E138: Do Relationships Drive Financial Returns? w/Jeremy Heer

In this episode of How I Invest, I speak with Jeremy Heer, Managing Director at the University of Illinois Foundation, about the art of networking, the power of super connectors, and the evolving landscape of institutional investing. Jeremy shares his insights on building relationships that drive investment success, the importance of strategic networking, and how attending conferences with intent can create game-changing opportunities. He also dives into the future of nuclear energy, the role of generalist investors in discovering new asset classes, and the long-term value of investment engagement. Highlights: The Role of a Super Connector: Jeremy explains what defines a “super connector” and why having them in your network is essential for success in investing. Strategic Networking: How building and maintaining relationships across industries can unlock top-tier investment opportunities. Conference Best Practices: Why proper preparation and a mix of structured and stochastic networking can maximize the value of attending events. The Future of Nuclear Energy: Jeremy’s investment thesis on nuclear as a high-potential energy source and the challenges in capital deployment. Generalist vs. Specialist Investing: How being a generalist can give investors a first-mover advantage in emerging asset classes. Lessons from the University of Chicago: Jeremy shares insights from his time at one of the top endowments in the world. The Long-Term Value of Relationship-Based Investing: Why some of the best investment opportunities emerge from patient, long-term engagement rather than immediate transactions. -- Guest Bio: Jeremy Heer is the Managing Director of the University of Illinois Foundation, where he leads investment research and engagement. Before joining Illinois, he spent over a decade at the University of Chicago’s endowment, one of the top-performing institutional funds in the world. With deep expertise in building strategic relationships, Jeremy is a master of leveraging networks for investment success. He is passionate about connecting with top-tier investors, founders, and thought leaders to uncover unique opportunities in the market. Our Podcast now receives more than 300,000 downloads a month. Are you interested in sponsoring an episode? Please email David Weisburd at dweisburd@gmail.com . We’d like to thank @JuniperSquare for sponsoring this episode! #VentureCapital #VC #Startups #OpenLP #AssetManagement -- Sponsor: Juniper Square is dedicated to transforming the private markets investing experience. The company provides a full range of modern, connected fund technologies and services for over 2,100 private markets GPs across fundraising, reporting, fund administration, treasury, compliance, and business intelligence. Today, over $1 trillion of assets and 600,000+ LP accounts are managed through Juniper Square software and fund administration services. Learn more at www.junipersquare.com . -- Stay Connected: X / Twitter: David Weisburd: @dweisburd LinkedIn: David Weisburd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd/ Jeremy Heer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-j-heer-cfa-caia/ Links: University of Illinois Foundation: https://uif.uillinois.edu/ Questions or topics you want us to discuss on How I Invest? Email us at dweisburd@gmail.com . (0:00) Episode preview (3:56) Non-financial drives of super connectors (4:11) Sponsor: Juniper Square (5:55) How to be memorable & Networking at conferences (12:33) The investment potential of nuclear energy & University experiences (17:00) The unique role at University of Illinois Foundation & Generalist investors in VC (19:03) Closing remarks