Dare to Dream and Make It Happen
Over the past few months, I’ve been sharing a series of articles on the topic of leadership (inspired by an episode of the Clockwork CIO Podcast with James Williams (Episode 13) that I was fortunate to be a guest on earlier this year). As the past year and this series has come to a close, I wanted to mention one final piece on a principle that has fueled both my personal growth and our firm’s journey: the importance of setting a bold vision and relentlessly pursuing it. To lead is not simply to manage; it’s to dare, inspire, and sometimes to challenge the status quo—even when that path feels uncertain. I hope my experiences here can offer you fresh insights and encouragement on your own leadership path.
“A man’s worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions.” — Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor, 161–180 AD
One of the most crucial roles of a business leader is to set a vision that’s bold and inspiring. If you’re not daring to aim high, then frankly, you’re wasting time. No successful leader wakes up each day aiming to be average. Of course, presenting a new vision often brings uncertainty—people may feel uneasy. Recognizing this is part of good leadership. It’s our job to be transparent, communicate clearly and consistently, and let our teams know: “We may not have every turn mapped out, but we know the direction, and here’s how we’ll get there together.”
Take Time to Self-Regulate
The day-to-day demands of running a company can be relentless but finding “white space” to think is non-negotiable. Setting a vision and executing it isn’t a one-and-done process. What does success look like for any one of us? Where can we make the greatest impact as leaders? And how do our actions align with this bigger picture? A big vision without tactical steps is like setting off on a journey with no map. As the CEO of a growing private equity firm, I strive to balance leading from the front yet allowing others to take the reins. Most of my time is spent on high-level strategy, but there are moments where rolling up my sleeves is the only way forward.
Marcus Aurelius wrote his famous “Meditations” during his military campaigns. He managed to find time for self-reflection despite enormous responsibilities. Now, I’m no philosopher, but I’ve kept journals and notes for years, and I find myself looking back on them often. Taking a step back, reflecting, and even jotting down ideas has been invaluable to me.
“Dreams, indeed, are ambition; for the very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream.” — William Shakespeare
To tap into my ambitions, I carve out time away from interruptions. Sometimes I retreat to a quiet conference room or head to a nearby library when I’m working from h’ome. For some leaders, it may mean taking a walk, going for a ride, or hitting the gym. The point is to find what lets you think clearly and commit to it.
When I’m in the office, my door is always open. Sure, it means I get interrupted now and then, but I never want people to hesitate to come by. An open door sends a message that their input matters, and I don’t want to miss the ideas that might come from casual or ad hoc conversations.
Looking to the Future
Right now, my focus is on advancing our firm’s four-stage growth strategy. We’re about halfway there, and the next steps are crucial. Some leaders prefer slow, incremental progress, but I think about it like a chess game: anticipating several moves ahead. When we reach stage four, our goal is to provide investors with not only our managed products but also a trusted platform for broader investment opportunities. Until recently, I’ve mostly given the company a glimpse of what this will look like, but with our internal annual kickoff meeting this past month, I gave a more in-depth view with all of our team members to make sure we’re all clear on the goals of the firm and continue to row in the same direction in the new year.
“People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.” — Andrew Carnegie
The Power of ‘What If…’
To me, Jeff Bezos exemplifies visionary leadership. He didn’t just create an online bookstore—he built a company based on a relentless focus on customers. Amazonization showed what can be built by starting with the customer and working backward and through this, he prioritized long-term growth over short-term wins. What I admire most about him was his relentless “client obsession.” The client and their needs drove everything Amazon did. This is the kind of drive I aim to bring to every organization I work with.
Differentiation will always have a place in asset management due to the varying preferences, needs and perspectives of investors who are ultimately more concerned with value than with the lowest price.
This is why platforms will be so critical in the industry going forward. By lowering the barriers to entry and offering easy access to investors alongside innovative tools, liquidity and transparency, emerging Amazons of financial services will ultimately improve the investing experience for both individuals and institutions.
I’m naturally curious, always wondering, “What if we did things differently?”. At one of my previous firms, I pushed to deliver services ahead of the market’s expectations. As a leader, believing in a vision before it’s fully realized takes confidence, courage and humility, but it’s necessary. Mistakes and course corrections are part of the journey, but that’s no reason to hold back.
When I joined PPR, I quickly saw the potential to innovate by offering accredited investors differentiated real estate-backed opportunities. The co-founders built a great firm based on key and a specialized skill set, but together we asked, “What if we could take this even further?” Brainstorming with a team on the “what ifs” is incredibly powerful. Challenges and skepticism will always be part of the equation – and indeed, encouraged – but each roadblock just means we’ve discovered a way not to proceed. Until someone proves it’s truly impossible, I’m going to keep asking, “What if?”
A big part of my job is to inspire others to see the future with the same clarity I do. That’s what motivates me every morning. We get to turn visions into reality, and that’s a rare and exciting privilege. I look forward to filling more notebooks with ideas as we set and accomplish our goals for 2025 and beyond.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading these articles and being a part of our journey. Together, we can make a “what if” into a reality.
