Our next Women in Dealmaking profile features Kelly Winget, founder of Alternative Wealth Partners, whose approach is reshaping the private equity landscape. Alternative Wealth Partners is the first private equity firm founded and led by a millennial and openly LGBTQ+ woman, and Kelly is busy breaking barriers and building new paths for others to follow. I’m thrilled to bring you this conversation as we celebrate Pride Month, wherein Kelly shares her journey, investment philosophy, and how she’s creating a more inclusive, founder-focused model for the future of private capital.
Watch our Women in Dealmaking profile with Kelly Winget
Kelly’s journey began with a realization: traditional financial services often overlook emerging wealth holders, especially those outside the conventional mold. Drawing from her background in the family office space, she saw an opportunity to serve a broader, more diverse population. Alternative Wealth Partners focuses on opening doors for those historically excluded from private equity, offering access to investment opportunities that were once tightly gatekept.
Her investment philosophy is rooted in innovation and perspective. Rather than chasing repetitive tech trends, she seeks out founders who bring fresh, often underrepresented viewpoints to the table. With a background in energy, she brings a unique lens to sustainable transitions, favoring unconventional approaches that challenge the status quo.
Challenging the traditional private equity model is also central to Kelly’s mission. She emphasizes legacy preservation, founder empowerment, and long-term partnership. Deals are structured to allow founders to retain control, fostering growth without erasing the identity of the businesses they have built.
As Pride Month highlights the importance of representation, Kelly underscores the role private capital can play in driving real change. Unlike public markets, which are constrained by shareholders and public opinion, Kelly believes private equity has the freedom—and responsibility—to take bold stances to effect change.
Spotlighting voices like Kelly’s is at the heart of our Women in Dealmaking interview series—trailblazers who are redefining private equity and expanding what’s possible for those who follow. Her story is a powerful reminder that when inclusion leads, the entire industry moves forward.
