One of the best books we’ve read on private equity is by Adam Coffey, whom we interviewed two years earlier. The title is ThePrivate Equity Playbook. Adam’s newest book is based on a two-day presentation he gave on how to roll up an industry purposely and effectively. He turned his 300-plus page slide deck into the book Empire Builder: The Road to a Billion. Key themes include how to build and finance an empire-building business endeavor.
Who is Adam Coffey?
- Best-selling author of The Private Equity Playbook. His second book was The Exit-Strategy Playbook.
- Engineer by trade who started career at GE during its Jack Welch Camelot era.
- CEO for 21 years for three different national organizations.
- Architect of 58 acquisitions.
- Founder of CEO Advisory Guru LLC.
I wish I had been given all of my books forty-one years ago when I was graduating high school and heading off to boot camp in the United States Army. My journey to build an empire would have been much easier and even more fruitful.
Adam Coffey
Interview Highlights
- This is a hands-on book heavy in practical insights.
- Why empire building may not be the feint of heart.
- “Invest in what you know.”
- A simple example of an empire build – mowing firm.
- The necessary ingredients for empire-building.
- The people rule of 30:1, but a 15:1 compromise that works.
- Adam’s rule of 130
- Price escalation clauses
- Sandy Ogg
- Financial diligence and proctology exams
- PE firms – Keep the Lights On – Turn the Lights Off
- Mark and Adam’s suggestion on how to read this book.
- Books mentioned – The Millionaire Next Door and The Millionaire Mind.
Thanks to my pilot training and my engineering experience, I learned early on that planning is critical to every part of life.
Adam Coffey
Important Links
Episode Pairings
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