Brandon, Associate at Aurora Capital Partners: Advize Career Interview

A career journey from pre-med to a varied and impactful Associate role at Aurora Capital Partners is detailed.

The path highlights the value of networking and mentorship, leading to a successful pivot from strategy consulting and investment banking.

A day in the life is dynamic, encompassing new acquisitions, portfolio company management, and everything from CEO recruitment to detailed financial analysis.

Aurora Capital Partners requires strong analytical and organizational skills initially, evolving to relationship management and market understanding as a career progresses.

The role is demanding but offers significant responsibility and autonomy, with the key to success being proactive, organized, and deeply curious.

While entry-level private equity positions are rare for undergraduates, a path through investment banking offers crucial foundational skills and training.

The interviewee emphasizes the value of internships and interview preparation to stand out in a competitive market. A transition from banking to private equity is possible, but requires a willingness to learn and grow from the ground up.

Advizer Information

Name

Job Title

Company

Undergrad

Grad Programs

Brandon Priest

Associate

Aurora Capital Partners

UC Santa Barbara

UCLA Anderson School of Management, MBA

Majors

Industries

Job Functions

Traits

Biology & Related Sciences

Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)

Finance

Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member

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Career Path Of An Associate At Aurora Capital Partners

Brandon's career path was "a bit of an untraditional" journey, starting with pre-med, transitioning through tech sales at Oracle and strategy consulting/BioMarin, then leveraging a business school education at UCLA Anderson to pivot into investment banking at Moelis & Company before securing a role at Aurora Capital Partners as an Associate. The path highlights the importance of networking and mentorship, as evidenced by the mentorship which led to business school and ultimately, the current role at Aurora.

Career Path Of An Associate At Aurora Capital Partners

Main Responsibilities of an Associate at Aurora Capital Partners

As an Associate at Aurora Capital Partners, Brandon's role is "quite varied," encompassing both new acquisitions—including "thesis generation" and investment committee materials preparation—and portfolio company management. This involves supporting portfolio company finance teams with tasks ranging from budgeting and strategic planning to add-on acquisition analysis and even CEO recruitment, offering a "pretty diverse experience."

Main Responsibilities of an Associate at Aurora Capital Partners

A Day in the Life of an Associate at Aurora Capital Partners

A day for an investment associate at Aurora Capital Partners is highly variable, depending on the stage of a deal; Brandon describes activities ranging from "helping do interviews for a CFO candidate" to "doing general industry research" and "data analysis" to prepare presentations. This variety reflects the dynamic nature of private equity, shifting between portfolio company management and deal sourcing.

A Day in the Life of an Associate at Aurora Capital Partners

Most Important Skills for an Associate at Aurora Capital Partners

Aurora Capital Partner's Brandon highlights the evolution of necessary skills throughout a private equity career, emphasizing "analytical skill and organizational skills" as crucial for associates, while the importance of "relationships and market understanding" increases at higher levels like partner. This progression showcases how skill sets shift from deep analytical work to broader relationship management as career advancement occurs.

Most Important Skills for an Associate at Aurora Capital Partners

Favorite Parts Of Being An Associate At Aurora Capital Partners

Brandon, an Associate at Aurora Capital Partners, appreciates the "varied nature" of the role, ensuring no two days are alike. The significant "level of responsibility," allowing considerable autonomy to "go get things done and make an impact," while acknowledging the commensurate accountability for mistakes, stands out most to Brandon, especially compared to prior roles in sales, strategy, corporate finance, and investment banking.

Favorite Parts Of Being An Associate At Aurora Capital Partners

Biggest Challenges Faced By An Associate At Aurora Capital Partners

Brandon's biggest challenge as an Associate at Aurora Capital Partners is the "high-stress role" inherent in private equity, where performance dictates career trajectory, especially given the current difficult fundraising environment of 2024. The demanding nature of the job, however, is balanced by the "freedom to...go make an impact," a key motivator for Brandon's career.

Biggest Challenges Faced By An Associate At Aurora Capital Partners

Favorite Parts Of Working In The Private Equity Industry As An Aurora Capital Partners Associate

Brandon, an Associate at Aurora Capital Partners, enjoys the "varied nature of the day-to-day" and the significant responsibility afforded even at the associate level in this "flat organization." The excitement of working with founders, making substantial investments, and planning for the future are key aspects that drive Brandon's career.

Favorite Parts Of Working In The Private Equity Industry As An Aurora Capital Partners Associate

What Type Of Person Thrives In Private Equity According To An Associate At Aurora Capital Partners

Aurora Capital Partners Associate Brandon describes successful professionals in the industry as "pretty type A," emphasizing the need for organization, proactiveness, and a strong sense of curiosity. This necessitates digging beyond surface-level information, as Brandon notes that "they're never gonna put the negative things" in initial company materials, requiring a proactive approach to uncovering hidden challenges.

What Type Of Person Thrives In Private Equity According To An Associate At Aurora Capital Partners

What an Associate at Aurora Capital Partners Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Private Equity Industry

Brandon, an Associate at Aurora Capital Partners, advises that a transition from banking to private equity is "very much possible," but cautions that the roles and expectations differ significantly. The skills required are developed "by doing the job," necessitating a humble approach and a willingness to "start from square one" despite prior experience.

What an Associate at Aurora Capital Partners Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Private Equity Industry

Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Associates at Aurora Capital Partners

Entry-level private equity roles are scarce for undergraduates; the typical path involves first working as an investment banking analyst, gaining "foundational excel and PowerPoint skills," before transitioning to a private equity associate position. This route is preferred because large banks provide structured training and mentorship, unlike many private equity firms' limited analyst programs.

Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Associates at Aurora Capital Partners

College Experiences That Helped An Associate At Aurora Capital Partners Succeed

Entry-level private equity roles are uncommon for undergraduates; the typical path involves first working as an investment banking analyst, gaining crucial skills like financial modeling and developing an "investor mindset," before transitioning to a private equity associate role, as "the banks...have a lot of processes in place and training programs."

College Experiences That Helped An Associate At Aurora Capital Partners Succeed

Advizer Personal Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonpriest/