Stew Campbell, Partner at The Chernin Group

In this episode of M&A Science, host Kison Patel sits down with Stew Campbell to explore how growth equity supports founder-led companies beyond just capital. Stew shares lessons from his career helping businesses scale while preserving their culture and mission. They discuss how founders should think about their boards, when to consider a minority recap, what separates elite investors, and how to navigate noisy capital markets with clarity and confidence.

Whether you're a founder eyeing your next stage of growth or an operator thinking through the right partner, this episode unpacks how to scale with intention.

Things you will learn:

• What a value-creating board actually looks like—and how to build one
  
  
• How to differentiate growth equity, private equity, and venture capital
  
  
• When to consider a minority recap—and how to structure it
  
  
• Why investor relationships are a long game and how to run your own "unbanked process"