I work for a global private equity firm as a strategy and operating partner, and have undertaken major roles in large private equity-backed portfolio companies. I've worked in senior roles for major portfolio companies and have experienced firsthand how a US PE firm functions. Get Morning Coffee ☕ in your inbox. Sign up here.These are my observations:1. Buy the company with leverage (30-70%) depends on the deal2. Offload the debt to the portfolio company3. Hire a mercenary team of experience CEO, CFO, executives who have done this 3-4 times before to create "value", with a hockey stick EBITDA target.4.