With Matt Brown – Founder, Chairman, & CEO, CAIS

Overview

Matt Brown discusses the founding of CAIS and his vision to democratize alternatives (alts) investing and open up access to firms of all sizes. He shares how technology helped transform the independent space and provides an extraordinary growth engine for firms. Plus, he offers his thoughts in the inaugural Founder’s Blueprint segment.

> Download a transcript of this episode…

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation.

Many of the best and brightest ideas in wealth management over the last decade have stemmed from someone in the industry who saw a gap and filled it.

Such is the case with Matt Brown, who envisioned using technology to make alternative investments more accessible to the masses.

Once limited to institutional and ultra-sophisticated investors, these “unconventional” alternative investments, or alts, have become popular vehicles for many advisors looking to serve clients and expand their portfolios.

Matt first recognized the white space when it came to advisors’ access to alts while he was a financial advisor at Shearson Lehman Brothers and Smith Barney.

So he founded CAIS in 2009 with a vision of democratizing alts investing and opening up access to firms of all sizes. And that it did: Platforms like CAIS have leveled the playing field for independent firms by giving these advisors everything they need to compete with the biggest names in the business.

CAIS has realized extraordinary success, doubling in network assets from $3 trillion to $6 trillion in the last 12 months alone.

As Matt shares, the firm’s growth is indicative of a changing environment among investors moving beyond the traditional 60/40 portfolio to one that looks more like a 50/30/20 model based on stocks, bonds, and alts.

In this special episode with Louis Diamond, Matt offers a glimpse into how his vision became a model for success in the industry, including:

• “The Great Reallocation of capital into alternative strategies,” as Matt calls it—and the impact of this evolution on the private wealth channel.
  
• Alts as an extraordinary growth engine—and Matt’s advice for advisors who are looking to add new avenues of opportunity for their clients and businesses.
  
• Key considerations for advisors thinking about changing firms or models—and how to best replicate or improve upon what they currently offer their clients.
  
• Plus, Matt shares his keen perspective of what’s on the horizon—and much more!
  

Also in this episode, we launch a new segment called Founder’s Blueprint. It’s an idea that was born out of listener comments for more backstories from some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the industry. Our goal is to share each founder’s unique “why” and “how” to help spark ideas and eliminate the fear that comes with the unknown.

We’re gathering each entrepreneur’s journey for a special digest episode at the end of the year. So be sure to listen in to get a quick download from Matt on what it took to get from A to B – and beyond.

Want to learn more about where, why, and how advisors like you are moving? Click to contact us or call 908-879-1002.

The Competition Conundrum: Charge Less or Offer More?

Clients have more choices than ever before. Here are 5 ways to stand out from the crowd.

Finding the Shortest Path to Excellence Can Be a Game Changer for Advisors

Doing everything you can to deliver better service, drive growth, and achieve your goals faster can result in extraordinary benefits.

The Inverse Grid: Is Your Firm Providing Enough Value?

When considering the products and services a firm provides in exchange for the revenue they keep, is it really a good value?

Matt Brown

Founder, CEO, and Chairman

Matt Brown is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of CAIS and has spent more than 30 years at the intersection of wealth management, alternative investments, and technology. In 2009, he founded the technology platform CAIS, the industry pioneer in democratizing alternative investments. Matt’s vision and leadership earned recognition in 2023, when he was named one of “The World’s Most Influential Decision Makers” by The Wall Street Journal.

Matt believes in the “American Dream” and ensuring that anyone with a dream, and the drive to achieve it, has an equal opportunity to make it happen. Matt joined Endeavor in 2001, the leading non-profit organization establishing entrepreneurial ecosystems in over 40 countries. Matt served on Endeavor’s Global Board of Directors and supported entrepreneurs in Latin America, Africa, Middle East, and United States.

Matt is on the Board of Trustees of the Museum of the City of New York and serves on the Executive Committee. Founded in 1923, the Museum reflects the essence of New York City, where people from all walks of life come together to create, innovate, and pursue their aspirations. Today, through immersive experiences, exhibitions, and programming, the Museum celebrates, documents and interprets the past, present and future of New York City.

Matt earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Mary’s College of California in 1991 and started his career at Shearson Lehman Brothers as a financial advisor. Matt is married to his wife of 22 years and the proud father of four.

Browse other episodes in this podcast series…