[Original air date: May 8, 2025]
When it comes to investor relations, an organization’s communication strategy should be a key instrument to support its business strategy. While this may seem obvious, so often we get this wrong. In this episode, CJ hosts a masterclass on investor relations with Samuel Levenson of the Arbor Advisory Group and Jon Neitzell of Andruil Partners, focusing on the strategic role of IR in driving company valuation. They cover what “audience opportunity” really means and what to do when you’ve attracted the wrong investors. They talk about metrics, KPIs, and OKRs, plus why management credibility and conveying conviction can make or break your IR strategy. They also discuss what has changed in the IR profession over time and what hasn’t (but probably should) before suggesting changes you can make to drive impact immediately.
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LINKS:
Samuel Levenson on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/samlevenson/
Jon Neitzell on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-neitzell/
Arbor Advisory Group: www.arboradvisorygroup.com/
Anduril Partners: https://www.andurilpartners.ai/
CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/
Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com
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RELATED EPISODES:
Investor Relations as a Strategic Weapon: A Masterclass
https://youtu.be/ac9xmURhAqE
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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 Preview and Intro
00:02:22 Welcome to Sam and Jon
00:03:12 Linking Business Strategy and Communication
00:05:01 Proactive vs. Reactive Investor Relations
00:06:39 Tailoring the Message by Investor Type
00:08:05 Audience Opportunity and Ideal Shareholders
00:11:05 When the Investor Base No Longer Fits
00:12:21 Shifting Investors as Industries Change
00:13:16 Optionality Comes From Patient Shareholders
00:14:40 Conveying Conviction Through Credibility
00:17:03 Why Investor Days Build Trust
00:18:02 Metrics Versus Storytelling in IR
00:19:10 Choosing Metrics the Market Actually Rewards
00:22:30 Valuation Disconnects and Investor Confusion
00:23:17 Finding Metrics That Truly Drive Value
00:25:33 Avoiding Bad Capital Allocation Decisions
00:26:20 Disclose Versus Guide: Confidence Intervals
00:27:35 Knowing What You Don’t Know
00:29:33 Science Versus Art in Storytelling
00:33:11 When Algorithms Become Your Audience
00:33:56 Passive Investing Now Dominates Markets
00:35:16 Linking OKRs to Value-Driving KPIs
00:36:42 Closing the Strategy-Metrics Feedback Loop
00:38:07 When Investors Sense Operational Confidence
00:39:47 Why IR Becomes Strategy Consulting
00:41:28 Why IR Teams Stay Undersized
00:43:23 Sam’s Accidental Entry Into Investor Relations
00:44:34 Mentorship Over Formal IR Training
00:46:18 How Markets Outpaced IR Practices
00:47:01 Investor Days Go Virtual
00:49:34 Designing a High-Quality Earnings Call
00:50:41 Investor Days as High-ROI Investments
00:51:45 IR Websites as Investor Onramps
00:53:42 World-Class Investor Day Examples
00:54:20 Using AI to Prepare Investor Communications
00:56:19 Building a Proactive IR 2.0 Strategy
00:58:33 Why IR Requires Full Executive Buy-In
01:00:51 Data Transfers Conviction to Investors
01:03:31 Closing Reflections on Trust and Valuation
#RunTheNumbersPodcast #InvestorRelations #CapitalMarkets #ValuationStrategy #CFOInsights
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