The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection

• How Storytelling Meets Strategy Niklas James’ Media-Driven Investment Approach

  🎙️ The Private Equity Podcast — Niklas James, Founder of Minds Capital Host: Alex Rawlings | Guest: Niklas JamesIn this episode, Alex is joined by Niklas James, Founder of Minds Capital, an independent sponsor investment platform. They explore what sets successful sponsors apart, why industry specialization matters, and how media can supercharge inbound deal flow.🕒 Episode Highlights00:00 – Niklas’ background: Bain, VC, HBS, and independent sponsor journey 01:17 – Founding Minds Capital: investing $1–$3M in sponsor-led platforms 01:42 – The biggest PE mistake: poor self-marketing and lack of differentiation 02:34 – Why “founder-friendly” isn’t enough — real differentiation is key 04:24 – Using podcasting and LinkedIn for inbound deal flow 05:21 – Why niche expertise drives better deals and exits 06:20 – Case study: investing in an eyewear veteran 07:14 – Why Minds Capital favors independent sponsors over traditional funds 10:03 – Value creation via EBITDA growth and multiple expansion 11:59 – Deal evaluation: downside protection, upside, and conviction 13:53 – Red flags, realistic base cases, and what sets great deals apart 16:17 – How Minds Capital assesses sponsors: 5 key criteria 18:07 – Sponsors need transparency, gravitas, and skin in the game 19:53 – Becoming a media-first PE firm: lessons from podcast success 22:13 – Content strategy: LinkedIn cadence and community building 23:10 – How media enhances deal flow and selectivity 24:32 – Niklas’ reading picks: The Compounders in Private Equity, Alex Hormozi’s books 25:58 – Connect with Niklas on LinkedIn🔑 Key TakeawaysStand Out: With 19,000 PE firms in the U.S., a generic pitch won’t cut it. Sponsors must articulate clear differentiation.Media = Inbounds: Minds Capital uses podcasting and LinkedIn to generate proprietary deal flow and investor interest.Industry Fit Wins: Deep sector knowledge translates into better deals, stronger exits, and investor confidence.Diligence Matters: Every deal is vetted through a rigorous process of risk checks, valuation analysis, and sponsor alignment.People First: The sponsor’s experience, character, and skin in the game are just as important as the numbers.🎧 Listen to the Minds Capital Podcast Weekly episodes with top independent sponsors.📨 Connect with Niklas James 🔗 LinkedInRaw Selection partners with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional executive talent. We focus on de-risking executive recruitment through meticulous search and selection processes, ensuring top-tier performance and long-term success.🔗 Connect with Alex Rawlings on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrawlings/ 🌐 Visit Raw Selection: www.raw-selection.comLooking to grow your team? Check out our Hiring Guidesfor proven strategies, templates, and best practices to make smarter hires. 

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• The Real Due Diligence | What Makes or Breaks a Deal

  🎙️ The Private Equity Podcast — Episode with Cyril Aboujaoude, Co-Founder of TioPo CapitalIn this episode, Alex Rawlings is joined by Cyril Aboujaoude, Co-Founder of TioPo Capital, a hands-on private equity firm investing in SMEs across the UK and France. Cyril shares the journey of launching TioPo, their operationally driven approach to investing, and how young, entrepreneurial grit fueled their path from deal number one to a thriving portfolio.They explore the nuances of deal origination, value creation, and the power of people in private equity. From ERP frustrations to navigating downturns and structuring creative deals, Cyril breaks down the real-world lessons of building a firm from scratch—while staying laser-focused on operational excellence.⏱️ Timestamps:00:03 – Introduction to Cyril Aboujaoude and TioPo Capital’s mission 00:30 – TioPo’s founding story, operational mindset, and portfolio growth 01:24 – What TioPo really looks for beyond standard investment criteria 01:57 – The importance of vision alignment and execution capability 03:24 – How they assess management teams during diligence 04:35 – Why slow decision-making is riskier than a bad hire 05:29 – Biggest value creation levers: hiring an operating partner over fundraising 06:46 – Building a 100-day transformation plan post-deal 07:45 – One thing target companies should fix pre-investment: ERP systems 08:55 – How TioPo evaluates companies during downturns and market volatility 10:20 – Analyzing long-term performance and identifying macro-inflated businesses 12:51 – Most creative deal structure: partnering with the seller’s son as CEO 14:50 – Reflections on the challenges and naivety of doing their first deal 16:11 – Cyril’s top recommendations: FT, WSJ, Aswath Damodaran, and local gazettes 17:10 – How to connect with Cyril and learn more about TioPo Capital🔑 Key Takeaways:People over projections: Execution ability, humility, and shared vision are more important than just strategy.Operations-first philosophy: Value is built in the engine room—TioPo hires operating partners before fundraising staff.100-Day Plan Discipline: They begin value creation planning during diligence, long before Day 0.ERP readiness = smoother scale: ERP systems are the most overlooked growth barrier.Smart structuring builds trust: Their first deal involved bringing in the founder’s son as CEO and co-investor.Past ≠ future, but it’s all we’ve got: Cyril emphasizes analyzing 20+ years of company performance to identify real resilience.Raw Selection partners with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional executive talent. We focus on de-risking executive recruitment through meticulous search and selection processes, ensuring top-tier performance and long-term success.🔗 Connect with Alex Rawlings on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrawlings/ 🌐 Visit Raw Selection: www.raw-selection.comLooking to grow your team? Check out our Hiring Guidesfor proven strategies, templates, and best practices to make smarter hires. 

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• How Private Equity Can Win With AI-Driven Hiring | Greg Nieuwenhuys

  Guest: Greg Nieuwenhuys – PE Operator & Founder, Generative AI Strategy Host: Alex Rawlings – CEO, Raw Selection🔍 Episode Summary:Greg Nieuwenhuys returns to share a practical, step-by-step AI Playbook for hiring. From writing job descriptions to automating follow-ups, Greg breaks down how PE firms and portfolio companies can integrate generative AI into recruitment. Packed with tools, tactics, and workflow tips, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to hire faster, smarter, and with less bias.🕒 Key Timestamps:00:00 – Intro & Why AI in Hiring Matters Speed, accuracy, and competitive advantage in recruitment.01:25 – Greg’s Background CEO in multiple PE-backed firms; now leads Generative AI Strategy.05:17 – Where AI Improves Hiring From job specs to onboarding, AI supports every stage.06:43 – Quick WinsWrite job descriptions in minutes using ChatGPTUse AI note-takers for transcripts & summaries (e.g. Fireflies)Screen CVs faster & more objectively09:58 – Tools Greg Uses ChatGPT, Fireflies, Perplexity, Zapier, N8n12:43 – Building Automation Without a People Team Use Zapier or N8n to connect email, CRM, and AI tools.14:35 – Custom GPTs & Human Oversight Create consistent outputs and reduce manual work—always review.18:25 – Using AI for Better Decision-Making Compile notes, CVs, and feedback to spot gaps & flag concerns.19:21 – Interview Coaching & Advanced ToolsAssessio: Team chemistry predictionFinalRound AI: Candidate coaching toolOvida: Feedback on communication style23:06 – Better Candidate Outreach Use AI to create relevant, personalized messages.25:02 – Improve Candidate Experience with Automation AI-written follow-ups, regular updates, CRM reminders.27:55 – Greg’s AI Stack ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Zapier/N8n, Fireflies, Perplexity29:24 – AI Makes You a Better Human Use tools like Ovida to improve interviewing skills & self-awareness.💡 Takeaways:Start simple: job specs, summaries, feedback emailsDon’t over-engineer—focus on solving real bottlenecksTrain hiring managers with AI-generated insightsImprove candidate experience with speed & clarity📲 Connect with Greg: LinkedIn – Greg Nieuwenhuys 🌐 www.thegregstar.comRaw Selection partners with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional executive talent. We focus on de-risking executive recruitment through meticulous search and selection processes, ensuring top-tier performance and long-term success.🔗 Connect with Alex Rawlings on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrawlings/ 🌐 Visit Raw Selection www.raw-selection.comLooking to grow your team? Check out our Hiring Guidesfor proven strategies, templates, and best practices to make smarter hires. 

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• Inside Alpine Investors: How Mark Strauch Scales Leadership to Drive 1,000+ Deals

  🎙️ The Private Equity Podcast – Mark Strauch, Founding Partner & President, Alpine Investors⏱️ Key Takeaways & Timestamps:00:00 – Intro Alex welcomes Mark Strauch to discuss Alpine’s unique leadership-driven approach in private equity.01:00 – From CEO to PE Leader Mark shares his journey from operator to co-founding Alpine, now with $20B+ AUM.02:08 – The Industry’s Problem: Lack of Differentiation Alpine avoids the “deal shop” model, focusing instead on mission-driven, talent-led investing.05:24 – Talent as Strategy Alpine’s core philosophy: talent wins. Their “Unleashing Heroes” mantra puts leadership at the heart of every investment.06:50 – Add-On Acquisitions at Scale Over 1,000 deals to date, using each as an opportunity to deploy great talent and drive integration.08:39 – Alpine’s Internal Playbook Quarterly OFI (Opportunities for Improvement) projects, one-page strategic plans, and a long-term vision define how Alpine operates like a portfolio company.10:59 – Lessons from Failure Fund 1 struggled, prompting a shift to talent-first strategy during the 2008 crisis, guided by executive coach Tom Vacola.15:00 – Building the CEO Bench Programs like CEO-in-Residence and CEO-in-Training (CIT) bring in and develop top talent—Alpine is now the top recruiter at elite business schools.18:31 – Attributes Over Resumes They hire for grit, humility, and emotional intelligence—qualities highly correlated with CEO success.20:00 – Real-Time Leadership Development CITs train on the job with structured learning in both hard and soft skills, plus internal peer-learning pods.24:00 – What Great CEOs Do Traits include pace, clarity, resilience, focus, and the ability to inspire and win.27:37 – Alpine’s Ongoing Constraint: Talent Even now, talent remains the #1 priority across Alpine and its talent-constrained portfolio sectors.30:47 – Lessons in Building Alpine Create a strategy only you can win—play a different game, not the same one better.32:38 – Operator Empathy = Better Investing Being a former CEO helps Mark bring realism and focus to underwriting and board roles.34:05 – Book & Coaching Insights Recent reads include Boyd, The Bible, and classic philosophy. Coaching tip: great coaches help you unlock your own answers.39:50 – Connect with Mark 💼 Alpine InvestorsRaw Selection partners with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional executive talent. We focus on de-risking executive recruitment through meticulous search and selection processes, ensuring top-tier performance and long-term success.🔗 Connect with Alex Rawlings on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrawlings/ 🌐 Visit Raw Selection: www.raw-selection.comLooking to grow your team? Check out our Hiring Guidesfor proven strategies, templates, and best practices to make smarter hires. 

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• How Amias Gerety Wins in Venture When Others Chase Hype

  In this episode, Alex Rawlings speaks with Amias Gerety, Partner at QED Investors, a leading fintech-focused VC firm managing nearly $1B in assets. Amias shares insights on venture capital strategy, staying disciplined during market hype, sourcing deals, and how lessons from his time at the U.S. Treasury shape his investment decisions today.⏱ Episode Highlights:00:00 – Intro & QED Overview QED’s structure, fintech focus, and global reach.01:20 – VC Mistakes & Market Hype The danger of "paying ahead of growth," especially in AI.03:12 – Staying Disciplined Simple metrics and historical heuristics that guide better investment decisions.04:39 – Deal Dynamics in VC vs PE Why proprietary deal flow in VC means getting in early — before companies start raising.07:26 – Hunting vs. Gathering How QED targets specific companies instead of waiting for inbound deals.08:51 – Building Relationships Top-heavy structure means founders speak directly with partners on the first call.14:43 – Using Senior Talent Early Deploying high-value advisors like Capital One co-founder Nigel Morris from the start.16:09 – Biggest Mistake in Venture Ignoring founder misalignment — “If it’s a maybe, it’s a no.”18:25 – CEO Ownership in Startups Why QED avoids deals where founders don’t have control — unlike PE’s model.20:43 – Operating Partners in VC VC success comes from entrepreneurial operators who aim to join portfolio companies.24:31 – Honest Career Advice Be clear about whether you want to be an operator or an investor — ambiguity causes misalignment.25:59 – Treasury Lessons Decision-making under pressure during the financial crisis informs his bold, data-light approach in VC.30:12 – What He Reads Only old books — for timeless thinking and unexpected insights.31:46 – Connect with Amias Reach out via LinkedIn.Amias offers a rare perspective bridging government, fintech, and venture capital — a must-listen for anyone navigating today’s competitive investing landscape.Raw Selection partners with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional executive talent. We focus on de-risking executive recruitment through meticulous search and selection processes, ensuring top-tier performance and long-term success.🔗 Connect with Alex Rawlings on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrawlings/ 🌐 Visit Raw Selection: www.raw-selection.comLooking to grow your team? Check out our Hiring Guidesfor proven strategies, templates, and best practices to make smarter hires. 

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