Product Insights for Emerging Technology

20 years in emerging tech — ex-Head of Product at Palantir, now founder of two ventures.

At Common Sense, we’re building modern agentic AI systems for local government — 100x increases in productivity across critical workflows that simplify civil service and delight citizens.

At First Principles, we help emerging tech companies generate massive value, ship faster, align teams, and unlock product-market fit or hypergrowth — through fractional product leadership and expert product coaching.

Whether it serves 10,000 users or 10 million residents, the system has to work — and keep working.

Sound like I can help you? Get in touch:

adam@firstprinciples.la or adam@commonsensetech.ai

Adam Judelson

The U.S. hasn’t had a balanced budget in 25 years.

Every administration since Clinton has overspent – not because taxes are too low, but because government systems are too inefficient.

Obama tried to fix it with the U.S. Digital Service. They saved HealthCare.gov and proved world-class engineers can make government work. But USDS was too small and its remit too limited to tackle the structural waste driving deficits.

This year, Trump and Elon Musk rebranded it as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The mandate: cut $1B a day. Agencies were slashed, programs shut down, costs trimmed. But broken software and processes stayed in place – and when systems are broken, the costs always come creeping back in.

Both efforts failed for different reasons:

– USDS lacked breadth, urgency, and proactivity
– DOGE lacked precision, patience, and long-term vision.

That’s the gap we’re filling with Common Sense.

We work outside government, so we can move fast. But we go deep into the plumbing – the legacy systems, the paperwork, the IT that wastes billions and frustrates citizens.

Urgent enough to matter.

Precise enough to actually work.

Building Common Sense (govtech) | Founder, First Principles | Product Insights for Emerging Tech | Ex-Palantir | 4x Venture-Backed Exec

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Ortho Nigeria International (a.k.a The O.N.I. Clinic)

CEO & Founder

RevelAi Health

Advisor

XSITE Capital Investment

CEO, Co-Founder

ROM Technologies Inc

Advisor 

Helium Health

MDaaS Global

Johns Hopkins Hospital

Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery

Director, Global Orthopaedics at Johns Hopkins

Director, Johns Hopkins Adult Reconstructive Hip and Knee Surgery Fellowship

Chair, Johns Hopkins Orthopedic Surgery Diversity Council

Assistant Professor, Orthopedic Adult Reconstructive Surgeon

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center

Medical Director, Orthopaedics at Johns Hopkins Bayview

Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University

Assistant Clinical Professor

Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia

Orthopaedic Surgeon

I’m an experienced academic orthopedic surgeon specializing in the reconstruction of the adult hip and knee.

Known for optimizing clinical outcomes, leveraging technology to address orthopedic challenges, improving diversity in orthopedic surgery, and expanding sustainable delivery of quality orthopedic surgery in lower to middle-income countries.

Also interested in angel Investing and real estate.

But here’s how it all started:

26 years ago: 

I moved by myself to the US for college and started odd jobs almost immediately: pizza maker, dishwasher, office messenger. 

A few highlights:

- 12+ years as an Academic Joint Replacement Surgeon

- Fellow of the American Orthopaedic Association, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons

- Baltimore Magazine “Top Doctor” Joint Replacement 2019-2022

- 50+ publications in orthopedic surgery (17 in 2023 alone)

- Serving everyone from world leaders to the homeless. 

- Founder/Director, Global Orthopaedics at Johns Hopkins

- CEO and Co-founder of XSITE Capital Investment (Co-Founders: Leslie Awasom, Tenny Tolofari)

- $217M in AUM, investors returns ~30%.

- Raised $30M, and completed $60M of transactions all in a span of 3 months.

- Angel Investor  (Portfolio Highlights: Helium Health, Akido, Magic Fund, Chronus Health, MDAAS Global, ROM Tech)

- Working with many great partners, thought leaders and professionals.

- Co-founded a non-profit, Operation Stand Walk Run to serve patients in Nigeria.

Today:

On my way to an even bigger mission.

- In 2024, I returned to Nigeria to help improve access to musculoskeletal care in this part of the world.

Follow my journey & let’s grow together!

If you'd like to know more about our real estate investment or mentorship opportunities at XSITE Capital, feel free to send a DM to my partners, Leslie Awasom and Tenny Tolofari.

Julius Kunle Oni, M.D. FAOA

13 years into my career as a surgeon, and I still get nervous before every surgery.

Every. Single. One.

Not the kind of nervousness that makes you doubt your skills. It's different. It's the weight of knowing that in a few minutes, I'm going to cut into another human being who's trusting me with their mobility, their quality of life, their future.

That weight has never gotten lighter. If anything, it's gotten heavier.

Because 13 years in, I understand more deeply what's at stake. I've seen what happens when things go perfectly. And I've learned from the times they didn't.

The nervousness isn't my enemy anymore. It's my reminder.

A reminder that this isn't routine even when it's my hundredth surgery of the year. A reminder that the person on that table isn't a case number. They're someone's mother, someone's father, someone who wants their life back.

The day I stop feeling that weight is the day I would stop operating.
Because comfort breeds complacency. And in surgery, complacency costs lives.

So yes, I still get nervous. And I hope I always do.

It means I still care enough to feel the responsibility of what I'm about to do.

What keeps you grounded in your work, even after years of experience?

Experienced Academic Orthopedic Surgeon | Entrepreneur | Investor

If you’ve ever walked into a room and felt like everyone there was smarter than you, you might want to watch this!

Do repost so this gets to someone who’s feeling out of place or struggling with imposter syndrome.

I sat down with The Afropolitan Podcast hosts Eche Emole and Chika Uwazie 🪞 to discuss why I left Johns Hopkins after 25 years in America to build Ortho Nigeria International (a.k.a The O.N.I. Clinic) in Lagos, and what I've learned in the process.

If you're building in Nigeria, considering a move back, or just curious about what it takes to create excellence at home, this one's for you.

Full episode linked below. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Co-Founder, Afropolitan | Architecting the world’s first digital nation for the African diaspora | Host of the Afropolitan Podcast | Media & Nation-Building Strategist | Storyteller of Sovereignty

$2 billion leaves Nigeria's shores every year.
Seeking healthcare.

Dr. Julius Kunle Oni, M.D. FAOA saw this and did what nobody expected—he left Johns Hopkins, sold his house, and moved back.

After 25 years operating in America.

Think about it.

Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins. Director of Joint Replacement Fellowship. Published author. The credentials that make Nigerian parents sleep well at night.

He gave it up to fix knees in Lagos.

"They said the village people called me back. They said I committed a crime. They said they fired me from Johns Hopkins."

None of it was true. What was true? Nigeria has 220 million people and less than 500 orthopedic surgeons. Traditional bone setters handle majority of the muscoskeletal cases in Nigeria. The complications fill hospitals. The failures board planes.

Julius asked himself at 80, would he regret trying and failing? Or never trying at all?

15 months later: 120 surgeries. 800 patients. First lateral unicompartmental knee replacement in Nigeria. Patients flying in from NHS wait lists, from Ghana, from Cameroon.

But Julius understands something deeper.

This isn't about one surgeon's return. It's about infrastructure.

While building his practice, he built Xsite Capital. Started with $35,000. Now managing $243 million in multi-family real estate. 70% of investors? Nigerian professionals who were told "Black people don't invest together."

They were wrong.

"If you create enough value for enough people, you'll never suffer."

Julius operates with Black Coffee playing. Same playlist whether it's a homeless patient or a president. Same protocol. Same precision. Because in that operating room, everyone's bones break the same.

His mother had end-stage knee arthritis in 2006. No one in Nigeria could fix it. That's when he switched from cardiovascular to orthopedic surgery. She never got her surgery. But 13 years later, he's fixed thousands of grandmothers' knees.

Purpose found him in loss.

The business case is clear: $2 billion in medical tourism. 450 million people in West Africa. Infrastructure waiting to be built.

The human case is clearer: Your parents aren't waiting for you to "make it." They're waiting for you.

Julius chose both. Built financial freedom first through real estate. Then came home to build what was missing.

Not brain drain. Brain gain.

Watch "The Anatomy of Legacy" with Dr. Julius Oni on the Afropolitan Podcast.

What infrastructure are you building while everyone else is just talking?

If this resonates with you, share with your network.

There's this tradition in real estate called a "brokers' dinner."

After you close a deal, the brokers who facilitated it take you out for food and drinks. You discuss the intricacies, future collaborations, what went right, what went wrong.

But here's what they don't tell you about brokers' dinners: The real conversations only happen AFTER the deal is closed.

During negotiations, everyone's professional. Measured. Careful with their words.

But over wine and good food, when the pressure's off and the deal is sealed? That's when you hear what they really thought.

Our last dinner was... revealing.
"We knew you were struggling," one broker admitted. We kept thinking, 'Are these guys ever going to close?'

Another chimed in: "Honestly, there were moments we thought about walking away."

But here's the beautiful part. They didn't walk away.

"Something about you felt different," they said. "Even when your numbers weren't moving, your character was consistent. We figured if you were lying, you'd have come up with better lies."

They could have protected themselves and moved to easier deals.
Instead, they chose to believe in people they'd never worked with before, based purely on the integrity they sensed in our conversations.

We had a rare commodity in business: trust earned under pressure.

When brokers are willing to stake their reputation on your character before your track record proves itself, you know you're building something special.

Repost to inspire someone. Happy Monday everyone!

Last Wednesday, I joined a panel in Abuja to discuss ways to strengthen our healthcare system and encourage medical tourism. The conversations were thoughtful, practical, and genuinely inspiring.

As someone who recently returned to contribute to medical care in Nigeria, it was meaningful to share my perspective on advancing orthopedic and surgical care, improving patient trust, fostering innovation locally, and ultimately enhancing the quality of life for Nigerians. 

The level of commitment in the room gives me great optimism for the progress we’ll see in the years ahead.

I’m honored to have contributed to these discussions and look forward to seeing how these initiatives transform healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

Mrs. Evarista Aliu had severe osteoarthritis in both knees.

And this line from her testimonial is something we shouldn’t take lightly: "I had always done everything surgical or medical in the UK."

Always.

When you think about it, she's not alone. There are countless Nigerians like her - in need of medical care, and with the means to seek care abroad. And for years, that's been the logical choice. The safer bet. And when you really think about it, they're not to blame.

For decades, our healthcare system hasn't given people enough reason to stay. The infrastructure gaps, the inconsistent standards, the stories of avoidable complications - they're real. The skepticism is earned.

So when Mrs. Aliu said she "didn't need to think about going to the UK again" after her first consultation, it shows what is possible.

She had her first surgery on May 16th. Second surgery on July 18th. Six and a half weeks after her second surgery, she was walking unaided. No crutches. No walker.

"My experience has been extraordinary," she said. "And because of my progress, a lot of people have indicated interest in having their surgeries done in Nigeria."

That last part is what keeps me going.

It's on us to build the kind of institutions that make staying the obvious choice, not the risky one.

It's on us to deliver care so excellent that "I always did everything abroad" becomes "I don't need to anymore."

That's what we hope to accomplish every day at Ortho Nigeria International (a.k.a The O.N.I. Clinic). Not just treating patients. But rebuilding trust in what Nigerian healthcare can be.

What standard have you raised in your field that changed how people think about what's possible?

He barely spoke during our entire XSITE Africa meetup.

Just sat quietly while we discussed investment strategies and market opportunities.

But I could tell he was listening intently, processing everything we shared.
It turns out he was someone who'd been through multiple investment cycles and knew exactly what questions to ask.

After the session, he pulled me aside with some piercing questions that only someone with deep expertise could pose.

I answered as best I could, explaining our thesis and approach.

Then he said something phenomenal: 'You're on the right path. Keep doing what you're doing. Let's talk about how we can collaborate.'

Getting validation like that from someone so experienced reminded me why these conversations matter.

You're always wondering: Are people understanding our motives? Does our investment thesis make sense? Are we explaining it clearly?

His response confirmed that yes, people get it. They understand what we're building.

It's only a matter of time.

But only if we stay disciplined, consistent, and laser-focused.

What validation have you received that confirmed you were on the right track?

♻️ Repost if you've had a similar moment

Big announcement.

We have put our third deal of the year, The Park at Arlington, under contract.

When we started XSITE Capital Investment in 2019, Tenny Tolofari, Leslie Awasom, CRNA, and I had a clear vision: create access to institutional-grade real estate for working professionals while providing quality housing for families.

This year alone, we've acquired The Rise and Grove Parkview. Now, The Park at Arlington will be joining our portfolio.

Every deal we do is about two things: passive income and tax advantages for our investors, and quality housing for families who need it.

We are going live on Thursday to walk through the numbers, the strategy, and the opportunity.

Join us here: https://lnkd.in/e4EpW9FE

To everyone who's been part of this journey, thank you. To those considering joining us, this is your moment.

See you Thursday.

Let this be your reminder: the right information can lift you, and you can find it by building the right relationships.

Shout-out to Babajide Ogunseinde MD, FAAOS; your advice came at the right time.

Repost this so it gets to someone who needs to remember that the right information coming from the right connections can make their dreams possible.

Tag one person in the comment section who has given you the right information at the right time and say thank you. I will start!

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Adam Judelson

Julius Kunle Oni, M.D. FAOA

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The Battle

Adam Judelson

Julius Kunle Oni, M.D. FAOA

Followers

Posts

Engagements

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Adam Judelson's LinkedIn Performance

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