I thought I would check-in.
It’s been a month since leaving Littlejohn / private equity. If there’s a through-line that I’ve noticed, it’s that people want to stay in touch. I know that’s sometimes a performative reaction to a departure, but I’m taking y’all at your word (at least this once, but maybe again if this goes well).
This email isn’t meant to simplify the effort of maintaining relationships and friendships, but was really born of a desire to genuinely stay connected. And, quite the opposite, I’ve been having coffees, dinners, and calls with many of you in the last few weeks. It’s been energizing.
I don’t plan to send a lot of these emails, and I don’t want you to feel obligated to respond, to read them, or even to receive them, but I think it’s a fun experiment to see where things go.
What I’ve been up to
Nothing.
(Kidding.)
I think I’m the sort of person who finds it hard to sit still, which has coming off the finance rollercoaster interesting. Like a lot of young(ish) people, I followed the IB to PE pipeline out of undergrad with a single-minded doggedness which left me a good work ethic, but also what I call: relaxation-guilt.
Busy for me is now very different. The aperture for what I am doing, can be doing, and should be doing is wide open, which is obviously new (and scary). To be frank, in my thirty years, I haven’t been off a defined path, ever. And, everything I’m looking at now is in the varying stages of early stage – literally.
It’s been downright fun. Defining my filter has been another project in and of itself, and sifting through these opportunities has challenged me on what I value and why.
Outside of work
Outside of work – and, yes, there’s been a lot of “outside of work” in the last few weeks – I’m reconnecting with friends and colleagues, regrowing relationships that have, frankly, atrophied. Topics of conversation have ranged far and wide, but have included making use of Claude (vibe coding? Hello world.), Vermont’s gangbusters snow season (up until a week ago or so), upcoming vacations and the heralding of spring, and some of the same old business speak.
Herron and Alfie are both fantastic. Herron is working harder than me, pulling late nights and juggling complex deadlines. I’m constantly impressed. See more @__likethebird.
The blurring of the lines between what feels like work and what feels like life has been nice. That’s probably the most important filter for me.
Where I’ve been and where I’ll be
We’ve been skiing Vermont (Pico, Stratton, and Dartmouth Skiway), taking longer dog walks, and golfing (at the simulator, although looking forward to getting out on the course with some of you this spring).
Over the next few weeks, I will be with friends in Ft. Lauderdale, followed by Easter in Antigua, and then a wedding in the UK. You’ll otherwise find me in Brooklyn and the city (often Midtown).
I’d love to see you.
What I’m reading
Westerns. The Travels of Jamie McPheeters by Robert Lewis Taylor, and The Big Sky and The Way Westboth by A.B. Guthrie Jr. The American dream is real, and these protagonists feel its tug. These books make the dream real and the opportunity tangible. Individuality, resiliency, and a firm belief in new beginnings are just a few of the themes you’ll find here. And, personally, I love the vastness of the West, the awe and scale of the rocky mountains, and the “see it to believe it” richness that lay beyond on the western sea.
So, that’s that.
I know this is a literal way of staying in touch, but what the heck. Let me know if this email “landed”.
Wishing you lots of success, and hoping we’ll talk soon,
Andrew
P.s. No AI was used to write this email.