Session #9 Money, Money, Money: Preparing for the Financial Journey 

(5 hours) Thursday, April 10^th, 2025 (Capstone attendees only- Live at the Offices of Akin Gump) 

2:00pm – 2:05pm       Opening Remarks: Resources & Financing Your Private Equity Firm: Introduction 

Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee, COO, NAIC

Session Description:  

Are you financially prepared to navigate the firm-building and fundraising journey ahead? In this session, you will learn about resources available and hear from industry experts about how to manage your finances while you raise your first institutional fund. In this session, experts will cover: 

• Seeding: a productive seeding partnership and seeding structures 

• Managing your firm’s P&L in its first year and preparing for unexpected circumstances 

• How you get paid: the realities of management fees & waterfalls 

2:05pm – 2:15pm       NAIC Market Resources 

2:15pm – 2:35pm       Financing Your Firm: Seeding 

Session Description: An important consideration as you build your firm is whether a seeding partner that provides operating capital in addition to an LP allocation is a viable option. In this session, you will learn the ins and outs of a productive seeding partnership as well as various options for seeding structures. 

Speaker: Marcus Lawrence, Principal, TPG

2:35pm – 2:45pm       Audience Q&A 

2:45pm – 3:15pm       How You Get Paid: The Realities of Management Fees & Waterfalls

Session Description: You will hear from one of the industry’s leading legal experts on the dynamics and considerations of the waterfall options and the pros and cons of each as well as insights into how to negotiate with LPs with respect this crucial topic that will impact your bottom line. 

Speaker: Samara Shepherd, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis

3:15pm – 3:25pm       Audience Q&A 

3:25pm – 3:40pm       Break (15 min) 

3:40pm – 4:00pm       Operations:  Knowing the Essentials to Succeed

What are the essential elements to your operational infrastructure? This rapid-fire module will review the following: Establishing the right team & culture (HR), and right processes (Accounting & IT) as foundations to your success.  You will learn the “Days to Zero” methodology to ensure that you have the actual capital to operate and sustain your firm.   

Speaker: Shana Hall, Executive Director, Finance, GCM Grosvenor 

4:00pm – 4:05pm       Audience Q&A 

4:05pm – 4:25pm      What’s It Going to Cost: An In-depth Look at a First Year P&L Statement  

Session Description:  In this session you will learn the realities of managing your firm’s P&L in its first year. You will hear about the realities of the costs and challenges as well as ways to better prepare for unexpected circumstances that may arise.

Speaker: Shana Hall, Executive Director, Finance, GCM Grosvenor  

4:25pm – 4:30pm       Audience Q&A 

**4:30 pm   Virtual Session Ends**

4:35pm – 6:05pm      Pitch Coaching Session (Capstone Attendees only)       

4:35pm – 4:40pm       Overview & Introduction of Coaches

Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee 

• Introduction of coaches
• Coaches:
  • Laureen Costa, former Portfolio Manager, JPMorgan Asset Management
  • Alcina Goosby, former Portfolio Manager, NY State Common
  • Obie McKenzie, former Managing Director of BlackRock
     

4:50pm – 5:05pm       Pitch Coaching Best Practices- Panel with Coaches

Moderator: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee

5:05pm – 5:20pm       Transition (15 mins)

5:20pm – 5:55pm       Pitch Coaching

• Polish Pitch
• Each participant/team delivers a 3-5 minute pitch

• Immediate constructive feedback from judges/coaches (2–3 minutes per pitch)

*No digital assets- Print only

5:55pm – 6:05pm       Break and Transition

6:05pm – 7:00pm       Closing Remarks NextGen/Reception

Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee