Meeting of the Minds

By: Will Smith & Niklas James
Listen for free

  • Summary

  • Your connection to the growing world of independent sponsors and deal-by-deal private equity.
    © 2025 Will Smith & Niklas James
    Show More Show Less
Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Finance
Show More Show Less
Episodes
  • From Searcher to Independent Sponsor to $225m Fund

    From Searcher to Independent Sponsor to $225m Fund
    Mar 5 2025

    Alex de Pfyffer and Ross Porter of Heritage Holdings share their journey from searchers (bringing a $45m revenue company to $140m) to sponsors (achieving 99% gross IRR across 6 platforms) to fund managers (closing a $225m fund closed in 2024). They engage in a vivid debate about the pros and cons of the fund model versus deal-by-deal private equity.

    References and how to contact Alex and Ross:
    Alex de Pfyffer | LinkedIn
    Ross Porter | LinkedIn

    For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.

    Connect with Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with hosts Will Smith and Niklas James
    • Visit Minds Capital

    Credits:

    • Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Buying an 800-Unit Hair Salon during Covid

    Buying an 800-Unit Hair Salon during Covid
    Feb 26 2025

    Azhar Quader of Queens Court Capital specializes on special situations and walks us through how he used his large-cap Wall Street experience to take Hair Cuttery out of bankruptcy to become a $25m EBITDA success story.

    References and how to contact Azhar:
    Azhar Quader | LinkedIn

    For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.

    Connect with Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with hosts Will Smith and Niklas James
    • Visit Minds Capital

    Credits:

    • Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 10 mins
  • 20x a $10m investment in 2.5 years

    20x a $10m investment in 2.5 years
    Feb 17 2025

    Michael Sutton, founder of Guideboat Capital Partners, discusses how he took a restaurant chain from $5m to $25m in EBITDA and then 40x'd the enterprise value of Buff City, a soap retailer.

    References and how to contact Michael:
    Michael Sutton | LinkedIn

    For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.

    Connect with Minds:

    • See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
    • Connect with hosts Will Smith and Niklas James
    • Visit Minds Capital

    Credits:

    • Edited by Anton Rohozov
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins

What listeners say about Meeting of the Minds

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com.au reviews

Amazon Reviews
No Reviews are Available
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.