Yannick Kpodar — Founder

I’ve spent the last 15+ years moving through the full arc of VC-backed SaaS leadership. From dialing 100 calls a day as an SDR, to shaping multi-market GTM as a PMM, to scaling revenue orgs across the US, Europe and LATAM as a VP/CMO.That season built my operator instincts: clarity, discipline, execution under pressure, and the ability to walk into chaos and restore order quickly. I’m grateful for it. It shaped the general in me.But the last few years reshaped me in a different way. As a founder and general partner.Today my work is focused on one thing: architecting systems that bring clarity, efficiency, and alignment back to companies trying to scale. That’s the heart of Aventra, the AI Operating System I’m building for growth, capital, and operator excellence.I’m shipping the MVP myself (product, GTM logic, positioning, and early traction) while assembling a network of operators and investors aligned around the same principle: 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲.Alongside Aventra, I collaborate selectively with founders, VCs, and PE funds on high-stakes initiatives where calm, precision, and operator depth matter most: CAC payback, inbound/outbound balance, pricing architecture, NRR expansion, pipeline efficiency, and GTM turnarounds across markets.My past roles taught me a lot:  • Amenitiz 🇪🇸 → Scaled ARR from $4.5M to $12M; flipped GTM to 70% inbound; cut CAC by 50%.  • BPCE 🇫🇷 → Sat on two executive boards; repositioned a global PayTech portfolio; supported $6.9B in pipeline.  • PayFit 🇫🇷 → Helped drive growth from $17M to $45M ARR; supported a $254M raise at a $2.2B valuation.  • LinkedIn 🇺🇸 → Launched GTM motions across 33 countries; enabled 6,000+ reps with competitive intelligence, narrative and positioning playbooks for a $2B ARR enterprise SaaS.What matters to me now is different:𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲, 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱, 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀.I care about building systems that last and partnering with people who value depth, truth, and disciplined execution.👉 If you’re a founder building meaningful AI that advances humanity, an investor needing a sharper lens on a portfolio company, or a team navigating transition, I’m here to bring structure, calm, and forward motion.🧘🏽‍♂️ The rest of my life stays simple: gym, meditation, time with my daughter, and sunlight + ocean views when I can find it.Yours truly,Yannick

Stackforce AI infers this person is a SaaS and FinTech expert with a strong focus on growth and operational efficiency.

Location: San Francisco, California, United States

Experience: 8 yrs 8 mos

Skills

Artificial Intelligence (ai)
Go-to-market Strategy
Business Development
Angel Investing
Executive Coaching
Product Marketing
Public Speaking
Fintech
International Expansion
Sales Enablement
Leadership

Career Highlights

Built an AI Operating System for growth-stage companies.
Scaled ARR from $4.5M to $12M in 18 months.
Recognized as a Top 100 Product Marketing Influencer.

Work Experience

Aventra Capital

Operating Partner (VC & PE) — Fractional CMO/CRO (9 mos)

Founder & CEO (1 yr 5 mos)

Amenitiz

VP of Marketing (1 yr 10 mos)

Groupe BPCE

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - FinTech Portfolio (11 mos)

Lago

Angel Investor (Exited - Series A) (5 yrs 3 mos)

ODF

Founder Fellow (3 mos)

Product Marketing Alliance

Product Marketing - Top 100 Influencer, Mentor, and Keynote Speaker (6 yrs 2 mos)

PayFit France

Global Director (Head), Product Marketing (1 yr 11 mos)

Global Product Marketing Lead - LinkedIn Talent Solutions (2 yrs 3 mos)

Career Hacker Secrets

Founder & Growth Marketing Director (B2C) (7 mos)

AppBuddy

Senior Account Executive (8 mos)

EADA Business School

Adjunct Professor - Strategy, Leadership, Product Marketing (10 yrs 1 mo)

Yannick Kpodar International

Management Consultant | Digital Transformation & Go-To-Market Strategy (1 yr 2 mos)

John Maxwell Team

Executive Coach (4 yrs 11 mos)

Dell

Inside Sales Manager - Mid-Market & Enterprise (Eastern Canada) (1 yr 5 mos)

ACC1Ó Silicon Valley (Catalonian Trade & Investment Agency)

Management Consultant (Graduate Internship) (7 mos)

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Management Trainee (10 mos)

21 21 Productions Ltd

Co-Founder and Marketing Director (1 yr 6 mos)

Vector Marketing

CUTCO Field Sales Leader (Independent Contractor - Summer Campaign) (2 mos)

Education

Master's Degree at EADA Business School

Cursos Internacionales at Universidad de Salamanca

BA (Honors) at University of Liverpool

BA (Honors) at American Business College Paris

High School Diploma at Richard Montgomery High School

at Rochambeau, The French International School

Yannick Kpodar

Founder

San Francisco, California, United States8 yrs 8 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchAI Enabled

Key Highlights

Built an AI Operating System for growth-stage companies.
Scaled ARR from $4.5M to $12M in 18 months.
Recognized as a Top 100 Product Marketing Influencer.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a SaaS and FinTech expert with a strong focus on growth and operational efficiency.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Artificial Intelligence (ai)Go-to-market StrategyBusiness DevelopmentAngel InvestingExecutive CoachingProduct MarketingPublic SpeakingFintechInternational ExpansionSales EnablementLeadership

Other Skills

Financial ModelingBusiness StrategyPricing StrategyEnterprise SoftwareP&L ManagementRevenue & Profit GrowthBusiness-to-Business (B2B)Software as a Service (SaaS)Brand ManagementExecutive LeadershipGrowth HackingProduct LaunchB2CB2B MarketingDemand Generation

About

Experience

8 yrs 8 mos

Total Experience

2 yrs 8 mos

Average Tenure

6 yrs 2 mos

Current Experience

Aventra capital

2 roles

Operating Partner (VC & PE) — Fractional CMO/CRO

Sep 2025 – Present · 9 mos

I partner with VC & PE funds on selective, high-stakes initiatives where clarity, execution, and operator depth matter most.
📍 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗗𝗼
GTM Turnarounds: CAC Payback, NRR, pipeline velocity, pricing.
Growth Diagnostics: Identify leaks, prioritize fixes, deliver board-ready insights.
Interim CMO/CRO: Fix churn, activation, and pricing for revenue expansion.
Portfolio Support: Partnering with funds to de-risk performance across assets.
📍𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱
Scaled ARR from $4.5M → $45M.
Built $6.9B+ pipelines at BPCE.
Ex-VP Marketing @ Amenitiz | CMO @ BCPE Payments | Product Marketing @ LinkedIn.

Founder & CEO

Jan 2025 – Present · 1 yr 5 mos

I’m building 𝗔𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮, an AI Operating System designed to bring clarity, efficiency, and world-class execution back to growth-stage companies.
A single system where 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵, 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.
🌍 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗪𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁
74% of startups collapse before Series B. Only 1-5% of portfolio companies return the fund. We exist to change that. Aventra helps CEOs and their leadership team operate like top 2% executives with 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀, 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗽 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.
🏗️ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴
1️⃣ 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗢𝗦
Growth OS that turns data into prioritized actions, executed through experts, and tied back to ARR, NRR, CAC Payback, Runway, and Rule of 40.
2️⃣ 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲
Connects founders with vetted operators across GTM, Finance, Ops, People, Product, and CS with impact attribution built into the OS.
3️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸 (𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯)
An 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 for high-clarity founders
an 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗺 for high-impact execution
and eventually, 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱 backing companies built with truth, efficiency, and real-world momentum
🏆 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
500+ founders, operators, and investors in the early ecosystem
MVP in development
Early support from tier-1 operators (LinkedIn, PayFit, Salesforce, Brex, Notion, Clari)
Early interest from VC & PE partners exploring portfolio-wide efficiency

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Product MarketingFinancial ModelingBusiness DevelopmentBusiness StrategyPricing Strategy+4

Amenitiz

VP of Marketing

Sep 2022 – Jul 2024 · 1 yr 10 mos · Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Amenitiz: $30M Series A SaaS scale-up in the B2B hospitality market
Grew ARR from $4.5M → $12M in 18 months; surpassed 10K customers; reached $10M ARR.
Flipped GTM from 70% outbound to 70% inbound; cut CAC by 50% with <12-month payback.
Directed a $5.2M budget across Europe; launched expansion in Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia.
Scaled the marketing org from 12 → 40+ across brand, growth, product, and customer marketing.

Business-to-Business (B2B)Go-to-market StrategyPricing StrategyInternational ExpansionExecutive LeadershipP&L Management+3

Groupe bpce

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - FinTech Portfolio

Oct 2021 – Sep 2022 · 11 mos · Paris, Île-de-France, France

Led GTM, product-market fit, and customer experience across three fintechs within Groupe BPCE ($25.7B banking group, #2 in France). Sat on two executive boards for a post-merger mandate.
Repositioned Dalenys as a premier enterprise PayTech, fueling $6.9B pipeline and helping close $1.3B in new enterprise volume.
Merged Dalenys & Payplug into one of France’s most recognized payment brands.
Directed GTM across enterprise, SME, and BaaS platforms (clients: Veepee, Leroy Merlin, PokerStars).
Built and led a 15-person team; drove ABM strategy that generated 92% of qualified pipeline.

FinTechBusiness-to-Business (B2B)Enterprise SoftwareExecutive LeadershipProduct MarketingP&L Management+2

Lago

Angel Investor (Exited - Series A)

Mar 2021 – Present · 5 yrs 3 mos · Paris, Île-de-France, France

Early investor in Lago, the open-source alternative to Stripe for payments & billing.
Lago has raised $22M from FirstMark, Y Combinator, New Wave, and Script.

Angel InvestingExecutive CoachingBusiness-to-Business (B2B)Software as a Service (SaaS)Business Development

Odf

Founder Fellow

Sep 2020 – Dec 2020 · 3 mos · San Francisco Bay Area

Product marketing alliance

Product Marketing - Top 100 Influencer, Mentor, and Keynote Speaker

Apr 2020 – Present · 6 yrs 2 mos · San Francisco Bay Area · Remote

Recognized as a Top 100 Product Marketing Influencer (2020, 2022) within PMA, the leading global community for 300k+ product marketers.
Delivered keynotes on growth, pricing, and international expansion at PMA summits.
Instructor in “Road to CMO” program alongside Adobe, Oracle, and Privy.
Early PMA exec member; contributed to scaling the community from 10k → 300k+ members.

Product MarketingPublic SpeakingGrowth HackingPricing StrategyProduct LaunchExecutive Coaching+4

Payfit france

Global Director (Head), Product Marketing

Nov 2019 – Oct 2021 · 1 yr 11 mos · Paris Area, France

PayFit ($70M Series C, HR tech SaaS). Oversaw product marketing across 5 countries; promoted into senior leadership team.
Tripled ARR from $17M → $45M in 2 years; contributed to $254M Series E and $1.8B unicorn valuation.
Launched 11+ new products and 7 strategic partnerships; drove >70% YoY growth.
Expanded internationally: scaled Italy market launch, 3× ARR across international geographies.
Rebuilt pricing in FR/UK/DE to optimize growth and profitability.

Enterprise SoftwareProduct MarketingPricing StrategyBusiness-to-Business (B2B)International ExpansionHuman Resources (HR)

Global Product Marketing Lead - LinkedIn Talent Solutions

Aug 2017 – Nov 2019 · 2 yrs 3 mos · San Francisco Bay Area

Part of the global product marketing team for LinkedIn’s Talent Solutions business ($4B ARR). Drove global launches, field enablement for 6,000+ reps, and customer intelligence programs.
Led GTM strategy and execution for a $2.5B business line; enabled global field activation across 33 countries.
Launched global Voice of Customer programs, shaping roadmap and accelerating enterprise growth.
Partnered with Microsoft to launch Resume Assistant across 15 countries.
Directed competitive positioning, messaging, and pricing for new product lines including LinkedIn Talent Hub.
Oversaw cross-functional launches including LinkedIn’s predictive sales analytics tool.

Product MarketingSales EnablementBusiness-to-Business (B2B)Enterprise SoftwarePricing StrategyInternational Expansion

Career hacker secrets

Founder & Growth Marketing Director (B2C)

Jan 2017 – Aug 2017 · 7 mos · San Francisco Bay Area

Launched an online training platform focused on career acceleration and personal development.
Built and launched MVP in 90 days; sold premium courses through webinar funnels.
Scaled paid acquisition with Facebook Ads, reducing CAC from $12 → $2 in 3 months.
Grew community to 1,300+ members; tested and validated multiple traction channels.

Appbuddy

Senior Account Executive

Aug 2016 – Apr 2017 · 8 mos · San Francisco Bay Area

Enterprise SaaS sales role, partnered with Salesforce to drive mid-market and enterprise growth.
Grew mid-market new business in Central US by 16% within 6 months.
Secured multi-year enterprise renewal with top-tier financial services client.
Supported outbound GTM repositioning for Salesforce ecosystem sales.

Eada business school

Adjunct Professor - Strategy, Leadership, Product Marketing

May 2016 – Present · 10 yrs 1 mo · Barcelona Area, Spain

Teach strategy, leadership, and product marketing across Masters & MBA programs at EADA, ranked among Europe’s top 30 business schools.
Ranked in top 5% of all professors in EADA’s Master in Management program.
Invited keynote speaker at EADA’s 60th Anniversary (1,500 attendees) and 2019 graduation ceremony.
Consistently top-rated courses on leadership, strategy, and personal development.

Executive CoachingPricing StrategyProduct MarketingBusiness DevelopmentBrand ManagementExecutive Leadership+1

Yannick kpodar international

Management Consultant | Digital Transformation & Go-To-Market Strategy

Jun 2015 – Aug 2016 · 1 yr 2 mos · San Francisco Bay Area

Built a boutique consulting practice advising $1M–$10M startups and institutions on digital transformation and go-to-market strategy.
Led a global GTM project with a top business school, increasing US student enrollment by 120%.
Designed inbound strategy for a global consulting firm with the CFO/MD; drove major channel growth.
Advised early-stage companies on scaling acquisition and online presence.

John maxwell team

Executive Coach

Dec 2014 – Nov 2019 · 4 yrs 11 mos · San Francisco Bay Area

Certified leadership coach and speaker, complementing my operator career.
Trained 2,000+ leaders through business schools, conferences, and webinars.
Taught leadership, design thinking, and entrepreneurship courses in the US and internationally.
Supported executives and early-stage founders in building leadership capacity and strategic clarity.

LeadershipExecutive CoachingPublic SpeakingBusiness StrategyBrand Management

Dell

Inside Sales Manager - Mid-Market & Enterprise (Eastern Canada)

Jun 2013 – Nov 2014 · 1 yr 5 mos · Reston, Virginia

Promoted twice in 16 months to lead sales expansion from the US into Eastern Canada.
Ranked #1 (136% quota, Q3 FY2014); managed $2.4M quota across SMB, Mid-Market & Enterprise.
Trained and developed 50+ account executives; built cross-border partnerships between Dell US & Canada.

Acc1ó silicon valley (catalonian trade & investment agency)

Management Consultant (Graduate Internship)

Mar 2012 – Oct 2012 · 7 mos · Barcelona Area, Spain

Advised European companies on US market entry and product development strategies.
Delivered award-winning project (Best Final Project, EADA) raising €500K in venture backing.

Enterprise rent-a-car

Management Trainee

Oct 2010 – Aug 2011 · 10 mos · Washington, D.C.

Ranked top 10% of trainees across DC/MD/VA region; fast-tracked to Airport Management Program.
Grew fleet 16% via new business + strategic partnerships.

21 21 productions ltd

Co-Founder and Marketing Director

Jan 2009 – Jul 2010 · 1 yr 6 mos · Liverpool, United Kingdom

Founded student-led events company; partnered with UNICEF, raising $10K for Haiti Relief.
Produced 3 large-scale fashion & music events; recruited and led a 15-person team.