Building Outside the Valley: Jack Greco on Scaling ACV Auctions and Betting on Builders

How do you build a billion-dollar company when you’re not in Silicon Valley?On this episode of First Builders, hosts Amber Illig and Rachel Tsui sit down with Jack Greco co-founder, COO & CFO of ACV Auctions, which went public at a $3.85 billion valuation, to explore what it means to build and scale from the ground up in Buffalo, New York.Jack shares what it took to transform a scrappy regional idea into a national marketplace for auto dealers—and the lessons learned from leading teams through hypergrowth, crisis, and IPO.In this episode, Jack reveals:– How ACV went from a Buffalo startup to a $3.85 B public company– Why culture, character, and cash flow matter more than hype– What “first builders” get right before product–market fit– The reality of building outside traditional tech hubs– How he now backs early operators through The Council and the Buffalo ecosystemIt’s a raw and real conversation about founding with grit, building without blueprints, and creating companies that last.FOLLOW JACK GRECOLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackgrecoTwitter/X: @jackgreco716The Council Capital: https://thecouncil.coFOLLOW THE COUNCIL & FIRST BUILDERSNewsletterYouTube: @firstbuilderspodInstagram: @thecouncilcapitalTwitter/X: @first_builders_TikTok: @firstbuilderspodLinkedIn: The Council