Marc Hoag

The short version

I've spent over a decade at the intersection of technology, startups, and law. I passed the bar right when the 2008 recession hit, fell into startups, and then taught myself to build software using the very AI tools I was studying. Along the way, I realized that the most valuable thing I could offer wasn't just legal advice. It was showing people how to navigate the single biggest shift in how we work and build.

The lawyer chapter

I went to law school and passed the California bar in 2008, right as the economy collapsed. With no firms hiring, I did what seemed crazy at the time: I started a company instead.

Years later, I came back to law full time. I relaunched my practice in 2025 as an AI-focused law firm, specializing in AI governance, intellectual property, SaaS contracts, and privacy compliance (GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, EU AI Act). I was appointed Inaugural Chair of the Beverly Hills Bar Association's AI & the Law section, where I work to bridge the gap between what technologists build and what the law demands. I also published research on copyright law and AI training data through the Marin County Bar Association.

The founder chapter

That recession detour turned into a decade in startups. I built and ran a venture-backed company, learning firsthand what it takes to go from idea to product to market, and all the ways things can go wrong. I co-founded a second startup, hosted a 200-episode podcast on autonomous vehicles, and developed a founder's instinct: bias toward action, obsession with product, and an allergy to anything that doesn't move the needle.

It also gave me a deep appreciation for how lonely and overwhelming the founder journey can be, especially when you're trying to figure out technology, strategy, and legal all at once.

The vibe coder chapter

When tools like Claude Code and Cursor reached a tipping point, I did what any founder would: I started building. Not toy projects. Real, production software. I've shipped numerous web and iOS apps, all built entirely through AI-assisted "vibe coding" without a traditional programming background, with several more nearing completion.

That experience was transformative. I realized that vibe coding isn't really coding at all. It's product management. You're defining requirements, making design decisions, and directing AI to build what you envision. Anyone with clear thinking, persistence, and the right AI tools could ship real products. And I realized that most people (founders, small business owners, career changers) had no idea this was even possible, let alone how to do it.

Why Skyriven

Skyriven exists because we are in an 18-month window where the ability to work with AI (to build, automate, and adapt) will separate those who thrive from those who get left behind. That's not fear-mongering. It's what I see every day advising companies on AI strategy and building with these tools myself.

I built Skyriven to be the partner I wished I had when I was figuring all this out. Someone who actually builds with AI (not just talks about it). Someone who understands the legal and business landscape. Someone who will tell you the truth about what's possible and what's not, and then help you execute.

Whether you're a boutique owner wanting to use AI for marketing, a developer learning to vibe code, someone reinventing their career, or a founder who needs a fractional AI partner, I've been in your shoes, and I can help you move faster.