Billion Dollar Backstory

If you’re still following the traditional sales funnel framework in 2026, your firm’s growth is sure to stall. 
Because the “inverted triangle” view of a funnel is oversimplified, and it’s starting to feel like the fundraising version of that tired investment process slide that makes everyone want to poke their eyes out. 

It flops because not everyone in your funnel needs the same thing, and “just checking in” isn’t a follow-up strategy that actually moves people forward.
That’s why in this episode, Stacy’s breaking down what actually works to keep your funnel healthy.
Listen in to learn: 
 • Why the funnel isn’t a simple inverted triangle (and what it really looks like in practice)
 • What people at the top, middle, and bottom of the funnel actually need from you
 • The real job of the middle of the funnel (and why most teams ignore it)
 • Why filling the top of the funnel is harder than closing deals 
 • Creative ways to get in front of new prospects (without spammy outreach)
 • Why LinkedIn works so well for this when you share the right kind of content 
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.

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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

You thought you nailed the meeting. The conversation went well, heads were nodding, and everyone seemed engaged. Then you followed up with a thoughtful email and… crickets.

Or maybe you got hit with the four words every fund manager dreads hearing: "We’ll watch you."

Most people take either of those as signals to retreat and move on. But what if they're actually something else entirely?
In this episode, Stacy explains why hearing "no" (or radio silence) doesn't always mean your deal is dead. 
She's also sharing the high school soccer philosophy that changed how she handles rejection in sales, plus the exact move that turned a "we'll watch you" into a $50 million yes.
In this episode, you'll learn:
What "maybe" really means and why it's probably not what you think
How to spark the honest conversation that could actually save the deal
A meeting-prep strategy that helps you avoid ghosting before it ever happens
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

You made it to the final investor meeting again. You were sure this one was yours because your pitch was on point (no surprise, given that you rehearsed every line). 

But still... no deal.
What gives? Why are you always the bridesmaid but never the bride? 
In this episode, Stacy is breaking down why so many fund managers find themselves stuck in this frustrating loop. 
Listen in to learn: 
Why trying to win allocators over in the last round is a losing game

The kind of meeting prep that actually pays off (hint: it doesn’t involve you rehearsing lines for hours in the mirror)

How to make your message land without over-explaining and putting everyone in the room to sleep 

Why the final few minutes of your meeting are crucial and the secret sauce to standing out with your closing 

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

If you’re like most founders, “creating a yearly business plan” is one of those tasks you keep bumping to the bottom of your to-do list. 
Maybe you tell yourself you’ll get to it when things slow down, but they never do. 
And before you know it, you’re steamrolling into the new year without a plan, which leads to overthinking every single decision and drowning in busy work. 
And somehow you end the year wondering how you were so busy… without feeling like you moved the needle at all. 
Stacy doesn’t want that to be your reality at the end of 2026. That’s why today, she’s walking through the exact planning framework she uses with clients inside her membership, The Boutique Investment Collective.
In this episode, she covers:
How to set a 10-year “10-bagger” goal that feels exciting and directional (not something that makes you freeze or avoid the plan altogether)
Her process for breaking big annual goals into quarterly focuses you can realistically carry while still running a business (and a life)
Why it’s time to stop using AUM as your only scorecard
How to get clear on what’s in your control, what isn’t, and where you’re wasting energy trying to force outcomes
The mistake that’s making your sales harder than they should be (and how to streamline your sales process in 2026) 

---
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

Everyone loves a success story, but what we don’t talk about enough is what it costs to get there.
And what it’s like before the money is wired or anyone cares. 
Before all of that, there was a guy with a phone, a thesis, and a long list of people telling him no.

That guy was Cole Wilcox.

In this episode, Stacy Havener sits down with Cole, CEO & CIO of Longboard Asset Management, to talk about what it really takes to build an investment firm when you don’t start with pedigree, proximity, or institutional backing, just conviction and the willingness to keep going when quitting feels rational.

In this episode, you’ll hear:
How one cold call turned into Longboard’s first $5M 

Why founder-led fundraising is unavoidable in the early years, no matter how strong your strategy is

What it feels like to hear “call me at $100M”… and then hear it again at $1B

How surviving multiple market crises permanently reshaped Cole’s relationship with risk

The moment Longboard nearly shut down, and the structural pivot that kept the firm alive

The real cost of broken partnerships (and why people issues end more firms than markets)

What resilience actually looks like when walking away feels like the logical move

Why staying power might be the most underrated edge a founder has

More About Cole:
Cole Wilcox, Chief Investment Officer at Longboard, has specialized in trend following investment strategies for over 20 years. As a co-author of award-winning research, he has been profiled in bestselling investment books, featured in major media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and Bloomberg, and is a frequent guest on popular podcasts. Cole leads a highly accomplished team at Longboard, delivering innovative, low-correlation investment strategies that leverage trend following to capture market opportunities.

---
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