Who Thrives In Investment, According To A Head Of Business Development At Compass Diversified
Katharine, a Managing Director/Head of Business Development, identifies passion, hard work, and analytical skills as crucial for success in the industry, emphasizing the need for adaptability: "one day you may be analyzing a company the next day you may be at a trade show." Intellectual curiosity and a broad, strategic approach, comfortable with both numbers and people, are also highlighted as key traits.
Analytical Skills, Adaptability, Intellectual Curiosity, Relationship Building, Strategic Thinking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Katharine (Katie) Melzer
Managing Director/Head of Business Development
Compass Diversified
University of Michigan
UCLA Anderson School of Management - MBA
Business Management & Admin
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Business Strategy
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Passion and hard work are essential for success.
2. Adaptability and the ability to handle ambiguity are crucial skills.
3. Intellectual curiosity, analytical thinking, and strong interpersonal skills are highly valued in this industry.
Transcript
Q8: Who thrives in industry?
How would you describe people who typically survive in this industry?
I think people in this industry are very passionate about what they do. They are very hardworking and analytical.
They thrive in environments where there might be a little more ambiguity within the role. You kind of have to show up and be ready to wear a lot of hats, and be ready to do different things each day.
One day you may be analyzing a company, the next day you may be at a trade show doing industry research. The next day you may be talking to investment bankers and building relationships. So you have to be able to change what you're doing in a very quickly paced environment.
I also think intellectual curiosity is absolutely critical. You want to learn more about businesses and industries.
That analytical mindset I alluded to earlier is important. Being comfortable with numbers, being comfortable with people, and being comfortable thinking about the bigger picture is helpful. This could be on a macro industry trend or strategic thinking within a company. It's having that broad approach to the business.