Reach me at Sly@thehydro.us
I’ve always had a default instinct to help others but in recent years I realized a true passion for coaching founders during my own founder journey over the last 12 years.
My approach is combines contrast blending of the grit and intensity needed to survive the thousand “no’s” that a founder inevitably receives (the yang), with the calm-in-the-storm centeredness (the yin) one must cultivate to become the best version of yourself.
I believe my personal experiences as a builder, first and foremost, allow me to empathize, advise, and collaborate with founders on a deeper level than those who haven’t gone through the trials by fire. I’m an insatiable learner, and so far along my journey I’ve founded 2 very different companies:
Startup: Co-founded Emerge, raised $45M from VCs and world class angels including Eric Schmidt and founders of Twitch, Blizzard, and Riot Games; built a world-class team who developed a novel physical device and software, manufactured, FCC-certified, and launched consumer product; closed contracts with Disney, Sony, and LG who had potential to drive $200M+ revenue in the first 3 years. Hired a professional CEO in 2025 to lead the company to the next phase.
Non-profit: Co-founded The Hydrous, partnered with the United Nations, National Geographic, and funded by Meta, Autodesk, and Lenovo; achieved over 1M “virtual dives” driving ocean education and awareness. Hired a CEO in 2015 to take the company to next chapter.
“Working with Sylvester had a profound impact on me as a founder. In the startup world, it’s pretty rare to internalize lessons from others—most things you need to learn the hard way yourself. But Sylvester has an ability to share past experiences and mistakes with such honesty and clarity that allows those lessons to stick. The time and pitfalls this saves are invaluable.
Above all, Sylvester embodies grit like no one else I’ve ever met. He’s the grittiest, most persistent, and dedicated person I know. While you can’t quite teach grit, being around someone who lives and breathes it is the next best thing. Watching his dedication firsthand set a high bar for my own resilience.”
“Working with Sly at his deep tech company was transformative. With over a decade of experience and a talent for balancing visionary goals with critical details, he is a brilliant leader. His ability to solve complex problems—like resolving an issue with a single call—is unmatched.
Sly’s kindness and dedication to others’ success set him apart. He mentored me far beyond expectations, offering guidance that shaped my career and future. A true leader, he inspires and empowers everyone around him. I’m profoundly grateful to have worked with him.”