How can we collectively shape the future?

Embedded in this question is the idea of the collective, and how we may collectively make an impact. This question is important to me as a team builder.

When I moved our Kayne Anderson Real Estate team to Florida from New York in 2013, I received a few raised brows, as this was before it was fashionable to relocate down to the subtropics. But in doing so, I posed the question to our team, “Don’t ask yourself why, but instead ask yourself, why not?” We were still in the early stages of our firm, having successfully raised three equity funds and had a dedicated and engaged group of 20 people who were, and remain, excited about the “what, where, and how” of our investing and our team dynamics. The team felt they had found something special at Kayne Anderson, and I knew we had brought together something special.

Twenty of the 21 team members made their way to Florida and, like Ponce de Leon before them, brought an enthusiasm of discovery and an esprit de corps that I remain impressed and humbled by. Our team grew closer because of the collective experience of the move and the novelty of being in a new land, and while they didn’t discover the fountain of youth, they did discover the flow of growing opportunity. The team has grown along with the responsibility bestowed on us by our investors, and our core group has shared the cultural underpinnings of what we do and how we do it with each new team member.

Don’t ask yourself why, but instead ask yourself, why not?

Since our move in 2013, the team has grown five-fold, and our business lines have expanded into new territories with the launch of entirely new strategies. The hands-on operating approach we take in the equity space, unique to real estate private equity, has been an ideal foundation for our debt strategy. Our integrated model of building robust design and construction, risk, sustainability, and legal teams within our walls has strengthened our entire practice, as dealmakers can easily stress their assumptions with a diverse set of perspectives who aren’t a phone call or email away but merely steps away.

Our desire to remain in office for the entirety of the workweek, especially at the peak of conversations that dominated management team’s focus (regardless of industry) immediately following the pandemic, was an attempt to retain the ability for close and frequent collaboration, the “creative collisions” that so often result in positive outcomes. As we’ve grown, the sophistication and impact of the “collective” has always been a focus. The team we have built is, in my opinion, the best in the business and a key competitive advantage.

We have also been lucky to have luminaries join us at our annual conference from across the world of politics, business, sports, and academics, and share with us their vision of collaboration and its importance, again strengthening the cultural fabric of our team. Hearing stories from these titans has benefited our collective immensely. Among the perspectives that have shaped us include those of President George W. Bush and Ben Bernanke discussing their differing yet complementary skills that came together to navigate the most difficult financial crises of the modern era, collaborative skills that we see our team members adopt as they figure out solutions to complex projects; Nassim Taleb stressing the need to anticipate the unexpected and build a team that strengthens, not collapses, with stress; Indra Nooyi on the responsibility and opportunity we carry on our shoulders and recognizing the privilege that is; Earvin “Magic” Johnson on knowing how to use one’s talents but also the importance of identifying talents in others that can help generate lasting impact; and Deion Sanders, on the skill to get comfortable with the uncomfortable and the dynamism of coaching a team versus being an individual contributor. We were honored to host such esteemed guests, and their insights help ensure we are an informed and resourceful group.

To address the question of how we can collectively shape the future, I’ve done so without the use of any crystal ball outlook on the future but rather focused on the tried and true, albeit difficult, process of team building. We best shape the future unknowns by building a resilient, capable, curious, and enthusiastic team around us, a collective of diverse talents and viewpoints to help us successfully navigate all that will come our way. At Kayne Anderson, we are accomplishing this, but the job is never done, and we endeavor to continue strengthening our bench to continue our successful journey. Together.