I hate to see a talented manager become a hostage to fortune.
Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) August 17, 2013
David Benway, Founder and CEO of College Lake and a 20-year veteran of Wall Street, foresees an enormous new opportunity for fund managers to grow their businesses. “The relaxing [last month] of restrictions on solicitation and a rapidly expanding digital media platform are colliding to form an explosive marketing channel,” notes Benway. Under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, fund offerings organized under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933 (as amended) will no longer be precluded from advertising to the public at large, provided investment managers are willing to comply with new investor qualification requirements and other procedures.
One notable benefit is likely to be the introduction of a new crop of ‘thought leaders’ amid mainstream financial discourse. “In the last several years, the news on hedge funds and private equity firms has typically been filed under fraud, failure and greed,” remarks Benway. “Bringing fresh research insights, winning performance, innovative strategy and economic interpretation into everyday financial dialogue will provide valuable education as well as showcase intelligent side of the industry.”
The opportunity for funds to advertise themselves could not have come at a better time. Most hedge fund strategies (broadly) are under-performing the market in 2013, increasing pressure on managers. College Lake believes the historic restrictions on marketing have de-emphasized the relationship management aspect of most alternative investment firms. Rather than the client-focused theme embraced by traditional money managers, funds have opted for investment-focus; therein relying on performance to maintain the health of the relationship. “I hate to see a talented manager become a hostage to fortune,” notes Benway.
In almost every case, the initial focus is the marketing presentation or ‘deck’, as it has come to be known. “Most marketing presentations are far too long, contain too many cliché diagrams and don’t follow an investor’s thought process,” remarks Benway. “This critical piece of material is a first date in a very long courtship and sets the tone for the diligence process.” College Lake offers all of their prospective clients a free, quick evaluation of their marketing presentation.
College Lake works closely with emerging managers as well as the more established industry players. “I look forward to working with the capital introduction teams and the new managers they are bringing along,” notes Benway. “These guys look really sharp to their audience when they present a polished, talented firm to their clients.”
About College Lake Advisors:
College Lake was founded in 2012 to work exclusively with alternative investment managers to grow assets under management and deliver world-class client service. Located in Greater Philadelphia, the firm supports all aspects of business development from marketing and brand building to investor communication and data management. Offering a la carte services as well as comprehensive programs, College Lake Advisors is a trusted resource to hedge fund, private equity, venture capital and real estate investment managers, globally. Send your marketing presentation to College Lake Advisors for some free, no-obligation quick feedback. Visit their website at http://www.collegelake.com/. You can also follow them on Facebook, Linked-In, Twitter at @CollegeLake and other social media.