$465M Exit and How to Get to the Top 5% in US Buyouts
In this episode of the Raw Selection Private Equity Podcast, co‑founder of Achieve Partners Daniel Pianko discusses his firm’s $465 million exit and how they consistently rank in the top 5 % of U.S. buyout performance. Pianko explains Achieve’s unique strategy of targeting service‑oriented companies facing talent shortages, then creating apprenticeship programs that supply trained junior talent, boosting revenue and margins while delivering social impact. He also highlights the importance of collaborative, data‑driven decision‑making between private‑equity sponsors and portfolio‑company operators, warning against the “PE‑as‑the‑boss” mindset. Throughout, Pianko draws on his background in education and Goldman Sachs to illustrate how aligning economic outcomes with workforce development creates both financial returns and societal benefits.
From Warby Parker to Diapers.com: David Bell on Consumer Brand Success
In this episode, former Wharton professor and early‑stage consumer investor David Bell explains how he spots winning consumer brands, from Diapers.com to Warby Parker and Harry’s. He emphasizes that successful ventures start with a simple, visceral insight that solves a...
Are Law Firms Ripe for Private Equity Investment
In this episode of the Raw Selection Private Equity Podcast, Adol Tahar, a private‑equity operator with a decade of experience in the UK legal sector, explains how PE firms are approaching law‑firm acquisitions. He walks through his hands‑on work rescuing...
The Hidden Mistakes Killing PE Value (And How to Fix Them)
In this episode of the Rural Selection Private Equity Podcast, CFO Paul Brennan shares hard‑won lessons from steering a $250 M manufacturing business through a successful PE‑backed exit. He highlights two hidden mistakes that erode value: (1) private‑equity firms failing to...
How to Double EBITDA in 3 Years The Multi-Unit Retail Playbook
In this episode of the Raw Selection Private Equity Podcast, Jeff Helfgott, CEO of Boardroom Salon, shares his playbook for doubling EBITDA in three years within a multi‑unit retail business. He emphasizes that talent assessment and development are as critical...
The Investing Strategy in the Franchising and Multi-Unit Retail Sector
In this episode of the Raw Selection Private Equity Podcast, co‑managing partner Mike Esposito of Franchise Equity Partners (FEP) discusses his transition from a 30‑year career at Goldman Sachs to building a niche private‑equity firm focused on franchising and multi‑unit...
Mastery of the Psychology of Change & Transformation
In this episode of the Raw Selection Private Equity Podcast, former CEO Meg Pogue discusses how the psychology of change and transformation impacts private‑equity‑driven acquisitions. She explains that most employees react to change with fear because it threatens their need...
The Lessons From Formula 1 to 22 Acquisitions by a Private Equity-Backed CTO
In this episode, Peter Rossi, a former McLaren track‑side IT specialist turned private‑equity‑backed CTO, walks through his eclectic career—from Formula 1 to consulting, VC tech‑due‑diligence, building a SaaS ISO‑27001 platform, and leading a portfolio that has acquired 22 companies across four...
What Two PE Exits Taught James About Winning as a CFO
In this episode, James Carver, a CFO with two private‑equity‑backed exits, walks through his career—from trading desks and investment banking to leading finance functions in mid‑market companies—and shares the operational and strategic levers that drove value in each sale. He...
Learnings From a $1BN+ Exit and 300 Investments in Private Equity
CapitalSpring, a sector‑focused private equity firm, recently completed a $1 billion‑plus exit of its Sizzling Platter portfolio to Bain Capital. Over two decades, the firm has deployed $4 billion across more than 300 investments, primarily in multi‑location foodservice and consumer brands. It...
Building a Value Creation Machine & Scaling a Private Equity Firm
Chris Sznewajs of Pacific Avenue Capital Partners discussed how the firm builds a private‑equity platform centered on complex corporate carve‑outs and assets owned by “unnatural owners.” The firm leverages proprietary sourcing through corporate relationships and invests heavily in an operational...