ARI KAUFMAN

PRIVATE EQUITY CEO, PLATFORM ARCHITECT AND LEADER OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE TEAMS

  • PE-Backed CEO
  • Lower-Middle Market
  • Platform/Roll-ups/Acquisitions
  • Exits / IPO
  • Executive AI (Re)Structuring
  • Corp Dev / M&A
  • Structured Finance
  • Market Development
  • Executive Management
  • Leadership
  • Coaching
  • Partnerships
  • P&L
  • Team Building
  • Account-Based Selling
  • Culture Development
  • Technology Development
  • Demand-Based Marketing

Ari is a proven private equity-backed CEO who successfully builds platforms and substantially grows technology and tech-enabled service companies that deliver maximum shareholder value. He leveraged PE-backed WILink Plc [LSE:WLK] to establish a platform and acquire four additional companies. He grew interactive lead-generating advertising firm ThinkAcquisition to $100M in billings before exit. Ari engineered the PE-backed management buy-out of LocationInsight and sold PE-backed Placeable to a strategic buyer. He led LookSmart’s [NYSE: LOOK] platform to $250 million in revenue. Ari launched first-party ad serving at TruEffect (f/k/a MatchLogic) and increased revenue by 340% over three years. He was a founder at Zacks.com, where he launched the first ad-supported financial web site, achieved $120M top-line in four years, and pioneered the online advertising industry.

TRANSACTION AND CAPITAL EXPERIENCE

  • WILink.com plc IPO [FTSE:WLNK]
  • Completed four acquisitions for WIlink plc – fintech roll-up platform
  • Sold PE-backed Placeable to Ignitetech Technologies
  • Sold ThinkAcquisition to Performance Bridge
  • Sold LocationInsight to United Communications Group (PE)
  • Sold RealHousing to First American Title
  • Series A for Sojern
  • Series B for Pixorial – Acquired by Lifelogger
  • Series A for Placeable – Acquired by Ignite
  • PE-backed management buy-out for LocationInsight
  • Series seed for Spout
  • Series A for RealHousingReport – Acquired by First American Title

GROWTH AND OPERATING EXPERIENCE

  • Increased Placeable top-line revenue by 25% and reduced customer churn from 16% to below 4% over 2 years
  • Shifted LocationInsight revenue composition from 75% one-time fees to 85% recurring
  • Increased InfoNow average contract length from 12 to 20 months
  • Launched LookSmart private label SaaS solution and increased company revenue by 40% in one year
  • Increased TruEffect revenue by 300% to exceed $50M over three years
  • Grew ThinkAcquisition to $100M billings

“Ari has led lower-middle market companies for 25 years and has made a career out of successfully anticipating the future of growth sectors.”

Denver Business Journal

EXPERIENCE

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, WEB3 PRO

Denver, CO 2024 to present

Blockchain asset management platform promoting crypto-finance solutions for the retail market. Hired by Board of Directors to restructure/turnaround the company and redeploy assets.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SPOUT

Denver, CO – 2017 to 2023

  • B2G/C device and SaaS solution for locating lead contaminated water
  • $4M Series Seed

EXECUTIVE COACH

Denver, CO 2015 to present

  • C-level career coach
  • Teaching leaders how to think bigger

OPERATING PARTNER, NEXACQUIRE

Denver, CO 2017 to 2018

Operator-led investment team sponsored by Insignia Capital Group to acquire digital media, martech and adtech companies. NexAcquire Search Fund was sponsored to acquire up to $100M of assets.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, PLACEABLE – ACQUIRED BY IGNITE TECHNOLOGIES

Denver, CO 2012 to 2017

  • Enterprise SaaS location-based Martech platform – $25M P&L
  • Acquired by Ignitetech – 5x return for private equity investor, United Communications Group
  • Increased top-line by 25% and reduced customer churn from 16% to 4% over 2 years
  • $6.5M series A

PRESIDENT, MODEL N (f/k/a INFONOW) – LOCATIONINSIGHT ACQUIRED BY UNITED COMMUNICATIONS GROUP

Denver, CO 2010 to 2012

  • B2B digital enterprise location marketing solutions – $25M P&L
  • Acquired (MBO) LocationInsight in partnership with PE investor, United Communications Group
  • Pivoted commoditized legacy web locator business of 75% one-time fees into local search marketing SaaS platform with 85% recurring revenue
  • Increased average contract length from 12 to 20 months

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, PIXORIAL – ACQUIRED BY LIFELOGGER

Denver, CO 2010

  • Facebook / social media video chat platform – $10M P&L
  • Acquired by Lifelogger
  • $8M Series B

GENERAL PARTNERS, TRAILBLAZER VENTURES

San Francisco, CA 2008-2009

  • SearchForce:          Leadership of SEM automation and bid optimization company
  • Sojern:                   $16M Series A and GTM development for online publisher of air-travel profiles
  • All.com:                 Funding advisor to peer-to-peer online media file sharing and social network

GENERAL MANAGER, LOOKSMART – ACQUIRED BY PIXIS

San Francisco, CA 2007-2008

  • B2B enterprise SaaS search advertising network platform – $100M P&L
  • Launched private label SaaS solution Increased revenue from $150M to $250M

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, TRUEFFECT (f/k/a MATCHLOGIC)

Denver, CO 2005-2007

  • SaaS publisher ad serving platform
  • Catapulted first-party ad serving revenue by 300% to exceed $50M over three years

Chief Revenue Officer/Vice President of Business Development, Innovative Driven (f/k/a Integro eBusiness Consulting)

Denver, CO 2003-2004

Established Microsoft partnership and doubled company revenue pipeline in first year

VENTURE PARTNER, TRAILBLAZER VENTURES

Denver, CO 2001-2003

ThinkAquisition:

  • ACQUIRED BY PERFORMANCE BRIDGE (OMNICOM)
  • Grew digital lead generation agency to $100M billings on top of $1M series A

RealHousing Report/RealTrends:

  • ACQUIRED BY FIRST AMERICAN TITLE
  • $4M series A
  • Business sold for 5x revenue after two years

Chief Strategy Officer, WILink plc [FTSE:WLK] – ACQUIRED BY ISSUERDIRECT

London, UK 2000-2001

  • $135M IPO on London Stock Exchange [FTSE:WLK]
  • Fintech platform – data, online trading and information services
  • Four acquisitions/integrations – $100M P&L
  • Acquired by PrecisionIR and subsequently acquired by IssuerDirect [NYSE:ISDR]
  • Knutsford Group PLC private equity

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER / EVP INTERNET OPERATIONS, ZACKS.COM & ZACKS INVESTMENT RESEARCH, INC.

Chicago, IL 1996-2000

  • Founder – spun-off Zacks.com from Zacks Investment Research, Inc.
  • Bootstrapped business from zero to $120M revenue in four years

TECHSTARS MENTOR AND BOARD ADVISOR

Denver, CO 2010-present

  • RideIQ (funded)
  • Chainstarters
  • DataNerds (acquired)
  • Attentive
  • Blank Slate

BOARD MEMBER, JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT

Denver, CO 2015-present

EDUCATION

PURDUE UNIVERSITY, Bachelor of Science

CORNELL UNIVERSITY, Veterinary Science

LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION

SOMMELIER – Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas. 2022

RECOMMENDATIONS

Brian Heinze, Head of R&D – Spout

“Working alongside Ari was a transformative experience. His contagious energy is inspiring. He moves fast with great confidence, decision-making, and negotiation skills, always propelling the team forward. Ari truly is a visionary with the entrepreneurial skills to back his ideas up. I’m grateful for his mentorship and proud to call him my friend. I confidently recommend Ari. He is an exceptional leader.”

Anders Jacobson, Venture Capital Investor – Spout

“Ari has built a very solid team to deliver on an ambitious vision and targets, solving a very important issue in the world of water. Ari and the team have since we invested shown a phenomenal ability to work through problems, pivot and build out a completely new product addressing a challenge which has not been solved previously. The solution and product they have now arrived at has the potential to take a market-leading role providing a very compelling platform to grow and provide investor returns from.”

Will Sarni, Angel Investor – Spout

“I have had the privilege of working with Ari over the past six years in developing an innovative water tech solution to address a “wicked water problem.” Ari has the unique ability to quickly identify a technology solution and business model strategy, but more importantly, execute the strategy with discipline and passion. I have learned much from Ari and am grateful to have him as a mentor.”

Jonathan Ewert, Private Equity & Corp Dev – Placeable

“Ari is a successful executive with deep expertise in online media, SAAS technology and venture development. Ari and I worked together at LookSmart, where Ari was GM of Publisher Services and operated the CPC text ad serving platform licensing business. Ari is passionate, innovative and has a strong market and client focus in everything he does. He is a big-picture visionary as well as highly skilled executive operator that articulates clear objectives and leads a company towards meeting its goals. I would recommend Ari to any emerging business or turn-around that is looking for a hands-on manager of operations that can benefit from both his inside and outside skills. He is as strong in front of clients as he is in front of boards, executive peers, and subordinates.”

MEDIA

WIRED MAGAZINE

Waterlyzer Offers Access to Water Quality Data in the Wake of the Flint Crisis

DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL

Investment lets Denver’s Placeable focus on growth

STREETFIGHT

Street Culture: How Placeable Employees Own the Company’s Culture

DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL

Denver biotech startup’s ‘game-changing’ gadget could solve this problem for water utilities

DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL

Denver tech company Placeable puts itself on the map

HIGHLINE BETA

ABInBev backs SPOUT in the 100+ Accelerator

NEWSDESK-UK

Bluewater announces investment in Denver, Colorado-based Microlyze to support product development and commercial rollout

SOURCE

Start-ups win funding to deploy in water-scarce cities

DEATH OF A SALESMAN – EMAIL IS NOT YOUR FRIEND

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ART OF SELLING?

THERE’S AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, AND IT’S YOU!

Ari Kaufman

ari@arikaufman.com

LinkedIn