Small town husband who wants a safer marketplace for everyone.
Why I built this
I built Proximate because I was scammed on Facebook Marketplace. I'm not the only one — I read the news and saw story after story of people being robbed, hurt, or worse, in deals that should have been simple. The safety just isn't there on the platforms we all use.
So I started drawing what safer would look like. Authorization holds instead of cash to prove a buyer has the funds and a good intent. Mutual in-person confirmation to verify the meeting happened between both parties, instead of hope. Safety features built around the moment online trust becomes real life, live check-in, safety-cancellation (which notifies the police and places a temp-ban on the offender's account).
Where I'm from
A small town in Missouri where the handshake is still a bond of trust. I believe deeply that people are inherently good. But I also know that trusting every stranger with your valuables, your money, and your safety is a different thing in 2026 than it was in 1996.
Proximate is my answer: keep the handshake, add the guardrails.
What I believe about your data
Big tech has no business harvesting and selling the volume of personal data it does. Proximate is built as a data-minimal application. I have no interest in your data. Privacy is a right, not a feature, and I hold that value seriously.
You won't find hidden trackers, sold mailing lists, or ad surveillance here. If I don't need it to make the deal safer, I don't collect it.
Who I am
Six years of active service in the U.S. military. A bachelor's in IT, earned while in uniform. Currently pursuing an MBA. One partner, two dogs, one small-town set of values I don't plan to grow out of.
If you want to know what Proximate stands for, you're looking at it: show up, do the right thing, and shake on it.
Join early
Help me build this the right way.
Proximate launches on iPhone first in 2027. If the story above resonates, join the TestFlight beta or drop your email — I'll send one short note when we go live.
