In this episode of PRess Play: The StreetCred Podcast, hosts Elena Krasnow and Jimmy Moock sit down with Joe Duran, industry titan and longtime friend of the firm, and managing partner of Rise Growth Partners.

Joe reflects on the emotional and creative side of leadership. He digs into why so many large firms have lost their soul, what it truly means to “make a dent in the universe,” and why credibility and storytelling still matter more than scale. From the founding of United Capital to the philosophy behind Rise Growth Partners, he shares how purpose, originality and the desire to do good shape everything he builds.

We cover:

Don’t miss this rare and honest conversation with one of the industry’s clearest voices about finding purpose, protecting your soul and saying something that matters.

Topics:

(0:14) “Jimmy THE Moock”

(0:50) Meet Joe Duran

(2:11) Who was employee number one at United Capital?

(2:21) What’s for lunch?

(3:01) The price of a rotisserie chicken, not immune from inflation

(3:47) Joe’s journey to America

(5:04) Overcoming your demons

(5:54) Joe’s start as an intern at an RIA, and the power of having an accent

(7:05) The first TAMP, before TAMPs existed

(7:33) The sale of Centurion and the need for a pivot

(8:19) Return to writing and back to school

(8:59) How do you tell people what it really feels like to sell a company?

(10:14) “They’ve forgotten what it’s about”

(10:26) Advisors want to “make a dent in the universe”

(11:33) The number one reason people work for

(11:59) Building something different with United Capital

(12:16) “It’s not about the fuel in your car, it’s about the drive” – the birth of United Capital

(13:29) Happiness is a choice

(13:58) Is it happening for you, or to you?

(15:19) Sacrificing happiness everyday for satisfaction

(16:06) Narrowing the gap between who you want to be and who you are

(20:09) The adventures of Joe, Jimmy and Jason

(21:31) “Marketing is a joke if you don’t have something to say. And if you’re not saying it in an interesting way, it doesn’t matter.”

(25:30) Credibility marketing is everything

(27:08) “You can’t be the leader of a band if you don’t have a song to sing”

(28:34) The Duran Duran column

(29:24) Why Rise Growth Partners is investing in the $3-10 billion firm category

(32:49) Predictions for large RIAs

(34:19) Japanese car case study

(36:19) Takeaways from the sales of Centurion and United Capital

(37:62) “Am I here to get the biggest slice of pie I can, or make the biggest pie I can?” 

(38:49) The three phases that come after selling

(41:19) A buddhist monk, a psychiatrist and a coach

(41:39) Knowing your purpose in the second half of life

(42:49) Death, discovery and rebirth

(43:57) Time for our Play segment!

(44:09) Dream job as a kid – life as a rockstar

(46:19) Plot twist: a love of EDM concerts

(46:57) Moment of gratitude

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About our Guest: 

Joe Duran is a serial entrepreneur and recognized visionary in wealth management and wealthtech. He previously served as partner and co-head of the Workplace and Personal Wealth divisions at Goldman Sachs. Before joining Goldman, he founded and led United Capital, one of the nation’s largest independent wealth management firms, which was acquired by Goldman Sachs in July 2019. Prior to that, Joe was CEO of Centurion Capital, one of the first turnkey asset management platforms, which was sold to General Electric. He subsequently served as president of GE Private Asset Management, now known as NYSE-listed AssetMark.

Publishing Tags: StreetCred PR, Press Play, Podcast, Elena Krasnow, Jimmy Moock, Joe Duran, Public Relations, Financial Services, Wealth Management, Financial Advisors, Rise Growth Partners, United Capital, Centurion Capital, RIA, WealthTech, Financial Planning, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Purpose-driven business, Personal Growth, Behavioral Economics, Storytelling, Credibility Marketing, Firm Culture, Career Advice