James River Capital is a Virginia-based alternative investment enterprise. Initially, the firm was only a department in Kidder, Peabody & Corp. After the purchase of Kidder, Paul Saunders and his partner bought the investment firm. Under their leadership, they restructured and rebranded the investment firm. The duo had the investment firm registered by SEC and CFTC.
Through Paul Saunders’ leadership prowess, the investment advisory firm has had enormous returns since its establishment in 1995. The enterprise’s robust growth has seen it receive numerous recognitions such as the US Hedge Fund Award in 2014, Investors Choice Award, Invest Hedge Award, and Live Wire Winner Award.
About Paul Saunders
Paul Saunders, James River Capital’s co-initiator and CEO, is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in Economics. Saunders also holds a University of Chicago’s MBA. According to Saunders, his choice towards an alternative investment career was motivated by the fact that the job offered him advancement based on merit rather than on progression. For over two decades, he has grown career-wise to become a respectable figure.
The idea to establish the firm emerged while working at Kidder Peabody’s alternative asset department. Saunders has always had interests in starting his own business and avoiding bureaucracy associated with most international firms. Saunders and his partner bought off the alternative investment department and relocated its offices to Richmond, a warmer place for them. They then renamed the company James River Capital.
A typical day for Paul Saunders starts with exercises and workouts, which he has observed throughout his lifetime. Workouts energize him throughout the day by giving him the appropriate mental state, hence becoming more productive throughout the day. Saunders then reports to work and starts his everyday chores that involve reading mails, zoom meetings with clients and business partners, and reviewing available private equity investments.
Saunders’s experience in the field has enabled him to make the right decisions about his daily idea. His role as the overall decision-maker requires him to know how to bring good ideas into life. One of the most exciting trends for Paul Saunders is the possibility of having employees working remotely. Saunders is proud to have a diligent team that works remotely at level best, even without supervision. Through technology, he can interact and learn about their welfare and their work progress. According to Saunders, happy employees are more productive; hence Saunders socially engages his team regularly. He must motivate the employees for them to become more productive.
Paul Saunders advises young and aspiring entrepreneurs always to take advantage of the available opportunities in their lives. As they work hard, they should appreciate what they have now as time flies very fast. To Saunders, money doesn’t necessarily bring happiness, although it makes one financially secure. Upcoming entrepreneurs should also learn to focus on a single objective at a time to avoid dividing their attention. When there are many available opportunities, it’s always advisable to concentrate on a single opportunity at a time to avoid losing focus and failing. Focusing on a single opportunity creates less stress, and one can measure the progress of the task.
The exploitation of available opportunities and taking risks has seen Saunders take his business to the next level. However, investors should not invest in an enormous figure that may make them bankrupt in case of failure. It’s always advisable to invest wisely and progressively add more assets as the project grows. In his career, Paul Saunders has had numerous failures. Fortunately, Saunders had more successes than failures. He attributes the failure to focus on the projects instead of team management. Proper team management has led to his success in private equity investments. Although business people should work hard, they should focus on being smart in their endeavors.