About

Bert Carroll

I’m Bert Carroll. I build systems that work under cognitive load.

Currently leading technology at Orbiit Recovery, an AI-first substance use recovery startup. We integrate biometric monitoring with microlearning and peer support—building technology that accelerates human potential instead of replacing it.

The Mental Stack emerged from years of burning out on optimization systems and watching others do the same. The gap between elegant frameworks and what actually works when everything is on fire turned out to be instructive.

This site isn't about AI, though I build with it daily. It's about the cognitive frameworks that survive when technological solutions aren't enough. You can find more of my work at bertcarroll.ai, askthehuman.com, and acceleratinghumans.com.

Background

What I'm Good At

I'm best at architecting systems that simplify complexity—especially when people are involved. I work at the intersection of software design, cognitive load, and human behavior.

Translating messy real-world constraints into software that people actually use

Prototyping fast—building first, then filtering what matters with users

Designing AI-first workflows that support rather than supplant human intelligence

How I Work

I work in bursts and tend to build in waves. I’ve learned not to fight it—some of my best work comes from letting the right kind of chaos run its course.

Hard-Learned Lesson

I’ve built a lot of beautiful systems that I later had to babysit. Now I optimize for what I can walk away from without it falling apart.

Outside of software: building stuff with my kids, dancing, woodworking, fountain pens, and now podcasts. Physical craft and family creative projects offer constraints that software rarely provides.

The Mental Stack started as documentation of what actually worked when elegant systems broke down. Frameworks that survived under pressure instead of requiring perfect conditions.

If these observations are useful to others, take them. If not, build your own. The goal is clarity, not conversion.

Read the Philosophy →