As an executive who has developed or is in the process of developing an investment thesis(a unique idea or angle based upon your industry experience) you will have interacted with an average of 100-200(and in some cases as many as 600) PE firms before finding one that reciprocates your interest. You may be thinking to yourself, “OK, no problem. I’ll just do a quick search, throw together a list of contacts and blast an outline of my thesis out to 100-200 firms. Surely one of these will respond!” Unfortunately, this just simply isn’t reality in the private equity world.

Throughout the course of a single year, the typical private equity firm will receive an average of 2,500 unsolicited executive resumes. Since a typical firm has approximately fifteen employees and only closes an average of two deals per year, time is a commodity few are able to utilize. In other words, you will rarely, if ever, receive a response let alone secure an introductory phone meeting. 

Private Equity wants to get to know you on a personal level, your character, as equally as they want to understand your unique angle. which is why we maintain the bandwidth to do what 99% of lower-middle market firms cannot: the time-intensive and exhaustive due diligence necessary to identify the most relevant, desirable and qualified executive leads who have actionable investment theses and assemble them into an environment where they have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with Private Equity representatives.

As an executive member within BlackmoreConnects™ - The Association for Private Equity, your expertise and industry experience will be leveraged, through participation in our 'Backable Exec' process, databases and outreach tools into the qualified candidates with whom private equity firms desperately want to connect.  

Full day attendees will walk away having had the prime opportunity to pitch their investment idea(s) in anywhere from 6 -12 guaranteed one-on-one meetings with private equity decision makers. 

Participants

U.S. - based private equity firms who operate within the lower-middle market. Industries of investment range from consumer retail to healthcare.

**NOTE: The majority of private equity participants represent firms that consider themselves 'generalists,' meaning they are not beholden to investment within a single industry or industry adjacencies.

Sector

Education, Business Services, Healthcare Services, Media/Publishing, Transportation/Logistics, Marketing Services, Food/Beverage, Food Ingredients, Medical Devices, Engineering Services, Specialty Packaging, Consumer Products/Services, Building Products, Advanced Building Materials, Aerospace/Defense, Water Management/Tech, Financial Services, Automotive Aftermarket, Niche Manufacturing, Industrial Tech, Value-Added Distribution

**NOTE: If you don't see the industry in which you have experience listed above, don't worry! PE firms are always open to expanding areas of investment.

Format

Lunch

Educational Panel Sessions(3 panels with built-in networking breaks)

One-On-One Networking(6 - 12 guaranteed meetings with PE decision makers)

Optional Cocktail Hour

11:00am - 11:30am

11:30am - 12:00pm

12:00pm - 12:45pm

12:45pm -1:00pm

1:00pm - 1:45pm

1:45pm - 2:00pm

2:00pm - 2:45pm

2:45pm - 3:00pm

3:30pm - 6:30pm

6:30pm - 8:30pm

8:30pm

Event Registration at Northwestern Room Entrance (8th Floor)

Working Lunch/Introductory Remarks By Gerald O'Dwyer, Managing Director, Blackmore Partners, Inc.

Panel 1: How To Pick The Right Private Equity Firm Partner

- Questions to Ask

- Actions/Signals to Observe

- Capital

- Big vs. Boutique Firms

Networking Break: Leverage yourself in every way possible by making the effort to network with fellow attendees in addition to the participating PE PE firms. Increase your funnel of contacts by briefly meeting with individuals that you are not scheduled to meet during the speed networking session.

Panel 2: Debunking Private Equity - Having A PE Partner Will Not Destroy Your Company

- Operational control vs. PE Interference

- Investments in business vs. wholesale cost cutting

- Efficient hiring and firing

- Growth/ROI-oriented capital

Networking Break: Leverage yourself in every way possible by making the effort to network with fellow attendees in addition to the participating PE PE firms. Increase your funnel of contacts by briefly meeting with individuals that you are not scheduled to meet during the speed networking session.

Panel 3: Understanding How/What It's Like To Work With A PE Investor

- Different styles between firms

- Communication

- Board Meetings

- Operational vs. strategic influence

- Introductions

- 100-day plan

- Budgets

Networking Break: Leverage yourself in every way possible by making the effort to network with fellow attendees in addition to the participating PE PE firms. Increase your funnel of contacts by briefly meeting with individuals that you are not scheduled to meet during the speed networking session.

Speed Networking Session Between Private Equity Decision Makers And Executive Attendees

Post-Event Cocktail Hour

Conference Concludes

It began rather modestly, more than a century ago, when a small group of college alumni formed the founding charter. Their goal was a simple one - to create an environment in which excellence thrives and develop a place where they, their guests and all future members could draw upon the sustaining values of a common educational experience. Here, at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Monroe Street at the eastern gateway to the city, they established a permanent residence for their shared ideals. Through the generations, this magnificent 12-story structure has provided a stimulating atmosphere where members conduct business, gather socially and expand culturally.

University Club of Chicago | 76 E. Monroe St. | Chicago, IL, USA

Registration officially opens twelve weeks prior to each event, however, you may register for any conference at any time. Make sure you're on our mailing list to ensure that you receive promotional offers which can allow up to a 50% discount off of the registration price of $2,500.

Private equity firms can also participate through a sponsorship, which includes individual passes for high-interest executives, private meetings, speaking opportunities, pre- and post-event marketing webinars, and discounted lodging rates at the event site.

 Any questions regarding the event, participation or partnership opportunities, please contact:

Blackmore Connects Team

+1.984.148.0716

[email protected]