Thoughts on these options. Is upstream mobility to buyout / HF (or a thoma bravo etc) that tough from growth? Thoughts on these two choices for movement into sequoia / khosla esque VC?
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Can only speak on Growth Equity Analysts but they are virtually just sourcing they don't touch the model and are oftentimes very distant from the other members of the firms. Speaking towards Insight/GA.
I’d think when a deal is live, or at least towards the later stages of analyst and start of associate you’d get more hands on with the model (obviously stage dependent)
I would beg to differ. I’ve heard of accounts of people (at insight) who interacted with a grand total of one model up into their time as an associate. Kinda crazy.
Bump, I am an incoming SA at a top growth firm (Insight/Summit/GA). Would appreciate insight into this. I am super interested in growth and just curious as to future avenues
Insight out of undergrad is a 100% sourcing job. No chance of buyout or HF roles from that
.
When you join a heavily sourcing-oriented program you generally tend to exit to earlier stage or equivalent, rather than go later.
You only get model reps as an analyst/associate when a deal you source gets far enough to build one, which in this macro is not as often vs 2020/2021. Even then, growth-stage SaaS models are far lighter than the 3 statement model you'd pull together for larger buyout deals.
That’s up my alley fortunately
I'd just consider the certainty with which you'd like to stay in growth. These heavy-sourcing roles provide a different skillset than a BX/KKR/Silver Lake analyst gig, precisely because the modeling (if there is any) is not only so rare for analysts, but also because where it exists its quite simple for earlier stake software companies.
You'll have no trouble moving from a place like Insight to a top VC or even a really solid growth shop. But it is essentially impossible to get a MF buyout or UMM buyout gig unless you're joining one of their growth teams after. MM or LMM PE may be more possible, but you'd have to prove you can do the technical reps to headhunters if you want any looks in their processes.
Growth and venture are fun worlds to be in that are facing a tough period right now and for the immediate future. Consider whether you want to be developing a social skillset in sourcing versus getting much more heavy technical reps. Both sets of offers are exceptional, they just offer quite different experiences.
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