Considered an alternative investment class, private equity seeks to invest in private companies that are not yet listed on the public stock exchange. As a result, private equity firms can earn money by charging to manage and for performance fees.
Offering several key advantages to start-ups and legacy companies alike, private equity can provide funding outside of traditional financial environments. Making a career out of connecting companies with the equity they need has been Mark Hauser, the chairman of HAUSER and the founder of The Hauser Group.
Meet Mark Hauser
Born in Cincinnati and raised there, Mark Hauser still resides in the region with his wife and three daughters. Mark first began his journey up the private equity ladder when he graduated from Miami University of Ohio having earned his degree in finance. A short stint as VP for Reynolds, DeWitt & Co would arm him with the experience and confidence he needed to take a deeper dive into the field.
Ramping up his courage, Hauser would leap into the financial field by purchasing the predecessor company to what would become The Hauser Group. Growing into a nationwide firm over the intervening decades has allowed Hauser to extend his reach into new offices in Atlanta, Kansas City, L.A., Chicago, and even St. Louis.
Defined by his friends and family as a persistent individual, Hauser has long advocated for building businesses based on relationships. In fact, Hauser doesn’t think that you can succeed any other way. Hauser stated in an interview, “The best business relationships are those built on mutual respect and a shared vision.”
Outside of his work in private equity, Hauser operated as the VP of Reynolds DeWitt Securities. Hauser also transitioned into a career in the private sector by serving on the Board of Directors for beverage brands, consumer goods, and food brands.
Looking at the NEXT Big Idea
While private equity investing will always be a major opportunity, Mark Hauser has looked to the future more often than not when trying to decide his next move. From work blacktopping driveways to dealing with more than $300 million in private equity investing, Hauser’s drive has been unstoppable.
Right now, Hauser admits that private equity is great at generating success through the alignment of resources while focusing on efficiency and market mechanisms. In that same line of thinking, Hauser thinks a similar revolution is in place for tech-enabled services. Hauser believes that much of his entrepreneurial focus, were he just starting, should be directed toward this avenue.
When discussing his future plans as well as what makes him successful, Hauser likes to quote the NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”