Winnetka creator PE Guy satirizes private equity lifestyle

Johnny Hilbrant has released a new digital persona for his social media audience. The character, known as PE Guy, is a satirical take on a private equity partner. Hilbrant, a native of Winnetka, created the account to critique wealth and finance. The latest iteration is available at duetomyrole.com.

The fictional profile describes a man who works in private equity for 12 years. He has been a partner at his firm for seven years. The character claims the company is making huge profits by buying dental and oral surgery practices across the Midwest. The profile states that the doctors selling these businesses lack financial knowledge. The partners show them a large number, and the doctors sell. The company then improves the business efficiency to double productivity.

PE Guy lists his residences in the profile. He lives in Winnetka but keeps a penthouse at the St. Regis downtown. The character also owns summer homes on Lake Geneva and Nantucket. His wife is described as a stay-at-home parent who plays tennis and mahjong. The character has three children named Tarantino, Montauk, and EBITDA. Their ages are 4, 2, and 9 months, respectively. The profile calls all three children gifted.

The character details the items he keeps in his pocket. These include nose strips for airflow while sleeping and the rulebook for a country club. He plans to join the board of governors at the club. The list also includes a charger for an Oura Ring, a charger for a WHOOP band, and two iPhones. One phone is for work and the other is for personal use. He carries a copy of The Art of War, which he reads twice a month. He also carries a copy of Sheridan Road magazine.

The profile lists the character's favorite social media accounts. He follows an Instagram comedian, one of the Hadid sisters, and Nantucket real estate agents. He also follows his 4 year old son, Tarantino. The profile notes that Tarantino is the youngest person in the world to have an Instagram account. The character listens to capital markets podcasts at 1.75x speed. He also listens to voice notes from a longevity coach. He plays a playlist from a Rosewood hotel lobby in Bermuda.

Hilbrant uses the character to mock specific behaviors associated with extreme wealth. The profile includes a request for people to follow him on LinkedIn. It notes that an assistant named Candace will contact new connections. The character describes the money from private equity as insane. He uses the phrase rinse and repeat to describe his business model.