In this Beyond the Deal minisode, hear Instructure CEO Steve Daly share how his past experiences informed his mission to create a results-oriented, customer-centric company and a culture where people genuinely enjoy coming to work. Thoma Bravo Managing Partner, Holden Spaht, and Partner, Brian Jaffee, speak with Steve Daly about his leadership philosophy and building a company culture that emphasizes collaboration. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabra...
Jun 26, 2025•15 min
Instructure’s Canvas, the learning management system used by over 4,000 school districts and 2,500 higher education institutions, became a lifeline during the pandemic. On this episode of Behind the Deal, Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Holden Spaht and Partner Brian Jaffee sit down with Instructure CEO Steve Daly to discuss how they worked together to refocus Instructure to grow into a leading EdTech platform. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/...
Jun 18, 2025•52 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Ping Identity Founder & CEO, Andre Durand, explains that in a 10-10 culture, “the how matters as much as the what.” Over time, through his experience as a multi-time founder, he has come to resonate with one simple cultural north star that he refers to as “10-10” to strike a balance between performance and attitude. In this Beyond the Deal minisode, Andre Durand sits down with Thoma Bravo’s Orlando Bravo and Chip Virnig to discuss some of the pivotal moments that shaped his journey as an ent...
Jun 12, 2025•14 min
Ping Identity helps some of the largest enterprises in the world secure the logins of their employees and customers, helping to keep systems secure, prevent fraud, and decrease friction as companies undergo their digital transformation. In this episode of Behind the Deal, Thoma Bravo Founder and Managing Partner, Orlando Bravo, and Partner, Chip Virnig, sit down with Ping Identity Founder & CEO, Andre Durand, to discuss the $2.8 billion take-private transaction and the strategic rationale be...
Jun 05, 2025•57 min•Season 3Ep. 10
In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Applitools Co-Founder and CTO, Adam Carmi, and CEO, Alex Berry, speak with Thoma Bravo Partner, Carl Press, about the evolution of Applitools from its early days to a leader in AI-enabled test automation. Adam discusses the initial problem he and co-founder Moshe Milman sought to solve and Alex shares his perspective as CEO and how he embraces the founders’ vision. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthe...
May 29, 2025•21 min
Hear the story behind Thoma Bravo’s investment in Applitools with Partner Carl Press in conversation with Alex Berry, CEO of Applitools, and Adam Carmi, Co-Founder and CTO of Applitools. The company’s all-in-one, AI-powered testing platform revolutionizes the way businesses approach quality assurance and test automation. Carl, Alex and Adam discuss the evolution of the business, the market trends driving the adoption of AI in application testing, and why thousands of companies worldwide trust Ap...
May 22, 2025•42 min•Season 3Ep. 9
In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, former Mailgun CEO and CTO, Will Conway and Josh Odom, join Thoma Bravo Partner Hudson Smith to share their experiences of leading a growing technology company starting as college friends turned business partners. They highlight the critical role of a strong, supportive team culture, how their friendship strategically plays to their individual talents and strengths, and how that impacted the business. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit...
May 15, 2025•23 min
Mailgun enables over 150,000 companies to send, track, test, and optimize more than 250 billion emails per year effortlessly for marketing and business communication to their customers. Thoma Bravo Partner Hudson Smith sits down on Behind the Deal with former Mailgun CEO Will Conway and CTO Josh Odom as they dive into Mailgun’s journey from a spin out from Rackspace to a leading email delivery service for businesses around the world. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit h...
May 08, 2025•53 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In a special episode of Behind the Deal live from Miami at Thoma Bravo’s Annual Meeting in March 2025, Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Seth Boro welcomes two prominent leaders in the cybersecurity industry: Jill Popelka, CEO of Darktrace, and Joe Levy, CEO of Sophos. Cybersecurity has been a focus of Thoma Bravo's investment strategy since 2008, driven by the growing complexities of an increasingly digital world. Jill Popelka shares a perspective on Darktrace's pioneering use of AI in cybersecurity...
May 01, 2025•38 min
In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Todd Dauchy, CEO of SMA Technologies, speaks with Thoma Bravo Partner, Adam Solomon, about how he’s navigated his career with the lessons he learned from chess. He also details his focus on strategic thinking, anticipating future trends in the market, and building strong interpersonal relationships within the company. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.t...
Apr 24, 2025•14 min
Hear the story behind Thoma Bravo’s acquisition of SMA Technologies with Thoma Bravo Partner Adam Solomon and CEO of SMA Technologies, Todd Dauchy. SMA Technologies provides workload automation and orchestration software solutions for banks, credit unions, and other financial services businesses. Adam and Todd discuss how they transformed a “sleepy” business into a high-performing company by focusing on people, customers, and their flagship product to achieve growth while boosting profitability....
Apr 17, 2025•30 min•Season 3Ep. 6
In this featured episode, we’re excited to share a conversation from Best But Never Final, featuring Thoma Bravo Partner Carl Press and Kevin MacDonald, CEO of Thoma Bravo portfolio company Bluesight. Listen to them share a behind-the-scenes look at scaling a software company from a bootstrap startup to a private equity-backed category leader. They discuss the importance of alignment between CEOs and private equity partners, integrating acquisitions, and managing growth with clarity and focus. F...
Apr 10, 2025•51 min
In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Partner Irina Hemmers and EQS Group Founder and CEO Achim Weick discuss the crucial role of culture in EQS Group's journey. Achim shares his experience founding a company culture centered on trust. Hear how his focus has driven EQS Group's success as a leading European software company and some lessons he’s learned along the way. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Th...
Apr 03, 2025•21 min
Hear Thoma Bravo Partner Irina Hemmers and Achim Weick, Founder and CEO of EQS Group, dive into the details behind the acquisition of EQS Group. In this episode, they discuss EQS Group's journey of becoming a leading GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) software provider. Achim Weick shares his story of founding the company, why EQS Group chose private equity after 20 years, and how EQS Group is helping its customers find solutions for key regulations. Irina and Achim explain how Thoma Bravo a...
Mar 27, 2025•40 min
Fran Rosch, CEO of Imprivata, joins Managing Partner Scott Crabill on this Beyond the Deal mini-sode to discuss his career journey and leadership philosophy. Rosch shares his belief in open communication, setting ambitious goals, and the importance of continuous learning. He also provides advice on navigating career challenges and emphasizes the significance of having the right people to drive results and achieve success. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.t...
Mar 20, 2025•12 min
In this episode of Behind the Deal, Imprivata CEO Fran Rosch shares how the company is revolutionizing access to critical healthcare systems with its cutting-edge security solutions. As a leader in cybersecurity for hospitals and health systems, Imprivata specializes in Access Management for shared device ecosystems, as well as streamlining and securing access for professionals in critical environments (like Healthcare). Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Scott Crabill and Imprivata CEO Fran Rosch del...
Mar 13, 2025•40 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Holden Spaht sits down with Coupa CEO Leagh Turner to discuss her career journey and the significance of mentorship. They also delve into the future of AI and its implications for businesses. Learn about Coupa’s approach to AI governance, aiming to ensure it is utilized safely and responsibly to establish a new industry standard. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Le...
Mar 06, 2025•16 min
Coupa has helped businesses better manage direct and indirect spend through its community-generated AI and industry-leading total spend management platform for almost 20 years. Coupa AI is informed by over $7 trillion of spend data across a global network of 10 million+ suppliers and buyers. Coupa aims to empower its customers with the ability to predict, prescribe, and automate smarter, more profitable business decisions to help companies improve operating margins. Thoma Bravo Managing Partner ...
Feb 27, 2025•35 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Senior Partner A.J. Rohde and Principal George Jaber discuss with HCSS President and CEO Steve McGough the company’s strong employee relationships, the true essence of leadership, the core values he took with him from his time at Texas A&M, and how the impact of treating every customer with care and respect has led them to build a reputation for award-winning service. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thoma...
Feb 20, 2025•19 min
For nearly 40 years, HCSS has been a driving force in construction software, helping companies streamline operations and achieve success. In this episode of Behind the Deal, Thoma Bravo’s A.J. Rohde and George Jaber sit down with HCSS President and CEO Steve McGough to explore the company’s journey—from its beginnings in the late ‘80s to creating HeavyBid, an industry-leading estimating software for heavy civil contractors. They also discuss how HCSS is preparing for the future, positioning itse...
Feb 13, 2025•41 min•Season 3Ep. 2
In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Seth Boro and Qlik CEO Mike Capone discuss Qlik’s growth since its 2018 acquisition by Thoma Bravo, including its global expansion from Sweden, how the company stays ahead of AI’s rapid evolution to drive ongoing business transformation and how Mike’s leadership style of “leading from the front” has helped Qlik cultivate a culture that employees deeply cherish. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www...
Feb 06, 2025•19 min
Season three of Thoma Bravo's award-winning podcast kicks off with a conversation between Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Seth Boro & Mike Capone, CEO of Qlik. Together, they explore Qlik's growth from a visual analytics company to an industry leader in data integration, analytics, and AI solutions for businesses. Listen as they explore Qlik’s differentiated vision for end-to-end AI driven solutions and how its partnership with Thoma Bravo is transforming the way companies harness their data to...
Jan 30, 2025•33 min•Season 3Ep. 1
We’re back with season 3 of Thoma Bravo’s Behind the Deal! Our chart-topping and award-winning podcast offers a glimpse into the world of the largest tech-focused buyout firm. This season, hear CEOs from Qlik, HCSS, Coupa, and more share untold stories of some of Thoma Bravo's biggest and most dynamic acquisitions. New episodes drop every Thursday! For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thoma...
Jan 29, 2025•2 min
In a special episode of Behind the Deal live from Thoma Bravo’s Annual Meeting in March 2024, Managing Partner Seth Boro welcomes Sumit Dhawan, CEO at Proofpoint, Mike Capone, CEO at Qlik, and Charlie Gottdiener, CEO at Anaplan, to the stage to discuss how their companies are leveraging the power of artificial intelligence. The CEOs share perspectives on generative AI and its impact on cybersecurity, what AI means for the future of IP and how businesses can channel AI into actionable solutions f...
Apr 25, 2024•47 min•Season 2Ep. 13
In this special Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Co-Founders and Managing Partners Carl Thoma and Orlando Bravo go beyond their long, storied and industry-shaping partnership to discuss the importance of fostering relationships, focusing on performance and staying humble while building a successful firm. Carl also shares his insights on the value of finding the right mentor and discusses one of the proudest moments of his life. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit h...
Apr 18, 2024•8 min
On the season finale of Behind the Deal, Co-Founders and Managing Partners Orlando Bravo and Carl Thoma sit down to discuss how they built Thoma Bravo into the world’s largest tech-focused buyout firm. Orlando interviews his mentor, Carl, to get his perspective on the evolution of private equity over his nearly 50-year career in the industry. The Co-Founders discuss their partnership and relive the moments, strategies, successes (and a few failures) that made their firm and their relationship on...
Apr 11, 2024•38 min•Season 2Ep. 12
In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Seth Boro sits down with SailPoint’s CEO and Founder Mark McClain and President of Worldwide Field Operations Matt Mills to talk about the effects of AI on identity security, being acquired by Thoma Bravo not once but twice, and what it was like to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: h...
Apr 04, 2024•14 min
SailPoint Co-Founder and CEO Mark McClain speaks with Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Seth Boro about forging a relationship that led to Thoma Bravo’s first ever IPO of a portfolio company, and then a second acquisition of SailPoint just a few years later. The conversation covers the cutting edge work SailPoint is doing in identity security, as well as the inside experience of partnering with a Private Equity firm. Behind the Deal is rereleasing this favorite from the archives alongside a brand new...
Mar 28, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 11
In this Beyond the Deal mini-sode, Thoma Bravo Partner Brian Jaffee sits down with Bottomline CEO Craig Saks to talk about resiliency, the importance of bringing diverse voices into the room, and the surprising things you learn as a South African running an American company (besides just which side of the road to drive on). For more information on Thoma Bravo's Behind the Deal, visit https://www.thomabravo.com/behindthedeal Learn more about Thoma Bravo: https://www.thomabravo.com/ Visit Bottomli...
Mar 21, 2024•8 min
Thoma Bravo Partner Brian Jaffee takes listeners inside the years of waiting and watching that eventually turned into a quick make-or-break opportunity to acquire Bottomline. With thirty years of history, a management shakeup, activist investors and plenty of competition, the Bottomline take-private wasn’t easy but it was worth the work. Brian is joined by Bottomline CEO Craig Saks who talks about his unique experience transitioning to CEO, the importance of optimizing cash flow, where the finte...
Mar 14, 2024•35 min•Season 2Ep. 10
