The new book
The Art of Private Equity
How to Think, Buy, Build, and Sell Like an Investor
Private equity has long been a closed world. This book opens the door.
Raised in a shared two-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn by parents who emigrated from the Soviet Union, David Krainert sold phones, served as an FBI special agent, and taught himself how investors think. He went on to build a real estate investment platform and a healthcare private equity firm.
Part memoir and part field manual, The Art of Private Equity shows how the most disciplined investors buy, build, and sell companies, and how any business owner can use the same playbook.
Who it’s for
Business owners
Preparing to grow, buy a competitor, or sell.
Entrepreneurs
Ready to think like investors, not operators.
Students and career changers
Breaking into finance and private equity.
What you’ll learn
Inside the book
A prologue, four parts, twelve chapters, and a glossary of the terms dealmakers use.
Part One
Think Like an Investor
- The Investors Who Bet on America
- Every Entrepreneur Is Not an Investor
- The Strategy and Structure to Scale Anything
Part Two
Buy Right
- The Most Expensive Mistake Is Bad Diligence
- Accounting: The Language of Business
- Winning Capital: Debt and Equity on Your Terms
Part Three
Build Value
- Integration, Innovation, and Top Talent
- How to Lead Negotiations and Scale
- Forging an Unbreakable Team
- Pay for Performance
Part Four
Sell Well
- Planning an Exit of Long-Term Value
- The Exit Playbook
Read an excerpt
From the Prologue
Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, was nothing less than fun. My parents came to the United States from the Soviet Union in 1993, and for a while we lived in Manhattan. Rents were lower in Brooklyn, so they were eager to find a place there. When we first moved, four households shared one two-bedroom apartment: my grandparents, my two uncles and their families, and my parents and me.
It was an effective way to save thousands of dollars on rent. With three generations under one roof, you can probably imagine that our home was never boring. There were always guests, there was always plenty of food, and my mom adopted a cat we named Sam.
I share my upbringing so you get the full picture. Never doubt your own abilities. Most of the entrepreneurs, investors, and public figures you enjoy reading about in the news did not come from families of senior executives, entrepreneurs, or investors.
Bulk orders
Give it to your clients and your team
For lenders, advisors, business schools, and companies. Custom bookplates are available on larger orders, and David can join a session for groups of 250 or more.
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The Deal Memo
One lesson a week on buying, building, and selling companies. Subscribe and get the free Deal Checklist from the book.