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] Early caree...
May 27, 2025•31 min
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 interview...
May 20, 2025•52 min
In today’s episode, Jared Weisel, SVP at Revenue Analytics, joins us to break down how PE-backed manufacturing and distribution businesses can use pricing to drive serious EBITDA gains. We dive into why most firms ignore pricing, how to avoid customer churn while raising prices, and why a 3–7% increase can deliver outsized impact. Jared shares the biggest mistakes PE firms make, how to build long-term pricing strategies, and why this lever is the most underutilized tool in the value creation pla...
May 13, 2025•21 min
In today's episode we have Steve Carroll, CEO and Co-Founder of Kelso Industries, join us to share his journey from a small-town construction background to leading a 25-acquisition HVAC roll-up. We dive into his Walmart days scaling EBITDA from $15M to $250M, his views on where PE firms get it wrong, and how Kelso’s long-term partnership model is flipping the script on traditional roll-ups. [00:00] Steve Carroll joins to discuss Kelso Industries' growth from 1st to 25th acquisition [00:27] Backg...
May 06, 2025•32 min
Welcome to another episode of the Private Equity Podcast. Today, I’m joined by Scott Cook, an experienced Chief HR Officer with over 100 add-on acquisitions under his belt. We dig into what really drives successful integration—nailing culture, managing change, aligning roles, and avoiding the classic post-acquisition mistakes. If you want a no-nonsense guide to people, process, and performance in PE-backed services businesses, this episode is a must-listen. [00:00] Over 100+ add-on acquisitions ...
Apr 29, 2025•42 min
Welcome to another episode of the Private Equity Podcast. Today, I’m joined by Andrew Towne, Partner at Olympus Pines. We break down what it really takes to grow a portfolio company—hiring the right team, aligning goals, building execution plans, and pulling the right levers for revenue and EBITDA growth. If you're after a practical playbook on scaling businesses in the lower mid-market, this episode delivers. [00:00] Andrew Towne returns to discuss how to grow portfolio companies through team b...
Apr 22, 2025•44 min
Welcome to another episode of the Private Equity Podcast, today I’m joined by Nayef Perry, Head of Direct Credit at Hamilton Lane. We dive into the state of the private credit market—where the opportunities are, how interest rates are shaping returns, and what investors need to watch out for. If you want a sharp, no-fluff breakdown of where private credit is heading and why it still has room to run, this one's for you. Breakdown: [00:00] Nayef Perry, Head of Direct Credit at Hamilton Lane, joins...
Apr 15, 2025•24 min
Description: In this episode of The Private Equity Podcast , Alex Rawlings sits down with Ben Claremon, Partner at Devonshire Partners, a lower middle-market PE firm investing in micro and nano-cap businesses. Ben shares insights into why PE firms overlook small public companies, how microcap investing presents unique opportunities, and why a hedge fund mindset can be valuable in private equity. He also discusses the challenges of deal competition in the lower middle market, mitigating risks in ...
Apr 08, 2025•31 min
Welcome back to The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection. In this week's episode, Alex Rawlings speaks with Cari Lodge, a seasoned investor with 25 years in private equity secondaries. They explore the market’s rapid growth from $2 billion to $160 billion, the increasing need for liquidity, and how secondaries optimize portfolio management. Cari discusses GP-led secondaries, continuation funds, and the market’s evolution, offering key insights into future opportunities in this space. Breakdo...
Apr 01, 2025•26 min
Welcome Back to another episode of the Private Equity Podcast, In this episode, Alex Rawlings sits down with Tracie Kelly, Director of Marketing at Exellere Partners, to explore the evolving role of marketing within private equity firms. Tracie shares insights into how marketing contributes to deal origination, firm differentiation, and relationship-building with investment bankers, founders, and advisors. She also discusses the increasing importance of internal marketing functions and how priva...
Mar 25, 2025•19 min
Welcome to The Private Equity Podcast by Raw Selection, hosted by Alex Rawlings. Brent Burnett, Head of Infrastructure and Real Assets at Hamilton Lane, shares insights on infrastructure growth, key trends, and the 2025 outlook. Tune in for a deep dive into its role in PE. Breakdown: [00:00] Welcome to the Raw Selection Private Equity Podcast with host Alex Rawlings and guest Brent Burnett, Head of Infrastructure and Real Assets at Hamilton Lane. [00:30] Brent shares his background in infrastruc...
Mar 18, 2025•33 min
Welcome back to The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection. Host, Alex Rawlings speaks with John Dahlgren, VP of Talent at SBJ Capital, about the growing role of internal talent in private equity, portfolio hiring strategies, and using talent partnerships to generate deal flow. John shares insights on hiring trends, common mistakes, and how SBJ Capital optimizes talent operations for long-term success. Breakdown: [00:00] Introduction to the episode and guest John Dahlgren. Overview of hiring t...
Mar 11, 2025•26 min
Welcome to The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection, hosted by Alex Rawlings. In today's episode, Jordan Burton shares his expertise on hiring, training, and evaluating executives. They discuss common mistakes private equity firms make when hiring portfolio executives, how to improve interview techniques, and the critical role of structured assessment. Jordan also covers the importance of preparing for interviews, aligning stakeholders, and ensuring a thorough evaluation process. Breakdown: ...
Mar 04, 2025•51 min
Welcome back to the Raw Selection Private Equity Podcast. Today’s guest is Ron Ramanujan, Technology Transformation Operating Partner, discussing value creation, tech transformation, AI, and cybersecurity within Private Equity. Breakdown: {00:30} Ron shares his background, highlighting his extensive experience in enterprise technology, data infrastructure, machine learning, and his time at BCG. {01:28} Discussing common mistakes in private equity, Ron emphasizes that financial engineering alone ...
Feb 25, 2025•32 min
Welcome to The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection. Today’s guest is Jeff Wigle, Managing Director at Banyan Capital Partners, a lower-to-middle market private equity firm based in Canada. Jeff shares insights on transitioning portfolio companies from founder-led to data-driven decision-making, leveraging technology, and managing cultural change during these shifts. Breakdown: [00:00] Jeff Wigle discusses his background, Banyan Capital Partners, and his experience transitioning portfolio co...
Feb 18, 2025•33 min
Welcome back to The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection. Our host, Alex Rawlings is joined by Sanjay Chandra, Managing Partner of Trinity Investors, a Private Equity firm based in Texas. Sanjay brings decades of experience as an operator, entrepreneur, and private equity investor. In this episode, we explore how he scaled businesses from single-digit EBITDA multiples to double-digit exits, his unique journey from operator to investor, and Trinity’s focus on domestic manufacturing and indust...
Feb 11, 2025•30 min
Welcome to The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection. Host Alex Rawlings interviews Randy Cohen, a lecturer at Harvard Business School, and Jean-Louis Lelogeais, co-founders of PEO Partners. Together, they dive into liquid private equity, its uses, and how it complements traditional private equity. Breakdown: [00:00] Introduction to Randy Cohen and Jean-Louis Lelogeais, founders of PEO Partners, and their experience in private equity and distressed debt [00:30] Randy introduces the concept of...
Feb 04, 2025•56 min
Welcome back to The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection! Today’s guest is Jon Sonnenschein, Private Equity Operating Partner and former SaaS and software CEO. Jon shares insights on driving cultural change in portfolio companies, blending his experience as a CEO and Operating Partner. Breakdown: [00:00] Jon Sonnenschein discusses his experience as a Private Equity Operating Partner and former SaaS CEO, focusing on cultural transformation in portfolio companies. [00:30] From Chicago to Silic...
Jan 28, 2025•25 min
Welcome back to The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection! Today, we’re joined by Christen Paras, Partner of the Transaction Team at MiddleGround Capital, to explore innovative exit strategies and how MiddleGround is redefining Private Equity practices. Breakdown: [00:03] Christen Paras returns to discuss MiddleGround’s unique exit strategy approach. [00:30] Partner at MiddleGround Capital, based in New York City, leading the transaction team. [00:59] Private Equity firms often lack adaptabil...
Jan 21, 2025•27 min
Welcome back to the Private Equity Podcast by Raw Selection! Joining me today is Brad Armstrong, Partner at Lovell Minnick, a Private Equity firm celebrating its 25th anniversary. Brad shares insights into value creation, forecasting for 2025, the importance of sticking to your core strengths, and how simplicity done right can drive Private Equity success. Breakdown: [00:00] Sticking to fundamentals, value creation, and staying disciplined in private equity. [00:30] Brad's career journey, Lovell...
Jan 14, 2025•29 min
Welcome to The Private Equity Podcast, hosted by Alex Rawlings. Today’s guest is Seth Auld, VP of Portfolio Management and Deal Origination at Kompass Kapital. Seth shares his insights on building LP relationships, raising capital effectively, and the importance of sector specialization. Breakdown; [00:00] Introduction to Seth Auld and the episode’s focus on LP relationships and capital raising. [00:29] Seth’s journey from running a family business to private equity, including roles in banking, ...
Jan 07, 2025•22 min
Welcome back to The Private Equity Podcast by Raw Selection, hosted by Alex Rawlings. Today’s guest is Richard Neff, a proven operator and operating partner with decades of experience in private equity and a 25-year career at GE Capital and GE Healthcare. In this episode, Richard shares insights into the investor-operator relationship, the importance of infrastructure, and lessons learned from GE’s legendary playbook for growth and transformation. Breakdown; [00:00] Reflecting on 2024 and lookin...
Dec 31, 2024•21 min
Welcome to The Private Equity Podcast by Raw Selection, hosted by Alex Rawlings. Today’s guest is Jon Van Tuin, Managing Director at P4G Capital. With decades of experience in Private Equity, Jon shares his insights on deal origination, building relationships with deal sources, and standing out in an increasingly competitive market. Learn actionable strategies to improve deal flow, develop meaningful relationships, and elevate your firm's positioning as the preferred acquirer. Breakdown: [00:00]...
Dec 24, 2024•17 min
Welcome back to The Private Equity Podcast by Raw Selection hosted by Alex Rawlings! Today’s guest is Joe Gerber, a proven Operating Partner and transformation expert. In this episode, we explore Driving EBITDA Growth Through Data Metrics. Joe shares actionable strategies on leveraging real-time data, optimizing decision-making, and taking reporting from good to great. Discover how Private Equity firms and portfolio executives can use data to identify inefficiencies, drive operational excellence...
Dec 17, 2024•24 min
Welcome back to The Private Equity Podcast by Raw Selection, In this episode, host Alex Rawlings sits down with Sam Bendix, Partner of Investor Relations at Chicago Pacific Founders. In this episode, we dive deep into what it takes for Private Equity firms to truly stand out in an increasingly competitive market. Sam shares actionable insights on how differentiation can impact talent attraction, capital raising, and deal origination. Sam discusses the importance of building a strong brand, foste...
Dec 10, 2024•48 min
Welcome back to The Private Equity Podcast by Raw Selection! In this episode, Alex Rawlings welcomes back Adam Coffey, CEO and author of the Private Equity Playbook. Adam shares his strategies for scaling businesses, reducing employee turnover, and building strong company cultures. He emphasizes hiring for future growth, addressing employee concerns, and using hybrid work models to retain top talent. Adam also discusses his updated edition of the Private Equity Playbook, offering new post-COVID ...
Dec 03, 2024•46 min
Welcome back to The Private Equity Podcast by Raw Selection, In this episode, host Alex Rawlings sits down with Matt Bodnar, founder and managing partner of Eidolon Capital. They discuss Eidolon’s unique deal origination strategies, including innovative approaches like direct mail, and how their flexibility in deal-making helps them close deals where more rigid firms miss out. Matt also shares valuable insights on long-term investing, inspired by Berkshire Hathaway, and offers top recommendation...
Nov 26, 2024•29 min
Welcome back to The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection! In this episode, Alex is joined by Robb Powell, an experienced Operating Partner and former CEO who has successfully built and sold two businesses. Robb discusses the deployment of technology and AI in private equity-backed companies, shares insights on driving cultural transformation, and explores the importance of enabling people for business success. Breakdown: [00:00] Robb discusses how private equity firms and portfolio companies...
Nov 19, 2024•27 min
Welcome back to The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection! In this episode, Alex is joined by Andrew Towne, a partner at Olympus Pines and a five-time world record holder. Andrew shares his journey from private equity to breaking world records, including his impressive mountain climbing feats and insights into the private equity industry. Join us as we dive into the mindset and strategies of this remarkable private equity leader. Breakdown: [00:00] Andrew shares his experience climbing Aconca...
Nov 12, 2024•35 min
Welcome back to The Private Equity Podcast by Raw Selection! In this episode, Alex is joined by Beth Pollack, an applied AI and data strategy operating partner with over two decades of experience in building decision systems. Beth works closely with private equity firms and their portfolio companies to drive value through AI and data initiatives. She shares insights on how AI can be effectively implemented in private equity-backed companies, avoiding common mistakes and maximizing opportunities ...
Nov 05, 2024•19 min
