Examining how Compensation Data Magnifies Equitable Remuneration within Venture Capital and Private Equity Organizations
For three decades, J. Thelander has been a pioneer in providing extensive compensation data for the private capital markets, driving informed decisions and promoting fair pay. Founder and CEO Jody Thelander's tenacity was put to the test when she discovered a private company misusing their data, leading to a dispute with a venture capitalist. Jody stood her ground, and the VC eventually paid the dues.
J. Thelander's data-backed insights and customer-centric approach make it an indispensable resource for investors, private companies, and service providers navigating the private capital markets' ever-evolving landscape.
The Significance of Compensation Data in Private Markets
Established in the late '90s by Jody, J. Thelander is a global firm that offers comprehensive compensation data on the private capital market. It covers institutional and angel-funded private businesses and their investors. According to Jody, "Venture was turning into a career path back then."
The company's data reveals that women hold a tiny percentage of managing and general partner positions at venture capital firms, and their compensation lags behind men’s. This underrepresentation of women in decision-making roles is partly responsible for the meager funds allocated to female founders.
However, there's reason to be optimistic: As women take up entry-level investing roles and outperform their male peers on merit, a path to increased representation and fair pay begins to emerge. Nonetheless, the wage gap widens as women progress up the corporate ladder. Yet, when considering carried interest, a share of investment fund profits, both genders achieve near parity.
Our data also reveals that J. Thelander:
- Offers coverage for over 300 job titles, dissecting by gender, race, and ethnicity.
- Provides salary increases, bonuses, mergers and acquisitions, change of control, and severance details.
- Incorporates outside board member compensation in the data pool.
- Prides itself on high-quality, real-time data and a user-friendly platform.
- Implements customer-centric initiatives to meet clients' needs.
Mike Carusi, a partner at Lightstone Ventures, commends, "The real-time data and platform are a valuable resource for our firm." Similarly, Cami Samuels of Venrock highlights Jody's swift responses to clients' requirements: "We speak about a specific comp benefit that no one tracked, and Thelander incorporated that question into their surveys within weeks!"
J. Thelander's Evolution
To meet the evolving needs of its clients, J. Thelander expanded its offerings beyond compensation data to include consulting services, providing expert insights on compensation-related matters. While competitors offer similar data, J. Thelander sets itself apart by integrating survey insights with consulting practice knowledge, offering a more in-depth and holistic understanding of compensation trends in the private capital markets.
J. Thelander's customer base has grown to encompass private equity and venture capital firms, corporate venture capital and real estate investment firms, family offices, portfolio companies, and service providers such as law and recruitment firms. Its transition from static reports to real-time online information has added to its appeal.
J. Thelander's strategic partnership with PitchBook, a leading provider of data and analysis about VC and PE investments, has enabled it to offer clients access to wage, bonus, carried interest, and equity data from both private companies and investment firms. Joanna McGinley, executive vice president of Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives at PitchBook, emphasizes: "Their platform gives PitchBook clients another layer of insights on wages."
Morgan Thelander, Jody's daughter and the company's COO, joined J. Thelander in 2017. Her extensive experience, including internships at PitchBook and Healthbox and shadowing private bankers at JP Morgan, has played a pivotal role in the company's growth and transformation.
Samuels praises Jody's influence on compensation topics for decades. She remarks: "Morgan seems to have absorbed quite a bit of mom's wisdom and chutzpah already."
Overcoming Challenges, Maintaining Growth
Building a thriving business involves overcoming hurdles, and J. Thelander is no exception. Jody faced the daunting task of gaining the trust and confidence of the venture capital community, as she explained, "These are very capable, smart people, and to gain their confidence and trust was not always so easy."
J. Thelander's early days were marked by manual data analysis, where Jody meticulously reviewed thousands of pages to ensure accuracy. Cultivating this level of dedication to detail has been critical to J. Thelander's success, with Morgan noting, "That same attention to detail has allowed us to be in the business for 30 years."
In the face of adversity, Jody displayed resilience, as evidenced by the situation involving a private company that used J. Thelander's data without payment. Jody's firm response to the issue eventually led to a resolution with the venture capitalist.
As the industry landscape shifts, J. Thelander focuses on educating clients about the importance of compensation data and the differentiation between various data sources. This mission is driven by Jody and Morgan's close bond, which extends to their professional relationship. They maintain a clear divide between personal and professional matters, ensuring their family connection remains positive while effectively addressing business challenges.
J. Thelander has become an essential resource in the private capital markets, empowering investors, companies, and service providers to make data-driven decisions that promote fair compensation, transparency, and growth.
- J. Thelander's unique offering in the private markets includes compensation data for venture capitalists, specifically focusing on venture capital firms and their investors, as highlighted by the 61e92c34fc6db16f28bad2ba541f9bbe data.
- During her tenure, Jody Thelander has been a vocal advocate for fair pay in the private markets, using her firm's compensation data to highlight the gender wage gap in venture capital firms.
- Venture capitalists often rely on J. Thelander's compensation data to make informed decisions in private markets, recognizing its value in supporting fair pay and promoting diversity and inclusion.
- Thelander's comprehensive compensation data coverage extends beyond venture capital and private equity firms, encompassing service providers, family offices, and portfolio companies operating in private markets.
