Structured Equity Investing and Strategies for Value Creation with Josh Koplewicz

The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection

Introducing Josh Koplewicz
Josh Koplewicz is the founder and managing partner at Thayer Street Partners, a boutique private equity firm providing flexible growth capital to recurring revenue businesses in the financial services, real estate services, and business services sectors. Before founding Thayer Street, Josh was an investor at Goldman Sachs, where he invested across the capital structure in financial services and business services assets and companies.
What You Will Learn

• Partnering with portfolio companies
• Structured equity investments
• Strategic investing and management

Breakdown:

• [00:00] - Introduction to the podcast and today's topic.
• [00:45] - Alex Rawlings introduces the guest, Josh Koplewicz, and outlines his background in finance, particularly his experience with Goldman Sachs and in the Private Equity sector.
• [02:10] - Josh shares his journey from joining Goldman Sachs to venturing into Private Equity, emphasizing the skills and insights he gained.
• [04:30] - Discussion on the transition from investment banking to Private Equity, including the challenges and opportunities Josh encountered.
• [07:15] - Josh delves into the nuances of investing in the services sector, highlighting key considerations for Private Equity investments.
• [10:00] - The role of market analysis and due diligence in making successful investments, with Josh providing examples from his experience.
• [12:20] - Strategies for value creation in Private Equity investments, according to Josh's approach and philosophy.
• [15:40] - The impact of technology and innovation on the services sector and how it influences Private Equity investment strategies.
• [18:25] - Josh offers advice for individuals looking to enter the Private Equity space, including essential skills and mindset.
• [20:30] - Closing thoughts from Josh on the future of Private Equity investments in the services sector and potential growth areas.
• [22:45] - Alex thanks Josh for his insights and wraps up the podcast, inviting listeners to engage with further discussions on social media and podcast platforms.

Partnering With Portfolio Management Teams
How do you partner with portfolio management teams? According to Josh, Partnering with portfolio management teams is not a one-size-fits-all approach. For them, they do a range of engagements with a portfolio company based on the level of ownership. If a company is a minority investor, they are helpful on both a periodic and situational basis. In many cases, they provide standard advice and stewardship and get involved in special projects around business development initiatives, key hires in finance and data analytics, strategic acquisitions, and financing. Josh shares that in cases where a company has more material ownership, is engaged in a build-up or roll-up strategy, requires many smaller assets, or has customers who are subscribers, their teams are very hands-on. They partner with the company to engage in diligence and structuring and, in some cases, execute strategic MNA on their behalf. The partnership is entirely based on the needs and objectives of the company.
How to Contact Josh
Josh on LinkedIn
Thayerstreet.com​​

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