#103 - "We come in when founders have figured out the hard stuff" - Christoph Jost, FLEX Capital

Rami Cassis, founder and CEO of Parabellum Investments, discusses how his firm operates as a hybrid between a family office and private equity firm. He provides an inside look at his investment approach, building relationships and reputation, and his perspective on improving private equity's image. Key Topics and Timestamps: What a hybrid family office and private equity firm is and why Cassis cares about private equity image [00:02:00 - 00:05:45] Cassis' approach to sourcing investments and what he looks for in an acquisition target [00:05:45 - 00:10:15] How valuation discussions unfold and avoiding deal fatigue [00:10:15 - 00:15:00] The importance of honoring your word in building relationships and reputation [00:15:00 - 00:20:00] Integrating a new acquisition and exiting investments [00:20:00 - 00:25:00] Tips on deal negotiations and avoiding concessions [00:25:00 - 00:30:00] Working with management teams and the role of chairman [00:30:00 - 00:35:00] How private equity can improve its image and be a force for good [00:35:00 - 00:40:00] What Cassis looks for when hiring junior team members [00:40:00 - 00:45:00] The importance of diversity and avoiding "assholes" [00:45:00 - end]   More about our sponsor Fintalent.io: https://fintalent.io You can find all episodes of The Wall Street Lab Podcast on https://thewallstreetlab.com/ Check Out these Wall Street Oasis courses: Modeling Elite Modeling Package: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLElite/TWSL/ LBO Modeling Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLLBO/TWSL/ Real Estate Modeling Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLRE/TWSL/

In this episode, Christina Bresani, Managing Director and Head of Corporate Advisory at William Blair, shares her insights and experiences in investment banking and corporate advisory. She discusses her background, breaking into the industry, and the importance of networking. Christina explains the role of corporate advisory and its responsibilities in mergers and acquisitions, including advising clients on acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, and defending against activists. She emphasizes the changing landscape of friendly and hostile takeovers and the need for valuable relationships with clients. Additionally, Christina highlights the importance of diversity and the initiatives taken by William Blair to support women in investment banking. The episode concludes with her advice to be open to learning, curious, and true to oneself in the industry. We discuss the following topics: Christina's background and journey in investment banking Breaking into the industry and the importance of networking The role and responsibilities of corporate advisory in mergers and acquisitions Preparing for shareholder activism and engaging with activists Evaluating defense profiles and best practices in the boardroom The current landscape of friendly and hostile takeovers The importance of diversity and initiatives to support women in investment banking More about our sponsor Fintalent.io: https://fintalent.io You can find all episodes of The Wall Street Lab Podcast on https://thewallstreetlab.com/ Check Out these Wall Street Oasis courses: Modeling Elite Modeling Package: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLElite/TWSL/ LBO Modeling Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLLBO/TWSL/ Real Estate Modeling Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLRE/TWSL/

In this episode, Dr. Daniel Crosby shares insights on the behavioral aspects of investing. The conversation covered a range of topics, including the trends of passive and active investing, the biases exhibited by portfolio managers, the impact of recent events like the WallStreetBets phenomenon, and the interconnectedness of personal well-being and financial decision-making. Let's delve into the key takeaways from this enlightening discussion. We discuss the following topics: Passive vs. active investing: Strengths and weaknesses of both approaches. Biases in portfolio managers: Managers can exhibit biases they advise against. Rise of retail trading platforms: Gamification, easy access, and zero-cost transactions. Role of personal well-being: Connection between well-being and financial decisions. WallStreetBets phenomenon: Appeal and cautionary aspects of the movement. Influence of extreme states: Impact of emotional and physical states on decision-making. Overall insights: Understand approaches, manage biases, consider retail trading, and prioritize well-being. More about our sponsor Fintalent.io: https://fintalent.io You can find all episodes of The Wall Street Lab Podcast on https://thewallstreetlab.com/  Check Out these Wall Street Oasis courses:  Modeling Elite Modeling Package: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLElite/TWSL/ LBO Modeling Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLLBO/TWSL/ Real Estate Modeling Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLRE/TWSL/ Quick LinksGet Embed PlayerDownload Audio File  

In this episode of the Wall Street Lab podcast, we had the opportunity to interview Gene Goldman, the Chief Investment Officer and Director of Research at Cetera Financial Group. We will dive into the key takeaways from the interview and explore how they combine quantitative and qualitative data to generate insights for financial investment decisions. More about our sponsor Fintalent.io: https://fintalent.io You can find all episodes of The Wall Street Lab Podcast on https://thewallstreetlab.com/  Check Out these Wall Street Oasis courses:  Modeling Elite Modeling Package: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLElite/TWSL/ LBO Modeling Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLLBO/TWSL/ Real Estate Modeling Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLRE/TWSL/

Brian Robinson is not your average banker. He’s a partner at Goldman Sachs, runs the firm’s Prime Brokerage sales force and leads the hedge fund client segment for equities, both for the Americas region, but he's also made a name for himself through his unconventional yet determined approach to career and leadership. In this episode, we'll take you on an interesting trip through Brian's mind. We'll talk about: What Prime Brokerage is and where it fits into Goldman Sach's business Why fund managers sometimes need support building a business Brian's framework for impacting clients Brian's 19 Cs for success in finance How Brian approaches building human yet performing teams Why you're not cool if you only work and why you need interests outside of Finance to make it More about our sponsor Fintalent.io: https://fintalent.io You can find all episodes of The Wall Street Lab Podcast on https://thewallstreetlab.com/    Check Out these Wall Street Oasis courses:  Modeling Elite Modeling Package: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLElite/TWSL/ LBO Modeling Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLLBO/TWSL/ Real Estate Modeling Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLRE/TWSL/ Interview Prep Hedge Fund Interview Prep Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLHFInt/TWSL/ Investment Banking Interview Prep Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLIBint/TWSL/ Private Equity Interview Prep Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLPEint/TWSL/ VC & PE Venture Capital Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLVC/TWSL/ Private Equity Deals Process: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLPEDeals/TWSL/

Investors are quick to brag about the impact and network they add to their investments. After all, they know a lot of important people, have access to cash, and an infinite source of knowledge. Christoph Jost, Founder & Managing Partner at FLEX Capital, isn't one of them. "We come in when the founders have already done the hard part", he says. "They have scaled their business to 1 million EBITDA or 5 million in revenue. It's clearly working already."  In this episode, Andi and Christoph discuss: What bootstrapped founders face when they scale How FLEX Capital finds and invests in them How FLEX Capital approaches consolidation How Christoph moved into Private Equity More about FLEX Capital: https://www.flex.capital/en/  More about Fintalent.io: https://fintalent.io You can find all episodes of The Wall Street Lab Podcast on https://thewallstreetlab.com/    Check 0ut these Wall Street Oasis courses:  Modeling Elite Modeling Package: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLElite/TWSL/ LBO Modeling Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLLBO/TWSL/ Real Estate Modeling Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLRE/TWSL/ Interview Prep Hedge Fund Interview Prep Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLHFInt/TWSL/ Investment Banking Interview Prep Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLIBint/TWSL/ Private Equity Interview Prep Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLPEint/TWSL/ VC & PE Venture Capital Course: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLVC/TWSL/ Private Equity Deals Process: https://il130.isrefer.com/go/TWSLPEDeals/TWSL/

Welcome to the Wall Street Lab podcast, where we interview top financial professionals and deconstruct their practices to give you an insider look into the world of finance.   In this episode, Jan Voss of BLN Capital shares insights on the challenges, rewards, and intricacies of working in the family office space We discussed: What are the complexities of family offices and their various forms (Single Family Offices vs. Multi-Family Offices)? How does the role of a family office manager differ from traditional fund managers? What is the importance of discretion and trust in family office management? How do family office managers balance family interests while maintaining professionalism? What is the appeal of working in the family office space in terms of diversity and intellectual stimulation?   More about BLN Capital: https://www.blncapital.com/   More about Fintalent.io: https://fintalent.io You can find all episodes of The Wall Street Lab Podcast on https://thewallstreetlab.com/   

Welcome to the Wall Street Lab podcast, where we interview top financial professionals and deconstruct their practices to give you an insider look into the world of finance. Financial models are more than forecasts - they're a crucial decision-making tool. And it takes more than Excel-skills to make them impactful. Our guest today is Ian Schnoor, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Financial Modeling Institute In this episode, we discuss: Why Financial Models are vital tools for investment decisions What makes a Financial Model great What can go wrong when building a Financial Model Learn more about the Financial Modeling Institute: https://fminstitute.com/ More about Fintalent.io: https://fintalent.io You can find all episodes of The Wall Street Lab Podcast on https://thewallstreetlab.com/

Welcome to the Wall Street Lab podcast, where we interview top financial professionals and deconstruct their practices to give you an insider look into the world of finance. Alan Jones is a Senior Managing Director and the Head of North American Private Investment of ICG Asset Management, a global alternative asset manager with over 65 billion USD in Assets under Management. Prior to ICG, Alan spent 25 years with Morgan Stanley where he served most recently as Vice-Chairman of Private Credit & Equity. In 2007, he rebuilt Morgan Stanley’s private equity investing business, and from 2007 to 2018 was Head of Private Equity and Chair of the Group’s Private Equity Investment Committee. In this episode, we discussed: - How luck can be a powerful driver for career change - How Alan considers PE investments - How he lets younger professionals into his inner circle - Why humility and curiosity are key traits when hiring More about Alan and ICG here: https://www.icgam.com/people/alan-jones/ More about Fintalent: https://fintalent.io/ You can find all episodes of The Wall Street Lab Podcast on https://thewallstreetlab.com/

Welcome to the Wall Street Lab podcast, where we interview top financial professionals and deconstruct their practices to give you an insider look into the world of finance. Today we're joined by Kison Patel, CEO and Founder of M&A Science and Dealroom, a project management software for complex M&A transactions. In this interview, we will discuss: Why current M&A practices are not enough anymore to deal with complex transactions What M&A professionals can learn from agile in software How values in M&A transactions have shifted towards people issues How Kison structures his own companies to capture value in the fragmented M&A market Why he started his podcast despite being an introvert, and what the result of it was His outlook on M&A activity in the current market More about M&A Science: https://www.mascience.com/  More about DealRoom: https://dealroom.net/ Follow Kison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kisonpatel/  More about Fintalent: https://fintalent.io/ You can find all episodes of The Wall Street Lab Podcast on https://thewallstreetlab.com/