Alternative Universe

Episode 006: Venture capital, a potent catalyst for innovation and economic growth, is at a crossroads. It has historically offered compelling prospects for investors and entrepreneurs alike. But recent headwinds like shifting market conditions, economic uncertainty, and rapidly evolving technology cast a shadow over the industry. Despite these challenges, the inherent power of venture capital to propel progress and shape the future remains undiminished.

In this episode of Alternative Universe, Steve talks with Earnest Sweat, a Venture Capitalist. Earnest specializes in applying AI and advanced technology to sectors in the real economy such as logistics, real estate, and insurance. With a background in venture capital, Earnest has a unique perspective on early-stage businesses and the opportunities they present. He is passionate about finding and investing in companies that can make a significant impact.

Earnest talks with Steve about the current state of venture capital and the opportunities that exist despite the uncertainty in the market. He believes there is a need for venture capital to expand into traditionally ignored industries and support founders who are solving problems in those industries. Earnest also discusses the role of AI in venture capital and the need to automate repetitive tasks to increase efficiency.

Join us as we discuss: 

Key Takeaways

Quotes

"With venture, something can look great for two years, then look bad for four years, and then look great again 10 years from now. You have to be okay with ambiguity." ~ Earnest Sweat

"Having less hubris and more humility makes great venture capitalists." ~ Earnest Sweat

"It is a great time for venture despite all the uncertainty. But as financial advisors and fund managers, it's about having conviction." ~ Earnest Sweat

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Disclosure

All content on this podcast is for informational purposes of a general nature only, and does not address any particular individual or investment. Nothing in this podcast constitutes accounting, legal, tax, financial or other professional advice. The discussion on this podcast of any entity, product or service does not imply an endorsement thereof, and the podcast participants may have a financial interest, whether through investment or otherwise, in one or more of any such entities, products or services. Please seek independent advice from a financial professional about your investment needs.

Episode 005: Alternative assets offer unique opportunities for investors seeking diversification and potentially higher returns. Communities like Long Angle provide a platform for high-net-worth individuals and families to explore alternative investments and connect with like-minded peers. By leveraging referrals, conducting thorough due diligence, and staying informed about emerging trends, investors and financial advisors can capitalize on the opportunities presented by alternative investments.

In this episode of Alternative Universe, Steve talks with Matt Shechtman, Managing Director at Long Angle. In his role, Matt manages deal flow and investment strategy for high-net-worth individuals looking to navigate finances, planning, and investments. He manages alternative investing for the group, including sourcing, diligence, execution, and closing.

Matt talks about building wealth, relationships, and connections through Long Angle, a community for high-net-worth individuals and families engaged in alternative investments. He discusses the value of alternative investments and the interconnectedness of different investment classes. Matt also explains how Long Angle invests in highly curated alternative assets through single-fund vehicles, allowing members to opt in on a deal-by-deal basis.

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Key Takeaways

Quotes

"There's a lot of value in having a bunch of different data points against industries, backgrounds, sectors and experience, and then providing the ability to benchmark, learn, and then network." ~ Matt Shechtman

"Alternative assets can be hard but really rewarding. If you spend the work doing it and understand your asset classes and investing methodology, there's real alpha to be had." ~ Matt Shechtman

"When it comes to long-term compounded tax advantage growth, some of these illiquid private market/private equity options are super attractive." ~ Matt Shechtman

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Disclosure

All content on this podcast is for informational purposes of a general nature only, and does not address any particular individual or investment. Nothing in this podcast constitutes accounting, legal, tax, financial or other professional advice. The discussion on this podcast of any entity, product or service does not imply an endorsement thereof, and the podcast participants may have a financial interest, whether through investment or otherwise, in one or more of any such entities, products or services. Please seek independent advice from a financial professional about your investment needs.

Episode 004: Angel investing offers a compelling alternative investment strategy for financial advisors and their clients. It presents a unique opportunity for investors to support early-stage ventures, drive job growth, and significantly impact their local economies. However, this asset class requires careful due diligence, investor education, and a well-structured operational model. By partnering with established angel networks, advisors can provide their clients access to a curated pipeline of potential investments and the expertise needed to navigate this market.

In this episode of the Alternative Universe, Steve talks with Matt Dunbar, Co-Founder & Managing Director of VentureSouth. They discuss the world of angel investing and the importance of due diligence in this asset class. Matt shares how VentureSouth operates, source deal flow, and the diligence process they use to evaluate investment opportunities. Matt also highlights the value of investor education and the importance of diversification in building a successful portfolio in early-stage investing.

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Key Takeaways

Quotes

"Our tagline and mission statement is: make money, have fun, and do good. We're really committed to all three of those things as part of our process." ~ Matt Dunbar

"If you really want to get exposure to the early-stage asset class in a non-traditional way that's not just a passive large venture fund investment, you have to be aware of the time and effort it takes to not only source the deals but really do your homework and understand how to approach the diligence." ~ Matt Dunbar

"There's a richness in sharing wisdom and learning with entrepreneurs trying to create new business and helping them navigate the untold litany of challenges that come up for startups." ~ Matt Dunbar

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Disclosure

All content on this podcast is for informational purposes of a general nature only, and does not address any particular individual or investment. Nothing in this podcast constitutes accounting, legal, tax, financial or other professional advice. The discussion on this podcast of any entity, product or service does not imply an endorsement thereof, and the podcast participants may have a financial interest, whether through investment or otherwise, in one or more of any such entities, products or services. Please seek independent advice from a financial professional about your investment needs.

Episode 003: In this episode of Alternative Universe, we bring you a webinar featuring Steve Zuschin, Jud Mackrill, and Victoria Bills. Victoria is the Chief Investment Strategist at Banrion Capital Management, and Jud is Co-Founder at Milemarker and General Partner at Mammoth. Together, they dive into the world of alternative investments for business growth and retirement strategies. They also discuss the complexities of incorporating alternative investments into business strategies, positioning them for clients, and overcoming challenges. They touch on the importance of building a positive client experience and tailoring investment strategies for retired clients. 

Join us as we discuss:

[01:22] - Intro to Victoria Bills and Steve Zuschin.

[05:10] - How do advisors know if alternative investments are right for their clients?

[10:50] - How should advisors be positioning alternative investments to their clients?

[14:55] - What’s the biggest challenge most advisors face in starting to use alternatives?

[21:08] - Best structure for sub docs process?

[24:41] - What factors are considered in building alts allocation?

[26:29] - How do advisors build client experience?

[30:38] - What are advisors doing to satisfy due diligence when they don’t claim to be experts in underwriting one fund from the next?

[33:02] - Why should financial advisors advocate for allocating a specific percentage of a HNW client’s portfolio to hedge funds, given their potential to mitigate risk and generate alpha in volatile markets?

[34:14] - In what ways can financial advisors tailor alternative investment strategies to align with the income generation goals of retired clients with a moderate risk tolerance?

[35:13] - How can financial advisors tactically implement private equity and real estate investments to enhance diversification within a client’s portfolio?

[36:20] - How do you evaluate the solidarity of an alt fund?

[37:55] - Any warnings on alt environment, specifically private equity or opportunity zones due to interest rates?

[39:34] - What is Mammoth Technology’s business model?

[42:02] - How does Mammoth’s platform integrate with other platforms an advisor is already using?

[43:32] - Can you white-label Mammoth’s platform?

[43:39] - Does Mammoth’s platform include fund listings and descriptions, subscription process, and fund reporting?

[43:56] - Is Mammoth’s platform just for advisors or L.P.’s as well?

Quotes

“We don’t get paid to put products on our platform. We don’t get paid if you invest. We get paid for the fact that we continue to work as an advocate for the funds that are on our platform, but most importantly, keeping the financial advisor in mind.” ~ Victoria Bills

“Ultimately, that's why Mammoth exists, is to try and reduce some of those challenges and to make alternatives easier for you to approach, but also easier for you to provide excellent service to your clients when they do allocate to these different types of products on the private market." ~ Steve Zuschin

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Disclosure

All content on this podcast is for informational purposes of a general nature only, and does not address any particular individual or investment. Nothing in this podcast constitutes accounting, legal, tax, financial or other professional advice. The discussion on this podcast of any entity, product or service does not imply an endorsement thereof, and the podcast participants may have a financial interest, whether through investment or otherwise, in one or more of any such entities, products or services. Please seek independent advice from a financial professional about your investment needs.

Episode 002: In this episode, Steve talks with Mark Phillips, Founder and Managing Partner of 11 Tribes Ventures, about his unconventional journey into venture capital, including a failed entrepreneurial venture, which changed his perspective on entrepreneurship and led him to venture capital.

Mark talks about the importance of entrepreneurship for societal impact, the concept of "completing capitalism," and the overlooked significance of founder resilience. Mark also discusses the future of venture capital, emphasizing sustainable growth, reasonable exits, and lower volatility. Lastly, Steve and Mark underline the potential of impact investing and the crucial role of purpose in business. 

Join us, as we discuss:

(00:35] - Building an alternative investment fund.

[11:11] - Entrepreneurship's role in optimizing capitalism.

[16:01] - Founder resilience in venture capital.

[25:04] - Reimagining venture capital for sustainable growth.

[31:54] - Information overload in a noisy market.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

"It's so easy to let the pursuit of making money get in the way of the things that actually motivate us. We have to avoid that, and that's really where we as a fund feel like we have a responsibility to support entrepreneurs with that vision." ~ Mark Phillips

“Founders who have worked with coaches reported having 89% reduced stress, 91% increased business performance, 75% improved employee retention, and 89% improved quality of life." ~ Mark Phillips

"I am convinced that the only thing that has to grow faster than an organization is its founder." ~ Mark Phillips

"Work, and particularly entrepreneurship, is a calling. You do not quit your W2 high-paying job with cushy health insurance to go build a company that is only a business plan as it stands today if you don't feel called to that." ~ Mark Phillips

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Disclosure

All content on this podcast is for informational purposes of a general nature only, and does not address any particular individual or investment. Nothing in this podcast constitutes accounting, legal, tax, financial or other professional advice. The discussion on this podcast of any entity, product or service does not imply an endorsement thereof, and the podcast participants may have a financial interest, whether through investment or otherwise, in one or more of any such entities, products or services. Please seek independent advice from a financial professional about your investment needs.

Episode 001: Wealth management plans can often seem disconnected, creating complexity for firms and confusion for clients. In this episode of Alternative Universe, Mammoth CRO Steve Zuschin and Milemarker Co-Founder Jud Mackrill talk about these complexities and how technology can be the bridge firms and clients need. 

Having worked with Orion, Carson, and other asset managers, Jud discusses his entrepreneurial journey and his dedication to solving problems within the wealth management industry. He shares his views on how the investment process could be improved, focusing on streamlining the experience for both investors and advisors, emphasizing the necessity of maintaining a strong “why” amidst the “how”. 

Steve and Jud also discuss how Mammoth helps to stitch everything together, providing a uniform experience for both the investor and the advisor.  

Join us as we discuss:

[00:38] - Introducing Alternative Universe.

[03:02] - Jud’s background in wealth management and challenges in integrating technology.

[09:58] - Improving user experience in private markets. 

[17:26] - Simplifying SPVs for venture investments.

[23:14] - The importance of being a bridge-builder in wealth management.

[26:56] - How technology can be the “connective tissue” for clients.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

“The right thing always is a little harder, I think. Our goal is to help you do the very best thing for your clients, at scale, in a way that it feels honestly delightful. I love that we are bridge-builders.” ~ Jud Mackrill

“I've always believed that an advisor is there for a really great reason and they should be knitting together the conversation. If they're truly a fiduciary, a super-trained expert working on behalf of the client, they should be there guiding them.” ~ Jud Mackrill

“How do we help advisors truly integrate all these alternative opportunities? The client is going to invest in them with or without their advisor, but the advisor as a fiduciary should be there to help make sure it's the best thing possible.” ~ Jud Mackrill

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Disclosure

All content on this podcast is for informational purposes of a general nature only, and does not address any particular individual or investment. Nothing in this podcast constitutes accounting, legal, tax, financial or other professional advice. The discussion on this podcast of any entity, product or service does not imply an endorsement thereof, and the podcast participants may have a financial interest, whether through investment or otherwise, in one or more of any such entities, products or services. Please seek independent advice from a financial professional about your investment needs.