Dena Neek

How I Got Here (And Why I Stayed)

Hi! I’m Dena Neek…

I live in two worlds.

One is technical—where I engineer AI systems, model complexity, and think deeply about how intelligence works.
The other is business—where I advise founders, operators, and private equity-backed teams navigating growth, transitions, and scale.

My work lives in the middle—bridging these worlds so companies don’t just adopt AI, but embed it meaningfully into how they operate, decide, and grow.

A Bit of Background

I’ve been building companies since 2002, including three successful exits by 2013.

After relocating to the U.S., I spent nearly a decade working with leadership teams at multi-unit businesses—especially in hospitality and retail—during periods of rapid expansion and M&A. My role was strategic: helping them scale through custom software, streamline workflows, and prepare for growth.

That experience taught me this:
Scalable growth requires systematic documentation.
When businesses grow fast or change hands, critical knowledge often vanishes—taking continuity and capacity with it.

In 2016, I turned my focus fully toward AI and systems modeling—just as transformer architecture was beginning to reshape the field. I’ve been building in that space ever since.

My Expertise

I bring a rare combination: deep technical fluency in AI, a strategic lens shaped by my MBA in organizational psychology and behavior, and years of hands-on experience guiding mid-market companies toward smarter execution.

Here’s how that shows up in my work:

  • Designing AI workflows that replace repeat manual work—from documentation to reporting to internal requests.
  • Capturing knowledge before it walks out the door, especially during leadership transitions or post-acquisition chaos.
  • Structuring team-level and org-wide decision-making, powered by AI but aligned with human logic.
  • Auditing the friction points that slow teams down—even when they think they’ve “already automated.”
  • Translating technical breakthroughs into practical solutions that stick—without disrupting what’s already working.
  • Advising growing companies on smarter scale, especially in PE-backed environments or founder-led transitions.

To make this practical, I created two proprietary frameworks:

  • The Clarity Map™ – A strategic tool to align teams on why and where AI should be deployed.
  • The STRATA™ Playbook – A six-layer execution model for embedding intelligence into existing systems without overwhelming your org.

Together, they help companies move from vague ambition to clear, measurable action.

My Philosophy

Technology isn’t magic.
AI doesn’t work just because it’s “smart.” It works when it’s embedded in the system, aligned with human behavior, and trusted by the people who use it.

That’s why I focus not only on what tools can do—but what businesses need from them:
clarity, structure, and capability that fits their rhythm.

The xBlock Story

I co-founded xBlock with Cyrus Neek, my partner in both life and business.

While I lead on systems and AI, Cyrus brings over 28 years of expertise in product design, UX, and operational storytelling. His gift is translating complexity into clarity—and designing tools that people love to use.

Together, we built xBlock to solve a stubborn but solvable problem:

How do you preserve institutional knowledge before it walks out the door?

xBlock helps companies document operations, capture tacit expertise, and ensure smoother transitions—whether they’re scaling, selling, or simply growing up.

Outside of Work

I’m a wife, a mom, a writer, a poet, and a lifelong student of perspective.

With my children, I practice respectful parenting and limitless thinking—building mental models through questions, stories, and curiosity. I believe small shifts can ripple across entire systems. And I believe great leadership starts at home.

Let’s Build What Lasts

If you’re ready to move from AI conversations to real capability, I offer: