38: $18B Value Investing Portfolio Manager Jim Falbe on Founding His Own Investment Boutique | Why AI is an Amplifier of Classic Value Investing | How People in the Investment Industry Can Help Each Other Build a Legacy

Billion Dollar Backstory

Can classic value investing and AI coexist? Today, Jim Falbe is coming on the show to share his playbook for blending timeless strategies with AI WITHOUT losing the personal touch allocators love.

In this episode, Jim and Stacy cover:

His backstory:
o How losing his mom at 13 sparked his passion for financial management
o Why he left an investment giant to follow his dream of building his own firm

• Why AI isn’t just a trend: What he’s learned from 10 years in the data science game
• The secret sauce to building a company culture that’s built to last through challenging seasons

Grab your popcorn and your Kleenex because Jim isn’t holding back in this episode. He’s sharing the raw emotion involved in foundership, and As you listen, you’ll feel like you’re talking to a friend that’s not afraid to dive into the real talk about life. From navigating grief to leading the charge in modernizing value investing – this episode will solidify one thing for you – you’re not alone in the ups and downs of entrepreneurship and life.

About Jim Falbe:

Jim is passionate about mentorship and investing. As the Founder of Saguaro Capital Management, he lives these passions daily.

Jim was previously a Principal and Portfolio Manager at Vulcan Value Partners. With the Senior Investment Team, he was responsible for portfolio management, coverage of both portfolio and watch list names, and seeking out new investment opportunities.

Before Equity Research, Jim was a humanitarian worker in the Middle East/North Africa region. Starting as an English teacher in Jordan, he taught over 800 students and finished by helping run a training center that educated over 1,500 students per year. His team of fourteen was on the ground during the Arab Spring and helped build a network for international aid efforts in Egypt and Libya.

Jim is a CFA® Charterholder and earned his MBA in Investments from the University of Notre Dame. He also holds an MDiv in Theology and a BA as a University Scholar from Baylor University.

Married with four energetic kids, Jim loves science fiction, history, long walks, chess, and Baylor Football.