The Hard Lessons of a Career in Investment Banking
Episode 40 | January 19, 2026
In Episode 40 of the Coffee Chat podcast, Ben chats with Christian Burmeister, a WashU graduate who has built a successful finance career across investment banking and private equity. Christian’s path started in St. Louis, continued through WashU after transferring from SMU, and ultimately led him to roles in banking and now mid-market private equity. Today, he reflects on the early experiences that shaped his professional foundation, including how the Financial Modeling Certification® (FMC® Program) influenced his trajectory.
Christian describes his passion for private equity as “rewarding,” emphasizing the opportunity to “build stuff,” partner closely with management teams, and help founders achieve major milestones. At his current firm, LMP, he works with businesses across financial services, fintech, payments, and wealth management, typically in the lower middle market. “We’re a small, lean team,” he explains. “Everybody works with everybody,” which creates a collaborative environment where junior team members can make a meaningful impact.
But the road to private equity began with hands-on experiences in investment banking, including some hard-earned lessons. Christian recalls a pivotal moment just months into his banking career. He was staffed on two projects with conflicting deadlines and chose to prioritize a new deal “because a more senior person was on it,” even though another deal was closing the next day. “It was the wrong choice,” he says. The mistake resulted in “a very firm talking to,” but also a lasting career lesson: always prioritize the most important project to the firm, and “communicate the conflict early.”
Weekend work was another reality he encountered. During one particularly challenging moment, Christian had flown to New York for his girlfriend’s birthday. As he turned the doorknob to leave for her celebration, his phone rang: his managing director needed urgent updates for a major Monday pitch. Christian sat back down and spent four hours revising materials, ultimately helping secure the deal. “I tried to bring a positive attitude,” he says. “That’s the best approach when you’re early in your career.”
Christian credits the Adventis Financial Modeling Certification® Program with equipping him for these demanding environments. After taking the in-person boot camp at WashU, he says he “immediately fell in love with Excel,” ultimately earning both Level I and Level II certifications. “I came into my internship with a strong base,” he notes. This enabled him to take on more responsibility, including running complex specialty finance models that typically went to associates.
As the conversation wraps, Christian offers clear advice for students navigating accelerated recruiting timelines:
“The more proactive you are, the better chance you’re going to have of getting where you want to be.”
Whether networking, building technical skills, or practicing for interviews, staying engaged and well-rounded is the key.
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