Teaching AI from the Seat You're Actually In
Most people teaching AI to business owners have never run one. Kevin Schumacher has spent over 30 years doing exactly that — building companies from scratch, wearing every hat, making payroll, managing vendors, developing products, and figuring out growth with limited time and limited budget. When he teaches AI, he teaches it the way a fellow business owner would: what actually matters, what's worth your time, and what you can implement on Monday morning.
Kevin built Straight Up Southern from a $200K local screen-printing operation into a $5.5M regional brand portfolio over 18 years — managing 1,000+ wholesale accounts, building five proprietary brands, and handling every decision from product development to capital allocation as the sole executive. That experience gives him something most AI educators lack: a visceral understanding of what it actually costs a small business owner to add something new to their plate, and what makes a tool worth the investment.
His AI journey started early. In October 2022, Kevin began producing AI and blockchain conferences at the Darla Moore School of Business, connecting venture capitalists, corporate executives, and academic researchers around emerging technology. In December 2023, he partnered with Darla Moore to produce Columbia's first dedicated AI conference — 120 attendees, sold out — marking the beginning of what would become the SC AI Impact Alliance.
Since January 2024, Kevin has delivered 27 workshops to more than 500 South Carolina business owners, professionals, and students. His clients include Northwestern Mutual, United Way, the Midlands Workforce Development Board, and Darla Moore MBA students. Every session is free of vendor pitches, free of jargon, and built around one question: what can you actually use?
Kevin holds an MBA in Strategic Innovation from the Darla Moore School of Business and a BBA in Finance from Emory University's Goizueta School of Business. He founded the SC AI Impact Alliance in 2025 to formalize and scale what he'd been building — a statewide network to bring practical AI literacy to the businesses and organizations that drive South Carolina's economy.
What He Brings That Most Consultants Don't
30 Years Actually Running a Business
Built a company from $200K to $5.5M managing every function — sales, operations, finance, product, and people. He understands the constraints you're working inside because he's lived them.
Academic Depth Behind the Practical Delivery
MBA in Strategic Innovation from Darla Moore and BBA in Finance from Emory's Goizueta School — the strategic frameworks behind the practical, no-jargon delivery.
First Mover in South Carolina AI Education
Produced Columbia's first AI conference in December 2023 and has been teaching workshops continuously since January 2024 — ahead of the curve before AI became the buzzword it is today.
Built for Small Business, Not Enterprise
Every workshop is designed for owners who wear multiple hats, have limited time, and need tools that deliver results — not theory built for companies with dedicated IT departments.
Trusted by Serious Organizations
Delivered paid AI training for Northwestern Mutual, United Way, the Midlands Workforce Development Board, and Darla Moore MBA students — organizations that vet who they put in front of their people.
Founder, SC AI Impact Alliance
Built the state's leading grassroots AI education network from the ground up — free, in-person, and designed specifically for the businesses and people driving South Carolina's economy.