Session #9 Money, Money, Money: Preparing for the Financial Journey
(5 hours) Thursday, April 10th, 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
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 – 2:20pm NAIC Market Resources
2:20pm – 2:40pm 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: Pamela Pavkov, Head of TPG Next, TPG
2:40pm – 2:50pm Audience Q&A
2:50pm – 3:20pm 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, Investment Funds, Kirkland & Ellis
3:20pm – 3:30pm Audience Q&A
3:30pm – 3:45pm Break (15 min)
3:45pm – 4:10pm 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
4:10pm – 4:15pm Audience Q&A
4:15pm – 4:40pm 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
4:40pm – 4:45pm Audience Q&A
4:45 pm Virtual Session Closes
4:45pm – 6:00pm Pitch Coaching Session (Capstone Attendees only)
4:45pm – 4:55pm Introduction of Judges & Overview
Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee
- Introduction of coaches/judges.
- Purpose of the session: refining pitch delivery, storytelling, and investor engagement.
4:55pm – 5:05pm Transition
5:05pm – 5:45pm Pitch Coaching
- Each participant/team delivers a 3-minute pitch.
- Immediate constructive feedback from judges/coaches (2–3 minutes per pitch).
5:45pm – 6:00pm Break and Transition
6:00pm – 6:10pm Closing Remarks NextGen/Reception Kick-off
Speaker: Robert L. Greene
6:10pm – 7:00pm Networking Reception