Gary is available for hire
Hire GaryGary Traynor
Verified Expert in Finance
Finance Expert
Location
Greenwich, CT, United States
Toptal Member Since
July 12, 2022
Gary is an experienced finance expert specializing in cash forecasting and capital raising with over 18 years of experience working with dozens of startups, managing investor relations, startup operations, and all core finance functions such as FP&A. His financial background in technology investment banking includes raising over $9 billion in public offerings. Gary leverages his financial expertise by working with early-stage technology startups, for which he has raised over $140 million.
Career Highlights
CFO
Zags
CFO and Interim CEO
BA Insight
Vice President
Morgan Stanley
Education Highlights
Juris Doctorate (JD)
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Bachelor's Degree
Washington University in St. Louis
Case Studies
Expertise
Work Experience
CFO
2018 - 2019
Series X
- Co-founded a business to streamline the startup co-founding process. The goal was to provide a team of experienced professionals in exchange for equity.
- Developed a unique operational strategy to share system administration across multiple startups.
- Built a sophisticated financial model to illustrate the potential for equity returns for our investors.
- Raised $1.5 million in seed funding to finance operations, with equity being the only form of income.
Focus areas: Finance, Operations, Startups, Modeling, Startup Funding, Startup Consulting, Startup Growth Strategy Development, Fundraising, Financial Modeling, Pitch Decks, Due Diligence, Valuation, Seed Fundraising, Early-stage Funding, Early-stage Startups, Business Models, Series A, Venture Capital, Funding Process, Financial Forecasting, Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, QuickBooks Online, Salesforce Sales Cloud, Annual Operating Plans, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Reporting, Strategy, Investor Relations, Venture Funding, Human Resources (HR), Corporate Legal, SaaS, Equity Capital, Private Equity, Private Placements, Financing, Capital Raising, Virtual CFO, Part-time CFO, Fractional CFO, Software, Technology, Business Strategy, Change Management, Business Operations, Due Diligence Consultant, Fundraising Strategy, Fundraising Consultant, Pitch Deck Consultant, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Funding Strategy, Revenue & Expense Projections
CFO
2014 - 2016
Zags
- Hired by a Paris-based insurance business to spin off their home-grown software and to relocate a software company to NYC.
- Built a financial forecasting model to oversee the deployment of the $30 million raised in venture capital.
- Managed the implementation of Sage Intacct, a SaaS-based accounting software solution, for consolidation in three countries, each with different currencies.
Focus areas: Cash Flow Forecasting, Accounting, Budget Modeling, Annual Operating Plans, CFO, Forecasting, Finance, Capital, Human Resources (HR), Corporate Legal, SaaS, Fundraising, Financial Modeling, Valuation, Early-stage Funding, Business Models, Venture Capital, Financial Forecasting, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Salesforce Sales Cloud, Operations, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Reporting, Strategy, Investor Relations, Startup Growth Strategy Development, Venture Funding, Startup Funding, Startup Consulting, Equity Capital, Private Equity, Private Placements, Financing, Capital Raising, Virtual CFO, Interim CFO, Software, Technology, Business Strategy, Change Management, Business Operations, Fundraising Strategy, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Funding Strategy, Revenue & Expense Projections
CFO and Interim CEO
2011 - 2014
BA Insight
- Led the business as the CEO for six months while the board searched for a permanent CEO.
- Raised $21 million in venture capital and then worked closely with the partners at those firms, which included Paladin Capital Group, Osage Venture Partners, and Milestone Venture Partners.
- Restructured the organization as the CEO, cutting approximately 25% in operating expenses to significantly extend the cash runway for the business.
Focus areas: Finance, Forecasting, Accounting, Budget Modeling, Capital, Cash Flow Forecasting, CFO, CEO, Early-stage Venture Capital, Financing, Fundraising, Financial Modeling, Pitch Decks, Due Diligence, Valuation, Early-stage Funding, Business Models, Venture Capital, Funding Process, Financial Forecasting, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Salesforce Sales Cloud, Operations, Annual Operating Plans, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Reporting, Strategy, Investor Relations, Startup Growth Strategy Development, Venture Funding, Startup Funding, Startup Consulting, Human Resources (HR), Corporate Legal, SaaS, Equity Capital, Private Equity, Private Placements, Capital Raising, Virtual CFO, Software, Technology, Business Strategy, Change Management, Business Operations, Fundraising Strategy, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Funding Strategy, Revenue & Expense Projections
Vice President
2000 - 2003
Morgan Stanley
- Raised over $6 billion total in 12 different public offerings.
- Spent approximately 18 months as the lead project manager for PwC Consulting's spin-off from PricewaterhouseCoopers and its sale to IBM.
- Specialized in raising capital for large public companies, including initial public offerings. Managed clients' M&A activities and focused on the technology sector.
Focus areas: Capital, Investment Banking, Modeling, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Equity Capital, Financing, Fundraising, Financial Modeling, Pitch Decks, Due Diligence, Valuation, M&A Modeling, Business Models, Venture Capital, Funding Process, Financial Forecasting, Public Companies, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Strategy, Investor Relations, Venture Funding, SaaS, Private Equity, Private Placements, Capital Raising, Software, Technology, Business Strategy, Change Management, M&A (Buy-side), Due Diligence Consultant, Acquisitions, M&A Due Diligence (Financial), Fundraising Strategy, Fundraising Consultant, Pitch Deck Consultant, Funding Strategy, Initial Public Offerings
Investment Banking Associate
1997 - 2000
Bear Stearns
- Served as a specialist in leveraged buyouts (LBOs) and capital raising for portfolio companies of private equity firms.
- Learned extensive modeling skills as we performed the LBO model analysis for our clients.
- Assisted in maintaining a key relationship with Covad Communications and completed five public offerings raising over $1.7 billion.
Focus areas: Modeling, Forecasting, Investment Banking, Leveraged Buyout (LBO), Private Equity, Private Placements, Fundraising, Financial Modeling, Pitch Decks, Due Diligence, Valuation, M&A Modeling, Business Models, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Financing, Capital Raising, Technology, Business Strategy, Change Management, M&A (Buy-side), Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Acquisitions, M&A Due Diligence (Financial), Fundraising Strategy, Fundraising Consultant, Pitch Deck Consultant, Funding Strategy, Initial Public Offerings
Education
1993 - 1997
Juris Doctorate (JD) in Business Law
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC, USA
1993 - 1997
Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Business Administration
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC, USA
1985 - 1989
Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration
Washington University in St. Louis - St. Louis, MO, USA
Certifications
DECEMBER 1998 - PRESENT
Member of the New York State Bar Association
New York State Bar Association
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