Carlos Zapata

Founder

Chicago, Illinois, United States9 yrs 6 mos experience

Highly Stable

Key Highlights

Founded a multi-tenant SaaS platform for K–12 schools.
Boosted restaurant reservations by 30% through digital enhancements.
Recovered $50,000+ in lost revenue for educational institutions.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a SaaS-focused product leader with a strong background in customer experience and operational efficiency.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Product DevelopmentSoftware DevelopmentFront-end DevelopmentWeb DevelopmentProject ManagementTraining & DevelopmentCustomer Relationship Management (crm)Customer ExperienceHospitalityBusiness AnalysisNew Restaurant OpeningsCustomer Service

Other Skills

Business OwnershipStart-up LeadershipEnterprise SoftwareWeb ServicesEvent PlanningSEO OptimizationPoint of Sale (POS) SystemsCommunicationProblem SolvingPublic SpeakingStrategic PlanningCorporate CommunicationsGuest ExperienceTime ManagementRecruiting

About

I’m currently building in EdTech, focused on improving how educational institutions manage finance, payments, and accounts receivable — an area where operational complexity directly impacts cash flow, trust, and the family experience. Through building Studentflow, I’ve worked closely with school administrators and finance teams and seen how legacy systems fail to model real school services, products, and policies. When systems don’t reflect reality, schools pay the price through slower billing cycles, manual work, and unnecessary friction with parents. My background in hospitality strongly shapes how I approach these problems. Working across high-volume and boutique operations taught me how operational details, administrative rigor, and customer experience must work together to create trust and scale. Those lessons have translated directly into how I design software for schools. My superpower sits at the intersection of product, engineering, and customer experience. I enjoy going deep on technical execution while staying grounded in how real users interact with systems day to day. I’m committed to building in EdTech because I believe the right systems can remove operational friction and allow institutions to focus on what matters most — educating students.

Experience

9 yrs 6 mos

Total Experience

3 yrs 11 mos

Average Tenure

2 yrs 3 mos

Current Experience

Studentflow

Founder & Product Engineer

Mar 2024 – Present · 2 yrs 3 mos · Chicago, Illinois, United States · Remote

Founded and built StudentFlow, a multi-tenant SaaS platform serving K–12 schools, focused on extracurricular operations and billing infrastructure.
Owned the product and system end-to-end — from customer discovery and roadmap definition to architecture, deployment, and enterprise rollout.
Designed RBAC and multi-tenant data models to support complex school governance and stakeholder environments.
Built financial workflows including invoicing, credits, late fees, reconciliation, and optional payment processing to modernize accounts receivable operations.
Worked directly with administrators and finance teams to translate ambiguous operational challenges into shipped solutions, recovering $50,000+ in lost revenue and improving billing cycle efficiency.
Led development, QA, go-to-market, onboarding, and continuous iteration — scaling StudentFlow from concept to a trusted operational system used in live school environments.

Business OwnershipStart-up LeadershipEnterprise SoftwareSoftware DevelopmentProduct Development

Esme chicago

Service Operations & Digital Experience Lead

Jan 2020 – Nov 2024 · 4 yrs 10 mos · Chicago, Illinois, United States

Assisted in directing daily front-of-house operations, ensuring seamless service for 120+ guests daily and secured one Michelin star in the first year.
Spearheaded the restaurant’s digital experience — designing and shipping 3 branded websites and a custom membership system using React. Boosted in-page reservations by 30% through SEO optimization, custom meta tagging, and high-performance Lighthouse scores.

Front-End DevelopmentWeb ServicesWeb DevelopmentCustomer ExperienceEvent Planning

Gruppo chiarello

Service Operations

Apr 2019 – Nov 2019 · 7 mos · Napa, California

Directed training and development for a 25-member team on service standards and brand interaction, ensuring consistency in guest experience. Implemented software integrations for POS, accounting, and scheduling, strengthening my project management and technical integration skills. Managed staff scheduling and payroll, developing an operational efficiency focus.

Project ManagementTraining & DevelopmentCustomer ExperiencePoint of Sale (POS) SystemsCommunication

The french laundry

Service Team

Apr 2018 – Dec 2018 · 8 mos · Napa Valley

Crafted memorable 3 Michelin starred experiences by delivering proficient customer service, elevated brand and products with exceptional story telling.
Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability to prompt business changes, took initiative to solve unforeseen problems, and maintained professional composure.

Guest ExperienceTime ManagementPublic SpeakingHospitalityCustomer Experience

Vail resorts

Service Operations Manager

Nov 2017 – Mar 2019 · 1 yr 4 mos · Beaver Creek, CO

Closely managed service operations, coordinated guest experience, transportation and, logistics for up to 400 guests daily.
Composed daily finance, and managerial reports using multiple administrative softwares.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)Problem SolvingPublic SpeakingCustomer ExperienceStrategic PlanningEvent Planning+2

Mission point resort

Service Operations Manager

Apr 2017 – Sep 2017 · 5 mos · Mackinac Island

Managed POS, accounting, and purchasing software integrations while training staff, enhancing my technical project management skills. Regularly reviewed P&L statements and ensured payroll accuracy, grounding my understanding of financial oversight.

Project ManagementEvent PlanningBusiness Analysis

Pearson vue

Costumer Service

Mar 2015 – Jun 2015 · 3 mos · Iowa City-Cedar Rapids Area

Identified customer needs and provided timely solutions using CRM software and support resources. Tracked and documented inquiries accurately, ensuring comprehensive records and data integrity.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)Customer ServiceCustomer SupportCustomer Experience