Deal Us In is a podcast brought to you by McGuireWoods. Deal Us In promotes the advancement of women in private equity and finance through conversations with women leaders and rising stars in the private equity and finance space. These conversations provide both insights and practical takeaways to inform your deal work and enhance the culture of your organization. If you’re ready to drive the industry toward a more inclusive and diverse environment then, it’s time to come to the table.
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This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.
Building a Lower Middle-Market Credit Powerhouse, with Marilyn Adler and Liddy Karter
Marilyn Adler (https://www.mizzencapital.com/our-team/marilyn-adler) and Liddy Karter (https://www.mizzencapital.com/our-team/elizabeth-(%E2%80%9Cliddy%E2%80%9D)-karter) identified a gap where credit fund managers were getting larger and the lower middle market was getting ignored. They combined forces to “really go after the market,” forming Mizzen Capital (https://www.mizzencapital.com/). “We'll start with a company when it's two to five million of EBITDA and then help them with add-on acquisitions to get to their target EBITDA,” Marilyn says. Liddy adds: ”The steady returns come from diversification. We can pivot from one of several sectors.” In this conversation with host Ann Dorsett (https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/d/ann-terrell-dorsett/), the co-founders and managing partners describe their complementary backgrounds and their approach. Tune in as they reveal how they keep leverage low with their portfolio companies, why diverse teams price risk better, and when a warm referral from an aerospace CEO turned into a three-year relationship.
Connect and Learn More
☑️ Liddy Karter (https://www.mizzencapital.com/our-team/elizabeth-(%E2%80%9Cliddy%E2%80%9D)-karter) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/liddykarter/)
☑️ Marilyn Adler (https://www.mizzencapital.com/our-team/marilyn-adler) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynadler/)
☑️ Mizzen Capital (https://www.mizzencapital.com/) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/mizzencapital)
☑️ Ann Dorsett (https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/d/ann-terrell-dorsett/) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-dorsett-1443196)
☑️ McGuireWoods (https://www.mcguirewoods.com/) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/mcguirewoods/) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/mcguirewoods) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mcguirewoods_llp/) | X (https://twitter.com/McGuireWoodsLLP)
☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deal-us-in/id1506832720) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5AjkjxzT1RciX2tWlW9Jqm) | Amazon Music (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7ca79695-09e5-42e7-8ee9-8f1af2ffcaf2/deal-us-in)
This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.
13 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT
Opening Doors for Emerging Managers, with Raudline Etienne
Raudline Etienne (https://www.darajacapital.com/leadership) remembers seeing a Knight Foundation report that said the percentage of assets that minority and women-owned firms manage in aggregate was less than 2% of a multi-trillion dollar industry. “I found it to be offensive,” she recalls in this conversation with host Ann Terrell Dorsett (https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/d/ann-terrell-dorsett/). “I realized that there was so much talent out there that wasn't getting the opportunity and the fact that I was willing to be first was something that would help move the ball forward.” Raudline (https://www.darajacapital.com/leadership)’s solution was to create Daraja Capital (https://www.darajacapital.com/), a seeding platform that lowers the barriers of entry for aspiring fund managers. Tune in for her practical wisdom about building institutional relationships, creating wealth through diversity, and mentoring underrepresented talent.
Connect and Learn More
☑️ Raudline Etienne (https://www.darajacapital.com/leadership) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/raudlineetienne)
☑️ Daraja Capital (https://www.darajacapital.com/) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/daraja-capital)
☑️ Ann Dorsett (https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/d/ann-terrell-dorsett/) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-dorsett-1443196)
☑️ McGuireWoods (https://www.mcguirewoods.com/) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/mcguirewoods/) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/mcguirewoods) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mcguirewoods_llp/) | X (https://twitter.com/McGuireWoodsLLP)
☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deal-us-in/id1506832720) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5AjkjxzT1RciX2tWlW9Jqm) | Amazon Music (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7ca79695-09e5-42e7-8ee9-8f1af2ffcaf2/deal-us-in)
This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.
22 Jul 2025
Keeping Business Resource Groups Useful and Fun, with Kristine Parker and Chrystal Pozin
Kristine Parker (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-parker-6bb0616/) and Chrystal Pozin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrystalpozin/) reveal how they transformed the Women's Business Resource Group at Fifth Third Bank (https://www.53.com/content/fifth-third/en.html) during the pandemic. It started with an introspective look at what the group wanted, they explain to host Casey Nelson (https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/n/casey-j-nelson/). Then, they restructured the group around four key themes: personal connections, advancement and advocacy, philanthropy, and self-care. Tune in for their insights about creating inclusive communities, overcoming budget constraints, and building networks that truly serve their members.
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☑️ Chrystal Pozin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrystalpozin?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name)
☑️ Kristine Parker (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-parker-6bb0616)
☑️ Fifth Third Bank (https://www.53.com/content/fifth-third/en.html) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/fifth-third-bank?trk=public_profile_topcard-current-company) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/fifththirdbank) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/fifththirdbank) | X (https://www.twitter.com/fifththird) | YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/fifththirdbank) | TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@fifththirdbank)
☑️ Casey Nelson (https://www.mcguirewoods.com/people/n/casey-j-nelson/) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinjudge)
☑️ McGuireWoods (https://www.mcguirewoods.com/) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/mcguirewoods/) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/mcguirewoods) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mcguirewoods_llp/) | X (https://twitter.com/McGuireWoodsLLP)
☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deal-us-in/id1506832720) | Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5AjkjxzT1RciX2tWlW9Jqm) | Amazon Music (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7ca79695-09e5-42e7-8ee9-8f1af2ffcaf2/deal-us-in)
This podcast was recorded and is being made available by McGuireWoods for informational purposes only. By accessing this podcast, you acknowledge that McGuireWoods makes no warranty, guarantee or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in the podcast. The views, information or opinions expressed during this podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of McGuireWoods. This podcast should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state and should not be construed as an offer to make or consider any investment or course of action.
Inside a recent episode
Building a Lower Middle-Market Credit Powerhouse, with Marilyn Adler and Liddy Karter
Published 18 Mar 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] This will be my eighth credit fund coming up. Marilyn and I have both had top returns that we've always focused on the lower part of the lower middle market. And partly because of my operating experience, it's where we really have the most leverage. So what core market and efficiencies or borrow or needs, did you identify that convinced you that Miz and could outperform traditional credit strategies? So in the lower middle market, there's a lot less competition, and these companies need a lot of handholding. We have to work very closely with them. With larger credit funds, it's become almost a commodity. […]
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