Daniel A.
5.0
(6)
Break into Private Equity | Chicago Booth MBA
Admissions Committee at Chicago Booth
Hiring Manager at Salt Creek Capital
Available tomorrow at 8:00 PM UTC
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Daniel's Coaching Offerings
Land a Top Private Equity Offer: Start-to-Finish
Expert help on everything from getting the interview to landing the offer.
Starting at $1,43110h+ of coaching
Land Top Private Equity Interviews
Tailored guidance on networking, firm selection, resumes, and more.
Starting at $7555h+ of coaching
Nail The Private Equity Interviews
Crush the interview through drills, frameworks, mock interviews, and more.
Starting at $7555h+ of coaching
Custom hourly · $159/hr
Get help with Skill Building, LinkedIn Review, and .
Daniel’s Private Equity Qualifications
Coaches professionally
Experience level: Senior Associate
10+ people coached for Private Equity
I’ve worked in the private equity industry over 6 years, leading end-to-end deal processes at a middle market firm. I’ve sourced and diligenced deals, sat on boards, and partnered with founders post-close to drive growth and operational improvements. Before that, I worked at a high-growth startup, which gives me a unique operator-investor lens that many in PE don’t have. I coach because I know firsthand how hard it can be to break into (or advance within) private equity — especially without the “standard” background. Whether you’re navigating recruiting, prepping for interviews, or trying to figure out how to tell your story, I can help you cut through the noise and focus on what really moves the needle. I've worked with candidates from banking, consulting, search funds, and even non-traditional backgrounds — and I tailor my approach to your goals and trajectory.
Daniel can help with:
Skill Building
LinkedIn Review
Promotion Strategy
Cover Letters
Resume Review
Networking Strategy
Due Diligence
Investment Evaluation
Private Equity Strategy
Financial Analysis
Technical Interview Prep
Behavioral Interview Prep
About Daniel
Hi, I’m Daniel — born and raised in Australia, moved to the U.S. to chase two dreams: professional tennis and a career in investing. (Spoiler: the tennis dream didn’t end at Wimbledon, but I did play Division 1 college tennis and gave the pro tour a real shot — so I know what it means to grind for something that feels out of reach.) Post-tennis, I went from working at high-growth silicon valley startups to leading deals in private equity: running diligence, working with founders, and sitting on boards. Eventually, I decided to double down on the investing path and applied to business school. I got into Booth, Wharton, Kellogg, Haas, Columbia, and NYU — without a perfect GMAT, without an MBB name on my resume, and without a squeaky-clean story. What I did have was a clear sense of who I was and a story that actually made sense once I stepped back and told it right. I coach students for business school, doctorate programs, elite industry jobs, and career advice. If you want to work on something not on this list, let me know - happy to offer a steep discount to expand my expertise!
Why do I coach?
Because I know what it feels like to be the underdog in a hyper-polished admissions world — and I’ve seen firsthand how life-changing the other side can be. I didn’t have a 760 GMAT. I didn’t work at McKinsey. I was a former pro athlete turned startup guy turned private equity investor who wasn’t sure if any of it would “make sense” on an MBA application. But I figured out how to tell my story effectively, and that really made an impact. Since then, I’ve helped dozens of others do the same - from traditional finance folks to first-gen students to career-switchers with non-linear paths. And honestly, nothing beats the feeling of getting that “I got in!” text after someone put in the work and bet on themselves. I coach because I want people to feel ownership of their story, not shame that it doesn’t look like everyone else’s. I’ll push you to be sharp, strategic, and real. I won’t waste your time. And I’ll always show up for you - because I know how big this can be, and I don’t take that lightly.
Work Experience
Private Equity Investor
Salt Creek Capital
June 2022 - Present
Hiring Manager
Salt Creek Capital is a San Francisco Bay Area private equity firm acquiring profitable small to mid-sized businesses across the U.S. in partnership with talented operating executives. As operationally-focused investors, we seek to leverage our experience as entrepreneurs, CEOs and board members to support management teams in disciplined and focused execution and to identify growth and value creating opportunities.
Senior Manager, Corporate Development & Strategy
Bolthouse Farms
September 2019 - June 2022
Hiring Manager
Plant based food company, powered through technology and innovation.
Strategic Finance
TuneIn
August 2018 - September 2019
TuneIn empowers people to hear exactly what they love the moment they want it, and discover a universe of audio, all in one place. We combine the power of audio, design, and technology to bring together live sports, up-to-the-minute news, curated music, millions of podcasts, and over 120,000 streaming radio stations.
Business Development & Biz Ops
Copper CRM
September 2017 - August 2018
Copper is the #1 CRM for companies using Google that teams actually love to use. Copper is exclusively recommended by Google to over 5M customers and is the fastest growing CRM company in the world. Backed by $105M from Norwest Venture Partners, GV (formerly Google Ventures), True Ventures, Next World Capital, Storm Ventures, Industry Ventures and others.
Strategic Finance
Juicero
July 2016 - October 2017
Pre-IPO Startup. We created the first counter-top cold-pressed juicing system, which makes raw, organic juice at the touch of a button. There's no mess, prep, or cleanup. We do all the work by delivering pre-washed organic produce packs that work with the Juicero juice press.
Education
Chicago Booth
Master of Business Administration - MBA
2024 - 2026
Admissions Committee Experience
- Concentrations: Finance, Strategy, Entrepreneurship, and Behavioral Sciences - Recipient of Chicago Booth Merit Scholarship
University of the Pacific
Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Finance
2012 - 2016
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