The Investors First Podcast

In today's episode, we welcome Don Wordell, CFA, Chief Investment Officer of Ceredex Value Advisors, an institutional asset manager specializing in value-oriented domestic small, mid and large cap equity strategies. Don has been with the firm since 1996, starting with Ceredex's predecessor firm as a research analyst covering value equity strategies. He became portfolio manager of the Mid-Cap Value Equity strategy in 2001 and portfolio manager of the Small Cap Value Equity strategy in 2023. Don earned a B.S. in finance and an M.B.A from the University of Central Florida. He has been a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charterholder since 2004. In our conversation, Don discusses his transition into the CIO role, Ceredex's investment philosophy, and why valuation alone is never enough to make a stock attractive. We explore the changing small-cap landscape, the impact of private equity on public markets, and why active management remains critical in less efficient areas of the market. A major focus of the discussion is the emergence of the "Physical Economy." While much of the market remains focused on software and mega-cap technology companies, Don argues that many of the most compelling AI-related opportunities may be found in the power, infrastructure, manufacturing, cooling, and data center ecosystems required to support AI's growth. Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Co-Managing Principal, 55 North Private Wealth) and Jeff Goll, CFA (Head of Capital Markets, Hillpointe) Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on LinkedIn or at InvestorsFirstPodcast.com. Show Notes:
Whitepaper: Finding Value in the Physical Economy: https://www.ceredexvalue.com/articles/finding-value-in-the-physical-economy
Ceredex Value Advisors: https://www.ceredexvalue.com

In today's episode, we sit down with Ari Rubin, Founder & CEO of Flock Homes, for a deep dive into tax‑efficient exits for residential real estate through 721 exchanges into the Flock Homes fund.

Ari was born in Brooklyn, Harvard undergrad, served in the Israeli military, and attended (then left, like many successful entrepreneurs in the Bay area) Stanford University to build Flock full‑time. Based on his background and our offline conversations, it sounds like he is just getting started with some big ideas.

Today's discussion frames the core problem facing mom‑and‑pop landlords: concentrated property holdings, large, unrealized gains, depreciation recapture, deferred maintenance, and the desire to stop active land lording. Ari explains why many landlords underestimate true yield and why operational burden—not diversification—is the real pain point.

We then explore how Flock Homes works: asset scope, intake process, valuation, fees, liquidity, leverage, and quarterly cash flows. Ari compares Flock's structure to Delaware Statutory Trusts, outlines return expectations. The conversation also covers resident continuity, operations across ~20 markets, impact on vacant homes, and Flock's culture of stewardship. We also cover regulatory updates, policy discussions, and Flock's long‑term roadmap to expand its exchange‑based partnership model into other fragmented asset classes.

Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Co-Managing Principal, 55 North Private Wealth) & Pedro Bernal, CFA (Managing Director at Foursquare Foundation, and an Advisory Board Member with Flock Homes)

Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com.

Show Notes
Flock Homes – flockhomes.com
721 Exchange Overview – IRS partnership rules
Residential Real Estate Benchmarks – HouseCanary, Zillow, Case‑Shiller context

In today's episode, we welcome the PE Guy, whose real name is Johnny Hilbrant Partridge. The PE Guy character was started in early 2025 after capitulating from years of ridiculous travel and lifestyle stories from folks in finance, but particularly, private equity. He is certainly making his rounds in the CFA community, and we quickly realized he would be a great guest on our podcast (due to his role in PE, Private Equity, as the PE Guy often says in his skits).
We cover Johnny's start with the Ellen DeGeneres show, then his sudden fame as a Soul Cycle Instructor, and then becoming a content creator. We discuss why he picks on private professionals more than any other position in finance, how he strikes the balance between making the PE Guy unlikeable yet charismatic, and a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into the PE Guy. We then dive into social media influencer platforms and how he manages each of them. We also talk about how financial firms should pay attention to unique content, instead of traditional advertising.
Last, and certainly not least, the PE Guy makes a brief appearance in character, asking him where he summers, to his thoughts on the best golf courses in Florida, to where he stations his yacht in the Mediterranean, and much more.
Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Co-Managing Principal, 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host Chris Cannon, CFA(CIO/Principal, FirsTrust).
 
Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com
 
Show Notes:
Due To My Role Podcast – Apple/Spotify
Follow PE Guy: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook

In today's episode, we welcome back Mike Pyle of BlackRock. Mike is a senior leader within BlackRock and a key member of the BlackRock Investment Institute (BII), where he helps shape the firm's global macro views and portfolio construction frameworks. Mike has a law degree from Yale and a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth.

Mike brings a unique perspective to markets, having served in the Obama White House before joining BlackRock as their Global Chief Investment Strategist, followed by another stint at the White House with the Biden-Harris Administration and back to BlackRock in 2024. While in government, he worked closely on economic policy at the highest levels and completed much of the CFA Program during his first turn at the White House.

In this conversation, we revisit Mike's journey, explore how BlackRock is thinking about today's evolving macro regime, and discuss the BlackRock Investment Institute before pivoting to portfolio construction in a world where stock-bond diversification is less reliable. We also dive into the growing role of hedge funds and alternatives as investors navigate higher volatility, geopolitical fragmentation, and structurally higher rates.

Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Co-Managing Principal, 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host Chris Cannon, CFA(CIO/Principal, FirsTrust).
Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com

Show Notes:

BlackRock – BlackRock.com
BlackRock Investment Institute - https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/insights/blackrock-investment-institute

In today's episode, we have Danny Jenkins, who is the CEO and Co-Founder of ThreatLocker, a rapidly growing cybersecurity firm focused on Zero Trust endpoint protection. With over 20 years in cybersecurity and a background in ethical hacking, Danny is unique in that he dropped out of school when he was 15 years old and has an unconventional resume. Danny has built multiple security companies and is widely recognized for his hands-on, real-world approach to stopping ransomware and cyber threats before they happen.

After witnessing firsthand how devastating cyberattacks can be, he became a leading advocate for the Zero Trust model—blocking everything by default and only allowing what's trusted. Today, ThreatLocker protects tens of thousands of organizations globally, and Danny is a frequent speaker, Forbes Technology Council member, and one of Orlando's most influential leaders. We are proud to feature a local thought leader today. Danny is right here in our backyard in Central Florida and is at the helm of one of the fastest growing cybersecurity firms in the world.

Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Co-Managing Principal, 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host Chris Cannon, CFA (CIO/Principal, FirsTrust).
Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com
Show Notes:
threatlocker.com