Inside the GP Stakes Boom: What Managers & Allocators Need to Know - Jennifer Stevens

In this episode of The Distribution, host Brandon Sedloff welcomes Jennifer Stevens, co-founder of Alliance Global Advisors, for a deep dive into one of the fastest-evolving areas in private markets: entity-level investing and GP stakes. With decades of experience advising both allocators and investment managers, Jen brings a unique perspective on how this corner of the market has moved from niche to mainstream—and what GPs need to know as they explore strategic capital partnerships.

They unpack the structure of GP stakes and platform-level investments, the rise of co-GP and hybrid models, and why this trend is accelerating in real estate investment management. Jen explains the growing demand for alignment between investors and managers, the increasing focus on succession planning, and the role of distribution in scaling investment platforms. She also outlines the critical importance of cultural fit, cash flow stability, and growth potential when attracting capital at the entity level.

Key themes include:
Why entity-level capital is no longer taboo—and what’s driving its growth
The tradeoffs between strategic support and ceding economics or control
How credibility, due diligence, and investor signaling impact fundraising
Lessons from recent transactions across real estate, private equity, and alternatives
How GPs can position their firms to be attractive to strategic capital partners

Whether you're an emerging manager, an allocator exploring GP stakes, or an established firm thinking about long-term growth, this episode offers a rare, detailed look at what it takes to succeed in today’s evolving investment landscape.

Links:
Alliance Global Advisors - alliance-globaladvisors.com/
Jennifer on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferyoungstevens/
Brandon on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/bsedloff/
Juniper Square - www.junipersquare.com/

Topics:
00:00 - Intro
01:31 - Jen’s background and career
02:36 - How are investors and sponsors accessing entity-level capital?
06:38 - How have you seen GP stakes evolve?
11:11 - Why is there a gap between distribution channels and the offerings from GP stakes investors?
15:18 - Inferring credibility
17:58 - Creating alignment with strategic partners
21:16 - How LPs can access alignment alpha
23:06 - How can GPs position themselves to be more attractive to capital providers?
25:58 - Scale and Growth for GPs
29:06 - Representative transactions seen in the market
37:14 - Lessons learned
40:11 - Closing thoughts