Billion Dollar Backstory

Fund managers, it’s time to ditch the pitch deck of doom. It’s not helping you differentiate. It’s putting allocators to sleep.  Take it from Lucy Walker, Founder of data platform AM Insights, who spent the bulk of her career as a manager of managers allocating over $1B at specialist firm Sarasin Partners in the UK. She knows this business inside and out, and Today she’s sharing her wisdom on up-l...

Ever wondered how the giants in financial advisory scale? Today, join Stacy and Scott Colangelo, Chairman and Managing Partner of Prime Capital Investment, a $30B powerhouse, for an exclusive look behind the scenes.   Listen in as they discuss:  His backstory – what he learned about from watching his dad succeed in financial management after starting from ground zero  How your ego can stifle your...

Fund managers, buckle up! In Part 4 of 'The Scientist and The Storyteller' series, 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...

If you’re a talented fund manager you’ve probably asked yourself, “Should I start an investment boutique?” at some point or another.  And I get it - the idea of being an entrepreneur sounds incredible. And there’s nothing that will fill you with more pride (and fear) than going out on your own.  But before you jump ship, it’s crucial to ask yourself the RIGHT questions about whether being a founde...

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...

Building a boutique is no cake walk. But it’s easier to stay on the grind when your mindset is in check.  Today’s guest, Michael Futterman – the brains behind leadership development for mammoth asset managers (think $600B+ industry giants) and coach for emerging fund managers is just the guy to help you get into a headspace that’ll allow you to edge ahead in this tough race.  Listen in as he dives...

Meet Robin John, the CEO of Eventide, a $6B asset management firm.    Robin and his co-founder defied the odds, launching Eventide in 2008 with no track record, no assets, but unwavering belief. 15 years and $6B dollars later, we know they were onto something.   Listen in as he and Stacy discuss:    ●      His backstory – How watching his mother do meaningful work in the world as a nurse taught hi...

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...