Dustin Crossland

I grew up in Arkansas, where I developed a love for the outdoors, a passion for learning, and an early interest in business.

My first brush with business was the Monopoly board. As a kid, I would beg everyone in the house to play with me, especially over the summer. I did not realize it at the time, but that was probably where my fascination with business and investing started.

That eventually led me to study finance in college, where I also met many of the people I still call friends today. It was also in college that I leaned more heavily into outdoor hobbies. I picked up mountain biking and backpacking, and I still love both. Since Florida is not exactly known for mountains, I have also gotten into surfing and free diving.

After graduating from the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith with a finance degree, I moved to Fort Worth, Texas. I had a brief stint as a financial advisor before starting an investment research company that I ran for two years.

I taught myself to code in 2020 because it seemed obvious that it would become a foundational skill in a more technology-driven world. During the summer of 2021, I started a career in property management at Champions Club Apartments in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where I used those coding skills to automate tasks and improve how the property was run.

I now live in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and I am working as the VP of Technology at Marker Management, the same real estate investment company that owned Champions Club.

In my current role, I have built internal applications, developed an API that streamlines multiple workflows, and led several challenging projects. A lot of that work focuses on turning highly manual processes into more scalable systems, including custom integrations with ILSs, utility payment and chargeback workflows, and parking lease systems for a portfolio with 200+ lots that all behave a little differently.

I enjoy automating the boring stuff and using AI to leverage time and money more effectively. If you want help doing that in your business or personal life, I would love to talk.