Private Markets – Mastering the 360 Mindset

How Do I Decide Whether Private Markets Fit My Portfolio? (Ep. 14)

By Mastering the 360 Mindset | October 27, 2026

“How do I decide if private markets are the right fit for my portfolio?” If you’re considering private investments, tying up money can feel like a big trade-off when you’re unsure what you’ll gain. An attractive investment idea alone doesn’t explain how it fits your cash needs or the rest of your portfolio. For some investors, the added complexity may make no private-market allocation a reasonable choice.

In this episode, Jon Meyer speaks with Michael Sustarsic, CFA®, Managing Director and Head of Private Markets at Wealthspire Advisors, about portfolio fit, liquidity, and diversification on Mastering the 360 Mindset. Michael explains how private investment funds work, how commitments can be planned across years, and how his team examines the ways managers create value.

Meyer and Sustarsic break this down into the following discussion points:

Are Private Investments Worth the Risks, Costs, and Complexity?
What’s the Difference Between Drawdown Funds and Evergreen Funds?
How Can I Plan My Private Investment Commitments Over Time?
How Do You Evaluate a Private Investment Manager’s Performance?
Why Is Diversification Important in Private Market Investing?
And more!

Resources:

Connect with Jon Meyer:

Connect with Michael Sustarsic:

About the Guest:

Michael Sustarsic, CFA® is the Managing Director and Head of Private Markets for Wealthspire. Michael leads Wealthspire’s Private Markets group. Within this group, he is responsible for sourcing and performing due diligence on investment opportunities across private equity, private credit and private real assets. Michael is a member of the firm’s Global Private Markets Group and Research Forum.

Prior to joining the firm in 2015, he was a Financial Analyst at General Growth Properties and a Research Analyst with Caldera Investment Group. Michael graduated from the University of Chicago with a BA in Economics and was a star point guard on the basketball team. Michael is a CFA® Charterholder.

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AI, Inflation, and the Investment Decisions That Shape Portfolio Outcomes with Brad Long, CFA® (Ep. 5)

By Mastering the 360 Mindset | March 24, 2026

Big market moves can pull investors toward quick reactions, but lasting results often come from steady thinking and better questions.

How do you separate noise from what actually matters, and build a portfolio that can hold up through changing conditions?

In this episode, Jon Meyer speaks with Brad Long, CFA®, Chief Investment Officer of Wealthspire and Fiducient Advisors, about the core decisions that shape long-term portfolio outcomes. They explore asset allocation, investor behavior, taxes, inflation, AI concentration in the S&P 500, private markets, diversification, and how individuals can think more like strong investment committees when markets feel uncertain.

Brad highlights:

Why asset allocation, investor behavior, and tax awareness often shape outcomes more than short-term market calls
How AI concentration in the S&P 500 creates both opportunity and risk that many investors may not fully notice
Why changing facts does not always require action, and how evidence should guide portfolio decisions over time
What private markets can add to a portfolio, and why liquidity needs should shape how investors use them
How individuals can improve results by reducing emotional reactions and thinking more like an investment committee
And more!

Connect with Jon Meyer:

Connect with Brad Long:

About Our Guest:

Brad Long concurrently serves as Chief Investment Officer at Wealthspire, Fiducient Advisors, where he leads the firm’s investment strategy, research, and portfolio construction across the platform. In this role, Brad is responsible for guiding long-term investment philosophy, overseeing research and due diligence, and ensuring consistency and rigor in how the firm delivers investment solutions for clients across wealth, institutional, and retirement markets.

Prior to joining the firm in 2012, he held research roles at Citigroup and Wells Fargo in New York, where he focused on market analysis and investment research. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance with a minor in economics from the University of Colorado and is a CFA® Charterholder. Brad is a member of the CFA Society of Chicago and the CFA Institute.

Beyond Wealthspire, Brad is actively involved with Greenhouse Scholars, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting under-resourced college students through financial assistance and mentorship. Outside of work, he enjoys cooking and spending time with his wife and young sons.

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