E7: The Dealmaker’s Secrets: Steve McLaughlin on Crafting A Fundraising Story Worth $33B, CEO of FT Partners

In this conversation, Sasha Orloff sits down with Steve McLaughlin, CEO and Managing Partner of FT Partners. Steve provides an insider’s look into the high-stakes world of capital raising and dealmaking for high-growth private companies. From being Goldman Sachs’ Former Head of Fintech to founding FT Partners, a global fintech investment firm, McLaughlin shares his strategies for crafting compelling narratives that unlock massive fundraising rounds - like the $33 billion valuation for Revolut and a $100 million plus raise for Sam Altman’s Worldcoin. They dive deep into storytelling, the importance of product over marketing spend, founder red flags, and much more.

This show is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

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SPONSORS:

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Recommended Podcast: Company Breakdowns

Each episode of Company Breakdowns dives into S-1s and series B-and-beyond companies, interviewing founders and investors to break down the companies. First episode is on Rubrik - which just IPO'd. Coming up this season: Databricks, Reddit + more,

Spotify

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This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.

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LINKS:

https://ftpartners.com/

X/SOCIAL:

@sashaorloff (Sasha)

@FTPartners (Steve)

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00:00) The art of storytelling in high-growth company valuations

(00:01:31) A capital whisperer's journey

(00:02:26) Inside FTPartners: Shaping the fintech universe

(00:04:33) The intricacies of capital raising and M&A

(00:07:39) Crafting the perfect capital raise story