Expert Calls in Private Equity

Alright this one was low hanging fruit...process:
 

• Reach out to expert networks with intent to find (i) current/former customers of a target, (ii) former employees of a target, (iii) current/former employees of a competitor, or (iv) some sort of general industry expert (e.g., reseller, etc.)
• Identify interesting profiles to speak to based on familiarity with your target, industry knowledge, etc.
• Conduct 60 minute call with the expert using some agenda/key questions defined by the deal team
  • More experienced associates don't need much guidance here and may not pre-script)
  • Topics may include industry trends and headwinds/risks, key players in the market, rationale for selecting one player over another, pricing/packaging constructs and trends, unpacking an ecosystem or how pieces of a value chain fit together, investment ideas, pros/cons of various companies, and many more (really whatever you want as long as it's not sensitive private information and/or insider trading information for a public target/company)
• Associates typically circulate notes/insights to their teams post-call and refine their script over time based on prior conversations and learnings