David Feingold, CEO of Broad Street Global, joins us on The Private Equity Podcast to share his 35+ year journey from law to leading one of the largest infrastructure-focused PE firms in the U.S. He unpacks lessons in leadership, hiring, culture, and why they’ve entered crypto mining. This episode is a masterclass in building high-performing teams and seizing unconventional opportunities. [00:00] Welcome and intro to David Feingold and Broad Street Global – infrastructure + crypto investing [00:29] David’s background – lawyer-turned-PE exec with 35+ years of experience [00:57] Early academic honors and mentorship from T. Boone Pickens [01:25] The power of people over business models – hiring philosophy [01:53] Letting people do what they’re good at drives performance [02:19] 55 partners, zero attrition – proof that culture and fit matter [02:48] No politics, shared vacations – how Broad Street fosters cohesion [03:15] Lessons from early hiring mistakes – focus on listening [03:43] Listening is undervalued – why it’s his #1 executive skill [04:40] Decentralized control – empowering division heads like CEOs [05:11] Weekly Zooms, collaborative decision-making with 20 reports [05:39] Entrepreneurship mindset among leadership breeds buy-in [06:04] Decision rights create ownership and reduce bottlenecks [06:58] Turnover test post-bonus – why Broad Street retains top talent [07:26] High comp + real input = long-term loyalty [08:16] Happiness at work impacts life – no "Yoda talk," just results [08:46] All 55 partners signed up for Navy SEAL training – by choice [09:44] Traditional infra + crypto mining – what’s the link? [10:12] Real estate + utility relationships gave them a crypto edge [11:09] Enter Dogecoin early – before Elon Musk moved the market [11:37] Built North America’s largest Dogecoin mining operation [12:06] Opportunistic scaling based on margin and fit [12:53] Infra skills + land + utility access = expansion blueprint [13:22] Mars joke, but serious point: go where profit meets capability [13:49] Trends in U.S. infrastructure – high barriers, high demand [14:14] Housing shortage drives demand – focus on Carolinas [14:43] Greenville top retirement spot – strong absorption rates [15:10] Long runway – next 2–3 generations will stay in this sector [15:39] What he reads/listens to: all business podcasts + global news [16:09] Constant learning – 45 mins daily to stay sharp [16:37] Ideas from people > articles – value of conversations [17:07] Investors wanted a brokerage – he built one [17:37] Always talking to the market – shaping services around demand [18:33] Avoid "I don’t know" as CEO – credibility matters [19:02] Always studying: legal, financial, geopolitical trends [20:27] Outro – thank you and wrap-up How to connect with David Feingold? via BroadStreetPrivateEquity or LinkedIn Subscribe for more episodes on iTunes & Spotify Looking to grow your team? Check out our Hiring Guides for proven strategies, templates, and best practices to make smarter hires.
