Best Career Advice

ABE BORDEN: Find ways to make those around you better. If you have the skills, you have the responsibility.

JASON BURMER: The most meaningful advice I’ve received professionally, and in life, was an iteration of “If you’re green you’re growing, if you’re ripe you’re rotting.” Don’t get comfortable, plan for the future, and pursue and embrace the challenge.

RICH GRAJEWSKI: Early in my career, a mentor told me that to be successful in any profession, you must give value first before asking for something in return. I make every effort to give value first, like providing a banker names of other potential PE firms when passing on a deal, or helping a business owner with an introduction to a banker or advisor. It’s the sum of all these small valueadded acts that makes a huge difference.

RENN IABONI: There is no such thing as a bad first meeting.

SHANE M C ADAM: Be grateful, humble and appreciative of your opportunities and achievements, but never be satisfied—stay hungry.

STEPHANIE MOONEY: Always look for ways to add value for others, anywhere you can. And expect nothing in return.

EMILY OSMAN LAWRIE: In chaos, there is always opportunity.

HOLLAND REYNOLDS: Follow the flock and you’ll end up a lamb chop!

CHRISTOPHER SCHATZMAN: Don’t get complacent. Relationships are the lifeblood of any effective business development team, and it is important to constantly engage and drive new relationships while effectively maintaining existing networks. It can become easy to lean on key accounts, but the advice I have always received is to continue innovating and driving differentiated relationships with new networks of professionals.

BRENT WHITE: Focus on the results rather than on how long each task will take. By disregarding the time, you can focus on the quality of the job rather than just thinking of finishing it. Another great piece of advice is to never stop learning. One of the most powerful things to advance your career—or in any circumstance—is knowledge.