Shows
Next Exit#10: How to Build a $100B Business That Never Missed a Forecast with Keith Taylor, CFO of EquinixIn 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 restructuring billions in debt to leading global expansion across more than 75 markets, Keith explains how discipline, adaptability, and long-term thinking have shaped the business. He also breaks down his forecasting philosophy, why capital...
2025-10-231h 03Next Exit#09: Fixing Churn and Cash Burn: How CFOs Build Exit-Ready SaaS Models with Neil HodsonIn 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 exited to Access Group.From applying his “as-is to to-be” framework, to demanding ROI on every pound spent, Neil explains how CFOs can move beyond spreadsheets to lead commercial change, safeguard cash runway, and alwa...
2025-10-0939 minNext Exit#08: The War on Working Capital with CFO, Bob GoldIn 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 PE-backed and public companies, including why EBITDA can mislead operators, how to structure a practical 30/60/90 plan, and why the best CFOs act like operators, not bookkeepers.Key Takeaways:Start with cash...
2025-09-2537 minNext Exit#07: Shifting Gears From VC to PE with CFO Michael VigarioIn 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 leap into a six-person fintech startup to leading a $3B SaaS business, Michael’s lessons cut through theory and focus on execution, communication, and credibility with investors.Key Takeaways:Build finance teams in th...
2025-09-1126 minNext Exit#06: The Rule of 40 and AI ROI: What CFOs Need to Balance Growth and Profit with Blaine FitzgeraldIn 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 guidance. From build-buy-partner decisions to AI-enabled forecasting, this is a masterclass in modern CFO leadership.Key Takeaways:✔️ Why every CFO needs to build a high “trust battery” with investors...
2025-08-2830 minNext Exit#05: Forecasts that Hold Up to Diligence: How CFOs Build Exit-Ready Metrics with Sun ChoiIn 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-market efficiency, and board alignment and shares a a hard lesson on complacency from a deal that went sideways and what CFOs should learn from it.Key Takeaways:
2025-08-1419 minNext Exit#04: Owning the CRM: How CFOs Build Investor-Grade Forecasts with Richard SimonsIn 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 data, what to track in SaaS metrics, and how to build models that hold up to due diligence. Richard also shares a cautionary tale of a failed exit and the hard le...
2025-07-3122 minNext Exit#03: Driving High-Value Exits: CFO Lessons with Marie CharpentierIn 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-style cash control and explains why modern CFOs must lead the charge on AI enablement.Key Takeaways:✔️ Why clean data is the foundation for any scalable finance function✔️ What pri...
2025-07-1815 minNext Exit#02: £5m to £5bn: How to Structure Your Business for Maximum Value with John HendersonIn 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 that derailed a pharmaceutical transaction, and flagged a £60m CapEx blind spot in a fleet deal. Key Takeaways:Clean financials are non-negotiable for scalable growth and investor confidence Strong cash f...
2025-07-1531 min
AI Pathfinder for Private Equity PodcastDan Thompson: Using AI to Solve Forecasting’s Hidden ProblemsSummaryIn this episode of the AI Pathfinder for Private Equity podcast, host Steve Budd speaks with Dan Thompson, CEO of Kluster, about the critical role of accurate forecasting in private equity. They discuss the challenges faced by private equity firms in forecasting, the concept of private equity grade forecasting, and how Kluster's unique approach leverages AI and data integration to enhance forecasting accuracy. The conversation also touches on the importance of data quality, the dynamics between private equity firms and their portfolio companies, and the future of forecasting in the industry.Takeaways
2025-07-0333 min
Next Exit#01: Founder to Funder: How Dan Bowyer Builds and Backs High Growth Businesses for ExitDan 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 implosions, this episode is packed with hard-won lessons for founders and the investors who back them. The conversation covers how the venture model works, why timing exits is critical, and the traits SuperSeed looks for when betting on technical teams. Th...
2025-07-0137 min
Leadership that sells20. How to build a great culture - with Dan Thompson CEO and co-founder of KlusterAfter an early career that included predicting oil spills and hurricanes, Dan Thompson moved onto predicting revenue forecasts. I'm not sure which one is harder...
At Kluster they crafted an intentional management culture that Dan and his team have spent a lot of time creating.
He's a theoretical physicist, CEO and co-founder of the company and walked me through his three-pillar approach to management:
Frameworks - understand your role, the company structure and the boundaries of what you can and can't do.
Process - the recurring events that help you set...
2022-11-1326 minLeadership that sells20. How to build a great culture - with Dan Thompson CEO and co-founder of KlusterAfter an early career that included predicting oil spills and hurricanes, Dan Thompson moved onto predicting revenue forecasts. I'm not sure which one is harder...
At Kluster they crafted an intentional management culture that Dan and his team have spent a lot of time creating.
He's a theoretical physicist, CEO and co-founder of the company and walked me through his three-pillar approach to management:
Frameworks - understand your role, the company structure and the boundaries of what you can and can't do.
Process - the recurring events that help you set...
2022-11-1326 min
Tech SalescraftA Killer Revenue Strategy Takes Time | Tech Salescraft with Dan Thompson, Co-Founder and CEO of KlusterWelcome back to another episode of Tech Salescraft. Today, James is delighted to be joined by Dan Thompson, Co-Founder and CEO of Kluster.Kluster is a B2B SaaS platform that helps revenue teams and leaders plan, engineer and execute their revenue strategies. Before founding Kluster with Rory Brown, Dan was a data analyst at an insurance tech company, so he knows a thing or two about the power behind data! Dan shares, "now is more important than ever for people to know their numbers and revenue metrics" as he details the importance of c...
2022-08-1630 min