George Barrios

Value creation is the name of the game. On the Financial Innovations Podcast hosted by Daniel Villani, James Williams, Co-Founder of Next Level Financial, reveals how a CFO should be a value creator, not just a number cruncher. James is redefining the role, emphasizing the importance of capital allocation and value creation. Don't miss this episode for real business growth here https://lnkd.in/e_icHE5y #CFOInsights #CFORedefined #ValueCreation #StrategicFinance #BusinessGrowth #StrategicFinance

2

“𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐅𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐱 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐈𝐑𝐀 𝐨𝐫 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧?” By Camden Miracle, SFA Director of Financial Planning For many investors in their golden years, proper tax management strategies become crucial when the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) age is reached. Based on current IRS mandates, when an individual who holds a traditional IRA, 401(k), 403(b), etc... reaches the age of 73, they are required to take annual distributions from these accounts. This distribution is a taxable event. Basically, the tax code is forcing a taxable event to occur – even if you don’t want or need to distribute! While there are many effective tax management strategies, one technique to mitigate the tax burden surrounding an RMD is to utilize a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). Essentially, a donation to a qualified 501(c)(3) organization from your RMD-mandated account satisfies a portion or all of your RMD without forcing you to pay any income tax on this distribution. This means the organization you support gets more of your money! In 2024 up to a maximum of $100,000 of your annual RMD can be donated to a qualified charity, allowing you to bypass this potential tax event. This is a highly effective strategy for investors with a charitable focus! For example, donating appreciated securities to your qualifying church or charity provides the charity an equal dollar amount of benefit as writing a check would. But, if you give appreciated stock instead of cash, you not only receive a tax deduction for the full market value of the stock and satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution amount, but you also avoid capital gains tax on the appreciated stock! The charity takes ownership of the stock, bond, etc.... and sells it. Donating in this manner means you are giving the same exact value and receiving the same tax deduction, but you have eliminated paying the IRS up to a maximum of 20% for capital gains tax (long-term holdings) or up to 37% capital gains tax (short-term holdings) that you would have paid had you sold the security and donated cash instead. That’s powerful in reducing your taxes! ++++ For regular market insights, tips, and important retirement planning information, follow us right here and join our email list at: https://loom.ly/T5bkz28 ++++ Spectrum Financial Alliance utilizes a concentrated and predictive investment style that attempts to put our clients' money in front of events that our firm's analysis shows are highly probable. Choose how we can best work for you: • Call or text our office at 859-223-6333 • Click here https://loom.ly/5Gkhkuo to schedule a convenient time for us to call you! • Click here https://loom.ly/NJKs_QQ for our brief connect form • Click here https://loom.ly/TLCmtq4 to browse our website to learn more See the full list of disclosures at bit.ly/3ImVwjZ

4

Unlock the potential of the Lower Middle Market! 📈 Discover how executives can tap into the LMM to drive value creation, increase cash flow, and secure lucrative roles in private equity. Our latest guide, "Unlocking Value in the Lower Middle Market: A Numbers-Based Playbook for Executives," offers actionable insights and strategies to excel in this dynamic space. Don’t miss the opportunity to monetize your expertise and create new streams of income! 💼 Discover more about Blackmore Partners: https://buff.ly/42iNmB3 📅 Have questions? Schedule a meeting with our Director Chris Melton: https://buff.ly/46DZD46 #PrivateEquity #ValueCreation #LowerMiddleMarket #ExecutiveRoles #BlackmorePartners

3

Explore the world of high finance gone wrong with the film adaptation of "The Big Short"! 🎬 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll be in star-studded company with the likes of Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt, as they navigate the build-up to the 2007-2008 financial crisis. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This sharply critical film vividly illustrates how fraudulent activity in finance and a disregard for risk analysis can lead to global economic disaster. 🌍 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Most importantly, it presents complex concepts such as mortgage-backed securities and subprime loans in a simple, accessible way. Perfect for those interested in finance, analysis, or economics. 💡 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #TheBigShort #FinanceExplained #MustWatch #EconomicCrisis #MovieNight #LearnFinance

12

1 Comment

Bob Aber passed away. He was former General Counsel of Nasdaq and headed the Strategic Initiatives Group for the Corporate Client Division (listed companies). There was no better friend or public servant. I loved Bob. He was such an asset to us at Nasdaq. He and I worked through the aftermath of June 30 Triple Witching debacle when developers accidentally launched software into the live market instead of their sandbox. I was flying back to New York from San Francisco. I had an empty voice mail box when I took off. A full one when I landed. The errant software had kicked Nasdaq market makers out of the market. All that was left was electronic trading. Our listed companies had their shares trade up and down dramatically off market in price. We quickly learned what a big problem it was for issuers: Stock option plans were priced off the June 30 close. Stocks had closed up or down 6 points diluting the founders (down) or depriving employees of the benefit of the bargain by overpricing the plan. Bob's encyclopedic knowledge of the rules was indispensable and we called every one of the Nasdaq-100 affected companies to practice damage control and educate them about what we could and could not do due to SEC rules. There was no one better to be in the trenches calling our Nasdaq-listed companies and he did it all the way through late the 4th of July Eve picking up listed companies on the West Coast into the night. We were the very last people in the office. The building was empty as everyone else was long departed to celebrate the holiday. Exceptionally intelligent. Exceptionally knowledgable. Hard working. A resource. Nasdaq through and through. https://lnkd.in/e-g7gU7b

79

26 Comments

📚Join our Lunch & Book Talk with Ruth Shaber, MD, Co-author of The XX Edge ⏱ When: September 17th from 12-2pm ET 📍Where: Trillium Asset Management, 1 Congress Street, Ste 3101, Boston, MA 🎟 Register to attend here: https://lnkd.in/ef_3v2pi Join Dr. Ruth Shaber, an inspirational philanthropist and change-maker, to discuss her journey from physician to change-maker and her book, The XX Edge. The XX Edge highlights how beneficial it is when women are involved in financial decision-making. “What most investors don't realize is that when more women are involved in financial decision-making across all entities that make financial decisions (including governments, private and public companies, investment funds, real estate development, and individual households), money is managed more efficiently and effectively, investments are more profitable, and companies and governments make better decisions that benefit individual investors and, ultimately, the overall economy.”  —The XX Edge We encourage you to read The XX Edge in advance of the event to get the most out of the discussion, but it is not required to attend; we promise you will find  the community and discussion inspiring either way! #womeninleadership #financialinclusion #investing #impactinvesting #genderequity #boston #socialimpact #diversityandinclusion

3

5 Comments

John Andrews, Head of Capital Markets and Investor Relations at Circle, sits down with Nasdaq's Kristina Ayanian to discuss his three decades of experience on Wall Street and Circle's path towards the public markets. Watch more: https://lnkd.in/g4K8XwHW

2

With news of HPS Investment Partners, LLC discussing a prospective IPO, which alternative asset managers are next in line to cross the chasm to public markets? In this week's Alt Goes Mainstream AGM Alts Weekly, I highlight some of the attributes that indicate that an alternative asset manager could be on the path to a public offering and share a list of some that could go public. Silver Lake Vista Equity Partners Clearlake Capital Group General Atlantic Warburg Pincus LLC Ardian Bain Capital HarbourVest Partners Hellman & Friedman Thoma Bravo Advent International Insight Partners Clayton Dubilier & Rice Who is next in line for an IPO? Read this week's AGM Weekly brought to you by Intapp (Intapp DealCloud ) for thoughts on how firms can go public: https://lnkd.in/eVrveeEt

4

💥 Highly Recommended Post: Great post about VC. The biggest question is in my opinion, why are 90% of VC’s still necessary in the age of decentralised money and AI? I truly do not understand why LP’s and Family Offices can not create investment efficiency by direct investment into startups themselves. I understand it had to work this way initially with the VC middle man, but times change. VC’s just make the process of funding long and boring with fees etc and their own internal business model to justify ROI. It’s a different world now and most VC’s are dinosaurs 🦕 like a lot of jobs are dinosaurs because of AI and WFH etc. Our world has changed and startups can raise and scale in numerous ways without the VC stress and bubble they help create for themselves 🤓 Morpheus thinks 🌿 🌿 Learn a lot about 4IRGPT .com knowledge trading for your professional benefit, creativity, productivity, business or organisation through Perplexity AI. Click here to see why: https://lnkd.in/dY5MmsGh 🪴💥 Watch 💯 uninterrupted 15,000+ videos of intelligence in tech, finance & geopolitics. Keep yourself and family super smart and way ahead of the herd. Click here: https://lnkd.in/dHJ8i_Q5

1

If 30-50% of venture firms disappear... What will it take for emerging managers to survive and thrive? Read more about the growing consolidation in VC and the challenges for EMs to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive landscape dominated by larger firms from QED Investors' Frank Rotman. #VC #OpenLP #EmergingManagers

1

Our latest Chart of the Month highlights how IEX’s enhancements to displayed liquidity are making an impact. We’ve doubled our time at the NBBO in the Russell 3000, ranking 3rd among exchanges, while maintaining one of the most competitive pricing structures for liquidity takers. Take a closer look at how we’re growing in Sam Stevens latest blog.

6

“Vision without execution is hallucination” — Thomas Edison Class 4 of our “mergers and acquisitions” elective at Imperial College Business School focused on mergers. The opening quote is referenced by Steve Case, AOL co-founder, at the end of the video below ⬇️ In the clip, from 2010, he recounts the AOL | Time Warner merger announced ten years earlier, a deal often described (his words) as the “worst merger in history”. In retrospect the deal’s vision wasn’t illegitimate. In certain aspects it was possibly even prescient. Remember it was the year 2000: the best selling phone was Nokia’s 3310, U2 was releasing “Beautiful Day”, Russell Crowe was a Roman General turned “Gladiator”, Tom Hanks was “Cast Away” on a deserted island and (for fellow tennis fans 🎾) Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner were not yet born. Quoting from commentaries at the time, the deal’s ambition was to “…make the internet as central to people’s lives as the telephone and television, and even more valuable”. The “strategic combination with AOL” was to “accelerate Time Warner’s digital transformation by giving [its] creative and content businesses the widest possible canvas” to “create unprecedented and instantaneous access to every form of media” and “provide companies worldwide with a convenient one-stop way to put advertising and commerce online.” So what went wrong? According to Case, timing was of course a factor. With hindsight, timing could have hardly been worse. “A perfect storm”. The deal was announced on 10 Jan 2000. 8 weeks later, the Nasdaq composite index peaked. And as the “dot-com” bubble burst, the Nasdaq index eventually declined by ca. 80% to its trough of early Oct 2000. The economy went into recession and the so important (for the new combined firm) advertising revenues collapsed. But to Case’s own admission timing only accounted for part of the merger’s failure. So what else? He says “People, Passion and Perseverance” (or lack thereof) “Cultural clashes…people focusing on the wrong things… on their own issues… not really [focusing] on innovation… anger/resentment for having done the deal at the peak of the internet values… a lot of what drove AOL in the 90s was lost… the more creative people went… [they] became more corporate”. All red flags of incompatible corporate cultures. Yet possibly the most telling sign, in the final portion of the clip, is the “othering” language he repeatedly uses: “we, we, we.” vs. “they, them, their.” A cautionary tale for boards and management teams considering material business combinations — Detailed and thoughtful merger integration planning is not only desirable, it is an absolute necessity. Vision without (proper) execution really can be hallucination. Imperial College London #imperialcollegelondon #imperialmeansbusiness #corporatefinance #mergersandacquisitions #financeeducation #masterinfinance #mergers

51

Too many small and mid-sized businesses struggle with capital constraints out of fear and misunderstanding. Sourcing the capital required to remove those constraints is key to unlocking the value creation potential of these companies. https://lnkd.in/gRYTKEmN #smallbusiness #businesstransformation

10

💡Milken Global Conference 2024: Key takeaways for institutional allocators Hershel Harper, CIO, UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust: "It's all about manager selection for us: how they govern and manage risks. We view it as an active engagement process to really understand how the [portfolio] companies and their boards & executives are integrating ESG and thinking about a broader set of risks. Boards need to hold CEOs accountable. " Derek Rozycki, Head of Responsible Investing, Mubadala: "We were formed as a development company in Abu Dhabi and these [ESG] issues, i.e., environment, how you’re treating your workforce, how you’re working with your communities, etc., are fundamental to the success of our investments. Private markets are more responsive to ESG integration vs. public markets." Andrew Siwo, Head of Sustainable Investments, NEW YORK STATE COMMON RETIREMENT FUND "We don’t have another planetary option. And that’s not going to go away, whether you like the term "ESG" or not." Carine Smith Ihenacho, CCO, Norges Bank Investment Management "Need investors who can really think long term and can sit through a transition. Maybe there’s a lack of patience from institutional investors. Companies, supply chains, and energy systems need time to change. Institutional investors have to think about how they are supporting companies through this transition." Rossitsa Stoyanova, CIO, Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO) "We look at sustainable investing across our portfolio. We customize ESG for the company vs. standardizing across industries, e.g., for data centers, think about how to (eventually) use renewable power." Bruce Flatt, CEO, Brookfield Asset Management "There is an investment boom going on globally that is going to contribute to an enormous amount of wealth creation and industrial growth around the world. The money that’s getting invested into the [energy] transition of the global economy and getting carbon out of the system is $10s, if not $100s of trillions. The digitization of everything, and AI is only the newest portion of it, between fiber, towers, data centers and the rewiring of the economy. And all that is productive."

14

1 Comment

Investor audiences often have a limited attention span for company presentations. Learn how to improve your investor presentations and execute successful virtual investor days in #NIRI’s Two-Part Masterclass on Compelling Investor Presentations and Investor Days. Register today https://lnkd.in/g4F94xMx)

2

1 Comment

As access becomes table stakes in private markets, there’s also a trend of increasing customization and personalization. iCapital is in the middle of a lot of these trends so it was great to hear Lawrence Calcano’s perspective on how to meet the client where they are on the latest Monthly Alts Pulse. Alt Goes Mainstream

41

Massachusetts continues to lead in emerging tech trends, with significant advantages like advancements in AI and machine learning, enhanced productivity, clean energy momentum, and sustainable practices. However, challenges such as industry transformation, high competition, significant investment requirements, and regulatory hurdles remain. Balancing these pros and cons will be key to sustaining Massachusetts’ position as a global innovation hub. How do you think the state can address these challenges while capitalizing on its strengths?

6

Want to know more about private equity seeding/investing in emerging managers? Check out our podcast featuring Daniel Pogue, CFA & Peter Birk, CFA, CAIA, Vice Presidents of Moelis Asset Management’s Catalyst Partners. Listen here: https://okt.to/A1CNcU #podcast #seeding #privateequity #investing

21