Search Fund Partnership Questionnaire

Search Fund Partnership Questionnarie

Personal

* What motivates you?

* What are you passionate about?

* What things do you like to do outside of work?

* What kind of things don't you like to do?

* Are you introverted or extroverted (do people give you energy?)

* What kind of people do you associate with? Why?

* How do you deal with conflict? Do you tend to avoid conflict?

* What is your financial situation? What is the size and timing of any financial obligations?

* What is the minimum salary you would take in the search fund process?

* What is the minimum salary you would take as head of a company?

* What do you expect your salary will be in the search fund process?

* What do you expect your salary will be in acquiring a company?

* Are you willing to take less / more salary for more / less equity?

* What are you most proud of?

* What would you say is your biggest disappointment?

* What is your general life philosophy?

* What is your definition of success?

* Do you want to get married and have kids?

* If so, how soon? What complications could arise from personal relationships?

* What other personal complications might get involved with the search fund process?

Childhood

* What is your family situation?

* How many siblings do you have?

* With whom do you have the best relationship?

* Who was your mentor growing up? Why?

* Where did you grow up and what things did you do?

* How would you classify yourself in high-school?

* What accomplishments, academic or extracurricular, did you achieve?

Major life decisions

* What were the most important decisions in your life?

* What influences shaped those decisions and why did you make those decisions?

* What is your biggest regret?

Prior work experiences

* How many companies have you worked for?

o What were they?

o Why did you select those jobs?

o How much money did you make initially and then by the end (separate cash + bonus)?

o If you switched jobs, why did you switch?

o For each job, what did you enjoy most and what did you enjoy least?

* What are your biggest professional successes?

* What has been your biggest professional failure?

o What did you learn from these experiences?

* Do you have deal experience?

o If so, what were the deals like and who were the parties involved?

o Have you ever dealt with lawyers or accountants? What did you learn?

o Have you ever had to negotiate against someone? If so, how did it go?

o What is your negotiation style?

o How do you deal with aggressive people?

o What is your preferred method of dealing with people?

o How do you value deals?

o What items would you pay extra for? What items would you pay less for?

* Finance

o Do you have significant accounting knowledge and strong understanding of financial statements?

o Have you ever been in an analyst/forecasting role?

o Do you have strong excel / financial modeling skills?

* Selling

o Have you ever had to sell a product or service?

o If so, what was it and were you successful?

o If not, have you ever sold anything else? Was it successful?

o Do you enjoy selling?

o Have you had to maintain customer relationships?

o Have you ever pitched to new customers?

o Do you like facing customers?

o What is your primary style in dealing with customers?

o Are you a good presenter?

o Do you like presenting?

o How do you like to present yourself (attire/dress)?

* Hiring / Firing

o Have you ever had to hire some directly?

o If not, have you had to interview many people? If so, what things do you look for?

o Was it your decision or a team decision?

o What would be your general hiring strategy/philosophy as the CEO of a small business?

o Have you ever had to fire someone?

o If not, have you ever been involved in the firing process or around it? If so, how did it go and what would you have done differently?

o Do you think its better to build people up or quickly determine whether they are capable and if not let them go?

* Leading

o How would you characterize your leadership style?

o Have you ever had direct management skills (i.e., did people report to you?)

o If so, how many and what was your approach?