David Sher
Senior Associate
David Sher joined Fort Point Capital in 2019 as an Associate.
Previously, David served as Head of Operations & Finance at Dropshop Technologies, a New York-based technology and logistics startup, and was a Senior Analyst at CIT Group, where he worked within its leveraged finance group focused on financing middle market healthcare services transactions.
David graduated with Honors from Dartmouth College where he received a B.A. in History, a Minor in Ethics, and is a graduate of the Tuck Business Bridge Program at the Tuck School of Business.
Questions & answers
What's the most important thing when it comes to making the private equity firm-management team relationship work?
Transparency and trust – it’s no different from any other strong relationship in life. Every business has its ups and downs. Our management teams know that they can talk to us about the good and the bad, and that at the end of the day, we are on the same team with the same goals.
What advice would you give to an owner considering a private equity partner?
Spend time with the people and ask a lot of questions so that you understand their approach, experience, and expectations. It’s important to find a partner who can help achieve your goals, but make sure you are confident that it’s also a partner that you can work with and trust.
Call their references. Personally, if I were considering a PE partner, I would try to speak with at least one management team member at every business they’ve partnered with.
What are the biggest or the common challenges facing your portfolio companies?
Perhaps not the biggest challenge, but a common challenge is around how companies are integrating technology, data, and systems into their day-to-day operations. We are fortunate to work with so many amazing entrepreneurs and founder/family-owned businesses that have been providing best-in-class services for decades. It can be tough to take a risk on using new technology or systems when the way you’ve been doing something has worked for so long. But as our portfolio companies double or triple the size of their operations, they realize that having the right data and technology systems in place enables them to grow faster, while reducing manual processes for employees and improving service quality for customers.
Having Fort Point’s guidance on how to identify and implement the right technology and data systems has been a huge benefit to the companies I’ve worked with. It’s an area where I’ve seen us consistently add a lot of value, and something I’ve personally enjoyed working on.
What do you like best about your job?
It’s hands down getting to spend time learning about new businesses and working with so many talented management teams and business leaders.
Any interests outside of work?
Reading, trivia, poker, watching NBA basketball and Tottenham Hotspur… but ideally being outdoors as much as possible playing pick-up sports, running in the woods, climbing mountains, skiing, or participating in endurance challenges.