Know Your Audience—The Chauvinist

Incredibly, this is a true story told by a managing director for a hedge fund of funds. A salesman met with this woman and her associate, also a woman and a partner in the firm, with the goal of piquing their interest in a new fund. After shaking hands, these women...

Does the Presentation Book Matter?

Why the book plays a critical role in building assets The book should be: A framework to guide consistent delivery of your firm’s story A series of clear exhibits with the capacity to ignite intellectual understanding A body of evidence—other than performance...

The Deciding Vote

At a recent finals presentation, two investment firms presented to the board. The board cast seven votes, with three choosing one firm and three choosing the other based on the in-person presentation. The tie-breaker? A decision based solely on the book—by a board...

You Can Judge a Book by Its Cover

A friend recently told us this story: We had a big final presentation—a sizable mandate for a foundation. We worked hard to prepare, and I thought we did a pretty good job. To my surprise, on the plane back home, I happened to be seated next to a key decision-maker,...