WSO Weekly Wrap-up

September 06, 2025



Hey WSO Monkey,

Plenty of food for thought this week… covering trade-offs between living in the U.S. vs. Europe, personal wins, avoiding PE-backed businesses as a customer, and whether rentals still make sense in 2025.

-Patrick

Top Discussions

  1. The American Way of Living vs Europe - "It's personal preference. US is hands down better to generate wealth as an individual. However I prefer living in EU. I take like 3 holidays a year, alongside numerous long weekend city trips. It's basically impossible to get burnt out. I also think that if you've made it in EU, the lifestyle is better. Chalet in Swiss alps? Villa in Tuscany? Weekend trip to Portugal? I think that's better than chalet in Colorado, villa in Miami, weekend trip to Vegas. But to each their own. EU you can still make good money, especially in finance, and you actually get to enjoy life. People absolutely do brag about spending money here! Especially in finance circles."

  2. How I Stopped Doomscrolling - "I hear you, but this is fundamentally flawed to me. By “improving” I am seeing real world benefits to my life, including the conversations I can hold, the interactions I have with others including women, my ability to enjoy things in the real world (food, nature, etc). I’ve been more confident and less anxious as well because of the wiring in my brain is less dependent on constant hits of dopamine always (I think anyways). I believe there is virtue in this and I am learning values and building strengths I can pass on to my future kids and family. I feel like using TikTok to get nonstop dopamine hits was making me weak..."

  3. Why Most AI Efforts Fail and How to Succeed - “MIT’s report reveals that 95% of AI initiatives fail to deliver ROI due to stalled pilots, misaligned budgets, and ineffective tools. Successful organizations focus on high-value use cases, partner with trusted vendors, and integrate AI with daily systems. Blueflame AI clients achieve measurable results, like saving 10 hours per CIM analysis and boosting outreach efficiency by 60%.”

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Top Discussions (contd.)

  1. Anyone Else Try Their Best Not to Be a Customer to PE Backed Businesses? - "What is really beautiful is when you truly see the opposite. I was in Hawaii recently and could not understand the structure at one of the best shaved ice places I’ve ever been to. Or when I go to a small restaurant or boutique clothing shop and get a degree of quality and service that surely does not make economical sense but they’re relying on building a relationship, etc."

  2. Is Buying Rentals in 2025 Still Worth the Risk? - "I do duplex and triplex rentals. I live in a tier 1 market, so real estate is very expensive here and it is nearly impossible to find a cash flowing property where you are net positive after paying opex and debt service. The way that I make it work is by renovating and PMing them myself. I actually just completed the renovation of a duplex yesterday and had it already pre-leased a month ago. I purchased the property for $1.15mm, put down 20% (initially I was thinking about living in one of the units, so I got a homeowner loan. Normally I would get a construction loan where I need to put down 25%, but can get 100% of the construction costs financed. Rate is about 1% higher though)..."

  3. What Does “You Are Not a Good Fit” Mean? - "Being weird/creepy, arrogance and hubris, not being coachable or receptive to feedback, just being a complete sperg that doesn't understand social dynamics, lack of confidence or assertiveness, seniors not feeling as if they can trust you to be in front of clients (even with 3-4 years of training). This is an incredibly important part of the recruitment process and probably more important than technical chops or raw intelligence. You got 8-10 weeks to show that you are a fit and you can't have any of the above as they are seen as red flags."

  4. How to Combat Stress Symptoms (Balding) - "I have recently been experiencing some difficulty in the noggin region. I've been fortunate enough to hold on to most of my head of lettuce for quite some time, but I think that some work on high-profile deals in the past few weeks has really started eat away at my hair in the form of balding. I've been receding slightly for a while now, but it has become much more apparent even over this short time frame. I fear that appearing older than my age (38) may cause some trouble commanding respect in my position as someone who entered the firm at an older age due to a change of industries..."

New Podcasts Coming in Hot 🔥

  • Copenhagen Business School to PWC

  • Ohio State to RX Investment Banking at Ducera in NYC

Hot Jobs 💼

Experienced Analyst - "As an Investment Banking Analyst, you’ll work alongside senior-level management and play an integral role in supporting the full lifecycle of transactions. You will be challenged in a fast-paced environment by managing competing priorities and demonstrating initiative. Our culture is focused on creating “entrepreneurial bankers” and we strive to facilitate an environment that fosters professional and personal growth while leading with integrity..." 

Finance Expert - "Mercor is hiring seasoned Finance professionals to join an exciting collaboration with a top AI research lab. The role involves contributing to the development and evaluation of advanced AI systems built to mimic real-world workflows across Investment Banking, Private Equity, Asset Management, and Equity Research. You'll help train, test, and calibrate AI agents on complex financial tasks derived from M&A, IPOs, debt offerings, equity research, pitchbook development, and more..."

General Finance Expert - "This role involves contributing to the development and evaluation of advanced AI systems designed to replicate real-world workflows across Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Strategic Finance, Corporate Finance, Treasury, and Budgeting & Forecasting..."

Investment Services Expert - "This role involves contributing to the development and evaluation of advanced AI systems designed to replicate real-world workflows across investment banking, private equity, asset management, and equity research..."

WSO Mentor - "Are you an experienced professional with a background in investment banking, private equity, hedge funds, S&T, venture capital, asset management, equity research, quant finance, corporate dev, real estate finance, or top-tier consulting? Passionate about mentoring the next generation of leaders? Wall Street Oasis (WSO) is expanding its Mentorship Program, and we're looking for outstanding professionals to join our mentor roster—an elite network supporting students and young professionals as they prepare for high-stakes careers. Whether you’re looking to give back, stay connected to rising talent, or sharpen your coaching skills, this role offers you the chance to make a meaningful impact, remotely and on your schedule..."

Equity Research Analyst - "Buy-side research analyst opportunity with a family office. The analyst will work with the direct investment team and report to the Portfolio Manager. The team employs a fundamentally driven investment process and an owner’s mentality...."

Research Associate (Equity Small Mid Cap) - New York, NY - "This position will support the Small/Mid-Cap Equity research team and initially be responsible for covering multiple sectors in support of current team members."

On Deck - Training 🎓

All in Eastern Standard Time

Stay Strong,
Patrick Curtis
CEO and Founder, WallStreetOasis.com

WSO Mobile App: iOS | Android

PS - We're also always looking to add resume reviewers and WSO Mentors to our team. Set your own pay (from $40/hr to up to $400/hr) to increase or decrease mentee flow. To submit an application, go here.

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