Unfiltered Finance!

What does it take to build a financial services company from the ground up, scale it to more than 170 affiliates, and reinvent the business around technology and AI?

In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, host Ron Geffner sits down with David Frank, founder of Stonehaven, to explore entrepreneurship, capital raising, fintech, leadership, and the rapidly changing financial services industry.

David shares how he went from investment banking to building Stonehaven, eventually transforming the company into a technology-driven platform supporting independent investment bankers, placement agents, and asset managers.

They discuss how Stonehaven uses AI to accelerate software development, streamline compliance, analyze contracts, and improve operational efficiency. David also reveals why even successful investment managers struggle to raise capital, why investor relationships can take years to develop, and what separates firms that scale from those that don't.

The conversation explores the future of AI, which businesses may be most vulnerable to disruption, and why human relationships, physical infrastructure, and the attention economy could become increasingly valuable.

The episode also closes with a personal conversation about speaking up against antisemitism, the importance of standing by your principles, and the value of relationships built over decades.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, business leader, or finance professional, this conversation offers practical insights into building a business designed to grow and adapt.

What if some of the things you've always been told about inflation aren't actually true?

In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with inflation expert Michael Ashton of Enduring Investments to break down what inflation really is, why consumers experience it differently from the official numbers, and what happens to traditional investment strategies when inflation rises.

Michael shares how he went from economics and quantitative finance to Wall Street — eventually helping create the U.S. inflation derivatives market and trading some of the country's first inflation swaps. michael ashton recut

They dig into why stocks and bonds can begin moving together during higher-inflation environments, the role commodities can play in a portfolio, why raising interest rates doesn't necessarily have the effect on inflation that many people assume, and why inflation in one country is often connected to what's happening throughout the global economy. michael ashton recut

Michael also explains what worries him about the possibility of persistently higher and more volatile inflation — and offers a surprising take on AI, productivity and jobs.

Whether you're an investor or simply wondering why everything feels more expensive, this conversation offers a completely different way to think about inflation.

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What comes after the AI boom?

In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with investor and entrepreneur Poseidon Ho, founder of Outliers/Allies Fund, for a fascinating conversation about the technologies that could define the next decade.

Poseidon shares his unconventional journey from Taiwan to MIT, where a student investment group eventually led him into venture capital and cryptocurrency investing. Today, his attention has expanded toward two enormous technological frontiers: commercial space and quantum computing. Unfiltered Finance_ Poseidon Ho…

The conversation explores the dramatic decline in space-launch costs, commercial space stations, lunar exploration, asteroid mining, manufacturing medicine in zero gravity, helium-3, AI, quantum computing, and why technologies that sound like science fiction today could become major industries tomorrow.

Poseidon also explains why he believes AI won't simply replace humans, but could dramatically increase what individuals are capable of accomplishing — including allowing small teams to operate with productivity once requiring much larger organizations. Unfiltered Finance_ Poseidon Ho…

This isn't just a conversation about investing. It's a conversation about where technology — and humanity — could be headed next.

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In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with Derek Vickers, founder of Vicktory Capital, to discuss his unconventional journey from dropping out of college and moving to Florida with just $300 to building a successful real estate investment business.

Derek shares how years of door-to-door insurance sales shaped his mindset, why he transitioned into mobile home park investing, and the lessons he learned about raising capital, building systems, hiring great people, negotiating deals, and scaling a business.

The conversation explores entrepreneurship, real estate investing, leadership, affordable housing, AI, persistence, hiring, capital raising, and why building wealth is about owning assets—not just earning a paycheck.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, business owner, or someone looking for motivation to build something meaningful, this episode delivers practical lessons you can apply immediately.

In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with Frank Tumminello, CEO and co-founder of FileForms, to discuss his journey from investment banking and private equity to building one of the fastest-growing compliance software platforms in the country.

Frank explains how a $400 late filing penalty inspired him to create FileForms, why he chose to build software instead of buying an existing company, and what he's learned about entrepreneurship, product development, acquisitions, AI, partnerships, and scaling a modern SaaS business.

The conversation covers private equity, startup growth, API-first software, distribution strategy, M&A, compliance technology, founder lessons, AI, and building a customer-first company.

Whether you're a founder, investor, operator, or entrepreneur, this episode offers practical insights into building a scalable business from the ground up.

In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with Lloyd Collier, Senior Director at JTC Group, to discuss what really happens behind the scenes when launching and operating private investment funds.

Lloyd shares lessons from over two decades in asset servicing, explaining how fund administrators help emerging managers avoid costly mistakes, why collaboration between service providers matters, and what separates great administrators from average ones.

The conversation explores fund launches, fundraising challenges, Ireland as a fund domicile, AI in fund administration, tokenization, private markets, operational infrastructure, and the future of alternative investments.

Whether you're launching your first fund or managing institutional capital, this episode offers valuable insights into the operational side of building successful investment firms.

In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with Matt Poliak, founder of Hummingbird Capital, to discuss his journey from trading stocks with bar mitzvah money to launching a long-short energy hedge fund.

Matt shares how he fell in love with investing at a young age, the mentors who shaped his career, and what he learned working at firms like Balyasny, Millennium, and other elite investment platforms before starting his own business.

The conversation dives into energy investing, AI-driven power demand, data centers, market-neutral investing, entrepreneurship, risk-taking, stoicism, family, and building a meaningful life while managing stress in high finance.

This episode is essential listening for investors, entrepreneurs, aspiring hedge fund managers, and anyone interested in the intersection of markets, ambition, and personal growth.

In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with David Goldstein of STP to break down the hidden operational side of hedge funds and private funds.

They discuss what fund administrators actually do, how managers should choose service providers, why operational mistakes can become catastrophic, and how the fund industry has evolved from the “Wild West” days of hedge funds to today’s institutionalized environment.

David also shares insight into the impact of AI, automation, private equity ownership, vendor commoditization, investor expectations, and why choosing the cheapest provider can become incredibly expensive long term.

This episode is essential listening for hedge fund managers, emerging managers, fund operations professionals, allocators, and anyone trying to understand how private funds really function behind the scenes.

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In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with Don Steinbrugge, founder of Agecroft Partners and one of the most respected placement agents in the hedge fund industry.

Don breaks down how hedge funds and investment firms actually raise capital, what institutional investors look for, why most managers fail to communicate their edge, and how branding, messaging, and presentation quality determine fundraising success.

They also discuss the realities of placement agents, emerging managers, institutional sales, Wall Street politics, and the biggest mistakes fund managers make when trying to scale.

This episode is essential listening for hedge fund managers, emerging managers, private fund professionals, institutional allocators, and anyone interested in the business of raising capital.

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In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with Joe Greco, a leadership and executive coach, to break down why most businesses struggle—not with ideas, but with execution.

They discuss how to build alignment inside organizations, why communication breaks down, the biggest blind spots leaders have, and how to create real accountability that actually drives results.

Joe also shares practical frameworks for running effective meetings, building culture, improving team dynamics, and making strategy stick, along with a powerful perspective on AI vs human value in business.

This episode is essential for business owners, leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone responsible for managing people and driving results.

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