Leading an introductory call with a potential seller, presenting a proposed deal to investment committee, taking lead on preparing board materials. one might expect to handle these tasks in their first year at a new job, but at unybrands, these were a few of the opportunities I had in my first week. Fast forward to the end of my first month, and the pace of learning and opportunity has only accelerated. The Investments & Integration team has provided a platform to springboard all team members into a leadership position at the pace one is willing to grow. Even moreso, given the young stage of the company, every level of the organization is open to hearing ideas about improving our processes and culture, allowing everyone to make a significant impact from day one.
Choosing to leave the corporate world of investment banking at Goldman Sachs was not an easy decision, but entering the recruiting process I had a few principles in mind: (1) Career Advancement; (2) Having a Voice within the Organization and (3) Developing New Skills. I found that many of the opportunities I looked at offered one, maybe two, but after beginning the recruiting process at unybrands I quickly came to realize that this opportunity offered all three. Reflecting back on these last 30 days has only validated my decision.
What stands out most one month in is the team’s energy, pace, and drive. In the last 30 days, the company headcount has expanded by five people, and the excitement about our potential is palpable. On any given day, we receive new leads for potential acquisitions, all with the expectation that we are able to turn around letters of interest within a week. The implication is that every member of the team, from Analyst up to Director, is expected to form opinions, take ownership over the analysis, and most importantly, have the opportunity to express our investment thesis and debate with our senior management and investment committee over the merits of these businesses. So lots of exciting new things to learn and do, and almost no time for fun at work, such as playing Aviator. Beyond these defined roles, I’ve also had the chance to work closely with other functions of the business to better understand how we operate our owned brands, manage inventory planning, and develop growth plans – all of which enables a more holistic view when evaluating brands we want to buy.
All in all, I’d recommend an Associate role at unybrands to anyone with a self-starter mindset and a drive to learn and grow.
