WSO Weekly Wrap-up

September 27, 2025

Hey WSO Monkey,

Hope you had a good week!

If you’re looking to sharpen your skills, there are a few bootcamps coming up next weekend.

  • PE Interview Bootcamp (Sat, Oct 4): Covers the recruiting process, technical prep, deal experience, and behavioral tips tailored for breaking into PE.

  • Consulting Case Interview Bootcamp (Sat, Oct 4): A 4-hour session on frameworks, mental math, data interpretation, and live case drills with feedback.

  • Networking Bootcamp (Sun, Oct 5): Practical strategies for building authentic connections, reaching out to alumni, and keeping your network warm without being awkward.

No pressure, just putting them on your radar in case they’re useful.

Now let’s check out the latest updates and discussions from the forums.

-Patrick

Top Discussions

  1. Has London Actually Gotten Worse or Is It Just Nostalgia? - "London’s problem is that the UK is a lot more centralized than the U.S., and so there are few other competitive economic centers. You’re not seeing low-income Londoners retreating to Birmingham, Manchester, or Liverpool for an improvement in standard of living, and so this issue goes unresolved. The other factor is that, because the UK has a welfare state whereas the U.S. really does not, New York has a “Darwinian” element to it. Those from elsewhere who cannot support themselves here … leave. In London, the government can support them, which means you’ve got a lot of people in council housing alongside a lot of people with loads of disposable income."

  2. Lessons From Investing 8 Figures of My Own Capital - "If you’re buying a business with under $100m in revenue, you need to really, really understand how it works down to the nuts and bolts. This lets you underwrite it from the ground up instead of top down, which IMO, is the only way to invest in small businesses..."

  3. REPE Recruiting Is a Bloodbath – Q&A W/ Investment Analyst at a $79BN Platform - "I am an acquisitions analyst at a $79bn global real estate investment platform, and I know how brutal the climb is because I went through it. I also know what the job really looks like once you are in the seat. Ask me anything..."

Your 24/7 Finance Dream Team Awaits: Join the WSO Academy Slack

Success in finance isn’t about what you know - it’s all about who you know. In the WSO Academy Slack Community, you’ll have 24/7/365 access to a global network of rising stars, seasoned mentors, and Academy Officers ready to help you thrive, any time, day or night.

💬 The Ultimate Finance Network 
Surround yourself with your fellow future Masters of the Universe—the best and brightest who share your ambition and bring out the best in each other. Whether it’s sharing insights, swapping strategies, or landing referrals, this community is where your career connections begin.

📚 Mentors on Demand
With 24/7 access to WSO Academy Mentors and Officers, you’ll never feel stuck. Whether you need help with technical questions, interview prep, or career advice, expert guidance is just a message away.

🌐 A Community That Drives You Forward
This isn’t just another Slack group. It’s a support system, a think tank, and a launchpad for your career. The relationships you build here will form the foundation for future deals, partnerships, and plenty of opportunities. Maybe you’ll even find the co-founder your Hedge Fund needs!

🚀 Don’t Go It Alone
The best in finance know success doesn’t happen in isolation. Join a community that inspires, challenges, and elevates you every step of the way.

Top Discussions (contd.)

  1. What’s Going on With the Canadian IB Boutiques? - "The real underlying reason is that Canada is over. There are no actual businesses to even advise, which is why most "boutiques" are either business brokers or junior miner ECM merchants. We don't even have a middle market which is reflected in the IB """scene""". Canaccord, RJ, Stifel(?)... then what? Osprey? Fort? Origin Nepo Partners? Where are all the Blairs and Stephens and Harris Williams and Lincolns and Bairds? I mean seriously think about it, what do we even do in this country besides dig up rocks and protect the handful of telcos and banks we have from any competition whatsoever? Same reason why there is no VC - nothing to invest in. Also why there is no oncycle recruiting and more career bankers - there's a severe lack of decent PE platforms outside of the pensions, because again, we aren't a country that actually does anything."

  2. Which Style of Investing Allows You to Have the Best Grasp of Companies? - "IMO Public markets special situations or activist investing wherein you invest across the capital stack and across as many unique, hairy situations as possible would make you the best investor. You need to understand the specific situation, quantify and qualify risk vs. reward to determine best security / structure and setup, drivers / catalysts that make it an appetizing investment opportunity, with the added complexity of public markets (all things held constant, likely more complexity of operating structure / divisions, capital structure, and financing considerations), and some of the strategic know-how to determine what operational levers one would need to pull (mgmt / board, pricing / packaging, cost structure, unit economics, competitive positioning, etc.)..."

  3. Treatment Options for Panic Disorder / Anxiety - "For the past ~10 years, I’ve been dealing with generalized anxiety and panic disorder. College was rough due to unmanaged symptoms, and I only got diagnosed and started receiving help around my junior year. I managed to get by with intermittent therapy and a medication called propranolol (helped a lot with situational anxiety), but things became much harder when I entered the workforce. I had to leave my IB analyst program after developing uncontrollable panic attacks. Even casual social situations like dinners with my close friends became difficult because I was terrified of triggering panic. I decided to quit IB and took a fully remote job I wasn’t really excited about just to stay unemployed while trying to get a handle on my mental state..."

New Podcasts Coming in Hot 🔥

  • Colby to Associate in Consulting at BCG | Chat with Luis

  • 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..."

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.

PPS - Think you have an interesting story? Want to share it with our podcast listeners? Hit reply and let me know!




* PE Interview Bootcamp includes lifetime access to the PE Interview Course
** FMV Bootcamp includes lifetime access to the Elite Modeling Package
*** IB Interview Bootcamp includes lifetime access to the IB Interview Course