ECM Analyst at MM Firm — Path to Private Equity?

After I’m a first-year analyst in ECM at a middle market investment bank (not a well-known name), and I’m starting to think about long-term career moves — specifically, whether a transition into private equity is realistic from this seat.

I know ECM isn’t the typical feeder into PE, especially coming from a non-brand-name firm, but I’ve gotten solid exposure to IPOs, secondaries, and valuation work. I collaborate regularly with coverage and M&A teams, and I’ve picked up decent modeling experience along the way — though I know it’s not the same depth you’d get in M&A or LevFin.

Couple questions I’m hoping the community can help with:

1. Has anyone successfully made the jump from ECM (especially from a MM platform) into PE?
2. Would it make more sense to try lateraling into M&A first before aiming for PE?
3. Are there particular types of funds (growth equity, MM PE, etc.) that might be more receptive to someone with this kind of background?
4. And lastly — is this just a networking grind, or do headhunters take ECM candidates seriously?

Appreciate any input or war stories — just trying to figure out what’s actually possible from where I’m starting. Thanks in advance.