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I first joined Twitter to observe and learn, an experience which has since transitioned into paying it forward and sharing knowledge. I recognize I haven't detailed my background so here it is:
(1) I started my career in investment banking doing M&A work before moving into private equity/real estate. I worked at one of the top developers in NYC (there are a handful) doing both underwriting and asset management.
Real estate like most jobs in financial services & asset management comes down to rather straight-forward math (for the most part): deal structure, financing structure, valuation and business plans change, but the math generally stays the same. It also helped that I liked numbers and making sense of them within the context of underwriting/valuing assets and the part it plays in dealmaking and execution.
It's funny, I attended a top 10 b-school, knew I wanted to work in IB/PE and there was no doubt I was driven by the compensation at that age, but I didn't know what that meant -- I was blind to what I'd have to give up once I got there. I was young and stupid.
It was four years before I recognized that I was unhappy and unhealthy and needed to make a change. On the advice of my father (an immigrant and a profound influence in my life), I left the business burnt out but not without a plan.
I called up one of my closest friends whose father ran a roofing company local to where I grew up (I used to work there over the summer when I was in high school). I started work the following Monday which eventually became the best nine months of my life: not only did I learn the trade, but I focused on my health and my relationships. It felt great to work hard (physically) and at the end of the day, to look back and see the direct results of my efforts: this was exactly what I needed.
(2) I was hired by a family office which managed and operated two fund strategies: one was real estate and the other was a portfolio of emerging F&B brands...and here's where my story in CPG begins.
First and foremost, I knew nothing about CPG -- but to be fair (and as I mentioned earlier), I liked numbers. Also, I was equally strong in financial modeling, finding stories in the data and communicating the salient messages.
Within nine months, I learned the business and eventually grew into an operator of three of our portfolio companies.
(a) I took over the analysis and reporting of our data & analytics
(b) I created the financial models we use to this day in order to assess the profitability of acquiring new customers, plan our sales/demand and forecast our business
(c) I assumed full control over our trade planning and therefore removed our brokers (to a degree) from running our promotional plans
(d) Most importantly, I learned the importance of understanding the cash flow model of a CPG: how cash cycles thru the business, how understanding A/R is everything and how to altogether continue operating CPG's under this philosophy
(3) Since joining (and as planned), we've wound down the CPG portfolio to three companies. But more than that, I was able to compound my value to the firm by effectively doubling my network (that includes you folks!).
Now I consult and work closely with owner/founders of other emerging CPGs, including companies tangential to the space. For instance, I work closely with the founders of a platform designed to solve for one of the "unavoidable" hurdles of the industry: tradespend.
As of today, I'm here in the trenches willing and ready to learn from others and assist however I can, and thank you to all the folks who have welcomed me into the community!
In the words of @nickywonka ... LFG!
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