In this episode of The Capital Play, CJ sits down with Chris West, a New Orleans native whose story is anything but traditional. From breaking into elite M&A at Rothschild to deploying billions in private equity at HarbourVest and H.I.G. Capital, Chris carved out a high-impact investing career before pivoting into operating roles at high-growth companies across the U.S. and Africa.

Now pursuing his MBA at Stanford GSB, Chris opens up about:

• His unconventional path from humble beginnings to high finance
• The real lessons from billion-dollar deals in PE
• What drew him to the search fund model and how he's approaching it
• The moment that reminded him most of game-time decision-making
• Advice for students and professionals trying to play at the highest level

This one’s packed with insight, real talk, and sharp strategy.