Today's GuestToday we welcome Carol Crick, Vice President of HR at Acorn Growth Companies, a middle market Private Equity firm focused on aerospace, defence and intelligence.  Acorn invests in operating companies that strive to enhance global mobility, protect national interests, and develop next-generation intelligence gathering technology. Prior to joining Acorn, she spent years mentoring and leading teams to build corporate HR departments, and assisted multiple companies to grow both organically and strategically. As director of Human Resources for Select Energy Services, Carol was instrumental in leading a strategic expansion of growth from 1000 employees to more than 6,200 over a 4-year period.Carol graduated from Central Texas College with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She served many years on the Lake Dallas ISD School Board of Trustees, currently sits on the Aerospace Employer Advisory Board for COWIB and is very active at Woodland Hills Baptist Church. What’s in this episode?In today’s episode Carol talks about her responsibilities as VP of HR and her experience partnering with business ownersWhat you'll learn·         Why trusting your Private Equity firm is key to success as a Portfolio Company·         The similarities between a HR role and an Operating Partner role·         Why talent is vital when making add-on acquisitions Breakdown01:45 - Managing the difference between working for an Operating business to working for a Private Equity firm02:44 - What are the biggest mistakes PE firms and Portfolio companies are making right now06:47 - What does HR do outside of the usual hiring/firing09:22 - What are the key challenges facing portfolio companies right now?11:47 - Biggest challenges when purchasing and integrating new portfolio companies15:29 - What do you like and dislike about the Private Equity Industry19:15 - 3 qualities of a top performer21:50 - What are your influences23:27 - Have you even been blindsided and what did you learn from it?24:30 - What advice would you give to your 20 year old self?Resourceshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-crick-ab9b634/https://acorngrowthcompanies.com/Thank you for tuning in!To get the newest Private Equity episodes, you can subscribe on iTunes or Spotify here.Lastly, if you have any feedback on the podcast or want to reach out to Alex with any questions, send an email to alex.rawlings@raw-selection.com