In this episode, BluWave Founder and CEO, Sean Mooney, catches up with Eric Jensen, Operations Director at Nordic Capital. They explore the current dynamics of the M&A market, the significance of preparing businesses for the M&A process, and the growing importance of aligning the right roles with the right people. Also, Sean and Eric delve into the impact of technology in the corporate world, focusing on Eric's unique journey from consulting to operating and then transitioning into private equity. The pair discuss operational excellence, value creation, and how Essential Skills and strategies are combined with a strong leadership team to drive performance. Dive into this thoughtful conversation for intriguing insights into the ever-evolving private equity industry. 1:05 - Eric's path to private equity 6:54 - Introducing Thor 10:09 - Traits that display operational excellence 15:41 - The importance of expertise in value creation 20:38 - Managing stakeholder communication 27:13 - The difference in private equity investing in the US versus Europe 31:30 - Eric's advice to his younger self For more information on Nordic Capital, go to www.nordiccapital.com. For more information on BluWave and this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast.

In this episode of the Karma School of Business podcast, Sean Mooney interviews Jay Hernandez, head of the industrial technology practice at Raymond James. They discuss the current state of the M&A markets and offer insights for both sellers and buyers. Hernandez emphasizes the importance of preparation for sellers, advising them to engage advisors early and thoroughly prepare their businesses for the M&A process. He also urges buyers to come prepared and do their homework before pursuing a deal. Additionally, Mooney and Hernandez share their latest life hacks, including the use of sous vide cooking for perfectly cooked steaks. 1:22 - Jay's background and origin story 8:21 - The return to normalcy in the deal market 14:22 - What sellers should know before going to an investment bank 24:08 - What buyers should know before going to an investment bank 29:03 - An IB response to new LOIs 34:12 - Jay's life hack: sous vide For more information on Raymond James, go to www.raymondjames.com For more information on BluWave and this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast  

In this special episode, we have exclusive audio from our recent webinar: Interim Ingenuity: Ready-made Executives to Elevate Your Company. The panel of experts from this webinar includes: Mark Steenhoek, Managing Director, The Stephens Group Bryan West, Managing Director, Resurgens Technology Partners The panel, moderated by BluWave's Richmond Donnelly, includes the following topics: 3:28 - Proprietary data highlighting human capital as a main priority 4:42 - How the experts are working with interim executives 9:20 - Value that interim executives add and the most common interims that are hired 16:49 - The interim executive selection process and criteria to follow 22:10 - How do you ensure a successful engagement To learn more about Mark and The Stephens Group, go to www.stephensgroup.com. To learn more about Bryan and Resurgens Technology Partners, go to wwww.resurgenstech.com To learn more about BluWave and this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast

In this episode, host Sean Mooney and Scott Estill, a Managing Partner at Lancor, discuss the evolving landscape of the private equity industry. They delve into the importance of aligning the right people to the right roles, the emerging significance of the human aspect in business, and how top private equity firms are managing their talent acquisition and retention processes. Additionally, they explore the impact of technology advancement on the industry and everyday life. The conversation concludes with a reflection on the necessity to adapt and develop as change is the only constant factor in business. Get a behind-the-scenes look into these intriguing insights by tuning into the episode. 1:53 - Scott's story: solving a problem and whether or not to talk to your uber driver 11:43 - The most important things to make talent searches successful 22:54 - How top PE firms are managing through the assessment phase and appealing to talent 29:25 - Scott's book recommendations For more information on Scott and Lancor, go to www.lancor.com For more information on BluWave and this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast  

In this insightful podcast episode, we delve into the key revelations from the Q3, 2023 Insights Report, showcasing the state of the private equity industry amidst fluctuating market fundamentals. We discuss intriguing observations in the industry's investment patterns; drawing attention to a significant rise in confidence, a notable shift towards growth, and an emphasis on human capital. Tune in to discover the significance of these trends, the raw data supporting these findings, and what this could mean for the future of private equity. 1:26 - Private Equity is not scared 4:45 - Fundamentals are improving 9:25 - PE is investing in growth in their companies 10:51 - Human capital activity is surging in PE 14:28 - It's time to hit the gas, with caution - what to keep an eye on 18:03 - A bold prediction For more information on BluWave and this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast      

In this engaging episode, Sean and Andy Greenberg explore their career paths and the transformation of the M&A market. From Andy's shift from politics to investment banking, to the evolution of M&A from a manual process to a tech-driven one, they highlight the increasing need for specialization. Looking ahead, they predict a future where AI significantly enhances industry efficiency. 1:31 - Andy's origin story and his path to M&A 7:10 - What did M&A look like in the mid-90s 12:58 - How has the M&A business evolved to what it looks like today 22:14 - The era of industry expertise 29:44 - Where is the M&A market going 36:18 - Andy's advice to his younger self To learn more about Andy and Greenberg Variations Capital, go to www.greenbergvariations.com To listen to Middle Market Musings, go to www.middlemarketmusings.com To learn more about BluWave and this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast

Joe DeLuca, Operating Partner at NewSpring Capital, joins the Karma School of Business to share insight into NewSpring Capital's organizational structure, his experience pivoting a portco's business model (twice) and more in this week's conversation:  1:17 - The type of thinking that led Joe to enter the world of private equity 4:08 - Sean and Joe share their personal interests related to his bookshelf and the shore 8:12 - What do you do in March 2020 with an institutional pharmacy portco in NYC without a CEO and chairman? 15:47 - NewSpring's strategy-by-strategy structure 21:10 - The big themes in adding value to a company 27:32 - Takeaways from Joe's favorite book  For more information on NewSpring Capital, go to https://newspringcapital.com. For more information on BluWave and this podcast, got to www.bluwave.net/podcast.

In this special episode, we have exclusive audio from our recent webinar: A Wave of Deals is Coming: Commercial Due Diligence for When the Tide Rolls In. The panel of experts from this webinar includes: Andrew Joy, Partner, Hidden Harbor Capital Partners Sean Mooney, Karma School of Business Host and Founder & CEO of BluWave The panel, moderated by BluWave Managing Director, Houston Slatton, includes the following topics: 3:48 - How to think about a target's end markets and why it matters when considering an investment 8:13 - How to assess market conditions when looking at a deal 13:03 - The true definition of commercial due diligence and why you use it 19:52 - How the result of a commercial due diligence engagement should inform the competitiveness of your bid strategy 24:58 - Pros and cons of big box firms versus more specialized service providers 32:40 - Final thoughts To learn more about Andrew and Hidden Harbor Capital Parts, go to www.hh-cp.com. To learn more about BluWave and this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast.

Ed Hine, an Operating Partner at Cold Bore Capital, shares his perspectives on building great companies in private equity, learned through the lens of a US Navy veteran. Tune in for a great conversation where we discuss: 1:20 - Ed's path to private equity 6:32 - Persevering through challenges in PE 11:31 - Evaluating potential through a value creation lens 16:22 - Lessons learned about integrating companies 20:21 - Common traits of great businesses: talent and culture 23:13 - Essential professional imperatives to keep in mind 26:04 - Ed's advice to his younger self For more information on Cold Bore Capital, go to www.coldborecapital.com. For more information on BluWave and this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast.

Matt Cole, a Managing Director at SBJ Capital joins the Karma School of Business podcast to discuss a variety of topics, including: 1:20 - Matt's journey to private equity 7:58 - Overcoming challenging situations 11:34 - "Professionalization" and acceleration 16:13 - Becoming scalable with clean data, AI and key KPIs 23:25 - Matt's advice to his younger self To learn more about SBJ Capital, go to www.sbjcapital.com. To learn more about BluWave and this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast.    

The Karma School of Business is joined by a recognizable name in both the private equity and healthcare communities. Scott Becker, founder of Becker's Healthcare and Partner at McGuireWoods shares valuable insight to business owners and PE professionals: 2:09 - Scott's background in PE and founding Becker's Healthcare 6:14 - The origin story of Becker's Healthcare and the window of opportunity 13:29 - Top healthcare trends for PE and business executives 19:27 - How machine learning and AI factor into the healthcare ecosystem 22:26 - Governmental regulations around investing in healthcare for PE 29:30 - Private equity bringing healthcare to underserved populations 32:09 - Experience with getting investment from a PE firm 41:33 - Scott's book recommendations To learn more about Becker's Healthcare, go to https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/ To learn more about McGuireWoods, go to https://www.mcguirewoods.com/ To learn more about BluWave and this podcast, go to https://www.bluwave.net/podcast/      

A Partner and Resource Group Lead from Huron Capital, Gabe Mesanza, joins the Karma School of Business to discuss a wide variety of tactics for business leaders and private equity professionals. In this episode, we discuss: 1:20 - Gabe's path to private equity and engineering mindset 9:58 - The traits of a great business: people and culture 17:27 - Perspective into the evolution of value creation in the PE industry 25:42 - Growing through uncertain economies 33:10 - Gabe's advice to his younger self 38:58 - A life hack for handwritten note takers For more information on Huron Capital, go to https://www.huroncapital.com/ For more information on BluWave and this podcast, go to https://www.bluwave.net/podcast      

The Karma School of Business is joined by John Kirk, a Deal Partner and Operating Advisor at Tuckerman Capital. John shares his unique perspective on people, business growth, and perseverance. We discuss: 1:20 - John's path to private equity 6:04 - Hiking the Appalachian Trail and a lesson in perseverance 11:32 - Finding a great business: growth mindset 13:31 - Finding a great business: alignment to secular trends 14:30 - Finding a great business: identifiable differentiation 18:18 - The modern private equity process: managing the motion offense 25:28 - The differentiators between businesses that are successful and those that aren't 29:55 - How the best business builders in the world act in times of uncertainty 34:01 -  John's book recommendation For more information on Tuckerman Capital, go to www.tuckermancapital.com For more information on BluWave and this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast  

Scott Phillips, a Managing Director at Orix Capital Partners, joins the Karma School of Business podcast to discuss key data monitoring and choosing the key KPIs that really help companies grow. In this episode we discuss: 0:53 - Scott's path to private equity (including a background in industrial modeling) 6:22 - Identifying businesses that could or will be great 14:01 - The trend towards value creation and a unique approach 22:38 - Working with portfolio companies to find opportunities in uncertain times 27:58 - Scott's advice to his younger self: resilience For more information on Orix Capital Partners, go to www.orixcapitalpartners.com For more information on BluWave and this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast  

The Karma School of Business podcast is joined by Paul Stansik, an Operating Partner at ParkerGale Capital, to discuss his Sales Metric Playbook and overall approach to growth within portfolio companies. In the episode, we discuss: 2:06 - Paul's origin story and path to private equity 8:01 - The Sales Metrics Playbook and the importance of clean data 15:42 - What to do after you've got clean data 20:08 - Analyzing specific cohorts of revenue 30:04 - Managing long-term revenue goals versus short-term 36:42 - What benefits the key questions in the Sales Metric Playbook have in portcos 40:17 - Prioritizing sales opportunities 44:20 - The importance of marketing   To get in touch with Paul and ParkerGale, go to parkergale.com. To get on the list for the weekly Sales Metric Playbook, go to parkergale.com/weekly-sales-metrics. For more information on BluWave and this podcast, go to bluwave.net/podcast.    

In this special episode, we have exclusive audio from our recent webinar: Activating AI: Empowering Your Business for Success. The panel of experts from this webinar includes: Alex Castrounis, Founder and CEO, Why of AI Nik Kapauan, Principal, Access Holdings Ken McLaren, Partner, AI, Frazier Healthcare Partners Keith Thomas, National Practice Lead, Security Operations, AT&T The panel, moderated by Karma School of Business host, Sean Mooney, includes the following topics: 4:40 - What pre-cursor activities to perform before diving in to AI 10:20 - Things that companies should keep in mind to remain secure 13:50 - Expert opinions on best in class tools 27:23 - Most addressable use cases for everyday companies 34:07 - Considerations that companies should take when implementing tools off the shelf 39:03 - Things that may take shape in the near future 46:55 - Answering FAQs To view the on-demand webinar, go to www.bluwave.net/demystifying-ai-webinar-registration/.  For more information on this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast. www.whyofai.com www.accessholdings.com www.frazierhealthcare.com www.att.com

Join us for an in-depth conversation with Brit Yonge, an Operating Partner at Corsair Capital, to hear his expert perspective: 1:29 - Brit's path to private equity 6:23 - How Brit formed his values from serving the US Military 13:45 - Characteristics for evaluating a great company 21:56 - Working with management teams to build great companies 25:44 - Persevering through an uncertain economy 32:15 - Personal/professional growth books and topics from Brit For more information on Corsair Capital, go to www.corsair-capital.com. For more information on this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast.

Listen as Sean Mooney discusses private equity findings from the Q2 2023 BluWave Insights Report. The report uncovers how private equity firms are taking action, securing safety and finding success. In this episode, Sean discusses: 1:02 - Why value creation is surging 3:33 - Cooling activity on human capital 4:32 - Growing activity across other value creation sectors 5:12 - The trend toward data and AI 6:30 - An update on 2023 predictions   To download the full report, go to www.bluwave.net/insights-report/.

We're joined by Cici Zheng, a Partner from ParkerGale Capital to give her operations-focused perspective on many different private equity topics. Listen to the conversation as we discuss: 2:30 - Cici's path to private equity 8:19 - What traits show a company has potential 13:06 - Focusing on all facets of a company 17:18 - The strategy behind working with portco management teams 20:31 - Navigating uncertain economies 24:05 - Getting buy-in from portco sales teams on pricing changes 27:31 - Cici's advice to her younger self To learn more about ParkerGale Capital, go to www.parkergale.com. To learn more about BluWave and this podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcast.  

We're joined by David Hellier, a partner at Bertram Capital, to discuss: 1:31 - His background and what brought him to private equity 5:40 - How private equity is evolving  9:18 - David's story about throwing out the first pitch 11:09 - Overcoming adversity and being differentiated 16:23 - Running private equity like a business 22:37 - How data and AI will impact productivity 27:50 - Finding opportunity admidst uncertainty 34:08 - David's life hack For more information on Bertram Capital, go to their website: bertramcapital.com For more information about this podcast, go to bluwave.net/podcast

In this captivating episode, we delve into the history of private equity, exploring its origins, confronting industry stigmas, and witnessing its evolution into a dynamic force. Join us as we: (0:54) Uncover the ideas that gave birth to the first private equity firms, laying the groundwork for an industry that would reshape the business landscape. (5:37) Challenge the prevailing stigma personified by 1980s Wall Street movies, to explore how the industry has and continues to evolve. (10:05) Highlight the shifting focus of private equity towards the people involved and the value they can create, from investors to management teams. (13:18) Touch on the importance of being the best in private equity, engaging the right third party resources to help. (15:20) Revisit the current state of PE and predict where it's going. For more information on the Karma School of Business podcast, go to www.bluwave.net/podcasts. For more information about BluWave, go to www.bluwave.net.

A managing partner from Compass Group Equity Partners, John Huhn, joins the Karma School of Business Podcast to discuss: 1:04 - John's background and path to private equity 9:28 - The most important traits to look for when evaluating a potential investment 13:50 - What makes Compass unique and how they approach value creation 21:34 - Advice to successfully manage a rocky economic period 26:52 - Important aspects of the portco-PE firm relationship 31:30 - John's advice to his younger self And much more.  To learn more about Compass Group, go to https://www.cgep.com/. To learn more about BluWave, go to www.bluwave.net.

Brian Adams, Founder and President of Excelsior Capital, joins the Karma School of Business podcast to discuss real estate investing and compares it to private equity investing. Brian dives into a broad scope of topics, including: 1:44 His path to real estate investing 5:55 Advantages and benefits to real estate investing 10:36 How to evaluate a good investment 17:39 How the current economic landscape is impacting the real estate investing industry 21:48 The long term outlook for real estate investing 30:29 What lessons Brian would teach his younger self       

The Karma School of Business is joined by Bain and Company Global Head of Performance and Improvement, Harnan Saenz to take a deep dive on the future of the economy as it relates to sustainability, viewed through the lens of private equity. The conversation topics include:  2:30 "Remanufacturing" and forces applying pressure to traditional operations 5:21 What is the circular economy? 13:13 The current policies set up by the government related to the circular economy 16:03 Barriers to a circular economy 25:21 How can tech be leveraged to support the circular economy? 27:13 Measuring progress toward circularity 29:25 The role of private equity in promoting circularity 30:28 Incorporating circular principles into investment strategies 33:01 Investment opportunities and most promising sectors 35:46 Challenges a PE firm might face when investing in a circular economy 37:13 How can firms work with portcos to improve sustainability? 39:39 How PE can collaborate with governments and other stakeholders to promote the circular economy

We share top private equity insights from our Q1 2023 Insights Report where we evaluate proprietary data from over 500 leading private equity firms across thousands of projects. We compare year over year activity from the BluWave Activity Index to share how private equity is reacting to the current economic state. Join BluWave Founder and CEO, Sean Mooney, as he discusses: 1:07 - Comparing the economy in 2023 to 2008 2:52 - The breakdown between due diligence and value creation 6:25 - How private equity is being strategic in diligence during the unsteady economic environment 8:35 - What is fueling the increase in value creation activity 11:58 - The top three functional areas in the BluWave Activity Index 16:06 - How to get additional insights and trends Click here to get the report: http://bit.ly/3obXJXu

Private equity insights from Charlie Gifford, a senior partner at New Heritage Partner, in this episode relate to how PE firms can differentiate themselves from the competitors to win more often. Charlie speaks to BluWave Founder and CEO, Sean Mooney, about the following topics: 1:45 Charlie's background 7:00 Why did he get into private equity 9:02 How private equity reacts to change 13:22 The evolution of the private IPO 15:29 How New Heritage stands out to portcos 20:55 The future of private equity 25:30 Charlie's advice to aspiring business builders 29:49 Learning how to be successful 36:10 Pro tips about wine  

The Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank collapses of March 2023 are top of mind for many investors and business leaders. In this episode, Sean Mooney explains what happened and how if affects the private equity industry. Additionally, Sean predicts how private equity will react to the crisis and gives advice on how to turn the situation into an opportunity for growth, rather than a setback. For more info, go to http://bit.ly/40hZQH2 0:52 What happened on the weekend of March 18, 2023 2:28 What happens next 4:35 How the bank collapses impact private equity 6:40 Turning crisis into opportunity 8:03 PE's reaction to crisis (Ooda Loops) 13:06 How all companies can learn from PE firms during a crisis  Colonel John Boyd's Ooda Loop concept: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop

Doug Horn and Mohit Kansal from Clairvest, a private equity firm based out of Toronto, join the Karma School of Business podcast to discuss: 0:42 Clairvest's history and focus 3:27 How Clairvest works to collaborate with entrepreneurs 5:43 Valuable traits that Clairvest considers before making investments 8:17 Mohit's approach to high-stress times 11:52 Advice to business owners on how to tackle economic uncertainty  16:55 Doug's predictions for the PE industry in the near future 22:40 Clairvest's book/movie recommendations 27:43 Advice Mohit would give to his 22 year old self 29:26 Doug's life hack To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/3CfZxmZ

In this episode, host Sean Mooney chats with Demetrios Dounis, a partner at Heartwood Partners, to discuss his path to private equity, and his unique approach to business building. 0:55 Demetrios' path to private equity 3:04 Demetrios' upbringing 4:39 What to look for in a prospective investment 8:44 Lessons to learn from change 12:24 How Heartwood approaches value creation 16:32 How business leaders can find the right private equity partner 20:30 Demetrios' advice to business leaders starting to think about add-on acquisitions 26:34 Advice to his younger self To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/3CfZxmZ

Host Sean Mooney sits down with Marshall Phelps, a Managing Director at MidOcean Partners, to discuss his unique path to the private equity industry. Marshall also provides insight on value creation as it relates to business growth. 1:40 Marshall's story 7:27 Investment banking to PE 13:46 Unique perspective on driving value 18:52 How do PE Firms standout in the M&A process 23:05 A seller's perspective on IOI & LOIs  25:25 Biggest opportunities in the investment world 30:11 Marshall's book recommendations 33:47 Marshall's advice to his younger self To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/3CfZxmZ

In this episode, Sean Mooney shares an update on 2022 private equity activity from BluWave's proprietary data. Learn the top takeaways on due diligence trends and value creation focuses from over 500 private equity firms in 2022. 1:14 - Private Equity does best when times are worst 2:04 - Due Diligence and Value Creation mix 3:35 - Functional area focus: Human Capital 5:45 - Functional area focus: Strategy 8:06 - Functional area focus: Operations 8:53 - Functional area focus: Technology 10:26 - Functional area focus: Sales & Marketing To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/3CfZxmZ

In this episode, BluWave founder and CEO, Sean Mooney shares data-backed private equity predictions for 2023 including: The 2023 economy (0:57) The VC bubble is going to burst (5:30) In-person work will make a return (7:20) Brands will be become evermore important in PE (10:14) The rise of AI and analytics in mainstream business (11:45) To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/3CfZxmZ

It was in interesting year for private equity. In this episode, BluWave Founder and CEO Sean Mooney, breaks down what he's identified as the top 5 trends of 2022: Private equity firms run toward the (economic) storm The rise of human capital Digitization & data ESG Fundraising BluWave supports hundreds of PE firms and their portcos, giving us a unique bird's-eye view of what's happening in the business world. We hope you enjoy these insights.

In this episode, host Sean Mooney shares an update on Q3 private equity activity from BluWave's proprietary data. Learn the top takeaways on due diligence trends and informed value creation focuses from over 500 top private equity firms in Q3. To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/3CfZxmZ

ParkerGale's Partner, Devin Mathews, joins host Sean Mooney to discuss the value of culture, the importance of mental health, the economy's impact on fundraising, tips to weather the economic storm, the benefits of being yourself and more. To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/3CfZxmZ

Brian Bank, Strategy and Client Relations, Investment Funds at Kirkland & Ellis, joins host Sean mooney to discuss what LPs are looking for, investment trends and other things every GP should know. To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/3CfZxmZ

In this episode, BluWave Founder and CEO, Sean Mooney, describes the importance of a great CFO for both PE-backed companies and independent companies alike. Hear the benefits that a PE-grade CFO can have on your organization.

Host Sean Mooney sits down with HCI Equity Partners Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Doug McCormick, to discuss building world-class teams, how to scale your leadership along with your business and company culture, how HCI Equity Partners helps entrepreneurs realize their vision, and more. At the end of the day, good values and work ethic win. To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/3CfZxmZ