In this episode of the Rainmaker Podcast, Robert Morier sits down with James Curry and Andrew Brown of Dundas Global Investors, who share their insights into investment management, sales strategy, and the growth of the firm. James and Andrew, both experienced portfolio managers, explain how Dundas operates across three geographies: Australasia, the UK, and the US. They delve into the firm's unique sales approach, which leverages third-party distributors in Australia and the UK while shifting to a direct distribution model in the US after a key team member retired in 2022.

The conversation starts with a look at each guest's journey into the investment management world. James Curry’s background is rooted in agriculture, where he grew up on a farm, learning valuable skills like patience and resilience that would later serve him in investment management. He co-founded Dundas in 2010 with a focus on building a value-driven firm. Andrew Brown, on the other hand, joined Dundas in 2023 after 18 years at Aberdeen Asset Management, where he managed emerging and developed market portfolios. Andrew’s transition to Dundas was motivated by his desire to work in a smaller, more dynamic firm with ample growth potential.

As a boutique firm, Dundas focuses on long-term, sustainable relationships with clients. They use a hybrid distribution model, combining direct sales efforts with established third-party distributors in key markets. They prioritize servicing existing clients and strengthening relationships over aggressive prospecting. James and Andrew emphasize the importance of consistent engagement with clients and understanding their unique needs. They explain that their success doesn’t hinge on quick wins, but on building long-lasting partnerships where clients are aligned with their strategy.

A major theme of the episode is the firm’s commitment to disciplined, consistent communication. James and Andrew meet weekly to plan their business development efforts and assess their progress. They also host a business development committee every two weeks to share best practices and market feedback. This structure ensures everyone at Dundas is aligned in their goals and consistently moving toward them.

Finally, they offer advice for young professionals entering the industry: embrace learning, build relationships, and stay patient. They discuss how their team operates like a well-oiled machine, combining experience with a forward-thinking approach to distribution.

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, host Gui Costin speaks with Leon Brujis, founder of 65 Equity Partners, about his journey in private equity, the firm’s investment philosophy, and his leadership approach. Leon shares his unique background, having grown up in a multicultural environment, which he believes has played a significant role in shaping his perspective in the investment world. After starting his career at Lehman Brothers and spending 16 years at Palladium Equity Partners, Leon sought a more entrepreneurial opportunity and co-founded 65 Equity Partners.

At 65 Equity, the focus is on providing partnership capital rather than control capital, which distinguishes the firm from traditional private equity models. They aim to work alongside family-owned and founder-led businesses, allowing them to retain control while providing the capital and guidance needed to help the business grow. Leon explains that the firm’s strategy is based on the idea that businesses perform best when led by their founders or families, and 65 Equity aims to empower these leaders to execute their vision without taking away control.

Leon details how his firm is actively involved in the value creation process for its portfolio companies. He speaks about the five levers of value creation the firm uses: human capital management, commercial excellence, operational efficiency, digital transformation, and acquisitions. By leveraging these levers, the firm enhances its portfolio companies, increasing both their efficiency and profitability. Leon shares how 65 Equity often helps companies with acquisitions to scale, particularly when organic growth isn’t enough, and explains how successful acquisitions need to align with the core business strategy.

Another theme discussed in the episode is the role of AI in private equity. Leon believes AI is a game-changer and will play a critical role in future portfolio management. He points out how AI can assist portfolio companies in areas like marketing, customer engagement, and data analytics, ultimately driving efficiency and boosting profitability. However, he also emphasizes the importance of knowing how to effectively deploy AI within portfolio companies.

Finally, Leon offers his thoughts on the importance of culture within portfolio companies. He stresses that a strong, open, and collaborative culture is essential for achieving sustainable growth and success, noting that founders and leaders must invest in fostering such an environment.

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 welcomes Andrew Saunders, founder of Castle Hill Capital Partners, to discuss his firm’s innovative sales structure and how he has grown the firm from a small partnership into a thriving broker-dealer platform with over 35 registered representatives. Andrew shares his journey, from his non-traditional entry into finance—spending four years in Asia as a teacher and entrepreneur—to his time in corporate investor relations consulting, which laid the foundation for his transition into alternative investments.

Andrew co-founded Castle Hill in 2013 with a vision to build a different kind of distribution platform, one that encouraged independence, collaboration, and accountability among sales representatives. The firm operates with a strong set of core values: integrity, accountability, collaboration, and control. This philosophy shapes everything from recruitment to team culture, empowering salespeople to manage their own success while maintaining a high degree of collaboration across the team. With a unique compensation model based on straight commission, Castle Hill incentivizes sales professionals to take ownership of their efforts while maintaining a collective team spirit.

A core theme of the conversation is Castle Hill’s unique sales structure, where registered representatives are encouraged to act independently but are supported through regular communication, collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose. The firm uses tools like Slack for internal communication, ensuring that sales professionals can stay connected and share insights, even when they work remotely. The firm also hosts monthly sales collaboration calls, which bring everyone together to share successes, insights, and strategic updates, fostering a culture of learning and mutual support.

Andrew emphasizes the importance of building relationships and creating win-win situations. Rather than fostering competition among salespeople, Castle Hill focuses on ensuring that each person’s success is linked to the firm’s collective success. He explains that understanding your client’s needs—whether they’re high-net-worth individuals, family offices, or institutional investors—is key to providing value and building lasting relationships.

Looking to the future, Andrew discusses his firm’s continued growth, focusing on attracting the right talent, building a strong client base, and expanding the firm’s capabilities. His advice for young professionals entering the sales industry? Develop a strong work ethic, be persistent, and prioritize relationships. Through these principles, Andrew believes that anyone can achieve success in the competitive world of alternative investments.

In this episode of the Rainmaker Podcast, Gui Costin welcomes Seth Weissman, founder and CEO of Urban Standard Capital, for an engaging conversation about building a successful emerging investment management firm, fundraising, and the importance of direct, consistent communication. Seth shares his journey from being a real estate enthusiast in high school to incorporating Urban Standard Capital in 2014. After spending years in investment banking and private equity, Seth transitioned to entrepreneurial real estate investment, focusing on value-add and core-plus strategies.

Seth highlights the evolution of Urban Standard Capital, which specializes in real estate credit, focusing on lending on middle-market projects. As an emerging manager, he emphasizes the importance of relationships and consistent, transparent communication. Early on, Seth was hands-on in raising capital, relying on his network and building relationships by engaging potential investors over coffees, lunches, and dinners. This proactive, personalized outreach strategy was crucial to his first raise. Seth also emphasizes the importance of “thinking big” as an emerging manager—acting with the professionalism and infrastructure of a larger firm, even when starting out. This mindset helps build confidence with investors and positions the firm for sustainable growth.

Today, Urban Standard has built a team of eight on the investment side, operating with a unique model that integrates both deal origination and asset management. Seth believes in continuity—ensuring the same team works with the borrowers from start to finish, providing better service and insights. The firm has been highly successful at managing repeat clients, with 80% of their loans coming from existing relationships, direct outreach or referrals. This is a key driver of alpha for LPs by avoiding dependency on competitive mortgage brokerage channels for deal flow.

Seth and his team are relationship-driven and prioritize communication and transparency as a key differentiator, staying in regular contact with both investors and borrowers. He shares how their approach to relationship management is one of transparency, service, and flexibility, often involving texts, calls, or informal updates to maintain a flow of information. For Seth, this high-touch strategy helps strengthen bonds and leads to ongoing opportunities.

When discussing the importance of CRM systems, Seth emphasizes that having the right technology platform allows firms to efficiently track relationships, ensuring no opportunity is missed. He stresses that leveraging CRM isn’t just a best practice but a critical part of scaling operations without losing the personal touch.

Seth closes with advice to emerging managers: be open to rejection, focus on building relationships, and don’t shy away from outreach. Building a network of contacts and always following up, whether you’re big or small, is essential to success.

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 John Donovan, Head of Wealth Management Distribution at TowerBrook, for a deep dive into distribution strategies, leadership, and fostering a culture of transparency and service. With over 16 years of experience in the financial services industry, John brings valuable insight into managing relationships with family offices, RIAs, and private banks, and shares the key principles that have guided his career.

John’s career journey spans several prestigious firms, from Blackstone to Schroder Investment Management, before joining TowerBrook to lead their North American investor relations efforts. His focus now is on the wealth management channel, where TowerBrook’s modern value approach targets middle-market companies across sectors like health services, business services, financial services, and consumer products. The firm’s strategy is simple yet impactful—find high-growth, founder-led companies in these sectors and invest at attractive multiples, all while ensuring a firm-wide commitment to championing others.

The conversation dives into the evolution of TowerBrook’s investor relations strategy, which John describes as a three-phase process. Starting with the firm’s early years when founding partner Filippo Cardini led the IR function, John’s addition to the team represents the firm’s commitment to expanding its wealth management presence. He explains how TowerBrook’s IR team of around 12 professionals is structured to ensure transparency, shared goals, and a focus on both wealth and institutional LPs.

A major theme of the episode is the importance of communication and transparency. John highlights how TowerBrook emphasizes open, honest conversations with both internal teams and external clients, ensuring every team member is held accountable. He points to the use of CRM tools to track relationships, manage outreach, and ensure the team is aligned in their goals. John also stresses the value of maintaining service excellence, noting that building trust with LPs requires consistent communication, a collaborative approach, and the ability to share information and execute on deals efficiently.

John’s leadership style centers around servant leadership, empowering his team to make decisions and fostering an environment where everyone feels ownership over their contributions. He shares that “championing others” is a key part of the culture at TowerBrook, as the firm strives to help its employees, LPs, and portfolio companies succeed.

This episode is a great listen for sales leaders, fundraisers, and investment professionals looking to build strong relationships, improve communication strategies, and lead with integrity.

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 Danielle Brown, founder and CEO of Altriarch, for a powerful conversation on strategy, leadership, and building a differentiated private credit platform. With 25 years in alternatives and a background that spans diligence, investing, and operations—including key roles at Dyal Capital Partners and Wachovia—Danielle shares how Altriarch was designed from the ground up to reflect the best practices (and lessons learned) from across the asset management industry.

After witnessing firsthand how firms succeed—or falter—through her work with GPs at Dyal, Danielle committed to building a firm defined by equity ownership, clear communication, and strategic focus. Every Altriarch team member becomes an equity holder after one year, creating alignment and encouraging a culture of ownership.

Danielle and her partner Meghan Brook launched Altriarch in 2021 with a distinct strategy: lending to specialty finance companies, including factoring and niche private credit. These borrowers often face challenges securing capital from traditional banks due to complexity and collateral structures. Altriarch seeks to fill that gaps, offering senior secured, subordinated, or co-investment solutions. The firm’s investment process is operationally intensive, involving weekly borrower communication and real-time collateral monitoring by dedicated investment and ops teams.

The distribution approach reflects the firm’s strategic edge. Danielle shares how Altriarch runs an education-first sales process, acknowledging the complexity of their offering. Each prospective investor’s process is organized into a trackable project—tracked in Asana, managed through Affinity CRM, and supported by customized content. Because most LPs are unfamiliar with accounts receivable-backed credit, Danielle emphasizes why she thinks deep diligence preparation and proactive investor education as keys to closing. Her team meets weekly to review top-priority relationships and brainstorm ways to re-engage leads with meaningful insights.

Danielle also reflects on her leadership evolution—initially struggling to relinquish control before realizing that empowering her team led to better results. She fosters autonomy, encourages smart risk-taking, and supports her team through questions and coaching, not micromanagement.

To young professionals, she advises: “educate, don’t sell,” and always “keep the ball in your court”—follow up with accountability and intention. Her final insight: pattern recognition matters in sales, and a few missteps in a meeting can derail a deal, so preparation is essential.

This episode is a blueprint for leading with clarity, building trust, and executing with depth in the complex world of private credit.

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 Michael Rubenstein, Managing Director at RMWC, for an insightful look into disciplined sales execution, solo practitioner fundraising, and the mindset needed to succeed in a competitive investment landscape. As RMWC’s first employee and the architect of its capital formation strategy, Michael shares his evolution from top-performing financial advisor at State Farm Investment Management to leading sales and investor relations for a specialized real estate credit firm.

Michael credits his early success to embracing a structured, metrics-based sales process he learned through the “Circle of Wealth” system. This replicable model enabled him to track inputs like calls and meetings, tailor conversations to client needs, and consistently close multiple lines of business. Today, he brings that same process discipline to RMWC, where he leads sales as a solo practitioner, backed by a firmwide culture of accountability and ownership.

Michael recounts how RMWC pivoted from a fund-of-funds model to its current focus: short-duration, floating-rate, senior-secured real estate credit. With roughly $5–$20 million check sizes, RMWC primarily targets family offices, multi-family offices, and RIAs. In 2024 alone, Michael conducted over 400 investor meetings—an impressive volume he attributes to strategic cold outreach, warm referrals, and carefully curated in-person events that foster peer-to-peer influence among LPs.

Communication is central to Michael’s approach. He tracks opportunities by stage—lead, intro call, diligence, soft close, hard close—and reports regularly to leadership using Backstop CRM and a detailed relationship spreadsheet. But he’s quick to emphasize that no tool replaces the human element. A personal follow-up to a canceled meeting at iConnections led to a rebooked conversation simply because he took the time to check in. “Trust is what we’re selling,” he says. “People want to do business with people they connect with.”

Michael’s leadership style blends “shock and awe” with “land and expand.” He believes strong first impressions and consistent service create loyal, scalable relationships. His advice for young professionals? Nail your sales process, get a mentor, and be meticulous about CRM hygiene—small follow-ups can be the difference between a deal and a missed opportunity.

This episode offers a tactical, real-world roadmap for fundraisers navigating today's tight capital environment—and a reminder that great salespeople lead with process, empathy, and persistence.

In this episode of the Rainmaker Podcast, host Gui Costin welcomes Shane McCarthy, Managing Director at LAB Quantitative Strategies, for a thoughtful and practical conversation on building a lean, high-performing fundraising function in a data-driven investment firm. With over 25 years in the investment industry across operations, risk, product development, and portfolio management, Shane brings a rare full-stack view of capital formation.

Shane shares how LAB QS, a $1.8 billion multi-strategy hedge equity manager based in Denver, is built around a risk-first, liquid, and return-per-unit-of-risk mindset. Originally spun out from one of the largest family offices in the U.S., LAB QS retains a strong cultural alignment with high-net-worth and family office investors, with growing interest from RIAs and small institutions. Their hedged equity strategy is structured to smooth volatility, limit drawdowns, and complement broader asset allocations.

The business development team is lean—just two people—but Shane emphasizes that LAB QS operates with a firmwide fundraising mentality, supported by every department, from operations to compliance. The sales strategy is guided from the executive committee level, with clear goals and aligned resource allocation. Everyone has defined roles, responsibilities, and expectations, which ensures a unified commercial mindset across the firm.

McCarthy stresses that face-to-face interaction and trust-building are still paramount in capital raising, especially in today's saturated and competitive investment landscape. While Zoom helps with efficiency, nothing replaces the relationship-building power of sitting across from an investor.

LAB QS’s tech-forward approach is another key strength. They rely heavily on Salesforce for CRM, integrated with Dakota Marketplace for seamless prospecting and pipeline management. With support from a 10-person tech team, LAB QS uses proprietary tools to customize analytics and automate reporting, enabling more effective and informed client interactions.

Culturally, LAB QS embraces a challenge process, encouraging employees at all levels to contribute ideas and question assumptions. This openness fosters humility, collaboration, and innovation—qualities that Shane believes are essential for long-term success.

To young professionals, Shane offers grounded advice: embrace the long game, expect rejection, and focus on knowing your client deeply. His leadership and experience reinforce a message that great sales organizations are built on cross-functional collaboration, disciplined execution, and the humility to keep learning.

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, host Gui Costin sits down with Christopher Zook, founder and chairman of CAZ Investments, for an in-depth conversation on building a capital formation powerhouse rooted in intentional language, disciplined processes, and unwavering alignment. With over 30 years of investing experience, Zook shares his journey from brokerage beginnings at PaineWebber and Lehman Brothers to launching CAZ Investments—driven by a goal he set in 1991 to start his own firm within a decade, a promise he fulfilled nearly to the day.

At CAZ, everything begins with personal capital. The firm identifies thematic opportunities, invests their own capital, and invites others to join alongside them—creating a culture of alignment captured in their mantra, “lead with alignment.” CAZ now manages over $9 billion in assets, up from $350 million in 2013, through 100% organic growth.

A major theme of the episode is language and positioning. Zook emphasizes the importance of words in shaping perception. His team doesn’t “pitch” or share “decks”—they educate, advise, and present thoughtfully crafted materials. Their business development team is known as “Capital Formation,” reflecting the consultative, relationship-based approach they bring to investors.

Zook shares how he built a capital formation team modeled on his own early sales experience, hiring in waves and fostering peer cohorts to build camaraderie and consistency. Their process includes detailed metrics—outreach volume, presentation count, conversion rates, and line depth with investors. Zook stresses the value of cultivating multiple lines with clients, which statistically improves retention and referrals.

The team operates under a three-pillar framework: find new investors, deepen relationships with existing ones, and turn clients into raving fans. Zook underscores the power of consistent communication, proactive outreach during market volatility, and delivering standout service when most others retreat.

CAZ has long embraced CRM, becoming an early adopter of Salesforce in 2005. Zook believes that the right CRM setup—customized for usability and leveraged for reporting—can drive a competitive, transparent, and merit-based sales culture. Dashboards, stack rankings, and responsiveness metrics keep the team focused and accountable.

Zook also shares the story of co-authoring The Holy Grail of Investing with Tony Robbins and closes with timeless advice: success is built on hard work and attention to detail. For young professionals and leaders alike, this episode is a masterclass in building a high-integrity, high-performing investment firm from the ground up.

 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 is joined by Stacy Havener, founder and CEO of Havener Capital Partners, for a masterclass on raising capital through storytelling, behavioral finance, and human connection. Stacy’s path into the investment industry defies convention. With a background in English literature—not finance—and no Wall Street pedigree, she’s raised over $8 billion for emerging managers, resulting in more than $30 billion in follow-on assets under management. Her secret? A repeatable, story-led, data-backed approach that meets investors where they are.

Stacy shares how behavioral science and human psychology inform every layer of her process. Her philosophy is simple but powerful: “Investors don’t make decisions with spreadsheets alone.” Instead of the traditional pitch-first, data-heavy approach, she advocates for flipping the script—connecting emotionally first, then backing it up with data. From how a PM smiles in a meeting to the power of a well-timed question, she details the overlooked human cues that build trust and open doors.

One of the standout moments of the episode is Stacy’s take on pitch decks: ditch them, at least in the first meeting. Research shows prospects feel more positively about meetings when they do 70% of the talking. That kind of engagement doesn’t happen when fund managers are reading slides. Instead, she encourages sales professionals to focus on making meetings conversational, choreographing the interaction like a late-night talk show host—her version of the “Jimmy Fallon strategy.”

Stacy dives deep into meeting preparation, suggesting salespeople treat every meeting like a performance: prepare with a one-page brief, run a 15-minute pre-meeting with the PM, and walk into the room ready to humanize the conversation. She emphasizes that salespeople are not “carrying bags”—they are critical orchestrators of connection, learning to read the room, ask better questions, and track not just activity, but allocator behavior.

Closing the episode, Stacy offers clear advice to young professionals: perfect the craft before scaling the activity. Learn how to sell with purpose and intention, and let repetition come only after mastery.

This episode is a blueprint for any sales professional, allocator, or fund manager looking to break the mold and raise capital through authenticity, insight, and human connection.

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