Private Equity

PE deal lifecycle stages: Sourcing, Deal Qualification, Investment Committee, Deal Monitoring, Portfolio Monitoring, Fundraising

How PE firms use CRM at every stage of the deal lifecycle

Where PE firms lose relationship context at each deal stage, from sourcing to the re-up, and how leading firms keep it with the firm instead.

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Yes, private equity is still a people business

Brian Sheth on the trait that built private equity, why genuine interest beats charisma or pedigree, and the honest exception that proves the rule.

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The 2026 PE Benchmark Report: what the data says

Affinity benchmarked more than 300 PE firms on sourcing, communication, and relationships. See the medians and where firms pull apart.

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Brand or expertise: the 2x2 that decides which PE firms pull ahead

Most middle-market private equity firms can't say what they do better than anyone else. A former Citi CFO's 2x2 for finding your firm's real edge.

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The concentration principle: how PE investors actually create value

Ex-Citigroup CFO Gary Crittenden on why concentration—paired with the ability to add value to an asset—creates outsized private equity returns.

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The PE log jam: why over-marked assets can't trade, and what actually clears the market

A former Citigroup CFO explains the liquidity discount missing from PE marks—why portfolios are frozen, and what actually clears the market.

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Not all EBITDA is equal: Gary Crittenden on the return-on-capital lens that picks winners

Gary Crittenden, former Amex and Citi CFO, on why return on capital above cost of capital—not raw EBITDA—is what separates real value creation.

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Why 75% of M&A destroys value, and it’s not the strategy

A Morgan Stanley banker who has worked on 75+ transactions explains why most M&A fails at integration, not strategy, and the two pre-deal diligence questions PE sponsors should ask before signing.

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Understanding Affinity’s API roadmap

Learn about Affinity’s API roadmap and how the team is building APIs to break down data silos between critical systems and drive better decision-making.

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How do PE firms track warm introductions across their team?

Most firms already have warm paths to the founders they want to reach—they just can't see them. Learn how relationship intelligence surfaces hidden connections, scores relationship strength, and turns your team's collective network into a sourcing advantage.

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How top-performing PE firms convert outreach into deal flow

Data from hundreds of PE firms shows a 17x efficiency gap in converting outreach to introductions. See the three behavioral patterns that separate top-quartile firms.

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Who knows who? How PE and VC firms use CRM network mapping to find warm introductions

Your firm has hundreds of valuable relationships locked in individual inboxes. Learn how CRM network mapping surfaces who knows who so you can find warm introductions in seconds.

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Best CRM for automatic email and meeting capture

Most CRMs require manual data entry for every email and meeting. Affinity, the AI-first private capital CRM, captures it all automatically.

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The second bite at the apple: How Martis Capital convinced a founder to stay in

Most "second bite" content is written for founders. This is for PE deal teams: how to qualify founders, lead the conversation, and structure minority deals that hold.

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What A Top Management Consulting Firm Revealed About Why Relationship Intelligence is Key to Private Equity Success

Private equity (PE) has experienced a surge in growth over the past five years. New research reveals that relationship intelligence is key to success.

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The unicorn: a dying breed or exit catalyst in 2025?

Will 2025 bring exits for 700+ US unicorns? Explore key predictions from 300 dealmakers on IPOs, M&A activity, valuations, and the rise of zombie unicorns in private markets.

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Should private equity firms use Salesforce?

Salesforce is a leading CRM across many industries. But is it the right choice for private equity firms? Let’s explore the pros, cons, and an alternative.

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Private equity deal flow best practices

How top PE firms improve deal flow, with 2026 benchmarks from 300+ firms on introductions, network activation, and key-person risk.

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4 private equity benchmarks shaping dealmaking in 2025

Private equity firms are navigating volatility and a difficult exit market, but deal activity is proving more resilient than expected. Affinity’s Private Equity Benchmark 2025 analyzes aggregate data from more than 200 PE firms, surfacing trends that reveal how firms are adapting.

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Why VC and PE investors are doubling down on the pet industry

Spending on pets is up and the pet industry is attracting the interest of investors. Find out more about the investment opportunity and recent notable activity.

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Make Better Deal Decisions in Less Time: 4 New AI Features From Affinity

Four AI features that eliminate manual research busywork: note summaries, activity insights, pitch deck analysis, and integrated news for faster deal decisions.

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How top private equity firms build strategic limited partner relationships

Strategic limited partner relationships are the key to private equity success. Here’s how leading PE firms nurture and manage stronger LP relationships.

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Limited Partners (LP) vs. General Partners (GP) in private equity & how they're connected

Explore the roles and responsibilities of Limited Partners (LPs) and General Partners (GPs) in private equity—and how to strengthen these vital partnerships.

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Deal sourcing: What it is, how it works, and best practices

Learn the 7-step deal sourcing process top VC and PE firms use. 15 best practices, PE-specific strategies, and the tools that power modern dealflow.

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AI for private equity deal sourcing and relationship intelligence

Discover how AI deal sourcing and relationship intelligence help PE teams surface high-value opportunities faster, reduce sourcing friction, and close more deals with confidence.

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3 best practices on communicating with LPs

Whether your firm has an investor relations team or not, these tried-and-tested best practices will help to improve your Limited Partner communication strategy.

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2026 Private Capital Predictions: What 275 Investors Told Us

275 investors reveal 2026 private capital trends: AI adoption doubled to 28%, deal sourcing remains a top priority, and fundraising sentiment surged.

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The latest

PE deal lifecycle stages: Sourcing, Deal Qualification, Investment Committee, Deal Monitoring, Portfolio Monitoring, Fundraising

How PE firms use CRM at every stage of the deal lifecycle

Yes, private equity is still a people business

The 2026 PE Benchmark Report: what the data says

Brand or expertise: the 2x2 that decides which PE firms pull ahead

The concentration principle: how PE investors actually create value

A bar chart in which a tall dark bar is followed by a much shorter one, with a dashed outline and a cross marking the gap between them

The PE log jam: why over-marked assets can't trade, and what actually clears the market

Not all EBITDA is equal: Gary Crittenden on the return-on-capital lens that picks winners

Why 75% of M&A destroys value, and it’s not the strategy

Understanding Affinity’s API roadmap

How do PE firms track warm introductions across their team?

How top-performing PE firms convert outreach into deal flow

Who knows who? How PE and VC firms use CRM network mapping to find warm introductions

Best CRM for automatic email and meeting capture

The second bite at the apple: How Martis Capital convinced a founder to stay in

What A Top Management Consulting Firm Revealed About Why Relationship Intelligence is Key to Private Equity Success

The unicorn: a dying breed or exit catalyst in 2025?

Should private equity firms use Salesforce?

Private equity deal flow best practices

4 private equity benchmarks shaping dealmaking in 2025

Why VC and PE investors are doubling down on the pet industry

Make Better Deal Decisions in Less Time: 4 New AI Features From Affinity

How top private equity firms build strategic limited partner relationships

Limited Partners (LP) vs. General Partners (GP) in private equity & how they're connected

Deal sourcing: What it is, how it works, and best practices

AI for private equity deal sourcing and relationship intelligence

3 best practices on communicating with LPs

2026 Private Capital Predictions: What 275 Investors Told Us