Why Peterson Partners: Interviews, Careers, & Portfolio

Peterson Partners Overview

Peterson Partners is a private equity firm which invests in companies operating in the business services, retail, consumer products, business products, information technology, healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, software, TMT, SaaS, consumer tech, fintech, and other tech-based sectors.

For more than 20 years, Peterson Partners has partnered with exceptional business leaders and through experience, they’ve come to the conclusion that people are the key differentiator in success.

That’s why they look forward to helping leadership teams who demonstrate passion and grit to build enterprises that make a difference.

Peterson Partners was founded by Joel Peterson in 2003. After helping to establish Trammell Crow Company into a multi-billion enterprise as its Managing Partner, Joel created Peterson Partners to help other entrepreneurs achieve their goals and also began teaching at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Peterson Partners is currently based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Peterson Partners AUM

According to most recent regulatory filings, Peterson Partners has $$2.1 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2023. 

Peterson Partners Interview Process & Questions

The interview process can change with each candidate, but if you interview at Peterson Partners (or a firm like it), you can likely expect the following:

• The process will consist of 4-6 rounds of interviews
• Junior investment professionals or the HR team will conduct the initial rounds while the more senior takes care of the later rounds
• Entire interview process typically conclude after multiple weeks – unless it’s “on-cycle” or “on-campus” recruiting

Interviews at Peterson Partners will require you to answer a mixture of fit questions, behavioral questions, and technical / investing questions.

If you need help preparing for interviews, take a minute to check my Growth Equity Interview Guide.

Why Peterson Partners

“Why this firm” is one of the questions interviewers like to ask to check whether candidates have a specific and solid reason for choosing their firm, and not simply sending applications to any investment firm with open roles.

If you have met any former or current employees from the firm, this is the perfect time to mention whoever you’ve networked with and how they’ve made a really positive impression on you.

Also, listen to interviews with the firm’s founders, executives, and investors so you can learn more about them and formulate an answer to “why this firm” that’s relevant and impressive.

Check out this interview with Jim Nelson, operations partner at Peterson Partners:

Peterson Partners Case Study

Firms like Peterson Partners are looking for candidates with technical knowledge and good communication skills. They use case studies to evaluate these two crucial attributes. That’s why it’s advisable that you prepare for case studies as they almost always show up during interviews.

Most case studies at firms like Peterson Partners consist of financial modeling and investment recommendations. However, cold calling case study may also be required for junior roles.

If you’re unsure how to best prepare for case studies, my Growth Equity Interview Guide can help.

Peterson Partners Salary & Compensation

According to Glassdoor, associates at Peterson Partners have an annual total salary of $138,717, while no recent data is available for analyst hires.

This figure can vary depending on your qualifications, level of experience, and performance during the interview.

Associate

Peterson Partners Careers, Jobs, & Internships

If you like to see vacant positions at Peterson Partners, go to our job board where we also feature open roles for other similar firms.

Peterson Partners Portfolio & Investments

According to Crunchbase, Peterson Partners has already made 20 investments since its inception across four funds. Some of the firm’s notable deals include Pupford, Black Mountain Software, and 49 Mile Ventures.

Notable Transaction: Glowbar

Glowbar’s 30-minute, $65 clinical-grade treatment is a unique combination of dermatology practice and a spa which aids their customers to achieve their skincare goals while removing any struggle and challenges with expenses, time, and lack of confidence.

Rachel Liverman launched Glowbar in 2019 and currently operates and owns six studios in Connecticut and New York.

On January 4, 2023, Glowbar raised a $10 million growth investment led by Peterson Partners.

Glowbar intends to use the capital to double its studio count through tri-state area footprint growth and market expansion along the Eastern Seaboard.

The capital was also allocated to provide state-of-the-art training for Glowbar’s aestheticians and grow their leadership.

Next Steps

Breaking into the world of finance and landing a role at firms like Peterson Partners will require you to stand out during the interview process. I created the Growth Equity Interview Guide for this purpose.

This online course helps professionals gain mastery over the crucial topics that often come up during interviews such as case studies, valuation, financial modeling, and many more.

If you want to gain a competitive edge, knowledge, and confidence to ace your interviews, go ahead and check out the course.