Episode summary
The Long Game: Ava Mallin on Building Allocator Relationships That Last
Dakota Rainmaker Podcast
· · 32 min · Hosts: Gui Costin · Guests: Ava Mallin
Summary
Ava Mallin, managing director in private wealth at Ardian, traces her path from an English degree into fundraising and argues that her edge comes from blending emotional transparency with disciplined client service. She says her upbringing around a bond broker father and therapist mother shaped a leadership style that is direct but empathetic, and that in business, people benefit from honest feedback rather than vague encouragement.
She makes a strong case that sales teams should replace annual reviews with constant communication and that leaders should tell people where they stand early, so they can improve or move into a better fit. She also stresses hiring for culture and collaboration over isolated individual talent, saying teams should be built around adults who are motivated, responsible, and aligned with the firm’s values.
Technology is central to her operating model. Mallin says a CRM is essential in private wealth because of the high meeting volume, and she describes Dakota as an overlay that helps her team search, organize, and use information more effectively. For her, allocator relationships are a long game: she wants to understand clients, their families, and their priorities over years, not just win a single fundraise.
Key takeaways
- Ava Mallin says transparent, frequent feedback beats annual reviews because people need to know what good looks like in real time.
- Mallin says private wealth teams need a strong CRM and uses Dakota as an overlay to manage high-volume relationship data.
- Mallin argues that hiring should prioritize culture fit and collaboration, not just individual qualifications.
- Mallin says allocator relationships are built over 20 years or more, so listening matters more than pitching.
- Mallin believes leaders should be kind and direct, because avoiding hard feedback can set teammates up to fail.
Notable quotes
“I think that there's there's that influence um that she's had on me that's been greater versus how to deal with people oneon-one”
“I think it's important to convey what what is truly expected from yourself. Um, and to see around the corner”
“without a CRM and I've used multiple different types of CRM without any type you are lost you are living in Excel spreadsheets”
“I think it's really important not to hire individuals. I think it's really important to hire people that will ultimately work well together”
“These are long relationships that are very meaningful”
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.
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.comdotenarketplace today. What is up everybody? It's Ge Cen, founder and CE of Dakota.
Welcome to the latest episode of the Rain Maker Podcast. So thrilled to be joined by our latest guest, Ava Min. Ava, welcome.
Thanks, G. — Great to have you here. All right. Ava Min is the managing director in private wealth at Ardian based in New York. Ava is responsible for leading Ardian's private wealth relationships across the United States. She joined the firm in 2022 after spending seven years in Carile's private wealth group. Ava earned her bachelor's degree in English from the University of Wisconsin Madison.
From the episode’s captions: roughly the first two minutes, lightly cleaned. Keep watching on YouTube →
Topics
- allocator relationships
- private wealth
- fundraising
- crm infrastructure
- leadership feedback
Companies and tickers mentioned
- Ardian
- Dakota
Watch the episode
Watch “The Long Game: Ava Mallin on Building Allocator Relationships That Last” on YouTube
Summary, takeaways and quote selection by Octagon. Quotes are short excerpts; the full conversation is in the episode.
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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.
