From Operator to Advisor: Carlos Granda on Navigating Private Equity
From Fireside with Founders & Leaders by rmg digital
March 4, 2026 · 1h 3m · Season 7 · Episode 8
About this episode
Carlos Granda shares his journey from operator to advisor in private equity, discussing the challenges and insights gained along the way.
In this episode of Fireside with Founders and Leaders, host Rupert McSheehy welcomes Carlos Granda, an experienced operating advisor with a remarkable career spanning over three decades in the technology sector. Carlos shares his journey from being a chief customer officer at leading companies like Google, Salesforce, and SAP to transitioning into an advisory role within the private equity (PE) landscape. The discussion offers invaluable insights for anyone contemplating a career in PE, exploring the nuanced differences between operating in a PE-backed organisation versus traditional corporate environments. Carlos delves into the challenges and rewards of shifting from operator to advisor, emphasising the importance of building trust with leadership teams and understanding the unique dynamics of PE firms. He also introduces the concept of the "GRR Time Bomb"—a critical metric that can signal customer churn long before it happens. The conversation further touches on the transformative role of AI in enhancing value creation within PE firms and the common pitfalls faced by startups attempting to penetrate the enterprise market.
People in this episode
Host: Rupert McSheehy
Guest: Carlos Granda
Topics covered
- private equity
- technology sector
- career transition
- customer churn
- AI in business
Keywords
- operating advisor
- trust building
- PE dynamics
- GRR Time Bomb
- value creation
Mentioned in this episode
Products: Google, Salesforce, SAP
Books & works: Navigating Private Equity, Fireside with Founders and Leaders
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