🔹 Episode Overview:
In this episode, we’re joined by William Quartner, Partner at Prelude Growth Partners, a New York-based private equity firm dedicated to the high-growth consumer space. William shares insights from his impressive journey through investment banking and private equity at firms like Goldman Sachs and TowerBrook Capital, to now helping build Prelude Growth from its inception to the recent close of Fund III. He explores critical investment lessons, the importance of talent, consumer industry trends, and the real-life challenges and rewards of building a PE firm from the ground up.
00:00 – Intro to William Quartner & Prelude Growth Partners
- William’s background: Goldman Sachs, TowerBrook, and JP Morgan
- Prelude’s focus: high-growth consumer sectors like beauty, health & wellness, pet, baby, and food/beverage
- Just closed Fund III – now managing $1.3B in AUM
02:24 – Common Mistakes in PE & Consumer Investing
- Misunderstanding the type of risk (product, category, brand, execution)
- Lack of clarity on risk-return profile per category
- Undervaluing the importance of top-tier talent in portfolio companies
05:18 – Evaluating Talent and Leadership
- Differences between a great founder/CEO and an average one
- Importance of building the right team early
- Partnership model: working closely with founders as a minority investor
07:41 – Passion for the Consumer Industry
- How deep focus and passion improve investment intuition
- Recognizing industry "tourists" vs committed insiders
- Benefits of building a tight, focused ecosystem
09:39 – Lessons from Goldman Sachs & TowerBrook
- Seeing institutional rigor and process
- Learning high-standard due diligence and underwriting
- Wanting to work up the risk curve and help build something from scratch
11:29 – The Startup Journey of Prelude Growth
- From $85M in Fund I (2018) to $600M in Fund III (2025)
- Early-stage scrappiness and challenges
- Most rewarding part: building a recognized brand and seeing portfolio companies become category leaders
16:55 – Current Consumer Industry Trends & Outlook
- Growth brands more insulated from macro headwinds
- Tariff uncertainty and its impact on planning
- Strategic reshuffling by large CPG players creating investment opportunities
- Concerns around consumer debt and buy-now-pay-later risks
- LP skepticism toward consumer-focused funds, but Prelude bucks the trend
20:35 – Content Recommendations
- Podcasts: Pivot (Kara Swisher & Scott Galloway), Acquired, SmartLess
- Business newsletters: Axios Pro Rata, Term Sheet
- Substack content for niche consumer insights
21:32 – How to Connect with William
📧 Email: will@preludegrowth.com
🔚 Closing Thoughts:
William offers a masterclass in consumer investing; from risk frameworks and talent strategy to fundraising and sector specialization. His journey from major institutions to entrepreneurial investing highlights the power of clarity, conviction, and cultural fit in PE.
🔗 Connect with Alex Rawlings on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrawlings/
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The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection