Today we’d like to introduce you to Marco Franca.
Hi Marco, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My father, a Brazilian citizen, worked as a resident pathologist at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital in the early 1960s, where he met my mother, a nurse from Marietta, Ohio. Later, my parents moved to Brazil, and I was born in 1963 in São Paulo. I was educated in both American and British schools until my parents’ separation. Afterward, my mother, two brothers, and I moved to the United States. I attended The Peddie School in New Jersey for one year before joining my family in Warren, Ohio, where I finished high school in 1981. During this time, I also traveled extensively, backpacking across Europe each summer, and spent nearly four months in Rhodes with Greek American high school friends after graduation.
I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Arts, Political Science, and Economics from The Ohio State University in Columbus in 1986. Afterward, I moved to Tampa, where I joined Jim Walter Corporation as a Strategic Planning and Market Research Analyst. I worked under the mentorship of the esteemed Taylor Thorington, whose influence significantly shaped my professional identity. After seven years—including an LBO (leveraged buyout) led by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and a subsequent spin-off—I left the company as Director of Strategic Planning and Market Research, then became Managing Director at National Medical Care (NMC) in Rio de Janeiro.
At NMC, our goal was to expand the dialysis division through acquisitions, completing eleven within two years and consolidating operations with 1,000 employees. Additionally, I participated in a Management Buyout (MBO) of the NMC subsidiary in Portugal, which involved frequent travel between Lisbon and Rio. Later, I was approached by Onduline, a French manufacturer of construction products, to become the General Manager in Brazil. In the late 1990s, Brazil took steps to open its telecommunications market, resulting in a joint venture among Sprint, France Telecom, and National Grid (UK) in a $2.5 billion investment, where I served as Director of Corporate Strategic Planning, overseeing Strategic Planning, Market Research, Market Intelligence, and Data Warehouse Intelligence for Intelig Telecom. I developed a passion for technology and innovation at Intelig, and it continues to inspire me to this day.
Later, I joined a data center startup led by J.P. Morgan to establish units in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, which we successfully did when few understood the purpose of data centers. After September 11, I realized I needed a better work-life balance. I teamed up with Alexandre Nunes and Marcio Prado to co-found DealMaker, a management consulting firm focused on strategic business development. We performed well despite challenging market conditions, delivering many high-quality projects in business development, strategy consulting, and mergers and acquisitions. I eventually sold my stake in DealMaker to focus on interim management projects, including completing the post-merger integration (PMI) for PR Newswire in Latin America.
After completing the PMI, Charles Gregson, the CEO of PR Newswire, asked me to manage the Latin American operations. For the next seven years, I worked with exceptional individuals in Buenos Aires, Mexico City, New York, and São Paulo.
After twenty years working abroad, I returned to Florida to focus on strategic business development, M&A, and interim management consulting for international companies aiming to grow in the Americas with Red Dog Consulting.
Throughout this journey, I have had three marriages (including two divorces) and two wonderful children—Arianna, who earned a PhD in Human Genetics from Johns Hopkins University, and Luiz Felipe, who earned a Master’s in Consumer Marketing from the University of Amsterdam and is now pursuing a Master’s in Market Research and Consumer Behavior at IE University in Madrid.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Certainly not. Engaging in six corporate startups and five personal startups exerts a significant toll over time. There have been instances where the hours in a day proved insufficient for work commitments, thereby impacting personal life.
Certain decisions, such as investing in a start-up restaurant, failed and even led to bankruptcy. Nevertheless, we recover and proceed onwards.
Despite the challenges, the individuals I have encountered across three continents have served as my genuine measure of satisfaction and happiness.
My wife, Grace, children, two grandchildren, and canine companion, Mr. Truffle, constitute all that I need to regard myself as the wealthiest individual in the universe.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Red Dog Consulting?
Red Dog Consulting is a mid-market strategic business development and mergers & acquisitions consultancy that assists companies in achieving successful expansion across the Americas, with a particular emphasis on Latin America. Founded in 2004 in Brazil under the name Aquila and now headquartered in the United States, the firm has cultivated extensive expertise in enabling cross-border growth, strategic alliances, and effective market entry throughout the region.
At the core of Red Dog’s business is assisting medium-sized enterprises in attaining ambitious growth objectives through comprehensive strategic advisory services. The firm offers three primary service sectors.
Strategic Business Development services encompass the formulation of business development strategies, the establishment of strategic partnerships, the creation of new offers and products, and the identification of emerging market channels. The firm serves as a trusted adviser, offering impartial, results-driven analysis, solutions, and implementation support to companies navigating the complexities of expansion in the Americas.
Merger and Acquisition Advisory covers the entire lifecycle of mergers and acquisitions. This includes developing M&A strategies, assisting with corporate sales and divestitures, managing strategic acquisitions and mergers, structuring joint ventures and alliances, establishing greenfield operations, and overseeing post-merger integration.
Interim Management Services deliver executive-level leadership on a transitional basis, enabling companies to access experienced C-suite expertise during key growth phases, transitions, or transformations. Red Dog has effectively placed interim executives in COO, VP, and other senior roles to enhance operational performance and advance strategic initiatives.
What Sets Us Apart
Red Dog’s competitive differentiation arises from several distinctive capabilities that are uncommon within the middle-market consulting sector.
Deep Latin America Expertise: The firm possesses rare bilingual, bicultural capabilities with authentic operational experience throughout the Americas. This includes successful project execution in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and other Latin American markets. Partner Marco Franca’s extensive background includes serving as President of Brazil and Vice President of Latin America at PR Newswire, as COO at Fidelity BPO Brasil, and leadership roles at telecommunications and technology companies throughout the region.
Proven Track Record: Red Dog has demonstrated exceptional performance across various industries and project types. Noteworthy accomplishments include developing and implementing a strategic plan for a greenfield telecommunications provider in Brazil, which generated $600 million in revenue in its first year and employed 1,600 people. Additionally, it involved establishing business development and operational processes for a construction firm, resulting in a 30% increase in revenue and a 17% reduction in costs. Furthermore, the organization successfully oversaw post-merger integration for a media company operating across Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.
Hands-On Implementation: Unlike traditional consulting firms that merely offer recommendations and depart, Red Dog integrates with clients to guarantee effective execution. The firm delivers interim management services wherein principals assume operational accountability for outcomes, rather than solely providing strategic counsel. This methodology has encompassed serving as an interim COO for organizations with thousands of employees and overseeing intricate operational transformations.
Cross-Border Transaction Expertise: The firm specializes in the nuanced challenges of international expansion, including navigating regulatory environments, cultural considerations, due diligence in emerging markets, and post-merger integration across borders. This expertise is particularly valuable for North American companies seeking Latin American growth and Latin American companies expanding into North America.
Our Specializations
Red Dog has cultivated acknowledged expertise across various industry sectors, consistently achieving success.
Technology & Telecommunications: The firm possesses extensive expertise in IT services companies, telecommunications providers, marketing technology firms, and digital transformation initiatives.
Media & Communications: Experience includes leadership roles at major media distribution companies and successful post-merger integration projects across several Latin American markets.
Business Services and Outsourcing: The organization has overseen large-scale outsourcing operations and financial services business process outsourcing (BPO) entities.
Construction & Real Estate: Red Dog has formulated strategic plans and business development initiatives for construction enterprises, general contractors, and real estate development ventures, including distinguished hospitality concepts that have received awards.
Manufacturing and Distribution: The organization has collaborated with manufacturers specializing in industrial equipment, automotive parts, consumer products, as well as international shipping and logistics firms.
What We’re Most Proud Of
Red Dog takes pride in several brand-defining accomplishments.
Creating Tangible Value: The firm has consistently delivered measurable results that transform client businesses, whether through revenue growth, operational efficiency improvements, successful market entry, or value-creating acquisitions.
Building Lasting Relationships: Red Dog maintains long-term advisory relationships with clients, acting as a trusted partner through various growth phases and strategic initiatives.
Cross-Cultural Bridge Building: Through board membership with the Brazil-Florida Business Council, the firm actively works to strengthen connections between business communities and promote bilateral trade and investment opportunities.
Award-Winning Achievements: The projects have included developing a conceptual restaurant, which was recognized among the Top 50 Restaurants of Tampa Bay and received the Florida Trend Golden Spoon award in its inaugural year of operation.
What Tampa Bay Readers Should Know
For Voyage Tampa readers, Red Dog Consulting represents a unique strategic resource for organizations seeking growth in Latin America or Latin American enterprises aiming to expand into North America. The firm provides Fortune 500-level strategic expertise, complemented by entrepreneurial agility and a focus on the middle market.
Whether you are contemplating an acquisition in Brazil, assessing strategic partnerships in Mexico, seeking interim executive leadership during a transitional period, or devising a comprehensive market-entry strategy for the Americas, Red Dog offers expert guidance, cultural fluency, and practical implementation support to achieve sustainable success.
The firm’s presence in Tampa Bay, coupled with extensive operational experience across Latin America, positions Red Dog as a crucial facilitator for regional enterprises pursuing international expansion and for global corporations establishing or expanding their footprint in Florida and the broader Americas.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Risk should always be carefully measured because when it isn’t, the consequences can be severe. This principle has become deeply ingrained in my worldview through both professional experience and hard-earned lessons.
My relationship with risk has changed significantly over time. I used to see myself as a moderate risk-taker, willing to pursue opportunities that others might avoid. However, the fallout from a startup failure that ended in bankruptcy completely shifted my perspective. That experience was not just a setback—it taught me an important lesson about the need for careful risk assessment and the serious human and financial consequences of mistakes.
The startup experience taught me that undertaking risks without proper assessment does not exemplify entrepreneurial bravery; rather, it constitutes imprudence. When a comprehensive analysis of potential adverse outcomes has not been conducted, foundational assumptions have not been stress-tested, or adequate contingency plans have not been established, one is not engaging in calculated risk management but instead gambling with resources that exceed personal financial capacity. In my case, the failure affected not only my personal financial situation but also the livelihoods of employees, relationships with investors, and my professional reputation. These ripple effects clearly demonstrated that the consequences of unmeasured risk extend far beyond the individual who assumes it.
Today, my approach to risk in business is fundamentally different. Risk should be quantified, stress-tested, and understood before committing resources. This does not imply risk aversion; instead, I have adopted a philosophy of ‘intelligent risk-taking.’ The risks deemed worth pursuing are those for which thorough preparation has been conducted, the probability and impact of adverse scenarios are well understood, mitigation strategies are in place, and the potential loss is within one’s capacity to endure.
This perspective has enhanced my effectiveness in my current roles in strategic advisory and M&A. When risk is approached methodically—through scenario analysis, due diligence, contingency planning, and honest assessment of unknowns—it enables the pursuit of larger, more confident strategic initiatives. Paradoxically, a cautious approach to risk assessment often facilitates more aggressive strategic positioning, as it reduces the likelihood of being blindsided by unforeseen factors.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.reddog.consulting/
- Instagram: reddog.consulting
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcofranca/
