DON SECHLER
Co-founder and former CFO of Blumhouse Games and ex-PlayStation strategic finance leader with the rare triple threat of operating experience at scale, from building an indie publisher to managing multi-billion dollar P&Ls, with Wall Street rigor, and gaming industry expertise on both sides of the table from platform to publisher.
Platform/content deals - I've structured and negotiated dozens of deals from both the platform and publisher sides of the table ranging into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Interim COO/CFO - I've advised or run multiple organizations through start up, high growth, and distressed periods with teams ranging to over 100 people, and can help jump start, stabilize, turbocharge, or triage most any situation.
Strategic finance - ROI, capital investment, deal structuring, portfolio optimization. I've used economic principles to inform complex resource allocation decisions from both a private equity investor and video game industry operator standpoint, resulting in strongly positive cumulative ROI.
Strategic alternatives - equity and debt capital raising, M&A. I've been a bulge bracket investment banker, advising clients on a full range of strategic options, including the IPO of a mobile gaming company.
Corporate finance - business modeling, forecasting, price modeling, scenario analysis, build vs buy. I've built each from scratch to secure investment, create and run a viable publishing business, make meaningful decisions in both startup and large, established organizations, and manage P&Ls ranging into the billions.
Pitching investors - I've reviewed hundreds of pitch decks from the perspective of both financial investor and publisher and can help construct the right pitch for strategic, VC, or PE investors.
Publishing - As co-founder and CFO, I wrote the business plan, secured investment, and built a viable indie publisher from the ground up, including the release of [highly-rated] content and the signing of a slate of games from developers all over the world, plus the outsourced vendors supporting them.
Transmedia - I understand the financial and operational dynamics of monetizing IP across entertainment verticals, having worked inside a Hollywood production company developing both game IP in film and [film IP in games].
Team/department management - I've managed teams ranging to over 100 people, spearheaded the design and implementation of systems cascading KPIs from top to bottom for alignment, and can advise on building a performance-driven culture that maintains authenticity.
Mentorship / leadership coaching - I am an award-winning mentor, serve on the board of directors for a business leadership organization with 300K initiated members, and successfully navigated the rise from middle management to executive leadership.