Private equity ownership dominates B2B media and understanding how to successfully work with private equity is critical, even for independently-owned operators who may deal with PE on standalone transactions (or even for future sales of their companies).

On Sept. 11, Connectiv kicks off the first in a series of sessions bringing together directors of PE-sponsored companies to discuss operating in the PE age, including:

· Acquisition strategy and alignment

· Dealing with operating partners

· Workforce management

· Banking relationships

· Operating within the PE partners investment horizon to maximize value

· Working with financial partners who might not have a firm grasp of the industry

· PE’s desire for simple reporting (KPIs) in a complex operating environment

· Managing the PE partner relationship effectively

· Structuring and running effective board meetings

· Balancing the relationship between direct reports and your financial partners-what’s the right mix?

· What are the danger signs that your relationship with your PE firm is souring?

· Is there any way to control the exit when they decide to monetize their investment?

· What keys have you discovered to successfully navigate your relationship with your financial partners?

· How to report negative results without covering up essential information.

· Operating successfully in a leverage business.

· PE’s balance sheet mentality vs. the operator’s bias toward the P&L.

The meeting will be scheduled for three hours, and each participant will be asked to submit a one-pager on its business as part of the agenda. The first session on Sept. 11 in New York City is open to Connectiv board members and future meetings will be open to all CEOs of Connectiv member companies. A series of similar flights will be planned for family-owned businesses in the near future.  

Questions can be addressed to Connectiv managing director Michael Marchesano at mmarchesano@connectivb2b.net.  

Matt Kinsman is vice president of content + programming at Connectiv, the only association focused on the integrated b-to-b model—including publications, events, digital media, marketing services and business information. Prior to joining Connectiv's predecessor American Business Media in 2011, Kinsman was executive editor of Folio:, the leading information provider for the magazine industry.