Grounded at CDS, Leading on the Cutting Edge: The Journey of Joshua Schultz ’10
Joshua Schultz, Class of 2010, has built a career at the intersection of finance and innovation, one shaped as much by his professional drive as by the foundation he built at Carrollwood Day School. But the journey from CDS to leading in a tech-driven space wasn’t linear. It began with a curiosity nurtured in classrooms, the encouragement to try new things, and a community that’s remained a steady force in his life ever since.
Josh’s years at CDS were marked by a deep curiosity and the freedom to explore. He was involved in sports, clubs, and theatre, earning a lead role in a state-bound production, and cherished that CDS encouraged him to step outside the expected.
“I had a lot of educational freedom to explore topics that aren’t typically taught,” he says. “And I really enjoyed being involved in different things. Whether it was baseball or theatre, those experiences gave me some of my favorite memories.”
After graduating from CDS in 2010 and the University of South Florida in 2014 with a degree in business management, Josh launched his career as a financial advisor. It was in that role that he discovered a deeper passion for supporting other advisors from behind the scenes, a realization that set him on a new career path. Around that time, he and his wife, whom he met in college through fellow CDS alum Ben Gersten, relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, where they bought and renovated their first house.
Shortly after settling in, Josh joined FP Alpha, a cutting-edge company that’s transforming the world of wealth management. Today, as Director of Implementation, he helps financial advisors harness AI to offer clients a more personalized and comprehensive planning experience. While his career has taken him to new places, Josh’s roots at CDS remain close. Many of his high school friends are still in his life, a community that’s seen him through every milestone. “It’s rare to even have a couple friends from your high school the older you get,” he says. “But I’m very lucky. They’ve moved me across the country, kept me sane during COVID, stood by me for my wedding, and so much more.”
“My experience at CDS is one I will always appreciate,” Josh reflects. “It exposed me to so many different ideas and topics. As I get older, I appreciate it even more because it gave me the tools to find common ground with all different kinds of people in all kinds of places.”
As Josh reflects on his time at CDS, it’s not just the standout moments that leave a mark. It’s the smaller things that mean more with time: hallway laughs with friends, the freedom to explore unexpected interests, and the joy of being involved in everything from clubs to sports to the stage. He feels especially grateful for the community that has stayed with him long after graduation. In his words, it’s rare to have even a couple of high school friends still around as life moves on, but CDS gave him much more than that. It gave him lasting relationships, meaningful memories, and the confidence to grow in every direction, and the CDS community couldn’t be more proud of his growth and accomplishments.
We love sharing our CDS alumni achievements and are delighted to share Josh's updates with the alumni community. If you are a CDS Alumni and would like to share your accomplishments, please contact our Alumni Engagement Coordinator, Carli Gauthier Mianne '16 at cmianne@cdspatriots.org and let us know what you have been up to since leaving CDS. We look forward to hearing from you!