About Kale McNaney

I'm an entrepreneurial engineer driven by a passion for leveraging emerging technologies to empower smaller, agile teams to achieve big results. I thrive on uncovering customer insights, validating product hypotheses, and turning ideas into impactful solutions. With a focus on efficiency and innovation, I aim to help smart teams delight their customers while saving time and resources. My work bridges the gap between technical execution and customer success, ensuring technology becomes a true enabler of business growth.

I went school in Boston at MIT where I majored in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and graduated in 2005. The things I learned & the people I met have shaped my life in profound ways. I still connect with many of my classmates on a weekly basis and I thank them for their influence on my life.

When I'm not helping clients, I love to travel, surf, cycle & trail run. I live in Santa Monica, CA with my wife Maggie where we actively engage in strength training, cooking, doing puzzles and visiting with friends & family.

My Portfolio

I've had the great fortune of working with many amazing people throughout my career. The list below summarizes my most recent work experience, but is by no means exhaustive.

If you'd like to work together, please reach out to my on LinkedIn.

ShakaCode - AI Consulting

I had the pleasure of meeting Justin Gordon, founder of ShakaCode, on a recent surf trip in the Maldives. We hit it off talking about surf and software engineering and decided to partner up to add an AI offering to ShakaCode's projects & clients. Our first job was creating an AI Agent integration with their Intercom messaging platform. You can check it out here.

ShakaCode is a global software consultancy specializing in Ruby on Rails applications and Rust data engineering, with expertise in integrating modern JavaScript frameworks like React into Rails. The company is known for creating and maintaining open-source tools such as React on Rails and Shakapacker, which enhance performance and enable seamless server-side rendering. ShakaCode’s notable projects include HiChee, a platform that compares vacation rental deals across multiple sites, and their work in web scraping and data analysis to provide actionable insights. Operating as a fully remote team, ShakaCode is driven by values of transparency, knowledge sharing, and delivering high-quality, efficient solutions.

ask-allison.ai - Founder

ask-allison.ai is an innovative AI-powered tool designed to elevate product development practices by ensuring agile stories and epics are perfectly aligned with business outcomes, company strategy, and product vision. As the brainchild of my efforts to address real-world challenges faced by product managers, Ask-Allison.ai integrates seamlessly with JIRA to analyze and label stories as "Aligned" or "Misaligned," providing actionable insights to improve clarity, alignment, and overall efficiency.

Built on OpenAI's GPT-4o and fine-tuned with proprietary models, the tool embodies lean startup principles, offering VP-level visibility for strategic oversight while empowering team-level product managers with the guidance they need to refine their work. ask-allison.ai helps organizations avoid costly missteps, delivering measurable alignment metrics to optimize workflows and support better decision-making at all levels.

You can check out ask-allison.ai here.

LaserAway - AI & Mobile Consulting

LaserAway is a premier provider of aesthetic dermatology services, specializing in non-invasive cosmetic treatments like laser hair removal, skin rejuvenation, body contouring, and injectable services (e.g., Botox and fillers). Known for its cutting-edge technology and highly trained medical staff, LaserAway has established itself as a trusted leader in the beauty and skincare industry. With a focus on delivering safe, effective, and tailored results, the brand has become a favorite for individuals seeking modern, science-backed beauty solutions in a welcoming and luxurious setting.

Since 2022, I've helped LaserAway with their iOS & Android mobile that serves over 50k customers with appointment, purchase & loyalty membership management. Most recently, I helped them develop an AI Customer Support Agent named Aidan that can answer common questions & even help manage appointments.

You can chat with Aidan here.

Bonbon - Co-Founder & VP, Engineering

Bonbon is a loyalty and engagement platform designed to help publishers & brands build stronger connections with their audiences. By integrating gamified rewards, personalized offers, and user-friendly tools, Bonbon encourages customers to shop, share, and engage. With its flexible API and SDK, the platform seamlessly integrates into apps and websites, making it easy for businesses to create memorable experiences that drive loyalty and increase lifetime value. Bonbon combines creativity and technology to turn everyday interactions into meaningful connections.

Bonbon is most notably deployed on the a360 network of sites including US Weekly & Woman's World.

Goodway Group - VP, Engineering

Goodway Group is a data-driven digital marketing agency that partners with brands to deliver measurable business outcomes. Established in 1929 as a printing business, it has evolved over its 95-year history into a leader in digital media strategy and execution. Goodway Group offers a comprehensive suite of services, including media planning and activation, marketing sciences and analytics, and technology and data science solutions. Their team of nearly 500 professionals operates remotely across the U.S. and the U.K., providing clients with innovative, result-oriented digital marketing strategies.

I had the pleasure of working with Goodway Group for 7 years, building & fostering their Product, Engineering & Data Analytics teams. Through mentorship, process & thoughtful hiring, I helped transform Goodway's talented group from a fire-fighting squad into a stratgically aligned Product & Data Analytics unit doing deep-work & providing business value to advertisor clients.