Chad Newell
I'm a three-time founder with two exits and 25 years of P&L ownership. These days, I'm also back to building, using AI to create and ship software myself.
Most recently, I built RadiusOS, an AI-native platform for trades and solopreneurs. That experience has shaped a lot of how I think about operating companies today: use AI where it creates real leverage, keep a close eye on cost from the beginning, and make sure the technology ultimately shows up in the economics of the business.
I'm interested in doing that work in one of two ways: going all-in as an operator inside the right company, or working across a PE portfolio to help management teams find and execute on the opportunities where AI can actually make a difference.
There's obviously no shortage of conversation about AI right now. What's been useful for me is getting past the conversation and actually building with it.
I took RadiusOS from an idea to a live product with real users in less than 30 days, and reduced its AI costs by 97% before launch. That gave me a very practical view of where AI can create leverage and where it can just create expense.
RadiusOS was largely a solo build, but I have been working with the teams behind the products I've founded for over two decades. I've spent 25 years building and leading teams across marketplaces, SaaS, media, and creator platforms through growth, acquisitions, and exits. What interests me now is bringing those experiences together with seasoned operating judgment and a very current understanding of what AI makes possible.
What I do inside a company
Find the AI operating leverage
Where AI actually cuts cost, compresses cycle time, and lifts margin, prioritized by EBITDA impact rather than novelty.
Modernize the product and stack
AI-assisted development that rebuilds in weeks what used to take quarters, with cost engineered in from the first call.
Redesign workflows for leverage
Your team executing at higher capacity without proportional headcount, because the operating model changed, not just the tooling.
Track record
The one thing on this page I built alone. A live AI-native CRM for trades and field-service businesses, shipped with an AI coding agent from idea to a live product with real users in 28 days, with AI cost engineered down 97% before launch and a 46-tool MCP server that runs the whole platform in natural language.
With a cross-functional team of 30, I owned strategy, monetization, and P&L for the professional and B2B portfolio inside a 300M-user platform. We integrated and relaunched an acquired CRM, preventing post-acquisition churn while sustaining 100% CSAT through a 6x support-volume spike, took the company's first B2B revenue stream from zero to an $11M projected run rate in a year, launched an AI creator marketplace, and drove 3x trial acquisition.
Ran company-wide operations for a $20M-GMV enterprise video business and led the post-acquisition integration of Snapwire with no disruption to existing revenue. Together we improved gross margin by 10 points on select books of business through supply-side optimization and pricing, and installed a company-wide OKR framework.
We built a global creator marketplace past 1M creators in 50+ countries, served 50+ enterprise clients including Amazon Ads, Google, and Airbnb, raised a Series A at $4M ARR and scaled to $8M, expanded gross margin from 41% to 70%, and exited to StudioNow in 2022.
My co-founder and I grew a global content licensing business to $32M in revenue on a 10-person team at 50% gross and 20% net margin, negotiated supplier gross margin from 40% to 60%, and became North America's largest independent aggregator in our category before exiting via acquisition. I stayed on as a board member through the sale.
Two ways to work together
As a full-time operator
GM, COO, or P&L owner at a software, marketplace, or media company that wants AI built into how the business runs. I take the number, own it with the team, and apply the same operating model I used to build RadiusOS.
Resume (PDF)As an advisor to PE firms
Select engagements with investors and their portfolio companies: we find the AI margin opportunities together, modernize the product and stack, and I leave your team running faster than before.
How an engagement worksThe RadiusOS Method
The system I used to build RadiusOS, packaged so other founders can run it: 55 working files you install in your own project, and Claude Code learns your product, preserves its decisions between sessions, and ships complete features. Free with an account, and yours to keep.
Get the free toolkitThe operating model, written down
I don't keep the method a secret. The full operating model behind the RadiusOS build is published as a field guide. It is the clearest picture of how I work, and how I'd work with your team.