Kim Kardashian is by far not the only celebrity taking a crack at the private equity world. Not saying she won’t be successful, but joining the private equity industry isn’t easy. And the challenges dealmakers are facing these days, also makes the timing interesting.

There is an endless list of entertainers in venture capital, however, not that many can be found in traditional PE. Kardashian joins a growing number of athletes and politicians entering the field. But getting started in PE isn’t that easy. Steve Young, who quarterbacked the San Francisco 49ers to three Super Bowls, and co-founded middle-market private equity firm HGGC, told me that private equity is a hard business.

Eli Manning, the quarterback who led the New York Giants to two Super Bowls in 2008 and 2012, admitted to me that he still has a lot to learn about PE, and probably won’t be spending his time analyzing balance sheets anytime soon. Manning joined New York-based Brand Velocity Group as a partner in 2022.

The private equity industry is brutally competitive and current macro challenges makes it even more so in finding quality targets. But Kardashian has a quality partner on her side in former Carlyle executive Jay Sammons. Sammons was the global head of consumer, media and retail at Carlyle before leaving this year.

For PE firms, there’s probably no bigger marketing engine than a famous face to attract limited partners.

How do you think Kardashian will fare in private equity? Let me know your thoughts at [email protected].

-Demitri Diakantonis