Defining your MISSION

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Yesterday I had the opportunity to show LikeFolio to 10 different hedge fund managers, and one thing that struck me was pretty profound.

No, these guys aren't smarter, and they really have no insider access. It's a much more even playing field than it was just 5-10 years ago!

But there is one pretty big advantage they have over individual investors, and it could make all the difference.

Every hedge fund we talked to could articulate their strategy in 15-20 seconds.  Very clearly, and with great conviction.

One concentrated on building large positions in just a few names.  Another was looking for alpha going into earnings events.  Another was purely focused on finding stocks to short-sell at the end of a hype cycle.

None of those were particularly outlandish or compelling... but the clarity of the mission statement was.  And this clarity provided each of them with a very distinct lens through which they asked questions about our data and processes.

The opportunities they saw weren't going to define their strategy -- their strategy was going to define what opportunities they saw, and how they acted on them.

Enormous difference.

So, I have a challenge for you.

I want you to sit down and think about what your MISSION would be if you were setting up a hedge fund tomorrow.  What would be the strategy and approach that you could sit down and explain to a potential investor in your fund and just nail it cold?

15-20 seconds is all you have.

Tell me what you do.  What's your strategy?  Who ARE YOU, as an investor?

I think you'll find the exercise worth while.

That's a starting point, not the end.  Strategy shifts are necessary to maximize profits and reduce risk... but now you should have a foundation to build from.

Enjoy!

Andy Swan

founder, LikeFolio

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