The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection
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
Episodes
209 episodes
A different approach to Private Equity with Michael Arrieta
Guest: Michael Arietta Host: Alex Rawlings🕒 Key Timestamps00:00 – Intro Overview of Garden City Equity’s long-term, people-first model.00:40 – Biggest PE Mistake Short-term thinking (...
How to Drive Organic Growth in a Private Equity Backed Company
Alex Rawlings speaks with Nigel Green on why private equity firms struggle with organic growth and how better hiring, faster execution, and customer focus can unlock value.⏱️ Timestamps & Key Takeaways00:00 – Introduction
How to Double EBITDA in 3 Years The Multi-Unit Retail Playbook
Alex Rawlings speaks with Jeff Helfgott, CEO of Boardroom Salon, about scaling PE-backed multi-unit businesses. They discuss talent strategy, retention, resilience, and how to turn operational fixes into sustainable growth.⏱️ Key Timesta...
The investing strategy in the franchising and multi-unit retail sector
Mike Esposito shares his journey from a 30-year career at Goldman Sachs to co-founding Franchise Equity Partners, highlighting their differentiated approach to private equity through franchising and multi-unit retail investing.⏱️ Key Tim...
Mastery of the Psychology of Change & Transformation
Guest: Meg Pogue, Founder, Mission SquaredHost: Alex RawlingsMeg Pogue joins Alex to discuss the psychology behind change in private equity-backed businesses. A former CEO who scaled her company from 2 to 95 e...
Scaling a Home Services Business
Guest: David Williams, CEO, Advantage Services Group (ASG) Host: Alex RawlingsDavid Williams joins Alex to share how he transitioned from consulting into entrepreneurship through acquisition — and scaled a home services...
Balance Sheet First Investing Like an Operator, Not Traditional PE
In this episode, Alex Rawlings speaks with Andrew Sachs, Founder of Mauloa, about why he believes the traditional private equity model is fundamentally flawed — and what a long-term alternative looks like.After starting his...
The lessons from Formula 1 to 22 acquisitions by a Private Equity-backed CTO
In this episode, Alex sits down with Peter Rossi, a UK-based CTO with 25+ years in technology and 15 years in commercial leadership. From running trackside IT at McLaren to leading 22 acquisitions in a PE-backed group, Peter shares hard-...
What Two PE Exits Taught James About Winning as a CFO
In this episode, host Alex Rawlings welcomes James Carver, a seasoned CFO with two private equity-backed exits under his belt. James shares his unique journey from the trading desk to executive leadership, and unpacks valuable les...
Learnings from a $1BN+ exit and 300 investments in Private Equity
Episode Overview:In this episode, Alex Rawlings speaks with Richard Fitzgerald of CapitalSpring, a private equity firm specializing in foodservice and multi-location consumer businesses. Richard shares insights into CapitalSpring’...
Building a Value Creation Machine & Scaling a Private Equity Firm
🎧 Episode Summary: In this episode, Alex Rawlings speaks with Chris Sznewajs of Pacific Avenue Capital Partners about building a private equity firm focused on complex corporate carve-outs and businesses owned by “unnatural owners.” ...
How private equity firm THL is winning with AI implementation
In this episode, Alex Rawlings is joined by Alex Sabel, Vice President at THL Partners, to explore how the firm is embracing AI across its operations and portfolio. Alex leads THL’s research function and AI strategy,...
Emerging markets investing in the consumer & retail sector
In this episode, Giovanni Zangani joins Alex Rawlings to share insights from operating in Vietnam’s emerging private equity landscape. As Managing Partner at Maestro Equity Partners, Giovanni discusses the firm’s hands-on a...
The 5 step playbook assessment on business leadership effectiveness
In this episode, Sam and Taavo from CEO Advantage return to dive into the 5X CEO Assessment—a diagnostic tool developed from two years of research into top-performing private equity-backed CEOs who delivered 5x+ MOIC.The conversat...
How Private equity Firm Council Capital Approach Value Creation
In this episode, Alex Rawlings is joined by Tim Schulte, Value Creation Partner at Council Capital, a Nashville-based private equity firm investing in healthcare businesses across tech-enabled services, outsourced services, and pr...
Private Equity market trends and investing techniques
🎧 Guest: Maxwell Nee – Chairman, Family Office Insider & Managing Partner, Black Mountain Capital🌍 Episode Theme: 10X Deals, Market Gaps & Global InvestingIn this episode, Alex Rawlings is joined by Maxwell Nee ...
The journey from $140M to a $1Bn Valuation and a stage 4 cancer victory
In this powerful episode, Marc Adams shares his remarkable journey from a stage 4 cancer diagnosis to a full recovery—and how that experience inspired him to rethink private equity. Now leading Acquisitions for You, Marc helps bus...
A GP Stakes Perspective on the Professionalisation of Private Equity
Overview:In this high-energy episode, Alex Rawlings is joined by Brad Pilcher, Partner and Co-Founder at Bonaccord Capital Partners, a leading mid-market GP Stakes investor. Brad shares his fascinating journey from aspi...
An investors value creation plan for $100M+ revenue companies
In this episode, host Alex Rawlings speaks with Eric Wiklendt, Managing Director at SpeySide Equity, a private equity firm focused on lower middle-market manufacturing businesses.Eric shares his “fix and build”
The secrets behind top PE-backed CEO’s achieving 6.2X MOIC
đź“Ť Episode Overview: Alex Rawlings welcomes Taavo Godtfredsen and Sam Allison, co-founders of Advantage CEO, to discuss insights from their two-year research study of over 50 private equity-backed CEOs who ...
How to approach AI implementation, and Karmel Capital's AI investing strategy outlined
Note: The securities mentioned in this podcast are not considered a recommendation to buy or sell and once should not presume they will be profitable.In this episode of The Private Equity Podcast, Alex R...
Preparing for Your Management Presentations to Investors & Acquirers
🗣️ Guest: Carola Kamuff – Presentation Coach | Author of Quick Guide Management Presentation 🎧 Host: Alex Rawlings, Founder of Raw Selection⏱️ Key Topics & Timestamps:00:00 – Meet Carola Ka...
Data, Deals, and Disruption The Real AI Shift in Private Equity
In this episode, Alex Rawlings speaks with Jamyn Edis, digital transformation expert, former VC-backed CEO, and NYU professor. Jamyn shares actionable insights on using AI, data, and automation to drive performance across private ...
How to Build a Go-To-Market Strategy That Scales in Private Equity
Guest: Brian Gustason, Operating Partner at Craig Group Host: Alex Rawlings, Founder of Raw Selection🔍 Episode Summary:In this episode, Brian Gustason shares practical insights on building scalable go-to-m...
How Storytelling Meets Strategy Niklas James’ Media-Driven Investment Approach
🎙️ The Private Equity Podcast — Niklas James, Founder of Minds Capital Host: Alex Rawlings | Guest: Niklas JamesIn this episode, Alex is joined by Niklas James, Founder of Minds Capital, an independent s...