00:33:22 · Miguel Armaza, Steve Stagner
[00:33:22] S1: Something I like about your model and then this model in general is the fact that although this new AILM technologies are amazing, at an enterprise scale, it's not usually plug and play, Right? You need a team or CTO behind it to kind of customize and bring it back to your specific use case. Right? It sounds like that's very important to you. [00:33:50] S0: Yeah, not only is it important, but I've invested in an integration team that is bespokely for integration. So I have full integration team. I call it my big plan. What do we do, Miguel? We buy firms, we integrate firms and we grow firms. So the BD team does the buying and then the baton is handed off to the integration team. So before we get involved in anything else, I have a dedicated integration team that can kind of be your Sherpa and help you through these integrations in a very methodical and bespoke way. So that we're focused on what your needs are because these firms have very different cultures and very different needs. But more importantly, they're on very different maturity curves of technology and of leadership and all of what needs to be integrated. So we're chasing a target operating model. And the goal is to come in and say, Hey, Miguel, you are here, but if you would look at these tools, maybe you could get to there. And then you do that. And then the grow phase, we have support for you to grow your firms with cross selling, with technology and other integrated tools. But we're making a huge investment in specifically integration.
00:33:50 · Steve Stagner, Miguel Armaza
[00:33:50] S0: Yeah, not only is it important, but I've invested in an integration team that is bespokely for integration. So I have full integration team. I call it my big plan. What do we do, Miguel? We buy firms, we integrate firms and we grow firms. So the BD team does the buying and then the baton is handed off to the integration team. So before we get involved in anything else, I have a dedicated integration team that can kind of be your Sherpa and help you through these integrations in a very methodical and bespoke way. So that we're focused on what your needs are because these firms have very different cultures and very different needs. But more importantly, they're on very different maturity curves of technology and of leadership and all of what needs to be integrated. So we're chasing a target operating model. And the goal is to come in and say, Hey, Miguel, you are here, but if you would look at these tools, maybe you could get to there. And then you do that. And then the grow phase, we have support for you to grow your firms with cross selling, with technology and other integrated tools. But we're making a huge investment in specifically integration. [00:34:58] S1: Phenomenal. Steve, one last question. I don't know if you're a big reader, but if you are, are there any books or a book that you find yourself recommending often?
00:34:58 · Miguel Armaza, Steve Stagner
[00:34:58] S1: Phenomenal. Steve, one last question. I don't know if you're a big reader, but if you are, are there any books or a book that you find yourself recommending often? [00:35:10] S0: Yes, I am a big reader. I actually have a specific suggested reading list in my computer at all times to give. I would say there's a couple of books that I really love. The first one is Extreme Ownership by Leif Babin and Jocko Willink. And I think that it's a very good foundational book. And then if you couple that with The Founder's Mentality, those two books really nail down just the basics of leadership, which I think are very important. And then when it comes to teams, I'm just a big Patrick Lencioni fan, Starting with the five dysfunctions of a team and then working through death by meeting and all of the Lencioni. I can't get enough of Lencioni. He's just amazing. So those would be some directions I would send people. [00:35:57] S1: All right. Well, Steve, thanks for stopping by and educating all of us. I think there's a lot to learn, not just about AI and technology, but about leadership that you've shared. So I'm gonna have to relisten a couple times.
00:35:57 · Miguel Armaza, Steve Stagner
[00:35:57] S1: All right. Well, Steve, thanks for stopping by and educating all of us. I think there's a lot to learn, not just about AI and technology, but about leadership that you've shared. So I'm gonna have to relisten a couple times. [00:36:14] S0: Yeah, please do. You can use anything that we have, we're all sharing. And I think that's what is beautiful about private equity entering this space is there's going to be a lot of really good lessons that's going to make all of the whole industry better. And so I think that everyone's going to really get better and learn a lot more from each other. And I think it's going to be exciting chapter for the industry. I've seen that happen in other industries. So it's going be exciting. [00:36:39] S1: All right. Thank you, Steve. [00:36:40] S0: Thank you, Miguel. Let's stay in touch. Thanks for tuning in. [00:36:53] S1: I hope you enjoyed this great episode with Steve from Crete Professionals Alliance. If you want more interviews, make sure to subscribe, follow, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or whenever you get your shows. It helps and means a lot. And if you have any suggestions or thoughts about the show, just drop me a line on Twitter or LinkedIn. Signing off till next week. I'm your host, Miguel Armaza. The Fintech Leaders podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice.