Alex Rawlings speaks with Jeff Helfgott, CEO of Boardroom Salon, about scaling PE-backed multi-unit businesses. They discuss talent strategy, retention, resilience, and how to turn operational fixes into sustainable growth.

⏱️ Key Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction & Jeff’s Background
From barbershop beginnings to PE-backed CEO.

01:04 – Common PE Mistakes
Overlooking talent strategy during diligence.

02:11 – Talent Assessment
Evaluating teams based on current business needs.

05:58 – Hiring Non-Negotiables
Integrity and focus on top 3 priorities.

08:18 – Resilience in Leadership
Navigating crises like COVID.

10:10 – Managing Growth & Change
Using EOS and quarterly planning.

14:11 – Driving EBITDA Growth
Fix retention before scaling revenue.

16:01 – Retention Flywheel
Employee retention → customer retention → growth.

18:24 – Membership Strategy
Aligning offerings with real customer behavior.

21:18 – Finding the Real Constraint
Using data segmentation to identify core issues.

24:31 – Data vs Insight
Combining analytics with customer feedback.

27:33 – KPI Pitfalls
Avoid over-optimising a single metric.

28:02 – PE Thesis vs Reality
Treat strategy as a hypothesis, not fact.

29:12 – Underrated Growth Lever
Talent retention and adaptability.

32:08 – Building Resilient Teams
Supporting middle management and preventing burnout.

35:25 – Resources & Closing

🚀 Key Takeaways

• Assess talent early in diligence
• Integrity and resilience are critical traits
• Retention is a primary driver of growth
• Data must be paired with real customer insight
• Pressure-test your investment thesis
• Middle management drives execution

Raw Selection partners with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional executive talent. We focus on de-risking executive recruitment through meticulous search and selection processes, ensuring top-tier performance and long-term success.

🔗 Connect with Alex Rawlings on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrawlings/

🌐 Visit Raw Selection www.raw-selection.com

Looking to grow your team? Check out our Hiring Guides

for proven strategies, templates, and best practices to make smarter hires.

Mike Esposito shares his journey from a 30-year career at Goldman Sachs to co-founding Franchise Equity Partners, highlighting their differentiated approach to private equity through franchising and multi-unit retail investing.

⏱️ Key Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction
00:30 – Career background and transition to PE
01:45 – Pitfalls of “me-too” PE strategies
03:13 – Leaving Goldman Sachs during COVID
04:41 – Advisory vs ownership mindset
05:36 – Why franchising & multi-unit retail
07:00 – Barriers limiting PE in franchising
08:26 – Unique LP structure with HPS
11:17 – First non-franchise deal (European car wash platform)
13:42 – Why Europe offered better value than the US
16:06 – Minority vs majority investing strategy
17:04 – “Minority, passive, permanent” model
19:28 – Importance of backing the right people
22:24 – Power of a focused investment strategy
24:27 – Using data science for investment insights
26:23 – Contact details

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Focused strategies outperform crowded PE trades
• Franchising offers a large, undercapitalised opportunity
• Minority investing unlocks access to restricted sectors
• Long-term alignment appeals to family-owned businesses
• Europe can offer stronger fundamentals vs overheated US markets
• Data and analytics are key to gaining an edge

Raw Selection partners with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional executive talent. We focus on de-risking executive recruitment through meticulous search and selection processes, ensuring top-tier performance and long-term success.

🔗 Connect with Alex Rawlings on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrawlings/

🌐 Visit Raw Selection www.raw-selection.com

Looking to grow your team? Check out our Hiring Guides

for proven strategies, templates, and best practices to make smarter hires.

Guest: Meg Pogue, Founder, Mission Squared
Host: Alex Rawlings

Meg Pogue joins Alex to discuss the psychology behind change in private equity-backed businesses. A former CEO who scaled her company from 2 to 95 employees, Meg now works with executive teams to navigate transformation, cultural friction, and the human dynamics of growth and acquisitions.

The conversation explores why acquisitions and major transformations often trigger fear and resistance inside organizations. While executives are typically excited by growth and opportunity, most employees prioritize stability and social connection, both of which can feel threatened during periods of change.

Meg explains how the brain’s threat response can lead to defensive behaviours, disengagement, and poor decision-making. Leaders often misinterpret this as resistance or negativity, when in reality it’s a natural psychological reaction to uncertainty.

She shares practical leadership tactics for managing change effectively, including rebuilding trust through authenticity and vulnerability, empowering employees with a sense of control, and communicating the “why” behind transformation.

Meg also introduces simple tools leaders can use during times of change, such as the “1–10 engagement question” and asking employees directly “How can I support you better right now?” — both designed to surface concerns quickly and maintain momentum during transformation.

🕒 Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction to Meg Pogue
00:28 – Meg’s CEO journey and leadership lessons
01:54 – Fear and perception around private equity acquisitions
03:23 – Leadership personality differences during change
05:14 – Why employees feel threatened by transformation
06:44 – Communication and leadership during change
10:59 – Rebuilding trust within teams
13:25 – Empowerment and giving employees control
14:51 – Leading change in fast-paced PE environments
18:40 – Questions leaders should ask their teams
19:07 – The “1–10 engagement” leadership tool
21:30 – Raising standards without creating resistance
24:51 – Leadership book recommendations
26:17 – Meg’s book: The Adversity Hack
27:39 – How to connect with Meg

Key Takeaways

Change triggers threat responses
Most employees prioritize stability and connection, making acquisitions feel risky.

Executives often underestimate psychology
High-drive leaders assume others share their excitement for transformation.

Trust accelerates change
Authenticity and vulnerability help rebuild trust quickly.

Empowerment reduces resistance
Giving employees voice and autonomy improves engagement.

Clear communication matters
Explaining the “why” behind change helps teams align faster.

Raw Selection partners with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional executive talent. We focus on de-risking executive recruitment through meticulous search and selection processes, ensuring top-tier performance and long-term success.

🔗 Connect with Alex Rawlings on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrawlings/
🌐 Visit Raw Selection www.raw-selection.com

Looking to grow your team? Check out our Hiring Guides

for proven strategies, templates, and best practices to make smarter hires.