Episode Description

Mary Rachide, Managing Director at ICV Partners, and Bob Hund, Operating Partner at Oridian, join Sean Mooney, Lloyd Metz, and Doug McCormick to explain how operating executives help turn private equity value creation plans into results. They discuss how operating partners engage in diligence, align with founders and deal teams, and support portfolio companies through execution without losing trust. The conversation also covers process discipline, management assessment, stakeholder alignment, and the art of knowing when to coach versus when to push. This is a practical look at how modern private equity firms build better businesses—hit play.

Episode Highlights

1:52 - Mary Rachide’s path from McKinsey and executive roles into PE operations
3:33 - Bob Hund’s engineering, manufacturing, and process background before Iridium
6:45 - How operating partners support diligence, strategy, and execution
9:59 - Aligning founders and investors around realistic value creation plans
18:52 - Using process assessments to identify risk and unlock improvement opportunities
26:50 - Mary’s “glue, grease, grit, and glitter” framework for operating partner impact
41:06 - Why the best operating executives take joy in helping others succeed

For more information on the podcast, visit bestbutneverfinal.buzzsprout.com and embark on your journey to private equity excellence today.

Visit us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-but-never-final-podcast/
Visit us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bestbutneverfinal/

For information on Oridian Capital Partners, go to https://oridiancapital.com/
For information on ICV Partners, go to https://www.icvpartners.com
For information on BluWave, go to https://www.bluwave.net

Lloyd Metz (Partner, ICV Partners), Doug McCormick (Managing Partner, Oridian Capital Partners), and Sean Mooney (Founder & CEO, BluWave) are joined by James Aylward (Chief Product & Technology Officer, BluWave) and Nathan Plummer (Co-Executive Director, Venture Café Global Institute) to translate AI from concept into execution. The conversation moves beyond buzzwords to where firms are actually applying AI today—from coding and data strategy to real-time decision-making inside portfolio companies. They also address the practical barriers: data readiness, organizational adoption, and the risk of standing still. This is a clear look at what it takes to put AI to work in private equity—hit play.

Episode Highlights

1:30 - Why AI is shifting from buzzword to practical tool for operators

9:45 - ChatGPT as the inflection point that changed AI adoption overnight

13:00 - AI moves from “thinking partner” to executing tasks autonomously

18:30 - Applied AI in industries like biotech and robotics reshaping outcomes

23:10 - Data becomes the primary competitive moat across portfolio companies

30:15 - Why most companies struggle: fragmented, unstructured data systems

44:00 - Real-world example: automating hiring workflows with AI tools

For more information on the podcast, visit bestbutneverfinal.buzzsprout.com and embark on your journey to private equity excellence today.

Visit us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-but-never-final-podcast/
Visit us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bestbutneverfinal/

For information on Oridian Capital Partners, go to https://oridiancapital.com/
For information on ICV Partners, go to https://www.icvpartners.com
For information on BluWave, go to https://www.bluwave.net

Lloyd Metz (Partner, ICV Partners), Doug McCormick (Managing Partner, Oridian Capital Partners), and Sean Mooney (Founder & CEO, BluWave) assess the private equity landscape heading into 2026. They unpack the pressure to return capital, the realities of longer hold periods, and why growth—not multiple expansion—is now the primary driver of returns. The conversation also explores the accelerating impact of AI on dealmaking, operations, and portfolio company performance. This is a clear-eyed view of where private equity is headed next—hit play.

Episode Highlights

• 2:00 - Liquidity pressure builds as distributions lag across the industry
• 6:01 - Why market volatility stalled deal activity despite early momentum
• 10:29 - Surge in diligence activity signals a delayed but real deal rebound
• 12:02 - “12 is the new 5”: growth expectations reset for private equity returns
• 17:46 - Shift toward add-ons and operational upgrades across portfolios
• 23:09 - Manufacturing resurgence and reshoring create new investment themes
• 38:18 - AI moves from concept to execution across firms and portfolio companies

For more information on the podcast, visit bestbutneverfinal.buzzsprout.com and embark on your journey to private equity excellence today.

Visit us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-but-never-final-podcast/
Visit us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bestbutneverfinal/

For information on Oridian Capital Partners, go to https://oridiancapital.com/
For information on ICV Partners, go to https://www.icvpartners.com
For information on BluWave, go to https://www.bluwave.net