James McCormick
Growth Operations Leader
I took a small family-owned business from $1M to $5M — built the teams, the systems, and the software that didn't exist yet, then optimized them. Now looking for my next build.
Experience
From building sales agencies to scaling landscaping operations — each role shaped how I think about growth.
Arborscape Inc.
Business Manager
Woodstock, VT
Scaled revenue 5x and grew team from 8 to 30 in 3.5 years
Employee #9 and primary operational architect, partnering directly with ownership to scale a family-owned landscaping operation into a regional market leader.
- Revenue & Growth: Scaled annual revenue from $1M to $5M+ over 3.5 years, growing the workforce from 8 generalists to 30 specialists across multiple service divisions.
- Technology & AI: Orchestrated a full business system overhaul with zero downtime — Field Service Management (DynaScape Manage360), QuickBooks Online (payroll + accounting migration), and Microsoft 365 (digitized database, live collaborations). Built two custom Apps (React/TypeScript/Supabase): a workforce planning tool and a field crew knowledge library. Introduced 10+ AI tools across 6 business functions, recovering ~25–30 hours/week in organizational productivity.
- Financial Infrastructure: Rebuilt accounting foundations — migrated QuickBooks Desktop to Online, rewrote chart of accounts for multi-division P&L visibility, developed yearly budgets, and established quarterly KPI reviews.
- Division Launches: Organized and managed the launch of recurring service lines: Garden Maintenance division (20 to 63 clients, $54K to $231K revenue), Plant Health Care ($52K to $98K+ annually) and in-house Masonry division ($300K+ annually).
- People Strategy: Formalized the leadership layer needed to scale from 8 to 30: designed the org structure, implemented the first handbook, built compensation bands and performance-based bonuses, and led strategic planning.
United Church Camps
Business Development Consultant
Remote
Led second-largest capital raise in org history — $850K
The Horton Group
Risk Advisor & Sales Executive
Waukesha, WI
$90K new revenue in 12 months with 100% client retention
American Income Life
Regional Sales Manager
Minneapolis, MN & Milwaukee, WI
Built agency from 7 to 20 agents, $1M+ first-year sales — 100% commission-based
Three Ways I Add Value
Three ways I create value — building machines, applying leverage, and growing people.
Build the machine, then optimize it.
I design the systems, processes, and workflows that turn early-stage chaos into repeatable, scalable operations — from standing up new business units to rebuilding accounting foundations.
- P&L ownership from $1M to $5M+
- Business unit launches (3 divisions built)
- Process design & change management
- Enterprise system rollouts (DynaScape, QuickBooks, M365)
- Quarterly KPI frameworks & financial reporting
Software is leverage. I know where to apply it.
Whether it's selecting enterprise platforms, automating manual workflows, or building custom tools from scratch — I close the gap between what a team needs and what off-the-shelf software offers.
- 2 production apps shipped (React / TypeScript / Supabase)
- Enterprise platform selection & implementation
- AI tool adoption across 6 business functions
- Workflow automation & custom tooling
- Data-driven decision-making (Salesforce, analytics)
Teams don't scale by accident.
I recruit, develop, and retain people who take ownership. From building a sales agency from 7 to 20 agents to growing an operations team from 8 to 30 — I create the structure that lets good people do their best work.
- Compensation frameworks & performance systems
- Recruiting, training, and retention pipelines
- Culture building in high-growth environments
- Cross-functional collaboration with ownership
What I Build
Software that ships.
An ops leader who builds production software is rare. These aren't side projects — they're tools running in the field every day.
Chaos Coordinator
Replaced whiteboard scheduling, eliminated conflicts, and reduced planning time from hours to minutes.
Workforce planning PWA for real-time crew scheduling and capacity visibility.
Crew Companion
Gave every crew member searchable, on-site access to institutional knowledge from day one.
Mobile-first field knowledge library for crew procedures, plant ID, and job-site protocols.
Education
DePaul University
Chicago, IL · 2008 – 2011
Economics (Major), Philosophy (Minor) — 3 years coursework toward BA
Illinois Institute of Technology — AFROTC Detachment 195
Chicago, IL · 2008 – 2011
Aerospace Studies & Military Science (Minor) — ROTC program completed
Beyond Work
Community
- Special Olympics of New Hampshire volunteer
- 9 years active in the recovery community
- WAMBA and VMBA trail association volunteer
Competitive
- Hockey
- Triathlons
- Mountain biking
- Snowboarding
- Surfing
- Hiking & backpacking
Interests
- Business history and founder stories — I read them the way other people watch sports
- Emerging technologies and investing
- A lifelong bias toward helping the underdog
Thanks for making it this far.
Let's Build Something Together
Seeking Director of Operations roles at growth-stage companies (Series A–C)
Relocating to Minneapolis, MN