Here's how you can navigate a career pivot in Private Equity after a failure.

You learn more from your failures than your successes. Use the failure to build a case study of what went wrong, and factor it into whatever you do in the future so you don't repeat it. The best investors have made mistakes and learned from them, and haven't given up. If you are passionate about investing, don't pivot away, use the learnings to become a better investor and press ahead!

Anuj, couldn’t agree with you more. Both for ourselves and for the team working with us, creating an ethos to go and explore avenues with a mindset that you could make mistakes is critical. However have a framework to pause and calibrate. When we rise up from the fall those mistakes don’t happen again. The key is to have a measurement system. Data is the key. This has held true in all the businesses we have run irrespective of size or geography.

Navigating a career pivot in Private Equity after a failure is challenging, but doable. If I was faced with this, I'd start by reflecting on what went wrong and identifying key lessons. Updating my skills through courses might be crucial. I'd reconnect with my network, sharing my story honestly and focusing on what I’d learned. Attending industry events and leveraging LinkedIn will helped you expand your connections. Consider accepting a different role within Private Equity to gain new perspectives. Highlighting your resilience and adaptability is key in applications and interviews. Mentorship from experienced professionals can provide invaluable guidance. This approach might turn a setback into an opportunity for growth.

Reflected to understand the root cause is always a best practice. You need to further analyze what was in your control and what was not. As an example, perhaps there was a change in strategic direction (not in your control) vs. not defining what success looks like (in your control)

Apart from learning from own failures, it's ideal to learn from other's failures. - Know the deals that are happening in the market. Track the deals. Have your perspective. - Know the failed deals, why they failed, and how they could have been avoided. - Use this knowledge in your current analysis. - Differentiate between avoidable risks/unavoidable risks and various mitigation factors. Is the return compensating enough for the additional/potential risks you are taking?

Assess your skills and apply to the learnings above. If your skills were not directly related you are wasting your time becoming an expert in a skill not required. There may ba gap in your skill set (aquiring a new skill) that could make you more valuable

1. Know the players in the industry 2. Know the people in the industry 3. Follow the players and the people on LinkedIn so that you will get the latest updates and news about the space 4. Based on their work, your interest and synergy, choose a mentor 5. Attend Industry-specific events. 6. Meet as many as people possible at all levels Apart from the above, more incoming networks you can have by way of: 1. Contribute your knowledge base and share it with a larger audience. In this way, relevant people will also follow you. 2. READ READ READ

Networking is crucial and one of the best ways to come across opportunities. - Reflect on the failure and learn from it. - Identify target contacts within Private Equity. - Attend industry events for networking opportunities. - Utilize online platforms like LinkedIn. Join relevant groups and engage with content to demonstrate your interest and expertise in the field. - Seek informational interviews for insights and advice. - Offer value to those you connect with. Networking is a two-way street. - Stay persistent and resilient in your efforts.

Some ways to get started expanding your network in the PE industry: Networking Importance in PE: - Highlight the significance of networking in Private Equity, where opportunities often arise from connections. Reach Out to Mentors and Peers: - Encourage reaching out to mentors, former colleagues, and industry peers to discuss experiences and seek guidance. Attend Industry Events: - Emphasize the value of attending industry events to meet new contacts and stay updated on trends.

Don't network; build relationships. Most people have enough connections already. However, most people do not add value to their network connections. They focus on adding more connections or reaching out when they need something. wrong approach

Some ways to get started: Craft a Compelling Narrative: - Develop a compelling story that highlights your journey, including the challenges faced and how you have overcome them, to captivate the interest of potential employers. Showcase Industry Knowledge: - Demonstrate your deep understanding of the Private Equity landscape by discussing industry trends, market insights, and relevant case studies in your professional materials and conversations. Highlight Transferable Skills: - Showcase transferable skills gained from your experience, such as leadership, problem-solving, and relationship-building, to position yourself as a valuable asset in any role.

This is a time to define what the right opportunity is. Think your ICP. Understand the reporting structure, the interaction/relationship between portfolios, size, type. etc.

Winning Is rarely one thing. With the right combination of aptitude and attitude, teams improve their capabilities, tools and processes that help them better deliver the desired outcomes. Turning around a difficult situation is rewarding and builds grit capacity.

Look at before the event. What were the leading indicators? Were you solicting feedback early and often? Could you do it better knowing what you know know?