Absolute Return Podcast

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Whitestone REIT CEO Dave Holeman. Whitestone REIT is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that primarily owns, operates, and redevelops retail community-centered properties in Texas and Arizona. On the show we discuss:

• The thesis behind Whitestone’s focus on community and neighborhood centers

On today’s show we welcome special guest, Meteora Capital Founder and CIO Vik Mittal, his second time on the podcast. Meteora Capital is an investment firm specializing in SPAC-related instruments in both public and private companies.

On the show, we discuss:

• What has happened in the SPAC market over the past 24 months

On today’s show, we welcome special guest, Stanford AI Researcher Dr. Mohammad Rasouli. Mohammad helps funds to realize the benefit of artificial intelligence for alternative asset investment by providing AI education and tailored AI strategy, and by implementing the proprietary InvestAI technology. These include using AI for both alpha generation and operational efficiency, including deal sourcing/insight, fundraising, portfolio transformation, investor communications, and marketing.

On the podcast, we discuss:

• Compelling use cases for large language models in investing

On today’s podcast we welcome special guest Jeffrey Seder, founder of EQB, a company that provides thoroughbred racehorse buying, selling, breeding, and racing management services. On the show, we discuss:

• What got him into the business of thoroughbred racehorse buying, selling, and breeding

March 13, 2024 - On today’s podcast we welcome special guest Carson Block of Muddy Waters. Carson is an activist short seller who conducts in-depth fundamental short analysis focused on business fraud, accounting fraud, and fundamental problems. On the show, we discuss:

• His fortuitous path to short selling as a profession

December 17, 2023 - On today’s episode we welcome special guest, Hodes Weill Managing Partner and Co-founder, Doug Weill. Hodes Weill is a leading, global capital advisory firm focused on the real estate and real assets investment and funds management industry. On the show, we discuss:

• How real estate plays a role in investment portfolios

October 24, 2023 - On today’s show we welcome special guest, Zapata AI Co-Founder and CEO Christopher Savoie. Zapata AI is an industrial generative AI software company developing solutions and applications to solve enterprises’ hardest problems.On the show we discuss:

• How Christopher went from getting his PhD in a medical field to founding several tech startups

August 14, 2023 -  On today’s show we welcome special guest, Bitcoin Depot CEO Brandon Mintz. Bitcoin Depot operates the largest bitcoin ATM network in the world. On the show, we discuss:

• Brandon’s “bitcoin moment” and what initially got him interested in the cryptocurrency

February 27, 2023 - On today’s show we welcome special guest and the 2022 Dealmaker of the Year, Danny Rice. Danny was the CEO of Rice Acquisition 1, which merged with Archaea Energy in a $1.15 billion deal and then subsequently sold to BP for $4.1 billion. Danny is now the CEO of Rice Acquisition 2, which recently announced a $1.5 billion merger with NET Power, a clean energy technology company.

On the show, Danny discusses:

• Key lessons learned from the Archaea Energy SPAC merger and subsequent sale to BP

January 6, 2023 - On today’s show we welcome special guest Phil Bak, CEO of Armada ETF 

Advisors. Phil has been innovating in the ETF industry for over 15 years. He has previously served as Founder/CEO of Exponential ETFs, an ETF issuer and sub-advisor acquired by Tidal ETF Services in 2020. Phil has also served as Chief Investment Officer at Signal Advisors, a venture-backed startup in Detroit and Managing Director at the New York Stock Exchange. On the show, Phil discusses:

• Characteristics of ETFs that make them a great tool for investors