Discipline, Patriotism, Family: Veterans’ Lessons in Business Ownership

Nov 14, 2023

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According to the national census, there are 16.2 million veterans in the U. S., with over 4 million under the age of 55 years old. Many come back from deployment with a whole life ahead of them, and savings ripe for investment. So where does this new life begin? Our guests today will show you the way.

In honor of Veterans Day, this week, we welcome LDR Growth Partners to the podcast. This veteran-founded, people-focused investment firm was built from the ground up over the last decade. Today, we learn from those who made LDR’s success: Rich Sexton and Will Brame. Rich co-founded the firm in 2013, with two fellow veterans, after seven years of service overseas as an Airborne Ranger and an Infantry Officer. Meanwhile, Will’s background is in finance; he worked at JP Morgan for over a decade, before joining LDR as a partner in 2015.

In this episode, Rich and Will give us a lesson in business ownership. They look back on the early days of LDR and its inception in Casper, Wyoming, to reveal how they found their space in the market. With touching authenticity, they discuss their passion for family-owned businesses. They show us how they collaborate with the companies they acquire, and bring their focus on people, first and foremost. And you will hear it at every turn: military leadership continues to inform their business philosophy today.

So join Patrick, Rich and Will on the front line, for a story of grit that will leave you inspired!

Highlights:

Rich’s story of grit: the origins of LDR Growth Partners (1:56)
The deal that put LDR on the map (3:37)
Finding a competitive edge between Casper and New York (5:48)
Will’s story of grit: from the trading floor to private equity (7:15)
Finding a niche with family-owned business (9:49)
Every Partner plays their part (11:36)
Why carrying a legacy is important (13:48)
Understanding who you are working with (15:05)
The untapped potential of manufacturing companies (18:08)
Military leadership as a business philosophy (20:36)
A roadmap to internal restructuring (23:28)
How to bring in new leadership (25:09)
“No plan survives first contact” (26:06)
Collaboration at the heart of LDR (28:11)

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If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.