Josh Kassulke

Why this persona fits the audience

As managing director of a 12-person architecture studio in Edinburgh, handles hiring approvals, contracts, holiday tracking, and annual appraisals with a part-time administrator and spreadsheet log. Payroll is outsourced to an accountant, and HR tasks are not separated into a dedicated system.

• Age: 52
• Location: Edinburgh, UK
• Occupation: Managing Director
• Income: GBP 96k
• Education: RIBA accredited architecture degree
• Company size: 12 employees
• Years in role: 8 years

“You can't build a solid foundation if you're constantly trying to fix the cracks in the floorboards beneath your feet.”

Josh Kassulke is a 52-year-old Managing Director of a boutique architecture firm in Edinburgh, a role he has held for eight years after leading various projects for larger firms across Scotland. Born into a family of stonemasons, Josh's appreciation for craftsmanship was instilled early, leading him to pursue a RIBA-accredited degree where he specialized in historic preservation. His career trajectory reflects a deep commitment to stability and quality over rapid expansion; he deliberately kept his studio small to maintain control over every detail of construction. Currently, he navigates the complexities of running a 12-person business with a mix of traditional methods and modern necessities. While the creative side of his job remains vibrant, the administrative burden has grown disproportionately heavy. He personally oversees hiring, contract negotiations, and the annual appraisal cycle, relying on a part-time administrator who manages the day-to-day logistics but lacks the authority to resolve deeper systemic issues. This has resulted in a reliance on a fragmented ecosystem of spreadsheets and email chains to track employee holidays, performance metrics, and leave balances. Payroll is outsourced to an external accountant, creating a disconnect between actual work performed and financial reporting, which Josh must manually bridge during late-night reconciliation sessions. Despite his technical competence in design and management, he lacks a dedicated HR system, viewing such software as a potential source of unnecessary complexity. However, the cumulative friction of manual data entry and the risk of human error in tracking statutory compliance keeps him alert to solutions that promise simplicity and reliability without compromising the firm's established culture of straightforward communication.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Josh wakes at 6:30 AM for a quiet cup of tea while reading the morning paper. By 8:00 AM, he is at the studio in Leith, checking the overnight site reports from Glasgow. A 9:00 AM meeting with a heritage council representative runs until 10:30, discussing facade conservation details. Lunch is a sandwich eaten at his desk while reviewing a contract draft for a new retail client. Afternoon hours are spent in the design studio, critiquing a junior architect's model and approving a material sample for a hospital extension. At 4:30 PM, he tackles the 'admin block,' sorting through holiday requests in the master spreadsheet and emailing the part-time administrator to update the roster. He leaves the office by 6:00 PM, avoiding overtime unless a critical deadline looms. Evenings are reserved for his workshop or sailing, ensuring he disconnects from the digital noise of the business world.

Lifestyle

Josh lives in a renovated Victorian tenement in the New Town, a property he restored himself over three years. His weekends are split between the Royal Yacht Squadron on the Firth of Forth, where he sails his 28-foot cutter, and his workshop, where he repairs antique furniture. He values physical health through rowing rather than gym memberships, though his knees remind him of his age. Financially, he is conservative; he pays off credit cards monthly and avoids high-risk investments, preferring a steady accumulation of assets. Socially, he prefers small, private gatherings at his dining table or the local pub to large networking events, finding genuine connection in one-on-one conversations about craft and history.

Work life

His days begin with a review of site progress emails before coffee. As MD of a 12-person studio, he divides time between design oversight, client meetings, and administrative triage. He relies heavily on a part-time administrator, Sarah, who manages scheduling, but Josh personally approves all new hires and finalizes contracts. The current HR setup is a patchwork: holidays are tracked in a shared Excel sheet that frequently conflicts with project timelines, and performance reviews are conducted manually with printed notes. He feels the friction of these analog processes daily, particularly when payroll discrepancies arise from the outsourced accountant's lack of real-time data, forcing him to spend evenings reconciling spreadsheets rather than designing.

Relationships

Josh is married to Elena, a retired school principal, whose opinion on people management often guides his own approach. Their two adult children live in London and Berlin, visited via video calls weekly. He maintains a tight circle of four friends from university who still practice architecture, meeting monthly for dinner. His primary professional influence is a former mentor who taught him that 'a building is only as good as the team that built it.' He respects his accountant, though he finds their communication style too abstract, often needing to translate their figures into practical terms for his team.

How they decide

Cautious and evidence-based, relying on peer validation and tangible proof of utility. He avoids impulsive decisions, preferring to test tools in a sandbox environment before committing. He is influenced by the opinions of trusted colleagues in the architectural community and values clarity over marketing hype. If a solution requires a steep learning curve or significant upfront cost without immediate ROI, he will likely reject it regardless of its features.

How they sound

Speaks with a measured, Scottish-accented baritone, using precise vocabulary and avoiding hyperbole. He favors direct sentences and concrete nouns over abstract corporate buzzwords like 'synergy' or 'disruption.' He pauses frequently to consider the weight of his words, often saying 'let's be clear' or 'the facts show.' He does not use slang and maintains a formal yet approachable tone, even with junior staff. When frustrated, he becomes brief and factual, rarely raising his voice but letting the silence speak volumes.