Lessons from West Point to Private Equity

In this episode of Karma School of Business, Sean Mooney sits down with Dave Shephard, Director of Portfolio Operations at Rainier Partners. Dave shares how his military experience, consulting background at Bain, and hands-on leadership approach shape his work in private equity today. Key topics include:

• 1:30 - Dave’s journey from West Point to portfolio operations, and how problem-solving shaped his career.
• 6:14 - Lessons from the military: Developing grit, resilience, and the ability to lead without authority.
• 13:48 - How Rainier Partners drives value creation through a defined, repeatable process: strategy alignment, tactical execution, and operational improvements.
• 30:31 - The foundational role of data and systems in applying AI to portfolio companies—and why starting small can make the difference.
• 40:14 - Dave’s advice to his younger self and the value of curiosity, continuous learning, and thinking beyond immediate tasks.

For more information on Rainier Partners, go to https://www.rainierpartners.com/

For more information on Dave Shephard, go to https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-shephard-auxga/

For more information on BluWave and this podcast, go to https://www.bluwave.net/podcasts