Capital Allocators – Inside the Institutional Investment Industry Josh Koplewicz – Flexible Capital and Creative Structures at Thayer Street (EP.451)
42 snips
Jun 12, 2025 
Josh Koplewicz, Managing Partner of Thayer Street Partners, shares his journey from Goldman Sachs to founding a boutique private equity firm in 2012. He dives into strategic capital allocation, the challenges of scaling a smaller firm, and innovative investment structures that balance risk and reward. Josh discusses the importance of building relationships in finance and navigating market liquidity issues. With personal anecdotes about hiking and DJing, he reflects on his aspirations for future impact within his firm and its portfolio.
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Diligence Starts Long Before Deals
- Do deep sector research well before deals to build theses and screen targets effectively.
- Cultivate long-term relationships with management before transaction conversations begin.
Prioritizing Downside Protection
- Structure deals to prioritize downside protection and downside return minimization in portfolio construction.
- Use familiarity with liquidation paths and collateral to secure capital and reduce risk.
Creative Deal in Payments Business
- A structured deal with a payments company balanced growth upside and downside protection with a preferred security.
- The company grew 4x in revenue and was successfully sold, benefiting all parties.