SaaS · EdTech · FinTech · AI

30 Years. 5 Companies. One Playbook.

From startup to PE-backed scale-up — a CEO, operator, and board member who builds SaaS companies that scale, teams that perform, and missions worth fighting for. Across EdTech, FinTech, and AI, from $5M to $400M+.

CEO Roles Board Director P&L Ownership PE-Backed Growth Capital Raising SaaS Turnaround Team Building Advisory
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Brett Woudenberg — SaaS CEO and Board Member
Woudenberg Las Vegas, Nevada
500%
SaaS Growth Led
$34M
Capital Raised
30+
Years Operating
About Brett

Operator. Builder. Leader.

Brett Woudenberg is a SaaS executive who has spent three decades doing what most leaders only talk about: taking companies from where they are to where they need to be. He started as a corporate loan officer underwriting middle-market commercial credit — building the financial discipline that would define every company he later ran.

As COO and co-owner of a $100M financial services brokerage, he completed buy-side acquisitions and negotiated a $40M merger before pivoting into technology. What followed was a career-defining run through the SaaS EdTech space — leading organizations as small as a five-person startup and as large as a $200M subsidiary of a global publishing house.

When COVID hit and revenue froze, Brett raised $9M in 90 days — then turned a crisis quarter into 35% growth over the next 12 months.

As CEO of MIND Education, he led a near-500% growth in subscriptions, secured $25M from Francisco Partners, and transformed a nonprofit with negative net assets into an award-winning SaaS platform used by millions of students in thousands of schools worldwide. His edge is rare: the financial acumen of a banker, the operational rigor of a proven COO, the vision of a founder, and the people instincts of a leader whose teams consistently over-deliver.

Brett is now open to CEO, board, and advisory roles in SaaS businesses across EdTech, FinTech, and AI — and brings a track record that speaks for itself.

Career Record.

Five companies  ·  Every stage  ·  Consistent results

Years
Role & Company
Impact
Key Result
2016–2025
CEO & Board Member
MIND Education · $30M+ SaaS EdTech · Irvine, CA
Led turnaround of undercapitalized nonprofit into top-performing SaaS EdTech. Rebuilt entire platform from Flash to HTML5 on time and under budget. Raised $9M in 90 days during COVID. Secured $25M from Francisco Partners. Grew school subscriptions from 3,500 to 8,000. Boosted NPS from 15 to 48 and client retention from 80% to 88%.
228%
Subscription Growth
2014–2016
Chief Operating Officer
Macmillan Learning · $200M STEM Publisher · Austin, TX
Integrated four SaaS EdTech companies — homework, virtual labs, assessment, and publishing — under a unified P&L. Cut personnel expenses 18%, reduced CAPEX 37%, and implemented data-driven BI/KPI dashboards. Boosted retention from 78% to 86% and NPS from 32 to 53.
37%
CAPEX Reduction
2009–2014
Chief Operating Officer
Gaggle · $15M K-12 SaaS · Bloomington, IL
Grew revenue 5× in four years. Pushed EBITDA from 9% to 32%, hitting Rule of 40. Grew student subscriptions 400% to 4 million. Negotiated and financed a $4M partner buyout in 90 days. Orchestrated an acquisition auction yielding a 3× revenue offer.
5×
Revenue in 4 Years
2002–2009
Chief Executive Officer
Trailblazer Learning · $5M SaaS EdTech · Grand Rapids, MI
Built from post-founder exit to 200,000 teachers and $3.2M revenue in 18 months. Secured a $1.9M statewide Michigan contract by networking 22 intermediate districts for legislative funding. Negotiated a strategic exit to a top US government online learning provider.
200K
Teachers in 18 Months
Pre-2002
COO & Partner / VP Banking
Hub International & Community Banking · $100M Financial Services
Completed two $5–10M buy-side acquisitions and negotiated a $40M brokerage merger sold to Hub International. Built an $8M revenue line from scratch in 14 months. Drove 25% revenue growth and 12–17% expense reductions as a corporate loan officer and VP.
$40M
Merger Negotiated

Where I Add Value.

Six domains where three decades of operating experience translate into measurable outcomes.

01
SaaS CEO Leadership

Three CEO tenures scaling SaaS businesses from turnaround to PE-backed growth. Expert in platform strategy, product-market fit, and building executive teams that outperform.

02
Capital & Finance

$34M raised across crisis and growth contexts — from SBA/PPP and director loans to institutional PE from Francisco Partners. Former banker who brings discipline to every capital decision.

03
Growth & Scale

Grew school subscriptions 228%, revenue 5×, and student users 400% through sales reorganization, pricing strategy, CRM automation, and data-driven client success models.

04
Board Governance

Experienced board member and PE-engaged executive. Brings investor-grade accountability, strategic clarity, and the operator's perspective that boards often lack. Available for independent director roles.

05
Operations & Turnaround

Transformed a nonprofit with negative net assets into a Rule-of-40 SaaS. Reduced personnel costs 18% while simultaneously growing revenue — the rare dual discipline of efficiency and growth.

06
People & Culture

Led 150+ person organizations across sales, engineering, product, R&D, and finance. Known for transparency, high-performance culture, and teams that stay and deliver — retention from 80% to 88%.

07
Product & Engineering

Directed a full platform rebuild from Flash to HTML5 across 30 months — on time and under budget — using a hybrid onshore/offshore team. Deep fluency in agile methods, Java/Oracle, and SaaS architecture.

08
Speaking & Thought Leadership

Available for conference keynotes, panel discussions, and executive roundtables on SaaS leadership, EdTech, AI strategy, and building high-performance organizational culture.

Open To

Built for the next great challenge.

Whether you're a PE firm evaluating a CEO search, a board building its next class of independent directors, or a SaaS company that needs an experienced operator — Brett is ready for the conversation.

Chief Executive Officer
Full-time · PE-backed or growth-stage SaaS
Priority
Board Director
Independent director · SaaS · EdTech · FinTech · AI
Seeking
Chief Operating Officer
Growth stage · Scale-up or turnaround
Open
Advisory & Consulting
Fractional executive · Strategic advisor
Open
Speaking Engagements
SaaS leadership · EdTech · AI · Culture & Performance
Booking
Operating Philosophy
1
Radical Transparency Teams perform when they know the truth. I communicate directly, clearly, and without spin — up, down, and to the board.
2
People First, Standards Always Treat people well and hold them to high expectations. These are not opposites — they're the same philosophy.
3
Continuous Improvement Never satisfied. Always learning. The best operators I've known share this trait above all others.
4
Resource Discipline Every dollar should earn its place. I manage capital, time, and talent like they matter — because they do.
5
Stakeholder Alignment Investors, customers, employees, and partners win together or not at all. I build for all of them, simultaneously.
His EdTech expertise was invaluable in helping us move from startup mentality to a world-class operation, without losing what made us special. He was an empathetic, transparent, and authentic leader who cared about his team and fought hard for our success.
Clairissa Simmons · Direct Report, Macmillan Learning

A track record others can vouch for.

Brett has led organizations recognized by the EdTech industry's most respected voices — earning dozens of product and leadership awards across a career spanning five companies, three decades, and every stage of the SaaS growth curve.

SIIA EdTech Digest Tech & Learning THE Journal Academics Choice Francisco Partners CoSN EdNET
Get in Touch

Let's talk about
what's next.

If you're a PE firm evaluating a CEO search, a board building its next class of directors, or an organization in need of a proven operator — I'd welcome the conversation. Response time is typically same day.

Send an Email LinkedIn Profile
Email brett.woudenberg@gmail.com
Phone 616.822.9888
Location Las Vegas, Nevada
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/brettwoudenberg
Website brettwoudenberg.com
Venture accordgate.com

Brett is currently open to CEO, Board Director, and Senior Advisory roles in SaaS — particularly in EdTech, FinTech, and AI. Confidential inquiries are welcome.