Door to door origin story - here for advice….
Hi WSO community,
I’m a 23-year-old SDR in tech aiming to break into private equity (PE). My drive is personal: my grandfather’s company sale to a PE firm run by a family friend funded college for my entire family, including me.
This showed me PE’s impact, inspiring me to create similar value. My family friend founded a PE fund, investing in $1-10M EBITDA companies in manufacturing and finance, driving deals and portfolio growth through hands-on leadership—the career I aspire to. He’s encouraged this switch and offered to discuss it over lunch soon.
Seeing BD as the easiest PE transition, I contacted numerous LMM firms, asking them to take a chance on me. One did, offering a part-time BD role with a success fee percentage, where I’m learning deal sourcing from two professionals (one with operational experience, one skilled in deal sourcing and due diligence) while continuing my SDR job. I’ve been successful in prospecting since age 16, when I started a successful location for a company through door-to-door sales before college. My goal is a full-time PE role, eventually running and scaling businesses like my family friend.
I’m seeking advice on this transition. My questions:
• What steps should I take to move from SDR to full-time PE? Are analyst/associate roles best, or other entry points for my BD experience?
• What technical/soft skills are key for PE? I’m strong in relationship-building and prospecting but need financial modeling and deal analysis. Best ways to learn (e.g., online courses, self-study)?
• How can I maximize my lunch with my family friend? What questions will yield insights on breaking into PE and building his career?
• What sets top PE performers apart? How can I stand out from a non-traditional background?
• Beyond my family friend, how do I build a PE network? Any recommended events, groups, or platforms?
• For running a PE fund like my family friend, what’s a 10-20 year plan? Key milestones (e.g., MBA, roles)?
My “why” is rooted in my family’s story—PE’s impact funded our education, and I’m driven to master strategic, operational, and financial skills to create similar impact. Any advice on navigating this path or resources would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
guy wins lottery and dedicates life to buying lotto tickets
Honestly man , I really admire your enthusiasm and drive here.
I really don’t want to burst your bubble and believe that in this life if you really want something, you should chase after it.
Though for what it’s worth, PE is a pretty competitive space, yku need the target schools and investment banks. It sounds like you’re more interested in the LMM which is a little bit easier, but no walk in the park.
What I would advise you is to think about pursuing sales relentlessly. “Impact” can take many forms. If you’re able to help ppl find a solution and product that they wouldn’t have otherwise, that can be incredibly impactful.
Ans calling it spade to spade—we all also do these careers for money deep down. The money you can make in sales is probably higher earlier and more realistically (though not super realistically — no free lunch) through sales than the type of LMM PE firms that you could potentially become an associate at after years of discipline and relentless pursuit.
Your best bet would be to join as an analyst at an investment bank (preferably one that works closely with LMM/MM funds) on deals. That way you can learn how a deal process works, financial modelling, etc. After a year or two, you can pivot into working for an LMM.
good luck. I would beg your family friend to let you come and work for him for free for 6 months. then, you can either show your value, and/or decide if its even something you want to do. all the best
This OP. Make sure to ask directly. A friend of a family friend talked to me (at the time, was a PE Ops Partner but near retirement). Ended up misinterpreting the conversation that he might have some part-time / full-time work at his firm. Was a very awkward situation which led to nothing.
So what it comes down to is what type of PE fund you want to go to. If you’re looking at anything remotely big (middle market to mega fund) your only real chance is by going and getting an MBA at a top school then going into IB or into PE.
If you just want to get into any fund no matter the size, it can still be tough given how competitive PE is in general. You’ll likely make better money as an SDR/AE than in LMM PE unless you’re willing to stick it out long term and rise the ranks.
TLDR- with the sheer amount of effort + luck it’ll take to get into PE in your position, your efforts will be best spent going in through an MBA program. 
At eligendi iusto qui quis et non earum. Qui et a nulla eum ut et.
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