Accessing the Pipeline

Hosted by McGuireWoods

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Oct 2026

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Accessing the Pipeline is a podcast for Black Professionals in Private Equity and Finance brought to you by McGuireWoods. Join us as we welcome special guests offering insights into accessing capital, developing and expanding relationships, opportunities, and driving growth for Black-owned businesses. Tune in to access the possibilities! McGuireWoods is a full-service firm providing legal and public affairs solutions to corporate, individual, and nonprofit clients worldwide for more than 200 years collectively. Our commitment to excellence in everything we do gives our clients a competitive edge in everything they do. Our law firm, over its 186-year history, has earned the loyalty of our many long-standing clients with a deep understanding of their businesses, and broad skills in corporate transactions, high-stakes disputes, and complex regulatory and compliance matters. To learn more about McGuireWoods or to contact us, please visit our website at mcguirewoods.com. This series was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this series, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this installment. The views, information or opinions expressed are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This series should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

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19 recent

October 20, 202640 min

Why Specialization Wins Capital in Private Equity and Infrastructure, with Nick Jean-Baptiste

Explaining why relationships matter when investing in service businesses, Nick Jean-Baptiste points out, “Most of your assets go home every night.” The founder and co-managing partner of Jacmel Partners joins McGuireWoods partners Abdul Lediju and Dan Howell to trace his journey from a Citigroup layoff to building a firm spanning private equity and infrastructure. Drawing on Jacmel's investments in Arora Engineers and LaGuardia Terminal B, Nick explains why specialization attracts capital and how a hands-on, people-first approach helps businesses grow. He also shares lessons from influential mentors, advice for emerging investors, and the personal story behind Jacmel's name. Tune in to hear Nick’s perspective on carving out your lane in private equity. Connect and Learn More ☑️ Nick Jean-Baptiste | LinkedIn ☑️ Jacmel Partners | LinkedIn ☑️ Abdul Lediju | LinkedIn ☑️ Dan Howell | LinkedIn ☑️ McGuireWoods | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

September 28, 202652 min

Investing Early in Overlooked Black Founders, with Khadijah Robinson and Brahm Rhodes

In venture capital, the market systematically misprices Black founders — and for Fictive Ventures , that mispricing is precisely the opportunity. Co-founders and general partners Khadijah Robinson and Brahm Rhodes back these early-stage founders as early as "Idea+," structuring deals through SAFEs and CISAs. The partners walk through their constraint-based diligence, their hands-on role as advisors and builders, and a fund built for up to 250 LPs so small investors can participate. With Black founders receiving just 0.32% of venture capital, they tell McGuireWoods attorneys Abdul Lediju and Arrion Dennis why those who won't play shouldn't complain. Tune in for their candid insights on liquidity, market concentration, and the case for building with community. Connect and Learn More ☑️ Brahm Rhodes | LinkedIn ☑️ Khadijah Robinson | LinkedIn ☑️ Fictive Ventures | LinkedIn | Instagram | X ☑️ Abdul Lediju | LinkedIn ☑️ Arrion Dennis | LinkedIn ☑️ McGuireWoods | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

April 22, 202641 min

Bringing Out the Best for Under-Capitalized Communities, with BlackRock’s Ladell Robbins

“When I first joined BlackRock,” Ladell Robbins recalls, “and I just saw the number of investment opportunities that flow through the platform – it's mesmerizing,” Today, Ladell is managing director of the BlackRock Impact Opportunities Strategy, BlackRock’s social impact investment platform that focuses on improving outcomes for under-capitalized groups. In this conversation with hosts Abdul Lediju and Dan Howell , he reflects on his journey to BlackRock, including investment banking at JP Morgan, Harvard Business School, and private equity in West Africa. Stay tuned in as he describes BlackRock’s landmark $25 million investment in a solar microgrid project for the Viejas tribe – believed to be the first program to benefit from the federal government’s Tribal Loan Guarantee Program. “It brought out the best of BlackRock.” Connect and Learn More ☑️ Ladell Robbins | LinkedIn ☑️ BlackRock | LinkedIn | Facebook | X | YouTube ☑️ Abdul Lediju | LinkedIn ☑️ Dan Howell | LinkedIn ☑️ McGuireWoods | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

March 30, 202625 min

At the Intersection of Purpose and Profit, with Garrison Jones

How do we find opportunities where others are not finding them and how can we create an investment strategy where others have not found the value?" That question drives Garrison Jones , founder and CEO of Wailes Capital , a private equity firm focused on people-first businesses across B2B software, education, and healthcare. Garrison reflects on how he has crafted a career “at the intersection of purpose and profit,” and McGuireWoods partners and hosts Abdul Lediju and Dan Howell congratulate him for the newest signpost on that intersection: WCM Holdings, a tech-enabled nonprofit fundraising and administrative software and services platform. Tune in for Garrison’s candid insights about why you should build a success ecosystem before taking the leap, why fundraising is as much about who's involved as what you're pitching, and how resilience and mentorship can make all the difference in your career. Connect and Learn More ☑️ Garrison Jones | LinkedIn ☑️ Wailes Capital on LinkedIn ☑️ Abdul Lediju | LinkedIn ☑️ Dan Howell | LinkedIn ☑️ McGuireWoods | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

January 20, 202643 min

Right Deal, Right Buyer, Right Fit: The Ernie Lyles Playbook

Growing up in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, Ernie Lyles found his Wall Street inspiration when he watched the news one day to see “this Black man on the golf course just hanging out with the president.” It turned out to be Vernon Jordan, then an advisor to President Bill Clinton. That inspiration propelled Ernie through Howard University School of Law and onto an Amtrak train to New York, where he met an HR executive in banking over coffee. Today, as founder and CEO of HiGro Group , Ernie has completed 15 to 20 acquisitions across five platforms over 10 years. In this conversation with McGuireWoods hosts Abdul Lediju and Dan Howell , Ernie shares his investment philosophy built on a three-legged stool: right deal, right buyer, right fit. Connect and Learn More ☑️ Ernie Lyles | LinkedIn ☑️ HiGro Group | LinkedIn ☑️ Abdul Lediju | LinkedIn ☑️ Dan Howell | LinkedIn ☑️ McGuireWoods | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

November 11, 202532 min

How “Everyone Can Win” in the Independent Sponsor Market, with Chelsea Celistan

Recording live from the 2025 McGuireWoods Independent Sponsor Conference, hosts Abdul Lediju and Dan Howell invite the podcast’s first repeat guest to reflect on her journey over the past few years. Chelsea Celistan is now head of Independent Sponsor Strategy at Avante Capital Partners , a capital partner to independent sponsors. “I think that the independent sponsor asset class is really exciting,” she says, adding: “I think one of the greatest things is that there's not a zero-sum game in this space. Everyone can win.” Connect and Learn More ☑️ Chelsea Celistan | LinkedIn ☑️ Avante Capital Partners | LinkedIn ☑️ Abdul Lediju | LinkedIn ☑️ Dan Howell | LinkedIn ☑️ McGuireWoods | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

June 12, 202527 min

Why Demand, Not Policy, Powers Clean Energy Markets, with Will Demas

From Will Demas ’ perspective, investing in clean energy is no longer about policy; “it’s a pure supply-demand and economic rational matter.” The Head of Americas for Macquarie Asset Management ’s Green Investment Group, Will shares why current political rhetoric doesn't change the demand for clean energy in this conversation with McGuireWoods attorneys Abdul Lediju and Dan Howell . Tune in for his insights about Macquarie's 20-year commitment to renewable energy, their $18 billion deployment into the sector, and unprecedented opportunities in renewable energy due to data centers' insatiable power needs. Connect and Learn More ☑️ Will Demas | LinkedIn ☑️ Macquarie Asset Management | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube ☑️ Abdul Lediju | LinkedIn ☑️ Dan Howell | LinkedIn ☑️ McGuireWoods | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

January 7, 202530 min

Catalyzing Growth and Diversity in Private Equity, with Demetrius Sidberry

New Catalyst Strategic Partners chose its name intentionally. “New Catalyst” means that the investment firm catalyzes fund managers’ ability to grow business. It also catalyzes the corporate finance industry by putting managers of “all shapes and sizes” into business. “It’s really, really important that we practice what we preach,” says Demetrius Sidberry , the firm’s managing director and investment committee member. New Catalyst Strategic Partners focuses on the “next generation” of managers, particularly in the private equity space. In this conversation with hosts PJ Harris and Abdul-Rahman Lediju , Demetrius discusses the firm’s strategies for investing and guiding growth. Connect and Learn More ☑️ Demetrius Sidberry | LinkedIn ☑️ New Catalyst Strategic Partners | LinkedIn ☑️ PJ Harris | LinkedIn ☑️ Abdul-Rahman Lediju | LinkedIn ☑️ McGuireWoods | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

August 7, 202423 min

How Investing in Hotels Can Unlock Wealth with Kendra Plummer of Elise Capital

As a kid, Kendra Plummer dreamed of owning a boutique hotel. As she grew, she realized that hotels are more than just bricks and mortar. “Hotels are a real estate asset class, and they are very much an investment.” Today, Kendra is the founder and CEO of Elise Capital . She helps all communities – especially those that are underrepresented in finance and capital allocation – unlock the hidden potential of hotel investments. With McGuireWoods attorneys PJ Harris and Dan Howell , she outlines her path, from studying hotel management as an undergraduate to earning her MBA to launching Elise Capital, a firm dedicated to developing savvy hotel investors and educating a pipeline of potential investors. She reveals lessons she’s learned on her journey and how Elise Capital guides investors on theirs. Connect and Learn More ☑️ Kendra Plummer | LinkedIn ☑️ Elise Capital | LinkedIn ☑️ PJ Harris | LinkedIn ☑️ Dan Howell | LinkedIn ☑️ McGuireWoods | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

April 24, 202431 min

Combining Real Estate Investing and Social Impact with Chris Grant of Yoke Management Partners

Is it possible to use real estate as a catalyst for attractive returns and meaningful social impact? On this episode of Accessing the Pipeline, McGuireWoods attorneys Dan Howell and PJ Harris talk with Chris Grant, the founder of Yoke Management Partners. Yoke Management Partners is a diversified real estate investment firm with a focus on affordable housing in the DMV—whose mission is to generate the best returns and have a positive social impact on the community. Tune in as Chris talks about the ins and outs of being an emerging manager including, his founder story, the challenges of the current real estate market, his journey in fundraising, the importance of alignment, and how Yoke Management Partners is executing its mission to generate returns and community impact. Connect and Learn More ☑️ Chris Grant | LinkedIn ☑️ Yoke Management Partners | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Dan Howell | LinkedIn ☑️ PJ Harris | LinkedIn ☑️ McGuireWoods | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter/X | YouTube ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.

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