If you’re an executive at a publicly traded company, your daily routine is influenced by stock price fluctuations, quarterly earnings reports, and investor sentiment. Your compensation may be closely linked to equity — RSUs, stock options, and incentive plans — making the market feel deeply personal.
However, when you invest outside your company, the approach changes. The rapid decision-making that serves you in the boardroom doesn’t always lead to success in your investment portfolio.
Running a publicly traded company can be demanding.
Every quarter, executives must deliver a compelling financial story, even one that emphasizes immediate results. You manage through earnings pressure, investor expectations, and public scrutiny. Even strategies planned for the next five years need to be communicated in a way that supports the stock price today.
Take Tim Collins, the COO of a regional bank that’s publicly traded. For years, he sat in the boardroom weighing not only operational decisions but also how they'd be perceived by analysts and shareholders. Whether it’s a cost-cutting measure or a product launch, his role includes ensuring the stock responds well each quarter.
Now, contrast that with the mindset of a diversified investor. Portfolio managers don’t need to impress analysts or meet short-term benchmarks. Their goal is to invest in high-quality companies that grow steadily over time, even if they experience short-term turbulence.
Working with a financial advisor, Tim struggled initially. When a few holdings declined in value, he asked, “If this stock is dropping, why aren’t we out of it?”
The answer surprised him: The portfolio manager expects volatility and has strong reasons to stay the course.
These reasons might include:
Where Tim was once rewarded for reacting quickly, he now needed to practice something different: judicious patience.
This contrast reveals a fundamental truth: The skills and temperament that serve executives well inside a company aren’t always the same ones that help them as investors.
| Executive Mindset | Investor Mindset |
|---|---|
| Acts quickly to gain advantage | Holds steady through market cycles |
| Responds to competition | Ignores short-term noise |
| Drives quarterly results | Focuses on long-term growth |
| Shapes public perception | Looks beyond public sentiment |
The same discipline, intelligence, and strategic insight that make someone a great executive can make them a great investor, but only with a shift in mindset.
If you’re a public company executive, you already understand how shareholder value is created. But investing in other companies is a different discipline.
You’re no longer delivering the earnings call — you’re the shareholder.
And that means your success as an investor may depend not on what happens this quarter, but on what you decide to hold through the quarters ahead.
At Spaugh Dameron Tenny, we specialize in helping public company executives navigate the complexities of equity compensation, concentrated stock positions, and long-term financial independence.
Let’s have a conversation about how your investing strategy can support the next chapter, not just your company’s growth, but your own.
Schedule a complimentary consultation with an advisor who understands both sides of the boardroom table.
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Shane Tenny, CFP®, is the Managing Partner of Spaugh Dameron Tenny and a nationally recognized financial advisor. Since 2000, he has combined extensive financial knowledge with a passion for behavioral finance—helping clients make informed decisions based on both data and mindset. Shane often contributes to industry publications, appears as a guest on podcasts, and has been a leader in the financial planning field for years. He is known for making complex topics clear and practical for busy, high-income professionals seeking personalized advice they can trust.
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