Systems thinking applied to real business operations.
I work at the intersection of ERP, finance, and workflow architecture — where the design decisions are made that determine whether systems produce reliable data or require constant manual intervention.
Blake Linde
Fractional SMB Systems Architect
I became interested in systems because I kept seeing the same pattern.
Smart teams.
Hardworking people.
Broken systems.
Most consultants focus on software selection or implementation. But the real issue is usually architecture — how the systems were designed to interact with each other, and whether that design reflects how the business actually runs.
My background is in information systems with a finance crossover. I've spent the last several years working directly inside the operational and financial problems that undesigned systems create — managing ERP implementations, rebuilding integration layers, and fixing reporting stacks that leadership had stopped trusting.
I work independently, directly with leadership teams. No agency overhead, no hand-offs to junior staff. Every engagement is hands-on — from diagnostic through delivery.
Most ERP consultants understand configuration but not finance. Most finance people can't touch the systems. Most automation vendors have never run an ERP implementation. I bridge all three — and stay through execution.
How I Work
Three principles behind every engagement.
These aren't values statements. They're the sequencing logic that separates systems work that holds from systems work that creates more problems.
“Start with the operating model, not the software.”
Most system problems are process problems in disguise. Before recommending any configuration change or new tool, Blake maps how work actually moves through the business — because that determines what the system should be configured to do.
“Fix first. Build second. Automate third.”
AI and automation add leverage on top of clean systems. They don't fix broken ones. The sequence matters: get the data clean, the workflows standardized, and the reporting trusted — then layer in intelligence where it creates measurable value.
“Implementation is where the real work happens.”
Blake doesn't hand off a roadmap and disappear. He stays through execution — because a recommendation on paper and a recommendation working in your system are two very different things.
Background
Certifications and experience.
10+ Technical Certifications
NetSuite, Business Central, Salesforce, AWS, Azure, Workato, Boomi, Tableau
ERP Implementation Experience
NetSuite, Business Central, Eatec — configuration, migration, integration
CRM Experience
Salesforce, HubSpot — pipeline alignment, data quality, ERP integration
Financial Systems Experience
QuickBooks, Zoho, Xero — reporting layer, reconciliation, FMS-to-ERP integration
BYU Marriott School of Business
BS in Management Information Systems, graduating 2026
Beyond the Work
I'm based in Utah and work with clients remotely. Most engagements are virtual, with occasional on-site work for discovery or training when it adds real value.
Outside of client work, I write about the systems problems I see most often inside growing SMBs — ERP implementations that quietly failed, automation projects that added complexity instead of removing it, and reporting stacks leadership can't trust.
The best implementations are collaborative, not prescriptive. I'm here to help you understand what's actually happening in your systems — and then fix it with you.
Want to work together?
Whether you need systems rescue, a diagnostic, or a technical partner who understands what the reporting layer actually needs — let's talk.