We’re proud to announce ParkerGale Capital as Innovator of the Year in the second annual BluWave private equity awards. The Chicago-based firm was selected for its for exemplary innovation and leadership. “We are proud to be recognized by BluWave for our approach to acquiring and improving small software companies,” said Devin Mathews, founder and Partner of ParkerGale Capital. “Since our founding, we have worked hard to deliver results through building an organization that deeply integrates...

The majority of mergers and acquisitions fail. But why is that? This can happen for many reasons: disunity, lack of communication, impatience, poor due diligence. In any case, many of these failures can be avoided, either by better planning, or by calling off the engagement when the two sides realize it’s not meant to be. We’re going to look at some of the more common reasons mergers and acquisitions fail, along with some potential solutions. Success/Failure Rate of Mergers and Acquisitions...

Sales due diligence is an essential aspect of the investment process for private equity firms. It not only helps PE firms evaluate the financial health of a target company, but it can also uncover hidden revenue opportunities. READ MORE: What is Commercial Due Diligence? Understanding the Revenue Streams of a Target Company Before a PE firm can maximize a target company’s revenue streams, it must first understand them. Analyzing the company’s financial statements and sales data gives a clear...

Private equity portfolio companies have a unique set of challenges when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent. The stakes are high, as the success of a portfolio company can make or break a private equity firm’s investment. That’s why it’s crucial to have the right resources and strategies in place to recruit effectively. With so many portcos to manage, private equity firms can struggle to attract and retain the right talent. Competition is fierce, especially if resources are limited...

Demand for interim chief human resources officers in private equity continues to climb. It’s no wonder: Human capital is consistently a top service area in the BluWave Value Creation Index. But how do you know which HR leader to hire? Once you narrow your pool to the finalists, it all begins with the interview process. You’ll want to ask about their work history, industry experience, people philosophy and more. In this guide, we’re going to tell you what the interview should look like, and how...

Interim chief human resources officers are becoming a more and more popular request in the world of private equity. That’s no surprise, considering how effective an effective interim CHRO can be with crisis management, navigating mergers and acquisitions, setting up a human resources department from scratch and more. “It’s a functional area that’s been historically overlooked,” BluWave head of Research and Operations Keenan Kolinsky says. “Private equity hasn’t viewed it as a critical function...

Every quarter our team analyzes the projects we work on with our 500+ PE firm clients to get a birdseye view of the market. We recently compiled our Q4 findings, as well as annual 2022 findings, into our Q4 2022 BluWave Insights Report. Request your copy. Key findings from 2022 include: Annual value creation activity increased ~14% YoY. Human capital remains PE’s primary area of focus at 50% of all 2022 value creation activity. Strategy resource usage in 2022 diligence activity increased from...

Recently, BluWave founder & CEO, Sean Mooney, spoke with Lou Diamond on his Thrive LouD podcast. Their conversation covered Sean’s story, how he got into private equity, how he transitioned into founding BluWave, what BluWave does, and much more. Interested in listening to the full episode to learn how BluWave now supports the best business builders in the world? Click below. Gain more insights from Sean by listening to our very own Karma School of Business podcast. You can also glean more...

When a company faces a financial crisis, an interim chief financial officer can make all the difference in a successful turnaround. Whether going through a restructuring, facing bankruptcy or other challenging financial situations, an experienced financial leader is essential. Situations for an Interim CFO A financial crisis can be due to something within a company, external economic forces, or both. Poorly responding to a distressing financial situation can destroy a business. A capable...

Every quarter we gather human capital professionals from private equity firms 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 top trends in 2022 and top areas of focus for 2023. These forums are for human capital professionals at private equity firms only and follow Chatham House Rules, so listed below are high-level takeaways only. If you are a human capital...

Every quarter we gather Vice Presidents in PE to discuss current industry topics and to offer these peers the chance to gather, share information, and decompress with one another. In our most recent event, we discussed the current state of the economy, debt markets, and the outlook for 2023. These forums are invite-only and follow Chatham House Rules, so listed below are high-level takeaways only. Economy and Debt Markets The state of the economy has compelled PE firms to be more intentional...

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 top lessons learned in 2022 and 2023 initiatives. Top Lessons Learned in 2022 Even the most resilient supply chains struggled in 2022. We continue to be in a global supply chain crisis. Pricing strategy and related pricing strategy advisor usage was a major focus in 2022...