In this Rainmaker Podcast episode, Gui Costin, Dakota’s Founder and CEO, interviews Valentine Whittaker, Director at Epic Funds. With over 20 years of private market experience, Valentine shares his career journey, his role at Epic Funds, and insights into his leadership approach, particularly in sales and investor relations. Valentine has a deep background with firms like Abbott Capital Management, Schroders Capital, and JP Morgan, bringing a unique perspective to managing investor relationships and business development in the private fund space. Valentine explains that Epic Funds prioritizes providing niche, capacity-constrained strategies, viewing investor relations as a crucial, solution-driven role. His team leverages a process-driven approach to sales, using tools like Dakota’s technology to maximize efficiency and target client engagements. Valentine highlights the importance of advance planning, building a forward calendar that outlines key meetings and opportunities in each city, ensuring a streamlined and purpose-driven travel schedule. Cold outreach is a cornerstone of Valentine’s strategy, emphasizing the value of personal touchpoints, whether through phone calls or follow-up emails. He discusses how tools like LinkedIn and Dakota help track industry shifts, such as when professionals change roles, turning these moments into genuine engagement opportunities. Valentine advocates for using CRMs to maintain organized records of client interactions, making follow-ups and deal progress easy to manage. The consistent and process-oriented approach, he notes, is critical to staying efficient and focused, especially for smaller teams. In a segment on leadership, Valentine describes his style as collaborative and supportive, emphasizing teamwork and empowering colleagues. For those new to investment sales, he stresses the importance of mentorship, product knowledge, and diligent preparation. To him, successful investment sales require not just mastering pitches but also understanding the nuances of investment products and building authentic relationships with clients. Valentine also highlights the challenges in educating clients about private market funds, particularly trustees unfamiliar with the space. He sees this as an ongoing effort, where educating allocators helps cultivate meaningful partnerships, positioning Epic Funds as a reliable resource. His passion for sales and client education comes through as he reflects on the privilege of serving clients in the private markets. This episode is packed with actionable insights on sales strategy, client engagement, and leadership, making it a must-listen for anyone in the investment sales arena.
