DAVID LEONCAVALLO
founder & chief executive officer
David is a dreamer, who believes anything is possible with his childlike faith and creative mind. In his grown-up life, he was the founder of an investment & growth firm and led franchise brands to thousands of locations. His Human Capital and consulting firm served 1,000+ franchisor clients and he developed A.I. tech that helped him in pioneering the Scape technology approach and stellar user experience.
experience
David Leoncavallo is a highly accomplished entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in the franchising, private equity, and human capital sectors. He has demonstrated exceptional leadership and expertise in working with franchisors and driving business growth.
David's career in franchising began with selling travel agency franchises at the age of 19, which provided him with valuable insights into the franchise industry. He then went on to establish the world's largest executive search firm, specializing in recruiting franchise executives. This venture allowed him to build a vast network and an impressive database of over 50,000 franchise executives.
Recognizing the potential in private equity, David co-founded Sopra Capital, a private equity firm that quickly became one of the fastest-growing multi-brand franchise companies in the country. Under his leadership, Sopra Capital managed a portfolio of 10 companies and achieved remarkable success, including a substantial increase in profits of a 30-year-old franchise chain, expanding its 375 locations with a remarkable 650% increase in less than 4 years.
With his expertise in franchise due diligence, David evaluated over 1,100 franchise companies, gaining extensive knowledge of the industry and honing his investment acumen. Through his relationships, he facilitated over $4.3 billion of available private funds for transactions involving companies with EBITDA ranging from $5 to 50 million.
David's achievements have garnered recognition from renowned publications such as USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and appearances on Fox Business News. His contributions to the industry have been substantial, not only through Leto Capital but also through his search firm, which has placed over 1,000 franchise executives over the past 25 years, contributing to the success and growth of numerous organizations.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, he is happily married to his dream woman, Myleen, and takes pride in being a devoted father to seven beautiful children, a granddaughter and a grandson.