On this week’s episode of Growth@Scale, host Matt Widdoes sits down with Tech Leaders Founder and CTO Todd Larsen for a discussion about when and why it’s time for a company to make their first technical hire. 

Some Key takeaways from the episode:

Starting a Company vs. Joining a Larger Organization

Emphasize solving the core problem first.

Avoid overbuilding and unnecessary complexities.

Scaling Challenges for Leaders

Tackling loss of contextual knowledge as companies grow.

Importance of nurturing early employees to retain knowledge.

Hiring Technical Leaders and CTOs

Look beyond technical prowess; value people skills and team inspiration.

Assess the balance between innovation and process management.

Use the link below to listen and be sure to subscribe to Growth@Scale to stay in the loop with new episodes every week.

Book a complimentary consultation with one of our experts
to learn how MAVAN can help your business grow.

Let’s Talk

Want more growth insights?

[hubspot type=”form” portal=”20951211″ id=”9c538ed2-fb12-45f1-a573-ad7953c058cc”]

Related Content

  • Wide MAVAN featured graphic on a dark navy-to-black background, framed by thin coral arcs on the left and right edges. A coral eyebrow reads “The Problem” above the white headline “After A PE Firm Buys A Consumer Brand, Growth Often Falls Short.” At center, a horizontal progress bar labeled “Planned value” is filled about three-quarters in coral and marked “Captured,” and a bracket under the empty remainder reads “Shortfall.” A caption cites Alvarez & Marsal’s 2026 finding that 41% of PE investors and operators captured less than three-quarters of their planned value over the past year. A second line cites FTI Consulting, 2026: the gap costs sponsors at exit, where buyers now rank margin growth as the top driver of value. The underlined answer recommends fixing the growth system before adding spend, so revenue grows faster than the cost of winning it. A coral MAVAN logo sits at the bottom.

    How Do PE Firms Accelerate Revenue And EBITDA Post-Acquisition?

    PE firms accelerate revenue and EBITDA at consumer brands by fixing the growth system before adding spend. They reconcile the numbers and cut spend that never pays back. They lift conversion and repeat purchases, and they judge growth by contribution margin. Growth operating partners such as MAVAN diagnose that system in 28 days, then help execute the fix.

    Read More
  • MAVAN featured graphic asks, “The deal assumes growth. Can the business deliver?” A white bridge separates diligence, labeled “Find the opportunity,” from execution, labeled “Build the capability.” A coral section marked “Growth Operating Partner” sits beneath the missing span, illustrating the connection needed between assessing growth potential and delivering it. Subtle blue lines sweep inward from both sides against a navy-to-black background. The closing message reads, “Connect the diagnosis to the team that delivers.”

    Who Does Growth & GTM Due Diligence for PE Deals?

    Four kinds of provider run growth and go-to-market due diligence for private equity deals. Strategy consultancies test the market. Specialist commercial diligence firms audit the pipeline. Go-to-market boutiques rebuild the sales motion. And growth operating partners examine the full revenue engine from inside the business, then stay to operate it after close.

    Read More
  • Private equity portfolio company growth framework showing how disconnected media and finance reporting can hide unprofitable spend, why channel vendors fail to own company revenue, how an embedded growth operating partner connects data, acquisition, retention, creative and conversion, and the five-step process for choosing a growth partner that can execute against the value-creation plan.

    Who Is The Best Growth Partner For PE Portfolio Companies?

    The best growth partner for a private equity portfolio company behaves like an operating partner you deploy, not an agency you brief. It reads the whole growth system before it spends, owns a revenue number alongside management, and leaves the capability behind so the sponsor can redeploy it.

    Read More
View More