Douglas Fast

Background

About Douglas Fast

I help clients innovate in the physical sphere. What’s the secret? A fanatical focus on a few key priorities. I learned this while part of the core team that bootstrapped Vecima from $0 to $120 million in revenue. Our few key priorities were: customers, orders, and cash. And, at the time, I naively assumed that all leaders and CEOs were similarly focused. I saw the truth when we acquired a former market leader for pennies on the dollar. They'd built a sizeable business, but then took a wrong turn and declined steadily until they were sold. Their wrong turn? Unhappy with 30% annual growth, they abandoned their customer base and decided instead to chase a massive new market. Sadly, their strategy was flawed and their execution lacking. I later became the leader of a team that had raised millions to bring their product ideas to life. They were eager to build a real business with revenue from customers who lined up to buy in volume. While we quickly realized a million dollars in revenue, we couldn't make up for the time they'd lost focusing on the wrong prospects and burning through their cash without a viable strategy. The lessons I learned at Vecima taught me how to take a company from product idea to thriving business. And my subsequent experiences taught me just how important it is to begin those disciplines early. Even before most entrepreneurs and CEOs think they're ready for it. So I'm dedicating the next stage of my career to helping entrepreneurs and CEOs who have a great product - to focus from the beginning on their strategy, execution, cash, and a handful of key priorities so that they can increase their chances of success. If you need help or just want to chat, you can reach me at doug@darkwatertek.com. Looking forward!