Patrick Hillstrom
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Operator & AI builder · New York

Patrick Hillstrom

I've spent fifteen years building the operating layer at growing companies, at LinkedIn, at Truework, and as a COO. Now I build it with agents, as the founder of Nerve.

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Patrick Hillstrom
Now
Founder & builder at Nerve, agents that own the path from signed to billed
900%ARR growth as the first BizOps hireTruework · 2019–20
2xRevenue and headcount in 10 monthsCRS, COO · 2021–23
$1.5BAcquisition; I ran business ops for the unit after closeLinkedIn · Lynda.com
90 daysFrom launch to first paying customerNerve · 2026

What I'm building

All work →
Nerve screenshot
Founder · Feb 2026 to now

Nerve: agents that own the path from signed to billed

Revenue slips between a signed deal and a correct invoice. Nerve owns that stretch end to end, then builds agents that keep owning it.

  • More than a dozen agents in production, routed by one orchestrator, outbound messages held for approval by default
  • A hosted MCP server, so Claude works from the same data as the app
  • A verification agent that ran four months inside a customer's compliance team
Read the case studyVisit getnerve.ai ↗Watch the demo ↗

Other things I've built

2025

GPTerminal

A browser hacker sim where the model sets the puzzles and grades the solutions.

Terminal UILLM as game master
Private build, write-up only
2025

GPT.Me

A deployable AI version of your professional self that anyone can talk to.

Agentic resume
Private build, write-up only
2025

WhisperAI

A real-time overlay that reads expression, tone, and posture on video calls.

MultimodalReal time
Open app ↗

Operator case studies (handmade, pre-AI)

From the before times, one pivot table at a time.

2024

Pricing and packaging review

An analysis of Vercel's pricing and packaging, with concrete recommendations to simplify it.

Early ChatGPT assist
Read →2024

Business pulse and reporting

How to prep and run a board meeting: what happened, what's next, and what the company needs from the board.

Made by hand · pre-AI
Read →2023

Healthcare system partnership

The case for a health-system partnership: competitive advantage, partnership model, and the revenue and ROI math.

Made by hand · pre-AI
Read →2019

Deep data analysis

A 90-day review of off-network requests by industry, provider, and margin, with how to move volume on-network.

Made by hand · pre-AI
Read →2015

Marketplace dynamics

Customer behavior, performance, and pricing insights from a marketplace order dataset.

Made by hand · pre-AI
Read →

Financial Models (handmade, pre-AI)

Two models I built by hand, shown with names removed and numbers disguised.

How I build models →
Model

Operating model: B2B data platform

A monthly operating model for a B2B data platform, from ledger actuals to runway.

Made by hand · pre-AI
Read →Model

PE deal model: consumer web buyout

A buyout model for a consumer web business, built from traffic up and carried through to sponsor returns.

Made by hand · pre-AI
Read →

Experience

Full history →
2026–now

Nerve

Founder & Builder

Multi-agent platform, built solo: product, engineering, GTM, finance.

2024–26

LevelUp Finance

Director of Operations & Product Strategy

Led the agentic AI rollout across a 500-person organization.

2023–24

Independent Consulting

Fractional COO & Chief of Staff

Built Apollo Neuro's first operating model ahead of its Series B.

2021–23

CRS Group

Chief Operating Officer (from Sep 2021)

Doubled revenue and headcount in 10 months; supported a $10M raise.

2019–20

Truework (acquired by Checkr, 2025)

Sr. Business Operations Manager

First BizOps hire (employee #15) through 900% ARR growth and a $30M Series B.

2016–18

Hirevisor

CEO & Co-Founder

Alchemist Accelerator XVI; $3K MRR, 10K candidates, 16 employers.

2014–16

LinkedIn

Business Operations & Strategy, Lynda.com and Content Products

Ran BizOps for the $100M+ Lynda.com unit after the acquisition.

2012–14

Alpine Investors

Investment Professional, Private Equity

Sourced and closed two software deals that exited at 3x+.

2011–12

Arbor Advisors

Analyst, Investment Banking

First junior analyst to source and close a deal in firm history.

Outside the spreadsheet

Most of my career has been joining a company right as it outgrows how it runs, and building what carries it through. Planning cadence, KPIs, reporting, the systems behind the hires.

These days I write the code too. I'd rather show a working agent than a deck about one.

Based inWestchester, NY, with my wife, our two kids, and Maya, a black lab
TrainingPurple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under JT Torres
EducationUniversity of Pennsylvania, B.A. History · FINRA Series 63 and 79
LanguagesEnglish, Spanish

Let's talk about the work nobody owns yet.

If you run operations, build with agents, or want to compare notes, the fastest way to reach me is a call.

Book timepatrick@getnerve.ai