Democratizing Private Equity with John Bailey, OneFund Investments

In this episode of the Rainmaker Podcast, host Gui Costin, founder and CEO of Dakota, sits down with John Bailey, co-founder of OneFund Investments, to discuss how his firm is democratizing access to venture capital and private equity. Bailey shares insights into his journey from working at General Atlantic to launching OneFund and the strategies that have contributed to the firm’s growth.

Bailey begins by reflecting on his background, from studying at Tufts University to earning an MBA from Wharton. After working in consulting and growth equity, he realized a fundamental issue in the investment industry: access to top-tier private equity and venture capital funds was restricted to institutional investors and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. With minimum check sizes in the millions, most investors were effectively shut out of these opportunities. Seeing this gap, Bailey co-founded OneFund Investments, a fund of funds designed to provide accredited investors with diversified access to top-performing funds in the private markets.

Launching OneFund required a strategic approach to building investor relationships from the ground up. Unlike established firms with large institutional networks, OneFund had to develop a go-to-market strategy tailored to a new investor demographic. One key lesson Bailey shares is the importance of listening to potential investors before designing a product. Many firms build their funds first and then try to sell them, but OneFund engaged with investors early to understand their needs, shaping its offerings to provide the access and diversification they were looking for.

Bailey also highlights the crucial role of technology in managing investor relationships. A well-implemented CRM system allows the team to track investor engagement, refine outreach efforts, and tailor communications based on behavior patterns. Rather than relying on broad content distribution, OneFund takes a personalized, high-touch approach, ensuring investors receive relevant and timely information. Education has been a major focus, as many of their investors are new to private equity. To address this, OneFund offers webinars, investor calls, and detailed materials to help clients make informed decisions.

Reflecting on leadership, Bailey believes in leading by example and embracing every aspect of the startup process, from high-level strategy to granular tasks. His advice to young professionals is to align themselves with a product they truly believe in, as conviction is key to long-term success. This conversation offers valuable insights for sales professionals, fundraisers, and investors looking to navigate the evolving private equity landscape.