5:00pm – 5:05pm       Opening Remarks & Speaker Introduction 

Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee 

5:05pm – 5:40pm       Positioning Your Firm to Win in a Competitive Environment 

Session Description: In the crowded and competitive field of fundraising, it is critical to hone your messaging, define your brand and clearly articulate your competitive advantage. In this session, you will hear from leading experts on how to effectively differentiate your strategy and learn how to attract potential LPs' attention. You will also discover how to pitch to different investor types and how to most effectively tell your story to investors who hear pitches all day, every day. 

Speakers: Hussein Khalifa, Partner, MVision Private Equity Advisers 

What is your “edge”? 

• Key Differentiators 

• Building Your Story: Team, Market Opportunity, Investment Strategy, and Track Record 

• The Role of Friends & Family 

• Engaging your Initial Limited Partners 

5:40pm – 6:15pm       Crafting Your Brand: How You Stand Out in a Crowded Marketplace 

Session Description: When launching a new firm, it is crucial that your marketing materials pass institutional muster. With one chance to make a first impression, your messaging must be concise, consistent and appropriate for your target LPs. Your design and materials should also look professional. Participants will hear from an industry expert on how to ensure consistency in messaging and design across your marketing materials. 

Speaker: Susan Kirshner, Founder, Words Plus Numbers, LLC   

• Firm and Fund Marketing Materials: Pitch Book, Fact Sheet and Website 

6:15pm – 6:20pm       Virtual Break (3 min) & Next Panel Introduction (2 min) 

6:20pm – 7:00pm       Been There, Done That: Perspectives from Successful Founders 

Session Description: Lessons learned the hard way, including the real cost of launching and operating an institutional-grade firm, how long it will actually take to raise the capital, the realities of no longer being a part of a much larger entity (with all of the resources and infrastructure it afforded you) are all covered in this session. NAIC member firms will share some of the harsh realities of being an entrepreneur and raising a fund in the ever-increasingly competitive universe of alternative investments. 

Moderator: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee 

Speakers: 

• Avinash Amin, MD, Managing Partner, Madryn Asset Management 

• Daniel Santamarina, Managing Partner, Dux Capital 

• Ryan Williams, Founder and CEO, Cadre 

• Sherrese Clarke-Soares, Founder & CEO, HarbourView Equity 

7:00pm – 7:05pm          Session #3 Closing Remarks 

Speaker: Carmen Ortiz-McGhee 

7:05pm                              Session #3 Ends 

7:05pm – 7:35pm          Cohort Post-Session Networking (Optional)