Money, prestige, or a perception of the industry as the “next big thing” will get you shown the door. Of course, those already working in private equity would be lying if they said they didn’t enjoy those things. But ultimately, once the money’s in the bank and the person’s name is in boldface in the newspaper, the challenge is what keeps them coming back. Private equity, to those in the industry, represents the very pinnacle of investing. Turning around whole companies, finding value where there doesn’t appear to be any… these are what keep private equity folks in the game.