Hannah Welsh shares best practices on how interim CFOs can become better partners to their executive teams. The tips exclusively shared from portco CEOs in BluWave’s Network include:
Contact Hannah via email at hannah.welsh@bluwave.net with any questions.
BluWave’s Business Development team works daily with private equity and private client leadership to solve complex business problems. Our BD team members walk prospects through our business model and how we can help them, manage our client relationships, and ultimately help ensure BluWave remains top of mind with clients. We recently talked with Richmond Donnelly, Business Development Sr. Account Manager, to hear a little bit more about his role, his onboarding experience, and what it’s like being on the BD team.
What made you interested in applying & why did you ultimately decide to join the BluWave team?
I wanted to apply to BluWave because I enjoy working with Private Equity Firms and saw this as an opportunity to continue doing so in a more meaningful way with a larger impact. I ultimately decided to join BluWave after the interview process, meeting with the team, and management. It’s apparent that everyone is passionate about the work we’re doing, with a focus on winning collectively for our clients and as a firm.
What’s your favorite part about the team and culture?
My favorite part is the energy and attitude of the team. There are a lot of moving parts at all times and each team member (across all functions) leans in to ensure we’re delivering for our clients and growing as an organization.
What excites you most about the future of BluWave?
The opportunities to continue to grow and provide value for our clients. There was obviously tremendous success and growth before I joined, but there is a momentum that’s really neat to be a part of.
Out of the BluWave Values of “Team, Value, Grow, Win”, what is an example of how you have seen these values play out in your time here?
The Team value is played out daily, multiple times a day. Every successful engagement is a result of different groups collaborating and feeding off of each other’s successes and contributions to create a great experience for our clients.
What’s your background?
I was previously in a Client Management role providing Venture Capital and Private Equity firms with portfolio monitoring and valuation software.
What has been your favorite part of your onboarding experience?
My favorite part of the onboarding experience is that you get a deep dive into essentially every role and function within the firm. It was very interesting to see how each team contributes and what goes into creating a successful experience for our clients. I think each new team member going through this experience creates a greater appreciation for each other and a positive impact on the culture.
What’s your favorite part of the job and what do you find most rewarding about it?
My favorite part of the job is the client base we work with. The problems are ever-evolving and it’s very interesting to get a front row seat to the trends and activity in the private markets.
Understanding that when a client comes to BluWave, they’re in need of something yesterday and that need is critical for the success of their firm. Being able to deliver on exceeding their expectations is extremely rewarding.
Now for the fun stuff, what are your favorite hobbies/activities outside of work?
I have an eight month old daughter, so spending time with her and my wife take the cake. Outside of that, reminding our dog that we haven’t forgotten about him and playing the occasional round of golf.
Favorite Nashville restaurant?
Edley’s Bar-B-Que
Favorite movie?
Remember the Titans
Go-to vacation spot?
30A
If you’re interested in joining the BluWave team, be sure to check out our open positions.
Hannah Welsh shares observed best practices for communicating with private equity sponsors after taking an executive role within one of their portfolio companies. The top tips include:
Contact Hannah via email at hannah.welsh@bluwave.net with any questions.
Every organization has its unique data, and we believe it’s what you do with that data that truly gives you a competitive advantage within your respective industry. Each business decision we make is driven by our data, collected from our 500+ PE firm clients. Gaining a birds-eye view of the market allows us to advise our clients on trends, insights, and proactive measures to support mutual success. We recently sat down with Connor Mignone, Junior Data Analyst, to hear a little bit more about his role and why he joined the team.
What made you interested in applying & why did you ultimately decide to join the BluWave team?
I have always been intrigued by the private equity industry and, after doing some research, was really excited about what BluWave was doing, and the direction it is headed. Seeing it was a high growth the company made it even more compelling to join.
What’s your favorite part about the team and culture?
Everyone is super friendly, there’s great communication among coworkers. It’s truly a supportive and positive environment.
What excites you most about the future of BluWave?
After hearing Sean, our Founder and CEO, talk about his plan and vision for BluWave’s future, I knew I wanted to help and use what I knew about data, models, and machine learning to help the company grow.
From a data perspective, BluWave is phenomenal with a large, clean data set, which puts us in a position to grow unburdened by common scaling challenges. BluWave has an exciting future with a lot of opportunity for machine learning.
Out of the BluWave Values of “Team, Value, Grow, Win”, what is an example of how you have seen these values play out in your time here?
BluWave’s growth plays the biggest role in my day-to-day. The pace at which we plan, implement, then plan to scale dashboards and other data visualizations, is unmatched.
What’s your background?
I received my Bachelors of Arts in Mathematics with a specialization in Actuarial Science from Central Connecticut State University, and most recently graduated with my Masters of Science from Vanderbilt’s Data Science program.
What has been your favorite part of your onboarding experience?
I feel very fortunate to have been able to work part-time at BluWave while I got my graduate degree. Management was more than accommodating. I thought the pace at which I was adjusted into the company was optimal.
The team-building activities like curling have also been super fun!
What’s your favorite part of the job and what do you find most rewarding about it?
The pace and variety. I get bored easily and love having things to do. Data is cross-departmental so one hour I might be working with marketing, the next might be with operations.
The most rewarding part of my job is receiving feedback. Whether it be positive or constructive criticism, it feels good to know my contributions are an important part of the company that the managers use to make decisions.
Now for the fun stuff, what are your favorite hobbies/activities outside of work?
I do Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Nashville MMA. It’s a great workout and it quenches my competitive streak from being an ex-student-athlete. I try to go 5-6 days a week.
Favorite Nashville restaurant?
Sperry’s in Belle Meade
Favorite podcast?
If you’re interested in joining the BluWave team, be sure to check out our open positions.
As part of an ongoing series, we’re sharing real-time trending topics we are hearing from our 500+ PE firm clients. In our most recent installment, we discuss why leading PE firms are choosing to engage specialized executive search firms over larger generalist recruiting firms.
Learn more by watching the video below.
Interested in connecting with a specialized recruiter or any other type of third party? Contact us here. You can also learn more about the specific ways we drive value for PE firms by connecting them to the exact-fit resources they need by reading our case studies.
Hannah Welsh shares observed best practices for individuals interviewing for an interim CFO role with one of our PE firm clients. The top tips include:
Contact Jake Adcock via email at hannah.welsh@bluwave.net with any questions.
The controller is an integral role in any organization. From optimizing accounting processes to strategic analysis of current processes to compliance, Justin Scott leads BluWave’s finance and accounting operations as Controller. We recently sat down with him to hear a little bit more about his role and why he joined the team.
How did you hear about BluWave and what made you interested in applying & then joining the team?
I first heard about BluWave through a recruiter and I agreed to allow them to submit my name based on the rapid growth of the company and the culture that was described.
What’s your favorite part about the team and culture?
The camaraderie and team effort to achieve goals was what sold me on accepting the offer, and seeing it happen every day is incredible.
Out of the BluWave Values of “Team, Value, Grow, Win”, what is an example of how you have seen these values play out in your time here?
The morning check-ins are a perfect example of true teamwork. When discussing opportunities, I often hear knowledge share, and folks offering to pitch in and help wherever they are needed.
What’s your background?
I’ve been in finance leadership for more than 20 years.
What’s your favorite part of the job and what do you find most rewarding about it?
My favorite part is organizing business processes, and adjusting the cadence for efficiency.
The most rewarding part of my job is helping others identify and achieve their career goals.
Now for the fun stuff, what are your favorite hobbies and activities when you aren’t in the office?
I enjoy reading, pencil drawing, and video games.
Favorite Nashville restaurant?
Monell’s at the Manor for breakfast!
Go-to vacation spot?
Las Vegas.
If you’re interested in joining the BluWave team, be sure to check out our open positions.
Every quarter we bring together top PE HR and talent executives to discuss current industry topics and to offer talent leaders in private equity the chance to gather, share intel, and decompress with one another. In our most recent event, we discussed many topics and listed our top takeaways below.
These forums follow Chatham House Rules, so listed below are high-level takeaways only. Are you in private equity and interested in joining fellow leading PE professionals during our next Human Capital Forum? RSVP for our next event on August 24th.
Resource scarcity:
Developing current talent:
Managing relationships with specialized recruiters:
We thoroughly enjoyed the fruitful conversations that occurred during this recent gathering of PE human capital professionals. If we can be of assistance during this busy time, please let us know.
Additionally, you may be interested in checking out some of our human capital specific resources, which can be found here:
Within our Intelligent Marketplace, we have a deep bench of both service provider groups and independent consultants that uniquely meet the private equity standard. To ensure we always have the independents our clients need when they need them, we have team members dedicated to mapping the market and onboarding individuals that are a great fit. Hannah Welsh sits on our Research & Operations team and is focused on building out our bench of interim executives. We recently sat down with her to hear a little bit more about her role and why she joined the team.
How did you hear about BluWave and what made you interested in applying & then joining the team?
I first heard about BluWave from Belmont University’s Career Development Office while pursuing my MBA degree in the spring of 2021. I was interested in BluWave because I have always had a passion for challenge and making a difference. I appreciated BluWave’s ability to solve problems for the private equity industry and wanted to learn more about different avenues of business from seasoned executives.
What’s your favorite part about the team and culture?
My favorite part about the team is the positivity and the determination. I love that the whole company, regardless of the individual team, works together. BluWave celebrates each person’s successes and always explains the “why” behind strategic company decisions. Along with this, everyone has such a strong worth ethic and genuinely wants our clients and our business to succeed.
Out of the BluWave Values of “Team, Value, Grow, Win”, what is an example of how you have seen these values play out in your time here?
I see BluWave’s values play out every day. No function here stands alone, we know it takes a team. From marketing to data, to BD and R&O, we all work together to create value for our clients. Here we all grow together as people both personally and professionally!
What’s your background?
I graduated from the University of Evansville in 2020 with a BS in Marketing and Management and then from Belmont University in 2021 with an MBA in Marketing and Strategic Management. BluWave is my first real job!
What’s your favorite part of the job and what do you find most rewarding about it?
My favorite part of this job is meeting so many different independent service providers and hearing their stories. They all have unique backgrounds and I learn a lot from them.
The most rewarding part of the job has to be connecting our team with the right consultant they need for a client’s project. When I help our team connect with the right, exact-fit resources they need, both the clients and consultants succeed and I love getting to play a part in that.
Now for the fun stuff, what are your favorite hobbies and activities when you aren’t in the office?
I love to spend time with friends and family and go on runs!
Favorite Nashville restaurant?
Probably Blanco Cocina + Cantina or Edley’s – just depends on the day!
Favorite TV show?
I’m torn – either Peaky Blinders or Ozark.
If you’re interested in joining the BluWave team, be sure to check out our open positions.
Interested in learning more about our interim executive practice? Check out our interim executive resource hub, or contact Hannah via email at hannah.welsh@bluwave.net.
As part of an ongoing series, we’re sharing real-time trending topics we are hearing from our 500+ PE firm clients. In our most recent installment, one of our Managing Consultants, Scott Bellinger, talks about how leading PE firms are utilizing third parties to manage procurement issues that have been brought on due to inflation and supply chain issues roaring out of control.
Learn more about the unique ways in which PE firms are utilizing third-party procurement groups by watching the video below.
Interested in connecting with a third-party procurement group or any other type of third party? Contact us here. You can also learn more about the specific ways we drive value for PE firms by connecting them to the exact-fit resources they need by reading our case studies.
Every quarter we gather Operating Executives in PE to discuss current industry topics and to offer peers the chance to gather, share information, and decompress with one another. In our most recent event, we gathered to discuss optimal operating team structure, how firms are tackling ESG, as well as GTM and growth strategies.
These forums are for PE Operating Executives only and follow Chatham House Rules, so listed below are high-level takeaways only. Are you in private equity and interested in joining fellow Operating Executives during our next Operating Partners’ Forum? RSVP for the August 23rd forum.
We thoroughly enjoyed getting to gather with PE Operating Executives to discuss these current hot topics. If we can be of help sourcing needed specialists, developing your ESG strategy, or connecting you with pricing expertise, please contact us.
Interested in learning more about BluWave? Check out our Introduction to BluWave video to learn more about us and how we can help you.
Every quarter our team analyzes the projects we work on with our 500+ PE firm clients to get a birdseye view of the market. You can request your copy here to view all of the trends that we have seen over the past quarter.
Key findings from Q1 included value creation at a historical high, deal flow reflecting 2019 versus 2021, & inflationary pressures impacting how firms thought about everything from pricing to talent.
Learn more about the insights we gleaned from the report by watching the video below.
To request the full the report, click here.
Video transcript:
BluWave has a unique vantage in the private equity industry, working with more than 500 of the world’s top private equity firms across thousands of projects in due diligence, value creation, and preparing for sale. From this activity, we’re able to discern unique insights regarding how and why the world works. The top insight of the first quarter of 2022 relates to value creation. A staggering all-time high record 78% of initiatives tracked in the BluWave Activity Index related to value creation. Here are a few other trends that you might find helpful. Human capital is becoming increasingly important in private equity. With the fallout from The Great Resignation still alive and well, firms are struggling to fill key roles, which has resulted in an increase in time and resources invested in human capital. Across the BluWave Activity Index, 42% is related to human capital, which is up from 36% in the previous quarter. Firms have been utilizing specialized HR resources to recruit A-level talent, retain key players, and bring in critical interim skill sets. One of the biggest trends we’re seeing in private equity and the broader global economy is inflation. We’re seeing PE take proactive measures using specialized third-parties to help them pass through rising input costs, defend against price increases, and hone the operational efficiency of their portfolio companies. For more unique private equity insights, request the BluWave Q1 Insights Report today by following the link below or by contacting us at info@BluWave.net.
