Paul W. Swaney III
@privateinequity
Industrials Investing | Former 100B AUM Private Equity MD | Former @mckinsey & @amazon | Helping rebuild the American dream
This will create major legal exposure for companies. It is hard to imagine a scenario where corporate policies do not explicitly prohibit using Teams in a moving car. The combination of distraction, liability, and precedent from other device-related accidents will force a…
One of my biggest regrets from my only trip to Denmark was not talking my way into the LEGO factory. @nnzp1730 can you imagine the complexity of the product wheel required to produce all those SKUs at scale. Does a single mold cover an entire set or only one piece at a time?…
🚨First Rare Earth Mine in US in 70 years 🚨 Major accomplishment for US resource independence. The Brook Mine in Wyoming just opened and it is the first rare earth mine in the country in 70 years. This matters because rare earth elements are mission critical for defense,…
Idk who needs to hear this but the best production scheduling system I have ever seen was a 10x10 room with big ass whiteboards & 3 middle-aged women moving index cards around. No software has come close. No developer has understood the nuance well enough to replicate it.
didn't know if everyone in tech and silicon valley knew this, but all the software you're building to improve factories doesn't work without factories, just an fyi
If you haven’t read this, I highly recommend it You will be able to analyze businesses / markets better The biggest gap I see in bankers and PE associates is no statistical capabilities… literally 99% of them don’t understand a chi^2 distribution
It is IMPOSSIBLE to not find a statistically significant link between any 2 random variables under multi-testing. I generated 9 pairs of totally random variables, picked the highest R^2, and it beats what you see in papers. #FooledbyRandomness
The rule is simple. Bring coffee, and you’re not late.
If you’re a guy in your early 20s, buy a Ronchi Mario S.p.A. packaging line or a PCMC converting line. Go into debt if you have to
JUST MADE SENIOR ASSOCIATE - WANT TO MAKE SURE I NAIL IT What I hear you saying is: the people they promoted weren’t worth the step-up in OR how do I set myself up for VP Big picture: Manage up like it’s your favorite hobby. Know your MD’s pain points. Solve them. (Book below)
I dunno who needs to hear this: 1. Set some goals for 2025 that scare the sh!t out of you 2. Tell those closest to you 3. Collate them into 2 categories: (a) ‘what can I do to help?’ (b) ‘that’s unrealistic’ 4. Minimize exposure to (b) 5. Make (a) your mentors & mentees
These are the type of people that outward bound is made for Ascribes no agency to personal accountability Probably has the people skills of a skunk Probably whines about WFH
Now that H-1B has become a topic of discussion, here’s my story: Born in Appalachia, went to a top-tier university, interned in wealth management and trading, recruited for all the top investment banks and research firms, only offer I received was to cold call South American…
CONSULTING BANKING OR OPERATOR- HOW DO I CHOOSE? IB sets you up to move into PE…you learn deals at a granular level but your life gets chewed up if you don’t manage it and you can get labeled as “doesn’t know how the real world looks” Consulting opens doors to strategy gigs…
Private Equity Interview question 2 Why do you want to work at this firm? Key Areas to Research: Firm’s history, size, industry focus, and investment criteria. Backgrounds of key team members or interviewers. Unique aspects of the firm’s strategy or culture. Fund…
“There’s no such thing as ADJUSTED free cash flow” - Someone I respect
This is simple, not easy: 1. Get in shape and enlist in the military. 2. Pick a branch that is somewhat interesting to you. 3. Stay focused—no kids while you’re in. 4. Knock out general ed credits during service using tuition assistance 5. Commit 💰 to the TSP 6. Serve 3-5…
I can promise you that knowing python will not help you in PE
LBO model - Ace your interview We’re hitting this in the LeverUp™️ accelerator this week Follow and comment for a DM with link to LBO and application
