Join dakota Live! as we sit down with Jeff Croteau, Founder & CIO of Tide Cycle Resources, to discuss building durable portfolios, the evolution of the OCIO model, and why patience—not prediction—drives long-term success.

We explore what it means to step away from a traditional institutional consulting career and launch a focused, high-conviction investment platform designed for families and foundations navigating increasingly complex markets.

With approximately $3 billion advised across client portfolios, Tide Cycle is built on a simple idea: stability, discipline, and thoughtful asset allocation matter more than complexity or constant change.

Jeff explains how decades of experience across market cycles—from the dot-com bubble to the Global Financial Crisis—have shaped his approach to portfolio construction, manager selection, and client relationships.

We explore:
• Why “stability” is the most underrated driver of long-term investment success.
• How the OCIO model is evolving toward deeper integration with families, boards, and advisors.
• Why Tide Cycle indexes public equities—and where they choose to spend their active risk and fee budget instead.
• Risks in private credit and the importance of aligning liquidity with underlying investments.
• How governance and education shape better decision-making during periods of market stress.

Throughout the conversation, Jeff returns to a core idea:
Sometimes nothing is broken— the tide just hasn’t come back in yet.

Whether you’re an allocator, asset manager, or student of the markets, this episode offers a clear, experience-driven perspective on how portfolios are actually built, managed, and sustained over full cycles.

Listen now for a grounded conversation on patience, discipline, and the frameworks that endure.

This episode starts as a parody.

An April Fool’s take on private equity, financial media, and the way we position ourselves in the investment industry.

It’s exaggerated. It’s intentional. And it might feel too familiar.

Then we shift.

Because behind the character is a real conversation about something that matters—

how content is created, how differentiation actually works, and why most financial firms get it wrong.

What You’ll Get:

• A satirical look at private equity culture and messaging

• The thinking behind one of the fastest-growing finance parody brands

• Practical insight on building content that actually cuts through

• Why copying trends doesn’t work—and what does

• Advice for students, allocators, and managers navigating a changing landscape

Why This Episode Matters:

In a market where everyone sounds the same, content is no longer optional—it’s a strategic advantage.

This episode is about understanding that shift.

Through humor first—then through experience.

Guest:

Johnny Hilbrant — creator of “PE Guy,” a rapidly growing parody brand across LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, known for its sharp take on private equity culture and communication.

What does it look like to sit in the CIO seat?

This episode of Dakota Live was recorded on campus at West Virginia University, bringing students directly into the room with institutional investors responsible for billions in capital.

Rob Morier sits down with:

• Jim Bethea, CIO of the WVU Foundation
  
  
• Craig Slaughter, CIO of the West Virginia Investment Management Board
  
  
• Josh Hall, Dean of the WVU Business School
  
  

This is not a surface-level discussion.

It’s a behind-the-scenes look at how portfolios are actually built—and what matters far more than most people think.

We cover:

• How endowments and pensions allocate capital
  
  
• The real role of governance in investment outcomes
  
  
• How CIOs evaluate managers (and why it’s not a pure science)
  
  
• Private markets vs public markets today
  
  
• Active vs passive: where the opportunity may be shifting
  
  
• What students and young professionals need to know to break into investing
  
  

One of the biggest takeaways:

Most CIOs don’t spend their time talking about managers.

They talk about governance, process, and decision-making.

If you’re an allocator, asset manager, or student trying to understand how institutional investing actually works—this episode is for you.