Michael Mante Podcast

Big Thinkers - Robert F. Smith - S2EPI- 148

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Robert F. Smith
The richest Black American is Robert F. Smith, who founded Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm that invests in software companies. Smith grew up in Denver and worked as a chemical engineer before earning his MBA. He started Vista Equity Partners in 2000, and it has posted annual returns of 30% every year.


Robert F. SmithInvestor$8B Real Time Net Worth as of 7/25/23#285 in the world today


About Robert F. Smith

  • Robert F. Smith founded the private equity firm Vista Equity Partners in 2000. It focuses exclusively on investing in software companies.
  • With $96 billion in assets, Vista is one of the best-performing private equity firms, posting annualized returns of 31% since inception.
  • In October 2020, Smith entered into an agreement with the DOJ and IRS, agreeing to pay $139 million for his role in a tax evasion scheme.
  • As a college student, Smith secured an internship at Bell Labs after calling the company every week for five months.
  • An engineer by training, he worked at Kraft Foods and Goodyear Tire before getting his MBA at Columbia University.
  • During a commencement speech, Smith vowed to wipe out the student debt of the entire 2019 graduating class of Morehouse College.
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    Michael Mante PodcastBy Michael KaaGee Mante
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