About Aerie Labs
We build for the people doing the work.
Most enterprise software is designed for the people who buy it — not the people who use it every day. We think that's backwards.
Where we started
Aerie Labs was started by AJ Ortega — a commission-based vehicle salesperson who got tired of waiting for software that actually fit the pace of a sales floor. Every tool he needed either didn't exist or was built by someone who'd never worked a deal in their life.
So he built them himself. Kestrel came first — a way to turn a printed lead list into a live call queue without touching a keyboard. Merlin followed, because commission math shouldn't require a spreadsheet you have to maintain yourself. Cockpit came out of the need to run a full call session without juggling five tabs.
Every product gets used by AJ on the floor before anyone else sees it. That's not a marketing line — it's the only quality bar that matters here.
What we believe
Built on the floor
Every product gets used by AJ in a real sales day before it ships. If it doesn't hold up there, it doesn't go out.
No manual entry
If a tool makes you type something you already know, it's not done yet. We automate the busywork so you can focus on the sale.
Simple by default
A salesperson mid-call shouldn't need to think about the software. If it needs a tutorial, we haven't finished it.
Small and focused
Four tools that work exceptionally well beats a platform that does everything adequately. We're not trying to be everything.
The founder
AJ Ortega
Founder
AJ is a commission-based vehicle salesperson with an extensive background in IT and computer engineering. He builds the tools he wishes he had on the floor — designing every app around the real pace of a sales day, then putting it to use himself before anyone else does. Bilingual in English and Spanish.
Want to work with us?
Have a workflow problem that needs solving? AJ builds in public and is always open to a conversation.