E14: My Story: A Private Equity Case Study

In this episode, John shares intimate details of his wealth-building story, giving us a glimpse into the courageous, risky and intuitive moves he made along the way that gave him much more than a #2000PercentRaise.
By leaving corporate America and starting his own business that he sold to a private equity firm, he upleveled his entire life to new possibilities, beyond what he ever imagined. John is now passionate about sharing his investment insights with millions through this podcast and his social media venues.
Topics covered in this interview include:
John answering his podcast listeners’ and social media followers’ most frequently asked questions:
-Where did all your money first come from?
-How did you get where you are now?
-How were you able to retire so young?
The way he discovered a niche within smaller, higher education institutions for the service platform for their employee benefit programs.
His model operated at 80 to 85 percent profit margins of gross revenue versus the insurance’s industry’s typical rate of 17 to 26 percent. He refers to this “EBITDA margin,” which is a measure of a company’s operating profit as percentage of profit.
Gaining notoriety through Benefits Selling Magazine putting him on the cover as “Broker-of-the-Year finalist.”
The closing line he previously used, which later enticed him to explore selling his company to a private equity firm. Details of the unique deal and risks John took-and substantial rewards with his stock tripling in value that allowed him to retire at age 37-are shared.
About John Cerasani
The transition from working for someone to being an entrepreneur is often rocky. However, great entrepreneurs are marked by their resilience and dedication to growing their businesses.
John Cerasani is a seasoned Chicago-bred entrepreneur who understands the transition and highlights his journey, as an inspiration for the entrepreneurial spirit that never dies, even if an entrepreneur decides to retire. That is why he is back from retirement in a brand-new field, venture capitalism, with his new business, Glencrest Global.
The serial entrepreneur, business expert, and venture capitalist recounts his journey, from starting a business, Northwest Comprehensive (giving himself a 2000 percent raise from his kitchen table), to selling that same insurance business to a large private equity-backed player. He has since established prosperous businesses in real estate, insurance, event planning, and food industries. His entry into the venture capital space marks a new experience and focus.
“I believe that all life experiences lead us in a direction, and circumstances will sometimes drive us to make decisions.”
Throughout his impressive career, John has been featured in various publications like WGN, FOX, NBC, and CBS. At the age of 27, he was featured in Crain’s Business 40 Under 40 for his work with one of his companies.
After selling his insurance business, he decided to slow down and retire. Still, a few months into retirement, John decided to change his professional direction and invested his renewed energy into Glencrest Global, a venture capital business that has quickly grown into one of the most recognized early-stage firms in the US. The company is currently engaged in more than 30 deals and has formed business partnerships with high-profile founders like Jaleel White, Kevin Garnett, Ashley Greene, and Aaron Rodgers.
John shares that entrepreneurship chose him, and the moment he decided to embrace the opportunities it presented, he began thriving. He shares highlights and insights from being a business leader with other entrepreneurs to help them succeed in their business ventures.
“Opportunities will come in different forms each and every day. You need to look for them and know when to embrace them. It is important to keep an attitude of realistic optimism when approaching any situation. Even challenging circumstances are opportunities to learn and grow.”
John is also working on his second book, 2000 Percent Raise, which provides people with a blueprint to help them pivot from working for others to working for themselves in successful businesses. He also uses his social media platforms to share entrepreneurial wisdom and connect with business partners, business influencers, and entrepreneurs.
Besides excelling in business, John was a scholarship athlete and Division 1 football player at Notre Dame and Northwestern University. He is also involved in philanthropic efforts and works with nonprofits to ensure that higher education is accessible to underserved communities.
Follow John:
Instagram: / johncerasani
TikTok: / johncerasani
LinkedIn: / johncerasani
Glencrest Global: glencrestgloba...
John's Book: 2000percentrai...
More 2000 Percent Raise: linktr.ee/2000...
Produced by: socialchameleo...