PJ Schulte on Paragon West, Acting, and Giving Back to the Foster System

PJ Schulte has quietly become one of the entertainment industry’s most versatile figures.

As the founder of Paragon West, his Los Angeles management and production firm works with and represents a mix of creators, athletes, and companies, some of which include star boxer Ryan Garcia, Lionsgate, and the Michael Jackson Estate.

Adopted as a child, Schulte has turned his success into a platform for advocacy, supporting foster care and adoption programs across the country.

“I know what it feels like to be given an opportunity,” he tells Distractify. “Now it’s my turn to create them for others.”

In recent years, Schulte has also stepped into acting, appearing in several independent films and joining two larger studio productions slated for production in 2026. He says the work gives him a new perspective as both a performer and a manager.

Schulte: There are many things that set us apart. I would say the main difference is our ability to handle any type of client, whether it’s one of the biggest creators or athletes in the world, or a movie studio launching a big-budget film in theaters, we have the ability to deliver anything quickly and effectively. I believe our culture at Paragon West also sets us apart. We operate as a family here, and maintaining our core values comes before any type of business deal. At many management firms, you get a very cold and corporate feeling when it comes to doing business, and the talent are often viewed simply as dollar signs, and I know they often feel that way too. These firms almost always have high volume in terms of talent, so the individual focus is typically lacking. For us, we specifically choose our clients based on who we believe we can add a great deal of value to. Our clients are all equally as important and always come first, no matter the circumstance. We will always stand by their side and help them navigate their careers through all of the ups and downs to ultimately achieve the highest level of success.

Schulte: Being adopted has given me a deeper understanding of people. I have always been able to sense the way people are feeling, and I have always been aware of how things make people feel around me. I think this is a gift that many people who have gone through similar adversities early on in life possess. I would say it has made me more compassionate for others, which helps me lead in a way where I can really connect with and impact different types of people on the most personal level. Different people require different types of leaders, and the approach is always different. You have to understand who you are dealing with in order to be an effective leader.

Schulte: I actually fell into acting by accident. I remember being interested in acting as a kid, around 9 years old or so. At that time, I was living in the Washington, D.C. area, so acting was not really a common thing to take up at that age like it is in Los Angeles, for example. Almost all of my friends growing up were into sports, especially football, so that is what I ended up doing for years. Acting never crossed my mind. When I began my career as a manager, I signed my first actress up for a highly regarded acting school in Los Angeles. She ended up moving to New York right before the program began, so I decided to jump in. Going in, I did not have interest in acting, but I thought it might help me understand actors better, and ultimately help me become a stronger manager. I ended up falling in love with acting and all of the work that goes into it, which is much more difficult than most people would imagine. It’s really been a blessing.

Schulte: I chose to manage my own acting career for a few reasons. When I first started out, I reached out to every management company I could find in Los Angeles with all of my materials, but I did not hear back from a single one. Most entertainers have experienced this before. In my mind, I already knew that no one was going to work harder than me to ensure my success, and I already had the tools and resources to make things happen as a talent manager. I decided I would manage myself until given an opportunity after I had gotten a few credits under my belt; however, things kept working out, so I just decided to stay self-managed. There was a point when I realized that no one could do more for me than I was already doing, so it did not make sense to pursue a manager. I do have some amazing mentors, both on the business and acting ends, but I like relying on myself when it comes to management because I am in complete control of whether I make things happen or not.

Schulte: We are growing at a very fast rate, and we are looking forward to new talent joining our family while continuing to elevate our current clients to new levels of success. We will continue to expand into original content and creative partnerships. We also have some significant studio projects coming up on the TV and film production side of things next year, and we are very excited about that.