In this episode of Declarations, Todd Rich sits down with Kari Firestone, Co-Founder & Chair Emerita of Aureus Asset Management. Kari shares her remarkable journey — from a childhood stock-picking contest in Boston to working with legendary investor Peter Lynch at Fidelity and ultimately building her own firm. She reflects on lessons in risk-taking, balancing career and family, and why listening and learning remain central to her “declaration” in life. The conversation also touches on her book Even the Odds, her community and philanthropic involvement in Boston, and her upcoming transition as she steps back from Aureus to embrace new pursuits, family time, and personal passions.
They discuss:
· From 5th-grade stock contests to a part-time job at Merrill Lynch, Kari discovered investing young
· Working under Peter Lynch at Fidelity and learning the art of deep research and spotting unrecognized value
· Founding Aureus with David Scudder and pioneering private markets for families
· Patience in 2008–09 created opportunities; today’s market challenges are more about recalibration than systemic collapse
· Deep commitment to education, healthcare, and Boston institutions that shaped her life
Links:
The declarations. podcast: https://www.declarationpartners.com/podcast
Todd S. Rich on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-s-rich-6a091333/
Declaration Partners - https://www.declarationpartners.com/
𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘥𝘥𝘴: 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘴𝘬–𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 by Karen Firestone: https://a.co/d/9WcZ9V7
𝘓𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 by Richard Price: https://a.co/d/6qtx57j
