Investment Banking Insights

<p>What information do you need to know as an aspiring investment banker? Join career-switcher and MBA student Alex Mason as we journey together to uncover the technical (including the famous "400 interview questions") and not-so-technical aspects of the investment banking profession. </p>

Top 10 IB Recruiting Resources

By popular demand... here are my top 10 recruiting resources for investment banking! 1. 400Q Guide 2. Investment Banking by Rosenbaum and Pearl 3. Financial Statements by Ittelson 4. Wall Street Journal 5. Morning Brew 6. Dale Carnegie 7. Toastmaster's International 8. Microsoft Excel 9. Perplexity AI 10. Notion AI Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

07-15
12:37

Working Capital Equation (Receivables, Inventory and Payables)

Here's a refresher on the concept of working capital. But we don't just cover the concept today, we'll look at the formula and what it means. Specifically: Working capital cycle (aka the funding gap) = Receivable Days + Inventory Days - Payable DaysThanks so much for supporting the show! Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

07-01
11:37

Wells Fargo Update, Plus Ken Moelis Steps Down

Updates in the world of investment banking, regarding Wells Fargo's release from it's $1.95 trillion asset cap. Also, Ken Moelis steps down as CEO of Moelis & Co. The Pulse - Buy Side RecruitingBuy Side Resources (14 Real LBO Case Studies w/Apollo, Blackstone, KKR, etc.) For 10% off enter: IBIDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

06-24
09:41

Drew Pascarella on Building a Career and Teaching Cornell's IB Immersion

Drew Pascarella is a seasoned investment banker and educator (including my professor!). Drew shares his journey from an IT role at Goldman Sachs to becoming a front-office investment banker at Citi, and eventually transitioning to teaching at Cornell University. We cover a lot of ground, including themes such as: - the importance of networking and mentorship - building your reputation throughout your career - the evolving landscape of investment banking education It was an honor to i...

06-04
52:32

Series 63 Exam Results (Plus Graduation!!)

Series 63 exam results and differences from the SIE. Also…I just graduated from business school!!!! 🙌🏽 Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

05-28
04:59

IB Recruiting Outside of NYC

Most of the investment banking jobs in the United States are in New York...but what if you want to work somewhere else? Setting up your life in a physical location is a big decision that impacts your entire lifestyle. Today we cover how to tackle this interview question. Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

05-20
08:34

Finding Your Champion with Pete Fraser

Today we're sitting down with Pete Fraser, a former mechanical engineer who successfully pivoted to investment banking after his MBA at Cornell. Pete shares his journey from working in a steel mill in Gary, Indiana to landing a coveted position at Guggenheim in New York City. We discuss: The culture shock of MBA recruitingA cautionary tale about getting cutThe "Zero Defects" philosophyThe importance of having a champion on the inside...and much moreCheck out Pete's book Wall Street Drop...

04-29
48:35

How to Un-lever and Re-lever Beta

Beta measures systematic risk...great to know, but what do we do with it? In today's episode we'll walk through how to un-lever and re-lever beta based on the capital structure of a target business that you're valuing (e.g. for a DCF analysis). Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

04-22
09:48

SIE Exam Results

How I did on the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam and advice for you! Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

04-15
04:50

What Is Beta?

What does beta mean in finance and what is it used for? A simple explanation. Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

03-21
05:22

Quick NVIDIA Comps Analysis (Capital IQ)

Today we're performing a quick comparable companies analysis for NVIDIA in Capital IQ. We'll walk through how to create the set of comparable companies and get to the point of being able to compare trading multiples for similar firms. Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

03-11
06:29

IB Journey Update and Networking Thoughts

Today I'll give a quick update on where I'm at in my journey, and share some insights I've learned talking with a several of you! Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

03-05
09:35

AI's Impact on Investment Banking

AI's a big buzzword these days, but it's worthwhile to think about how artificial intelligence is going to impact our work as investment bankers. While I don't think we'll be out of a job, I strongly believe the nature of our work as advisors is changing, and we'll be expected to do much more, as sophisticated tools allow us to expand our productivity. Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

02-25
10:59

Recruiting Trends and Strategies with Jason Lum

It's my pleasure to welcome Jason Lum back on the show to talk about recruiting trends and strategies to help you stand out (particularly if you go to a non-target school). We discuss what's going on in the market right now and specific actions you can take to make progress toward success! Looking for one-on-one help with the recruiting process? Jason and his team still have a few slots open for this cycle, so reach out now if you need some extra help. Note: At no extra cost to you, I may rec...

02-18
24:55

M&A Accretion Example (Capital One and Discover)

Last week we talked about the Capital One and Discover deal going on right now, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to explore how the math might look for a deal like this. We'll go over a simple merger model that I put together in Excel. Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

02-13
17:56

Capital One Acquires Discover Financial (Deal Pitch)

Capital One has decided to acquire Discover Financial, a big deal in the financial services space. Today we discuss the basic elements of the deal, including purchase price, consideration, and rationale. Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

02-04
13:15

FINRA Requirements for Investment Bankers

After you get the internship and secure the return offer, what's next? To get licensed as an investment banker, you have to take a few tests....bummer right? Don't worry, these are standardized exams that will draw on a lot of knowledge you've already been learning. Let's dive into exactly what these tests are so you know how to approach them when you're ready. Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

01-28
07:48

The State of Investment Banking 2025

Happy 2025! Every now and then it's good to zoom out of the small details of recruiting and understand what's going on in the broader industry. Here are are some fast facts and figures about how the IB industry did in 2024...and my thoughts for what's to come this year! Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

01-22
09:12

Evaluating Multiple Offers

When you get that investment banking offer in hand, it's a beautiful thing. The most common situation is simple - you accept the offer! But what if you have multiple IB offers to choose from? It's an amazing position to be in, for sure, so how do you decide? We talk about this scenario today on Investment Banking Insights. Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

12-24
11:54

How To Know When To Quit Recruiting

How To Know When To Quit Recruiting Contact: investmentbankinginsights@gmail.com

12-15
14:30

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