Billion Dollar Backstory

If you’ve been dismissing frontier markets because they seem “too risky,” you’re missing out on a treasure trove of alpha. Take it from Consilium CIO Jonathan Binder and CEO Charlie Cassel. For 13+ years, they’ve managed to beat EM benchmark indexes time and time again. In this episode, they share their playbook for successful FM investing and break down:Misconceptions about risk in Frontier Market investing and their approach to risk managementWhy active management and a non-indexed approach is essential to successful FM investingHow most Global Emerging Markets managers are ill-equipped to invest in the EM and Frontier countries they invest inTheir process for crafting equity strategies that give their clients exposure to top-tier companies in overlooked markets poised for robust structural growth This is part 2 of our Meet the Boutique Series, where we’ll take you behind the scenes to see how top asset managers innovate and thrive.  Enjoy this episode? Hit subscribe! There are more exclusive webinars to come.  About Consilium Investment Management  Consilium Investment Management was founded in 2004 by Jonathan Binder, CIO, and Charles Cassel, CEO. With over 20 years in financial markets and asset management, they saw an opportunity to build an investment management business that would deliver above-average returns for its clients in the Frontier and Emerging Markets. They offer private funds and separately managed accounts exposed to Frontier and Emerging Markets that exploit specific opportunities overlooked by other managers. More information is available by visiting: consimllc.com ---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Feel like your marketing is falling flat? You’re not alone. In 2024, most fund managers are facing the music. Outdated marketing tactics like sending PDF letters to investors just don’t cut it anymore.The good news? Embracing modern marketing can be simple and time and cost effective when you have the right game plan. Listen in today for Stacy’s modern marketing blueprint that's been consistently delivering real results for fund managers. In this episode, she breaks down:What social capital isHow you can build and nurture different types of social capital within your networkWhat a personal brand isHow your personal brand differs from your business brand Content ideas that have proven effective in helping founders and fund managers grow their personal brand ---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Cannabis capital curious? Steve Ham and Patrick Kim of Altmore Capital are here to show you the way. Although it has advanced considerably over the past half-dozen years, the U.S. cannabis industry remains full of complexities as it rapidly matures.That’s why today, Stacy and the Altmore team are covering: The current cannabis capital landscape Private credit’s prevalence in the industry Altmore’s approach to countering the volatility that comes with the cannabis capital territory How investing in this niche market can enhance an already diversified portfolioTheir backstory – From leaving their high-profile jobs in private equity and law to co-founding Altmore This is part 1 of our Meet the Boutique Series, where we’ll take you behind the scenes to see how top asset managers innovate and thrive. Enjoy this episode? Hit subscribe! There are more exclusive webinars to come. About Steve Ham:Steve Ham is Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Altmore Capital. He is an accomplished private equity investor and senior executive with over 20 years of experience in private equity, technology, and venture capital. Prior to Altmore Capital, he was with The Carlyle Group, RedZone Capital, Sterling Partners, Thomas Weisel, and Citigroup.About Patrick Kim: Patrick Kim is Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Altmore Capital. He was a partner with the Williams & Connolly law firm in Washington D.C., which he left in 2018 to start Altmore Capital. At Williams & Connolly, Patrick represented a variety of major financial institutions and investment funds, including several top-tier PE firms, in a range of commercial litigation matters and government investigations. ---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

There’s nothing a woman in a power suit can’t do. Shake up a male-dominated industry? Check. Redefine leadership? Check. Inspire generations to come? Check. In this episode, Rayna Lesser Hannaway shares her inspiration for doing all of the above. Listen as Rayna and Stacy discuss: • Her backstory– from looking up to her fierce, go-getter lawyer mom to becoming a powerhouse female in finance • How competitive company culture can sabotage the due diligence process• Her approach to encouraging collaboration and keeping core values at the heart of Polen’s operation • How collaboration can be a boutique’s secret sauce for standing out amongst the bigs…and so much more. About Rayna Lesser Hannaway:Rayna heads the Small Company Growth Team, is the lead Portfolio Manager of Polen Capital's U.S. Small Company Growth and U.S. SMID Company Growth strategies, and is co-portfolio Manager of Polen Capital's Global SMID Company Growth strategy. Prior to joining Polen Capital in 2017, Rayna spent nine years in portfolio management and two years as a Research Analyst at Fidelity Investments in Boston, evaluating small and mid-cap companies. She also spent nine years working in small-cap research for Jennison Associates and Lord Abbett & Company. Rayna received a B.A. in Economics from Barnard College, a division of Columbia University, where she graduated summa cum laude in 1996. Rayna is a CFA® charterholder and holds a CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing. In 2021, Rayna launched Polen’s WISE employee resource group to support and promote an inclusive and supportive culture for women and their allies across the asset management industry. Rayna is currently a member of the Board of Directors at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay and the Board Chair at RAW Artworks.Rayna holds a bachelor’s degree in economics (summa cum laude) from Barnard College, Columbia University. In her free time, Rayna enjoys skiing, hiking, yoga, volunteering in her community, traveling, and spending time with her family. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Song: U2 - Beautiful Day Books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek, How to Know a Person by David Brooks, Living with a SEAL by Jesse Itzler ---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Most boutique firms strive to raise more funds and stay ahead of market trends. But they lack one key ingredient that the bigs have in their back pockets– behavioral finance expertise. Today, Brendan Frazier, Chief Behavioral Officer of the $4B RIA platform RFG Advisory, is here to level the playing field.  Listen in as he and Stacy discuss: The unique challenges boutiques face when raising capital How to tap into the human psyche to raise more funds and land more meetingsA behavioral finance deep dive: why certain sales tactics hit different for small shopsHow your fear of hearing ‘no’ could be sabotaging your firm’s growth   About Brendan Frazier: Brendan Frazier is the Chief Behavioral Officer at RFG and the host of The Human Side of Money podcast, where he helps advisors and their clients master the emotional and psychological side of money. After starting his career as a consultant to financial advisors around the country, he started his own advisory business and was twice named one of Investopedia's Top 100 Financial Advisors in the U.S. Most recently, he built a global training platform for financial advisors to develop the behavioral, psychological, and emotional skill set required to serve clients at the highest level. When he's not diving into the latest behavior and psychology research, he is spending time with his wife, Shannon, and two sons, Brooks and Shepherd. And, he welcomes all unsolicited advice on how to successfully raise two boys.Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Songs: Tyler Hubbard - Dancin’ In The Country (Official Music Video)Books: You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters by Kate Murphy,  Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown  ---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

Fund buyers know investing is more of an art than a math equation.  Not convinced? After listening to this interview with Doug Huber, VP of Investment Strategy at Wealth Enhancement Group, you will be.  Get a glimpse inside the mind of an allocator in part 3 of our Ask an Allocator series, where Stacy and Doug discuss:  His Backstory – from car fanatic and aspiring engineer to earning a dual degree in finance and economics and becoming an $83B Investment StrategistRed flags that drive allocators away (even if you have an impressive track) Why he analyzes boutiques very differently than he does big firms – and the importance of conveying your value as a partner, NOT the perfect investor  About Doug Huber:  Doug leads the firm’s Investment Strategy Group, which consists of three teams focused on external manager research (across both traditional and alternative investment strategies), fundamental equity research, and fixed-income research. He joined Wealth Enhancement Group in 2021 through the North American Management merger, where he was the Director of Manager Research. Before joining North American Management, he was a Senior Research Analyst at Federal Street Advisors, where he led the alternative investment program. Doug is an avid golfer and lives in Lincoln, MA with his wife and two children.Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Songs: AC/DC - Thunderstruck, Billy Squier - Lonely Is The Night Book: I Love Capitalism! by Ken Langone  ---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

There's room for everyone at the table in the fund world—not just the bigs, but have fund buyers gotten the memo?  Thanks to champions like Dani Hristova, who are relentless about spotlighting the underdogs, fund buyers can thrive.  As CEO of the Independent Investment Management Initiative–a networking group representing 45 firms and $500B in assets–Dani gives small shop owners a platform to bring the specialized brilliance of small shops to the center stage.  In this episode, Stacy and Dani discuss: Dani's Backstory –  from earning a psychology degree to discovering her passion for finance at SchrodersRedefining the word ‘boutique’ – why Dani believes it’s not a dirty word but a superpowerWhy ‘putting your cards on the table’ and sharing the story behind the performance builds trust from a human psych perspective About Dani Hristova:Dani Hristova is CEO of the Independent Investment Management Initiative (IIMI), the member-led industry think tank representing investment boutiques. In 2023, she was also appointed Non-Executive Director at Spring Capital Partners. Dani began her career in financial services at Legal & General Investment Management in 2015 within the defined benefit pension scheme client team; she later joined Schroders Investment Management, with responsibility for some of the firm's largest pension scheme clients. Dani also worked for Nordea Asset Management, leading its UK insurance efforts until May 2023.Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Song: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Can't StopBook: Save Your Acorns by Robert Gardner ---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

If your analytical brain needs FACTS to back up the power of left-brain growth tactics, you’re in luck. Today's guest, Hunter Hayes, combines his classical piano training with impressive business sense, showing that there’s real power in combining art and science to edge ahead in the fund world.  In this episode, he and Stacy discuss: His journey from pianist and D1 track star to successful fund managerThe differentiation playbook that boosted Intrepid Income Fund (ICMUX) from $50M to $550M AUMHow he spotted inefficiencies in the small-cap fixed-income world, giving Intrepid a competitive edgeThe simple habits that helped him gain traction in the fund worldHis top tips for new fund managers  About Hunter Hayes:  Hunter Hayes is the Chief Investment Officer at Intrepid Capital, which he joined in 2017 after working in credit at Eaton Vance (now Morgan Stanley) and consulting at Deloitte.  Hunter wears lots of hats at Intrepid, which has AUM of ~$900 million, but is primarily a portfolio manager of the Intrepid Income Fund (ICMUX) and the separately managed Intrepid Income portfolio, which has collectively grown from ~$50 million of AUM in 2019 to ~$550 million of AUM today. Hunter focuses mainly on liquid, small-cap credit investments and was previously a research analyst covering small-cap securities. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in Finance and his Bachelor of Music degree in Performance Piano from Auburn University, where he also competed as a scholarship track and field athlete. Outside of work, he is an avid runner and musician.Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Books: Once a Runner by John L. Parker Jr. , How My Heart Sings by Bill Evans Songs: Nas - N.Y. State of Mind ---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

The impressively bold mindset that drove Chad Willardson to leave behind a million-dollar salary and a top 1% client base to build his own firm from scratch is the same mindset that grew his firm to $1.5B AUM and earned him the status of 5X bestselling author. In fact, Chad’s story is proof that thinking like an entrepreneur can take you far in the fund world–and beyond. But can this mindset be learned and developed? Find out in today’s episode. Plus, hear Chad’s full backstory and learn: Why advisors who think like entrepreneurs stand out to high-net-worth clients The hidden benefit of his LinkedIn presence: how he’s able to pass off sales meetings to his team almost entirely thanks to the strong trust he’s built on social His tips and tricks for balancing entrepreneurship and family life  About Chad Willardson: Chad Willardson is the President and Founder of Platinum Elevated, an exclusive coaching program where he helps entrepreneurs enjoy increased lifestyle and financial freedom by removing their stress about money, increasing their cash flow, and freeing up a ton of their time.In 2011, Chad founded Pacific Capital, a family office specializing in wealth management for high-net-worth entrepreneurs. Chad's currently responsible for investing $1.5 billion dollars as a fiduciary. Before founding Pacific Capital, he spent nine years at Merrill Lynch, ranking in the top 2% of over 16,000 advisors nationwide. Chad is a 5X best-selling author and Co-Host of The Smart Money Parenting Show, a podcast ranking in at #2 Apple for Parenting, Kids & Family. He is a Certified Financial Fiduciary® and Accredited Wealth Manager who also writes for Entrepreneur and Forbes. Chad earned his degree in Economics from Brigham Young University Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Books: Wealth Wired Differently by Chad Willardson,10x Is Easier than 2x: by Dan Sullivan, Dr. Benjamin Hardy, et al. Songs: Imagine Dragons - Thunder, Guns N' Roses - Paradise City  ---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap

With a $70 million seed investment and a vision, Rodney Herenton and his co-founder Wendell Mackey launched Channing Capital Management.  This isn’t your typical startup story.  This episode is a masterclass on differentiation, defying the odds, and the power of effective collaboration. Listen in as Rodney and Stacy discuss:  ●     The birth of Channing Capital Management: Two Harvard graduates team up and launch an investment firm●     How the demands of fatherhood pushed Rodney to innovate as a founder●     The unique strategy behind Channing’s 20-year success as specialists in small- and mid-cap investments●     Channing’s contrarian “best ideas” approach that delivers competitive, long-term results and high alpha  About Rodney Herenton Founder, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Chief Business Development & Strategy OfficerRodney co-founded Channing Capital Management in 2003 with Wendell E. Mackey, CFA. In the years leading up to this endeavor, he honed his wealth management skills as First Vice-President of the Private Fund Group at Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. and in associate roles at Bear Stearns’ Investment Banking Department and Lehman Brothers’ Corporate Finance Department. Rodney received a B.A. in finance from Morehouse College (Phi Beta Kappa) and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. ---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap