Episodes
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In this episode, we speak with Jan Bruennler, Managing Partner, and Visar Shabi, Portfolio CTO at Bregal Milestone, a leading European growth equity firm investing in fast-growing, mission-critical software businesses across Europe.
With approximately €2.3 billion of capital and more than 60 investments completed since inception, Bregal Milestone provides growth capital and operational support to help build market-leading software companies. The firm is part of Bregal Investments, a leading global investment platform with over €24 billion in assets under management.
As software companies navigate a rapidly evolving technology landscape, Jan and Visar discuss Bregal Milestone's approach to value creation, including how the firm supports portfolio companies through technology, product, and AI expertise.
Jan co-founded Bregal Milestone and is a member of its Investment Committee, overseeing the firm’s AI initiatives. As Portfolio CTO, Visar works closely with portfolio companies on technology, product, and AI strategy, drawing on prior experience at Bain & Company and Brainlabs.
Bregal Milestone was recognized as a Top Growth Equity Firm of 2025 and Top Private Equity Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Brian Barlow, Co-Founder and CEO of Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP), a company focused on building and scaling businesses that support the next generation of critical energy and digital infrastructure.
As demand for energy and computing power continues to grow, existing infrastructure systems are facing increasing strain. SIP develops businesses and projects designed to help modernize these systems and enable more intelligent, scalable infrastructure for the future.
Brian has spent more than three decades as a private markets investor across technology and infrastructure. Prior to co-founding SIP, he served as Director of Infrastructure Investments for Alphabet's urban innovation platform. Prior to that, he was a Managing director at American Infrastructure Funds. Earlier, Brian was a senior member of Scion Capital, the investment firm founded by Dr. Michael Burry and featured in The Big Short.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Mike McGinn, Partner and Co-Head of Growth at Sixth Street. He is based in New York and focuses on private investments in growth-oriented companies.
Sixth Street Growth provides growth equity and bespoke capital solutions to mid- and late-stage technology companies. It is the dedicated growth investing platform of Sixth Street, a leading global investment firm with over $130 billion in assets under management and committed capital. Through its Growth strategy, Sixth Street has invested over $13 billion in more than 90 companies.
Prior to Sixth Street, Mike was a Managing Director in AmSSG at Goldman Sachs. Previously, he was Co-Head of PCI, AmSSG’s growth capital business, and worked in AmSSG’s multi-strategy investing group and specialty lending group. Earlier in his career, Mike worked in the Global Investment Research division at Goldman Sachs.
Sixth Street Growth was recognized as a Top Growth Equity Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Devon Kirk, General Partner at Portage Capital Solutions, the flagship growth strategy within Portage, focused on providing flexible capital solutions to later-stage fintech and financial services companies.
Portage is a global investment platform with $6.4 billion in assets under management and more than 25 investment professionals across North America, Europe, and the Middle East. The firm has invested in over 100 companies since inception and invests across stages through Portage Ventures and Portage Capital Solutions. Portage is part of Sagard, a global multi-strategy alternative asset manager with over $46 billion in assets under management.
Devon joined the firm in 2022 and co-leads growth equity, structured equity, and special situations investments across financial technology and financial services companies globally, and helps drive the fund’s overall strategy. She is based in Toronto. Previously, Devon spent over a decade at CPP Investments, and earlier in her career worked at BMO Harris Nesbitt and Linklaters.
Portage Capital Solutions was recognized as a Top Growth Equity Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Reed Van Gorden, Managing Director of Deerpath Capital, a leading provider of cash-flow based senior debt financing to lower middle market companies across a diverse range of industries and transaction types.
Founded in 2007, Deerpath’s mission is to be the premier direct lending firm in the middle market, built on long-term relationships with investors, borrowers, private equity sponsors, and management teams. The firm has invested over $14.5 billion across more than 1,200 transactions and manages approximately $9 billion in assets, supported by a scaled origination platform across key U.S. markets and a global presence in Europe and Asia.
Reed is a Managing Director, member of the Investment Committee, and Head of Origination. He joined Deerpath in 2015 and brings 18 years of industry experience, with prior roles in leveraged finance and private equity at Golub Capital, Abingworth Management, and JPMorgan.
Deerpath Capital was recognized as a Top Private Credit Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap.
Reed supports Make-A-Wish. To learn more about this organization click here.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Todd Abbrecht, Co-CEO of THL Partners, a premier private equity firm investing in middle-market growth companies exclusively within three sectors: healthcare, financial technology & services, and technology & business solutions.
Since 1974, THL’s team has managed or deployed $50 billion of equity capital, worked with over 175 partner companies worldwide, and fueled more than 700 add-on acquisitions representing an aggregate enterprise value of over $260 billion.
Todd has spent more than 30 years at THL and has played a central role in the firm’s evolution towards sector specialization. The firm combines deep sector expertise through its Identified Sector Opportunity (ISO) process with dedicated internal operating resources from its Strategic Resource Group to transform and build great companies of lasting value in partnership with management teams. These resources aim to accelerate growth, improve operations, and drive long-term sustainable value.
THL Partners was recognized as a Top Private Equity Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Frank Karl, Managing Director of Kayne Anderson’s Private Credit strategies and President of Kayne Anderson BDC.
Kayne Anderson Private Credit, the direct lending arm of Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, has deployed over $14 billion since 2011 across senior credit funds, BDCs, and other vehicles, managing more than $7 billion in assets. The firm focuses on capital preservation through secured, cash-flow-generating investments in established middle-market companies, targeting stable businesses for attractive, risk-adjusted returns.
Frank joined Kayne Anderson in 2013 and has focused on private credit strategies throughout his tenure. He was previously a member of Houlihan Lokey’s financial restructuring group, advising debtors and creditors, and holds a BBA magna cum laude from Notre Dame.
Kayne Anderson Private Credit was recently recognized as a Top Private Credit Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap.
Frank supports VOCEL. To learn more about this organization click here.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Vinny Pujji, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Left Lane Capital, a New York- and London-based global venture capital and growth equity firm investing in hyper-growth consumer and technology businesses with enduring customer relationships.
Founded in 2019, Left Lane manages approximately $2.5B in assets and operates with a lean, high-performance team focused on partnering with entrepreneurs building category-defining companies across high-growth sectors.
As a founding partner, Vinny helps drive the firm’s global investment strategy and portfolio development and plays a key role overseeing Left Lane’s investment team. Prior to Left Lane, he was an investment professional at Insight Partners, where he helped deploy approximately $1B across a portfolio of leading technology companies.
Vinny was recently recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 Growth Investor of 2025 by GrowthCap.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Michael Henriques, Partner and Senior Portfolio Manager at Magnetar, a multi-strategy alternative investment manager with more than $22 billion in AUM.
Founded in 2005, the firm invests across public and private markets in the U.S. and Europe, with a focus on alternative credit, fixed income, and venture strategies. Its Alternative Credit & Fixed Income business targets Specialty Finance, Structured Solutions, and Opportunistic Markets, seeking to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns, particularly during periods of market dislocation.
Michael brings three decades of experience in fixed income, structured securities, and real estate. He joined the firm in 2007 and previously served as a Managing Director at Deutsche Bank. Before that, he spent more than ten years at Goldman Sachs, where he began as a structured finance analyst and ultimately co-headed the CDO and Synthetic ABS group. Michael received his MBA from Wharton and his BA from Princeton.
Magnetar was recently recognized as a Top Private Credit Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap.
Michael supports HE3AT. To learn more about this organization click here.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Alexander Gorokhovskiy, Managing Director and Head of North American Corporate Direct Lending and Venture Debt at Deutsche Bank Private Credit & Infrastructure (“DB PCI”).
DB PCI provides financing, structuring, and risk management solutions across four product verticals: Corporate Direct Lending & Growth Debt, Fund Finance, Digital Infrastructure & Appraisable Assets, and Infrastructure & Energy. Together, these complementary businesses offer flexible financing solutions across the capital structure, including customized terms and product structures.
Alexander’s responsibilities span underwriting, structuring, portfolio management, and syndication across DB PCI’s principal lending activities.
DB PCI was recently recognized as a Top Private Credit Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap.
Alexander supports American Jewish Committee, UJA Federation NY, Hillel, and Yad Vashem.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Adam Hemmer, Managing Director at TSG Consumer, a leading consumer-focused private equity firm with approximately $13 billion in assets under management.
With a 35+ year track record of building iconic brands, TSG leverages deep consumer expertise to partner with exceptional leaders and transformational brands, helping them grow and adapt to the ever-evolving needs of their consumers.
Adam works closely with TSG’s partner companies and is actively involved in originating, structuring, and conducting due diligence on new investment opportunities. Prior to joining TSG, he was a consultant at Kurt Salmon, advising private equity clients on transactions in consumer products and retail. Adam received a BA from Stanford University.
He was recently recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 Growth Investor of 2025 by GrowthCap.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Trevor Clark, Founder and Managing Partner of Twin Brook Capital Partners, TPG’s middle-market direct lending business. Founded in 2014, Twin Brook provides tailored, cash flow–based financing solutions to middle-market private equity–backed companies across North America.
Based in Chicago, Twin Brook has approximately 125 dedicated professionals and offers a flexible product suite supporting leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, add-on acquisitions, growth capital, and other financing needs for companies typically generating between $3 million and $50 million in EBITDA. TPG Credit is part of TPG, a leading global alternative asset management firm with $286 billion in assets under management.
Prior to founding Twin Brook, Trevor was a Co-Founder and CEO of Madison Capital Funding, a subsidiary of New York Life Investments, where he led the firm’s middle-market lending platform. Earlier in his career, he held underwriting and origination roles at Antares Capital, GE Capital, and Bank of America.
TPG Twin Brook was recognized as a Top Private Credit Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap.
Trevor support Culinary Care. To learn more about this organization click here.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Brett Hickey, Founder and CEO of Star Mountain Capital, a specialized U.S. lower middle-market asset management firm. Founded in 2010, Star Mountain focuses on providing debt and equity capital to established, growing small and medium-sized businesses, as well as acquiring LP interests in lower middle-market funds, often at a discount.
Star Mountain manages approximately $4.5 billion in assets under management and has completed more than 350 direct investments and over 40 secondary or fund investments since inception. The firm is 100% employee-owned, with more than 100 team members and senior advisors sharing in the firm’s investment profits.
Brett founded Star Mountain after previously co-founding and serving as President of a multi-manager platform that included four U.S. state-sponsored small business investment funds. Earlier in his career, he worked as an investment banker at Citigroup Global Markets, advising leading asset managers and financial institutions on more than $8 billion in completed transactions.
Star Mountain was recognized as a Top Private Credit Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap.
Brett supports YMCA. To learn more about this organization click here.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Ben Levin, Co-Founder and CEO of Level Equity, a lower middle market private investment firm focused on providing capital to rapidly growing software and technology-enabled businesses. Founded in 2009, Level Equity has raised over $4.5 billion across closed funds and co-investments, completed more than 125 investments, and operates out of New York City and Greenwich, CT.
Ben shares how Level’s distinctive NextLevel Operations platform, a three-tiered operational model of internal operators, senior special operators, and curated external experts, drives tangible value for portfolio companies across go-to-market, product, and M&A initiatives. This approach ensures highly tailored support, enabling high-growth SaaS companies to scale efficiently and sustainably.
Drawing on his experience investing in high-growth software companies since 1997, Ben discusses the firm’s disciplined approach to AI adoption, strategic engagement with portfolio companies, and focus on building a sustainable, high-performance culture that develops top-tier talent while preserving operational excellence.
Level Equity and Ben Levin have received numerous accolades, most recently with Ben named a Top Software Investor of 2025 by GrowthCap, and Level Equity recognized as a Top Private Equity Firm of 2025, underscoring their enduring impact on the software growth investing landscape.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Phil Dur, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of PeakSpan Capital, a leading growth equity firm focused exclusively on high-growth B2B software companies.
Founded in 2015, PeakSpan manages $2.5 billion in assets and has a team of 24 investment professionals across its San Mateo and New York City offices. The firm has supported 54 software businesses, completed 19 full and partial exits, and raised approximately $1.9 billion in capital commitments, with each fund significantly oversubscribed.
Before co-founding PeakSpan, Phil spent a decade at Investor Growth Capital, where he led software investing, and previously worked at Morgan Stanley Venture Partners and Morgan Stanley Capital Partners in technology investing roles. He is a graduate of Princeton University and the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve for seven years.
Phil was recently recognized as a Top Software Investor of 2025 by GrowthCap, and PeakSpan was named a Top Private Equity Firm of 2025.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Dave Evans, Partner at Apax Digital, the technology and growth equity investment arm of Apax Partners. Apax Digital focuses on growth equity and buyout investments in high-growth enterprise software, consumer internet, and technology-enabled services companies worldwide.
The team leverages Apax Partners’ deep tech expertise, global platform, and specialized operating experts to help companies accelerate growth and realize their full potential. Apax has raised and advised funds with aggregate commitments of approximately $80 billion across three sectors—Tech, Services, and Internet/Consumer—providing long-term equity financing to build and strengthen world-class companies.
Dave joined Apax in 2009 and focuses on high-growth internet, enterprise software, and tech-enabled services companies. He was previously in Morgan Stanley’s Financial Sponsors Group and holds an MBA from Wharton and a BA from Duke University.
Dave was recently recognized as a Top Software Investor of 2025 by GrowthCap.
Dave supports Innocence Project. To learn more about this organization click here.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Dan Williams, Partner at Delta-v Capital, an investment firm focused on growth-stage software and technology services businesses.
Founded in 2009, Delta-v Capital has provided flexible growth capital solutions to innovative companies across infrastructure software, cloud services, CxO software, and vertical software sectors for more than a decade. The firm manages over $1.3 billion in assets and maintains offices in Denver, CO, and Dallas, TX.
Dan leads Delta-v’s infrastructure software practice, focusing on cybersecurity, AI, and DevOps. He has led investments in companies including Arctic Wolf, Claroty, Corelight, Teamworks, CloudBees, LogRocket, and You.com, with successful exits such as Socrata and Venafi. Before joining Delta-v, Dan held product, engineering, and corporate development roles at Cisco and worked in the buyout group at American Capital. He holds a BS in computer science from MIT and an MBA with honors as a Palmer Scholar from the Wharton School.
Dan was recently recognized as a Top Software Investor of 2025 by GrowthCap.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Jeffrey Stevenson, Managing Partner of VSS Capital Partners, a private investment firm that invests in healthcare, business services, and education companies.
Since its founding in 1987, VSS has partnered with lower middle-market companies, working closely with management teams to facilitate their next stage of growth. With approximately $4 billion in committed capital across eight funds, VSS has completed over 100 platform investments and more than 600 add-on acquisitions.
Jeffrey has overall responsibility for the management of the firm and each of its funds. He joined VSS in 1982, shortly after its formation, and founded its private equity business in 1987. He currently serves as Chairman of the Investment Committee and has been a board member of over 31 portfolio companies.
VSS was recently recognized by GrowthCap as a Top Private Equity Firm of 2025.
Jeffrey supports The Center for Discovery. To learn more about this organization click here.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with David Katz, Managing Director at Charlesbank Capital Partners, a $24 billion AUM middle-market private equity firm that spun out of the Harvard Management Company in 1998. Drawing on its endowment heritage, Charlesbank takes a research-based approach to investing across its four target sectors: business & consumer services, healthcare, industrial, and technology. The firm partners with management teams to help businesses unlock value and accelerate growth.
At Charlesbank, David oversees the firm’s Business & Consumer Services sector team. Since formalizing the sector in 2019, Charlesbank has been among the most active and successful private equity investors in business services, including several notable realizations. Charlesbank views the services ecosystem as offering compelling and durable opportunities for continued private equity investment.
David has been with Charlesbank for nearly 13 years, during which time he has also helped to advance the firm’s investing system including its “fan of outcomes” underwriting approach. He is a member of the firm’s Investment Committee, and previously worked at Bain Capital and McKinsey.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode click to follow.
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In this episode, we speak with Kirk Konert, Managing Partner at AE Industrial Partners—a private investment firm with $7.2 billion in assets under management, focused on specialized sectors including national security, aerospace, and industrial services.
Since its founding in 1998, AEI has completed more than 140 investments in market-leading companies, leveraging deep industry expertise, operational experience, and a broad network across its core sectors.
Kirk joined AEI in 2014 and is primarily responsible for sourcing, executing, and managing the firm’s portfolio investments. Prior to AEI, he held roles at Sun Capital Partners and was a member of Wells Fargo Securities’ Industrials Group.
AE Industrial Partners was recently recognized by GrowthCap as a Top Private Equity Firm of 2025.
I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode click to follow.
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