Episode summary
Keith VanOrden on Building TCW's Retail Distribution Platform from Scratch
Dakota Rainmaker Podcast
· · Hosts: Gui Costin · Guests: Keith VanOrden
Summary
Keith VanOrden describes building TCW’s retail distribution effort from scratch after joining a firm with strong products but no retail sales team. He says his approach was shaped by years of wholesaling, when he worked under multiple managers and kept a steno notebook to record what good leadership looked like. From that experience, he argues that trust and actually having walked in a salesperson’s shoes matter most in managing a team.
A large part of the conversation focuses on sales process, CRM discipline, and communication. Keith argues that the best teams align the salesperson, client, and firm interests, use Salesforce rigorously, and treat call notes and meeting records as essential operating data. He says TCW uses Slack, voice dictation, and AI tools to make reporting easier and more useful, while also pushing the team toward better follow-up and more relevant content.
He also stresses transparency up and down the organization. Keith says weekly check-ins, team chats, and clear expectations help prevent drift, while his leadership style is best described as servant leadership. For younger people entering investment sales, he emphasizes curiosity, work ethic, a development mindset, and genuinely liking the business.
Key takeaways
- Keith VanOrden says TCW built its retail distribution platform from scratch, growing to 15 internals, 14 people in wirehouse and independent channels, 9 in RIA, plus a wealth portfolio consulting team.
- Keith says the two most important traits in a sales manager are trust and having “walked in their shoes.”
- He argues that CRM discipline is nonnegotiable and that Slack, Salesforce, and voice dictation make activity tracking and follow-up materially better.
- Keith says effective sales calls should end with direct qualification questions so the salesperson knows whether the meeting was real demand or just a nice conversation.
- He describes his leadership style as servant leadership and says he wants to leave teammates more trusted, more capable, and ready to do more.
Notable quotes
“being trustworthy was was number one. like if if they trust you, you can mess up a lot. Uh and number two is that you've walked in their shoes”
“when I came to TCW three years ago and like you said LA based we've got you know great active fixed income products uh great concentrated equity portfolios”
“we have mutual funds, ETFs, SMAs, and and private credit vehicles, we have to be a master of all of those”
“CRM is is the lifeblood”
How the episode opens
Welcome to the Rain Maker podcast with your host Geek Cen. The goal of this podcast is to give listeners a unique look into sales strategies from top industry executives. We introduce you to the heads of sales and heads of distribution who will help you understand the inner workings of the successful sales organizations from philosophy to execution.
This podcast is essential for sales professionals seeking wisdom from the best in the field. If you're not familiar with Dakota and their Dakota rain maker content, please check out dakota.com to learn more about their services. Certain content in this media may be considered an endorsement under rule 2064-1 under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940.
Neither TCW nor its affiliated adviserss or advisory affiliates solicited those comments, nor did it compensate the host for making them.
This episode is brought to you by Dakota Marketplace. Are you tired of constantly jumping between multiple databases and channels to find the right investment opportunities? Introducing Dakota Marketplace, the comprehensive, institutional, and intermediary database built by fundraisers for fundraisers.
With Dakota Marketplace, you'll have access to all channels and asset classes in one place, saving you time and streamlining your fundraising process. Say goodbye to the frustration of searching through multiple databases, websites, form ADVs, and say hello to a seamless and efficient fundraising experience. Sign up now and see the difference Dakota Marketplace can make for you.
Visit dakota.com/dotenarketplace today. What is up everybody? It's Ge Cen, founder and CEO of Dakota.
Welcome to the latest episode of the Rain Maker Podcast. I am so thrilled to be joined by Keith Van Orton, who's the head of retail distribution at TCW. Keith, welcome.
Thank you very much for having me. — Mr. Van Norton is the head of retail distribution North America for TCW.
From the episode’s captions: roughly the first two minutes, lightly cleaned. Keep watching on YouTube →
Topics
- retail distribution platform
- crm and salesforce adoption
- sales channelization
- client engagement touchpoints
- servant leadership
Companies and tickers mentioned
- BLK
- CRM
- TCW
- BlackRock
- iShares
- Delaware Investments
- Fidelity
- Putnam
- Smith Barney
- Salesforce
- Dakota
- Sequoia
Watch the episode
Watch “Keith VanOrden on Building TCW's Retail Distribution Platform from Scratch” on YouTube
Summary, takeaways and quote selection by Octagon. Quotes are short excerpts; the full conversation is in the episode.
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If It's Not in Salesforce, It Didn't Happen Michael O'Shea on Sales Discipline at Origin Investments
Dakota Rainmaker Podcast, this episode and its artwork belong to Dakota Team. Octagon is not affiliated with the show; this page is an independent summary.
