Private Equity FunCast

Devin and Jim discuss the New York Times Amazon article. Is driving your people into the ground the only way to build successful technology companies? Is the CEO the last to know when it comes to company culture issues, or are they just turning a blind eye?

Jim talks with Ryan Milligan about all the different steps in closing a deal after the Letter of Intent gets signed. Everything that a Founder needs to know, but was afraid to ask. Customer calls, references, accounting audits, purchase agreements and lender meetings -- we tackle it all and more.

Jim and Devin discuss the two types of companies that we see in the middle market. You can either dominate a niche market (such as software targeted at specific verticals) or you can build a better mousetrap and try to capture the entire market.

Ryan Milligan joins Jim and Devin to talk about Unicorns and argue about whether the public markets are smarter than the private markets. For the founder with a business between $3 - $5 million of EBITDA we answer the mult-million dollar question: Is it time to sell? Ryan discloses that he'd invest in the next round of PiedPiper, while Devin would rather own Hooli stock.

Jim talks in detail with Grant Hunter about the Product Manager role in middle market companies.

A gentle introduction to product management with Grant Hunter.

Jim and Devin discuss the Innovator's Dilemma and Blue Ocean Strategy as it relates to middle market portfolio companies.

Jim talks with Evan Delaney about his trip to Apple's World Wide Developer Conference in SF.

Devin and Jim talk about the role of leveraging microservices development in middle market companies, mixing classic development with microservices -- with proper shout outs to Martin Fowler, Conway's Law and a small sidebar into Game of Thrones.

Devin and Jim discuss the corollary to Fred Wilson's "What VC can learn from Private Equity".

Jim talks about the role of the outside board member with Syapse CEO/Co-Founder and Emerson Street Partners founder Glenn Winokur.

Jim and Devin talk about Agile, SCRUM and our experiences with various engineering project management schemes.

Devin and Jim talk about applying Howard Marks' principles of value investing in technology buyouts.

Jim chats with Evan Delaney about the out-of-the-box experience with the Apple Watch as the first batch gets delivered.

Quinn grills Devin and Jim on everything from their backgrounds to which kinds of potatoes that they prefer.

Jim, Devin and the Commissioner For Life, Ryan Milligan run down our 2015 Final Four results.

Jim interviews FunCast Bracketology Commish, Ryan Milligan in preparation for next week's "Final Four".

Jim and Devin discuss the pros and cons of technical bootcamps.

Jim and Devin talk in detail about Daniel Pink's autonomy, mastery and purpose with a sidebar into "fairness".

Jim and Devin discuss the technology stack that we use to run our business.

Jim talks to Joe Gorup about using eLearning in the middle market.

Devin and Jim discuss Daniel Pink's "Drive" as it relates to their portfolio companies.

Devin and Jim talk about Nassim Nicholas Taleb's gem, "Fooled by Randomness"

Devin and Jim talk discuss Geoffrey Moore's groundbreaking book "Crossing the Chasm" as it applies to the middle market.

Jim talks to portfolio company CFO, Mike Welch about his initial experiences with our ongoing NetSuite implementation.

Devin, Ryan Harris, Ian Larkin and Brad Simmons make their predictions for 2015 ... and BEYOND!

Jim and Devin talk restaurants and cuisine with Chicago's own Chef John Caputo.

Jim and Dirk Shimpach talk through a complete NetSuite implementation at one of our portfolio companies, "serial podcast" style.

Jim and Devin talk shop with Troy Henikoff from TechStars Chicago.

Devin and Jim give thanks for all of our listeners, colleagues and friends.

Jim and Devin talk about the various exit strategies for private equity-backed tech companies.

Devin and Jim talk with Tim Kelly on his research what makes a company "entreprenurial".

Devin and Jim introduce their new firm, Parker Gale Capital

Devin and Jim discuss succcession planning for founders.

Milbery's Mazlow's Hierarchy of Software Needs. We are officially a year old today and have we got a gift for you. Jim and Devin spend an hour dissecting Jim's controversial hierarchy of software needs.

What happens when your relationship with management goes south? This episode is by request How do relationships between the private equity guys and management go bad? Shocking! Yes, that happens some times. What causes it? And what can you do to fix it? Find out here.

As a follow-up to Devin's (surprisingly) popular PEHUB column from early August, Devin and Jim expound on the lingo inside a PE firm. This isn't sports talk or girl talk, this is private equity talk and it makes about as much sense as some of the wild stories in the Raymond Carver book we stole our title from. Sit back and enjoy, and just like an after school special starring Robbie Benson, there just might even be a lesson or two to learn in between all the laughing (or is that crying?).

Devin and Jim talk about Satya Nadella's public strategy letter on the future of Microsoft aka "Bold Ambition & Our Core". How does this apply to the middle market? Should middle market companies be avoiding commitments to the Microsoft platform?

Jim sits down with Evan Delaney to talk about Apple's new Swift programming language, the pros the cons -- and whether companies should be jumping into the deep end of the pool and going whole-hog with Swift.

Jim sits down with Evan Delaney to talk about approaches you can use for building your mobile applications on the Apple platform. Although we do get a little technical in spots, this episode is for the CEO, not the CTO.

Devin and Jim sit down with Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Professor Michael Mazzeo to discuss his upcoming book: Roadside MBA: Back Road Lessons for Entrepreneurs, Executives and Small Business Owners. Today we talk about the human side of the business -- hiring your team.

A Series of PE Haikus for the sophisticated listener. A light-hearted conversation with Matthew Craig-Greene of Pivot Partners Ltd -- our Thursday gift from us, to you!

Devin and Jim sit down with Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Professor Michael Mazzeo to discuss his upcoming book: Roadside MBA: Back Road Lessons for Entrepreneurs, Executives and Small Business Owners. In this second episode with Professor Mazzeo we discuss product differentiation and price.

Devin and Jim sit down with Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Professor Michael Mazzeo to discuss his upcoming book: Roadside MBA: Back Road Lessons for Entrepreneurs, Executives and Small Business Owners.

Devin and Uber-Associate Kevin Fitzgerald sit down with Steve Julius, PhD aka "Dr. J" to talk about organizational behavior and team dynamics. Dr. Julius opines on human behavior, organizational dynamics and business development. Listen in and get insight on creating practical strategies and easy-to-use tools for resolving a wide range of business and human resource needs.

We sit down with a real life Associate from a real life private equity fund. Removed from his natural habitat and placed in captivity in Chicago, Kevin Fitzgerald shares with us what he did to get the job, what he does on a daily basis and where he's taking the experience next (hint: it's in Cambridge, MA).

The FunCast spends an hour with "Must React" sales system founder Kraig Kleeman. Everything that you need to know about persuasion, sales transformation and sales enablement. Plus, you get to hear Kraig's story about meeting U2's Bono.

The FunCast spends an hour with Macworld writer and podcast impresario Lex Friedman from The Midroll -- home of 130+ podcasts. Everything that you need to know about advertising on podcasts including listener demographics and getting started.

The FunCast spends another hour with McDermott Will & Emery LLP Partner Ryan Harris breaking down an actual private equity letter of intent. We go term by term with one of the best transaction lawyers in the business. Founders will learn all the tricks of the trade to even the playing field in their negotiation. Devin says "You are welcome".

Jim and Devin discuss the vaunted venture "pivot" and its applicability, or lack there-of in the private equity business.