High School to Wall Street

What does private equity actually look like from the inside? On this episode of the High School to Wallet Podcast, we sit down with CJ Smith of MidOcean Partners to break down the world of private equity and his journey from studying economics at Colby College to working in investment banking at UBS and eventually spending nine years in private equity. CJ explains what private equity firms actuall...

Leena opens up about navigating Wall Street as a woman and immigrant, what it really means to manage a perpetual endowment, and how the Foundation blends financial returns with real-world impact across health, arts, and the environment. She also shares her views on AI's effect on entry-level finance roles, why she's bullish on biotech for the next decade, and the timeless habits — readin...

In this episode of the High School Wall Street podcast, we sit down with Jason Karp , the founder and CEO of HumanCo , to discuss his remarkable evolution from a high-stakes hedge fund leader to a pioneer in health-focused private equity. Jason shares his journey from the "Top Gun" environment of elite firms like SAC Capital—where he worked for legendary investor Steve Cohen—to the pivot...

What does an investment banker actually do when a company is in trouble? On this episode of the High School Wall Street Podcast, we sit down with Barak Klein, Managing Director at Moelis & Company. From his early days at Wharton to navigating the 2008 financial crisis at a hedge fund, Barak shares the "no-nonsense" reality of a career in finance. We dive into the world of capital str...