Is Private Equity Broken? Why the Buyside’s Problems Are Making 2026 “The Year of the Banker” | High Yield Harry

In this episode of Other People's Money, host Max Wiethe sits down with High Yield Harry to examine the major trends in Wall Street compensation and careers, and why 2026 may be the year of the investment banker. Harry shares data from Buy Side Hub to detail buy-side compensation trends, career mobility bottlenecks, and why private equity professionals are resorting to non-recourse loans while waiting on delayed exits. The conversation breaks down the real threat of AI automation on financial modeling and grunt work, emphasizing why finance professionals must develop real-economy operating skills to survive. They also address the surge in private credit redemptions, retail investor panic, and whether buying small businesses is replacing the traditional mega-fund career path. Check out Buyside Hub: https://www.buysidehub.com Follow High Yield Harry on X: https://x.com/HighyieldHarry Follow Max on X: https://x.com/maxwiethe Follow Other People’s Money on: Apple Podcast https://bit.ly/4e7QJ1M Spotify https://bit.ly/3Yhaazi YouTube https://bit.ly/3C63VXR X https://x.com/opmpod Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:45 Year of the Banker 03:38 Private Credit Redemptions 07:04 Retail Flows and Gating 10:18 Comp Trends and Hiring 13:17 Career Pyramid Reality 15:13 AI Reshapes Analyst Work 17:16 Big Firms vs Small Shops 20:27 Operators and Real Economy 23:56 Agents and Human Edge 26:39 Who Gets Displaced? 31:46 Rates and Longer Holds 37:42 Software Credit Time Bomb 41:16 Choosing Your Career Track 47:22 Top Jobs and Trading 51:56 Closing Takeaways 54:03 Banking Cycles and Layoffs 57:03 Conclusion