$465M Exit and How to Get to the Top 5% in US Buyouts

Why It Matters

The model demonstrates a scalable way for buyout firms to drive outsized returns while addressing critical labor gaps, signaling a durable investment theme for funds seeking both financial and social returns. It also underscores the importance of operator-led, data-informed governance to protect value creation in portfolio companies.

Summary

Daniel Piano, co-founder of Achieve Partners, discussed the firm’s recent $465 million portfolio exit and how its focus on education and workforce training helped Achieve reach the top 5% of US buyout performance. Piano described a differentiated strategy of targeting companies facing acute talent shortages and scaling them by building apprenticeship and talent pipelines, marrying financial returns with social impact. He emphasized collaborative, data-driven governance between private equity teams and operators to avoid heavy-handed decision-making. The conversation framed Achieve’s approach as a repeatable playbook for value creation in talent-constrained sectors.

Original Description

In this episode of The Private Equity Podcast, Alex Rawlings speaks with Daniel Pianko, Co-Founder of Achieve Partners, about Achieve’s talent-led investment strategy, its $465 million exit of Optimum, and how the firm reached top 5% performance for DPI in Cambridge Associates’ US buyout benchmark.

Daniel shares how Achieve Partners invests in businesses where the biggest growth constraint is access to trained talent. Rather than simply competing for experienced hires, Achieve builds apprenticeship-style programmes inside portfolio companies, creating new talent pipelines that drive revenue, margin expansion, retention, and differentiated value creation.

The conversation explores the relationship between private equity firms and operators, why data-driven decision-making matters, how Achieve partners with universities and underrepresented talent pools, and why doing good and generating alpha do not need to be in conflict.

Key Takeaways:

Private equity firms should empower operators to challenge assumptions with data.

Achieve invests where talent shortages can be solved through focused training.

Apprenticeships can increase capacity, margins, retention and scalability.

Optimum shows how training pathways can unlock healthcare IT growth.

Strong impact and strong returns can reinforce each other.

Timestamps:

00:03 – Introduction to Daniel Pianko and Achieve Partners

00:29 – Daniel’s career path and linking social impact with financial return

01:52 – The mistake PE firms and portfolio companies make in the boardroom

03:44 – How to avoid PE investors driving strategy without enough data

05:10 – Achieve’s unique strategy: investing where talent shortages constrain growth

06:38 – Building apprenticeship programmes to solve supply-demand talent gaps

07:08 – Daniel’s Goldman Sachs training experience and how it shaped Achieve’s model

08:25 – Rebuilding the talent pyramid in lower middle market companies

09:49 – Why Achieve focuses on business services, tech services, and healthcare services

11:12 – Building talent programmes at the portfolio company level

12:10 – Solving the gap between university education and first jobs

13:04 – Why companies should stop searching for “purple squirrels”

14:58 – Partnering with universities and building access to talent

16:44 – The Optimum exit: $465 million sale to Infosys

17:12 – Optimum’s healthcare IT thesis and value creation plan

19:00 – Building healthcare IT training pathways with universities and industry bodies

20:56 – Challenges in expanding Optimum beyond its historic core

22:24 – How Achieve reached top 5% DPI performance

22:50 – Why Achieve sells when the underwriting target is achieved

23:42 – How training programmes create a natural exit point

25:07 – Aligning impact with alpha creation

27:31 – Talent arbitrage, underrepresented communities, and overlooked graduates

29:40 – Why solving major social problems can create superior returns

30:08 – Daniel’s recommended podcasts, books, and shows

31:57 – How to contact Daniel Pianko

32:23 – Closing remarks

Raw Selection partners with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional executive talent. We focus on de-risking executive recruitment through meticulous search and selection processes, ensuring top-tier performance and long-term success.

🔗 Connect with Alex Rawlings on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrawlings/

🌐 Visit Raw Selection www.raw-selection.com

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