Final Reflection: Investigating Private Equities on Labor Risks and Tax Savings

It is the moment when our project reached its zenith. It marks the finishing line of our course, but the trajectory of my learning will only keep on rising. This reflection elucidates the complexity that marred our topic and our team’s efforts to provide a view that can help our client overcome it in a new direction.  

The project, though challenging, was in fact an opportunity to absorb the knowledge of an interesting yet compelling area of study that demands serious attention. In my previous reflection, I had stated about how our client was elated to learn of what we were proposing. In our final client meeting, we got feedback on our interim presentation which helped us immensely in the run up to our final presentation. I must say this feedback was crucial in improving the clarity of our findings and developing a narrative that was appealing to an audience beyond our client.  

In our first scope, we encountered several challenges. Our initial proposal and idea to highlight the effects of labor risks on the stocks of private equities brought up several ambiguities. In our initial presentation to our colleagues in the course, we received feedback that forced us to design a new solution that mitigated most of these ambiguities. The process to produce these solutions was strenuous and demanded strong rigor along with constant brainstorming between team members. At one point, we were concerned if we could pull this off. After several discussions, we reached consensus on the direction to move ahead. Moving along in this direction, our initial results provided promising signs that we are moving in the right direction. Our efforts led to a final fruition that could conclusively say that labor risks affect the stock performance of private equities. I cannot thank our colleagues and faculty more, whose feedback and insights helped us develop these solutions.  

Our second scope too was riddled with ambiguities that raised several questions. Understanding the misuse of carried interest tax loophole by private equities and its effect on the education sector looked at too many areas. It had the desired rigor and findings that validated our claims. The challenge this presented was to get everyone to follow up with the results. Feedback from our client helped us in improving our presentation. The challenge to simplify a complex topic with a compelling narrative required strong deliberations over details. Navigating this process was humbling and I learned a lot about making tough decisions. The aspect of omitting something that we put in for long hours affects you personally, but the project's objective is what we must adhere to.  

I am thankful to our client enough for their support and encouragement. There were delays in our meetings with the client as they were involved in US presidential election campaigns. But these delays did not affect our deliverables. I would emphasize the role of developing an effective communication channel that helps moving ahead causing no hurdles going forward. Our client had clarity on what we were trying to achieve and provided their feedback. It was the feedback on the interim presentation post the delays that helped us polish our findings. I cannot stress enough but we seriously needed those suggestions.  

It was an enriching experience to work with my team. We had our difficulties and came out strongly at the end. While working on our final presentation, we resolved many of its inconsistencies in a quick time. Our interactions helped us understand each other’s skills and strengths that enabled us to work around the challenges of this project.  

On a personal level, I learnt a lot about private equities. It was the first time that I came across this topic and I am grateful to be presented with this opportunity. While working on the scopes, I realized there is much more to explore, which could expand into additional areas of study. Investigating various aspects of the labor risks made me realize that each labor risk presents a story of its own that is compelling in its own distinct way. I hope our findings can help our client delve deeper into them, helping them in their mission going forward. My understanding of this topic has grown exponentially while working on this topic. I look forward to working on such projects that reinforce accountability and transparency in organizations that have a fiduciary duty towards the community it serves.  

As the project has reached its culmination, I can confidently say this experience has been transformative, solidifying my understanding of impact investing and its role in driving equitable outcomes. Working with our client helped me develop a perspective, I believe is crucial in impact investing. This experience helped me extend my understanding of financial analysis and produce innovative solutions that were appreciated by the client and colleagues. More importantly, this journey reaffirmed my commitment to leveraging impact investing as a tool for empowering vulnerable communities and groups. I am excited to carry forward the skills, insights, and values from this experience as I continue to pursue my goal of working in the realms of impact investing.