WSO Weekly Wrap-up

September 13, 2025

Hey WSO Monkey,

A mix of career war stories, personal reflections, and industry hot takes this week. A hedge fund vet shared insights after a decade in event-driven/distressed strategies, while another thread dives into the challenges of striking out solo in real estate. Also an energy trading Q&A and advice on staying resilient after rejections. Worth browsing when you’ve got a moment.

-Patrick

Top Discussions

  1. Q&A: 10 Years at Event Driven / Distressed HF - "Worked across recent driven HF focused on credit but have done equities / options. Also, illiquid investments basic PE / PC."

  2. “Going off on Your Own” - A Stream of Consciousness - "I'd love to just own my own RE and not answer to investors, but I glossed over that possibility because it's not a thing when you only have $700k to put down. And being a pure allocator wouldn't give me the juice with such little capital to work with. So the path is as a GP hustling around raising capital and making deals work, and then making them work. I guess my point with this whole stream of consciousness is to express this frankly lame feeling that I'm an imposter and that there isn't a clear path to being self-employed in real estate ownership, at least not where I'm at. I could use the peanut gallery's perspectives on what a GP startup really looks like in the beginning stages..."

  3. Patterns is the execution agent for deal teams - “Close more—without more headcount. Generate analyst‑grade outputs to support all parts of the deal process, xlsx to ppt, from teaser to close.”

From Zero to Investment Hero: WSO Academy Weekend Bootcamps

Think you need months to master financial modeling, ace case interviews, or pitch like a pro? Think again. WSO Academy’s Live Bootcamps take you from a beginner to an expert in just a few hours, all guided by our seasoned finance mentors and held every weekend.

🛠️ Bootcamps Tailored to Your Goals
Dive into topics that matter for your career:

  • Foundations: Build a rock-solid skill base in Excel, PowerPoint, Financial Statements, and more.

  • Case Interview: Master case analysis and delivery to blow away your interviewer.

  • Financial Modeling & Valuation: Your first-class ticket to “Master of the Universe” status.

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Top Discussions (contd.)

  1. Energy Trading Q&A - "I've been trading energy (power) for about 10 years now, mostly for smaller hedge funds/prop shops. I trade several variants of financial products/derivatives, including futures on ICE. Happy to discuss this field and answer questions about roles, responsibilities, day-in-the-life, compensation, expectations, companies in the space, etc."

  2. How Do You Keep Going After Rejections? - "Life is tough, it is unfortunate, and it is also extremely unfair. The reality is - by feeling sorry for yourself, the only person you punish is, yourself. This is one of those things where you need to keep your head high, learn from your mistakes, and keep pushing forward."

  3. Top 10 Reasons Prospects Should Avoid UBS Investment Bank - "UBS has fallen dramatically in U.S. investment banking league tables. They ranked outside the top 10 in U.S. M&A fees in early 2025, compared to peers like Barclays and Wells Fargo that have grown their share. In fact, UBS was reported as low as 23rd place in U.S. league tables in 2025, a far cry from its earlier North America presence..."

  4. Why Sales & Trading? - "I was actually very into trading and I know all the key concepts (fvg, ob, liquidity sweep, fibonacci etc). I also got a prop firm scholarship. So I do have some experience but do you think it would be fine if I mention it in S&T? I dont actually want to do banking cus everyone in IB is depressed and trading is really my passion & I love the markets."

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..."

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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.

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