Pros
- There aren't many places where you'll get this many reps in doing deals, leveraging best practices that make CSI so successful but also getting creative in unique situations - Most teams have a mix of corporate/business development and M&A work, so you get exposure to both the quantitative/analytical and relationship nurturing skills, which are critical no matter where you go - If you're a curious person, talking to hundreds of software entrepreneurs and getting to ask them all about their company and vision is a dream - As our portfolio companies are always trying to improve, you can also get exposure to the operational side post-acquisition, such as help with integration, growth initiatives, and operational excellence projects - Doing as many acquisitions as we do, there truly are endless opportunities to grow into new roles as we scale, such to lead one or more of our businesses over time - This isn't a place where you do a deal and then have no idea what actually happens later, you get to learn from the successes and failures of the investment thesis and incorporate that learning going forward (this process is so important it even has a specific structure and is shared with other teams) - There is no ego here, you'll see leaders at every level being welcoming of open debate on any subject and learning from mistakes - It's an extremely meritocratic place and I've seen many people move up quickly regardless of their age or seniority - You're surrounded by super smart people who come from all kinds of backgrounds and share their deep expertise. With some PMs specifically, the mentorship and development is unparalleled
Cons
- As with all M&A environments, there are times (like during diligence and deal closing) when work hours can be very long. In my experience it's balanced out by quieter periods and you have flexibility to manage your own time - DEI is not a priority for many teams, but for others it absolutely is (a pro and a con when it comes to CSI's decentralization and autonomy)