Introducing Josh KoplewiczJosh Koplewicz is the founder and managing partner at Thayer Street Partners, a Private Equity fund focused on a flexible style of investing in growth-stage businesses and financial services companies. Before Thayer Street, Josh was an investor at Goldman Sachs, where he invested across the capital structure in financial services and business services assets and companies.What You Will LearnPartnering with portfolio companiesStructured equity investmentsStrategic investing and management Breakdown:[00:00] - Introduction to the podcast and today's topic.[00:45] - Alex Rawlings introduces the guest, Josh Koplewicz, and outlines his background in finance, particularly his experience with Goldman Sachs and in the Private Equity sector.[02:10] - Josh shares his journey from joining Goldman Sachs to venturing into Private Equity, emphasizing the skills and insights he gained.[04:30] - Discussion on the transition from investment banking to Private Equity, including the challenges and opportunities Josh encountered.[07:15] - Josh delves into the nuances of investing in the services sector, highlighting key considerations for Private Equity investments.[10:00] - The role of market analysis and due diligence in making successful investments, with Josh providing examples from his experience.[12:20] - Strategies for value creation in Private Equity investments, according to Josh's approach and philosophy.[15:40] - The impact of technology and innovation on the services sector and how it influences Private Equity investment strategies.[18:25] - Josh offers advice for individuals looking to enter the Private Equity space, including essential skills and mindset.[20:30] - Closing thoughts from Josh on the future of Private Equity investments in the services sector and potential growth areas.[22:45] - Alex thanks Josh for his insights and wraps up the podcast, inviting listeners to engage with further discussions on social media and podcast platforms.Partnering With Portfolio Management TeamsHow do you partner with portfolio management teams? According to Josh, Partnering with portfolio management teams is not a one-size-fits-all approach. For them, they do a range of engagements with a portfolio company based on the level of ownership. If a company is a minority investor, they are helpful on both a periodic and situational basis. In many cases, they provide standard advice and stewardship and get involved in special projects around business development initiatives, key hires in finance and data analytics, strategic acquisitions, and financing.  Josh shares that in cases where a company has more material ownership, is engaged in a build-up or roll-up strategy, requires many smaller assets, or has customers who are subscribers, their teams are very hands-on. They partner with the company to engage in diligence and structuring and, in some cases, execute strategic MNA on their behalf. The partnership is entirely based on the needs and objectives of the company.How to Contact JoshJosh on LinkedInThayerstreet.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-s