Episode #86: Ryan Heckman: The Blue-Collar PE guy

From Olympian to a backdoor entry into private equity, Ryan Heckman shares his story as a blue-collar PE executive aiming to elevate the industry. He began his career in private equity and, after nearly 20 years, transitioned to leading a successful startup. He later sold this business to a private equity firm.Now, as a co-founder of the groundbreaking private equity firm Rallyday, Ryan describes how they began by identifying everything wrong with the private equity world and then developing innovative approaches to address these issues. At Rallyday, they focus on being business builders rather than just investors. They view founders as their core customers, providing them with the love and support they need to build thriving businesses for the long term.Meet Ryan Heckman, a conscious leader who advocates for “Monster" leaders who are aggressively humble.**If you enjoy this podcast, would you consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes only a few seconds and greatly helps us get our podcast out to a wider audience.Please subscribe on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.For transcripts and show notes, please go to: https://www.theconsciouscapitalists.comThis show is presented by Conscious Capitalism, Inc. (https://www.consciouscapitalism.org/) and is produced by Rainbow Creative (https://www.rainbowcreative.co/) with Matthew Jones as Executive Producer, Rithu Jagannath as Lead Producer, and Nathan Wheatley as Editor.Thank you for your support!- Timothy & RajTime Stamps00:44 Introduction to the Conscious Capitalists01:03 Meet Ryan Heckman: A Journey in Private Equity03:02 From Athlete to Private Equity Executive05:33 Building and Selling a Business08:06 Founding Rally Day Partners09:27 Innovations in Private Equity15:46 Employee Ownership and Development20:18 Challenges and Opportunities in Private Equity25:15 Exiting Investments with Purpose27:31 Preparing for the Sale: Early Work and Employee Retention27:54 Ensuring Continuity of Purpose and Values Post-Sale29:24 Sponsorship Announcement: 2024 Conscious Capitalism CEO Summit30:14 Redefining Greatness: From Good to Great to Goodness32:16 The Importance of Courage in Leadership32:56 Lessons from an Olympic Athlete: Embracing Failure and Thriving36:57 The Concept of Thriving in Business and Community39:33 Stewardship and the Infinite Game42:11 Monster Leaders and Aggressive Humility47:08 Conscious Leadership and Community Development52:54 Closing Remarks and Gratitude