Constructive Activist Investing, Career Mandates, & Investor Psychology with Donald Zilkha

Episode notes

What does it take to survive market crashes, rebuild broken portfolios, and double down when everyone else walks away? In this episode, Donald Zilkha, investor, entrepreneur, and founder of Zilkha Capital Partners, unpacks 40+ years across M&A, venture capital, and constructive activist investing. He shares how he turned a failing dot-com fund into a 2x outcome, why investor psychology matters more than spreadsheets, and how collaborative (not combative) activism unlocks value in public companies. His core belief: people give up too soon and discipline, flexibility, and trust are the real edge in business.