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We Study Billionaires - The Investor’s Podcast Network
TIP706: The Founder's Mindset w/ Cristiano Souza
Mar 14, 2025
In this discussion, Cristiano Souza, founder of Zeno Equity Partners, shares his investment wisdom gleaned from 28 years at Dynamo. He reveals his three key criteria for identifying exceptional businesses. Cristiano dives deep into the elusive founder's mindset, the growth potential of LVMH, and the importance of management team evaluation, including his own past mistakes. He highlights why Linde PLC is a staple in his portfolio and discusses AppFolio's strong positioning in property management, emphasizing long-term strategies amidst market volatility.
01:09:33
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Quick takeaways
- Cristiano Souza emphasizes the importance of evaluating market power, reinvestment capability, and management quality when assessing potential investments.
- The discussion highlights how a collaborative and ego-free culture in investment teams fosters effective decision-making and enhances investment success.
Deep dives
Investment Philosophy and Success in Brazil
The discussion highlights the investment philosophy that underpinned the success of the Dynamo Cougar Fund in Brazil, where it achieved an impressive annual compounding rate of 24%. Cristiano Sousa emphasizes the significance of identifying resilient business models that can thrive in economically turbulent environments, referencing Brazil's historical challenges like hyperinflation and currency instability. He explains that the focus was less on macroeconomic conditions and more on finding strong companies with capable management committed to long-term value creation. This approach has shaped his investment strategy at Xeno Equity Partners, where he continues to apply these principles while broadening his investment scope to North America and Europe.
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Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode