We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Tim Davis, the founder of Guardian Point Capital, to discuss his career in investing and how it informs his support of the Precinct’s work.
AN EARLY INTEREST IN INVESTING
Tim held a deep interest in investing from a young age. After receiving ten shares of Dean Foods at 12 years old, he became fascinated by how stock values vary as the market moves. Inspired by this early experience, Tim wrote to the most prominent investors at the time. He was shocked to receive a personalized reply from Warren Buffett, encouraging his interest in the investment industry. Soon after, he bought a share in Berkshire Hathaway using his college money, began attending their meetings. Tim’s passion for investing was confirmed.
Before launching his career, Tim studied at the University of Illinois for three years and the London School of Economics for one. He began working in investment banking in New York City before landing in Charlottesville. After a great experience with the University of Virginia Investment Management Company (UVIMCO), he began Bluestem with his former boss and eventually founded Guardian Point Capital nearly ten years ago.
Tim’s success in the investing world is in large part due to his true passion for the field. He explains that he likes investing because “there’s a truth – over a long period of time, you get a true scorecard” of a company. Tim doesn’t see the same truth in politics, so he refrains from funding politicians or political parties. However, he is drawn to the Presidential Precinct because we work outside of politics, bringing together people committed to shared values that transcend partisanship. Like so many of us, Tim is troubled by our increasingly polarized world – one where it has become easy to exist inside an echo chamber, interacting only with those who agree with you. He believes that the Precinct’s work is a necessary antidote in the face of this reality. By bringing young leaders together in one room from various backgrounds and regions of the world, Presidential Precinct programs work to combat growing polarization.
INVESTING IN THE PRECINCT
Tim’s first experience attending a Presidential Precinct program was pivotal – our mission and approach to programming clicked for him immediately. He and Bridget, his wife, knew that supporting the Precinct’s work would feel more like an investment than just giving money away. He compares it to the adage about teaching someone to fish rather than simply giving a fish to eat. By investing in the Precinct, Tim and Bridget are investing in the specific leadership journeys of Precinct program attendees and alumni and ultimately their own networks and communities around the world.
Tim’s confidence in these investments comes from the Precinct’s work and unique structure. He explained that a core aspect of investing is looking for comps, comparable companies to the one you are assessing, to compare various metrics. Tim has not been able to find a comp for the Precinct, and he is certain that our work is truly unique. He believes that “what McKinsey is to management consulting; the Precinct can be to good and effective governance in the political realm.”
PAYING IT FORWARD
Tim’s decision to support the Precinct comes from more than his firm belief in our work and the lessons he has learned through investing. It also stems from the example set by people he respects. He has had mentors who invested in him throughout his career, inspiring him to invest in others. Supporting the work of the Precinct “seemed like a good platform to pay it forward.”
Thinking back to his teenage years, Tim still remembers that personalized letter he received from Warren Buffett. That quick note, something Buffett may have spent no more than 5 minutes on, profoundly impacted Tim’s life. The letter provided him with general advice and a recommendation for books to help him get started. More importantly, it also showed him that something for which you gain no recognition could leave a significant impact on another person.
While Tim is perhaps too humble to recognize himself as someone who can offer worthwhile words of advice to other leaders, we believe that we can all learn from Tim’s actions. He leads by example, investing time, knowledge, and resources into others. At the Precinct, this concept underscores every program that we develop, and we are sincerely grateful to Tim and Bridget for the investments they makes in our community of global leaders.
