About Zhero

Operator First, Consultant Second

20+ years building and scaling operations. We solve problems by doing the work—not by making recommendations and leaving.

Patrick Armstrong

Patrick Armstrong

Fractional Chief Operations Officer & Director of Operations

Patrick has spent two decades in operations leadership—building systems, scaling teams, optimizing processes, and delivering measurable business results. He's worked in manufacturing, custom metal fabrication, and industrial process energy optimization, bringing hard-won operational wisdom to every engagement.

His career arc: started in the trades (Red Seal Certified 313A Refrigeration Mechanic), transitioned to manufacturing leadership, scaled a 200-person operation 4X in revenue while reducing lead times 50%, drove 25%+ process energy savings across manufacturing operations, and certified in energy management and energy auditing. He's served on CAGBC's Zero Carbon Committee and built operational infrastructure that survives leadership transitions.

As a fractional DOO/COO, he brings battle-tested playbooks for rapid improvement, team capability building, and sustainable operational leverage. Not a consultant who advises—an operator who executes.

Red Seal Certified
313A Refrigeration Mechanic
Energy Management
CEM (2016)
Energy Auditor
CEA (2019)
Business Education
MMBA
Career Journey

From Trades to Operations Leadership

Trades
Red Seal Certified Refrigeration Mechanic (313A)
Started in trades. Hands-on understanding of operations, systems, and quality standards.
2010–2016
Production & Operations Manager
Scaled manufacturing operations, implemented lean principles, built first ERP systems, reduced defects 40%.
2016
Certified Energy Manager (CEM)
Formalized energy expertise. Delivered 25%+ process energy savings across 150K sq ft manufacturing facility. CAGBC Zero Carbon Committee.
2017–2021
Director of Operations
Built and scaled 200-person operation 4X in revenue. Custom metal fabrication (laser, press brake, welding, paint, assembly). Implemented CAD, AI scheduling systems, quality management. Lead time reduction 50%.
2019
Certified Energy Auditor (CEA)
Advanced energy auditing credentials. Expert-level capability in manufacturing process energy optimization.
2026
Zhero Energy Inc. — Fractional Operations Consulting
Launched fractional operations leadership practice serving PE/VC portfolio companies and SMBs. Manufacturing ops, AI readiness, process energy optimization, and operational diagnostics.
Principles

How We Operate

Six core principles that guide every engagement and result in sustainable, measurable value creation.

⚙️

Systems Over Heroics

Sustainable improvements come from repeatable systems, not heroic effort. We build processes that outlast our engagement.

👥

People First

Operations scale through people. We invest in building capability, removing friction, and creating ownership—not replacing your team.

📊

Measure Everything

Improve what you measure. We establish clear KPIs, track relentlessly, and optimize based on data—not intuition.

Bias to Action

Good plans executed now beat perfect plans executed later. We move fast, test hypotheses, and iterate continuously.

🎯

Business-Focused

Operations exist to serve business outcomes—revenue, EBITDA, cash flow. Everything we do connects to your business strategy.

🤝

Transparency & Accountability

We own our work. Weekly updates, monthly reporting, clear metrics, and honest conversation about progress and challenges.

Ready to Work with an Operator?

Let's have a conversation about your operations challenge and what's possible.

Schedule a Call