Building Successful Tech Companies

The Tech Trek

In this episode, Amir hosts Dave McGann, the CTO of Self Financial, to discuss scaling strategies in technology companies. Dave shares his experiences working with venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE)-backed companies, detailing different growth strategies and company cultures. He highlights the importance of a cohesive early team, understanding financials, and the role of leadership in scaling businesses. The conversation delves into the differences between VC and PE environments, focusing on people, product market fit, and financial management. Dave offers insights into successful exit strategies and the skills necessary for technologists to adapt to various business structures. The episode wraps up with practical advice for tech professionals aiming for success in scaling and exiting companies, offering listeners a chance to connect with Dave for further mentorship.

Highlights:

02:04 Differences Between VC and PE Backed Companies

02:42 Scaling Strategies in VC Backed Companies

04:44 Scaling Strategies in PE Backed Companies

08:17 Cultural Influence and Leadership in Different Company Sizes

12:22 Transitioning from VC to PE: Challenges and Learnings

18:55 Evaluating Job Opportunities and Company Potential

23:38 Advice for Aspiring Leaders and Final Thoughts

Guest:

David McCann is a seasoned technology and product executive with over 20+ years of experience in the software industry. As the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Self Financial, Inc., David is passionate about helping people build credit through innovative, scalable, and secure fintech solutions. He has a proven track record of driving significant business outcomes, having been involved in over $5 billion in transactions, including a notable $1+ billion transaction with Carlyle during his tenure as CTO at Abrigo and the successful exit of Accurent to Fortive for approximately 2.1 billion USD in 2019. David’s career is marked by his leadership in scaling cross-platform technology organizations, his expertise in mergers and acquisitions, and his deep knowledge of software development and cloud computing. He has held prominent roles such as CTO at Accruent and CLEAResult, where he led technology-driven solutions to meet the needs of businesses and consumers alike. Beyond his role at Self Financial, David serves as a Chief Technical Advisor at Cove Strategy Partners, advising private equity-backed growth firms in the enterprise SaaS market. His extensive experience includes supporting over 50 acquisitions and contributing to product and architecture design.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damccann/

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Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)