Walter Haugland. I build companies and the teams that run them.
Twenty years taking businesses from small to scale: Expedia, a startup I founded, and eleven years at Pets Best Insurance, through two acquisitions and from 35,000 to over 1 million customers. Now advising and looking for the next company to lead.
01Approach
Customer-led
Start with a deep understanding of customer needs, then build the product and the plan around that.
Systems that scale
Build the teams, tools, and habits that let growth repeat and compound.
Disciplined execution
Set clear goals, measure honestly, deliver on time, and adjust.
02Resume
Pets Best Insurance
CMO, VP Marketing, Director of Ecommerce. Senior leadership team during two acquisitions, $100M and $1.2B. 2015 – 2026.
Mantle Art Company
Founder & CEO. First mobile app for custom framing. 2013 – 2015.
Expedia
Strategy, business development and product. P&L owner for $13M – $300M+ lines of business. 2007 – 2013.
Education
MBA, Seattle University. BA, University of Washington.
03Projects
Advisory
Growth and AI for founders and small companies. Ongoing.Bouldering Project ↗, Sawtooth Mountain Guides ↗
Board Roles
Board member for The Springs, a health and wellness startup in Washington. 2023 – present.The Springs ↗
Nonprofit
Warm Springs Care Farm. Advisor to an agri-therapy nonprofit, where farm work helps people heal and grow. Ongoing.