Ep. 140 From the Navy to Wall Street: How Ryan McMorrow Broke into Private Equity

🎙️ In this episode of TheMilVet Podcast, host Beau Higgins sits down with Ryan McMorrow—Senior Vice President at Vista Equity Partners; graduate of The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and The United States Naval Academy; and U.S. Navy Veteran—to unpack his unconventional path from warships to Wall Street.

Ryan shares how he mapped out a transition strategy from the military to private equity, the mindset required to catch up to civilian peers, and the power of mentors and networking in opening doors that credentials alone can’t. From investment banking grind to being chief of staff for a Fortune 500 executive, and finally landing his dream role in private equity, Ryan breaks down the lessons learned, the bumps along the way, and why servant leadership still guides his career today.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

• How to reverse-engineer your dream job after military service
• The unfiltered truth about starting at the bottom and playing catch-up
• Why mentors and military networks can change the game
• What private equity really looks like behind the scenes
• How GenAI is reshaping the future of software—and Ryan’s role in it
• Why Vista Equity Partners is investing heavily in veteran talent

Whether you're a transitioning service member eyeing finance, or just looking to hear a raw, honest breakdown of what post-military success really takes—this episode delivers.

📍 Learn more at TheMilVet.org

#TheMilVetPodcast #VeteranFinance #PrivateEquity #MilitaryTransition #VistaEquityPartners #GenAI #Leadership #GoldmanSachs #NavyVeteran #ServantLeadership #VeteransInTech #PostMilitarySuccess

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