What’s keeping listed leaders up at night? 5 themes from seven events
Hey everyone – I’m Hannah!
I joined InvestorHub three months ago, and it’s been an exciting journey so far! My first task here is taking over the community dinners, and it’s been such a great experience.
In just the first few weeks, I’ve attended seven events and connected with 50 leaders in the listed space. What struck me was how often the same themes popped up, even among such a diverse group of leaders.
As Ben mentioned, feel free to reach out if you’d like to join a future dinner – we’ll be hosting them across Australia and the UK in 2025!
For now, I wanted to share some of the key themes that have come up during these recent gatherings. My hunch is, if they’re top of mind at these dinners, they’re likely relevant to a lot of leaders across the listed landscape.
October community insights: key themes from 50 attendees across 7 events.
Quick note: These themes reflect insights across multiple companies, and we follow the Chatham House Rule – you can discuss what was said, just not who said it. So, with that in mind, here’s a broad look at what we’ve heard.
- Index entry risk.
Joining an index isn’t always the golden ticket it might seem. Companies are finding that without momentum, index entry can sometimes lead to more volatility and pressure, especially from brokers and hedge funds.
There’s a great six-minute podcast that dives into this, comparing companies that entered the index with strong tailwinds versus those that didn’t. - Leadership knowledge gaps.
For many executives with a more technical background, navigating capital markets can feel like a steep learning curve. This is especially true for the 75% of ASX companies that are micro and nano caps that have founder-CEOs, many of whom were full-time geologists and scientists just a few years ago.
The consensus? Surround yourself with the right team. CEOs consistently noted that having a strong board, a capable CFO, and savvy advisors is key to filling these gaps. - Think like an investor.
There’s a concept called “the curse of knowledge” where the more you know, the harder it is to imagine not knowing. Growing public companies often fall into this trap, focusing on detailed aspects of their work but missing the basics investors care about.
The fix? “Think like an investor.” Before sending out your latest announcement, put yourself in an investor’s shoes. Would they understand why they should care? - Be authentic and clear.
In a world of highly polished corporate messages, authenticity cuts through. Investors connect with genuine passion and a clear message – no need for fluff.
Simply put, the best way to bypass someone’s “BS radar” is to not offer any BS! And keep it clear: what’s the reason investors should care? Stick to that.
Interestingly, InvestorHub’s analysis shows investors spend more than twice the time learning about your team than reading your announcements. Authenticity matters. - Keep it simple.
There’s definitely a learning curve here. Many leaders talked about balancing clear, compelling communication with the compliance requirements of market announcements. It’s a tricky balance, but ultimately, you want your investors to grasp what you’re sharing.
The importance of clear, simple messaging came up repeatedly. We also touch on this in The 7 market engagement habits of highly effective public companies, which we give out at dinners – feel free to check it out if you’re curious.
These dinners have been a fantastic way to gain different perspectives and draw on the collective experience of other leaders. I’m excited to keep them rolling into the new year! If you’d like to attend, drop me a line and I’ll let you know when we’re in town.