Alt Goes Mainstream: The Latest on Alternative Investments, WealthTech, & Private Markets
Alt Goes Mainstream: The Latest on Alternative Investments, WealthTech, & Private Markets
Michael Sidgmore
Breaking bread at Franklin Templeton's Private Markets RIA Advisory Council - Franklin Templeton's Dave Donahoo and Summit Wealth Group's Chelsea Ganey
43 minutes Posted Jun 23, 2026 at 9:47 am.
A message from Ultimus, our Sponsor00:57 Meet The Guests01:07 Private Markets Are Eating World01:29 Why Create RIA Council01:49 Franklin Client-First DNA02:09 From Public To Private02:43 Listening Beyond Product03:07 Peer To Peer Insights04:12 Chelsea On The Benefits of Advisory Council04:36 Inbox Overload And Filtering05:10 Serving Diverse RIA Needs06:15 Many RIAs Within One06:30 What CIOs Need Most06:54 Educating Advisors At Scale07:32 GPs Must Listen Better08:26 What Education Really Means09:01 Repeatable Advisor Resources09:54 Avoid Oversimplifying Complexity10:30 Education Shifts To Choice11:50 Balancing Choice And Customization13:13 Centralized Menu For Scale15:10 Sober Selling And Integrity16:30 Franklin Private Markets Platform17:59 Specialist Managers Model18:28 Infrastructure Partnership Play19:22 Do More With Less Managers21:04 Holistic Options For Advisors21:47 Where Product Innovation Goes22:23 Sun Moon Stars Aligning22:53 Future Access 401k Models23:12 Start With Investment Why23:29 Allocator Innovation Lens24:09 Models Versus Customization24:35 Why Innovation Matters24:53 No One Right Way25:18 Whats Still Missing25:33 Scaling And The Middle25:55 Magic Wand Question26:19 Plumbing And Reporting26:32 Perpetual Structure Tradeoffs26:46 Protecting Investment Integrity27:30 Long Term Over Short Term27:42 Need More CIO Mindsets28:03 Strategic Allocation For Alts28:50 Chelsea On Strategic Framing29:34 Making Liquidity Intuitive30:06 Educating On Liquidity Risk30:29 Private Markets Risk Reframe31:32 Dave On Portfolio Construction32:14 Standardizing Industry Terms32:42 Building Trust With Liquidity33:45 A Fun Question38:10 Client Analogies That Stick40:43 Fat Pitch Opportunities Today42:53 Closing Thoughts And ThanksA Word from Our Sponsor, UltimusThis episode of Alt Goes Mainstream is brought to you by Ultimus, the full-service fund administrator and transfer agent powering asset managers in private and public markets. As alts go mainstream, you need real expertise to handle complex fund structures, connect with key distribution partners, and handle sophisticated compliance, reporting, and transparency demands.That’s Ultimus: high-tech, high-touch solutions for over 450 clients and 2,500 funds with $775B in assets under administration. Backed by an expert team of over 1,200 employees, they place client service at the core of their business, helping you navigate complexity during your fund structuring or launch and then supporting you through every stage of growth. Whether you’re already in the market or thinking about entering private wealth, you can trust their team’s deep expertise in retail alternatives to help you reach your goals.Learn more at ultimusfundsolutions.com or email [email protected] thank Ultimus for their support of alts going mainstream.
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Welcome back to the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast.Building community is central to enabling an industry to grow. There are few better ways to build community and foster trusted relationships than to break bread. As the wealth channel continues to expand its adoption of private markets, peer-to-peer learning becomes ever more important. Sharing experiences and perspectives is what will help the wealth channel adopt private market solutions thoughtfully and responsibly.That’s what happened at Franklin Templeton’s Private Markets RIA Advisory Council event and dinner at BLACKBARN recently. Bread was broken. Relationships were built. We also found time to record a podcast at a dinner table with Franklin Templeton’s Head of Private Markets - Americas Wealth Management Dave Donahoo and Summit Wealth Group’s CIO Chelsea Ganey. The discussion granted access to a direct, honest, and raw window into perspectives on how asset managers and wealth managers can work together to educate one another and help move the industry forward. And yes, bread was broken before and after the podcast.Please enjoy this fantastic conversation with Dave and Chelsea on the state of private markets and private wealth and how both asset managers and wealth managers can balance customization and differentiation with scale.Thanks, Dave and Chelsea, for such a thoughtful and fascinating conversation.Show Notes00:00 A message from Ultimus, our Sponsor00:57 Meet The Guests01:07 Private Markets Are Eating World01:29 Why Create RIA Council01:49 Franklin Client-First DNA02:09 From Public To Private02:43 Listening Beyond Product03:07 Peer To Peer Insights04:12 Chelsea On The Benefits of Advisory Council04:36 Inbox Overload And Filtering05:10 Serving Diverse RIA Needs06:15 Many RIAs Within One06:30 What CIOs Need Most06:54 Educating Advisors At Scale07:32 GPs Must Listen Better08:26 What Education Really Means09:01 Repeatable Advisor Resources09:54 Avoid Oversimplifying Complexity10:30 Education Shifts To Choice11:50 Balancing Choice And Customization13:13 Centralized Menu For Scale15:10 Sober Selling And Integrity16:30 Franklin Private Markets Platform17:59 Specialist Managers Model18:28 Infrastructure Partnership Play19:22 Do More With Less Managers21:04 Holistic Options For Advisors21:47 Where Product Innovation Goes22:23 Sun Moon Stars Aligning22:53 Future Access 401k Models23:12 Start With Investment Why23:29 Allocator Innovation Lens24:09 Models Versus Customization24:35 Why Innovation Matters24:53 No One Right Way25:18 Whats Still Missing25:33 Scaling And The Middle25:55 Magic Wand Question26:19 Plumbing And Reporting26:32 Perpetual Structure Tradeoffs26:46 Protecting Investment Integrity27:30 Long Term Over Short Term27:42 Need More CIO Mindsets28:03 Strategic Allocation For Alts28:50 Chelsea On Strategic Framing29:34 Making Liquidity Intuitive30:06 Educating On Liquidity Risk30:29 Private Markets Risk Reframe31:32 Dave On Portfolio Construction32:14 Standardizing Industry Terms32:42 Building Trust With Liquidity33:45 A Fun Question38:10 Client Analogies That Stick40:43 Fat Pitch Opportunities Today42:53 Closing Thoughts And ThanksA Word from Our Sponsor, UltimusThis episode of Alt Goes Mainstream is brought to you by Ultimus, the full-service fund administrator and transfer agent powering asset managers in private and public markets. As alts go mainstream, you need real expertise to handle complex fund structures, connect with key distribution partners, and handle sophisticated compliance, reporting, and transparency demands.That’s Ultimus: high-tech, high-touch solutions for over 450 clients and 2,500 funds with $775B in assets under administration. Backed by an expert team of over 1,200 employees, they place client service at the core of their business, helping you navigate complexity during your fund structuring or launch and then supporting you through every stage of growth. Whether you’re already in the market or thinking about entering private wealth, you can trust their team’s deep expertise in retail alternatives to help you reach your goals.Learn more at ultimusfundsolutions.com or email [email protected] thank Ultimus for their support of alts going mainstream.