First Builders
The First Builders Podcast from The Council dives into the stories of those who go first—founders, funders, and early operators who helped build category-defining companies before they were household names. Hosted by General Partner Amber Illig and Partner Rachel Tsui, each episode brings a candid, practical conversation with someone who has helped shape companies before there was a playbook.
First Builders
Building Outside the Valley: Jack Greco on Scaling ACV Auctions and Betting on Builders
How do you build a billion-dollar company when you’re not in Silicon Valley?
On this episode of First Builders, hosts Amber Illig and Rachel Tsui sit down with Jack Greco co-founder, COO & CFO of ACV Auctions, which went public at a $3.85 billion valuation, to explore what it means to build and scale from the ground up in Buffalo, New York.
Jack shares what it took to transform a scrappy regional idea into a national marketplace for auto dealers—and the lessons learned from leading teams through hypergrowth, crisis, and IPO.
In this episode, Jack reveals:
– How ACV went from a Buffalo startup to a $3.85 B public company
– Why culture, character, and cash flow matter more than hype
– What “first builders” get right before product–market fit
– The reality of building outside traditional tech hubs
– How he now backs early operators through The Council and the Buffalo ecosystem
It’s a raw and real conversation about founding with grit, building without blueprints, and creating companies that last.
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