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Idea · November 19, 2025

Stanford GSB's View From The Top: Orlando Bravo On Doing The Work, One Deal At A Time

At 30, Orlando Bravo thought his PE career was finished after two out of three deals collapsed in the dot-com crash. Mentor Carl Thoma gave him one more shot, leading Bravo to champion software buyouts and eventually become a named partner as Thoma Bravo grew to managing ~$180 billion. Listen to the podcast episode below. Scroll down to read more and watch the video version.

Orlando Bravo Podcast Appearance

Watch this View From The Top interview between Gintare Zukauskaite, MBA ’26, and Orlando, during which he shares his journey from Puerto Rico to Stanford, his early struggles breaking into private equity, and the lessons that shaped his leadership. He reflects on mentorship, resilience, and building with purpose — reminding us to “do your thing,” focus on what truly matters, and stay authentic along the way.

Orlando Bravo, Founder and Managing Partner of Thoma Bravo: Take the Risks Meant for You