Latest news with #ShayneFitzCoy
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
5 Quiet Questions To Help Strategic Investors Decide Quickly And Well
Shayne Fitz-Coy is the Co-Founder of Sabot Family Companies, a long-term investment company founded in 2016 in Stanford, California. A few years ago, a banker who I consider a friend pitched me a debt deal with a "guaranteed" 15% return. I thought about it for a minute and then said no. Eighteen months later, I did the same deal—for 15 cents on the dollar. It was awkward getting together for dinner later, but it was a good reminder that clarity and conviction matter more than prediction. After two decades and more than a thousand pitches, I've learned that saying no is a discipline. Business school teaches valuation but not restraint. For me, restraint came from watching a close VC friend ignore his gut. The founder was evasive, the model was unfocused and the pressure was high to get into the deal. But the loss shouldn't be his lesson. The lesson was how easily it could've been avoided. I try to pass early when something feels off. Here's what I listen for in the first five minutes. 1. Do I Trust This Person? This starts before the pitch. • Do they take responsibility? • Are they kind to my assistant? • Do they listen, or do they just talk? • Are they on time and prepared? Strategic growth capital often means a long-term seat at the table. If I wouldn't want to share 10 years of board meetings and retreats with someone, that's enough for me to know to say no. Character flaws don't fade with success; they often expand. Life is too short to work with jerks. 2. Can They Explain What They Do—Simply? I ask for one sentence. If I get five, I start looking for the exits. The best businesses know what they do without hedging or overreach. They don't bury you in jargon that seems like AI hokum. Red flags that emerge immediately: • Multiple unrelated product lines. • Buzzword-heavy explanations. • "Everything to everyone" positioning. • Complex business models requiring lengthy explanations and backstory. I once passed on a software company with solid margins, as I learned they were also building a hardware device platform, a courses business, a social network and something else I can't recall. Too many threads, not enough weave. I think they do software and pool cleaning services in the Southeast now. I'm drawn to vertical SaaS in narrow niches or local service models with real cash flow and modest growth. If that sounds dull, good. Some of the best businesses are. 3. Do They Know What Drives The Business? I don't ask for revenue. I ask: • How many months of cash do you have? • What's your renewal rate? • What would you do with unlimited capital? If they don't know CAC or LTV, I probably can't help. And if I hear "guaranteed return," I move on. If it were guaranteed, they'd borrow from a neighborhood bank. The language around returns tells me everything. That "guaranteed" 15% deal I mentioned before? It wasn't filed with the SEC. It smelled like a junk bond dressed up as a sweetheart deal. 4. Is This A 'Too Hard' Problem? Charlie Munger had a pile for that on his desk. I do too—mentally. Here's what lands there for me: • Creative accounting. • Regulatory moats. • Replicable models. • Business plans that take 10 minutes to explain. I once passed on a company that later tripled. Someone else made that call. I didn't lose sleep. Another founder reclassified expenses to inflate margins. The company tripled in value. Someone else made that money. I slept fine. My 98% rejection rate has produced zero portfolio failures. As I tell my students: It's better to miss a good deal than to do a bad one. I operate on the philosophy that capital preservation trumps capital appreciation every time. 5. Would I Be Proud To Say Yes? This one's quiet. But it matters. • Can this founder handle setbacks with grace? • Is the business model resilient? • Does this opportunity make sense on its own terms? • Will I be comfortable explaining this investment to my other portfolio companies? If the answer is no to any of the above, I thank them and pass, often with a note: Hi [First Name], Thanks for walking me through what you're building. I learned a lot. It's not the right fit for me, but I admire what you're aiming for. Wishing you all the best, Shayne The Case For Patience Most pitches I passed on years ago, I'd still pass on today. The outcome changed. The decision was right. You have to distinguish between decision quality and outcome luck. Patient capital doesn't mean holding longer. It means waiting better. Trust the quiet questions. They're easy to miss, but in my experience, they rarely mislead. Master these five questions, and you could find yourself making better decisions faster and sleeping better at night. The information provided here is not investment, tax or financial advice. You should consult with a licensed professional for advice concerning your specific situation. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Fast Company
27-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
20 ways leaders stay grounded and motivated in changing times
The demands of leadership don't pause when the ground shifts. For those guiding teams through uncertainty, staying present and motivated is vital to making sound decisions, maintaining team morale, and sustaining long-term momentum. In volatile environments, personal clarity can be hard for leaders to hold onto. To understand how experienced leaders maintain focus, 20 Fast Company Executive Board members share what keeps them steady and inspired. Their answers highlight the habits, values, and real-world reminders that help them lead through disruption without losing direction. 1. LETTING FAMILY MOMENTS SHIFT YOUR PERSPECTIVE My children's magnificent indifference to my importance keeps me grounded. After closing our biggest deal, my 4-year-old interrupted the celebration to ask if I'd seen her doll. That perspective reset was worth more than any coaching session. My daughter doesn't care about projections; she cares if I'm fully present for bedtime stories. This radical demotion from CEO to doll-finder instantly restores proportion. – Shayne Fitz-Coy, Sabot Family Companies 2. PRACTICING CRITICAL THINKING TO SEE MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES Critical thinking has been the most important attribute that I have employed in my career. It seems we have an inordinate desire to create an opinion and truly believe that our opinion is correct. The reality is that there are always two sides to a story, and there can be truth in both sides depending on perspective. To be an effective leader, I need to understand both sides to the best of my ability. – Richard McWhorter, SRM Private Wealth 3. REMAINING CLOSE TO THE DAILY LIVES OF CONSUMERS What keeps me grounded is staying closely connected to the everyday lives of our consumers and understanding how they live, what they value, and how the apparel they choose supports their comfort, confidence, and self-expression. I'm continually inspired by the opportunity to lead purposeful design, and it's that human connection that fuels meaningful, scalable innovation. – Jane Newman, HanesBrands 4. TREATING CHANGE AS A CATALYST FOR PERSONAL GROWTH High-change environments are opportunities to learn more about yourself and to develop personally and professionally. When you learn and grow, you become more grounded because you're more confident in yourself and your abilities. – Tom Freiling, Freiling Agency 5. GIVING BACK THROUGH SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERING Volunteering and serving are the main things that keep me grounded and inspired. When you step out of your everyday work environment into real-life needs, ego fades and purpose sharpens. It's a reminder that leadership is about impact. Helping others with no agenda resets my perspective and refuels my drive, especially in environments where it's easy to lose sight of what really matters. – Kristin Hege, Convey Communications 6. TAKING OWNERSHIP OF YOUR TEAM'S FUTURE Owning a company means owning the responsibility to build an economy for your people—that keeps me grounded. What inspires me is the idea that if we build something truly great, our employees' kids will one day want to work here too. – Matt Hofherr, Barrett Hofherr 7. RECONNECTING WITH ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSE Staying connected to purpose—both my own and the organization's—keeps me grounded. When change is constant and uncertainty is high, it's easy to get swept up in reacting rather than leading. Re-centering on why we do what we do reminds me that leadership is not about control but about stewardship. Purpose also fuels my resilience, and it keeps me aligned with my values even when the path forward isn't clear. – Krishnan Venkata, LatentView Analytics Corp. 8. GROUNDING DECISIONS IN IMPACT AND DATA What keeps me grounded and inspired is seeing the real impact of our work systemically and in people's lives. In a high-change environment, grounding ourselves in high-quality research and data shows us what's working and how to respond effectively and efficiently. It's not just numbers—it's a reflection of meaningful, measurable change. To me, that's a source of great hope. – Kelsey Morgan, EverFree Every once in a while, when I introspect, I realize that even though I have made improvements in myself, I have friends, colleagues, and leaders who are smarter and who continue to evolve themselves day in and day out. With this in mind, my journey of learning continues. – Ruchir Nath, Dell Technologies I think constant evaluation—seeking feedback from a diverse array of sources with disciplined consistency—is critical to remaining grounded. Even when we know feedback might not be what we want to hear, it's important to solicit it, process it, and recognize there is often merit in internalizing dissenting opinions—if for no other reason than to pressure-test your convictions. – Kendra Davenport, Easterseals 11. STARTING EACH DAY WITH A PRACTICE OF KINDNESS My daily kindness practice keeps me anchored through constant change. I begin each morning by recognizing team contributions and end by reflecting on where we've moved the needle for customers. This intentional focus on human impact not only grounds me in our purpose but continually reveals unexpected opportunities for innovation that spreadsheets alone would never uncover. – Chia-Lin Simmons, LogicMark 12. STAYING ROOTED IN COMMUNITY VALUES The one thing that keeps me grounded is my connection to my community. With them, I can keep a pulse on the values of what we have built and maintain clarity on our mission. It's part of being community-led. – Mike Rizzo, 13. KEEPING MISSION FRONT AND CENTER EACH DAY Staying connected to my core mission keeps me grounded. No matter how fast things change, purpose provides direction. I remind myself daily why I started and who I serve. That clarity fuels resilience, keeps my ego in check, and inspires me to adapt without losing sight of what truly matters. – Stephen Nalley, Black Briar Advisors 14. LISTENING DIRECTLY TO CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES Direct connections with our customers keep me grounded and inspired in a high-change environment. Hearing firsthand how our solutions rescue critical data during their worst moments reminds me of our mission, and real-world feedback drives and sparks our technology innovations. – Chongwei Chen, DataNumen Inc. 15. LEADING WITH PURPOSE INSTEAD OF URGENCY Staying connected to my 'why'—the purpose behind the work—keeps me grounded. In fast-changing environments, I find clarity and inspiration by focusing on the impact we're making and the people we're serving. That constant reminder helps me lead with intention, not just urgency. – Maria Alonso, Fortune 206 16. STAYING CLOSE TO CUSTOMERS AND WHAT THEY VALUE MOST What keeps me grounded is remembering that I've built everything by staying close to our customers and even closer to the truth and what matters to them. What inspires me is knowing that the right insight, delivered at the right moment, can change the trajectory of someone's business, even in highly volatile environments. – Reuben Yonatan CX Foundation 17. BEING FOCUSED ON SOLVING REAL, PRESSING PROBLEMS In a world of constant change, staying rooted in the mission and purpose of what we're trying to achieve keeps me grounded. It fuels my drive and ensures we stay aligned in the face of uncertainty. – Katrina (Katya) Rosseini, KRR Ventures 18. USING GRATITUDE TO STAY CENTERED AND CREATIVE Every morning, I spend five minutes in my gratitude journal, celebrating one PR win, one mom milestone, and one wild idea. That ritual reminds me why I built my businesses, so when the agency pivots, AI tools shift, or home chaos hits, I stay grounded in purpose and fueled by creativity. – Kristin Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC 19. RELYING ON CORE IDENTITY WHILE EMBRACING EVOLUTION I remain grounded knowing that with high change often comes high opportunity and exciting evolution. While this can sometimes be scary, I believe if we remain grounded in our DNA and look for ways to apply it in today's world, we will come out on top. Listening to the next generation, consulting with peers, and watching the trendsetters, I balance both skepticism and optimism. – Maggie ONeill, Peppercomm
