Sean Mooney curates the 2025 reading list recommended by private equity investors, operating partners, and portfolio company CEOs featured on Karma School of Business this year. The episode spans business strategy, capital allocation, leadership, happiness, mindset, and life design—through the lens of people actively building and scaling companies. From The Outsiders to Traction to unexpected personal favorites, the list reflects what serious operators are actually reading and rereading. If you’re building for the long term, this one earns a spot in your queue.Episode Highlights1:12 – Casey Myers on shifting from achievement to fulfillment with From Strength to Strength2:53 – Steve Hunter reframes money, time, and health through Die With Zero4:04 – Jonathan Metrick on compounding time, skills, and careers via The Algebra of Wealth7:35 – Ran Ding explains why great CEOs are elite capital allocators in The Outsiders11:11 – Chris Scullin on dynamic competition and adaptation from The...

Rob Turano, Operating Partner at Bloom Equity Partners, breaks down the playbook he uses to transform lower middle-market software companies—from sharpening product focus to elevating talent and building repeatable go-to-market engines. He shares how Bloom integrates operating partners early in diligence, accelerates transformation in the first 12–18 months, and instills a performance culture rooted in data, speed, and ownership. Rob also gets personal, from his love of cooking to the practices he uses to think more clearly as a leader. It’s a sharp, candid look at what real value creation in private equity demands today—hit play and take notes.Episode Highlights1:31 – Growing up in New Jersey, Villanova roots, and the consulting-to-private-equity path5:56 – Why food matters in Rob’s life and how he became Bloom’s unofficial in-house chef9:22 – The three traits Bloom looks for: focus, management strength, and GTM maturity14:38 – Selling value vs. selling features—and why every...

Eliot Kerlin, Founder and Managing Partner of Broadwing Capital, shares the unconventional path that took him from pre-med to private equity and the principles that now guide his firm’s approach to building durable, high-performing companies. He unpacks Broadwing’s value-creation playbook, the importance of forecasting NTM cash flow, and why culture, people analytics, and in-person leadership sit at the center of long-term success. Eliot also reflects on the tenacity required to launch a firm—and the clarity needed to focus on what truly matters. It’s a grounded, thoughtful conversation that sharpens anyone building or leading in today’s private equity landscape.Episode Highlights:1:04 – Growing up in Texas, early influences, and the winding path from pre-med to finance3:44 – Breaking into Wall Street from a non-target school and the power of persistence10:51 – Lessons from hands-on jobs and how service work shapes leadership instincts17:54 – What makes a “good business” vs. a “good...