David Feingold, CEO of Broad Street Global, joins us on The Private Equity Podcast to share his 35+ year journey from law to leading one of the largest infrastructure-focused PE firms in the U.S. He unpacks lessons in leadership, hiring, culture, and why they’ve entered crypto mining. This episode is a masterclass in building high-performing teams and seizing unconventional opportunities.
[00:00] Welcome and intro to David Feingold and Broad Street Global – infrastructure + crypto investing
[00:29] David’s background – lawyer-turned-PE exec with 35+ years of experience
[00:57] Early academic honors and mentorship from T. Boone Pickens
[01:25] The power of people over business models – hiring philosophy
[01:53] Letting people do what they’re good at drives performance
[02:19] 55 partners, zero attrition – proof that culture and fit matter
[02:48] No politics, shared vacations – how Broad Street fosters cohesion
[03:15] Lessons from early hiring mistakes – focus on listening
[03:43] Listening is undervalued – why it’s his #1 executive skill
[04:40] Decentralized control – empowering division heads like CEOs
[05:11] Weekly Zooms, collaborative decision-making with 20 reports
[05:39] Entrepreneurship mindset among leadership breeds buy-in
[06:04] Decision rights create ownership and reduce bottlenecks
[06:58] Turnover test post-bonus – why Broad Street retains top talent
[07:26] High comp + real input = long-term loyalty
[08:16] Happiness at work impacts life – no "Yoda talk," just results
[08:46] All 55 partners signed up for Navy SEAL training – by choice
[09:44] Traditional infra + crypto mining – what’s the link?
[10:12] Real estate + utility relationships gave them a crypto edge
[11:09] Enter Dogecoin early – before Elon Musk moved the market
[11:37] Built North America’s largest Dogecoin mining operation
[12:06] Opportunistic scaling based on margin and fit
[12:53] Infra skills + land + utility access = expansion blueprint
[13:22] Mars joke, but serious point: go where profit meets capability
[13:49] Trends in U.S. infrastructure – high barriers, high demand
[14:14] Housing shortage drives demand – focus on Carolinas
[14:43] Greenville top retirement spot – strong absorption rates
[15:10] Long runway – next 2–3 generations will stay in this sector
[15:39] What he reads/listens to: all business podcasts + global news
[16:09] Constant learning – 45 mins daily to stay sharp
[16:37] Ideas from people > articles – value of conversations
[17:07] Investors wanted a brokerage – he built one
[17:37] Always talking to the market – shaping services around demand
[18:05] Education goal: answer any question, any time
[18:33] Avoid "I don’t know" as CEO – credibility matters
[19:02] Always studying: legal, financial, geopolitical trends
[19:59] Website contact – happy to connect
[20:27] Outro – thank you and wrap-up
How to connect with David Feingold? via BroadStreetPrivateEquity or LinkedIn
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Got feedback or questions? Email Alex at alex.rawlings@raw-selection.com. Until next time—keep smashing it!
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