As an operator, I've been lucky to work with hundreds of talented people at 6 startups during the past ~20 years, leading to 6 acquisitions. Not all of the exits were wins from a venture capital standpoint, but all were great startup experiences.
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FinTech providing student debt and college savings benefits to employers, acquired by E*TRADE (NASDAQ: EFTC) in 2019
2018-2019: CEO Focused on helping to reduce the burden of student loan debt for the workforce. It was great fit for me: strong mission and big market opportunity where I leveraged my background in fintech software, entrepreneurship, and education. |
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North America's leading location media and mobile advertising company, acquired by PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL / eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) in 2011
2013-2015: PayPal Boston Lead 2011-2013: After acquisition by PayPal, COO of PayPal Media Network. Founded Start Tank innovation space 2009-2011: VP of Product, including strategy and corporate development Joined WHERE as VP of Product to lead product team to define roadmap, set priorities, launch releases, and innovate in-market. Led strategy and corporate development, resulting in the acquisition by PayPal. Post-acquisition, promoted to COO of the PayPal Media Network to head up business operations. |
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Venture-backed mobile photo sharing startup, developing mobile apps and websites for consumers around the world, acquired by Exclaim Mobility, rebranded as SnapOne, in 2010
2007-2009: Co-founder & VP of Marketing Led all marketing efforts and involved with all aspects of the business. Managed direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing efforts, and formed partnerships with mobile ad networks to monetize ad inventory and achieve nearly 100% fill rate. |
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VC-backed pioneer in the mobile content/MobileTech industry, acquired by Verisign (NASDAQ: VRSN) in 2006
2005-2006: Director of Product & Corporate Marketing Led all strategic marketing, competitive intelligence, sales/marketing effectiveness, and corporate marketing efforts. Directed team responsible for lead generation, marketing communications, and public relations. After acquisition, promoted to head up strategic marketing for an $800M business line at Verisign. |
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One of the most frequented travel websites on the internet, acquired by IAC (NASDAQ: IAC) / Expedia (NASDAQ: EXPE) in 2004
2004-2005: Director of New Products Led development and launch of new online advertising and search features, as the company’s first product head of product, to meet consumers’ travel research and planning needs. Introduced site enhancements to improve profitability and consumer engagement. Captured voice of the customer through focus groups, usability studies, and surveys. |
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Fasting-growing VC-backed enterprise software company that digitized bills and enabled payments on the web, acquired by Siebel / Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) in 2004
2001-2004: Senior Product Manager Managed two of the company's flagship enterprise software products for electronic billing and payment. Closed multiple 7-figure contracts with customers in the financial services, telecommunications, and healthcare verticals. |