Investors & Operators

In this episode of Investors & Operators, Jordan sits down with Jeanne Hecht, CEO & Executive Chairwoman of Lexitas. With over 25 years of professional experience, Jeanne brings a wealth of knowledge in all things life science, pharma, and healthcare IT. In this episode, she shares the invaluable lessons she’s learned during her tenure as a board member of 17 diverse companies. Together, they discuss:The Management System’s ImpactLessons in Team ManagementA Board Member’s Role...and so much more.Top TakeawaysPatterns. Insights. Action. Jeanne suggests shifting focus from 50+ data slide decks to emphasizing patterns, insights, and actionable steps during your next board presentation. Presenting these key elements allow for board members to actively contribute to problem-solving and offer valuable recommendations, fostering a more productive and collaborative meeting. Know your employees strengths. Whether they excel in people-building, finance, interviewing, industry knowledge, or mentoring, aligning their strengths with appropriate job placement significantly enhances their effectiveness. Jeanne emphasizes the importance in building these connections to ensure a more successful and impactful approach when placing employees into different roles and management positions.

In this episode of Investors & Operators, Jordan sits down with Fred Malloy, Managing Director of Harken Capital. Fred Malloy, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Harken Capital, has over 15 years of experience in private equity and raising funds I through III. In this episode, he walks us through his background at Harken Capital and everything about first-time funds and emerging managers. Together, they discuss:First-Time Funds Fundraising Do’s and Don’tsFirst-Time Funds Fundraising Checklist...and so much more.Top TakeawaysDon’t launch until you're ready. Fred highlights the importance of having a strong team, a solid track record, and a refined strategy in place before launching your first fund. Even if it means delaying by a couple months or even a year, it is better to have a well-defined strategy before launching to ensure your fund’s long-term success.Keep the flow of good news. “You’re not going to get the fund raised on today’s news.” Fred emphasizes that securing funding is not based on the current narrative of your firm but on what it looks like 6 months from now. He suggests that following up with continuous good news is crucial for a first-time fund’s success. Build meaningful relationships. Harken Capital has been able to better connect with future partners by sending video updates rather than generic email blasts. Fred shares his successes and emphasizes the importance of putting in that extra effort, even if it requires a bit more work. It’s valuable in breaking through the noise and establishing meaningful connections.

On this episode of Investors & Operators, Jordan sits down with Caroline Young, CEO & Founder of Craftsbury Consulting. With 20+ years of private equity experience, Caroline has been a driving force in hundreds of successful exits. In this podcast, she walks us through her extensive career in private equity and shares how she transitioned that experience to found Craftsbury Consulting. Together, they discuss:Career Development Advice to Women in Finance Management Presentation CoachingStrategic Approaches to Exit Planning...and so much more.Top TakeawaysDefining success at different life stages. Whether it's excelling in a career, finding work-life balance, or maintaining meaningful connections, Caroline emphasizes the importance of redefining success based on your current life stage. Success isn't a one-size-fits-all achievement but requires continuous reflection and transformation.Treat challenges as opportunities. Caroline emphasizes a positive mindset towards challenges, viewing them as opportunities for growth and learning. By reframing difficulties as chances to overcome obstacles, she highlights the transformative power of embracing adversity especially in the entrepreneurial journey.

On this episode of Investors & Operators, Jordan sits down with Steve Weiss, Founder of MuteSix. Steve began his entrepreneurial journey when he was just 17 years old. In this podcast, Steve guides us through his journey of founding and selling MuteSix to Dentsu Aegis Network in 2019. Together, they discuss:How he made his first dollarGrowing up and overcoming anxiety The mortgage business: making millions and losing it all...and so much more.Top TakeawaysJust experiment. Start first, figure it out later. Steve explains that when starting a business, there’s a solution to every problem. You just have to be willing to take the time to experiment and figure it out.Face your fears head-on. From standup comedy, to traveling the world, to re-entering the extreme volatility of entrepreneurship, Steve shares how the only way to overcome your anxiety is to do everything that scares you. The journey is more impactful than the destination. Steve shares that the journey of testing yourself, your own resolve, the way you react, is the most impactful journey that you'll go through as a professional.

Vern Davenport, Partner at QHP Capital, shares insights on innovation and adaptability in entrepreneurship. He emphasizes the need to stay ahead of the curve and swiftly adapt to market dynamics. Davenport also highlights the importance of visionary leadership and fostering a sense of purpose within teams. The podcast covers the elements of an effective management system, setting clear goals, reflecting on mistakes, advice for early career individuals, and implementing defined roles and responsibilities.

JON FINGER and JEFF BROOKER from McGuireWoods discuss the challenges faced by independent sponsors and emerging managers in fundraising. They also talk about the impact of being turned down by an LP, common mistakes made by emerging managers, and the future of independent sponsors. They emphasize the importance of team building, targeting the right LPs, and building relationships.

On this episode of Investors & Operators, Jordan sits down with JOHN HUHN, Managing Partner at Compass Group Equity Partners. Together, they discuss:How Compass Group successfully raised Fund II of $255MHow to alleviate LPs' concerns about the J curve as emerging managers raising funds How to address LPs’ questions on ESGCompass’s playbook ...and so much more.###John Huhn brings a 30-year track record of success in private equity, entrepreneurism and strategic consulting to his leadership of Compass Group. Over the course of his career, he has been involved in more than 75 transactions representing over $3 billion in enterprise value. Prior to founding Compass Group, John launched and led HBM Holdings, a family office focused on diversifying its core holdings. Earlier in his career, he served as Senior Vice President of Strategy & Corporate Development for Aegion (NASDAQ: AEGN), where he was responsible for corporate strategy, mergers & acquisitions, joint-ventures and strategic alliances. His earlier experience also includes serving as Managing Principal of an international consulting firm, where he provided strategic and organizational consulting to Global 1000 customers. Additionally, John is a graduate of the University of Illinois, where he received degrees in Engineering and Business Administration.

On this episode of Investors & Operators, Jordan sits down with BRIAN BANK, Strategy & Client Development, Investment Funds Group at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Together, they discuss:The current fundraising environment is challenging. Why? How LPs (including family office, endowment, pension, etc.) functionMistakes GPs might make in fundraising Who to hire / how to build an effective team to fundraise ...and so much more.Brian Bank has more than 20 years of experience within the investment funds universe as both an institutional limited partner and as a placement agent. As an LP, Brian committed to funds across private equity, venture capital, debt, real estate, and credit strategies, served on numerous Limited Partner Advisory Committees (LPACs), executed and managed co-investments, sold assets in the secondary market, analyzed over 1,000 partnerships, attended several hundred annual meetings, and established a very deep and broad network across the private investment funds community.At Kirkland, Brian leverages his deep knowledge and relationships to provide clients strategic and tactical advice and perspectives on commercial and business issues related to fundraising, messaging, investor relations and market conditions.Prior to joining Kirkland, Brian headed US PE origination for First Avenue Partners, a UK-based independent placement agent. He has more than 17 years of experience advising private equity firms, including 15 years as a private funds limited partner and portfolio manager. Brian has managed LP commitments in more than 50 general partnerships and served on numerous Limited Partner Advisory Committees across private equity, real estate, venture capital, and energy, and has identified, diligenced and executed direct investments, co-investments, and secondary transactions.

On this episode of Investors & Operators, Jordan sits down with Drew Brantley, Managing Director of Frisch Capital Partners. Together, they go deep into all things independent sponsors:The different types of independent sponsorsHow (and why) to develop a thesis How much cash should an independent sponsor have before closing on its first deal “How much do I have to put into this? Does it have to be my cash?”How do independent sponsors get paid (a very detailed calculation)...and so much more.==Drew is a serial entrepreneur having started 5 businesses, sold a few and still owns some. He knows what it’s like to be in your shoes. He sees the Independent Sponsor model as the method executives and industry experts can take to own and run already established businesses. He now dedicates his career to helping individuals buy companies, find greater success and live life on their own terms.==Since 1996, the dedicated team of finance professionals at Frisch Capital Partners (FCP) have raised over $1 Billion of capital from lenders, private equity shops, family offices, etc. for its Independent Sponsors clients to buy companies in the middle market. In addition to raising capital for Independent Sponsors' acquisitions, FCP offers creative strategic advice for refinancings and other unique transactions.

On this episode of Investors & Operators, Jordan sits down with Russ D'Argento, Founder & CEO of FINTRX. Together, they discuss:How he bootstrapped FINTRX and his journey of raising $9M Series AHis advice to tech founders Finding vision, mission & value in the finance industry How his previous experience of a baseball player & a poker player has led to where he is today...and so much more.###Russ D’Argento founded FINTRX in 2014 as a bootstrapped solo founder. He now oversees a team of more than 100 individuals. Russ has recently been recognized as one of the top 100 CEOs to work for in Boston. This prestigious list, compiled by Comparably, a leading workplace culture and compensation monitoring site, highlights exceptional CEOs who are recognized by their employees for their outstanding leadership, vision, and work culture.FINTRX is the preeminent resource for private wealth data and research. Its platform features millions of data points on the global Family Office and Registered Investment Advisor ecosystem. Today, FINTRX serves hundreds of customers globally, which include top tier hedge funds, private equity and venture capital firms, real estate firms, institutional investors, investment banks, consultants and service providers.In November of 2021, FINTRX closed its Series A round of funding, raising $9M.