DF
David Franklin
Exited Executive | Portco Growth & Value Creation | Sales & Digital Marketing | Systems Optimization
About David
Investor backed CEO / COO / EVP with a track record creating value, optimizing operations, facilitating deals, and executing strategic acquisitions and exits in the venture capital, private equity, performance marketing, and healthcare industries. I bring broad operational and financial acumen spanning process and systems optimization, finance, digital marketing, lead generation, and call center management.
» Extensive PE deal experience, including a PE exit and growing from zero revenue to strategic exit.
» Collaborative, mission-driven leader who integrates core values and continuous improvement into performance metrics to drive organizational success.
» Aligns talent with strategic growth objectives to get the right people in the right seats on the bus.
» Bias for data, automation, and monetization in fast-changing market conditions.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
» As CEO at Expertise.com, grew ARR from zero to millions and successfully facilitated acquisition by Forbes Advisor in Feb 2024.
» As Executive VP for HigherEducation.com, executed on a mandate to grow profitability. Through a series of strategic acquisitions and conversion optimization initiatives, I generated tens of millions of EBIDTA leading to a successful PE acquisition.
» Coordinated 5 investments that raised tens of millions of additional capital through admittance to accelerators, new funding rounds, and winning over >$10M of non-dilutive funding.
» Board member of Allotrope Medical (acquired by Northgate Technologies, Inc.), a US-based medical device manufacturer that develops an electrosurgical ureter identification system.
» Led acquisition of Caring.com (assisted living lead generation company) by private equity via an FTC divestiture process.
CREDENTIALS:
» MBA in Venture Capital & Entrepreneurship from UCLA Anderson School of Management
» Bachelor of Science in Biomedical and Electrical Engineering from Duke University.
SKILLS:
Deal Support
Portco Growth
Value Creation
Systems Optimization
Financial Acumen
Exit Strategy
Monetization
Automation
Startups
Investing
Business Development
Acquisitions
Business Planning
Financial Planning
Market Research
Corporate Development
Strategic Planning
Experience
- Co-FounderMay 2025 - Present · 4 mosCurrent
- Co-FounderMay 2025 - Present · 4 mosCurrent
- ChairmanJan 2025 - Present · 8 mosCurrent
Transforming Ideas into Successful Businesses Skills: Start-up Ventures
- MemberAug 2024 - Present · 1 yr 1 moCurrent
- Co-FounderJul 2024 - Present · 1 yr 2 mosCurrent
Skills: Financial Operations · Executive Leadership · P&L Accountability
Bruin Angels Investor Network · Part-time
- Executive Committee MemberJul 2024 - Present · 1 yr 2 mosCurrent
- PresidentAug 2017 - Present · 8 yrs 1 moCurrent
Consulting services focused on optimizing and scaling business operations (including offshore), digital marketing, revenue operations, call centers, and conversion to grow profitability. Skills: Digital Marketing · Call Center Administration · Operations Management · Lead Generation · Sales Operations · EBITDA
- General Manager (Post Expertise.com Acquisition)Feb 2024 - Jul 2024 · 6 mosLos Angeles, California, United States
Acquired Expertise.com Feb 2024. Helped manage transition post acquisition. Skills: Growth Strategies · P&L Operations · Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) · Strategic Leadership · P&L Management · Financial Operations · Product Development · Regulatory Compliance · Executive Leadership · EBITDA · P&L Accountability
- Chief Executive Officer / Co-Founder (Acquired)Mar 2019 - Jul 2024 · 5 yrs 5 mosGreater Los Angeles Area
Recruited by private equity investor group to build team and create value for lead generation company helping consumers find the best legal, home, and business services providers. Oversaw all operations, including finance, system implementations, and marketing. • Leveraged initial investment of working capital to grow ARR from zero to millions with positive EBITDA leading to successful acquisition transaction with Forbes Advisor. • Built team to of 250+ onshore and offshore, implementing a mission- and values-focused culture with keen focus on continuous improvement and associated projects. • Developed sales strategy and assembled a team that closed thousands of small and medium-sized businesses. • Drove process automation and data-driven decision-making through the implementation of Salesforce.com, Tableau, and other data tools. • Created call center answering 800+ calls per day to connect consumers with the best service providers. • Acted as CFO, implementing and overseeing all billing and financial software. • Launched paid media buying and call buying capabilities to augment organic lead generation. Skills: Growth Strategies · P&L Operations · Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) · Transformational · Strategic Leadership · P&L Management · PE · Leadership · Financial Operations · CEOs · Growth Acceleration · Product Development · Private Equity · Executive Leadership · EBITDA · P&L Accountability
- Head of Business (pro tem)Jun 2018 - Feb 2019 · 9 mos
Skills: Growth Strategies · P&L Operations · Strategic Leadership · Financial Operations · P&L Accountability
- Deal Lead Support - Caring Holdings, LLC (Acquired)Feb 2018 - May 2018 · 4 mos
Assisted in the acquisition of an assisted living lead generation company located in San Mateo, California via an FTC divestiture process with the same investor group behind HigherEducation.com Skills: P&L Operations · PE · Financial Operations · Private Equity · EBITDA
- Co-founder & CEOJul 2017 - Feb 2018 · 8 mos
Co-Founder and CEO of real estate lead generation startup. Built from the same investor group as HigherEducation.com and then transitioned with the same group into Expertise.com. Skills: Growth Strategies · P&L Operations · P&L Management · Financial Operations · CEOs · Product Development · Executive Leadership · EBITDA · P&L Accountability
- Board Member - Allotrope MedicalMar 2017 - Sep 2021 · 4 yrs 7 mos
Elgin, Illinois, USA, April 04, 2023 – Northgate Technologies, Inc. (NTI) announced today that it has successfully completed the acquisition of Allotrope Medical™ Inc, a US-based medical device manufacturer that develops an electrosurgical ureter identification system. Skills: P&L Operations · Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) · Regulatory Compliance · Medical Imaging · Medical Devices
- Co-Founder & Board Member (Acquired)Jan 2017 - Aug 2023 · 6 yrs 8 mos
• Assembled investment partners to launch one of Texas’ first Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care Centers (PPECC) for medically fragile children. Joycare was acquired through restructuring in 2023. Skills: P&L Operations · P&L Management · Financial Operations · Regulatory Compliance
- Co-Founder & Managing DirectorDec 2013 - Jan 2024 · 10 yrs 2 mos
• Co-founded early-stage venture capital (angel) fund that made 9 investments in health IT, diagnostic, and medical device companies. Fund 1 fully deployed by 2016. • Coordinated 5 investments that continued on to raise tens of millions of additional capital through admittance to accelerators, new funding rounds, and winning over >$10M of non-dilutive funding. • Co-inventor on US Patent #10524892 related to Adient Medical’s absorbable blood clot filter device. Skills: Growth Strategies · P&L Operations · P&L Management · PE · Financial Operations · Product Development · Regulatory Compliance · Medical Imaging · Medical Devices · Executive Leadership · EBITDA · P&L Accountability
- Executive Vice President (Acquired)Sep 2013 - Jun 2017 · 3 yrs 10 mos
Brought on to grow profitability and enable PE acquisition. Shaped overall monetization strategy, business development, and business intelligence initiatives for lead generation and Online Program Management (OPM) company focused on providing consumers with the best opportunities to further their higher education goals. Progressed through multiple roles in product development and monetization, leading to a successful acquisition by PE for 9 figures in 2016. • Catalyzed tens of millions in EBITDA growth through a series of strategic acquisitions and by increasing conversion funnel monetization by 8X. • Sold flagship OPM product offering to a university and developed operational division and internal call center to handle the student enrollment process; grew to over 40 call center employees. • Oversaw tens of millions in affiliate acquisition transactions while optimizing website affiliates who monetized their traffic through our platform. Skills: Growth Strategies · P&L Operations · Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) · Strategic Leadership · P&L Management · PE · Financial Operations · Edtech · Growth Acceleration · Product Development · Regulatory Compliance · Private Equity · Executive Leadership · EBITDA
- VP Strategy, Monetization, Client Services and SalesApr 2013 - Aug 2013 · 5 mos
• Generated +11% increase in revenue per unit within 3 months by directing sales strategy and managing a 5-person online university client services/sales team. Skills: Growth Strategies · PE · Financial Operations · Edtech
- VP Strategy, MonetizationJul 2012 - Mar 2013 · 9 mos
• Led team that improved on-page Click Through Rates (CTR) and monetization by 15%. Skills: PE · Financial Operations · Edtech
- VP of Strategy and ProductNov 2011 - Jul 2012 · 9 mos
• Improved annual revenues by tens of millions by developing QlikView KPI dashboards to manage lead delivery product. Skills: PE · Financial Operations · Edtech
- Summer MBA Associate - Corporate DevelopmentJun 2009 - Aug 2009 · 3 mos
• Coordinated development and business teams as well as identified, prioritized, and partnered with solutions to ensure success for a new DVA product: Falcon EHR (Electronic Health Record)
UCLA Anderson School of Management
- Director of Venture Capital ProgramsSep 2008 - May 2010 · 1 yr 9 mos
UCLA Anderson Venture Fellow UCLA Technology & Innovation Partners (TIP) Fellow Young Presidents' Organization (YPO) Fellow Director of Venture Capital Programs, Entrepreneur Association Skills: Executive Leadership
- Co-FounderSep 2008 - Feb 2012 · 3 yrs 6 mosGreater Los Angeles Area
• Drove the commercialization of university research by providing feasibility analysis, market analysis, company incorporation, university licensing, startup consulting, grant writing, and fundraising services. Skills: Growth Strategies · P&L Management · Financial Operations · CEOs · Product Development · Regulatory Compliance · Medical Imaging · Medical Devices · EBITDA
- Manager Strategy Corporate DevelopmentSep 2006 - Sep 2008 · 2 yrs 1 mo
• Worked under direct assignment of CEO to provide operational support for various corporate business units. • Grew dialysis @Home in 7 quarters (from tens to hundreds of millions) as interim Head of Marketing. Skills: Growth Strategies · P&L Operations · Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) · P&L Management · Product Development · Regulatory Compliance · Medical Devices · EBITDA · P&L Accountability
- Bus. Mgmt. Consulting - ConsultantAug 2004 - Sep 2006 · 2 yrs 2 mos
• Ranked #1 in analyst class
Education
- UCLA Anderson School of ManagementMBA, Venture Capital & Entrepreneurship
Activities and societies: UCLA Anderson Venture Fellow UCLA Technology & Innovation Partners (TIP) Fellow Young Presidents' Organization (YPO) Fellow Director of Venture Capital Programs, Entrepreneur Association
- Duke UniversityBSE, Bio-Medical and Electrical Engineering
Majors: Bio-Medical and Electrical Engineering Minors: Chemistry and Economics Skills: Medical Imaging
Skills
Other
Start-up VenturesP&L OperationsP&L AccountabilityMedical DevicesDigital MarketingSales OperationsTableauRegulatory ComplianceMedical ImagingTransformationalEBITDACEOsEdtechP&L ManagementProduct DevelopmentPEGrowth AccelerationFinancial OperationsLeadershipGrowth StrategiesStrategic Leadership
At a glance
Experience21 years
Currently atFrom Where
Based inUnited States
Studied atUCLA Anderson School of Management
Roles24
Skills21
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