22: From Bar Mitzvah Money to Running a Hedge Fund | Matt Poliak on Investing, Energy, AI & Building a Life

22: From Bar Mitzvah Money to Running a Hedge Fund | Matt Poliak on Investing, Energy, AI & Building a Life

In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with Matt Poliak, founder of Hummingbird Capital, to discuss his journey from trading stocks with bar mitzvah money to launching a long-short energy hedge fund. Matt shares how he fell in love with investing at a young age, the mentors who shaped his career, and what he learned working at firms like Balyasny, Millennium, and other elite investment platforms before starting his own business. The conversation dives into energy investing, AI-driven power demand, data centers, market-neutral investing, entrepreneurship, risk-taking, stoicism, family, and building a meaningful life while managing stress in high finance. This episode is essential listening for investors, entrepreneurs, aspiring hedge fund managers, and anyone interested in the intersection of markets, ambition, and personal growth.

21: How Hedge Fund Operations Actually Work | Fund Administrators, AI, and the Biggest Mistakes Managers Make

In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with David Goldstein of STP to break down the hidden operational side of hedge funds and private funds. They discuss what fund administrators actually do, how managers should choose service providers, why operational mistakes can become catastrophic, and how the fund industry has evolved from the “Wild West” days of hedge funds to today’s institutionalized environment. David also shares insight into the impact of AI, automation, private equity ownership, vendor commoditization, investor expectations, and why choosing the cheapest provider can become incredibly expensive long term. This episode is essential listening for hedge fund managers, emerging managers, fund operations professionals, allocators, and anyone trying to understand how private funds really function behind the scenes. fund administration, hedge fund operations, hedge fund administration, emerging managers, fund administrator, hedge fund industry, hedge fund operations explained, private funds, AI in finance, hedge fund startup, operational due diligence, hedge fund service providers, David Goldstein, STP, Ron Geffner, Unfiltered Finance, institutional investing, fund accounting, hedge fund compliance, operational risk

20: Third Party Marketing Explained – Learning lessons from one of the industry’s well regarded marketers

In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with Don Steinbrugge, founder of Agecroft Partners and one of the most respected placement agents in the hedge fund industry. Don breaks down how hedge funds and investment firms actually raise capital, what institutional investors look for, why most managers fail to communicate their edge, and how branding, messaging, and presentation quality determine fundraising success. They also discuss the realities of placement agents, emerging managers, institutional sales, Wall Street politics, and the biggest mistakes fund managers make when trying to scale. This episode is essential listening for hedge fund managers, emerging managers, private fund professionals, institutional allocators, and anyone interested in the business of raising capital. hedge fund marketing, hedge fund capital raising, placement agent, institutional investors, fundraising for hedge funds, emerging managers, Don Steinbrugge, Agecroft Partners, hedge fund strategy, institutional sales, investment marketing, raising assets, hedge fund branding, private funds, allocator relations, asset management business, hedge fund industry, Wall Street fundraising, institutional asset management, Unfiltered Finance

19: Why Most Businesses Fail to Execute | Leadership, Culture, and Coaching That Actually Works

In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with Joe Greco, a leadership and executive coach, to break down why most businesses struggle—not with ideas, but with execution. They discuss how to build alignment inside organizations, why communication breaks down, the biggest blind spots leaders have, and how to create real accountability that actually drives results. Joe also shares practical frameworks for running effective meetings, building culture, improving team dynamics, and making strategy stick, along with a powerful perspective on AI vs human value in business. This episode is essential for business owners, leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone responsible for managing people and driving results. business coaching, leadership development, executive coaching, business strategy, team alignment, company culture, leadership skills, communication in business, management mistakes, business execution, Joe Greco, Ron Geffner, Unfiltered Finance, organizational leadership, AI in business, coaching frameworks, productivity, business growth strategy

18: Young Investors Building Wealth in Crypto | Markets, Risk, AI, and the Future of Finance

In this episode of Unfiltered Finance, Ron Geffner sits down with a young group of investors building their edge in crypto, markets, and alternative investing. They break down how they got started, what they’ve learned from real market experience, and why crypto continues to attract the next generation of investors. The conversation dives into market cycles, risk management, volatility trading, tokenization, AI, and the future of finance. They also challenge common assumptions about crypto, explain why experience matters more than theory, and share where they believe the industry is heading over the next decade. This episode is perfect for young investors, traders, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to understand how the next generation is approaching money and markets.