Joys of Compounding

Our teacher today is Chris Hansen, founder of Long Short Equity investor, Valiant Capital. Chris spun off from his early career at Blue Ridge to start Valiant and pursue his own unique investment thesis.

We cover Chris's foray into investing in India, the training, temperament, and overall constitution of a great short seller, and building something that increases your odds of long-term flourishing. He shares his empathetic outlook and the candid behind-the-scenes of short selling. His wisdom and risk tolerance have worked in harmony to help create his recipe for success. Please enjoy this class with Chris Hansen.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Summus. Summus is a revolutionary health benefits solution, driving superior employee engagement while dramatically lowering your company's enterprise-level healthcare spend. They're completely transforming the world of health benefits by providing employers and their employees in any location, fast access to over 5,100 of the top medical specialists from America's very best medical centers for support across all health questions. If you're looking for a benefit that drives your employee engagement, truly takes care of your people in their most scary and vulnerable times, all while improving your healthcare ROI, visit GoSummus.info/AOI.

This episode is brought to you by Hunt Club. Hunt Club unlocks relationships and helps companies grow. Whether it's recruiting your next hire, landing your next big partner, or financing your business, a trusted introduction always works more effectively. Hunt Club’s tech-enabled search model leverages the largest community of its kind to refer amazing talent on your behalf. Additionally, its software program, Atlas, helps organize the entire network of a company or fund and assists in streamlining the right introductions. If you're looking for the ideal solution for all of your talent needs, visit HuntClub.com/AOI.

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Art of Investing is a property of Pine Grove Studios in collaboration with Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Art of Investing, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to The Art of Investing

(00:04:33) The Journey from Blue Ridge to Valiant Capital

(00:10:16) The Power of Empathy in Investing and Beyond

(00:11:41) An Unconventional Path to Becoming an Investor

(00:16:09) The Evolution of Equity and Fixed Income Investing

(00:26:27) The Art and Challenge of Short Selling

(00:36:59) Unraveling the Complexities of Short Selling

(00:43:34) Exploring the Investment Landscape of India

(00:51:10) The Cultural and Economic Factors Influencing Indian Investments

(00:53:43) The Resilience and Challenges of Emerging Markets

(00:58:34) The Evolution of Investing in Privates and Navigating Market Shifts

(01:05:53) Valiant's Founding Vision and Building a Unique Investment Firm

(01:10:53) Recognizing the Need to Pivot

(01:21:22) The Recipe for Valiant's Unique Longevity

(01:25:29) Building Flexibility Into the Fabric of Your Firm

Our teacher today is John Crowley. It is difficult to appropriately describe John and the Crowley family's story without drawing comparisons to superheroes. Harrison Ford gave it a shot, and the result is Extraordinary Measures, a blockbuster movie he starred in, alongside Brendan Fraser and Kerry Russell.

The movie is based on Gita Anand's book The Cure, which tells the story of John and his wife's journey to save two of their children from a then-untreatable disease called Pompe. Thanks to John, that's no longer the case, and now more than 20 years later, both of his children and many others with Pompe are not only still living, but thriving.

Since that time, John's gone on to build several successful biotech companies, including Amicus Therapeutics and Novozyme. And just a few days before the release of this class, it was announced that John is now the new CEO of Biotechnology Innovation Organization, or BIO, which is the leading biotech advocacy, education, and policy organization in the world.

There's nobody more purpose-built to give us a history lesson on the biotech industry. Please enjoy this class with the incredible John Crowley.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Summus. Summus is a revolutionary health benefits solution, driving superior employee engagement while dramatically lowering your company's enterprise-level healthcare spend. They're completely transforming the world of health benefits by providing employers and their employees in any location, fast access to over 5,100 of the top medical specialists from America's very best medical centers for support across all health questions. If you're looking for a benefit that drives your employee engagement, truly takes care of your people in their most scary and vulnerable times, all while improving your healthcare ROI, visit GoSummus.info/AOI.

This episode is brought to you by Hunt Club. Hunt Club unlocks relationships and helps companies grow. Whether it's recruiting your next hire, landing your next big partner, or financing your business, a trusted introduction always works more effectively. Hunt Club’s tech-enabled search model leverages the largest community of its kind to refer amazing talent on your behalf. Additionally, its software program, Atlas, helps organize the entire network of a company or fund and assists in streamlining the right introductions. If you're looking for the ideal solution for all of your talent needs, visit HuntClub.com/AOI.

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Art of Investing is a property of Pine Grove Studios in collaboration with Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Art of Investing, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to the Art of Investing

(00:05:09) First Question - The Young John Crowley 

(00:09:53) An Educational Odyssey - Naval Academy to Harvard

(00:12:40) Embracing Challenges and Pivots in Life

(00:16:00) The Crowley's Battle with Pompe Disease

(00:23:59) The Biotech Industry's Evolution at the Turn of the Century

(00:26:02) The Promise and Challenges of Gene Therapy

(00:30:54) The Journey of Starting a Biotech Company: From Novozyme to Amicus

(00:32:55) The Challenges and Triumphs of Drug Discovery and Commercialization

(00:38:12) Advice for Aspiring Biotech Investors

(00:42:26) The Ambitious Vision of Amicus

(00:48:10) Acquiring New Technologies and Overcoming Financial Hurdles

(00:54:19) John’s Personal Triumphs Amidst Professional Challenges

(01:02:08) Megan Crowley's Journey and Family Pride

(01:14:07) The Current State and Future of Biotechnology

(01:21:28) The Impact of M&A in Biotech and Pharma

(01:29:11) Leadership Lessons from the Frontlines of Biotech

(01:34:32) Balancing Life, Duty, and Passion

(01:36:09) Reflecting on Legacy and Purpose

Our teachers today are Daniel Eisen and Paul Yancich, co-founders of Arcadea Group. Arcadea is a private market, long-duration investor building a permanent home for high-quality, vertical market software companies. 

Today, we sit down with an example of next-generation talent in Daniel and Paul, who began Arcadea after having the rare opportunity to learn and sit at the feet of Mark Leonard and the remarkable core team of Constellation Software. In this session, we learn about the attractive opportunity in vertical market software and the structural advantages of pursuing this particular opportunity with permanent capital. They've built Arcadea in a way that both honors their past while successfully layering on their own unique ethos. Please enjoy our class with the impressive and inspiring Daniel Eisen and Paul Yancich.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Summus. Summus is a revolutionary health benefits solution, driving superior employee engagement while dramatically lowering your company's enterprise-level healthcare spend. They're completely transforming the world of health benefits by providing employers and their employees in any location, fast access to over 5,100 of the top medical specialists from America's very best medical centers for support across all health questions. If you're looking for a benefit that drives your employee engagement, truly takes care of your people in their most scary and vulnerable times, all while improving your healthcare ROI, visit GoSummus.info/AOI.

This episode is brought to you by Hunt Club. Hunt Club unlocks relationships and helps companies grow. Whether it's recruiting your next hire, landing your next big partner, or financing your business, a trusted introduction always works more effectively. Hunt Club’s tech-enabled search model leverages the largest community of its kind to refer amazing talent on your behalf. Additionally, its software program, Atlas, helps organize the entire network of a company or fund and assists in streamlining the right introductions. If you're looking for the ideal solution for all of your talent needs, visit HuntClub.com/AOI.

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Art of Investing is a property of Pine Grove Studios in collaboration with Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Art of Investing, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

Follow us on Twitter: @ArtofInvest | @Buhrman_Rick | @PaulBuser | @JoinColossus

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to the Art of Investing

(00:04:19) First Question - The Success of Constellation Software

(00:14:58) The Role of Incentives in Business Success

(00:18:37) Paul’s Personal Background and Career Path

(00:21:48) The Journey to Success: Overcoming Obstacles

(00:25:35) The Importance of Operating Roles in Business

(00:29:41) Breaking into Finance with a Religious Studies Major

(00:33:22) Working with Mark Leonard

(00:40:10) The Birth of Arcadea

(00:43:11) Influences On the Vision For Arcadea

(00:44:19) The Concept of Renter vs Owner in Business

(00:44:59) The Influence of 'The Hard Thing About Hard Things'

(00:47:58) The Decision to Start Arcadea and the Importance of Partnership

(00:55:52) The Structure of Arcadea as a Company, Not a Fund

(01:01:29) The Importance of Long-Term Ownership and Growth Orientation

(01:06:16) Reflecting on the Early Years of Arcadea

(01:12:01) Positioning Against Venture-Backed Companies

(01:17:22) Building a Shareholder Base

(01:30:49) The Future of Vertical Software

Our teacher today is Katie Koch. Katie is the President and CEO of the TCW Group, a storied firm with over $200 billion in assets under management and a fascinating 50-year legacy as a pioneer in the investment industry. Katie just took the TCW reins in 2023 after more than 20 years at Goldman Sachs. She joined Goldman right after college as the self-proclaimed least capable person in the firm and rose to become chief investment officer of their 300-billion-dollar public equity business. 

Katie has been a champion for expanding opportunities for students, and one initiative in particular is the Women's Investing Summit, which has become the preeminent all-female-led investing conference in higher education. With the sixth annual Women's Investing Summit on February 29th, we thought it would be fun to have Katie join us in the classroom to unpack her remarkable career. Please enjoy our class with the wonderful force multiplier, Katie Koch.

Learn more about the Women’s Investing Summit. 

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Summus. Summus is a revolutionary health benefits solution, driving superior employee engagement while dramatically lowering your company's enterprise-level healthcare spend. They're completely transforming the world of health benefits by providing employers and their employees in any location, fast access to over 5,100 of the top medical specialists from America's very best medical centers for support across all health questions. If you're looking for a benefit that drives your employee engagement, truly takes care of your people in their most scary and vulnerable times, all while improving your healthcare ROI, visit GoSummus.info/AOI.

This episode is brought to you by Hunt Club. Hunt Club unlocks relationships and helps companies grow. Whether it's recruiting your next hire, landing your next big partner, or financing your business, a trusted introduction always works more effectively. Hunt Club’s tech-enabled search model leverages the largest community of its kind to refer amazing talent on your behalf. Additionally, its software program, Atlas, helps organize the entire network of a company or fund and assists in streamlining the right introductions. If you're looking for the ideal solution for all of your talent needs, visit HuntClub.com/AOI.

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Art of Investing is a property of Pine Grove Studios in collaboration with Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Art of Investing, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

Follow us on Twitter: @ArtofInvest | @Buhrman_Rick | @PaulBuser | @JoinColossus

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to Art of Investing

(00:02:38) First Question - ‘What Choice Would You Make If You Knew You Would Not Fail?’

(00:05:00) Katie's Childhood and Lessons from Parents

(00:13:24) Her Experience at the University of Notre Dame

(00:24:15) Katie's 20-Year Career at Goldman Sachs

(00:36:16) The Importance of Mentorship and Sponsorship

(00:41:18) Building Meaningful Relationships for Career Growth

(00:43:24) The Transition from Goldman to TCW

(00:48:15) The Importance of Humility and Collaboration in Leadership

(01:01:35) The Significance of Diversity in Investment Firms

(01:07:30) The Role of a CEO and Building a Successful Team

(01:10:42) Transitioning from Investor to Operational Leadership

(01:12:06) Differentiating an Investment Organization

(01:15:59) Balancing Family and Career

(01:22:24) Debrief From Patty Brady on the Women's Investing Summit

Today’s teacher is Oliver Thomas, founder and managing partner of Expedition Growth Capital. Expedition is a leading growth equity firm based in London, built to serve the next generation of capital-efficient, founder-led European software companies. Oli shares what it takes to win as an investor in this fascinating and attractive small corner of the market.

This class is jam-packed with colorful stories, insightful career advice and a history on the bootstrap growth investing landscape that goes all the way back to the late '70s. Oli describes the archetype of bootstrap software companies and their elements of differentiation versus VC-backed peers, which tend to be better funded but more fragile due to capital dependency. Please enjoy our class with Oliver Thomas.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Summus. Summus is a revolutionary health benefits solution, driving superior employee engagement while dramatically lowering your company's enterprise-level healthcare spend. They're completely transforming the world of health benefits by providing employers and their employees in any location, fast access to over 5,100 of the top medical specialists from America's very best medical centers for support across all health questions. If you're looking for a benefit that drives your employee engagement, truly takes care of your people in their most scary and vulnerable times, all while improving your healthcare ROI, visit GoSummus.info/AOI.

This episode is brought to you by Hunt Club. Hunt Club unlocks relationships and helps companies grow. Whether it's recruiting your next hire, landing your next big partner, or financing your business, a trusted introduction always works more effectively. Hunt Club’s tech-enabled search model leverages the largest community of its kind to refer amazing talent on your behalf. Additionally, its software program, Atlas, helps organize the entire network of a company or fund and assists in streamlining the right introductions. If you're looking for the ideal solution for all of your talent needs, visit HuntClub.com/AOI.

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Art of Investing is a property of Pine Grove Studios in collaboration with Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Art of Investing, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

Follow us on Twitter: @ArtofInvest | @Buhrman_Rick | @PaulBuser | @JoinColossus

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to Art of Investing

(00:04:00) First question - Reflecting on an upbringing in Wales

(00:12:33) The impact of sports during early years

(00:18:33) Finding motivation and drive at a young age

(00:24:09) Gaining insights into growth equity

(00:23:44) Tracing the evolution of bootstrap investing

(00:36:26) Key elements of successful bootstrap investing

(00:47:37) Examining the 'likability factor' in equity capital

(00:51:58) Introducing Expedition and its practices  

(00:59:25) Offering guidance for establishing an investment firm

(01:03:33) Highlighting favorite bootstrap companies collaborated with

(01:12:21) Exploring AI's role in bootstrapped companies

(01:16:11) Recommending inspirational resources

Our teachers today are Iris Rubin and Greg Maged, co-founders of SEEN, the fast-growing good-for-your-skin hair care company creating a new category at the intersection of science, health, and beauty. This was an illuminating conversation with two people who had already accomplished so much in their lives and careers before embarking on an entirely new entrepreneurial path.

This class has a number of fascinating dimensions to it, including lessons on how to successfully execute an unexpected second act mid-career, a case study on how to operate with a very different playbook to most early-stage companies, and attracting a purpose-built shareholder base. It's an inspiring story that began with a simple yet profound insight that hair care is skin care. It has snowballed into a movement to serve the hundreds of millions who struggle with various skin issues, from eczema to acne to hair shedding and beyond. Please enjoy our class with Iris and Greg.

Check out helloseen.com

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Summus. Summus is a revolutionary health benefits solution, driving superior employee engagement while dramatically lowering your company's enterprise-level healthcare spend. They're completely transforming the world of health benefits by providing employers and their employees in any location, fast access to over 5,100 of the top medical specialists from America's very best medical centers for support across all health questions. If you're looking for a benefit that drives your employee engagement, truly takes care of your people in their most scary and vulnerable times, all while improving your healthcare ROI, visit GoSummus.info/AOI.

This episode is brought to you by Hunt Club. Hunt Club unlocks relationships and helps companies grow. Whether it's recruiting your next hire, landing your next big partner, or financing your business, a trusted introduction always works more effectively. Hunt Club’s tech-enabled search model leverages the largest community of its kind to refer amazing talent on your behalf. Additionally, its software program, Atlas, helps organize the entire network of a company or fund and assists in streamlining the right introductions. If you're looking for the ideal solution for all of your talent needs, visit HuntClub.com/AOI.

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Art of Investing is a property of Pine Grove Studios in collaboration with Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Art of Investing, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

Follow us on Twitter: @ArtofInvest | @Buhrman_Rick | @PaulBuser | @JoinColossus

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to Art of Investing

(00:03:29) First question - Reflecting on formative experiences

(00:10:15) Tracing the path to medicine and dermatology

(00:16:51) The journey to founding SEEN

(00:23:38) Identifying market opportunities for SEEN

(00:32:10) Key decisions shaping business strategy

(00:42:36) Navigating the B2C (business-to-customer) landscape

(00:53:44) The impact of early investors on SEEN's evolution

(01:00:04) Envisioning future objectives

(01:06:50) Offering final pieces of advice

Our teacher today is Harvard Business School legend, Andre Perold. Born and raised in South Africa, Andre taught at HBS for over 30 years, earning numerous awards for both his research and teaching excellence. If you were an aspiring investor attending HBS, Andre's class felt like the only class that mattered.

He co-founded HighVista Strategies, a now leading investment firm that has $10 billion of AUM and focuses on investing in structurally inefficient opportunities across both public and private markets.

In this session, Andre deconstructs the concept of compounding with an appreciation for both the academic and practical components. It was such a privilege to have Andre joined us in class as he represents the pinnacle of investor-teachers. I hope you enjoy our class with Professor Andre Perold.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page HERE

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This episode is brought to you by Summus. Summus is a revolutionary health benefits solution, driving superior employee engagement while dramatically lowering your company's enterprise-level healthcare spend. They're completely transforming the world of health benefits by providing employers and their employees in any location, fast access to over 5,100 of the top medical specialists from America's very best medical centers for support across all health questions. If you're looking for a benefit that drives your employee engagement, truly takes care of your people in their most scary and vulnerable times, all while improving your healthcare ROI, visit GoSummus.info/AOI.

This episode is brought to you by Hunt Club. Hunt Club unlocks relationships and helps companies grow. Whether it's recruiting your next hire, landing your next big partner, or financing your business, a trusted introduction always works more effectively. Hunt Club’s tech-enabled search model leverages the largest community of its kind to refer amazing talent on your behalf. Additionally, its software program, Atlas, helps organize the entire network of a company or fund and assists in streamlining the right introductions. If you're looking for the ideal solution for all of your talent needs, visit HuntClub.com/AOI.

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Art of Investing is a property of Pine Grove Studios in collaboration with Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Art of Investing, visit staygrovey.com. 

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

Follow us on Twitter: @ArtofInvest | @Buhrman_Rick | @PaulBuser | @JoinColossus

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00) Welcome to the Art of Investing

(02:51) First Question - Andre's Teaching Philosophy and Approach

(04:42) Historical Perspective on Compounding

(09:41) Investing in Your Human Capital

(14:34) Early Teaching Experiences and Insights

(17:51) The Importance of Networking and Experiences in MBA

(20:20) The Innate and Acquired Aspects of Teaching

(22:51) The Genesis of HighVista Investment Firm

(24:39) The Evolution of Institutional Investing

(27:12) The Shift to Smaller, Inefficient Markets

(37:42) The Opportunities in Biotech Investments

(42:48) The Intersection of Academia and Investing

(53:18) The Power of Diversification in Compounding

(54:15) The Role of Human Capital in Success

(56:38) Andre's Final Lesson For The Class

Today we celebrate the extraordinary life of John Glynn, Founder of Glynn Capital, who passed away earlier this year with a more than 50 year career as a technology investor. As an early investor in a who's who of technology companies, from Intel to Facebook, John developed a reputation as both an astute arbiter of mega-trends, as well as a capital partner of choice to talented founders.

In addition to investing, John was revered as a gifted teacher. For over 30 years, he taught courses on venture capital and entrepreneurship at his alma mater's Virginia and Stanford GSB.

Even more than his investing success and teaching accolades, John will be remembered as a devoted family man. To properly honor John, we enlisted the help of our friend Patrick O'Shaughnessy to join us in interviewing John's son, David, who is Managing Partner of Glynn Capital. I hope you enjoy our class with Patrick and David as we honor the late, great John Glynn.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Summus. Summus is a revolutionary health benefits solution, driving superior employee engagement while dramatically lowering your company's enterprise-level healthcare spend. They're completely transforming the world of health benefits by providing employers and their employees in any location, fast access to over 5,100 of the top medical specialists from America's very best medical centers for support across all health questions. If you're looking for a benefit that drives your employee engagement, truly takes care of your people in their most scary and vulnerable times, all while improving your healthcare ROI, visit GoSummus.info/AOI.

This episode is brought to you by Hunt Club. Hunt Club unlocks relationships and helps companies grow. Whether it's recruiting your next hire, landing your next big partner, or financing your business, a trusted introduction always works more effectively. Hunt Club’s tech-enabled search model leverages the largest community of its kind to refer amazing talent on your behalf. Additionally, its software program, Atlas, helps organize the entire network of a company or fund and assists in streamlining the right introductions. If you're looking for the ideal solution for all of your talent needs, visit HuntClub.com/AOI.

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Art of Investing is a property of Pine Grove Studios in collaboration with Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Art of Investing, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 

Follow us on Twitter: @ArtofInvest | @Buhrman_Rick | @PaulBuser | @JoinColossus

Show Notes

(00:04:33) - (First question) - Celebrating John Glynn's legacy as a tech investor and teacher

(00:10:19) - John’s most notable investments

(00:13:39) - John's pivot from law to venture capital to pursue innovation and risk-taking

(00:17:11) - How his father influenced David, melding success drive with a softer side

(00:20:05) - David attributes his parents' great marriage to presence and dedicated problem-solving

(00:23:47) - John's lifelong learning was fueled by his role as a coach at Glynn Capital

(00:28:08) - Why John valued ample market opportunities and the art of understanding people

(00:31:40) - Investing in Facebook early, recognizing the shift in communication

(00:37:07) - John’s passion for teaching was driven by a desire to learn and help others succeed

(00:42:11) - Creating case studies on active companies, fostering open-ended class discussions

(00:46:34) - The best questions to ask a CEO about their company

(00:51:06) - How John’s faith manifested in consistent action rather than spoken words

(00:52:15) - John's legacy at Glynn Capital

(00:54:17) - What may surprise people about John Glynn

(00:59:21) - What David aspires to build at Glynn Capital

(01:02:24) - How John’s belief in the art of investing emphasized the intangibles

Today's teacher is legendary journalist Cal Fussman. Whether you're trying to get your first job or you're leading a large company, your ability to authentically connect with others is one of the most important skills to cultivate. To help us explore this topic, we tracked down Cal, a world-renowned interviewer and storyteller. From his time at Esquire to his podcast, Big Questions, Cal has interviewed nearly every prolific figure imaginable: business icons like Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson, actors including Robert De Niro and Clint Eastwood, sports figures like Muhammad Ali and Serena Williams, and world leaders including several U.S. presidents. 

Today, we turn the tables on Cal, putting him in the hot seat that he's accustomed to preserving for his guests, to hear what he's learned from interviewing so many exceptional people, why human connections matter so much, and how we can get better at making them ourselves. Please enjoy our class with Cal Fussman.

Connect & Lead Through Storytelling: Calfussman.com

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Summus. Summus is a revolutionary health benefits solution, driving superior employee engagement while dramatically lowering your company's enterprise-level healthcare spend. They're completely transforming the world of health benefits by providing employers and their employees in any location, fast access to over 5,100 of the top medical specialists from America's very best medical centers for support across all health questions. If you're looking for a benefit that drives your employee engagement, truly takes care of your people in their most scary and vulnerable times, all while improving your healthcare ROI, visit GoSummus.info/AOI.

This episode is brought to you by Hunt Club. Hunt Club unlocks relationships and helps companies grow. Whether it's recruiting your next hire, landing your next big partner, or financing your business, a trusted introduction always works more effectively. Hunt Club’s tech-enabled search model leverages the largest community of its kind to refer amazing talent on your behalf. Additionally, its software program, Atlas, helps organize the entire network of a company or fund and assists in streamlining the right introductions. If you're looking for the ideal solution for all of your talent needs, visit HuntClub.com/AOI.

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Art of Investing is a property of Pine Grove Studios in collaboration with Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Art of Investing, visit staygrovey.com. 

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

Follow us on Twitter: @ArtofInvest | @Buhrman_Rick | @PaulBuser | @JoinColossus

Show Notes

(00:04:25) - (First question) - How it all started for Cal 

(00:12:20) - Aiming for the heart; how to successfully engage individuals

(00:20:55) - The Mikhail Gorbachev story

(00:28:52) - Examples of other renowned storytellers that Cal has interviewed

(00:32:15) - Shared traits among exceptional individuals that lead to greatness

(00:38:18) - Stories of individuals that exemplify resilience and overcoming hardship

(00:44:09) - A story about Nely Galán

(00:52:22) - A not commonly known fact about the Martin Luther King “I have a dream” speech 

(00:57:27) - How to navigate modern society when building authentic human connections has become more challenging

(01:00:49) - Lessons learned from Cal’s friendship with Larry King

(01:06:47) - Cal shares his experiences and insights gained from interactions with Muhammad Ali

Our teacher today is Jeff Marrazzo, Co-Founder and former CEO of Spark Therapeutics. Under Jeff's leadership, this biotech company was the very first in history to receive FDA approval for a gene therapy. Spark has helped to ignite and expand the art of what's possible and how we will seek to treat and potentially cure hundreds of genetic conditions over the coming decades.

Jeff provides us with an insider's overview of the biotechnology industry and shares the full story of Spark, from its humble origins in the labs of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia all the way through to its nearly $5 billion acquisition by Roche.

I hope you enjoy our class with the inspiring Jeff Marrazzo. 

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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Show Notes

(00:06:20) - [First question] - Witnessing the impact of aiding others

(00:10:45) - The genesis of the vision for Spark Theraputics

(00:15:11) - Securing FDA approval

(00:20:22) - Navigating the venture capital landscape

(00:27:26) - Confronting periods of doubt

(00:33:21) - The significance of gene therapy in the US

(00:38:40) - Drawing inspiration for interdisciplinary collaboration

(00:43:58) - Guidance for youth seeking to capitalize on opportunities

(00:50:20) - Anticipating advancements in life sciences and healthcare

(00:54:34) - The role of AI in advancing gene therapy

(00:58:38) - Ways to engage with biotechnology

(01:04:55) - Simplifying the complexities of biotechnology investment