Future of PE
I’m one who’s of the belief that this mid level freeze will never end. Go through your files, the founders / senior partners / partners have been the same people forever, and when PE at the top is a cushy enough job to ride the coattails of fundraising and a good enough economy there’s 0 reason to leave. Keep in mind that this industry has been around for 30 years and most of the founders you still see at the firms were there at the beginning.
All these 60 year old “legends” who won’t even read a CIM but soak up the carry have 0 retirement plans except for eating a fat chunk of carry while dialing into calls to tell one of their finance war stories. Look at the glaring majority of firms that have a genuinely senile founder still coming into the office, if even the founders won’t leave why would the partners plan to leave or even add to their own bloated ranks.
I have been looking at the org charts for most firms and see bloated senior levels already, none of which are planning to go anywhere. I personally don’t know a single VP who’s been given that promote given that there’s genuinely no space, creating a permanent VP layer of laterals and abuse junkies who can’t get a different job due to their “bronze” handcuffs.
Adding to the fact that carry has become a shitshow based on fake marks (I was at a MF and after the vesting period I ended up with 2mm), which is a lot of money except when you look at the fact that my 20’s have been fully spent slaving away in an office with the hopes of life changing money. PE is the new very well paid corporate job, however will demand genuinely 2x the hours and 5x the stress of a regular one.
All that just to flex your $2m carry payout.
so true hahaha. 0 need for this post but to humble brag that he actually got paid carry
You may be completely missing the point of this post. It isn’t a flex to be 40 in a few years, in an extremely high cost of living area, unable to start a family or even buy a house because that carry payout is potentially my last, while also having no time due to being chained to my desk and not being able to see my significant other ever. Have you seen this vp market and delayed promotion cycles? None of my colleagues have a hope of making partner and eventually we will get pushed out because it is so hard to prove that returns are attributable to anyone in this industry.
Everyone saying to raise a fund has 0 idea what they’re talking about. Fundraising in this industry, especially now is a disaster when LP’s have been burnt by every idiot and their mother raising. Even senior partners and partners who have been at the top of the decision tree have been seen to branch out and struggle to raise immediately, which contributes to why they stay in their seats and absorb carry.
Also, if a 2mn payout after this much sacrifice and a likely mid career glass ceiling is a lot of money to you, I hope you enjoy Iowa IB or whatever you pretend do. Watching your carry evaporate to 1/5 what was marketed is eye opening and is not life changing money in new york by any stretch of your imagination.
Your carry actually realized for $2m while being paid ~$500k/yr for showing up, eating your sandwich, and keeping your seat warm and you’re in your early 30s … Jesus, out of touch a bit.
Those founders took a risk and it paid off. They deserve their cushy seats. What risk have you taken?? Grow some balls/ovaries, and leave if you want life-changing wealth and take a risk.
It’s becoming very hard to progress into partner seats at established funds. I’m seeing more and more VP’s and principals (vast majority) hitting glass ceilings and re-thinking their career paths. Better to do something entrepreneurial or jump into an operating seat.
Exactly, this begs the question of what job could you jump to without blowing your life up at this point. Anything entrepreneurial is an option, but playing with excel sensitivities does not give you actual transferable skills to running an real business.
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