RO / Rerecruit / Bet on Myself
Would appreciate some perspective from people a few years ahead of me.
I have a return offer from the relatively small platform I interned at this summer, as a business major (no STEM background). I had a blast this summer, with strong senior and junior culture, great class, great pay, and people I genuinely can joke around with. The only question is that the firm’s exits are less traditional and tend to be more finance / finance-adjacent and HFs.
I’ve realized I don’t really care about PE or HF exits. Long-term, I want to start my own company. I don’t think I ultimately want to spend my career executing within someone else’s organization rather than building something myself.
The options I came up with:
- Take the RO: stay; I'll be happy with the stability, learn a lot, save money, and eventually leave when I have the right idea. My concern is getting comfortable and falling into the “I’ll do it later” trap or golden handcuffs.
- Re-recruit for a BB / larger platform: mainly for the brand, network, larger analyst/alumni base, and potentially more credibility when raising money or building a team later. Not sure if this actually matters for entrepreneurship or if I’m overvaluing the logo (would love to get some color).
- Bet on myself senior year: use the year to seriously try building something while my opportunity cost is still low. If it gets real traction, pursue it; if not, go back to banking and keep figuring it out.
For those in the industry or outside-in: how much did your banking platform/brand actually matter? What would you do in my shoes / looking back?
Appreciate any advice
Del
bump
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Do all three. Try to recruit FT although most processes r done already, then spend the rest of senior year trying entrepreneurship, and if it doesn’t work keep ur RO.
Are most processes rly done? From my understanding, it's only EBs that have finished, with BBs still going
At the very least apps are closed
I don’t see why you can’t just do all 3
Was on a similar position 2 years ago and chose option 1. Pursuing all 3 options is fine but you'll ultimately have to choose at some point. So far still stuck in the golden handcuffs but generally pretty happy with my decision. I did a BB internship before starting FT while having signed my RO thouh to prove myself/others that I could do it, which I can 100% recommend.
Be careful with word choice in describing Option 3.
When it's called "betting on yourself" it sounds really great. I can imagine the ghost of Steve Jobs standing next to you, telling you it's the only choice.
When it's called "walking away from a great start to do something you could just do later" it doesn't sound so good.
I'd go Option 2, and Option 1 would be a close 2nd. Wouldn't blame you at all for choosing Option 1.
I agree directionally with your instinct that BB or some other bigger brand can be a value-add to you long term goals, for the reasons you said (network and brand on resume).
But I would also say it's speculative. Who's writing you a check with GS/MS on your resume that wouldn't write you the same check with a lesser brand . . there's only so much room for that bullet point to impact the decision. That person is much more interested in your individual qualities and the business you're building.
Same goes for network - who do you meet at the BB vs. who did you meet at the smaller shop, and how about the strength of those connections when it sounds like you have built good chemistry with the people at the smaller shop? Sounds like six of one and half a dozen of the other to me.
So I like Option 2, but only by a little, and wouldn't do anything that jeopardizes the RO.
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