Why 90% of Brilliant Asset Managers Stay Invisible (And How to Fix It)

The “Practice in Public” framework that transforms investment expertise into unshakeable digital authority

Want to know the brutal truth about why some asset managers build $50M+ funds while equally qualified managers struggle for scraps?

It’s not their track record, analytical skills, or investment process.

It’s something far simpler (and more uncomfortable): They practice their expertise in public while others hide behind perfect quarterly reports.

The $2.8 Million Invisibility Tax

Last month, I watched two equally qualified managers pitch for the same family office mandate. Same performance, same experience, same sophisticated analysis.

Manager A spent 18 months crafting the “perfect” investment presentation in private. Every slide was polished. Every chart was precise. Every word was carefully chosen.

Manager B had been sharing his investment thinking on LinkedIn for 6 months. Publishing market insights twice a week. Showing his analytical process. Building trust through transparency.

Guess who won the $2.8 million mandate?

The family office principal told me: “We’d been following [Manager B]’s thinking for months. We already knew how he analysed markets and made decisions. The meeting was just a formality.”

Manager A? Still perfecting his presentation.

Why Brilliant Managers Stay Invisible

Here’s what Nicolas Cole (the writer who’s generated 100M+ views online) discovered that applies perfectly to asset management:

“People who don’t practice in public are trying to mitigate their risk. They want the publishing deal to tell them ‘they’re a professional writer’ before they put themselves out there to be judged.”

Sound familiar?

Most asset managers wait for:

• The perfect track record before sharing insights
• The ideal market conditions to demonstrate expertise
• The flawless investment thesis before showing their process
• The guaranteed outcome before revealing their thinking

Meanwhile, smart managers are building authority by practising their expertise in public every single week.

The “Practice in Public” Advantage for Asset Managers

When you consistently share your investment thinking, three powerful things happen:

1. Prospects pre-qualify themselves Instead of cold pitching, ideal clients start following your insights and approaching you when they’re ready to allocate capital.

2. Trust builds systematically Prospects see your decision-making process over time, not just polished end results. They understand how you think, not just what you’ve achieved.

3. Authority compounds Every insight you share becomes an asset that works for you 24/7, attracting the right clients while repelling bad fits.

But What If I Share Too Much? (The Fear Holding You Back)

“If I explain my investment process, won’t competitors steal my ideas?”

Here’s the reality: Your analysis isn’t your competitive advantage. Your ongoing relationship and execution are.

A prospect might read your small-cap analysis and even buy the same stock. But they still need:

• Portfolio construction and position sizing
• Risk management across holdings
• Tax optimisation strategies
• Ongoing monitoring and rebalancing
• Access to your pipeline of future opportunities

Sharing your analysis builds trust and demonstrates competence. It doesn’t eliminate the need for your services — it creates demand for them.

The Asset Manager’s “Practice in Public” Playbook

Here’s how to start building authority without the overwhelm:

Week 1: Choose Your Practice Ground

• Start where sophisticated investors already gather: LinkedIn
• Don’t build your own blog (yet) — that’s like showing up to a race in a horse and buggy
• Begin by commenting thoughtfully on posts from industry leaders

Week 2: Share Your First Investment Insight

• Take your most recent company analysis
• Write a 3-paragraph LinkedIn post explaining what caught your attention and why
• Include one contrarian insight that others might miss
• End with a question to spark discussion

Week 3: Show Your Decision-Making Process

• Share how you evaluated a recent investment decision
• Explain what factors you considered and why
• Include both the upside opportunity and the risks you identified
• Make it educational, not promotional

Week 4: Analyse and Iterate

• Review which posts generated the most engagement
• Notice what topics resonate with your ideal clients
• Double down on content that sparks meaningful conversations
• Refine your approach based on what you learn

The Data Will Tell You Everything

Nicolas Cole’s breakthrough insight applies perfectly to asset management:

“What data does in the writing sense is it shows you what’s working and what’s not. You write 10 or 20 things and data says, ‘Hey, you thought people cared about your market predictions, but it’s actually your insights on portfolio construction that people really value.’”

Your LinkedIn metrics will reveal:

• Which investment themes attract your ideal clients
• What level of technical detail resonates best
• Which format (analysis, commentary, education) drives the most engagement
• What topics generate inquiries vs. just likes

Listen to the data, then double down on what works.

The Compound Effect of Investment Authority

Sarah, a dividend specialist, started posting her screening process on LinkedIn twice a week. Nothing fancy — just her actual methodology for evaluating dividend sustainability.

Six months later:

• 850 engaged followers (mostly family offices and foundations)
• 12 inbound inquiries from qualified prospects
• 3 new mandates totalling $18M in AUM
• 45% increase in referrals from existing clients

Her secret? She practised her expertise in public while competitors waited for the “perfect” content strategy.

Your 30-Day Authority Building Challenge

This week, I challenge you to:

Day 1: Create a basic LinkedIn company page if you don’t have one

Day 7: Publish your first investment insight (3 paragraphs maximum)

Day 14: Share an educational piece about your investment process

Day 21: Post a contrarian market observation with your reasoning

Day 30: Analyse your metrics and refine your approach

The goal: Build the habit of practising your expertise in public before you feel “ready.”

Why This Matters More Than Performance

In today’s competitive landscape, similar track records are table stakes. What allocators are really evaluating is who they trust to be a strategic partner.

Your quarterly reports demonstrate past performance. Your public insights demonstrate ongoing thinking.

Nicolas Cole puts it perfectly: “You can’t always force great content, but what matters is that you sat down to write, because you’re practising the habit of showing up.”

The same applies to investment authority: You can’t force perfect market insights, but what matters is that you consistently share your thinking, because you’re building the habit of demonstrating expertise.

Ready to Stop Being the Industry’s Best-Kept Secret?

While your competitors perfect their quarterly presentations in private, you can build systematic authority by practising your expertise in public.

Your brilliant insights deserve better than the black hole of client-only communication.

Your ideal prospects are on LinkedIn right now, consuming content from managers who share their thinking. They’re building trust with advisors who explain their process. They’re developing preferences for specialists who demonstrate expertise consistently.

Will that be you, or will you stay perfectly invisible?

Remember: The best time to start building authority was five years ago. The second-best time is this week.

What’s the one investment insight you could share this week that would make prospects think, “This is exactly the kind of thinking I need”? Hit reply and let me know — I read every response.

All the best,

Justin Spencer-Young