Themes from today’s panel at Private Equity International forum, where I joined operating partners I admire including Brian Regan (Spectrum Equity), Angela Geffre (GrowthCurve Capital), Casey Myers (Edison Partners) and moderator Sean Mooney (BluWave, LP). Our topic today was "Value Creation as a Symphony" and we spoke about how to integrate our efforts across the operating team, investors, and portfolio leaders. 💡 Key insights: No two investors or portfolio leaders have the same communication preferences. It’s critical to know your audience and adjust your approach accordingly. Some prefer Slack and text, while others want email. Some want a 30-minute meeting to end within 19 minutes, while others are ok lingering for the allotted time to collaborate and problem solve together. READ THE ROOM! Establishing trust is job one with all your stakeholders, whether internal at your firm or with portfolio leaders. At Norwest, we take an INVITED GUEST APPROACH and find that we can add the most value when company leaders pull us in versus us pushing ourselves through the door. My secret sauce is that I help our CEOs and CMOs understand that I’m not a spy. I’m not here to find all the things they’re doing wrong so I can go tell Mom/Dad. I’m more like the cool aunt that they can tell almost anything and my job is to help them get ahead of challenges and work together to solve them. One of the most in-demand, yet not often talked about, needs of portfolio leaders is what I call BUSINESS THERAPY. Leadership is a lonely job, so who can you talk to? Can’t go to your team because you’re supposed to be the inspirational leader. Can’t ask your boss because sometimes your boss is part of the problem. Your therapist doesn’t have business context; and your family is likely to see only your side. What you need is a business therapist. Many of the leaders in our companies use me as that sounding board and thought partner. I help them see situations from a different perspective. I validate their strategies and data. And I reassure them that they’re not crazy! 🥇 Bonus from BluWave’s 2024 insights report: Value creation teams are the future of Private Equity, with post deal support having reached an all-time high of 80% for the first time this year. See the data below. Excited to attend the panel discussion featuring my colleague Renee Cohen tomorrow!! Her topic is “GTM Strategies, Models, and Playbooks for Success”. #PEIOP #peiinternational #operatingpartnerforum #valuecreation
Neeti Patel
4w
Great callouts Lisa (Ramirez) Ames! Another valuable way to address the importance of “business therapy” is facilitating and fostering meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships across portfolio companies. An example of this was that I like to recall is one PE firm I worked with paired together two young first-time CEOs, both who were taking over the business from founders. In short time, their monthly 1-1s proved to be invaluable both in terms of strategic input as well as moral support.
BluWave, LP
4w
Such great insights, thanks for sharing Lisa (Ramirez) Ames!
I love this topic "Value Creation as a Symphony"
love this Lisa! Total +1 on the value of "business/talk therapy" for CXOs. When you're an operator who has "been there before" you can connect on a totally different level with these heads of function. Thank you for sharing.
Bala Vishal
4w
Great insights. Thanks, Lisa (Ramirez) Ames, for sharing them!
Lorne Goloff
3w
"Value Creation as a Symphony" Very insightful because its true!
Laura Foti
3w
Go Lisa!!!
Very interesting topic and thank you for sharing the thoughtful summary!
Tim Hillison
4w
Sounds fascinating Lisa! Your key insights are 💰!
President & CEO of Nelson Schmidt Inc.
4wI just have a hard time picturing you being "more like the cool aunt" than the rockstar Marketing + Business genius that you are! 😉 But I could totally relate to the demand for - yet rarely discussed - need for trusted, confidential sounding boards and thought partners for business leaders. Thanks also for sharing the data on the value creation future for Private Equity. We at NS have been gaining real traction helping PE firms bring growth marketing support to their portfolio companies.