EP 01 | Molly Breen on Building a Career You Can't Plan

Molly Breen got her first finance job by inviting a room of bankers to a White Russian party during a D.C. snowstorm. The interview answers didn't land her the offer. The invitation did. Molly, Head of Capital Markets at Permira, joins Jenny Bain on the very first episode of People You Should Know, season two. She walks through the rotational program that taught her to learn fast (04:34), the senior woman who took one look at her and said "you belong on a syndicate desk" (05:59), and the cliff-jump from equity syndicate into leveraged finance that almost broke her (10:48). She also gets into raising the debt that helped acquire Octus, the boardroom seat she now holds, and why she still picks up calls at 3 a.m. (24:20). A first guest worth starting with.
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Hosted by Jenny Bain.Featuring Molly Breen, Head of Capital Markets, Permira.Produced and edited by two-time Emmy Award-winning producer Tanya Hubbard.People You Should Know is presented by Octus and part of the Octus Podcast Network. Find us at octus.com.
 

Show Notes

Molly Breen got her first finance job by inviting a room of bankers to a White Russian party during a D.C. snowstorm. The interview answers didn't land her the offer. The invitation did. Molly, Head of Capital Markets at Permira, joins Jenny Bain on the very first episode of People You Should Know, season two. She walks through the rotational program that taught her to learn fast (04:34), the senior woman who took one look at her and said "you belong on a syndicate desk" (05:59), and the cliff-jump from equity syndicate into leveraged finance that almost broke her (10:48). She also gets into raising the debt that helped acquire Octus, the boardroom seat she now holds, and why she still picks up calls at 3 a.m. (24:20). A first guest worth starting with.

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Hosted by Jenny Bain.
Featuring Tanya Hubbard.
People You Should Know is presented by Octus and part of the Octus Podcast Network. Find us at octus.com.

 

• (00:00) - Cold open
• (01:30) - Meet Molly Breen
• (02:09) - The snowstorm that started a Wall Street career
• (04:34) - Rotational program and the value of learning fast
• (05:59) - The syndicate desk prediction
• (07:43) - A front-row seat to how management actually thinks
• (09:35) - The leap from equity to leveraged finance
• (15:32) - The Permira call, twelve days postpartum
• (18:09) - Investing in Octus and earning a board seat
• (21:21) - Chaos as a personal operating system
• (25:55) - Wrap and credits

What is People You Should Know?

Inside Octus: People in Focus” is a deep dive into the stories, challenges, and successes of the people shaping Octus. Hosted by Jenny Bain, this podcast brings authentic conversations with employees, leaders, and industry voices who drive innovation and culture at Octus. Expect transparency, real talk, and behind-the-scenes insights into what it takes to build a dynamic, fast-growing company. Join us each month as we uncover the personal and professional journeys that define Octus.