evolved into Naples Estate Jewelry, where I buy gold, silver, watches, coins, and high-end estate jewelry. It combines history, craftsmanship, market knowledge, and trust — the ability to evaluate beautiful objects while understanding both their material value and their story.
Building the website and e-commerce backend for Naples Estate Jewelry became the part of the work I enjoyed most. Code, systems, and databases stopped being concepts from class and started solving real business problems. That was the click — I was not just building a jewelry site, I was building the tools small businesses never had.
Eventually, the path came full circle. The same curiosity that started with broken electronics and impossible questions led back to building technology — only now with real business experience behind it. Surette Data Systems became the place where those worlds meet: custom software, websites, web apps, hosting, compliance tools, inventory systems, and practical technology built for real businesses.