From Wall Street to the Classroom: Investing, Teaching, and Lifeguarding Lessons for Leadership with Robert Morier of Drexel University

Matt Cohen sits down with Robert Morier, a former global investment executive turned venture capital professor at Drexel University. Robert shares his non-traditional journey—from studying history to managing multi-billion dollar investment portfolios, and ultimately returning to education to mentor the next generation of startup founders and VCs. They discuss his experience teaching venture capital, how risk management in lifeguarding relates to investing, how podcasting helps drive awareness, and why universities need more real-world startup training.

About Robert Morier:

Robert Morier is a professor at Drexel University, specializing in venture capital, early-stage finance, and private market due diligence. He mentors entrepreneurs and conducts research on entrepreneurial mindset and risk management, drawing insights from his experience as an ocean lifeguard in Wildwood Crest, NJ.

With 25 years in institutional investments, he has led business development and fundraising efforts at firms like Paradice Investment Management, Xponance, and Indus Capital, raising billions in assets across global markets. He also runs Twelve Pound Advisors, advising asset managers on growth strategies.

Morier is the co-founder of Twelve Pound Productions, producing the Dakota Live! Podcast, where he interviews investors on finance, leadership, and market trends. He has served on the University of Vermont’s Grossman School of Business advisory board and supports nonprofit fundraising initiatives.

Topics

* (00:01:39) - How a love for travel led Robert into global investment roles

* (00:03:04) - Spending years on the road and what ultimately led Robert to leave for academia

* (00:04:06) - How working as a lifeguard shaped Robert’s perspective on leadership and risk management

* (00:07:09) - Why VCs should start with risk assessment rather than leaving it for the end of due diligence

* (00:09:53) - Teaching Venture Capital: Why VC education is still lacking in most universities and how Drexel is changing that

* (00:12:47) - Why schools focus too much on investment banking exits rather than startup formation

* (00:15:32) - How the Drexel Innovation Fund supports student-led startups with real investments

* (00:19:35) - The importance of teaching students about mistakes, failures, and resilience in investing.

* (00:24:58) - The story of AER Cosmetics, a sustainable mascara startup that grew out of Drexel’s entrepreneurial program

* (00:30:21) - How schools can build better VC education and student-run investment funds

* (00:36:25) - How the Dakota Live! Podcast came to be

* (00:41:47) -  The biggest mistake fund managers make when pitching investors

Robert Morier’s Fast Favorites:

* Favorite Podcast: The Overthink Podcast

* Favorite Podcast for Venture Capital: Capital Allocators by Ted Seides, along with Dakota Live! and Tank Talks.

* Favorite Newsletter or Blog: Alternatively Speaking by Christopher Schelling

* Favorite Book: East of Eden by John Steinbeck

* Favorite Tech Gadget: A landline phone

* Favorite Life Lesson: “Who’s better than you? Nobody.”

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