When you think about European credit investing, most people assume it’s only for the big shops with billions under management. Agata Dornan, Founder & CIO of Chepstow Lane, is here to challenge that, and she’s doing it with smarts, grit, and real talk about what it really takes to succeed.

Agata’s path to launching her own boutique wasn’t a straight line. As a first-generation American who started out on the pre-med track at Middlebury, she discovered her passion for finance by accident (thanks to one random economics class) and never looked back. 

In this Episode, Agata sits down with Stacy to discuss: 

• How a single economics class flipped the script on her entire career
• Why her liberal arts background is a secret weapon (and how it helped her land Chepstow Lane’s first big allocation)
• Lessons from her time at Soros (including what it was like working on Wall Street after 9/11)
• The hard truths every boutique founder needs to know about building a team and finding the right investors
• How Chepstow Lane is winning by focusing on the white spaces most firms overlook
• What she’s seeing in European credit today and why it might be time to pay attention 

About Agata Dornan:

Agata led Soros Fund Management’s European credit investments from 2012 to 2020, managing corporate credit and financials, and became a partner and portfolio manager in 2016. Before that, she was a distressed research analyst at BlueMountain Capital in London, and she started her buy-side career at Soros in 2005 on the Distressed team, which later spun out to form Camulos Capital. She moved to London with them in 2006.

She began her career at Deutsche Bank in NYC as an investment banking analyst in Energy and Chemicals. Agata has been investing in the US since 2005 and in Europe since 2006, with deep experience in restructurings across sectors and credit cycles.

Agata graduated from Middlebury College in 2002 with a degree in International Politics and Economics, was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, and completed programs at LSE and Tuck Business School. She lives in London with her husband and two children and is a dual US and Polish national

Want More Help With Storytelling?

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth:https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

 - - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros.Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

- - -
Apply for The StorySales™ Accelerator, an exclusive 6-week program for boutique fund managers who want to craft compelling stories and confidently raise capital | https://www.havenercapital.com/accelerator

Stacy and Rob Morier met over 25 years ago at Julius Baer Investment Management, long before podcasting, LinkedIn, and fund manager personal brands were even a thing.

Fast forward to today, and Rob’s resume reads like an adventure novel. He’s done it all. From Wall Street, to teaching the next generation about all things VC as a Professor at Drexel University, he knows a thing or two about how asset managers can go from scrappy startups to stable, growth-ready firms.

In this Episode, Rob and Stacy dig into: 

• Rob’s backstory – how a history major with dreams of being a teacher ended up on Wall Street
• Lessons learned at a boutique firm with $1.6 billion AUM that grew to $76 billion
• Rob’s “middle innings” specialty: helping emerging managers bridge the gap from scrappy to institutional
• Why being able to “ride the bike while building it” matters for emerging managers
• What he learned about developing resilience and a founder’s mindset through researching teenage lifeguards 
• How raw, hard conversations with his mom behind the mic led him to host the Dakota Live! podcast

This is a conversation about growth, grit, and the power of coming home to yourself. Tune in and meet Rob! 

More About Rob Morier:

Rob Morier is a professor at Drexel University, where he teaches courses on venture capital, early-stage finance, and private markets. With 25 years in business development and investor relations, he’s passionate about empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs and investors.

His research explores environmental factors in ocean lifeguarding and entrepreneurship, studying how lifeguard training fosters resilience, leadership, and decision-making. His work, based in Wildwood Crest, NJ, has been featured in Entrepreneur & Innovation Exchange, Financial Times, and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Outside academia, Rob co-founded Twelve Pound Productions LLC and hosts the Dakota Live! Podcast, where he interviews leading investors and shares insights on business and leadership. He also advises asset managers on fundraising strategies, leveraging his experience raising billions in assets.

Rob lives in Philadelphia with his family and enjoys rowing, running, and biking.

Want More Help With Storytelling?

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth:https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

 - - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

- - -
Apply for The StorySales™ Accelerator, an exclusive 6-week program for boutique fund managers who want to craft compelling stories and confidently raise capital | https://www.havenercapital.com/accelerator

There’s nothing worse than walking into a conference room full of investors. Suddenly, everything you thought you knew about running a great meeting goes out the window.

You’re wondering who to make eye contact with, whether anyone is actually interested, and why no one is saying anything. 

Crowded meetings are awkward. They’re intimidating. But they aren’t impossible to rock. You just need a good strategy, and that’s exactly what Stacy’s giving you today. 

In this Episode, she breaks down: 

• Her go-to strategy for preparing for a crowded meeting 
• How to get the inside scoop on who’s attending ahead of time 
• The trick that’ll help you stay laser focused on the RIGHT decision maker during the meeting 
• Simple ways to shake out the awkwardness when no one’s talking

This is Story Snacks, a bite-sized, jam-packed series for fund managers who are ready to master strategic storytelling in under 20 minutes a week.

Want More Help With Storytelling?

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth:https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

- - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

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 familiarity with financial advising (his dad was an advisor!) with his love of psychology to break away from counseling and get into behavioral finance 
• The science of why storytelling works:
  • How our energy efficient, metabolically expensive brains transform complicated decisions into easier questions
  • Yuri Hassan’s research on brain scans and storytelling
• Are highly intelligent humans like Nobel Prize winners immune to the powers of storytelling?
• Are people buying a fund or are they hiring a human?
  • CAIA’s research study on qualitative vs quantitative due diligence
  • A research study on hiring biases
  • Cialdini's 6 Principles of Influence
• The science behind authenticity and how it helps us connect with people 
• How Daniel’s authentic story about his struggle with Diet Coke went viral and got retweeted by Elon Musk 
• Is storytelling manipulative?
• What qualities a successful salesperson needs (brace yourself for this one)

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Report: CAIA’s report on qualitative due diligence vs quantitative due due diligence

Podcast: Standard Deviations | EP144 with Stacy Havener - The Power of a Story 

Book: Personal Benchmark: Integrating Behavioral Finance and Investment Management by Charles Widger and Daniel Crosby 

Book: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

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:

1. What is your backstory and why should we care?
2. What is the theory behind storytelling?
3. What makes a good backstory?
4. Does storytelling actually work in the investment biz (Spoiler: Yes, it does)
5. What are the biggest mistakes people make in storytelling?

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Words matter in a numbers-driven industry. I'm your host, Stacy Havener, founder of Havener Capital, and I've raised over $8B that has led to $30B for investment boutiques... against the odds. How did I do this? Storytelling. 

Tune in as I interview stories of founders, portfolio managers, and investors who have launched, seeded, and scaled billion dollar businesses. Discover strategies that can help you turn your stories into sales. Get actionable tips I wish I received when I started my entrepreneurial journey over a decade ago. 

Tune in for the inspo, stay for the stories, then go and tell yours.

Whether you’re raising capital on your own or thinking about hiring someone to help, chances are… you’re focused on all the wrong things.

The biggest lesson Stacy learned while raising $8B for boutique asset managers (which ultimately helped drive over $30B in follow-on AUM)? Flashy resumes, market hot takes, and smooth talkers don’t close deals.

The fundraisers who consistently crush it in meetings share four specific traits, and in this Episode, Stacy’s breaking them down, plus:

• Why a CFA and a killer contact list aren’t enough to raise real capital
• The one thing allocators actually care about (hint: it’s not your market commentary)
• Why asking great questions beats delivering the perfect pitch
• What BQ is and why it might matter more than IQ or EQ

This is Story Snacks, a bite-sized, jam-packed series for fund managers who are ready to master strategic storytelling in under 20 minutes a week.

Want More Help With Storytelling? 

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth: https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe 

- - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Raising capital starts with real relationships. And in 2025, social media is the easiest way to make those connections…right?

Well… not always.

What if the allocators you’re trying to reach aren’t posting? You can’t comment. You can’t DM them. Heck, maybe they don’t even accept your connection requests on LinkedIn. 

Then what? How do you reach someone who seems impossible to reach? How do you start a conversation without sending an email pitch that gets buried?

If these questions sound familiar, you’re in for a treat with this Episode because Stacy is breaking down: 

• Why skipping LinkedIn could be a huge mistake (just because allocators aren’t posting doesn’t mean they’re not watching)
• What to do when an allocator really isn’t on social at all
• How to use the give, give, give, ask framework to book more meetings when social media isn’t an option

This is 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.

Want More Help With Storytelling? 

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth: https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe 

- - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

You know storytelling is powerful. You’ve heard that facts don’t close deals—feelings do.

But when it comes time to talk about yourself, it suddenly feels...awkward.

When is the right time to tell a story? And how do you know if you’re sharing too much or sounding too braggy? 

Listen in as Stacy tackles these questions and breaks down: 

• The #1 storytelling mistake fund managers make 
• Why telling your backstory can feel awkward (and how to share yours without sounding braggy)
• How to ditch the boring resume speak and make your story stick

The secret to crafting a story that’s short, powerful, and memorable.

This is 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!

Want More Help With Storytelling?

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth:https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

- - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

As a boutique, blending in isn’t just a mistake; it’s a death sentence.

You don’t need to be BlackRock. You need to own what makes your fund different. 

But let’s be real: finding your edge—and actually leading with it—can feel like showing up to a black-tie event in your pajamas. Awkward. Exposed. Uncomfortable.

That’s why in this Episode, Stacy breaks down:

• Why trying to prove you’re “better” is a losing game for boutiques
• The 3D Model for uncovering what actually makes your fund stand out
• How to flip your mindset and start viewing your “weaknesses” as strengths investors value (and spotlighting those strengths in meetings) 
• The #1 edge boutiques have over the bigs in allocators’ eyes (and how to lean into it) 

This is 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!

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Raising capital isn’t about having the perfect pitch deck. And there’s no magic button that makes assets pour in.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to one thing: trust.

If you want to grow your boutique, you have to build real relationships with investors. Take it from $6B CEO Conor Hoey. He’s spent over a decade raising capital, leading investments, and even securing the right backers for his football club. And along the way, he’s learned one simple truth: People do business with people.

In this Episode, Conor and Stacy dig into:

• Why investors actually say yes (hint: it’s not just about performance)
• What football and finance have in common when it comes to finding the right investors
• The biggest mistakes boutique funds make when trying to break into new markets
• Why you need to stop hiding behind emails and start picking up the phone (seriously, just do it)

If you know relationships are the key to raising capital but aren’t sure how to actually build them, this Episode is for you.

Learn More About Conor Hoey:

Conor is the CEO of Gemini Capital in Ireland, an organisation that provides an easy and cost effective way for Investment Managers from around the world to create and distribute UCITS funds.  Having been in the Finance industry over 30 years in London and Dublin, he has worked across insurance, consulting, asset management and securities services.

Outside of work, he is well known for his passion for Drogheda United, a League of Ireland professional soccer club where his family’s involvement goes back 75 years.  Conor is a former chairman and current director of the club.  They recently won the Football Association of Ireland Cup, which he can be seen cradling in his profile picture.  This means European football for the club later in 2025.  He is also a keen musician, cook, traveller, pickleballer and soon to be author!  

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Most fund managers panic when investors push back.
They freeze. They fumble. And they walk away from capital they almost had.

Not because their pitch was bad but because they didn’t know how to handle objections with confidence.

In this Episode, Stacy is sharing her best tips for handling push back like a pro. She’s breaking down: 

• Why objections can actually be your best friend - and bring you closer to a yes - IF you shift your mindset 
• The most common investor pushbacks you need to be ready for (and how to flip them)
• The underrated sales skill that turns “not sure” into “tell me more”
• And what Eminem can teach you about owning the elephant in the room (so it doesn’t own you)

This is 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!

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Struggling to stand out to allocators? Wondering why your pitch isn’t landing?

Kristof Gleich has sat on both sides of the table. Today, he’s the President & CIO of $50B Harbor Capital, but before that? He spent 8+ years leading manager selection at JP Morgan, fielding pitches from managers just like you.

In this episode, he and Stacy dive into:

• Kristof’s path from physics to finance—how he went from studying physics to landing his first finance job at Goldman Sachs right after 9/11
• What actually makes a fund manager stand out (hint: it’s not tweaking a model or slapping “contrarian” on your deck)
• Why it pays to celebrate even the smallest wins as you grow your fund 
• Harbor Capital’s approach to backing emerging managers early (and why he believes more allocators should follow suit) 

About Kristof Gleich:

Kristof Gleich joined Harbor in 2018 and in 2020 was appointed CIO of Harbor Capital Advisors, Inc. He has oversight responsibility for our Investment, Distribution & Marketing and Executive Office functions. He provides insight while helping lead Harbor’s strategic growth plan. Prior to joining Harbor, Kristof was a managing director and global head of manager selection at JPMorgan Chase & Co. He earned a B.S. in Physics from University of Bristol. Kristof is a CFA charterholder.

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

If you’re always chasing investors, hires, or deals… you’re doing it wrong.

The most successful boutique founders don’t try to close everyone. They focus on alignment—and that’s exactly what Amy Volas is here to help you master.

As a top sales leader turned founder of Avenue Talent Partners, she helps startups hire the right sales leaders. Along the way, she’s seen the costly mistakes founders make—whether they’re hiring, fundraising, or scaling—and she’s here to help you avoid them

In this Episode, Amy and Stacy discuss: 

• Why trying to close everyone is the fastest way to burn out
• How the most successful founders and fund managers attract the right people (and repel the wrong ones)
• The hiring scorecard that will save you from expensive hiring mistakes
• Why gut feelings aren’t enough—and how to build a hiring process that actually works

The mindset shift that will make raising capital and growing your firm a lot more sustainable

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Judith MacKenzie’s path is as unconventional as it is inspiring. She didn’t learn to invest on Wall Street. 

The lessons that led her to the founder’s seat, running the boutique investment arm of $2.5B Downing LLP, started in her dad’s small news and ice cream shop in the Highlands long before finance was on her radar.

In this Episode, she sits down with Stacy to discuss: 

• Her backstory– the surprising business lessons she learned as a kid and how they still influence her investing today
• Why qualitative research is just as rigorous as the numbers and how to test a company’s integrity
• The biggest red flags in management and governance that investors often miss
• How to stay true to your strategy when the market pressures you to pivot
• What it’s like to be the only woman in the room and what needs to change for the next generation of women in finance

More about Judith MacKenzie:

Judith is passionate about investing in UK smaller companies and has spent 30 years immersed in the investment world, firstly as a technology analyst and then as a fund manager. She is Chair of the small and mid-cap lobbying body, the Quoted Companies Alliance, and has experience as a board member in both private and public companies.  With a value-oriented investment style, Judith has driven investment returns in excess of the industry benchmarks. Hailing from the Scottish Highlands, Judith spends her spare time in the hills with her dogs or trying not to fall off horses.

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Being great at investing is one thing but if no one knows about you or what you stand for, good luck growing your fund. 

It might sound harsh, but it’s true. In today’s world, attention is the new currency and you can’t afford to ignore it.

That’s why today, Stacy is bringing her friend Dr. Daniel Crosby back on the mic for a very special 100th episode of Billion Dollar Backstory. They’re picking up right where they left off in their “Scientist & The Storyteller” series.

Together, they’re digging into why every company today is a media company (yep, even yours) and why building a brand that feels real and relatable isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore.

They’re also covering:  

• How to build a brand that’s real, relatable, and doesn’t feel like a facade
• Why being a thought leader matters (even if you’d rather be investing)
• The hidden costs (and upsides) of the attention economy
• The big reason why so many fund managers struggle to stand out and how to change that

More About Dr. Daniel Crosby 

Dr. Daniel Crosby is a psychologist and behavioral finance expert who helps organizations understand the intersection of mind and markets. Dr. Crosby's first book, Personal Benchmark: Integrating Behavioral Finance and Investment Management, was a New York Times bestseller. His second book, The Laws of Wealth, was named the best investment book of 2017 by the Axiom Business Book Awards and has been translated into 17 languages. 

His third book, The Behavioral Investor, was Axiom's best investment book of 2019 and is a comprehensive look at the neurology, physiology and psychology of sound financial decision-making. His latest book, The Soul of Wealth, was published in October of 2024 and has already been translated into five languages. When he's not decoding market psychology, Daniel is a father of 3, a fanatical follower of the St. Louis Cardinals, an explorer of the American South, and an amateur hot sauce chef. 

Want More Help With Storytelling?

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth:https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

 - - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

What if I told you the Chief Strategy Officer of the largest bank in the Eurozone could teach you some ultra-valuable lessons about storytelling, thought leadership, and innovation?

You’d probably be surprised, right? I don’t blame you.
Even Stacy had her own mental picture of what a “banker” might be like before sitting down with Philippe Gijsels—and let’s just say this conversation shattered every stereotype.

Listen in today to hear Philippe and Stacy discuss: 

• What Darwin can teach us about innovation 
• Why storytelling is essential—especially when tackling heavy, complex topics like Superinflation, Hyperinnovation, and Climate Transition.
• His journey as an author—how, for over 30 years, he naturally refined his stories in the back-and-forth of conversations long before he ever picked up the proverbial pen

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

In this edition of Story Snacks, Stacy breaks down:

• Why thought leadership is the ultimate equalizer for smaller funds
• Her Four A’s Framework for using thought leadership to increase AUM without a big team or budget
• How to pick the marketing platform that matches your unique skills (and feels doable for you)
• The biggest mindset trap that keeps fund managers stuck—and how to avoid it

This is 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!

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

At 17, Jonathan Treussard hopped on a one-way flight from Paris to LA with dreams of being a musician.  

He didn’t wind up playing jazz professionally, but he did end up managing billions for some of the world’s wealthiest families. 

Listen in as Jonathan and Stacy discuss his big pivot from music to finance, plus: 

• The lessons he learned navigating the Great Financial Crisis at Ziff Brothers Investments
• His perspective on balancing risk, regret, and resilience in wealth management
• The gap he saw in traditional wealth management that led him to start his own firm, Treussard Capital
• How he uses storytelling to break down complex financial concepts for his clients 

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

If you’re like most fund managers, you’re busy serving your current clients—so much so that bringing in new ones feels overwhelming. 

After all, you’re not a salesperson, and it may even make you a little uncomfortable to hit the pavement and sell your services. 

Hiring marketing support can help you sidestep that discomfort and bring in more business. On the other hand, hiring before you’re ready could end up costing you time and money in the long run. 

That’s why, in this Episode, Stacy breaks down: 

• The two biggest mistakes fund managers make when hiring marketing professionals (and how to avoid them)
• The first step every founder must take before outsourcing marketing
• The truth about hiring “connected” industry veterans
• How to know when it’s time to hire your first in-house marketing person

This is 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!

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Show Notes:

When considering investing in the energy sector, most investors assume there are two paths to pursue: either the traditional fossil fuels route or one aligned with a greener future. 

Lisa Audet Founder & CIO of Tall Trees Capital believes in a third, better, way: The holistic approach represented by the energy transition, a structural megatrend affecting every sector of the economy. 

In this Episode, Lisa and Stacy discuss: 

• How Lisa’s time at Tiger Cub firm sharpened her instincts around investing in the energy transition 
• The key pillars shaping the Tall Trees’ investment strategy 
• The “non-obvious” opportunities for helping generate superior risk-adjusted returns 
• The outlook for the energy transition megatrend 

Welcome to the Meet the Boutique Series, where we’ll take you behind the scenes to see how the top asset managers innovate and thrive. 

Enjoy this episode? Hit Subscribe! There are more exclusive webinars to come. 

More About Lisa Audet:

After working for more than a decade at one of the top global macro hedge funds in the world, Lisa Audet felt a desire to start something new, as she had done many times in her career. Lisa’s life-long willingness to step into the unknown was grounded in a global perspective acquired from many years of living and working overseas in South America, Europe and Africa and by 30+ years of investment experience across a diverse range of assets and industries.

Driven by her prior success in energy investing, she founded Tall Trees Capital to invest in some of the most compelling opportunities represented by the secular, multi-decade themes found in the energy transition. Lisa has an undergraduate degree in International Studies from The American University. Additionally, she served in the U.S. Peace Corps and is fluent in Portuguese.

 
Want More Help With Storytelling?

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth:https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

- - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Nobody knows what it takes to scale to the top like GEOWealth’s strategic advisor Scott MacKillop —he’s climbed literal mountains AND built some of the most successful TAMPS in the game.

In this Episode, Scott and Stacy discuss: 

• His backstory: From dreaming of following his father's footsteps as a lawyer and practicing corporate and securities law to leaping into asset management
• His journey to founding and scaling First Ascent to over $1.5B in assets and his recent sale to GeoWealth.
• What mountain climbing taught him about raising venture capital 
• Why he’s a firm believer in the power of a personal brand

More about Scott MacKillop:

Scott MacKillop served as CEO of First Ascent Asset Management until its acquisition by GeoWealth, LLC. He now serves as Strategic Advisor to GeoWealth and a champion for independent-minded financial advisors. He is an ambassador for the Institute for the Fiduciary Standard and a 47-year veteran of the financial services industry, having served at the helm of five Turnkey Asset Management Platforms (TAMPs).

Scott is a writer and commentator on the investment management and fintech industries. He brings his unique viewpoints to industry publications, speaking on the topics of fiduciary responsibilities, practice management, and client education. An avid hiker, Scott has summited thirty “14ers,” having hiked extensively in the U.S. and internationally. He also plays lead guitar for the band at his church.

Want More Help With Storytelling? 

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth: https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

- - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Not sure how to find investors that are willing to bet on your brand new fund?

Stacy’s got you covered. Listen in as she breaks down: 

• How the Rogers Adoption Curve applies to finding the right investors 
• The difference between early adopters (like RIAs & family offices) and late-stage allocators 
• Why targeting late-stage firms leads to dead ends 
• Why smaller investment committees with fewer decision-makers = less red tape
• A smarter way to screen prospects, so you only spend time pitching investors who are willing to bet on a new fund 

This is 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!

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Dr. Martin Tarlie spent years at GMO, the iconic Boston asset manager, and now leads an award-winning investing platform, Nebo Wealth. 

In this Episode, Martin and Stacy discuss: 

• His backstory: from physicist/golf-performance product developer to SaaS founder 
• How the physics mindset that followed him into the investment world turned into a novel investing approach 
• The massive communication gap between asset managers and investors
• Why the fascination with the 60/40 allocation is misguided
• How Nebo is helping asset managers rethink risk so they can build better portfolios 

More about Dr. Martin Tarlie: 

Dr. Tarlie is a member of GMO’s Asset Allocation team and serves as the Nebo product lead. Before rejoining GMO in 2018, he was a managing director at QMA. He previously worked on GMO’s Global Equity team from 2007 to 2014. Prior to that he worked at Breakwater Trading and at Marlin Capital Corp as a fundamental equity analyst and the director of research. 

Dr. Tarlie earned his bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Michigan, his PhD in theoretical condensed matter physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and his MBA from the University of Chicago. He was also a postdoctoral research fellow at the James Franck Institute at the University of Chicago and is a CFA charterholder.

He is passionate about building systems based on first-principles thinking, which led him to spearhead the development of Nebo Wealth, a new wealth tech platform challenging the traditional definition of risk. As an entrepreneur in the wealth tech space, Martin’s innovative approach redefines risk—not as volatility, but as not having what you need when you need it. He’s also a dedicated family man and self-proclaimed “Baseball Dad,” often found cheering his boys from the stands. 

Want More Help With Storytelling? 

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth: https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

- - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Alfonso Peccatiello built a following of 500,000 on social media by doing something radical – by being a real, authentic human in the fund world. 

And that authentic social presence helped him close investment deals for his new hedge fund, Palinuro Capital. 

Alfonso’s story is proof that it pays to challenge the status quo and to put people (and connections) first – even in a numbers-obsessed industry. 

Want the full story? Join Alfonso and Stacy as they discuss:

• Alfonso’s backstory: How a car accident sparked his obsession with creating success on his own terms 
• Why he’s never afraid to repel the wrong investor 
• How his willingness to repel, both on social media and in meetings, has helped him attract more of the right investors 
• The lesson he learned as a $20B bond manager that has served him most as an entrepreneur (spoiler alert, it wasn’t an investing technique) 

More About Alfonso Peccatiello

Alfonso (Alf) Peccatiello is the CIO of the global macro hedge fund Palinuro Capital. Alf was born in Southern Italy, roughly 1,000 km away from the closest financial center, yet his dream was to run his own hedge fund. To get there, he had an idea: share macro analysis and frameworks with the world through his research firm, The Macro Compass, first, establish relationships, and only after spinning out his macro hedge fund. After scoring the largest asset managers in the world as clients of his research, here we are: his global macro hedge fund, Palinuro Capital, is ready to launch in January 2025. As a proper Southern Italian, Alf stands by three culinary rules: no cappuccino unless it's breakfast, no pineapple on pizza, and never break pasta in pieces!

Want More Help With Storytelling? 

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth: https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

- - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Struggling to win investors over? Stop wasting time perfecting your pitch and start laying the groundwork that’ll actually help you seal the deal. 

In this episode, Stacy shares the steps you can take to prime your prospects to invest so they’re ready to say hell yes before you even think about pitching. 

This is 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!

Want More Help With Storytelling? 

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth: https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

- - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Let’s be honest: writing for LinkedIn can feel like walking a tightrope.
You want to sound smart, credible, and professional.
But also… like a human.

In this Episode, Stacy shares the exact approach she uses to walk that line between being personable and credible (and to generate leads for her firm, Havener Capital, in the process). 

Listen in as she breaks down: 

• How to use the 5 Pillar framework to post with both authority and authenticity
• Why your “boring” hobby might be the thing people remember you for
• How sharing your quirks could actually build more trust, not less
• One challenge that’ll help you ditch the jargon and sound more like you
• And what your LinkedIn photo really needs to stand out (hint: it’s not the perfect blazer) 

This is Story Snacks, a bite-sized, jam-packed series for fund managers who are ready to master strategic storytelling in under 20 minutes a week.

Want More Help With Storytelling?

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth:https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

- - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Today’s guest, Ritik Malhotra, is the co-founder and CEO of Savvy Wealth, a Tech-Enabled Wealth Management Firm that surpassed $700 million in assets in just three years.

In this episode, Ritik and Stacy discuss:

• Ritik’s backstory: How his obsession with coding (that started in elementary school) turned into a thriving business that funded his college education 
• How he became an exiting founder at just 21 years old 
• Lessons learned from raising a 26.M series A round: Why storytelling matters when fundraising 
• Why it pays to provide a modern, tech-forward experience as an advisor in 2024

More About Ritik Malhotra 

Ritik Malhotra is the founder and CEO of Savvy Wealth, a digital-first platform for financial advisors centered around modernizing human financial advice. Savvy Wealth builds proprietary technology to empower advisors as its affiliate RIA Savvy Advisors to increase efficiency, automate mid-and-back office workflows and build stronger client relationship. A 32-year-old tech founder with 2 exits in his 20s, Malhotra was inspired to found Savvy Wealth after his second exit, and realized that today's advisors were not providing a modern, tech-forward experience. A YCombinator and Thiel Fellowship alum, Malhotra was named among the “Ten to Watch” in 2023 by WealthManagement.com, one of the most well-regarded publications in the wealth management space.

Want More Help With Storytelling? 

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth: https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

- - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

After working for the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater, for over five years, today’s guest, Jacob Miller, found his passion — making investing accessible. 

This passion led him to co-found Opto Investments, a tech-driven private markets platform. 

In this episode, Jacob and Stacy dive into: 

• Jacob’s backstory: how he went from aspiring doctor to advisor at the world’s leading hedge fund, Bridgewater 
• Opto’s mission to decode complex market dynamics so average people can better understand their investments 
• Why making people feel dumb, so they think they need you in order to invest, is a dead (and unethical) strategy 
• Opto’s foolproof strategy for standing out in the crowded tech industry 
• How Opto’s platform helps financial advisors differentiate and tackle alternative investments  

More About Jacob Miller

Co-founder, Jacob Miller, is Opto’s Chief Solutions Officer, a key figure in its leadership team and central to its growth strategy. He spearheads initiatives for Opto's fiduciary partnerships and the systemization of institutional-quality private markets investment techniques and programs. Before co-founding Opto, Miller spent nearly five years as an investor at Bridgewater Associates. Miller has a passion for sensible long-term investing, systematizing investment processes, and distilling complex market dynamics into clear, logical linkages that help people better understand their investments. Having managed money for family and friends since he was 16, Miller is a certified market junkie. While he has a background in macroeconomics and high-yield debt, he finds the challenges and opportunities in the private markets space far more interesting and important, both for investors and society.

Want More Help With Storytelling? 

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth: https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

- - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

As co-founder and CEO of Arch, Ryan Eisenman is on a mission to take the hassle out of investment operations. Arch is a $100B tech platform that replaces the spreadsheets, manual labor, and outdated systems of old. 

In this episode, Ryan and Stacy discuss:

• Ryan’s backstory: How the strategy behind his grandfather’s variety store inspired his entrepreneurial modus operandi — give the people what they want 
• His sales secret weapon —K-1 cookies that end up in his prospects’ bellies instead of the trash folder in their email inbox 
• How he mastered sales without any formal training 
• How Arch surpassed their goal and raised $5 million in venture capital 

More About Ryan Eisenman:

With over six years as the co-founder and CEO of Arch, Ryan Eisenman brings extensive private investment expertise to the table. Before founding Arch, he gained valuable experience at eight financial service companies, including Deloitte, Routier, and TechStars. Ryan is well-versed in the evolving trends of the private investment sector and the transformative impact of technology on the industry. As private markets continue to gain popularity, Ryan remains dedicated to helping advisors and their clients easily invest in private markets and efficiently diversify their portfolios.

Want More Help With Storytelling? 

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth: https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

- - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

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 it paid off. 

Shannon is one of the only people I know to go from one side of the table in the investment world to the other and do so with style, grace, and massive success. That’s why I can’t wait for you to hear from her as we discuss: 

• Her backstory – from a 14-year old girl already dreaming of working on Wall Street to making her place in this male-dominated industry 
• The breaking point that led her to step away from her dream job and finance altogether 
• How that break reenergized her and redirected her back to the investment world where she found true passion and purpose at RFG

More about Shannon:

Shannon is President of RFG Advisory, a $4.5B wealth management platform who just took on an equity partner with a vision of revolutionizing the game. RFG was built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs – advisors who have a touch of rebel in their DNA.

Want More Help With Storytelling? 

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth: https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe
 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Books: The Hard Thing About Hard Things, Ben Horowitz | Powerful, Patti McCord | Atomic Habits, James Clear | The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle

Song: Coolio — Fantastic Voyage

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

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 wealth management but she’s also holds the role of chief evangelist in a highly successful marketing agency serving a whopping 40,000 clients.

In this episode, Samantha and Stacy discuss:  

·       Her backstory, from bootstrapping with a nonexistent marketing budget to exit

·       Tips for leveraging stories in your marketing to ramp up sales

·       The key to mastering feel-good authenticity online, in sales conversations, and beyond

…and so much more! 

Authenticity isn’t always easy in a performance obsessed industry, but Samantha’s got you covered. Grab your headphones and get ready to learn from the best. 

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Break the ice in style.

Ever walk into a meeting with analysts who seem more like untouchable statuses than people? This episode of Story Snacks makes it easier to break the ice, ease the tension, and get even the most reserved analysts to open up.

You can be the “hype man” (or woman) of your meetings and set the tone for success. Here’s how: 

• Embrace your inner hype man or woman to warm up the room and set a positive tone
• Minimize awkwardness by acknowledging the environment
• Leverage the power of observation to show them you care and pay attention to more than just the deal

Plus, Stacy will channel her own inner hype woman to give you the confidence you need to lead great meetings. 

This is 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! 

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

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. 

Listen in as Gary discusses: 

• His backstory — from first-generation college student paying his own way to rocking the CEO seat 
• The importance of being willing to get uncomfortable, fail, and learn (rinse, repeat)
• What it looks like to be an introvert in a very forward-facing CEO role 
• How being an introvert is one of the things that makes him a great leader 
• The power of strategic scaling – why he considers culture first and profit second when considering acquisitions 

More about Gary Tenkman:
Gary Tenkman is Chief Executive Officer of Ultimus Fund Solutions, the largest independent registered fund administrator and one of the largest private fund administrators in the U.S.  As CEO, Gary works closely with the Ultimus executive team and board members with responsibility for providing strategic growth, financial, and operational leadership for Ultimus and its over 900 employees. Gary has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. He joined Ultimus in 2014 as COO and was named CEO in 2019. Gary currently also serves on the Board of Governors for the Investment Company Institute.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Book: Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive Me & Cheryl to the Mall: A Parent's Guide to the New Teenager, Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong about the World--And Why Things Are Better Than You Think

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Great with numbers but suck at storytelling? No worries.

On this episode of Story Snacks, we’re helping sales and marketing teams step up, take the reins, and make sure everyone in the room looks like a rockstar–especially when the fund manager isn’t a natural storyteller. 

Listen in as Stacey covers: 

• How acknowledging that not everyone is a natural born storyteller is perfectly fine 
• How sales and marketing pros can take an active role in meetings to ensure the fund manager shines
• Tips to steer fund managers back on track–without creating awkwardness
• Unique cases like turning unconventional communication styles into winning strategies

A fund manager’s lack of storytelling skills isn’t a deal-breaker. It’s an opportunity for sales and marketing teams to step up, orchestrate the conversation, and make the entire team shine.

This is 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!

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

1:1 meeting turned into a 10-person panel? Don’t freak out.

This episode of Story Snacks is your go-to guide for managing meetings when the room (or Zoom) is packed.

Stacy covers how to maintain control, keep the conversation flowing naturally, and avoid dreaded awkward silences.

Listen in to learn more about: 

• Preparing like a pro
• Identifying your meeting’s “Champion”
• Managing complex dynamics to encourage collaboration
• Setting the tone, addressing the elephant in the room, and lightening the mood

Learn to take control of the crowd without losing your personal touch. Sometimes, it’s all about preparation, communication, and sometimes even a bit of humor to navigate inevitable awkwardness.

This is 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! 

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

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 Stacy 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 need another fund, let alone a fund of funds
• The power of niche
• Why you must be disagreeable to excel
• What role qualitative plays in his research process
• His flexibly dogmatic approach to assessing a fund
• Proof that authenticity works in asset management
• Advice for boutiques on their journey

More About Simon Evan-Cook

Simon also writes on investment (and beyond), including a monthly column for Citywire Magazine and his investment blog on Medium.com. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and dog, devouring movies and books, and superficially damaging European golf courses. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Book: Any Human Heart by William Boyd

Book: Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein

Article: Investors: The one thing separating excellent from competent

Article: Should you invest with Han Solo or C-3PO?

Article: Should you invest with Indiana Jones?

Article: Should you invest with Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Stacy’s had a front row seat to a lot of boutique success stories but this one is something special. Tucker Walsh didn’t just build one billion-dollar firm, he did it again. And now? He’s back at it for a third time.

In this Episode, Tucker and Stacy talk about what it really takes to build an investment firm from the ground up. 

They also discuss: 

• The realities of raising capital in today’s market
• Why allocator behavior is shifting and what that means for boutiques
• Lessons learned from decades of small-cap investing
• How to grow your firm one small allocation at a time (and why the “unscalable” stuff matters most in the beginning) 

About Tucker Walsh:

Tucker is the Founder and CIO of Arrowside Capital, a high-conviction investment firm focused on the best emerging SMID growth companies in public markets.

With over 30 years of experience in growth equity, spanning roles at Polen Capital, Copper Rock Capital, and now Arrowside, Tucker is known for his deep research, sharp macro perspective, and unapologetically long-term approach.

He also writes Zen Investment Briefs and hosts a podcast on value creation, market psychology, and how investors can thrive in a world of rapid change.

Want More Help With Storytelling?

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth:https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

 - - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Can you have different stories for different strategies?

What about brand stories for each niche? 

This episode of Story Snacks dives into the nuances of crafting job stories that fit distinct strategies and market segments.

Stacy breaks down why one size doesn’t fit all, and how you can tailor your narrative for maximum impact.

This is 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! 

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

The perfect voicemail is calling…it’ll make you wish you picked up! 

Voicemail is one of the most powerful tools to keep in your prospecting arsenal, and if you aren’t convinced, this episode of Story Snacks might change your mind.

Stacy is cracking open the secrets to leaving a voicemail that grabs attention and actually gets you a call back.

You’ll learn: 

• The job and goal of a voicemail–how should VM work for you?
• How to warm up your call, including pre-work to help you close
• How to be smart, be cool, and better yet…be both
• Tips to avoid big mistakes, like info spilling or centering yourself

Voicemail might not be the latest tech, but it’s far from dead. When done right, this game-changing tactic will help you show up and be heard. 

This is 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! 

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

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 Stacy discuss:

• His backstory: From growing up in a family of mathematicians, to investment consulting, to writing and podcasting
• The communication gap between fund managers and allocators — and his advice to bridge that gap
• How founders and fund managers can get more comfortable sharing authentically
• His shift in perspective on storytelling — and what type of stories we need more of 
• How allocators influence the future for boutiques

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Book: Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Want to tell your story in a way that connects to your future vision? 

Stop worrying that niching down might box you in. In this episode, Stacy helps you weave your past into your present and future to make sure your story resonates. 

Plus, let’s debunk myths around niching down–hint: it doesn’t mean saying no to great opportunities. 

Tune in to hear Stacy talk about: 

• Why it’s essential to connect your backstory to your future goals–no more “here I am” endings
• Positioning yourself as the guide your audience needs, and connecting your journey to their goals
• Busting myths about niching–why it doesn’t limit you but sharpens your message

This is 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! 

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

You can ditch PowerPoint and still own the room.

In fact, running a killer meeting is usually easier than the gurus and motivational speakers might tell you. 

 Whether you’re facing an allocator who insists on seeing the presentation beforehand or navigating an awkward silence before kick-off, Stacey’s got you covered.

In this episode, Stacy covers: 

• The right time to send your meeting notes or deck for optimum preparedness
• Preparing on a timeline that sets you up for success
• Starting with the allocator’s story to get them talking
• Steering discussion to address key concerns

Tune in to flip the script on traditional meetings to lead with stories and listen thoroughly. Take your meetings to the next level with this episode.

This is 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! 

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

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 his boutique-building dream on hold 
• His inspiring comeback story 
• The secrets behind Sean's unique marketing playbook for differentiation.
• The philosophy that drives Sean's investing approach: 'numbers not narrative.'
• The sweet spot where numbers and narratives intersect, especially for startups.

…And so much more. Grab your notebook and get ready for a masterclass on differentiation, branding, and building a boutique. 

About Sean Peche:

Sean holds a Bachelor of Business Science (Honours) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting from the University of Cape Town and is a CFA® charterholder. Sean has more than 25 years of investment experience in global financial markets. 

After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1996, Sean spent two years at Old Mutual Asset Management (South Africa) as an equity analyst. In 1999, he joined Decillion Capital as one of its founding members and co-managed the successful BigRock Fund, a South African based hedge fund. In 2001, he relocated to London with Decillion Fund Management and co-managed a US/European hedge Fund. In 2003, he joined London based Orbis Investment Advisory as an equity analyst, before leaving in 2008 to establish Ranmore Fund Management Ltd.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Books: The JSE Handbook, The Zulu Principle by Jim Slater, The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz, Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols 

Songs:  Kelly Clarkson - Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You), Kelly Clarkson - The Sun Will Rise

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

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 backstory actually go back?
• Exactly how vulnerable you need to get in order to truly connect with your prospects 
• The simple framework that every compelling backstory follows 

This is 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! 

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

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, give, give, ask framework” for building relationships on LinkedIn and other platforms
• Why timing is everything when it comes to nurturing prospects 
• A rule of thumb that’ll help you find your follow-up sweet spot – so you don’t seem like a pushy spam bot 

This is 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! 

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

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 determine if your story is snooze-worthy
• A roadmap for spicing up your narrative, even when your brain screams 'No!' 

…and so much more. 

About Dr. Daniel Crosby:

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. 

He is also a father of 3, a fanatical follower of the St. Louis Cardinals, an explorer of the American South, and an amateur hot sauce chef. 

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

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
• Why senior fund managers struggle to talk about founders–and how to overcome this
• Different approaches for sharing stories about co-founders
• Strategies to share the backstory in meetings

You’ll walk away from this episode with a better understanding of how to leverage your firm’s and founder’s backstory to drive growth and develop a strategic narrative.

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Most fund managers are happiest behind their screens, crunching data and studying markets. That’s their zone of genius, so it makes sense.

But when you step into the founder seat, everything changes. Investing is no longer your only job. Suddenly, marketing and distribution aren’t just important, they’re non-negotiables. 

Today’s guest, Sean Peche, knows this firsthand. He’s the Founder and Fund Manager at Ranmore Funds, a $650 million investment boutique that doesn’t just invest differently, it builds differently too.

In this Episode, Sean sits down with Stacy to share his growth playbook. 

They discuss: 

• Why he dedicates just one day a week to distribution – and how taking calls only one day each week keeps him laser focused 
• The founder-led sales tips he used to scale Ranmore (and how you can borrow them)
• His tried-and-true process for prospecting on LinkedIn 
• His unconventional approach to team building
• What “charitable marketing” is and how it’s helping him grow the business and do good
• The mindset shift from fund manager to business founder (and why more boutiques need it)
• Why honesty and humility are a competitive edge in this industry

About Sean Peche:

Sean is the Founder of Ranmore Fund Management and portfolio manager of the Ranmore Global Equity Fund. Sean studied Business Science at the University of Cape Town, qualified as a Chartered Accountant and is a CFA Charterholder with 28 years of investment experience. He’s a committed Value investor who looks for the opportunity in every crisis. He lives in Surrey, England with his wife, Marilyn, their two children and two dogs. His guiding principles are “Do more than expected” and “Be kind”. He loves country music, wine, forests, and snowboarding.

Want More Help With Storytelling?

 +  Subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly email that helps you use your words to power your growth:https://www.stacyhavener.com/subscribe  

 - - -
Make The Boutique Investment Collective part of your Billion Dollar Backstory. Gain access to invaluable resources, expert coaches, and a supportive community of other boutique founders, fund managers, and investment pros. Join Havener Capital’s exclusive membership

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

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 Market investing and their approach to risk management
• Why active management and a non-indexed approach is essential to successful FM investing
• How most Global Emerging Markets managers are ill-equipped to invest in the EM and Frontier countries they invest in
• Their process for crafting equity strategies that give their clients exposure to top-tier companies in overlooked markets poised for robust structural growth

This is part 2 of our Meet the Boutique Series, where we’ll take you behind the scenes to see how top asset managers innovate and thrive. 

Enjoy this episode? Hit subscribe! There are more exclusive webinars to come. 

About Consilium Investment Management 

Consilium Investment Management was founded in 2004 by Jonathan Binder, CIO, and Charles Cassel, CEO. With over 20 years in financial markets and asset management, they saw an opportunity to build an investment management business that would deliver above-average returns for its clients in the Frontier and Emerging Markets. They offer private funds and separately managed accounts exposed to Frontier and Emerging Markets that exploit specific opportunities overlooked by other managers. More information is available by visiting: consimllc.com

---
Running a fund is hard enough.
Ops shouldn’t be.
Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus

- - -
Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap