126: Three Ways to Make Panels Less Awkward and More Effective | Story Snacks Series
Panels are weird. Everyone’s trying to look smart without sounding rehearsed. And somehow you’re supposed to introduce yourself and tell memorable stories in just a matter of minutes. It’s not easy, and it’s not something you want to wing (especially if you want to make sure your participation is worth your while). That’s why, in this episode, Stacy’s breaking down her top dos and don’ts for showing up sharp and human on a panel. Whether you’re intro’ing yourself or riffing off someone else’s point, these moves will help you actually make your time on stage count.You’ll learn:What makes a 90-second intro landHow to make a panel feel less like a meeting that should’ve been an emailA better way to add to someone else’s point (without just repeating it and blending in)This is Story Snacks, a bite-sized, jam-packed series for fund managers who are ready to master strategic storytelling in under 20 minutes a week.
---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap
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125: Seb Stewart, Partner at $20B Pacific Asset Management & IMI Chair on Why Allocators Really Say Yes and How Boutiques Win
Most people love to talk about the “boutique advantage,” but very few can show you what it actually feels like from the allocator’s side of the table.Seb Stewart can.Seb is Partner and Head of US Institutional BD at Pacific Asset Management (~$20B AUM) and Chair of IMI, the global think tank for specialist firms. In this episode, Seb and Stacy sit down at NASDAQ Studios to discuss what allocators actually value, why boutiques win when they stop acting like large platforms, and how human behavior (not products or performance) raise real funds. In this episode, you’ll hear about:Why fundraising is really about selling people and behavior, not productsThe underestimated trust dynamic between PMs and fundraisersThe behavioral cues allocators read before they ever open your deckWhy boutiques win on access, alignment, independence, and specializationKey insights from IMI’s landmark research on what truly sets boutiques apartWhy distribution and story remain the biggest choke points for boutiques More About Seb:Prior to joining Pacific as Head of US Institutional Sales, Seb spent 11 years at emerging market specialist, Somerset Capital Management LLP where he had been a Partner, Head of Client Services and latterly Deputy Head of Marketing. Seb helped grow the firm from $1.5bn to $10bn in AUM, working with institutional and wholesale clients across the world, with a particular focus on pension funds, foundations, endowments, family offices and investment consultants in the US.
---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap
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124: The First Step to Bringing Your Fund to the U.S. (It’s Not What You Think) | Story Snack Series
If your firm’s outside the U.S. and you’re thinking about bringing your fund here, you’ve probably already started googling and found yourself a million new to-dos. But before you start checking off all of the boxes (structure, fees, compliance, product, etc.), make sure you’re not skipping the vital first step most fund managers miss.In this episode, Stacy breaks down the underrated first step that sets successful firms apart when they expand into (or out of) the U.S. and why the smartest managers start with who, not how.You’ll learn: • The mindset shift that saves months of frustration • How co-creating with investors builds traction early • Who to call when you’re entering or exiting the U.S. market • A smarter way to test your idea before spending a dimeThis is Story Snacks, a bite-sized, jam-packed series for fund managers who are ready to master strategic storytelling in under 20 minutes a week.
---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap
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123: Devon Drew, From Sales Exec at a Trillion Dollar Asset Manager to Founder of Tech-Enabled Sales Platform AssetLink on Why Fund Distribution Needs Disruption
You know those Wall Street movies where young, hungry salespeople make 500 dials a day?That was real life for Devon Drew.He built his career in distribution at some of the biggest asset managers in the world—including Vanguard—before walking away from it all to launch AssetLink, a tech platform designed to disrupt how fund distribution gets done.Because Devon realized something: the model wasn’t just archaic, it was broken.Now, he’s putting powerful tools in the hands of fund managers who’ve been overlooked for too long and giving wholesalers a way to work smarter, not harder.In this episode, Stacy and Devon discuss: What it’s really like to go from Wall Street to founder lifeWhy the old-school “spray and pray” sales model needs to goHow AssetLink is making sales teams more efficient (and more human)What Silicon Valley taught Devon about innovation (and what Wall Street can learn from it)His experience with Google’s accelerator program and what it means to build “tomorrow, today”More About Devon:Devon Drew is the Founder & CEO of AssetLink, an AI-powered platform modernizing fund distribution.With 18+ years in asset management and over $30B raised, his career spans major players like:Merrill Lynch & J.P. Morgan Chase (Financial Advisor)Fred Alger & American Century (VP, Wealth Management Sales)Vanguard ($10T AUM, Sr. Exec in Broker/Dealer Sales)In 2021, Devon founded DFD Partners, the early version of what would become AssetLink, a tool built to help under-resourced managers compete and win in distribution.Drew has been recognized for his innovative work, receiving several accolades, including:• Top 25 Founders of 2025 by Founders Square• 2025 AWD Pioneer Award• Top 10 to Watch in 2024 by wealthmanagement.com• Finalist for the Wealthies Award in 2023, 2024 & 2025
---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap
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122: Your Founder Is Stepping Back—Now What? | Story Snacks Series
The founder is retiring. The team is evolving. The story… gets archived?Not so fast.In this episode, Stacy shares what to do before you toss the origin story and how to transition from version 1.0 to 2.0 without losing the magic.Inside the episode: • Why “retiring the founder” ≠ “retiring the story” • How to pull legacy threads into your firm’s next chapter • What to do if the original story was never that strong to begin withThis is Story Snacks, a bite-sized, jam-packed series for fund managers who are ready to master strategic storytelling in under 20 minutes a week.
---Running a fund is hard enough.Ops shouldn’t be.Meet the team that makes it easier. | billiondollarbackstory.com/ultimus- - -Thinking about expanding your investor base beyond the US? Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out if your firm is ready to go global and get all the info at billiondollarbackstory.com/gemcap
Host Stacy Havener brings you the storytelling tips, sales strategies, behavioral secrets, and inspirational stories that help YOU turn your words into dollars. Learn from sales and marketing experts. Meet finance and investment leaders, founders and fund managers who have made it, and the ones on the rise. Because there are people behind the portfolios. Their stories matter. So does yours.
Presented by:
Ultimus Fund Solutions // www.ultimusfundsolutions.com
GemCap // www.geminicapital.ie
@stacyhavener // www.billiondollarbackstory.com
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