Claim OwnershipThe Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection
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© 2025 The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection
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Hosted by Alex Rawlings, Managing Partner of Raw Selection, a specialist executive search firm. Join us as we interview the leading experts in Private Equity, unlocking their secrets of success to share with you.
Discover how some of the top Private Equity professionals got into Private Equity, how they rose to success and learn about some of the mistakes they made along the way.
Alex has strong connections to the Private Equity industry through his executive search firm, Raw Selection, which specialises in working with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies across Europe and North America. Alex is straight talking and to the point and aims to unlock real gold you can build into your firm or portfolio companies. Find out more at www.raw-selection.com
179 Episodes
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In this episode, host Alex Rawlings is joined by Joe Basrawy, Managing Director at Partners Capital, a global multi-asset investment firm serving some of the world's most sophisticated investors — including private equity founders, endowments, and family offices. Joe offers a rare and in-depth look at the Limited Partner (LP) perspective — covering common pitfalls private equity firms make, what LPs are really looking for, and how to stand out in a crowded market. He also shares a masterclass...
In this episode, Alex Rawlings is joined by Jeremiah Wanzell, a seasoned consumer brand executive with leadership roles at Hugo Boss and Calvin Klein, and now an operating partner working with private equity firms to drive growth in the consumer sector. Jeremiah shares his insights into the evolving role of the operating partner, value creation beyond financial engineering, the importance of omnichannel strategy, and how consumer-focused PE firms can win in a shifting market. ⏱️ Timestamps 00...
🔹 Episode Overview: In this episode, we’re joined by William Quartner, Partner at Prelude Growth Partners, a New York-based private equity firm dedicated to the high-growth consumer space. William shares insights from his impressive journey through investment banking and private equity at firms like Goldman Sachs and TowerBrook Capital, to now helping build Prelude Growth from its inception to the recent close of Fund III. He explores critical investment lessons, the importance of talent, co...
Guest: Greg Moran – Multi-exit founder, investor, and Managing Partner at Evergreen Mountain Equity Partners Host: Alex Rawlings, Founder of Raw Selection ⏱️ Timestamps & Topics 00:00 – Introduction to Greg Moran Alex welcomes Greg Moran, a multi-exit founder turned investor, and Managing Partner at Evergreen Mountain Equity Partners. Greg introduces his background in scaling businesses, raising $500M+ in capital, and his current focus on future-of-work technologies. 01:29 – Biggest Mis...
🕒 Episode Timestamps & Show Notes 00:00 – Introduction Alex welcomes John Dwyer, Founder of The Institute of WOW, to explore how direct response marketing can drive real results for private equity firms and their portfolio companies. 00:53 – What is WOW Factor Marketing? John explains his flipped model: get prospects to try your product so they fall in love with your brand—not the other way around. 02:16 – The Power of Incentives Examples like McDonald’s Happy Meals and Kellogg’s...
Episode Summary: In this insightful episode, Alex Rawlings is joined by Brett Hickey, the CEO and founder of Star Mountain Capital. Brett shares his unique journey from humble beginnings in Northwestern Canada to leading a multi-billion-dollar asset management firm in the U.S. With deep reflections on leadership, value-based investing, building collaborative ecosystems, and what truly drives sustainable success in private markets, this is a masterclass in private equity thinking. Brett also ...
🧠 Episode Summary: In this insightful episode, Alex Rawlings is joined by Brian Reavell, Founder of R-Squared Advisors and seasoned Private Equity Operating Partner, to dive deep into the world of go-to-market (GTM) strategies. Brian shares a comprehensive GTM playbook for PE-backed portfolio companies—spanning from due diligence and customer segmentation to talent evaluation and post-investment execution. With over two decades of commercial leadership and consulting experience, Brian explai...
Guest: David Rowley, Operating Partner at Diversis Capital Host: Alex Rawlings Topic: Product Strategy, Artificial Intelligence, and the Evolving Role of the Operating Partner 🔍 Episode Overview: In this episode, Alex Rawlings is joined by David Rowley, Operating Partner at Diversis Capital, to explore how private equity can drive value creation through smarter product strategies and the integration of artificial intelligence. With a career spanning back to the 1980s in software product dev...
🎙️ The Private Equity Podcast — Episode with Graham Bachman, Hidden River Strategic Capital Guest: Graham Bachman, Managing Director & Head of Business Development at Hidden River Strategic Capital Host: Alex Rawlings In this episode of The Private Equity Podcast, Alex Rawlings is joined by Graham Bachman, who shares how Hidden River Strategic Capital is reshaping lower middle-market investing with structured capital—a hybrid approach that sits between debt and equity, allowing business ...
The Private Equity Podcast – Show Notes Guest: Otis Spencer Host: Alex Rawlings Episode Title: Lessons in Leadership: From Army Logistics to PE Operating Partner & CEO Success 🎙 Episode Overview: In this episode, Otis Spencer, a former U.S. Army logistics officer turned private equity operating partner and CEO, shares a compelling journey of leadership, operations, and transformation. From managing global fuel inventories to spearheading Six Sigma-driven improvements, Otis outlines the ...
🎙️ The Private Equity Podcast – Essentials for Investors with Matthew Kearney This episode is packed with pragmatic advice and “growth hacks for operators” – get your pen ready. ⏱️ Episode Highlights & Timestamps: 00:03 – Introduction Meet Matthew Kearney: 35 years in private equity, from 3i to operating partner and PE-backed CEO. 01:07 – From 3i to New York CEO Matthew’s early career, moving from UK PE investments into operational leadership in media and technology. 02:31 – Common PE M...
Guest: Greg Nieuwenhuys – Private Equity Advisor, Chairman & AI Expert Topic: Unlocking Generative AI for Private Equity & Portfolio Companies 🔹 Intro & Background (0:00 – 2:00) Greg shares his 20+ years in PE-backed consumer goods: Baver (Netherlands), Cotterdardoor (UK), Mammoth, Wattbike, and No-Door.Passion for AI began two years ago, driven by a belief that GenAI is a business and people challenge—not a tech one.🔹 What is Generative AI? (2:00 – 6:00) Difference: classic AI (...
In this insightful episode, Nate Edgerly, CEO of Enzo Group Inc., discusses his journey from CPA at PricewaterhouseCoopers to a seasoned private equity investor and executive leader in the hospitality industry. Nate shares valuable insights on leadership, long-term investing, and what makes hospitality businesses thrive or fail. Key Takeaways: Nate’s journey from CPA to CEO, highlighting his pivotal experiences in private equity and operating roles.Lessons learned from running a business, enh...
In this episode, Alex speaks with Jeff Zwiefel, former President & COO of Life Time, about scaling the business from $139M to $2.3B in revenue and navigating multiple private equity exits and IPOs. Jeff shares how a people-first culture and rigorous training enabled long-term, sustainable growth in a competitive industry. Jeff discusses why private equity firms often miss the mark by focusing only on KPIs and financials, instead of investing in leadership, culture, and succession. He expl...
In this episode, Alex Rawlings is joined by Henry Ward, CEO and Co-Founder of Carta, to explore the evolving landscape of private equity and venture capital through the lens of software, operations, and professionalization. Henry shares his journey building Carta into a multi-billion-dollar software business and how it’s transforming the infrastructure of private markets. Henry dives into why private equity must evolve from its legacy of financial engineering to an operational value-add model...
David Feingold, CEO of Broad Street Global, joins us on The Private Equity Podcast to share his 35+ year journey from law to leading one of the largest infrastructure-focused PE firms in the U.S. He unpacks lessons in leadership, hiring, culture, and why they’ve entered crypto mining. This episode is a masterclass in building high-performing teams and seizing unconventional opportunities. [00:00] Welcome and intro to David Feingold and Broad Street Global – infrastructure + crypto investing [...
Fundraising in 2025 isn’t business as usual. James Varela, Partner at Rede Partners and Head of MENA, joins us to break down what it really takes to raise capital from LPs—especially in the Middle East. We talk DPI pressure, LP targeting, co-investments, how to build credibility in emerging markets, and the biggest mistake GPs still make when pitching. Whether you’re struggling or oversubscribed, this one’s for you. [00:00] Intro to James Varela and focus on capital raising in the Middle East...
From Big Four to 19 Acquisitions: Sequoya Borgman on Building Borgman Capital Sequoya Borgman, Founder of Borgman Capital, joins the show to discuss his leap from public accounting into private equity, building an independent sponsor model, and the real challenge behind every deal—people. He shares lessons from 19 acquisitions, why they prioritize cultural fit, and how they’re tapping into retail capital and AI to scale smarter. [00:03] From Arthur Andersen to launching Borgman Capital in 20...
Chris Rozell, Managing Partner at Cresta, joins us to discuss his journey from portfolio exec to founding a PE firm, scaling businesses to billions, and investing in decarbonization-focused infrastructure. He shares pragmatic insights on ESG, early-stage infra, and building trust with management teams—plus how Cresta bridges the gap between VC and large infra players. [00:00] Chris Rizel, Managing Partner at Cresta, on infra investing, founding a PE firm, LP returns, and ESG. [00:29] Ea...
Sam Bendix, Partner at Chicago Pacific Founders, returns to share his framework for capital raising using motivational interviewing. He explains how it uncovers real motivations and qualifies prospects faster—without a hard sell. We cover how it applies to investor meetings, deal sourcing, hiring, and beyond. A practical framework for better conversations and better results. [00:00] Sam Bendix, Partner at Chicago Pacific Founders, shares his capital-raising framework using motivational ...
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