OUR STORY

At Observa, we use innovation to give our clients insight, understanding, and confidence by providing them with powerful, authentic ways to see what their customers are seeing—and new ways to think about compliance.

Observa delivers unique data to customers, filling an information gap in the market. We do this using our network of observers and our Observa mobile app for Android and iOS. The information we deliver is structured and validated, but raw and unfiltered. We aren’t afraid to tell it like it is. Our observers have no bias toward your product, and we let the data speak for itself. The view we provide is authentic. Our job is to help you understand it.

MEET THE TEAM

HUGH HOLMAN

CEO & CO-FOUNDER

After spending time driving strategy, sales, and marketing for a $400M+ international brand, Hugh decided to get back to his entrepreneurial roots and founded Observa with business partner Erik Chelstad. The concept grew from personal experience surrounding the challenge of managing retail execution, which Hugh faced as an executive team member at two private Seattle companies. Together, Hugh and Erik paired a known problem with a solution and Voila!… Observa was born.

ERIK CHELSTAD

CTO & CO-FOUNDER

Being a successful entrepreneur who has helped take companies from startup to IPO, Erik jumped at the chance of attacking a large, under-served market and founded Observa with Hugh Holman. His past includes creating digital marketplaces, profitably merging technology companies, and being the Senior Engineering Manager at Isilon during its $2.25B acquisition. Erik’s engineering prowess was put to the test developing the initial Observa platform, keeping him out of the mountains… well, at least on poor weather days.

JOSEPH PECK

HEAD OF PARTNERSHIPS & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Joseph brings over 25 years of technology, business development, and sales management experience. Most recently, Joseph led all aspects of Unify Consulting’s Business Agility Service line. Prior to that, during his tenure at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), he led the design, sales, and delivery of a large portfolio of compliance and tax technology solutions in the US. As a driver of PwC’s Microsoft Alliance, he developed a launch partnership between the two companies with the release of Azure’s IaaS platform resulting in a solution sold to various fortune 500 clients representing the oil, pharmaceutical, CPG, and real-estate industries.

CHRIS PRICE

HEAD OF PRODUCT AND DELIVERY

Chris brings over 20 years of operational and strategic management experience in high tech companies. Chris’ experience developing and leading global delivery teams across Europe, Asia, and the Americas is foundational in supporting Observa’s plans for growth. Most recently, Chis ran F5 Networks’ IT Corporate Business Solution Provider (BSP) group delivering all technology to the company’s Finance and Accounting, HR, and Legal divisions. Chris was also responsible for driving new technology projects for F5 as the leader of Incubation and Innovations.