I’ve spent 15 years at the intersection of building products, backing founders, and developing people. Here’s the longer version.
The operator years
My career started at venture-backed startups. I was an early employee at Typekit (acquired by Adobe) and Zemanta (acquired by Outbrain), where I learned firsthand how products, teams, and companies are built. I learned how to navigate product outages, launch deadlines, fundraises, and quarter closes. I wore every hat available, from partnerships and sales to operations.
In 2016, I joined Slack’s platform team during a pivotal period of the company’s growth. I helped shape the developer ecosystem and expand Slack’s presence across EMEA and APAC. After three years in an operational role, I helped Slack Fund – the company’s corporate venture arm – where I invested in and partnered with over 100 companies and managed a global portfolio ranging from seed to pre-IPO.
The coaching chapter
My coaching journey started during a particularly challenging time at Slack. The company’s rapid pace constantly highlighted areas where I needed to grow, and my wife and I had just learned we were expecting twins. Working with a coach was transformative – what started as a search for quick solutions turned into 18 months of deeper exploration that reshaped how I lead, how I show up at home, and how I think about performance.
After experiencing that transformation, I knew the founders I worked with at Slack Fund could benefit from the same kind of support. But to build genuine trust, I needed to step away from the investor-founder power dynamic. So I created Grandview Coaching & Advisory, got ICF-certified, trained in Co-Active Coaching and Conscious Leadership, and went all in.
Today I’m a coach and strategic partner to founders navigating transitions and inflection points. I bring 15+ years as an operator, investor, and board member across 100+ companies directly into the work. Learn more about working together.
What’s next
This year, I jumped back into early-stage startups as part of the founding team at Opacity. After years of coaching and investing from the sidelines, I wanted to get back into the arena and help build something again. I’m still coaching a select number of founders through Grandview and actively angel investing.
The personal stuff
I grew up in the Bay Area and spent over a decade in San Francisco before moving to Carlsbad with my wife and three daughters (including twins). I’m drawn to the ocean and spend a lot of my free time surfing.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been part of my life for over ten years. It taught me the importance of the white belt mentality – that learning is continuous and can come from anyone, anywhere. I carry that into everything I do.
Dillon Ferdinandi 