#11: The Decisions CEOs Make That Create Value with 6-time CEO Patrick Dennis

In this episode, Dan speaks with Patrick Dennis, a six-time CEO and seasoned private equity operator, about the decisions that create value, and why most leadership teams get this wrong.

Patrick’s career spans leading global businesses through IPOs, complex restructurings, PE-backed transformations, and multiple exits, including serving as CEO of Avaya during a critical turnaround period. Drawing on decades of experience at the sharp end of decision-making, he explains how the best CEOs cut through noise early, identify the few decisions that truly matter, and avoid the complexity that destroys value.

From “no-regret” moves in the first 60–90 days, to pricing discipline, operating focus, forecasting clarity, and exit readiness, this episode breaks down how experienced CEOs translate judgment into momentum, and momentum into value.

Key Takeaways:

• How CEOs identify the few decisions that actually create value, instead of pursuing too many initiatives at once.
• Why the first 60–90 days matter most, and how “no-regret moves” build momentum early.
• How focus, sequencing, and trade-offs outperform scale and complexity in PE-backed businesses.
• Why pricing, forecasting discipline, and operating clarity are critical inputs to value creation and successful exits.
• How experienced CEOs think about exits from day one, without running the business for the deal.

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Check out Dan’s Private Equity-Grade Forecasting software, Kluster, here: https://www.kluster.com/

Send podcast guest pitches to: dan.thompson@kluster.com

Check out Dan’s Private Equity-Grade Forecasting software, Kluster, here: https://www.kluster.com/

Send podcast guest pitches to: dan.thompson@kluster.com