The Private Equity Podcast
Hosted by Alex Rawlings
A headhunter for the private equity industry interviews investors, operators, and executives on their playbooks for creating value and building careers.
This is a practitioner's podcast for the private equity world, hosted by an insider whose day job is finding talent for the industry. The conversations are less about financial engineering and more about the operational and human capital side of PE—how to structure an operations team, what makes a good portfolio company executive, and the specific playbooks firms use to drive growth. The host's perspective as a recruiter gives the interviews a practical edge, focusing on the tangible skills and processes that lead to success.
“Unlike many finance podcasts hosted by journalists or investors, the host's vantage point as an executive search consultant is unique. His questions are often geared toward understanding what makes a successful leader or a high-performing team, reflecting his professional focus on talent and organizational structure.”
Who hosts this show
Alex Rawlings is the Founder and Managing Partner of Raw Selection, a UK-based executive search firm that specializes in placing leaders within Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies. He leverages his industry access as a headhunter to host the podcast, where he interviews PE professionals about their strategies for value creation, operational improvements, and career progression. Alex founded Raw Selection in 2017 and is the author of a book titled "How to Hire".
Credentials & credits
- Founder & Managing Partner, Raw Selection
- Author, "How to Hire"
- Host, The Private Equity Podcast
Other ventures
- Raw Selection
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- uk
When new episodes drop
- 01
- 02Building Value Through Carve-Outs, Operational Transformation and AIJun 23, 2026 · 26 min
- 03$465M Exit and how to get to the top 5% in US BuyoutsJun 16, 2026 · 33 min
- 04Are law firms ripe for Private Equity investmentJun 2, 2026 · 54 min
- 05Why Most PE-Backed Companies Are Invisible to AI SearchMay 26, 2026 · 26 min
- 06Raising Capital in 2026 with James VarelaMay 24, 2026 · 29 min
- 07How to manage the priorities between the executive team and the investorMay 19, 2026 · 31 min
- 08Why Founders Are Saying No to Buyouts: Hidden River’s Game-Changing Capital StrategyMay 17, 2026 · 18 min
Notable episodes
- 01$465M Exit and how to get to the top 5% in US Buyouts
Guest Daniel Pianko explains how his firm achieved top 5% DPI performance by investing in companies limited by talent shortages and then building apprenticeship programs to solve the problem.
- 02Are law firms ripe for Private Equity investment
A deep dive into a niche sector with guest Adil Taha, who argues that the popular 'buy and build' strategy is failing in the legal space and details the rescue of a distressed law firm.
- 03Building Value Through Carve-Outs, Operational Transformation and AI
Guest Russ Roenick details a specific six-point value creation playbook and explains how his firm recruits successful former portfolio company executives to its operations team.
What you'll be asked on this show
Alex Rawlings runs a structured and repeatable interview process. He opens every conversation by asking the guest for a brief insight into their background, establishing their origin story and credibility. A signature early-interview move is to ask what common mistake the guest sees private equity firms making, which surfaces contrarian takes and practical advice. He probes deeper by referencing a guest's specific statement (e.g., "You mentioned 'average deals,' how are you measuring that?") or by asking for a case study on a specific deal. Rawlings consistently closes interviews by asking guests for their media recommendations ("What do you read, watch, or listen to?") before signing off with his catchphrase.
This is a weekly, remote-video interview show. The host, Alex Rawlings, is direct and follows a structured format, often summarizing a guest's point before asking a follow-up. He consistently uses a standard set of opening and closing questions, and ends each episode with the catchphrase, "Keep smashing it."
Questions Alex Rawlings keeps coming back to
13 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Alex Rawlings reaches for it.
origin
1- Q.01
“Can you share a brief insight into you and your background?”
This is always the first question, used to establish the guest's origin story and credentials.
advice
4- Q.01
“What's one mistake you see private equity firms or portfolio companies making, and how would you correct it?”
Asked early in the interview to elicit actionable advice and critical industry perspectives.
- Q.02
“What are the fastest-growing firms doing that others are missing?”
Used to identify best practices and current trends within a specific industry niche.
- Q.03
“What is one actionable thing a business should do to increase their brand or scale?”
The host asks for a single, distilled takeaway for the audience to apply.
- Q.04
“How can people get in touch with you after the podcast?”
A frequent closing question that allows listeners to connect directly with the guest.
process
3- Q.01
“How do you help your portfolio companies through value creation and operational improvement?”
This question targets the core of a PE firm's playbook beyond just capital.
- Q.02
“Can you talk us through the journey with a specific deal or platform?”
The host often requests a specific case study to ground the conversation in a real-world example.
- Q.03
“How is your value creation or operations team structured?”
This question explores the human capital and organizational design behind a firm's strategy.
future
1- Q.01
“How can portfolio companies use AI as a value creation lever?”
A recurring question that addresses the practical application of this major technology trend.
money
3- Q.01
“What's the secret to your fund's top performance or a major exit?”
This question probes into the specific factors that drive outsized financial success.
- Q.02
“What area of [a specific sector] is currently attracting the most interest from private equity?”
Aimed at pinpointing current investment trends and areas of high activity.
- Q.03
“How are you communicating your strategy to your LPs and stakeholders?”
This question focuses on the crucial aspect of investor relations and fundraising narratives.
personal
1- Q.01
“What do you read, watch, or listen to that you'd recommend?”
This is a standard closing question in every interview to provide further resources.
Signature segments
- · Closing catchphrase: "Keep smashing it."
- · Recurring Question: "What's one mistake you see PE firms making?"
- · Recurring Question: "What do you read, watch, or listen to?"
- · Opening Question: "Share with us a brief insight into you."
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are senior leaders from the private equity ecosystem. They are typically Co-Founders or Managing Partners of PE firms, specialist operators with a track record in a specific sector, or executives from portfolio companies.
- Russ Roenickon Building Value Through Carve-Outs, Operational Transformation and AI
- Daniel Piankoon $465M Exit and how to get to the top 5% in US Buyouts
- Adil Tahaon Are law firms ripe for Private Equity investment
- Shiv Narayananon Why Most PE-Backed Companies Are Invisible to AI Search
- James Varelaon Raising Capital in 2026 with James Varela
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Sponsors are B2B companies whose target customers are private equity firms and their portfolio companies. Based on observed sponsors like Grata (deal sourcing platform) and Chief Outsiders (fractional executives), the estimated angle is lead generation for high-ticket services.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Alex Rawlings
a•••@•••.comnceFree: limited reveals · Pro: unlimited reveals + CSV export
You’re only charged when we return a verified hit.
People also ask
- Who is the host of the podcast?
- The host is Alex Rawlings, the Founder and Managing Partner of Raw Selection, an executive search firm for the private equity industry.
- Is The Private Equity Podcast still active?
- Yes, the podcast releases new episodes on a weekly basis, with the most recent episodes published in June 2026.
- What is the format of the show?
- It is a weekly interview show where Alex Rawlings speaks with a single guest from the private equity industry via a remote video call.
- How can I be a guest on the podcast?
- The podcast's public description provides an email for inquiries about appearing on the show: [email — gated].
- What is Raw Selection?
- Raw Selection is the host's executive search firm, which focuses on recruiting C-suite talent for private equity firms and their portfolio companies across North America and Europe.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube and audio platforms like Audible.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
Podcasts like The Private Equity Podcast
Saad Rashid - YouTube Automation
Saad Rashid
A Pakistani host interviews creators of 'faceless' YouTube channels, breaking down their niche strategies, AI workflows, and revenue generation.
Silicon Valley Girl
Silicon Valley Girl
An entrepreneur interviews the founders and scientists building the next wave of AI to uncover practical strategies for career and business growth.
The Arena
The Arena
A daily sports debate show where 3-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas and a panel of former pros give unfiltered takes on basketball news.
Shallu Nisha Podcast
Shallu Nisha
A long-form interview podcast exploring the careers and business of North Indian digital creators, artists, and entrepreneurs.
Backstage with Millionaires
Pankaj Chauhan
A weekly news show and documentary-style channel breaking down the biggest stories and trends in the Indian startup and venture capital ecosystem.
Thomas Brush
Thomas Brush
A podcast for aspiring indie game developers, hosted by a solo dev who interviews peers about the practical and emotional journey of making games.
Middle Nation
Middle Nation
A political commentator analyzes global events from a pro-Muslim, anti-imperialist perspective, advocating for decolonization and sovereignty.
The Founder's Dream | Abhishek vyas
The Founder
A Hindi-language business podcast featuring long-form interviews with Indian startup founders about their real-world journeys and industries.