Billion Dollar Backstory

Let’s be real: boutique building is no walk in the park; it's a rollercoaster of gutsy moves and unexpected comebacks.   Today, we’re sitting down with a guest who knows all about that. Meet Sean Peche, a value investing specialist who's transitioned from the $35B big leagues to crafting his own firm.   In this episode, Sean and Stacy unpack:   His Backstory – how a volatile market led him to put...

Your backstory isn’t as cut and dry as your resume, but It’s not quite a full look at your diary, either.  If you want to craft a compelling backstory, you have to find the sweet spot between these two extremes.  And that’s exactly what Stacy is walking you through in this episode.  Listen in as she breaks down: How much should you share, and to what detail in your backstory?  How far should your...

Want to book more meetings for your fund? It’s time to face the music. Cold intro emails are out.  A relationship-first approach is in. Take it from Stacy (and her clients at Havener Capital), who are using the exact strategy she’s laying out in this episode to book meetings with investors who are primed to say yes.  Listen in as today as Stacy covers:  How to find potential contacts  Her “ give,...

Dr. Daniel Crosby, a behavioral psychologist, is back and ready to tell you the cold, hard truth about why your brain might be sabotaging your storytelling game.    Listen in as he and Stacy discuss:    Why our brains cling to conformity, killing our chances of standing out  Why linear stories put people to sleep and how mastering the ‘peak-end’ rule will help  A sniff test that’ll help you determ...

Introducing Story Snacks! A bite-sized, jam-packed series for fund managers who are ready to master strategic storytelling in less than 20 minutes per week!  Listen in today as Stacey answers every established firm’s burning question, “Who cares about the founder?”  Plus, learn:  Why a founder’s backstory matters–even for firms managing billions How to honor a founder’s legacy through storytelling...

If you’ve been dismissing frontier markets because they seem “too risky,” you’re missing out on a treasure trove of alpha.  Take it from Consilium CIO Jonathan Binder and CEO Charlie Cassel. For 13+ years, they’ve managed to beat EM benchmark indexes time and time again.  In this episode, they share their playbook for successful FM investing and break down: Misconceptions about risk in Frontier Ma...

Feel like your marketing is falling flat? You’re not alone. In 2024, most fund managers are facing the music. Outdated marketing tactics like sending PDF letters to investors just don’t cut it anymore. The good news? Embracing modern marketing can be simple and time and cost effective when you have the right game plan. Listen in today for Stacy’s modern marketing blueprint that's been consistently...

Cannabis capital curious? Steve Ham and Patrick Kim of Altmore Capital are here to show you the way.  Although it has advanced considerably over the past half-dozen years, the U.S. cannabis industry remains full of complexities as it rapidly matures. That’s why today, Stacy and the Altmore team are covering:  The current cannabis capital landscape  Private credit’s prevalence in the industry  Altm...

There’s nothing a woman in a power suit can’t do. Shake up a male-dominated industry? Check. Redefine leadership? Check. Inspire generations to come? Check. In this episode, Rayna Lesser Hannaway shares her inspiration for doing all of the above. Listen as Rayna and Stacy discuss: • Her backstory– from looking up to her fierce, go-getter lawyer mom to becoming a powerhouse female in finance • How...

Most boutique firms strive to raise more funds and stay ahead of market trends. But they lack one key ingredient that the bigs have in their back pockets– behavioral finance expertise.  Today, Brendan Frazier, Chief Behavioral Officer of the $4B RIA platform RFG Advisory, is here to level the playing field.    Listen in as he and Stacy discuss:   The unique challenges boutiques face when raising c...

Fund buyers know investing is more of an art than a math equation.    Not convinced? After listening to this interview with Doug Huber, VP of Investment Strategy at Wealth Enhancement Group, you will be.    Get a glimpse inside the mind of an allocator in part 3 of our Ask an Allocator series, where Stacy and Doug discuss:    His Backstory – from car fanatic and aspiring engineer to earning a dual...

There's room for everyone at the table in the fund world—not just the bigs, but have fund buyers gotten the memo?    Thanks to champions like Dani Hristova, who are relentless about spotlighting the underdogs, fund buyers can thrive.    As CEO of the Independent Investment Management Initiative–a networking group representing 45 firms and $500B in assets–Dani gives small shop owners a platform to...

If your analytical brain needs FACTS to back up the power of left-brain growth tactics, you’re in luck.   Today's guest, Hunter Hayes, combines his classical piano training with impressive business sense, showing that there’s real power in combining art and science to edge ahead in the fund world.    In this episode, he and Stacy discuss:  His journey from pianist and D1 track star to successful f...

The impressively bold mindset that drove Chad Willardson to leave behind a million-dollar salary and a top 1% client base to build his own firm from scratch is the same mindset that grew his firm to $1.5B AUM and earned him the status of 5X bestselling author.   In fact, Chad’s story is proof that thinking like an entrepreneur can take you far in the fund world–and beyond. But can this mindset be...

With a $70 million seed investment and a vision, Rodney Herenton and his co-founder Wendell Mackey launched Channing Capital Management.    This isn’t your typical startup story.    This episode is a masterclass on differentiation, defying the odds, and the power of effective collaboration.   Listen in as Rodney and Stacy discuss:    ●     The birth of Channing Capital Management: Two Harvard grad...

The second generation in wealthy families could choose a safe path within the family business. But today's guest, Khaled Said, dared to pave his own way, co-founding Capital Generation Partners, a $4B London-based family office.   While his choice to take the leap paid off, he didn’t gain success overnight. His backstory is filled with twists and turns and valuable lessons for any boutique founder...

Get a glimpse inside the mind of an allocator in part 2 of our Ask an Allocator series. Today, you’ll hear from Paul Bodnar, CIO of CM Wealth, a $1.78B Family Office.    Listen in as Paul and Stacy discuss:  ●      His backstory - from college intern at a tech start-up to CIO ●      The power of being candid about challenges and failures in meetings  ●      A common pitfall in the M&A and RIA...

Imagine this: you've sold your biz and landed what many would consider their dream job at a multi-billion dollar firm. It’s secure and you’re coasting at the top of your game.    Now, imagine what it would take to trade it all in to leap back into the great unknown of entrepreneurship and build a boutique from scratch.    Guts. That’s what. Today’s guest, Adrian Clayton, had the guts to leap back...

Get a glimpse inside the mind of an allocator in part 1 of our Ask an Allocator series. Today, you’ll hear from Bill Harding, CIO of Jackson National, with $29.8B directly managed fund-of-fund assets.    Listen in as Bill and Stacy discuss: Bill’s Backstory - from a financial analyst at a cheese manufacturer to CIO at Jackson National What it takes for a fund manager to win his nod of approval whe...

Can classic value investing and AI coexist? Today, Jim Falbe is coming on the show to share his playbook for blending timeless strategies with AI WITHOUT losing the personal touch allocators love.    In this episode, Jim and Stacy cover:     His backstory:   o How losing his mom at 13 sparked his passion for financial management    o Why he left an investment giant to follow his dream of building...

James Eagle spent the bulk of his career telling stories with words, working as a writer for some of the biggest names in asset management.    Since then, he’s traded in the proverbial pen for coding software and now he tells stories with data as the founder of his firm Eeagli.    Today, James is sitting down with Stacy to discuss:  His Backstory:        o From nerding out on coding in his teens t...

Success as a founder is about more than impressive AUM. It’s about maintaining autonomy and connection. It’s about taking pride in what you do, the team you’ve built, and most importantly having fun along the way. Take it from today’s guest, Greg Dean, founder of global small-cap specialist firm Langdon Partners. In this episode, he and Stacy discuss: Greg's backstory: o From Fidelity Investments...

Most advisors aim to put their clients first. But, many fall short by leaning on status quo strategies - like 60/40 - that don’t necessarily serve their people in the best way possible.    Today’s guest has built not one, but two billion-dollar businesses. By asking “why not?” and differentiating his investment strategy, $3B RIA founder Dick Phister chose the smart move over the simple move, even...

A founder's journey never truly ends. Sometimes, that feels like a blessing and a curse, all at once. Hearing 'no' over and over again gets old!    Today, Tim Welsh, founder of boutique consultancy Nexus Strategy, joins Stacy to talk about why the double-edged sword of foundership is more of a blessing than a curse.   While Tim’s initial journey as a founder was behind him, he raised his hand to g...

If you're tired of the same old business strategies (that don’t even work for boutiques) and want to carve a path to uncommon success, it's time to challenge the status quo.    Not sure how? You’re in luck with this episode. Matt Blocki and Jamison Smith from Equilibrium Wealth Advisors are coming on the show to share their rebel playbook for success.   Listen in as they discuss:    ●      The dan...