EP 70: Giving Private Equity a Human Touch

“Some would say they manage people. We like to think we lead hearts, and that if we tap into the power of the heart, then the mind and the hands and the effort comes much more powerfully thereafter,” shares Ryan Heckman, Olympic athlete turned private equity investor and co-founder of Rallyday Partners, a firm transforming private equity with a deeply human-centered approach. In this episode, Ryan joins Alex Raymond to discuss how Rallyday Partners is challenging the traditional stigma of private equity as a necessary evil. Ryan explains how his experiences as both a CEO and an investor shaped the firm’s mission to prioritize purpose and people over mere financial returns. Their approach includes building meaningful connections with founders, fostering personal and professional growth for employees, and redefining leadership to focus on hearts rather than assets. Ryan also shares insights into Rallyday Partner’s unique methodologies, including purpose-driven strategies, leadership development, and organizational culture tailored to the vision of each founder. As a proponent of Conscious Capitalism, Ryan introduces the Colorado chapter launch aimed at promoting stakeholder-centric business practices. This episode invites you to rethink private equity and consider a model where purpose and profit work hand in hand. How can businesses grow sustainably while creating fulfilling experiences for everyone involved? Ryan’s vision provides a compelling answer. Quotes "How could we make private equity a source of goodness and not a necessary evil? That was a very fundamental question that we asked." (04:04 | Ryan Heckman) “There's two problems with saying you manage assets for a living. First of all, management is a primitive form of leadership. It's as if to say that your role in the world is to manage something, not lead something. The difference is leadership is earned. Management is more of a compliance relationship.” (04:49 | Ryan Heckman) “Some would say they manage people. We like to think we lead hearts, and that if we tap into the power of the heart, then the mind and the hands and the effort comes much more powerfully thereafter.” (05:46 | Ryan Heckman) "We have an expression here that we use all the time, which is that the objective is professional, but the journey is personal." (20:18 | Ryan Heckman) “Purpose is what catalyzes discretionary effort. It's what attracts great talent. Meaningful work and being part of meaningful work is what really drives the human heart to do extraordinary things.” (21:46 | Ryan Heckman) "The first job in leadership development is to make sure that people feel the pride in themselves first, that they feel like they deserve to grow." (30:12 | Ryan Heckman) Links Connect with Ryan Heckman: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-heckman-906a2530/ Website: https://rallydaypartners.com/ Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm