INTHEBLACK November 2026 - Magazine - Page 36
FEATURE
AI is enabling one-person
companies to scale revenue
and capability without
scaling headcount.
Human strengths such
as relationship networks
are critical sources of
competitive advantage.
The lean OPC model
brings its own unique risks,
including founder dependency
and isolation.
A company
of one
For decades, business success meant hiring more people. Now, AI-powered
one-person companies are proving that revenue can grow while headcount
stays at one, raising questions about entrepreneurship, employment
and economic growth.
Words Chris Sheedy
AS THE SOLE EMPLOYEE OF
what is essentially a large, complex
business, Arnaud Rubeck often wishes
there were two of him. That way, headcount
would double.
He travels from his home base in
Singapore to international meetings, fairs
and conferences to let the market know
about his business, ChaseFlow. He is always
available for conversations with clients,
investors and other stakeholders, and he
is happy to be the face of the business.
At the same time, he also manages
finance, legal, marketing, sales, operations,
IT and more, with the help of a few AI
platforms and agents.
ChaseFlow is a managed accounts-receivable
service that manages B2B invoices from issue
36 INTHEBLACK November 2026
through payment, including reminders,
overdue follow-up and pre-escalation.
Every invoice is registered with the
TradePact Network — “think Visa
or Mastercard for credit control,” Rubeck
says — and is chased by a neutral third-party
participant operating under its protocol
and rules.
The company’s ambitions to scale into
the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand
and beyond are considerable, even though
its workforce is not.
When the business requires deep
expertise such as a security audit or
specific legal advice, Rubeck brings it in.
“They always say for entrepreneurship
you need to hire an A-team,” he says.
“But an A-team is extremely expensive.”
