Private Equity

Paddy is a private equity investor with experience at lower middle market to large-cap firms including Bregal Investments, Charlesbank, and GIC. He studied economics at the University of California, Berkeley, and has a strong foundation in coaching. Paddy has previously coached 5 individuals working in investment banking and helped them land private equity jobs.

With over 20 years of experience in private equity and venture capital, I bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to help you navigate the competitive landscape of PE. As a former Managing Director at industry giants like Blackstone and Robeco, and currently a Partner at Sonamu Energy and Moser Capital, I have a deep understanding of market expansion, strategic partnerships, and capital formation. I've successfully coached individuals, guiding them to excel in their careers and achieve their goals in the finance sector. Whether you're looking to break into private equity or advance your career, I'm here to provide tailored advice and support. Let's connect and chart your path to success!

I have worked in both private equity and investment banking, I have spent over 2 years in the PE industry. In those 2 years, I have been a part of 2 closings and looked at over 500 companies. My responsibilities range from new deal sourcing, diligence, managing investor relationships, and supporting portfolio companies. I know what it takes to get into the industry and perform while present.

Roles in Investment Banking, Private Equity, Hedge Fund / Crossover, and as a General Partner / Independent Sponsor all have provided different but relevant skills / lessons for usage in professional investing. Private investing experience spanning traditional private equity, growth investing, and late-stage growth / pre-IPO rounds. I now manage a small investment firm in a founder capacity, having launched a private equity style independent sponsor focused on majority acquisitions in the lower middle market. We have executed investments and are in the process of executing on additional platforms, while constantly looking for add-ons to our existing businesses. My founder / independent sponsor angle enables me to provide some unique insight that extends beyond the typical 'breaking in' and 'due diligence' type topics and into things like capital raising, interfacing with our LPs / investors, assessment of categories, different strategies of deployment (e.g. roll-up, value vs. growth, organic vs. inorganic growth strategy), etc. This role also results in oversight of the operating companies and extends my involvement into operations and marrying the function of the sponsor with the operating company.

Welcome to my profile! With extensive experience in private equity and investment banking, I am here to help you navigate the competitive landscape of private equity careers. I have worked in private equity roles across Vista Equity Partners, Audax Private Equity, and MFG Partners, and have extensive experience with interview preparation, on-the-desk readiness, general career navigation, technical skill refinement, and more. Prior to my career in private equity, I spent 5 years in investment banking with Goldman Sachs, as both an Associate and an Analyst, where I worked on $20B+ of closed deals. Currently, I am pursuing my MBA at Columbia Business School as a Robert F. Smith Scholar, further deepening my expertise in alternative investments and entrepreneurship. Over the last decade, I have coached 75+ students/early stage professionals across a variety of formal and informal capacities. Whether you need help with interview preparation, resume refinement, or networking strategies, I'm here to support your journey. I genuinely love this stuff and remember how difficult my journey was trying to "figure it out" - Let's book time to chat about how I can be helpful!

I have over five years of experience working at a top-tier tech-focused private equity firm. Over my time at Francisco Partners I have been able to work on numerous platform investments, add-ons, financings and liquidity events for the firm. I have in-depth experience on what it takes to land a spot in this competitive industry having gone through the craziness of associate recruiting while working at Goldman Sachs, and then participating on the hiring side during my time at Francisco Partners. I have reviewed dozens of resumes for analyst and associate positions, conducted countless behavioral and technical interviews and been a part of hiring discussions and decision-making. I have also administered, reviewed and assessed candidates on LBO model tests and other technical case studies that are critical to landing a job. I also know what it takes to be a successful investor at the junior level, having navigated a competitive and challenging promotion to Vice President. I am excited to be able to share some of my experience with you and help you as you navigate this challenging industry.

I broke into private equity at 19, landed an investment banking job offer mid-flight, and joined KKR straight out of undergrad. Since then, I’ve led ~$3B in deals across buyout, growth, and venture, working directly with founders, CEOs, and billion-dollar funds. I’m especially passionate about helping non-target, underrepresented, and ambitious students get offers. All coaching with me comes with complimentary documents and guides :)

I have worked across private equity, hedge funds, capital markets, corporate advisory, special situations, and public-company board governance, giving me a practical understanding of how investors evaluate businesses, structure deals, assess risk, and communicate investment decisions. I am a CFA charterholder, Columbia Business School MBA, West Point graduate, former private equity and hedge fund investor, and public-company board director. I coach clients on the core skills needed to succeed in private equity recruiting and on the job: investment theses, deal evaluation, LBO concepts, valuation, due diligence, industry analysis, management-team assessment, financing considerations, investment committee memos, and interview storytelling. I also help candidates translate their background into a credible private equity narrative, whether they are coming from banking, consulting, business school, corporate roles, entrepreneurship, or the military. My style is direct, practical, and interview-focused. We work on how to think like an investor, not just memorize technical answers. I help clients build confidence with case studies, deal discussions, behavioral questions, and the commercial judgment required to stand out in private equity interviews and investment conversations.

I spent 3 years working at Sylva (PE fund buying training / L&D firms) as an Operating Partner. I ran their Chief of Staff and BizOps Network businesses, growing them 40% YoY. I reported directly to the CEO / Managing Partner. I was brought into Sylva by way of acquisition; my company Upslope was a training firm for Operations professionals. I started a search fund, diligenced 100+ companies, acquired one, and have grown it 30% YoY. I am in the process of acquiring another company to bolt-on.

Welcome to my profile! My professional experience in private equity began with a value creation role at Vista Equity Partners (~$100B AUM), where I honed my skills in implementing go-to-market growth initiatives for enterprise software companies. I specialized in Sales Strategy, Revenue Operations, & Customer Success, but engaged across a variety of sub-functions during my time at the firm. I went back to pursue my MBA at Chicago Booth and pivot to value creation roles in the middle-market investing space, and have spent time at both PSP Capital & Erie Street Growth Partners in Chicago as I broaden my value creation toolkit. If you are interested in learning about the skillset and networking required to land a role in the PE Ops / Value Creation space, I am happy to help you craft a personalized strategy based on your experience, investing sectors of interest, and size of firm you are targeting.