Billion Dollar Backstory

Some say only small allocators invest in boutiques. Not true. Today's guest, John Tennaro has worked for some of the largest RIAs and family offices in the world, managing double-digit billions and more. And guess what? He’s here to tell you the big guys still have an eye for boutiques.  Ready for a tall glass of hope - with a side of tough love advice, no chaser? Listen in as John shares: His bac...

The investment world has evolved. Success on Wall Street isn’t reserved for middle-aged white men in fancy NYC offices making deals and dollar calls like old cliches would have you believe. Our guest today, Manish Khatta, is living proof that breaking the mold can lead to incredible success. He's the CEO/CIO of the rapidly growing boutique, Potomac Fund Management, and he managed to boost the fund...

Meet Spencer Kelly, co-founder of Regatta Capital. He knows the grind; his early days in door-to-door sales taught him the value of grit, genuine connections, and patience. For Spencer, it's all about relationships in business. That’s why he made crafting a top-notch brand experience the focus for Regatta Capital right from the start.  And it paid off. He and his team built a billion-dollar RIA, a...

At the start of his career, our guest, Adam Cox, learned an important lesson - success in financial management is about more than delivering flashy stats, sales pitches, and charm.    It’s about earning trust. And most importantly, not overlooking your own strengths.   In this episode, Stacy and Adam sit down for more than a coffee cheers between two fellow introverts. They’re digging into Adam’s...

If 'speaking to the heart of your client' has always sounded like fluff to you, this episode is your reality check. Today, In part 3 of the Scientist and The Storyteller mini-series, Dr. Crosby takes the hot seat to explain the science behind why making your prospect feel something is the key to getting them to sign on the dotted line.  Listen in as he and Stacy Discuss:  Mirror neurons: The scien...

What if I told you that just telling your story is not enough?  The way you tell it matters. Delivery is everything if you want to make the kind of impact that leads to sales.  That’s why today, Stacy is breaking down the basics of finding your voice and sharing a backstory that doesn’t sound like you’re rattling off your resume (and putting prospects to sleep in the process).  Listen in as she co...

Imagine, you’re a woman – one of very few women even in hedge funds. And you’ve got your dream job, a high powered hedge fund manager for a double-digit billion specialist hedge fund. Now, imagine what it would take to give that up.  Guts. That’s what. Today’s guest, Shannon Spotswood had the guts to make a major career change when she was at the top of her game. She did something unheard of and i...

Crossing the billion-dollar mark in the entrepreneurial rollercoaster is no joke, but today, we've got Steve Rogers, CEO of Shelton Capital Management, who not only did it but skyrocketed to $4 billion.  So, what's his secret sauce for boutique founders and CEOs eyeing the same success? You’ll get Steve’s success playbook today on the pod.  Plus, you’ll hear about:  His backstory – What it was lik...

Gloria Nelund saw that there’s an over a six trillion dollar gap in financing for businesses in developing economies and she said, “Hold my … coffee. I have a private credit firm to build.”  Her 10-year track record of making a difference through TriLinc without sacrificing profit proves that you don't have to give up investment returns to do good. That’s why Stacy is thrilled to sit down with Glo...

99% of fund managers are doing social media wrong. Stale and stagnate. Nobody wants that. How do you get to the 1% that stops the scroll? Put some fun back in your fund game.    Today, Samantha Russell is coming on the show to teach you how to do just that.    Not only has Samantha been named an investment news 40 under 40, a Think Advisor Luminary, and one of the top 10 individuals to watch in we...

Here’s the deal: stories sell. Powerful narratives lead to big investments. They also lead to something far less flashy yet far more valuable long-term – team buy-in.  Whether you’re a start-up or scaling, your origin story is the glue that binds your allies - AKA your team - to your mission. It’s also the magnet that attracts investors. A stale story just won’t cut it.  Today, Dr. Daniel Crosby a...

How did Gary Tenkman go from a first-generation college graduate who felt like a fish out of water in finance to CEO of Ultimus Fund Solutions, a $475+ AUI award-winning fund?  It sure wasn’t easy. It took grit. It took being willing to get uncomfortable, fail, and learn (rinse, repeat).  Grab your headphones and get ready for a backstory chock-full of lessons from places you’d least expect.  List...

The role of Andrew Williams and Ben Arnold of Schroders Value Equities team - a team responsible for £14B+ - extends beyond managing assets; it involves fostering relationships built on trust and steering clients away from performance-driven decision-making.    In this episode, they discuss:    A period of underperformance and the heartbreaking trend of talented value investors giving up The damag...

It's not every day that you get to sit down with a true industry visionary who has reshaped the landscape of asset management. But today, we have the pleasure of sitting down with the innovative force behind RadiantESG Global Investors – Heidi Ridley.    With over 30 years of expertise, Heidi’s captivating story will inspire you and challenge your perception of what's possible in the investment wo...

This is the first of a 4-part miniseries with Dr. Daniel Crosby, Chief Behavioral Officer at Orion and host of Standard Deviations podcast. We are joining forces because selling successfully requires combining art and science. Right brain and left brain.    In this episode, Dr. Daniel Crosby and I discuss 3 behavioral biases: Mere Exposure Effect: our tendency to develop preferences for things sim...

Join me for an inspiring talk with Heather Fortner of SignatureFD, a $6B+ RIA in Atlanta. She joined SigFD as a client service associate 20 years ago when they had $250 mm. Now as the CEO and Chair of the Board, she is leading the firm to $10B by 2025.  In this episode, Heather and I discuss: Her backstory and the key traits that gave her the ability to adapt and succeed — from a surgical intern t...

In this episode I discuss:  Why different is better than better (even in the investment industry where we love to rank and chart errrthing)  If you want to lean into what makes you different, you need to go to the edges. You need to get radical.   The Bain study that reveals: 80% of executives think their company's offerings are differentiated but only 10% of their customers agree  How to create a...

Bob Dorsey is the co-founder and Vice Chairman of Ultimus Fund Solutions. In this episode, Bob and I discuss: His backstory: from butcher markets to financial markets Why FinTech is a people business  How the root of solving problems doesn’t differ based on your industry How to keep a “people first” culture as you scale An important lesson he learned about complacency from an old TV commercial Adv...

As Managing Director and Head of UniFi by CAIA™, Aaron Filbeck oversees content and product strategy for the UniFi by CAIA™ Program.  In this episode, Aaron and I discuss: His backstory: from wanting to be an architect to becoming a Director at CAIA Why the world needs an association like CAIA / Who CAIA is for CAIA’s research on qualitative vs quantitative due diligence (AKA culture eats Sharpe r...

UK’s award-winning fund manager Simon Evan-Cook was a senior member of the Premier Miton Multi Asset team, which managed over $5B. He’s now establishing the Downing Fox Fund Range at Downing LLP in London.  In this episode, Simon and I discuss: His backstory: from taking a load of jobs he disliked to discovering a love for writing, which brought him to the investment industry Why the world would n...

As a partner at Lane Clarke and Peacock, a UK consulting firm advising on $300B, Dan Mikulskis helps wealth managers and pension funds make better decisions. He meets with hundreds of asset managers every year. Get perspectives from the other side of the table and the other side of the pond.    In this episode, Dan and I discuss: His backstory: From growing up in a family of mathematicians, to inv...

James Fletcher is an experienced Emerging Markets portfolio manager. He's the CEO and founder of Ethos Investment Management, a $100M boutique EM fund. In this episode, James Fletcher and I discuss: James’ backstory: From 9 years old sitting on his grandpa’s lap reading the Wall Street Journal, to living in Brazil falling in love with emerging markets, to running Ethos Investment Management and Yo...

Ron Carson is an icon in the independent advisor space. He's the CEO and founder of the $20B Carson Group, a platform that serves over 44K families through their advisory network, including 135 partner firms and 35 Carson Wealth locations. In this episode, Ron and I discuss: Ron’s backstory:  The heartbreaking moment that veered him from his predetermined path as a small town Nebraska farmer to th...

Dr. Daniel Crosby is a psychologist, behavioral finance expert, and New York Times bestselling author who helps organizations understand the intersection of mind and markets. In this episode, Dr. Daniel Crosby and I discuss: There are fewer Chief Behavioral Officers than people who have walked on the moon… so what the heck is a Chief Behavioral Officer? Daniel’s backstory: How he combined his fami...

Why you need to work on your backstory, the theory behind the backstory framework, how to use the framework, and common mistakes to avoid.  I cover the 5 most frequently asked questions about backstory: What is your backstory and why should we care? What is the theory behind storytelling? What makes a good backstory? Does storytelling actually work in the investment biz (Spoiler: Yes, it does) Wha...