Recorded on February 21, 2024

Carter Malloy joins the podcast to discuss an important asset class in Indiana, farmland! Carter has created two businesses that support farmland investing. Acretrader.com allows investors easier access to farmland spread across the country. Acres.com seeks to become “Zillow for farmland”. In this episode, we talk about the nature of farmland as an investment including its sensitivity to interest rates.

Helpful Links:

Book Recommendation: No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed Hastings

Book Recommendation: Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant

Acretrader: https://acretrader.com/

Acres: https://www.acres.com/

Guest Bio:
Carter Malloy, Founder and CEO of AcreTrader, grew up in an Arkansas farming family and has maintained a lifelong passion for agriculture and investing. At AcreTrader, Carter has led the company to exponential growth across the company’s two business divisions, which include AcreTrader and Acres, the land research platform.

Before founding AcreTrader in 2018, he spent five years as part of the founding team of a successful global equity investment firm. Prior to his time at the firm, Carter was a Managing Director with Stephens Inc., a large private investment bank, where he was an equity research analyst focused on the Data & Analytics and Property Technology sectors. Prior to Stephens, he owned businesses focused on internet marketing and sustainable fuel technologies. Malloy graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in Physics and is a member of the Agribusiness Industry Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and a Northwest Arkansas Council Executive Board Member.

Who are the hosts?

Austin Crites, CFA: Austin is a past-president and current committee member of CFA Society Indianapolis. Professionally, he is the Chief Investment Officer at Aurora Financial Strategies where he manages US-focused, all-cap, style-agnostic equity strategies as the core of client portfolios. Austin is a 2008 graduate of Marian University in Indianapolis where he is now an adjunct professor in the Byrum School of Business.

Matt Henry, CFA: Matt is a Senior Investment Officer at STAR Wealth Management. He is also a Past President and a director of CFA Society Indianapolis. When he’s not managing porfolios, Matt teaches Finance 300 at Ball State University. He enjoys air conditioning, wi-fi, and the conveniences of indoor living.

Recorded on March 8th 2024

Hoosier Hub Podcast host Austin Crites welcomes Chelsea Marburger, Executive Director of The Speakeasy and Operations Director of CFA Society Indy and TechPoint President & CEO Ting Gootee for a discussion on the role venture capital has to play in supporting the growth of the Hoosier economy. We discuss the state of VC and the profound changes we have seen in the past several years. Ting also elaborates on the role of RIAs in expanding the local pool of LPs.

Helpful Links:

Ting’s Book Recommendation: Give and Take by Adam Grant

Chelsea’s Book Recommendation: Poems by Chen Chen

Techpoint
Mira Awards
Connect with Ting: LinkedIn

Guest Bio:
Ting Gootee is a seasoned venture development and community builder with in-depth experience leading and managing impact-driven programs across public, private and academic sectors. She joined TechPoint, as president and CEO in May 2022.

Gootee co-developed the original vision and strategy for Elevate Ventures in 2011 and served as the organization’s vice president of investment until 2014, when she was named chief investment officer. In addition to focusing on investment funds formation and evaluating and supporting pre-seed to later-stage investment opportunities at Elevate Ventures, Gootee played an instrumental role in standing up all aspects of its operations from day one. Prior to Elevate Ventures, Gootee was the deputy director of the Indiana 21st Century Research & Technology Fund. She came to that position from Lionhart Investments Limited, Office of Global Counsel, where she served as a business and legal analyst from 2003 to 2006.

A native of China, Gootee earned her Masters of Business Administration from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in Bloomington, Ind. after earning a Master of Arts degree from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. She earned her undergraduate degree from Peking University in Beijing.

Who are the hosts?

Austin Crites, CFA: Austin is a past-president and current committee member of CFA Society Indianapolis. Professionally, he is the Chief Investment Officer at Aurora Financial Strategies where he manages US-focused, all-cap, style-agnostic equity strategies as the core of client portfolios. Austin is a 2008 graduate of Marian University in Indianapolis where he is now an adjunct professor in the Byrum School of Business.

Matt Henry, CFA: Matt is a Senior Investment Officer at STAR Wealth Management. He is also a Past President and a director of CFA Society Indianapolis. When he’s not managing porfolios, Matt teaches Finance 300 at Ball State University. He enjoys air conditioning, wi-fi, and the conveniences of indoor living.

Recorded on February 29th 2024

In this episode, we discuss Brad’s vision for growing the Hoosier economy and why it’s so important to do so. Brad’s experience as a businessman and real estate investor make for a unique conversation on how the state should think about investing in everything from infrastructure to attracting outside investment to promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing educational opportunities.

Relevant Links:
https://chambersforindiana.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-b-chambers-62b4a310
https://twitter.com/ChambersforIN
https://buckingham.com/
https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2024/03/06/iu-health-ceo-asks-peers-to-donate-to-chambers-to-head-off-industry-harm/
https://www.ibj.com/articles/brad-chambers-indiana-needs-a-job-creator-not-a-career-politician

Brad’s Recommendations:
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
The Tao of Charlie Munger
Founders Podcast

Guest Bio
Hoosier-born and raised, Brad Chambers is a political outsider and self-made entrepreneur who started his business in college and grew it into a real estate portfolio exceeding $3 billion and employing hundreds of Hoosiers. Brad recently concluded a two-year term as Indiana's Secretary of Commerce, where he stepped away from his business and ushered in an unprecedented $51 billion in planned capital investment, tens of thousands of jobs and wages 30% higher than any time in state history, taking only $1 a year. Looking to continue his service to Indiana, Brad is now seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination. He and his wife, Carol, have one son, Nick.

Who are the hosts?

Austin Crites, CFA: Austin is a past-president and current committee member of CFA Society Indianapolis. Professionally, he is the Chief Investment Officer at Aurora Financial Strategies where he manages US-focused, all-cap, style-agnostic equity strategies as the core of client portfolios. Austin is a 2008 graduate of Marian University in Indianapolis where he is now an adjunct professor in the Byrum School of Business.

Matt Henry, CFA: Matt is a Senior Investment Officer at STAR Wealth Management. He is also a Past President and a director of CFA Society Indianapolis. When he’s not managing porfolios, Matt teaches Finance 300 at Ball State University. He enjoys air conditioning, wi-fi, and the conveniences of indoor living.

Recorded on January 30 th 2024 Caleb is a serial entrepreneur, starting out in lawncare and branching out into real estate investing from multi-family to land acquisition and development. In addition, Caleb has started a software company to help lawncare companies capture leads and generate estimates for customers. Today, his lawncare company, Precision Outdoors, has evolved into a high end exterior design firm including pools and patios. To round out Caleb’s portfolio, he shares his thoughts on publicly traded stocks and his aspirations to start a fund. We discuss Caleb’s unique investment philosophy which has allowed him to
find extraordinary value in land investments by incorporating classic value investment tenants such as margin of safety with the idea of investing in the path of progress.

Relevant Links:
Software Business: The Service Estimator
Exterior Design Business: Precision Outdoors
Book Recommendation: Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow

Caleb’s VR Display @ Flower and Patio Show, March 9th-17th: Indiana Flower and Patio Show

Guest Bio:
Caleb Harbert is the Managing Partner of Precision Outdoors, a local design and build firm, and Precision Cut Lawn Service. While also owning real estate, being a pretty active investor, and owning The Service Estimator, a software solution for all things lawn care sales and beyond. He is happily married, father of 2. Went to Purdue for Mechanical Engineering but dropped out senior year to go all in of his businesses.

Recorded on January 24 th, 2024

Ian Illig, the cofounder of Stompbox, is an expert in helping B2B founders scale sales. Ian walks us through his “Rules of Sales” that he uses with his clients to accelerate their growth. This is a very thoughtful and fun conversation that can benefit anyone that wants to grow their business.

The Rules of Sales (Austin’s notes)

1. Focus (on specific customer)

2. Consistent process

3. Prepare the customer (like a doctor tells a patient what’s about to happen at the beginning of a visit)

4. Sell to people the way you would want to be sold to

5. Don’t mistake having a good conversation with having the right conversation

6. Experimentation – if you consistently lose sales bc of price or a certain feature, bring it up at the beginning to weed people out and disarm, experiment consistently and adjust

7. Companies don’t buy stuff, only people buy stuff (target a specific individual at a company)

8. Transparency in the sales process will attract the right buyers (if you have no customers,say so, it’s an opportunity for the right buyer

9. Outbound prospecting – plant seeds, it may not be the right time even if you have the right solution

10. Sustainable momentum is found in river currents, not waterfalls – there are budgets at companies for problems they are trying to solve – discover the customer messaging, don’t try to create it. Take the customers exact wording about their problem to inform and describe how you are solving it

Helpful Links:

Book Recommendation: Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson

Product Market Fit: https://growthx.com/blog/5-steps-to-confirm-product-market-fit/

Stompbox: www.stompbox.io

Connect with Ian: LinkedIn

Guest Bio:

Ian Illig is the Founder & Managing Partner at Stompbox, an Indianapolis-based consultancy that helps B2B business owners grow revenue by developing their sales people, process, and positioning. Before founding Stompbox, Ian spent the previous decade working in various GTM roles at early-stage B2B SaaS startups, two of which grew from $0 >$5M ARR > exit in under 5 years (Emplify and Bluebridge). Outside of work, you’ll occasionally find him onstage with his band GREGØRIAN, volunteering locally, and traveling with family and friends.

Who are the hosts?

Austin Crites, CFA: Austin is a past-president and current committee member of CFA Society Indianapolis. Professionally, he is the Chief Investment Officer at Aurora Financial Strategies where he manages US-focused, all-cap, style-agnostic equity strategies as the core of client portfolios. Austin is a 2008 graduate of Marian University in Indianapolis where he is now an adjunct professor in the Byrum School of Business.

Matt Henry, CFA: Matt is a Senior Investment Officer at STAR Wealth Management. He is also a Past President and a director of CFA Society Indianapolis. When he’s not managing porfolios, Matt teaches Finance 300 at Ball State University. He enjoys air conditioning, wi-fi, and the conveniences of indoor living.

Recorded on 10/20/2023

Municipal bonds play a key role in advancing public infrastructure projects. In this episode, we focus on the Indiana Convention Center, its role in the local economy, its bonds and the relative attractiveness of municipal debt issued in the Hoosier State. If you’ve always wondered about the plumbing of how financing gets raised for public projects like the expansion of the convention center and what opportunities that creates for investors, this episode is for you!

Relevant Links:
Indianapolis Convention Center: https://www.icclos.com/

6th expansion in its history (since 1972) recently broke ground - https://www.icclos.com/about-us/indiana-convention-center-expansion-project/

Indiana Finance Authority - https://www.in.gov/ifa/
ISBA - https://www.in.gov/iscba/

Book Recommendations
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert Caro

Neuromancer by William Gibson

Guest Bios
Jack Muller, CFA

Jack joined MacKay Shields in 2023 as a Research Analyst. Before joining to MacKay Shields, he was a Municipal Strategist at Citigroup, where he spent ten years in various capital markets roles. Jack graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in International Relations and Economics, and he is a CFA Charterholder. He has been in the financial services industry since 2013.

Background on MacKay Shields
MacKay Shields is a global boutique investment firm with $129 billion in assets under management (as of 9/30/2023).

We provide investors with specialty fixed income expertise across global fixed income markets including municipal bonds, structured credit, corporate credit and emerging markets debt.

For decades, our dedicated teams of specialists have delivered customized solutions backed by disciplined research and a commitment to delivering long-term value for its clients. The MacKay Shields client experience provides investors direct access to senior investment professionals. MacKay Shields is a wholly owned subsidiary of New York Life Investment Management Holdings LLC, which is wholly owned by New York Life Insurance Company. We have been managing assets for New York Life Insurance Company since 1985.

Visit our website: www.mackayshields.com

Who are the hosts?

Austin Crites, CFA: Austin is a past-president and current committee member of CFA Society Indianapolis. Professionally, he is the Chief Investment Officer at Aurora Financial Strategies where he manages US-focused, all-cap, style-agnostic equity strategies as the core of client portfolios. Austin is a 2008 graduate of Marian University in Indianapolis where he is now an adjunct professor in the Byrum School of Business.

Matt Henry, CFA: Matt is a Senior Investment Officer at STAR Wealth Management. He is also a Past President and a director of CFA Society Indianapolis. When he’s not managing porfolios, Matt teaches Finance 300 at Ball State University. He enjoys air conditioning, wi-fi, and the conveniences of indoor living.