WSO Weekly Wrap-up

September 20, 2025

Hey WSO Monkey,

A quick heads up about our Real Estate Modeling Bootcamp next Saturday, September 27th. If you're looking to build a strong foundation in real estate, this intensive program led by an industry pro might be helpful. Check it out if it sounds like something you'd be interested in.

-Patrick

Top Discussions

  1. Technology Investment Banking (M&A) Q&A - "I am in the London IB scene - so I can help here for sure. I work for a TMT specialised boutique, and we encounter the BBs in most of our sell-side pitches (GS, MS, JP, as well as some of the elite boutiques such as Evercore, Moelis who are reasonably strong too). The BBs are all very strong in tech as well, with GS and MS being the strongest, however the top boutiques do regularly compete with them, particularly for private M&A deals and P2Ps. Qatalyst focus on one or two very large deal per year and they have a very small team but are very strong. Torch are slightly weaker i.e. would not compete with the EBs or BBs but good at the MM M&A scene."

  2. In the Office Do You Ever Think About Dropping an Evo Mega Knight on Your MD? - "Long story short, don’t want to bore you with the details but I made it to 15k after buying a couple passes. I personally hate evo Mega Knight but I realize how satisfying it must be to drop that guy on a massive beatdown push. And ever since I had that realization I’ve kinda started having some concerning thoughts… like walking on the sidewalk, seeing some large people and thinking what if I dropped a MK on them… that would be a SICK positive elixir trade.."

  3. The American Dream - CLOs Baby - "1 year ago, decided the best path to getting where I wanted to go was grad school, wanted to specialize in something technical so got my masters in financial math from school in North East (non-target). Helped me with my visa but now I was seriously levered with student loans (not your usual international student rich kid) and this all had to work out. Had a few crash outs throughout the last year stressing about future jobs and would I even get where I was aiming for. Pretty much no on campus recruiting plus felt in a weird position because had 2 years of work experience + doing a masters so not typical undergrad applicant. Decided I would focus attention on structured finance (recently became really interested in CLOs - yup I’m a nerd), networking a lot in industry and applying for any role I could find. Was blown away by how many people offered me so much of their time. Still felt hopeless at different points about it turning into a job but had to trust the process..."

Why Most AI Efforts Fail and How to Succeed

MIT’s new report, The GenAI Divide: State of AI in Business 2025, shows why most AI efforts miss the mark. Despite heavy spending, 95% of organizations reported no measurable ROI in their AI implementations. Pilots stall, budgets skew to one department, and many teams try to build tools internally that never scale. Generic platforms also struggle to fit real workflows, and most systems don’t learn from feedback.

The good news: the 5% who do succeed follow a clear AI playbook. They focus on a small set of high-value vertical-specific use cases, partner with trusted vendors, and integrate AI into the systems they use every day. Blueflame clients are doing exactly that—saving 10 hours per CIM, cutting diligence timelines by up to 60%, and removing thousands of hours from transcript reviews. One $8B PE firm boosted bulk outreach efficiency by 60% without adding headcount.

Read the full recap and access our AI implementation resources here

Top Discussions (contd.)

  1. 2025/2026 Market - "I think the demographics are there, but senior living is by far the most operationally intensive asset class in real estate. Most real estate investors/developers are not set up to do well in this space. The groups that do a nice job are operators who fell back into real estate and not the other way around. This is really a healthcare play more than a real estate play. So unless you are developing the building and executing a long-term lease with an operator, I think there is a lot of surface area to get your ass handed to you. And the reason I know that is that when I was an LP, we got our ass absolutely handed to us in the senior space by backing great developers with great real estate who had no idea how to operate. Even the great operators struggle because it is so damn difficult to get right."

  2. Crying for the First Time in IB - "Started a few months back, and even though I’m an emotional guy I don’t really cry beyond a few tears when I’m really frustrated. Idk what it is, but since starting I’ve had a constant urge to cry. It’s like that weird chest butterflies and lump in the throat feeling. Maybe it’s the lack of sleep, toxic culture, not seeing fridnda or family, or likely a mix of all. I feel like I constantly need to compose myself, and worried about the optics of a dude finally breaking and crying after getting yelled at by an associate. I feel like I can’t really talk about this with anyone other than a therapist or something which I don’t have time for."

  3. Best Groups for Power/Energy/Utilities/Infra - "Groups with bigger balance sheets tend to do better with PU&I and Energy. Jefferies for Energy is always a good shout."

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..."

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!




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