Graham Weaver

I want to find a company, put together money, make it happen, start to build a track record.

I want to find a company, put together money, make it happen, start to build a track record.

I'd say a few things. First is I'd say pick one industry. Don't go do three deals in three different industries because you're not really going to know that much. In my case, I had that fourth deal was successful because I had done three and learned what really mattered. So I'd say try to stay in the same industry if you can. Pick a good industry. Secondly, I'd say pay yourself.

I'd say a few things. First is I'd say pick one industry. Don't go do three deals in three different industries because you're not really going to know that much. In my case, I had that fourth deal was successful because I had done three and learned what really mattered. So I'd say try to stay in the same industry if you can. Pick a good industry. Secondly, I'd say pay yourself.

Sounds really obvious, but I didn't do that. So that was part of the pressure that I had about why I didn't go do that full time. So carve out enough that you can live reasonably comfortably, even if that cuts into your total upside or something. Duration is more important over the long period of time. I made so many mistakes, Patrick, everything you could imagine.

Sounds really obvious, but I didn't do that. So that was part of the pressure that I had about why I didn't go do that full time. So carve out enough that you can live reasonably comfortably, even if that cuts into your total upside or something. Duration is more important over the long period of time. I made so many mistakes, Patrick, everything you could imagine.

But I also got in the game when I was 25. So I just sit around thinking about it, overthinking it. I got to get in the arena. That would be my third piece of advice is go get in the arena.

But I also got in the game when I was 25. So I just sit around thinking about it, overthinking it. I got to get in the arena. That would be my third piece of advice is go get in the arena.

What did you learn about raising money for deals when you really didn't have a track record and you were 25?

What did you learn about raising money for deals when you really didn't have a track record and you were 25?

Okay, I started off trying to sell my track record, which was a catastrophe because what I didn't realize is these people are seeing phenomenal track records. And then they're comparing me to that. I was on the plane in the Denver airport going to San Francisco to visit what would turn out to be my largest investor. And I read this little book and I don't remember anything else this book said.

Okay, I started off trying to sell my track record, which was a catastrophe because what I didn't realize is these people are seeing phenomenal track records. And then they're comparing me to that. I was on the plane in the Denver airport going to San Francisco to visit what would turn out to be my largest investor. And I read this little book and I don't remember anything else this book said.

It was a little book of selling, it was called. But they had this line that said, people buy the salesperson, not the product. And on the plane ride from Denver to San Francisco, I completely changed my presentation and was like, okay, I'm going to sell myself as someone that will figure this out and is going to be trustworthy, reliable, kill myself to make this work.

It was a little book of selling, it was called. But they had this line that said, people buy the salesperson, not the product. And on the plane ride from Denver to San Francisco, I completely changed my presentation and was like, okay, I'm going to sell myself as someone that will figure this out and is going to be trustworthy, reliable, kill myself to make this work.

And that pitch landed a lot better than, hey, here's my three label deals. Yeah, yeah.

And that pitch landed a lot better than, hey, here's my three label deals. Yeah, yeah.

They just read that book at the right time. so then we fast forward to the chapter where now you have alpine you have a private equity firm you're starting to raise bigger and bigger funds what are like the foundational core beliefs of the business how it runs that are most distinctive from other firms of its type would you say

They just read that book at the right time. so then we fast forward to the chapter where now you have alpine you have a private equity firm you're starting to raise bigger and bigger funds what are like the foundational core beliefs of the business how it runs that are most distinctive from other firms of its type would you say

There's a number of them. The first one I would say is, what's your objective function? Our objective function is MOIC. We have a specific number we put on that. We're trying to do 5X on a fund. Have you done that historically? We've done 5X in our last four funds. We have it marked at 5X in our last three, and the fourth one is well on its way, yeah.

There's a number of them. The first one I would say is, what's your objective function? Our objective function is MOIC. We have a specific number we put on that. We're trying to do 5X on a fund. Have you done that historically? We've done 5X in our last four funds. We have it marked at 5X in our last three, and the fourth one is well on its way, yeah.