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Compounders Podcast

Compounders Podcast
Author: Ben Claremon & SNN Network
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Welcome to the Compounders Podcast. On this show, Host and Investor, Ben Claremon, will explore the topic of compounding from various angles, including through interviews with public and private company executives, investors who focus on compounders, and newer investment firms that are building a business they hope will become more valuable over time.
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My guest on this episode is Alex Rawlings, the Founder and Managing Partner of Raw Selection, an executive search firm that specializes in finding talent for PE firms and their portfolio companies. He is also the host of an excellent show called The Private Equity Podcast, which I was fortunate enough to be a guest on. In this informative conversation, we covered:
• The founding inspiration for Raw Selection;
• The opportunity Alex saw to differentiate Raw Selection from other exec search firms;
• The evolution of the talent recruitment industry that is focused on PE firms;
• Common mistakes PE firms make when hiring execs for portfolio companies; and
• How Raw Selection has developed an expertise in sourcing execs in the white hot HVAC space.
To learn more, please visit Alex's LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrawlings/
Also, here is the link to Alex's upcoming book: https://www.raw-selection.com/how-to-hire/
My guest on this episode is Cody Payne, an SVP at Colliers and an expert on what is an emerging asset class within real estate, flex industrial. This is a little bit of a different podcast where we dive into this corner of the commercial real estate market and discuss why Cody thinks it could become a real institutional asset class. In this informative discussion, we covered:
What flex industrial space consists of;
The degree of institutional interest in the space today;
The positive attributes Cody thinks flex industrial space offer investors;
Current supply-demand dynamics in the market; and
The book that Cody and his team wrote about flex industrial real estate.
Please see Cody's LinkedIn page to learn more about him.
Here is the link to the book that Cody and his team wrote on this asset class: Flex Space Domination
Our guest on the show this week was Andrew Hollingworth, the Portfolio Manager at HollAnd Advisors. Andrew has an eclectic background and, like many of previous guests, has centered his investment strategy around the search for compounders. In this informative conversation, we covered:
How Andrew developed the investment philosophy he is employing today;
Why he likes to invest behind owner-managers;
His definition of a supernatural compounder;
His contrarian stance on Biglari Holdings; and
Why he is OK investing behind executives that other investors dislike
To learn more, please visit Andrew's LinkedIn page and the HollAnd Advisors website.
Thanks for listening.
My guest on the show today is Andy Kurita, the Portfolio Manager at Kettle Hill Capital Management. Andy has a track record in long-short investing in small cap US equities that goes back to the early 2000s. We haven’t had many managers who actively short on the podcast and I was curious to hear from Andy about:
How Kettle Hill is differentiated versus other hedge funds;
What he thinks about the small cap investing landscape today;
The difference between a stock that fits in the long book versus in the short book;
What it has been like to be a short investor in recent years; and
How he thinks about concentration and risk management.
My guest on the show today is Joe Magyer, the Founder and Managing Partner at Seaplane Ventures. Joe spent the first part of his career in public equities and in 2022, founded Seaplane to focus on early stage investing. We have not had many VCs on the podcast before, and I was excited to speak with Joe about:
• His journey from public markets to venture investing;
• What the name Seaplane means to him;
• Where the firms plays in the VC ecosystem;
• Why he has decided to concentrate his investments; and
• How the skill set he developed after a long time in public markets helps him with his new venture today
Here is the link to Joe's bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemagyer/
Here is the link to Seaplane's website: https://www.seaplaneventures.com/
My guest on the show today is Matt Blair, the co-founder and CEO of REI Capital Management. Private real estate has been an asset class that has performed well over many years—but has largely been inaccessible to the average individual investor. In co-founding REI, Matt has the goal of democratizing access to private real estate investments. In this enlightening conversation, Matt and I discussed:
How retail investors can typically access private real estate investments today;
Why REI has gone through a lengthy SEC process to try to expand access to private real estate;
The investment strategy REI is employing;
Important investor considerations such as diversification and liquidity; and
The types of property Matt is looking to acquire—without overpaying of course.
For more information about REI Capital Management, please visit: https://reicapitalmanagement.net/team-member/matthew-blair/
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
Our guest on the show this week is Tim Call, the President and CIO of The Capital Management Corp., a long-only investment firm that focuses on cash cows. The firm has been around since the 1960s and has remarkable client retention numbers. In this enlightening conversation, Tim and I covered:
The lasting legacy of the firm;
What a cash cow means to CMC;
Why they think SMID cap is a great place to be investing;
The philosophy surrounding portfolio concentration; and
How to get the most out of a small investment team.
For more information about The Capital Management Corp., please visit: https://cmcva.com/
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
My guest on the show today is Tal Keinan, the CEO of Sky Harbor Group, a publicly traded developer and operator of airplane hangars. Before conducting the interview, I had the opportunity to learn a lot about Sky Harbor from an investor friend who owns the stock and knows the company as well as just about anyone on the planet. That led to a deep, rich conversation where we covered:
The process by which Sky Harbor became public;
Whether Sky Harbor is a real estate company, an operating company—or both;
An overview of the supply and demand dynamics for business aircraft hangar space;
How Sky Harbor views the threat of emerging competition; and
The economics and returns associated with developing new hangars.
For full disclosure, I am not a Sky Harbor shareholder.
For more information about Sky Harbour Group, please visit: https://skyharbour.group/
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
My guest on the show today is Tania Pouschine, the Founder and Portfolio Manager of Fithian. I reached out to Tania to have her on the podcast after I heard from an allocator friend that Fithian employed one of the most unique and differentiated investment processes in the public equity space. With that as the backdrop, I was excited to speak with Tania—who was formerly an investigative journalist—about:
The circumstances surrounding the founding of Fithian in 2016;
How being an investigative journalist informs her investment process;
Fithian's perspective on what performing deep due diligence on companies actually looks like;
The global long-only strategy Fithian runs for clients; and
The characteristics of a prototypical Fithian stock
For more information about Fithian, please visit: https://www.fithianllc.com/
This episode is sponsored by: Daloopa
Earnings season—two words that can make any analyst’s heart race. The late nights, the endless manual updates, and the constant pressure to deliver timely, accurate insights—it’s overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be.
With Daloopa, you can revolutionize the way you work. Their automated model update solution takes the manual effort out of the equation, delivering complete, accurate, and real-time financial data at the click of a button. No more endless spreadsheets. No more scrambling to keep up.
Daloopa empowers you to initiate coverage faster, refine your investment theses with confidence, and focus on what really matters—identifying key opportunities and delivering actionable recommendations that drive results. Plus, with fully auditable data, you’ll always have the confidence that your insights are backed by accuracy.
So, if you’re ready to get ahead of earnings season and take your analysis to the next level, visit daloopa.com/comp today. Daloopa—because your time is too valuable to spend it on data entry: https://go.daloopa.com/comp
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
My guests on the show today are Brent Robinson and Kevin Fogarty of Value Creators, a US-focused public equity firm that has a long track record of success. After working together for a number of years at Dupont Capital Management, Brent and Kevin helped found Value Creators in 2023. When I heard about the proprietary process the firm uses to assess capital allocation, I knew I had to have them on the podcast. In this fascinating conversation, we covered:
The long history the Value Creators team has together;
The circumstances surrounding the founding of the firm;
How they assess capital allocation;
Portfolio construction, including concentration; and
The process they use to whittle down their investment universe.
For more information about Value Creators Capital, please visit: https://www.valuecreatorscapital.com/
This episode is sponsored by: Daloopa
Earnings season—two words that can make any analyst’s heart race. The late nights, the endless manual updates, and the constant pressure to deliver timely, accurate insights—it’s overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be.
With Daloopa, you can revolutionize the way you work. Their automated model update solution takes the manual effort out of the equation, delivering complete, accurate, and real-time financial data at the click of a button. No more endless spreadsheets. No more scrambling to keep up.
Daloopa empowers you to initiate coverage faster, refine your investment theses with confidence, and focus on what really matters—identifying key opportunities and delivering actionable recommendations that drive results. Plus, with fully auditable data, you’ll always have the confidence that your insights are backed by accuracy.
So, if you’re ready to get ahead of earnings season and take your analysis to the next level, visit daloopa.com/comp today. Daloopa—because your time is too valuable to spend it on data entry: https://go.daloopa.com/comp
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
My guest on the show today is Nic Johnson, the founder of Listwise, a company that is trying to revolutionize how residential brokers get paid when helping clients sell their homes. After spending many years at PIMCO as a portfolio manager, Nic founded Listwise in 2022 to help create better alignment between home sellers and their brokers. In this wide-ranging discussion, we covered:
What led Nic to start Listwise;
The problem associated with selling a home that the company is attempting to solve;
How Listwise incentivizes brokers to get the highest price for a seller;
Common mistakes homeowners make when they are selling their house; and
How the company is attracting customers
For more information about Listwise, please visit: https://listwise.com/
This episode is sponsored by: Daloopa
Earnings season—two words that can make any analyst’s heart race. The late nights, the endless manual updates, and the constant pressure to deliver timely, accurate insights—it’s overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be.
With Daloopa, you can revolutionize the way you work. Their automated model update solution takes the manual effort out of the equation, delivering complete, accurate, and real-time financial data at the click of a button. No more endless spreadsheets. No more scrambling to keep up.
Daloopa empowers you to initiate coverage faster, refine your investment theses with confidence, and focus on what really matters—identifying key opportunities and delivering actionable recommendations that drive results. Plus, with fully auditable data, you’ll always have the confidence that your insights are backed by accuracy.
So, if you’re ready to get ahead of earnings season and take your analysis to the next level, visit daloopa.com/comp today. Daloopa—because your time is too valuable to spend it on data entry: https://go.daloopa.com/comp
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
My guest on the show today is Todd Wenning, the President and CIO of KNA Capital. Many of our listeners might have come across Todd’s excellent discussions of moats during his time at Morningstar and Ensemble Capital—or on his Substack Flyover Stocks. Todd founded KNA Capital earlier this year and I was eager to speak with Todd about:
What pushed him to start his own firm;
Why economic moats are so important to him and his process;
How he decided on the right level of concentration;
What he finds so valuable about the process of teaching undergrads; and
Why nostalgia can be a very attractive theme to invest behind
For more information about KNA Capital, please visit: https://www.kna-capital.com/
For more information about the Flyover Stocks substack, please visit: https://www.flyoverstocks.com/
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
My guest on the show this week is James Emanuel, a private investor and the founder of Rock & Turner. James has thought deeply about many aspects of the investment world—and is an active writer on his Substack as well as being the author of a number of books. In this deep conversation, we discussed:
What led James to focus on investing full time;
Why he decided to run what is essentially an all-cap global strategy;
The reasons he has such a negative opinion of dividends;
Why he calls stock-based compensation the most abused aspect of corporate finance; and
His newest book, Fabric of Success
James mentioned several securities on this podcast. The only one I own is Berkshire Hathaway. For more information about "Fabric of Success", you can purchase your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Fabric-Success-Threads-Tapestry-Business/dp/B0D5W7B9W1
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
My guest on the show today is Dan Rupp, the Founder and CIO of Parkway Capital. After spending many years at a very well-known, Asia-focused investment firm called Overlook, Dan founded Parkway Capital to take advantage of some of the less liquid and smaller-cap opportunities he was consistently unearthing. Dan is the first Asia-only investor we have had on the podcast, and I was excited to speak with him about:
The types of opportunities he thought he could invest in with a smaller capital base;
How he is building his team and his asset base;
The Parkway portfolio, which consists of Compounders, Defensive companies and Deep Value stocks
Why he is so constructive on the Chinese market right now
The investment case for Chinese white goods manufacturer, Haier
Dan mentioned a handful of securities on this podcast. I don’t own any of them.
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
My guest on the show today is the Bill Bennett, the CEO of Innovative Foods Group. After a number of years for working for big companies like Wal-Mart and Kroger, Bill became the CEO of Innovative Foods in early 2023. Since that time, he has been leading an aggressive business improvement plan that has started to bear fruit. In this conversation, we covered:
What initially attracted Bill to the company and the CEO role;
Where Innovative Foods plays within the specialty foods subsegment of the massive foodservice industry;
The divestitures the company has made to simplify the business;
The secular tailwinds behind the specialty foods category; and
What the company needs to do to hit its EBITDA and revenue targets.
For full disclosure, I am not an IVFH shareholder. For more information about Innovative Food Holdings, please visit: https://investors.ivfh.com/
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
My guest on the show today is Adam Wilk, the Founder and CIO of Greystone Capital Management. Adam is a savvy microcap investor who prefers to run a very concentrated portfolio. In this in-depth conversation, we covered:
How Adam applies learnings from being an NBA scout to the investing realm;
Why he has chosen to own so few companies;
The types of microcap companies that Adam gravitates toward;
His approach to assessing management teams; and
What it was like starting a new firm in March of 2020.
For full disclosure, Adam mentioned a number of securities on this podcast. I do not own any of them. For more information about Greystone Capital Management, please visit: https://www.greystonevalue.com/
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
My guest on the show today is Jim Cunniff, President and CEO of Electromed, Inc. (NYSE American: ELMD). Electromed is best known for its main products, the SmartVest, a medical device that helps people with a chronic lung condition breathe easier and have a better quality of life. After working at Baxter and Stryker, Jim became CEO in 2023 and has brought a new level of focus and urgency to the Electromed. In this conversation, covered:
Why Jim decided to take the CEO role at Electromed;
What is special about the SmartVest, as well as the drivers of growth;
Why Bronchiectasis remains an underdiagnosed condition;
What he has learned from being an operating partner at Shore Capital; and
How the company generates 70%+ gross margins.
For full disclosure, I am not an Electromed shareholder. For more information about Electromed, please visit: https://investors.smartvest.com/overview/default.aspx
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
My guest on the show today is Jim Edwards, the founder and managing partner of Maestria Partners. Jim spent a number of years working for big university endowments until launching Maestria in 2023. Jim is a fundamental investor at heart who thought deeply about how to differentiate his firm before going out on his own. In this wide-ranging conversation, we discussed:
Jim’s journey from the allocator world to launching his own investment firm;
What he learned about differentiation and best practices during his time as an allocator;
The types of business models he gravitates toward;
His approach to valuing companies that the market already has a deep appreciation for; and
Why he has chosen to run a pretty concentrated portfolio
For more information about Maestria Partners, please visit: https://maestriapartners.com/
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
My guest on the show today is Carl Herberger, the CEO or Corero Network Security. Carl joined Corero, a UK-listed microcap company, at an exciting time for the company. Cybersecurity is such a hot space that I was excited to speak with Carl about:
What he thought was so compelling about the opportunity to lead Corero;
Where the company’s products play in the cybersecurity ecosystem;
How a small company lands partnerships with well-known, large companies;
Ways in which AI is going to impact the cybersecurity market going forward; and
How he is currently balancing the tension between achieving growth and better profitability
For full disclosure, I am not a Corero shareholder.
For more information about Corero, please visit: https://www.corero.com/
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
My guest on the show today is Yuri Khodjamirian, the CIO at Tema. Tema is an innovative company that is trying to revolutionize the ETF industry. The company has a passion for providing investors, especially those in retail space, with access to institutional quality managers and strategies. In this in-depth discussion, we covered:
Tema’s mission at it relates to providing quality access to ETF strategies
How Tema is trying to differentiate its ETFs within a very crowded space
Why some prominent venture firms thought was so attractive about Tema to warrant an investment;
The strategy behind the Tema Monopolies and Oligopolies ETF, ticker TOLL; and
His approach to establishing an edge in well-known stocks.
For more information about Tema ETFs, please visit: https://temaetfs.com/
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
iTunes: https://apple.co/3xlUvPY
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jxkxLl
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
I like the idea of this company. Catering to folks with enough money to own and house aircraft can't be a bad business. Can it? CEO thinks his insight exclusively adds value to the organization and also seems to like his perch atop this company. Is this a factual value add for shareholders or another feathering of the C-suite executive nest for a cushy lifestyle?