New GCP Podcast Episode 8: The Operator’s Journey – From Search to Scale

This one’s special.

We sat down with Rameez Ansari and Steve Lau, Co-CEOs of AutoLeap, for a deeply candid conversation on building, scaling, and exiting vertical SaaS businesses – and everything that comes with it.

Yes, they’ve had an incredible run:

– Acquired and scaled FieldEdge to a 7x return in under 4 years

– Took on a venture-backed competitor with $300M in funding while bootstrapping

– Are now building one of the most admired platforms in auto repair tech

– And continue to support search fund entrepreneurs as investors and board members

But what makes this episode unforgettable isn’t just the business lessons–it’s the emotional truth. We talk:

✅ Partner dynamics that evolved into deep friendship

✅ Navigating personal loss while leading as first-time CEOs

✅ Why stamina, not just strategy, shapes outcomes

✅ The actual mental load of being responsible for teams, families, and investors

✅ Tactical advice for aspiring operators and ETA founders

🎧 Listen to the full episode

Thank you Rameez and Steve for showing up with honesty, humility, and clarity. One for the books.

#SaaS #Entrepreneurship #SearchFunds #VerticalSaaS #PrivateEquity #Leadership #GCPPodcast #AutoLeap #Operators #Software