Private Equity Analyst (2021)
Private Equity Analyst
Location: Kansas City
Start Date: August 2021
About Five Elms
- Five Elms is a leading private equity firm focused on world-class B2B software companies outside of Silicon Valley
- Founded in 2006, we invest globally out of our Kansas City headquarters. Portfolio company investments range from Belgium to South Africa, Arkansas to Nebraska, and San Diego to Atlanta
- $700+ million in assets under management; we typically invest $4 – 40 million in each company. Post investment, we actively support management teams in accelerating revenue growth and further cementing their position as industry leaders
- Investing in industry-leading software is our focus, but we place equal weight on backing amazing teams and world class company cultures
We offer a unique opportunity in private equity
Five Elms offers candidates a truly unique private equity opportunity, without requiring years of investment banking or management consulting experience. Our Analyst Program focuses on development of top finance graduates through training, mentorship, direct interaction with entrepreneurs, and exposure to all aspects of private equity investing. We have a reputation for working with analysts to develop skills that will rapidly propel them forward in their careers. Former analysts have been accepted into top MBA programs and have joined portfolio companies. We also have a very strong track record of promoting from within.
Funding growth-stage businesses is challenging work
In this role, you will dig into the inner workings of hundreds of businesses each year and gain meaningful experience in all aspects of private equity. This role is similar in nature to Investment Banking Analyst programs but with more freedom, creativity, and hands-on investing experience.
- Get involved with deals. You will meet with CEOs and be exposed to the full lifecycle of a deal including the investment evaluation process, negotiation, due diligence, and market/industry research.
- Build operating and financial models. Data comes in disparate formats, sources, and currencies – all with some level of ambiguity. You will manage complex data sets and formulate insights that will help the team make investment decisions.
- Develop and present investment memos. All our work comes together in an investment memo, which lays out the full qualitative and quantitative analyses of a deal including opportunities, risks, financials, and merits of a transaction. You will work with the team to create these memos and present findings and recommendations to the Investment Committee.
- Mergers & acquisitions. Many of our companies grow through M&A in addition to organic sales and marketing activities. You will learn how to identify targets, structure and negotiate acquisitions, and support post-acquisition integration.
Is Five Elms right for you?
- We expect excellence. Outstanding academic credentials, high attention to detail, natural talent, emotional intelligence, and interesting experiences are table stakes. You will be pushed hard in a competitive environment, so you can learn and evolve your thinking. Strong business writing and active communication is fundamental. The bar is high and if you thrive, you will be very well rewarded.
- You are a great communicator. You are articulate with strong writing, interpersonal and phone skills. You generate activity, facilitate effective meetings and communicate findings and recommendations in a succinct and actionable format.
- You thrive in an entrepreneurial environment
o You are highly curious and a natural problem solver; a thirst for new experiences drives you.
o You have a proven ability to thrive in unstructured situations where there is no clear flight plan to reach the destination.
o You find motivation in being told something isn’t possible and then figuring out how to get it done.
o You are highly motivated (sometimes impatient); hustle will be a cornerstone of your success.
- You take work very seriously, lack entitlement, and have fun:
o Long hours and demanding work are the norm, but we love our work and the team we are building.
o You are nice (despite all the above, you help people, up and down).
o You will quickly appreciate that it is the people that make Five Elms a special to work (and play!)
- You like to win as a team. We are competitive and like to win while operating with the highest levels of integrity, ethics, and trust. We work as a team and want great people on our team – we select each member of the team carefully.