Ali Hamed, Founder of Treville - From Cold Emails to $2B AUM, How Michael Ovitz Taught Ali to Move Mountains, Rejecting Work-Life Balance
Jan 28, 2025
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Ali Hamed, Co-founder of Treville, a $2 billion investment firm, shares insights into building a unique investment strategy. He discusses the 'founder fair' philosophy influenced by Michael Ovitz and the importance of intentional networking. Hamed emphasizes maintaining authentic relationships while rejecting conventional work-life balance. He explores the advantages of diversifying across asset classes and creating a high-intensity culture within his firm. His journey from cold emails to significant AUM showcases the power of strategic connections in the finance world.
A culture prioritizing time management and intense focus fosters a high-velocity work environment essential for business success.
Building authentic relationships through strategic networking and mutual value creation enhances efficiency in professional interactions.
Leveraging distinct investment strategies like venture capital and credit enables comprehensive market understanding and adaptability to changing opportunities.
Deep dives
The Value of Intensity and Time Management
A culture of intense focus and time management is emphasized as key to success in business. The importance of maintaining control over one’s schedule is highlighted, with the practice of avoiding unnecessary phone conversations and ensuring that meetings finish on time. It’s noted that prioritizing relationships with like-minded individuals who respect time can make interactions more efficient. The culture cultivated is one where intensity is valued over work-life balance, enabling a high-velocity work environment.
Network Building through Authentic Connections
Building a meaningful network is framed not as superficial socializing but as a strategic effort to create authentic connections. Effective networking techniques discussed include leveraging research to provide value upfront and making targeted introductions rather than just asking for favors. The principle of being a 'social creditor' rather than a debtor is stressed, which involves ensuring that relationships are mutually beneficial and that one can contribute positively to others. This approach helps to foster genuine relationships based on trust and reciprocity.
The Role of Rigorous Diligence in Investing
The practice of conducting thorough due diligence before making investment decisions is outlined as a cornerstone of successful investing. By employing rigorous methodologies, the firm distinguishes itself from competitors, ensuring informed and timely decisions. It's underscored that the process involves initial one-pagers that evolve into detailed memos, streamlining communication and decision-making within the team. This culture not only enhances the trust of founders but also allows for faster investment timelines.
Learning from Different Investment Strategies
Distinct investment strategies—including venture capital and credit—are leveraged to create a competitive edge in understanding market dynamics. The interplay between these strategies allows for cross-learning, fostering a comprehensive understanding of potential investments. For instance, the venture team learns rigor from the credit side while making more data-driven decisions. This combined approach enables the firm to identify unique opportunities even in less traditional business models and contributes to being adaptable to market changes.
Building a Founder-Friendly Yet Honest Relationship
The approach to maintaining a founder-friendly relationship focuses on transparency and mutual respect rather than mere flattery. This strategy emphasizes the significance of honesty in discussions with founders, promoting a commercial relationship where both parties can share expectations openly. The objective is to cultivate genuine partnerships that are productive and aligned with the founders' goals, thereby enhancing the investment experience. The philosophy counteracts the common industry perception of investors merely social climbing and aims to establish lasting connections based on authenticity.
Miguel Armaza interviews Ali Hamed, Co-Founder of Treville (formerly CoVenture), a $2 Billion investment firm that's breaking traditional asset class boundaries. Hamed has built one of the most distinctive firms in the industry, combining venture capital, credit, and asset-backed strategies with a uniquely rigorous approach - all starting from cold emails during his college days.
In this episode, we discuss:
The "founder fair" philosophy and lessons from partnering with Michael Ovitz
How to maintain control of your time while building authentic relationships and a powerful network
Why investing across multiple asset classes creates a competitive edge
Creating a culture of speed, intensity and conviction... and a lot more!
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Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.
