According to the national census, there are 16.2 million veterans in the U. S., with over 4 million under the age of 55 years old. Many come back from deployment with a whole life ahead of them, and savings ripe for investment. So where does this new life begin? Our guests today will show you the way.
In honor of Veterans Day, this week, we welcome
LDR Growth Partners to the podcast. This veteran-founded, people-focused investment firm was built from the ground up over the last decade. Today, we learn from those who made LDR’s success: Rich Sexton and Will Brame. Rich co-founded the firm in 2013, with two fellow veterans, after seven years of service overseas as an Airborne Ranger and an Infantry Officer. Meanwhile, Will’s background is in finance; he worked at JP Morgan for over a decade, before joining LDR as a partner in 2015.
In this episode, Rich and Will give us a lesson in business ownership. They look back on the early days of LDR and its inception in Casper, Wyoming, to reveal how they found their space in the market. With touching authenticity, they discuss their passion for family-owned businesses. They show us how they collaborate with the companies they acquire, and bring their focus on people, first and foremost. And you will hear it at every turn: military leadership continues to inform their business philosophy today.
So join Patrick, Rich and Will on the front line, for a story of grit that will leave you inspired!
Highlights:
- Rich’s story of grit: the origins of LDR Growth Partners (1:56)
- The deal that put LDR on the map (3:37)
- Finding a competitive edge between Casper and New York (5:48)
- Will’s story of grit: from the trading floor to private equity (7:15)
- Finding a niche with family-owned business (9:49)
- Every Partner plays their part (11:36)
- Why carrying a legacy is important (13:48)
- Understanding who you are working with (15:05)
- The untapped potential of manufacturing companies (18:08)
- Military leadership as a business philosophy (20:36)
- A roadmap to internal restructuring (23:28)
- How to bring in new leadership (25:09)
- “No plan survives first contact” (26:06)
- Collaboration at the heart of LDR (28:11)
Links:
If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, Natalie.Barron@cadencebank.com, Eydie.Pengelly@cadencebank.com, or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.
What is In Good Companies?
Starting and running a business or managing one isn’t for the faint of heart. You’re balancing internal and external forces in a continually changing landscape. You’re building strategies, and banking on the future – no matter what it holds. This is where Cadence Bank’s In Good Companies comes in. We share our wealth of knowledge, and insights from noted industry experts, to guide you through the forces shaping business today.
We’re back for Season 6, and this time, we’re setting our sights on the future of work. We’re asking the big questions, like:
What will your career look like in 2030? Or 2050, even?
How is ESG shaping the future of companies?
And how can we leverage AI to our advantage?
We bring together experts from across the board, from Silicon Valley to multinationals like EY, to help you stay on the cutting edge of business. And we get to know those who are building the future of our companies; because at Cadence Bank, we want to hear the human side of every success story.
Hosting our stellar range of guests this season is our new host, Ari Marin. He is a Cadence Bank Senior Vice President and family enterprise advisor, whose specialty is consulting with family-owned and small businesses. Ari’s idea of “good company” is being around creative, insightful people with unique and inspirational stories. For Season 6, he brings in his curiosity and ambition to In Good Companies, to lead discussions with our guests, and bring listeners across the U.S. all the information they need, in one place, in under 30 minutes.
Ready to launch into the future? Then join us!