Operations leader. AI builder. Fifteen years, twenty companies.
From Amazon to a family foundry, I've run finance, operations, and now AI inside real companies. You know where you want to go. I have the playbook to get there.
- BlackArc Industrial Founder Active
- BlackArc Systems Founder Active
- JoshuaSchultz.com Owner Active
How I run a company
Foundation first. Every layer depends on the one below it.
Six pillars
- Finance
The Data Intelligence Engine that drives ROI decisions
- Operations
Maximize output while minimizing waste
- Strategy
The direction and planning on what game you will win
- Systems
The scalable operating system you build on
- Culture
People and values that keep people engaged and aligned
- Principles
The guiding principles that keep the company on track
Recent writing
Building Companies in the AI Era: How to Think About People, Roles, and Compensation
AI does not 100X a company by replacing people. It changes what one person can affect. How to think about roles, teams, and pay in the AI era.
Twenty companies, three industries
| Company | Role | Industry | Years | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BlackArc Industrial | Founder | manufacturing | 2024– | Industrial AI implementation for shop floor operations | Active |
| BlackArc Systems | Founder | general | 2024– | Agentic AI workflows for government operations | Active |
| JoshuaSchultz.com | Owner | general | 2024– | ERP-inspired glassmorphism design system | Active |
| Flowcore Water Services | Operations Manager | home services | 2022–2024 | Increased net margins from 10% to 26% | |
| Canekast | President / COO | manufacturing | 2020–2023 | 6x'd the business | |
| Chess Group Sourcing | COO / Partner | distribution | 2012–2018 | 4x'd the business | |
| Operations Consulting | Principal Consultant | general | 2020–2024 | Operational turnarounds for PE portfolio companies |
Industrial AI implementation for shop floor operations
Increased net margins from 10% to 26%
6x'd the business
4x'd the business
Operational turnarounds for PE portfolio companies
Ways to work together
Tell me where the operation is stuck. I'll tell you if I can help, in one call.