Absolute Return Podcast

On today's show we welcome special guest, Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund's President Michael Occi. Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (MSDL) seeks to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns by investing primarily in directly originated senior secured loans issued by U.S. middle market companies. On the show, we discuss: Why investors should consider an allocation to private credit What explains the significant market share growth of private credit in financing buyouts MSDL's defensive approach to lending, with a focus on first lien loans His thoughts on the current market environment for private credit loans And more

On today's show we welcome special guest, American Gold Exchange President, Dana Samuelson. American Gold Exchange is a leading national precious metals and rare coin company specializing in dealer-to-dealer trading and direct sales. On the show, we discuss: Why investors should own gold as an investment If Trump's election effects the bull case for gold Whether investors should prefer gold over bitcoin Risks and reward of owning physical gold And more

On today's show we welcome special guest, Mirion Technologies CEO Tom Logan. Mirion designs, manufactures, and provides radiation detection, measurement, analysis and monitoring products to the nuclear power and medical markets. On the show, we discuss: The path from private equity ownership to the public markets The macro bull case for the nuclear industry Mirion's approach to mergers and acquisitions His learnings as a long-tenured CEO And more

On today's show, listen to Julian and Mike have a live discussion on the State of the Markets: Navigating Q4 and Beyond. On the show, we discuss: The opportunities within global equities, including the sector we are most bullish on Why investors should stay away from fixed income and which investments allocators should use for yield The outlook for mergers and acquisitions along with a potential positive catalyst Why gold is a must own asset and may outperform bitcoin And more A point of disclosure, Accelerate funds may have long or short positions in the securities discussed in this episode.

On today's show we welcome special guest, the co-CIO of Cambrian Asset Management, Martin Green. Cambrian is a quantitative investment firm for digital assets. On the show, we discuss: Cambrian's approach to crypto investing and how it is differentiated Navigating crypto's volatility and macro events including the FTX bankruptcy Keys to success and staying power in the digital asset space And more

On today's show we welcome special guest, Whitestone REIT CEO Dave Holeman. Whitestone REIT is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that primarily owns, operates, and redevelops retail community-centered properties in Texas and Arizona. On the show we discuss: The thesis behind Whitestone's focus on community and neighborhood centers The challenges and opportunities in real estate due to the dramatic increase in interest rates Keys to success in the real estate industry Which segment of the real estate market he is most bullish on And more

On today's show we welcome special guest, Meteora Capital Founder and CIO Vik Mittal, his second time on the podcast. Meteora Capital is an investment firm specializing in SPAC-related instruments in both public and private companies. On the show, we discuss: What has happened in the SPAC market over the past 24 months Meteora's approach to investing in the SPAC market A look into Canna-Global Acquisition (CNGL) What he thinks is next for the SPAC market And more

On today's show, we welcome special guest, Stanford AI Researcher Dr. Mohammad Rasouli. Mohammad helps funds to realize the benefit of artificial intelligence for alternative asset investment by providing AI education and tailored AI strategy, and by implementing the proprietary InvestAI technology. These include using AI for both alpha generation and operational efficiency, including deal sourcing/insight, fundraising, portfolio transformation, investor communications, and marketing.   On the podcast, we discuss: Compelling use cases for large language models in investing Specific examples of how AI has helped uncover unique investment opportunities more effectively than traditional methods How investment managers can balance the use of AI with human judgment And more

On today's podcast we welcome special guest Jeffrey Seder, founder of EQB, a company that provides thoroughbred racehorse buying, selling, breeding, and racing management services. On the show, we discuss: What got him into the business of thoroughbred racehorse buying, selling, and breeding The basics of horse racing betting A look into the advanced analytics used by professional horse racing bettors The ideal outcome for an investment into a racehorse And more

March 13, 2024 - On today's podcast we welcome special guest Carson Block of Muddy Waters. Carson is an activist short seller who conducts in-depth fundamental short analysis focused on business fraud, accounting fraud, and fundamental problems. On the show, we discuss: His fortuitous path to short selling as a profession Sino Forest and the short that put him on the map The thesis behind his bearish view on Fairfax Financial His approach to risk management And more

December 17, 2023 - On today's episode we welcome special guest, Hodes Weill Managing Partner and Co-founder, Doug Weill. Hodes Weill is a leading, global capital advisory firm focused on the real estate and real assets investment and funds management industry. On the show, we discuss: How real estate plays a role in investment portfolios Which segments of the real estate market are most favourable, and which investors should avoid The biggest risk facing real estate investors currently His real estate “top pick” And more!

October 24, 2023 - On today's show we welcome special guest, Zapata AI Co-Founder and CEO Christopher Savoie. Zapata AI is an industrial generative AI software company developing solutions and applications to solve enterprises' hardest problems.On the show we discuss: How Christopher went from getting his PhD in a medical field to founding several tech startups A deep dive into what artificial intelligence is and what it can accomplish Some use cases for industrial generative AI How the company offers faster, cheaper, and more accurate generative AI And more  

August 14, 2023 -  On today's show we welcome special guest, Bitcoin Depot CEO Brandon Mintz. Bitcoin Depot operates the largest bitcoin ATM network in the world. On the show, we discuss: Brandon's “bitcoin moment” and what initially got him interested in the cryptocurrency His entrepreneurial journey and where he got the idea to start the company Why their customers use ATMs instead of online exchanges to buy bitcoin Bitcoin Depot's growth initiatives, including their approach to M&A What he believes is in store for the future of bitcoin

February 27, 2023 - On today's show we welcome special guest and the 2022 Dealmaker of the Year, Danny Rice. Danny was the CEO of Rice Acquisition 1, which merged with Archaea Energy in a $1.15 billion deal and then subsequently sold to BP for $4.1 billion. Danny is now the CEO of Rice Acquisition 2, which recently announced a $1.5 billion merger with NET Power, a clean energy technology company. On the show, Danny discusses: Key lessons learned from the Archaea Energy SPAC merger and subsequent sale to BP A primer on NET Power's innovative clean energy technology The case for U.S. shale gas powering reliable, clean and low-cost power What inspires him as an entrepreneur and business leader And more

January 6, 2023 - On today's show we welcome special guest Phil Bak, CEO of Armada ETF  Advisors. Phil has been innovating in the ETF industry for over 15 years. He has previously served as Founder/CEO of Exponential ETFs, an ETF issuer and sub-advisor acquired by Tidal ETF Services in 2020. Phil has also served as Chief Investment Officer at Signal Advisors, a venture-backed startup in Detroit and Managing Director at the New York Stock Exchange. On the show, Phil discusses:   Characteristics of ETFs that make them a great tool for investors Some major innovations in ETFs over the past 15 years The bull case for residential real estate What is happening in the private REIT space The major risk investors face in private REITs And more

On today's show we welcome special guest, David Friedberg, Founder and CEO of The Production Board. Dave is an entrepreneur, business leader and investor who founded The Climate Corporation, which was sold to Monsanto for $1.1 billion. He now leads The Production Board, a holding company of businesses established to solve the most fundamental problems.   On the show, Dave discusses: - His early experiences in investment banking, Google, and what it was like working with Larry Page - The founding, growth and sale of his first venture, the Climate Corporation - High potential investment themes that he is focused on - Insight into one of his latest deals: Lavoro, Brazil's largest agricultural inputs retailer - And more

On today's podcast we welcome special guest, Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus. Intuitive Machines is a diversified space exploration, infrastructure, and services company. On the show, Steve discusses: -Some of his main learning experiences at NASA and what inspired him to leave to launch a startup -The current state of the space race -The potential for long-term lunar infrastructure and commerce -What he thinks is in store for space exploration over the next 50 years -And more

On today's podcast we welcome special guest, AvePoint CEO TJ Jiang. AvePoint is the largest data management solutions provider for the Microsoft cloud.  On the show, TJ discusses: His journey from new immigrant, to Wall Street, to successful entrepreneur taking his company public How he made it through the adversity when founding the company Lessons learned from taking his company public His thoughts on the current recessionary economic environment And more

On today's show we welcome special guests, Newsight Imaging CEO Eli Assoolin and VSAC CEO George Sobek. Newsight Imaging develops high-quality image sensors that can be integrated into industries such as robotics, automotive, mobile and many others. Vision Sensing Acquisition is a SPAC that is set to merge with Newsight. On the show, Eli and George discuss: -A teach-in on vision sensors and chips -Growth opportunities in semiconductors -Market conditions and whether there's a recession -Their top productivity hacks -And more  

 On today's show we welcome special guest, Social Leverage Founder Howard Lindzon. Social Leverage is a venture capital firm that specializes in early-stage and seed-stage investments in the Software, Consumer, and Fintech industries. On the show, Howard discusses: How he initially got into investing and what is appealing about early-stage investing Key lessons learned from hits hits and misses within startups, angel investing and venture capital What he thinks is in store for NFTs, crypto and web3 in the future His thoughts on the current market environment And more

On today's show we welcome special guest, Trinity Capital President Kyle Brown. Trinity Capital is a provider of venture debt financing, a smart financing option for high-growth venture capital-backed startups. On the show, Kyle discusses: -A primer on business development companies -The basics of venture loans and equipment leases -How venture debt fits into an investment portfolio -And more

On today's show, we welcome special guest Dragonfly Energy CEO Denis Phares. Dragonfly Energy is a leader in energy storage and producer of deep cycle lithium-ion storage batteries.  On the show, Denis discusses: Advantages of lithium-ion products over lead-acid batteries The outlook for lithium carbonate prices Key aspects of the business that investors should consider His favourite productivity hack And more

On today's show we welcome special guest, Delphia's Andrew Peek. Delphia runs an algorithmic investing strategy powered by machine learning.  On the show, Andrew discusses: -Predicting fundamental data using AI to drive investment alpha -Which fundamentals their algorithm trades on -How humans can incorporate machine learning into their investment process -What he finds most compelling about capital markets -And more  

On today's show we welcome special guest, Grove Collaborative CEO Stu Landesberg. Grove Collaborative is a leading sustainable consumer products company. On the podcast, Stu discusses: -How he made the jump from the buy side to entrepreneurship -The opportunity he sees in environmentally friendly home and personal care products -Struggles and successes building a new venture from scratch -His favorite productivity hack -And more

On today's show we welcome special guest Near CEO Anil Mathews. Near is a global SaaS leader in privacy-led data intelligence on people, places and products. On the show, Anil discusses: Whether entrepreneurs are born or made Characteristics that make enterprise software attractive for entrepreneurs Near's datasets and why they're useful The #1 most important attribute for an entrepreneur to have And more

On today's show we welcome special guest, Moolec Science founder and CEO Gastón Paladini. Moolec is a science-based food ingredient company that is going public through a merger with SPAC LightJump Acquisition. On the show, Gastón discusses: What is molecular farming and how did it originate How they produce meat molecules with plants Why meat alternatives are necessary His biggest challenge as an entrepreneur And more

On today's show we welcome special guests, Alliance Entertainment's Chairman Bruce Ogilvie and CEO Jeff Walker. Alliance Entertainment is a distributor and wholesaler of the world's largest in stock selection of music, movies, video games, electronics, arcades, and collectibles.   On the show, Bruce and Jeff discuss:  Insights, challenges and opportunities in the distribution business The company's roll-up strategy How Alliance competes and grows in an era of streaming Their thoughts on the current macro environment And more  

On today's podcast we welcome special guest, ClimateRock CEO Per Regnarsson. ClimateRock is a special purpose acquisition company that plans to acquire strategic renewable assets and enabling technologies with large decarbonization potential and strong financial history and prospects.  On the show, Per discusses: What specific types of opportunities the SPAC is looking at His thoughts on the current market environment The outlook for sustainable investing Key segments of the sustainability sector that investors should have on their radar And more

On today's show we welcome special guest, Getaround Founder and CEO, Sam Zaid. Getaround is the world's leading fully digital and global carsharing marketplace.  On the show, Sam discusses: His entrepreneurial journey from Ottawa to San Francisco The main benefits of carsharing for both hosts and guests What it's like being a Softbank portfolio company His favourite productivity hack And more

On today's podcast we welcome special guest, Footprint CEO Troy Swope. Footprint is a global materials science technology company focused on sustainable solutions. On the show, Troy discusses: -The innovation and improvement available in packaging solutions -How plant-based packaging solutions compare to plastic -Footprint's business model and estimated total addressable market -Insights into their merger with SPAC Gores Holdings VIII -And more

On today's show we welcome special guest, Voltus CEO Gregg Dixon. Voltus is a leading distributed energy resource software technology platform. On the podcast, Gregg discusses: -What are distributed energy resources (DERs) and why they are important -Voltus' recurring revenue business model and strong unit economics -Thoughts on the current market environment and raising a $100 million PIPE financing -Advice to entrepreneurs considering taking their company public -And more  

On today's show we welcome special guest, Rubicon Technologies Founder, Chairman and CEO Nate Morris. Rubicon is a software platform that provides smart waste and recycling solutions for businesses and governments worldwide. On the podcast, Nate discusses: How he launched Rubicon with maxed-out credit cards and a $10,000 line of credit Opportunities in the fragmented $2.1 trillion global waste and recycling industry Key lessons learned in building a $1.7 billion software company from scratch Advice for future entrepreneurs And more

On today's podcast we welcome special guest, Westrock Coffee CEO and Co-Founder, Scott Ford. Westrock Coffee is a leading integrated coffee, tea, flavors, extracts, and ingredients solutions provider. On the show, Scott discusses: How he went from asset management to the coffee industry Where the idea for Westrock Coffee came from and what problem he was looking to solve Key skills and knowledge from his experience in finance utilized as a company founder Trends in the coffee industry And more    

On today's podcast we welcome special guest, Covey founder and CEO Brooker Belcourt. Covey is an analyst-owned community created to find and reward the next top money managers. On the show, Brooker discusses: His experience as an analyst at Coatue Management and some lessons learned Key insights from working at Citadel and how multi-manager hedge funds differ A deep dive into the Covey platform and how it can generate alpha for investors His best investment idea over the next 10 years And more

On today's podcast we welcome special guest, ESGEN CEO Andrejka Bernatova. ESGEN runs a $280 million SPAC focused on accelerating the shift towards a low-carbon sustainable future. On the show, Andrejka discusses:  -How she went from coming to the US at the age of 15 alone, with no knowledge of English, carrying $100 in her pocket to later getting a job on Wall Street -How investment banking experience helped her as a CFO -Her thesis behind the shift to a low-carbon future -What is in store for the oil and gas sector -And more

On today's show we welcome Sky Technologies Executive Chairman Rani Kohen. Sky's mission is to make homes and buildings become safe-advanced and smart as the standard.   On the show, Rani discusses: The disruptive idea behind making light fixtures safe and easy How they go about getting market adoption Key insights and learnings behind their February 2022 initial public offering Main risks for investors and how they are trying to mitigate these And more

On today's podcast we welcome special guest, Meteora Capital Founder and CIO Vik Mittal. Meteora Capital is an investment firm specializing in SPAC-related instruments in both public and private companies. On the show, Vik discusses: -His path into the hedge fund world -The Twitter deal and his thoughts on merger arbitrage -What appeals to him about SPAC investing -Advice for those looking to break into the hedge fund industry -And more

On today's show we welcome veteran investor Jason Ader. Jason is the Co-Founder and CEO of SpringOwl Asset Management, an investment firm with a focus on the Real Estate, Gaming and Lodging sectors. In addition, Jason is the CEO and Chairman of SPAC 26 Capital Acquisition Corp.   On the show, Jason discusses: - His path to Wall Street, including the clever idea that led to his lucky break - How he excelled as a top-ranked sell-side analyst at Bear Stearns - The unique aspects of the Real Estate and Gaming sectors that make them attractive for investment - Shareholder activism and turnarounds - Advice for those starting out on Wall Street or those considering a career in investment management - And more

On today's show we talk about visual effects and movies with DNEG Chairman and CEO Namit Malhotra. DNEG is a high-growth, technology-enabled visual effects and animation company executing ground-breaking, award-winning work for the world's largest content creators. On the show, Namit discusses: How he got involved in the movie business The barriers to entry for blockbuster movies effects companies How DNEG won 7 Oscars for visual effects in movies DNEG as the only pure-play publicly-traded visual effects and animation company And more  

On today's show we chat about beauty industry investing with Waldencast CEO Michel Brousset. Waldencast is building a global best-in-class beauty and wellness operating platform by creating, nurturing, and scaling conscious, purpose-driven brands. On the show, Michel discusses: -Key investment characteristics of the beauty industry including its recession-resistant nature -Their thesis behind the acquisitions of Milk Makeup and Obagi -The importance of ESG considerations for beauty brand consumers -How social media and eCommerce transformed the industry -And more

On today's special episode of the podcast, we welcome the SpacGuru, Jeff from SpacWarrants and Jeremy Tarica of Forest Road talking about the state of the market. The discussion touches on: -Current economic and market conditions -Expected liquidations and the effect on SPAC warrants -Sector rotation and what we expect from mergers -The future of the SPAC asset class -And more

On today's podcast we have Blackstone Products CEO Roger Dahle. Blackstone Products is a design-driven company that is redefining the outdoor cooking experience with griddle cooking appliances and accessories. On the show, Roger discusses: -How he invented the home griddle and created Blackstone Products -Why griddling is becoming so popular -How they utilize social media and original content to drive brand awareness -His favorite thing to cook on the griddle -And more

On today's podcast we talk about travel marketplaces with Mondee CEO Prasad Gundumogula. Mondee is a technology-first travel marketplace with a portfolio of globally recognized brands in the leisure, retail and corporate travel sectors. On the show, Prasad discusses: -Mondee's role as a travel market disruptor and next generation marketplace -Why he thinks the travel market is recovering on a sustained basis -Some recent trends occurring in the travel market -The company's approach to M&A and its recent SPAC merger -And more    

On today's podcast we chat with Wag CEO, Garrett Smallwood. Wag is an American pet services marketplace company powering a mobile-first technology platform that enables on-demand and scheduled dog walking, training, and other pet care services.   On the show, Garrett discusses: -What Wag does and why dog owners should download the app -Wag's path to future profitability -Going public and future growth plans -The best dog breed to own -And more!

On today's podcast we talk cybersecurity with the ZeroFox CEO James Foster. ZeroFox is an enterprise software-as-a-service leader in external cybersecurity. On the show, Foster discusses: -What is so exciting about cybersecurity -The most important trends in cybersecurity that investors should learn more about -Details on the pending acquisition of IDX, a leading digital privacy protection and data -breach response services company -Key factors driving the company's forecast 30% revenue CAGR -And more  

On today's podcast we welcome special guest, D-Wave CEO Alan Baratz. D-Wave is a leader in quantum computing systems, software, and services. On the show, Alan discusses: -What is quantum computing and why it is important -Some of the major technological breakthroughs in quantum computing -The technology's potential effect on cryptography and cryptocurrency -An overview of the market opportunity and competitive environment -And more

On today's podcast we welcome special guests, Transfix CEO Lily Shen and CFO Christian Lee . Transfix is a leading digital freight platform where they use technology, machine learning, and AI to dynamically match thousands of freight transactions between shippers and carriers. On the show, Lily and Christian discuss: -The opportunity in freight logistics due to extreme inefficiencies -Issues affecting supply chains right now -Why the company is going public -Their thoughts on current market conditions -And more

On today's podcast we welcome special guest, Satellogic CEO Emiliano Kargieman. Satellogic is a leader in high-resolution satellite data collection. On the show, Emiliano discusses: -The market opportunity for satellite imaging -How the company is making Earth Observation imagery accessible and affordable -How Satellogic's Earth Observation data is helping the Ukrainian people -His advice on finding success as an entrepreneur -And more  

On today's show we welcome the team from Andretti Acquisition: Michael Andretti, Bill Sandbrook and Matt Brown. Andretti Acquisition is a special purpose acquisition company focused on the automotive industry. On the show, they discuss: - Michael's career in racing and his transition to business - Andretti's due diligence process and approach to potential deals - The automotive industry and which segments are attractive for investment - Their thoughts on the current market environment - And more

On today's podcast we welcome special guest, Allego CEO Mathieu Bonnet. Allego owns a pan-European electric vehicle charging network.  On the show, Mathieu discusses: -The European EV market and its 46% expected growth rate -The future of ultra-fast charging -How Allego expects to generate 30% IRRs from its owned sites -What it was like working with private equity firm Apollo on Allego's going-public transaction -And more

On today's podcast we welcome special guests, Eve co-CEOs, Jerry DeMuro and Andre Stein. Eve is a recent corporate carve-out from Brazilian multinational aerospace manufacturer Embraer and a leader in the development of next-generation Urban Air Mobility.   On the show, Jerry and Andre discuss: -Flying cars - Eve's next-generation Urban Air Mobility solutions -The corporate carve-out and going-public transaction -How Eve differs from competitors in the eVTOL space -The potential $760 billion market they are pursuing -And more