Private Equity Funcast

Adam Davidson, former host of Planet Money and CEO of Master Storytelling, discusses the importance of crafting compelling narratives for effective communication in private equity. Other topics include challenges of generic messaging, being distinct and memorable, aligning actions through storytelling, avoiding errors in business storytelling, effective messaging for investors, understanding customer needs, and the role of storytelling in pitching.

Jon Kragh, founder of Proactive Logic Consulting and experienced with low-code solutions, discusses the evolution of low-code/no-code development, the use of evolving platforms for investment strategies, AI language models for code generation, favorite karaoke songs, analyzing the elements of value, and the importance of low-code development in private equity.

Jim talks with IBM Champion and the Incredible i Show host, Peg Tuttle. IBM's Power Systems platform running the IBM i operating system powers some of the most significant applications in the world. Peg has 20+ years working in the IBM I world, and we talk about everything from common misconceptions to leveraging the latest and greatest open-source solutions on the IBM Power Systems platform.

Dr. Mohammad Rasouli, an ex-McKinsey consultant, discusses the pending disruption of AI in private equity. He explores the impact of AI on the industry and the use of AI for investment, from automating fund processes to analyzing deal books. He also discusses the power of mega funds in data science, the predictive algorithm of price prediction, and the importance of sticking to the investment plan.

Bill Snow, noted authority on mergers and acquisitions, discusses common problems sellers encounter in the deal process. Topics include ad backs in selling a business, owner succession, challenges with service-oriented businesses, the impact of rent on transactions, common mistakes in selling a company, and the importance of tax planning for sellers.

Tuck Hardie, a Managing Director in Houlihan Lokey's Financial Restructuring Group, discusses the evolution of restructuring, addressing financial distress, challenges with jobs and inflation, the decline of brick-and-mortar retail, the impact of bad balance sheets, leadership in business, interest rate hedging, and buffet etiquette.

Bill Snow, a noted authority on mergers and acquisitions, shares insights on the common pitfalls in deals. Topics discussed include financing considerations, factors influencing private equity valuation, market additions vs. escrow, personality in accounting, challenges in selling a business, analyzing tax implications of accounts receivable, and the role of accounting firms in M&A.

Podcast celebrates its 10th anniversary. Hosts reflect on memories with their music teacher. They discuss the impact of cheap money, predictions for a recession, and various topics in private equity. They also highlight edited episodes, podcast success, and future direction.

This week we sat down with Clark O'Niell and Jay Barlett from BCG to discuss their most recent research report on Generative AI and its implications for PE investors and their portfolio companies. GenAI is already becoming a game changer, with use cases emerging across all industries; Use cases range from efficiency improvements to long-term advantages (i.e., transformative use cases). And we promise you that Skynet is not listening in.

In this episode of the PE Funcast, we take a deep dive into the relationship between the portfolio company CEO and the private equity Partner. What do they talk about when they talk? How does their connection evolve from the interview, to building the team, to planning for an exit? What does the first year of a PE-backed CEO gig feel like? Devin and our newest portfolio CEO, Dave Lucey, cover it all here in a frank and wide-ranging conversation about Dave's first year at the helm of Biscom. We plan to do follow-ups in the years ahead as Dave and Devin take Biscom from new platform company to eventual exit.