Megan Gardner
About Megan Gardner
Megan Gardner is the Chair of the Finance Committee and CEO & Founder of Independent & Co, with a background in investment banking and extensive experience in advisory roles across various industries.
Current Roles and Responsibilities
Megan Gardner currently holds several notable positions. She serves as the Chair of the Finance Committee, an Advisor at Fracture, Everly Health, and is the CEO and Founder of Independent & Co. She also sits on the Global Board of Directors at YPO. Her work spans various locations, including Gainesville, Florida; Austin, Texas; and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Career History and Key Positions
Throughout her career, Megan Gardner has held multiple influential roles. She was a Board Director at Myron, which was acquired by Go Global Retail, and served as an Advisor at Verata Health, now part of Olive. She also acted as an Advisor at The Sage Group and served on the Board of Directors for DoubleNet Pay before moving to advisory roles at Tinybeans and Crown & Caliber. Her leadership has had a significant impact on multiple high-growth companies across technology and finance sectors.
Educational Background
Megan Gardner is a well-educated professional with an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.A. in History from Smith College. These academic credentials laid a strong foundation for her successful career in business and finance.
Founder of Independent & Co
In 2013, Megan Gardner founded Independent & Co, a company that focuses on high-growth technology companies in the e-commerce, healthcare, and fintech sectors. The company’s portfolio includes transactions with prominent firms like Summit Partners, Morgan Stanley Global Private Equity, Oracle, IKEA, and The Chernin Group. The company operates across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, providing strategic advisory services to various technology enterprises.
Public Speaking and Recognition
Megan Gardner is a regular speaker at prominent conferences, including The Wall Street Journal Women in the Economy, NBCUniversal Women and Digital Symposium, and TechWomen. She was nominated by Fortune in 2011 as one of the 'Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs.' Under her leadership, Plum District was featured in notable publications like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg. Forbes consistently listed Plum District as one of the top 100 websites for women during her tenure.