All Things Fundraising

In this episode of The Rainmaker Podcast, Gui Costin sits down with Michael Sidgmore, Partner and Co-Founder of Broadhaven Ventures and Founder of Alt Goes Mainstream, to unpack one of the most important structural shifts in asset management today: the convergence of private markets and private wealth.

Michael begins by walking through his path from growing up outside Washington, D.C., to studying at the London School of Economics, where he first gained exposure to private markets by leading one of the world’s largest student-run hedge fund and private equity conferences. That early immersion led to roles at Goldman Sachs’ Principal Strategic Investments group, early-stage operating experience at Mosaic, and ultimately a formative stretch at iCapital, where he helped build distribution efforts pre-product, with a blank slate approach to the wealth channel.

That experience shaped his long-term thesis: private markets are becoming mainstream, and the infrastructure supporting them must evolve accordingly.

At Broadhaven Ventures, Michael invests across fintech, asset management, and market infrastructure businesses that sit between general partners (GPs) and limited partners (LPs). His focus centers on the “plumbing” of private markets, from pre-investment distribution to post-investment reporting and analytics, particularly as more capital flows in from the wealth channel.

The conversation then turns to Alt Goes Mainstream (AGM), Michael’s media platform designed to educate both private markets professionals and wealth managers about their growing intersection. His “north star” is clear: education drives allocation. As large asset managers increasingly prioritize private wealth distribution, they must rethink branding, marketing, and direct engagement. Meanwhile, wealth managers must better understand how private markets firms operate, structure products, and build long-term partnerships.

Gui and Michael explore the evolving role of brand in asset management. Distribution, they note, is expensive and operationally complex, but firms that invest in both boots-on-the-ground sales and aerial marketing support can “own the narrative.” In an environment where attention is fragmented and algorithms are controlled by third parties, direct communication, whether through podcasts, newsletters, or owned media studios, has become a strategic advantage.

Ultimately, the episode highlights a defining industry shift: distribution is no longer optional for firms seeking scale. As private markets expand into wealth, success will favor those who combine infrastructure, education, and authentic brand-building to meet in the middle.

Tired of chasing outdated leads? Book a demo to see how Dakota Marketplace simplifies your fundraising process with accurate, up-to-date investor data. 

In Episode #40 of the Emerging Manager Growth Show, Gui Costin and the Dakota team explore how the rise of new media is reshaping fundraising and why content has become a critical growth lever for emerging managers. The discussion blends practical fundraising advice with timely market insights, covering how managers can use content marketing more effectively, what family offices are prioritizing today, and where allocators and managers should be showing up in 2026. Gui also walks through the core principles behind The Dakota Way, sharing lessons on setting expectations, targeting the right investors, sharpening messaging, and executing disciplined follow-up. The episode includes a fundraising roundup focused on family offices, highlights topical themes such as tax-friendly income, secondaries, and co-investments, and closes with best practices managers can apply immediately—along with a preview of what’s coming next on the show.

In this special edition of the Rainmaker Podcast, host Gui Costin sits down with Spencer Lovejoy, Co-Founder and CEO of the National Squash League (NSL), and BG Lemmon, co-owner of the Philadelphia Lightning, to unpack what it takes to build a modern sports league from the ground up, and why squash is uniquely positioned for a team-based reinvention.

The conversation opens with Spencer’s journey from junior squash in New Haven to competing professionally on the global circuit, and ultimately to co-founding the NSL alongside his partners. After years of playing an individual sport that often felt isolating, Spencer saw a clear gap in professional squash: the absence of teams, local identity, and a product that resonated with American sports fans. The NSL was designed to answer a simple but powerful question he was asked repeatedly as a pro: “What team do you play for?”

BG Lemmon brings a complementary perspective, blending his background in competitive collegiate squash with his career in finance and private investing. As a co-owner of the Philadelphia Lightning, BG discusses how his involvement grew organically, from persistent interest as a fan to hands-on participation in league operations. His experience reinforces a central theme of the episode: early-stage organizations require everyone to wear multiple hats, regardless of title.

A key focus of the discussion is how the NSL has intentionally broken from traditional squash formats. With six-player rosters, three-on-three matches, timed periods, substitutions, and power plays, the league prioritizes pace, strategy, and fan engagement. The power play, in particular, introduces a risk-reward dynamic that encourages aggressive, creative shot-making, something rarely seen in traditional professional squash.

Looking ahead, Spencer outlines the league’s near-term and long-term vision: measured expansion into new U.S. markets, a more robust match calendar, and continued emphasis on high-quality live events. Both Spencer and BG stress the importance of disciplined growth, proving the product, building the right partnerships, and earning credibility before scaling too quickly.

The episode closes with a discussion of the partnership between the NSL and Dakota, grounded in shared values around relationships, community, and bringing people together through sport. At its core, the conversation highlights how team culture, on the court and in business, can transform an individual pursuit into something much bigger.

Tired of chasing outdated leads? Book a demo to see how Dakota Marketplace simplifies your fundraising process with accurate, up-to-date investor data. 

In this episode of Dakota's Fundraising News Podcast, we cover newly launched RIAs like Bright Advisors, BayTrust Wealth Management, and Farmers Asset Management. We also share updates on commitments from The State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB), The Wayne County Employees Retirement System, and Delaware Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS). On the search front, we highlight activity from the Illinois Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund (FPIF), Plymouth County Retirement Association, and The Norfolk (MA) County Retirement System (CRS). We’ll also cover fundraising from SOLV Energy Inc., Incard, and Shield Technology Partners — plus a reminder to register for our next Dakota Cocktails event.

Tired of chasing outdated leads? Book a demo to see how Dakota Marketplace simplifies your fundraising process with accurate, up-to-date investor data. 

In this Dakota Research Interview, Chris LeRoy and Alex DeMarco sit down with Kelsea Alexander, Director, and Michael Balcom, Managing Director in the Industrial Group at Crow Holdings Capital, to discuss the firm’s long-standing approach to industrial real estate investing and development. Drawing on Crow Holdings’ 75-year history and deeply tenured leadership team, the conversation highlights how cultural continuity, disciplined decision-making, and local market expertise shape the firm’s investment strategy.

Crow Holdings Capital operates as both an investment manager and large-scale developer, with industrial real estate at the core of its platform. Kelsea and Michael explain how the firm’s vertically integrated model, spanning development, leasing, asset management, and disposition, creates alignment across teams, reduces friction, and lowers overall costs for LPs. The firm focuses on Class A, highly functional industrial assets in top U.S. markets, with an emphasis on infill submarkets, strong infrastructure access, and disciplined land basis.

The discussion explores Crow’s investment philosophy amid a maturing industrial sector, where increased capital and competition have driven changes in building design and tenant requirements. Crow continues to prioritize markets with strong demographic growth, particularly in Sun Belt regions such as DFW, Atlanta, Nashville, and Florida, while remaining cautious in port-dependent markets exposed to trade volatility. Kelsea and Michael also outline how declining construction starts and sustained tenant demand are creating a favorable supply-demand backdrop for new development.

The interview concludes with insights into secular tailwinds supporting long-term industrial demand, including e-commerce, onshoring and nearshoring, and a continued “flight to quality” among tenants. Crow Holdings Capital remains focused on doubling down on its proven strategy, leveraging deep local relationships, proprietary deal flow, and cradle-to-grave asset management to deliver durable, risk-adjusted returns for investors.

Tired of chasing outdated leads? Book a demo to see how Dakota Marketplace simplifies your fundraising process with accurate, up-to-date investor data. 

In this episode of The Rainmaker Podcast, Dakota Founder and CEO Gui Costin sits down with Adam Rosen, founder of an email marketing agency that helps startups, unicorns, and large enterprises generate sales through cold email. The conversation offers a practical, experience-driven look at how cold outreach has evolved, and why it remains one of the most effective tools in modern sales when executed correctly.

Adam begins by walking through his entrepreneurial origin story, from studying sport management in college to discovering entrepreneurship late in his academic career. That pivot led to his first startup, a college recruiting platform that worked with major global brands. Despite making early mistakes, Adam credits cold email as the single most important driver behind acquiring customers, raising capital, and ultimately exiting the business—experience that later became the foundation for his current company.

A major theme of the episode is how dramatically the cold email landscape has changed since the mid-2010s. Adam explains that tactics that once worked, such as sending high volumes of emails from a primary domain, are now actively harmful. Today, success starts with infrastructure: properly set up sending domains, inbox warming, and protecting domain reputation. Without that foundation, even strong copy and targeting won’t matter because emails won’t reach the inbox.

The discussion then shifts to measurement and optimization. Adam cautions against tracking open rates in cold email, noting both deliverability risks and unreliable data. Instead, he emphasizes reply rates as the most meaningful signal of success, since a reply confirms both inbox placement and message resonance. Sudden drops in reply rates, he explains, are often an early warning sign of deliverability issues.

Beyond tactics, the episode dives into the psychology of cold outreach. Adam and Gui agree that the biggest barrier to success isn’t technology, it’s mindset. Cold email doesn’t feed the ego and requires resilience in the face of rejection. Adam frames email as nothing more than a tool to connect party A with party B, arguing that professionals who can stomach direct feedback and rejection will consistently outperform those who avoid it.

The episode closes with actionable guidance on email construction, from concise, relevant subject lines to short, direct body copy that clearly states purpose, value, proof, and a call to action. The takeaway is clear: when paired with the right infrastructure and mindset, cold email remains one of the most scalable and reliable ways to build pipelines.

Tired of chasing outdated leads? Book a demo to see how Dakota Marketplace simplifies your fundraising process with accurate, up-to-date investor data. 

In this episode of the Rainmaker Podcast, Gui Costin sits down with Larry Pokora, Managing Director on the Investor Relations team at Tilden Park Capital, to unpack a 30+ year career spanning traditional asset management, alternatives, and institutional fundraising. The conversation moves from Pokora’s blue-collar upbringing in Pittsburgh to his hard-earned perspective on what actually drives long-term success in fundraising.

Pokora begins by tracing his career back to an unconventional starting point: working as a programmer analyst at Mellon Financial Services after attending the Community College of Allegheny County. That early technical role, he explains, trained him to think linearly, diagnose problems, and stay disciplined when things didn’t work the first time. Those habits—problem-solving, persistence, and accountability, became foundational as he transitioned into product specialist and sales roles within Mellon.

A pivotal chapter followed at SEI Investments, where Pokora gained broad exposure to how asset managers, consultants, and investment teams operate. His time at SEI provided a full view of the institutional ecosystem, from OCIO mandates to consulting dynamics, while reinforcing the importance of preparation and repetition in winning mandates. Despite success, Pokora recognized a gap in his experience: he wanted to work closer to firms actually managing capital.

That realization led him to Brandywine Asset Management and later to what he describes as a career-defining move, joining Paulson & Company in 2006, just ahead of the Global Financial Crisis. Fundraising during this period required more than performance figures; it demanded the ability to clearly explain complex strategies to consultants and allocators navigating fear, skepticism, and unfamiliar instruments. Pokora emphasizes that sales at this level is ultimately about education and translation, not persuasion.

Throughout the conversation, Pokora outlines a clear fundraising philosophy. First, knowledge is non-negotiable, knowing your product, understanding portfolio fit, and being fluent in competitors’ strategies. Second, there are no shortcuts. Even decades into his career, Pokora still prioritizes volume, preparation, and follow-through. Third, disciplined CRM usage is a competitive advantage, enabling better client engagement, internal reporting, and accountability.

Beyond tactics, Pokora highlights the less discussed but equally important role of energy and leadership. Investor relations professionals set the tone within an organization, particularly during challenging periods. Showing up prepared, optimistic, and transparent builds trust internally and externally.

The episode closes with practical advice on internal communication, executive interaction, and final presentations, reinforcing a recurring theme: success in fundraising is built through consistency, clarity, and doing the work, day after day, cycle after cycle.

Tired of chasing outdated leads? Book a demo to see how Dakota Marketplace simplifies your fundraising process with accurate, up-to-date investor data. 

In Episode 25 of the Dakota Research Podcast, we examine how the RIA market is entering a new phase of institutionalization—and why this shift is fundamentally changing capital allocation, distribution, and platform economics across wealth management.

We break down how RIAs are evolving from advisor-led practices into coordinated allocation platforms, with investment authority increasingly concentrated in CIO offices, investment committees, and model-driven portfolios. The discussion explores why record M&A activity and asset growth are symptoms of a deeper structural change: control over allocation is moving away from individual advisors and toward centralized governance.

The episode also explores the dual dynamics shaping today’s RIA landscape. While new firm formation remains strong, asset concentration continues to accelerate among large platforms. We discuss how fragmentation and consolidation are occurring simultaneously, why value is accruing to firms that can operate at scale, and how private equity sponsors are increasingly focused on owning distribution and decision-making infrastructure—not just AUM.

Finally, we dive into the implications of alternatives becoming core portfolio components. As private credit, private equity, and real assets move from opportunistic allocations into standardized models, RIAs are being pushed toward more formalized governance, repeatable investment processes, and institutional operating frameworks. For asset managers and service providers, the conversation highlights why access to RIA capital is becoming more centralized, selective, and dependent on alignment with platform-level models and governance standards.

Tired of chasing outdated leads? Book a demo to see how Dakota Marketplace simplifies your fundraising process with accurate, up-to-date investor data. 

Master sales with four game-changing principles: Focus on what matters, target the right people, craft the perfect pitch, and follow up like a pro. Packed with actionable tips, this guide helps you turn meetings into deals—fast! 💼🔥

In this episode of Dakota's Fundraising News Podcast, We cover acquisitions by Azimut Group and newly launched and registered RIAs including Cohen Capital Advisors and MFT Wealth Management. We also share updates on commitments from the Fairfax County Educational Employees’ Supplementary Retirement Plan, the Delaware Public Employees’ Retirement System, and the State of Wisconsin Investment Board. On the search front, we highlight activity from the Illinois Police Officers Pension Fund, the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, and SWIB. We’ll also break down the latest fundraising trends, including growing sovereign wealth fund allocations to private credit in emerging markets from investors like ADIA and Mubadala, along with updates from Fairfax County Educational Employees’ Supplementary Retirement Plan and H.I.G. Capital — plus a reminder to register for our next Dakota Cocktails event.

Tired of chasing outdated leads? Book a demo to see how Dakota Marketplace simplifies your fundraising process with accurate, up-to-date investor data.