In this episode, Joel sits down with Joe Zuk, Operating Partner at Altamont Capital, to explore the critical intersection of investment strategy and operational execution in the middle market. Joe shares his unique journey from the reinsurance world to becoming a key builder of Altamont’s insurance and financial services ecosystem, now encompassing nine portfolio companies. The conversation dives deep into the realities of private equity-backed growth: the "pace of play" required of CEOs, the evolution of management teams as companies scale, and the operating partner’s role as a force multiplier between investors and leadership. They tackle the integration of AI in legacy industries like insurance, the art of identifying value beyond the spreadsheet, and the unglamorous work of building durable businesses. For anyone navigating the private equity landscape—whether as an investor, operator, or founder—this conversation offers a candid look at what it takes to move from scorekeeping to true value creation.

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