I am considering Chicago middle market and lower middle market PE opportunities. Wanted to see if anyone has views on the following firms in terms of strategy/best performers, culture/WLB, and comp:
1) Waud
2) CORE
3) Windpoint
4) CIVC
Thanks!
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Those are some very different funds in terms of strategy, sector-focus, size, etc.
Windpoint has a good reputation, particularly in certain verticals (e.g., food).
Waud is newer and has some sharp people, cut throat culture and as a junior guy, you'll be working hours more similar banking hours and doing a ton of monotonous work (reporting assistance for portcos, etc.)
I don't care for CORE's strategy and they have notoriously been bottom-feeders, but just won a Lincoln auction, so they must be doing something right.
CIVC is doing lower MM business services deals, but seems to have a reputation as a good place to work.
Looks like waud has been around since 1993 - what do you mean by newer?
I interviewed this year at Windpoint and CIVC this past year. My observations were the following:
WP: comes across as a stuffy, sweatshop like culture. Maybe it was just the personality of the Principal and VPs I spoke with, but it didn’t come across as an enjoyable place to work. I distinctly remember asking what they like about WP and they both had terrible answers, which was quite an eye opener for a softball question.
CIVC: came across as a much more WLB and culture centered team, again could just of been the people I interviewed with.
Ended up taking a different PE offer so not at either firm.
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