Next Exit

Betsy Atkins has taken 17 companies through IPOs and served on 38 public company boards, including Wynn Resorts. She chairs Google Cloud's Executive Advisory Board, sits on Apollo's Advisory Board, and has navigated everything from an FBI raid mid-crisis to activist campaigns that replaced entire boards. In this episode, Betsy reveals what PE-backed companies get catastrophically wrong w...

In this episode, Dan speaks with Joseph Sanborn, CFO of EverQuote, about leading a public company through a full strategic and operational reset. Joseph shares how EverQuote navigated a severe industry downturn, exited non-core initiatives, refocused on its data and technology strengths, and rebuilt discipline around cash flow, profitability, and decision-making. Drawing on his background in inves...

In this episode, Dan speaks with Patrick Dennis, a six-time CEO and seasoned private equity operator, about the decisions that create value, and why most leadership teams get this wrong. Patrick’s career spans leading global businesses through IPOs, complex restructurings, PE-backed transformations, and multiple exits, including serving as CEO of Avaya during a critical turnaround period. Drawing...

In this episode, Dan speaks with Keith Taylor, CFO of Equinix, the $100B global digital infrastructure company and one of the longest-serving CFOs in the S&P 500. Keith shares how he helped build Equinix from a 10-person startup into a global market leader that delivered 88 consecutive quarters of revenue growth and missed a forecast only once in 25 years. From surviving the dot-com crash and...

In this episode, Dan speaks with Neil Hodson, multi-time CFO, COO and now Director of LMS Digital, about how finance leaders can take control of SaaS businesses under pressure. Neil shares how he tackled high churn and cash burn at FONN, reshaped the sales and marketing model around contribution and ACV, and turned the business into a retention-led, profitable SaaS platform that successfully exite...

In this episode, Dan speaks with Bob Gold, Veteran CFO and PE Specialist, about his battle-tested approach to unlocking cash and stabilising businesses: the “War on Working Capital.” Bob breaks down how he takes day-one ownership of cash, sets up visual wallboards for AR, inventory, and AP, and drives cross-functional accountability through rapid standups. He shares lessons from 9 CFO seats across...

In this episode, Dan speaks with Michael Vigario, CFO of ACT Group (North America), about what it takes to scale as a finance leader across startups, fintech, and PE-backed billion-dollar enterprises. Michael shares how he built world-class finance and operations teams from scratch, the discipline needed to earn investor trust, and how to balance growth ambitions with rigorous controls. From his l...

In this episode, Dan Thompson speaks with Blaine Fitzgerald, CFO at Kinaxis and former VP Finance at Shopify, about what it takes to drive sustainable, capital-efficient growth in today’s market. Blaine breaks down how he applies the Rule of 40 to balance growth and profitability, why AI is a financial lever, and how CFOs can build investor confidence through operational clarity and credible guida...

In this episode, Dan Thompson sits down with Sun Choi, consulting CFO, operator, and angel investor, who’s helped multiple B2B SaaS companies scale and exit. From both strategic and private equity deals. Sun shares the real KPIs buyers care about, what separates sponsor and strategic due diligence, and how to avoid the pitfalls that derail exits. He breaks down the importance of clean books, go-to...

In this episode, Dan Thompson talks with Richard Simons, seasoned CFO with four PE-backed exits and a career spanning Sky, Microsoft, and DMGT. Richard shares why today’s CFOs must take a hands-on role in CRM strategy and how the right data inputs power forecasts that drive confident decisions and maximise exit value. He explains how finance teams can avoid the common trap of disconnected sales da...

In this episode, Dan Thompson speaks with Marie Charpentier, CFO at Accredit Solutions, about what it takes for finance leaders to drive high-value exits. With 17+ years in VC- and PE-backed tech companies, Marie shares how CFOs can scale sustainably, clean up messy data, and deliver the kind of operational discipline that private equity expects. She unpacks the shift from VC-style growth to PE-st...

In this episode, Dan Thompson sits down with John Henderson, Deputy CFO at MIQ and a private equity veteran with 15+ years of experience across deals from £5m to £5bn.  From building bulletproof 13-week cash flow models to zeroing in on investor-grade KPIs, John explains how to structure your business for maximum value. He shares real-world lessons, including how he uncovered a regulatory risk tha...

Dan Thompson welcomes Dan Bowyer, multi-exited founder turned VC and Partner at SuperSeed, to discuss the real mechanics of building and backing venture-scale businesses. With 4 exits and over 50 early-stage investments, Dan shares unfiltered insights into what makes companies scale, stall, or sell. From recognising when a founder shouldn’t be CEO, to avoiding energy burnout and co-founder implosi...