Why Genstar Capital: Interviews, Careers, & Portfolio

Genstar Capital Overview

Genstar Capital is a private equity firm which performs leveraged buyout transactions to help global middle-market companies located in North America grow faster.

The firm is focused on investing in four sectors:

1. Financial Services
2. Healthcare
3. Industrials
4. Software

They invest through pools of committed capital entrusted by insurance companies, pension funds, fund of funds, sovereign wealth funds, high net worth individuals, and other institutional investors.

Genstar Capital was founded by John A. West, Richard D. Paterson, Ross Turner, and  Angus MacNaughton in 1988, and is currently based in San Francisco, USA.

Genstar Capital AUM

According to the latest regulatory filings (March 31, 2023), Genstar Capital has $35.9 BB in assets under management.

Genstar Capital Interview Process & Questions

Firms may decide to tweak their interview process with each candidate. However, you’ll find that the general nature of the interview stays the same. When you interview at Genstar Capital, you can expect:

• 4 to 6 rounds of interviews
• For the initial rounds, the junior professionals will be in charge of the interview. For the later part, the senior staff take over.
• Entire process typically lasts for several weeks – except for on-cycle or on-campus recruiting

The interview questions will be a combination of behavioral, fit, and investing questions so make sure to prepare for that.

My Growth Equity Interview Guide is an excellent resource in case you need help preparing for interviews.

Why Genstar Capital

“Why this firm?” almost always shows up during interviews – and also one of the most critical questions you have to answer.

If you’ve done networking to get connected with the firm’s employees, this is the right time to mention whoever you’ve met and how their experiences have positively influenced your decision to apply.

You can also try listening to interviews with the firm’s founders, portfolio companies, and key personnels to come up with relevant answers.

For starters, here’s an interview with Eli P. Weiss, Managing Partner at Genstar Capital.

Genstar Capital Case Study

Communication skills and technical knowledge are two important factors that investment firms like Genstar Capital consider when selecting the right candidate. They often use case study to evaluate these traits.

Most case studies will have you perform financial modeling and provide investment recommendations. However, cold calling case study may also be included if you’re applying for junior roles.

You can find more case study resources inside my Growth Equity Interview Guide.

Genstar Capital Salary & Compensation

As per Glassdoor, associates at Genstar Capital have earned salaries of $108,021 per year, while there’s no recent data for analyst hires. Figures may vary depending on many factors like experience, location, and education.

Associate

Genstar Capital Careers, Jobs, & Internships

Visit our job board if you’re looking for open roles at Genstar Capital or other similar firms.

Genstar Capital Portfolio & Investments

According to Crunchbase, Genstar Capital has made 24 investments across 7 funds. Some of their notable deals include Inside Real Estate, Lightspeed Systems, and AmeriLife.

Notable Transaction: Daxko

Daxko provides tech solutions, intensive insights, integrated payment processing, and experienced services to health and fitness centers including YMCAs, JCCs, integrated wellness centers, campus recreation facilities, affiliate gyms, boutique fitness studios, and enterprise health clubs.

In October 2021, Daxko announced a recapitalization by Genstar Capital and its existing investor, GI Partners.

The fund was allocated in improving Daxko’s product lines, customer support, and sales & marketing.

Next Steps

If you decide to send your application and build your investing career at Genstar Capital, I would highly recommend that you check out my Growth Equity Interview Guide first before attending interviews.

Growth Equity Interview Guide helps professionals get a good grasp of topics that are typically covered during interviews such as financial modeling, case studies, and more. Check it out and start learning today!