Shaker Investments Celebrates the 18th Work Anniversary of Sasha A. Kostadinov, CFA
Sasha Kostadinov has been with Shaker Investments for the last 18 years of his career as a Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst. He is co-manager of the Small Cap Portfolio and conducts research on stocks in a number of sectors.
Sasha aspired to work at Shaker for years before accepting the job. Shaker had established such a good reputation in Cleveland that Sasha wanted to be a part of that legacy. Even though Cleveland is home to over 350,000 people, it still has a small-town feel, which is why reputation means so much to Sasha.
A common misconception about portfolio management is that it is a glamorous job. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Sasha says his work is rigorous and involves making many nuanced decisions. To be a successful portfolio manager, you must be detail orientated, focused, and have a high level of production. It’s imperative to stay concentrated on the specific result you are seeking. This field is very data driven and Sasha takes the responsibility very seriously, meaning he takes his time to analyze data and arrive at the right results.
Although the work is meticulous, he finds it to be very gratifying, particularly when clients appreciate all the hard work. Getting a simple “thank you” from a client is the highlight of Sasha’s career. In the financial services industry it’s not always common to hear positive feedback from clients who expect good results, so he appreciates it when people take the time to tell him that he has made a positive impact on their lives.
At Sasha’s core, the wellbeing of his clients motivates him every day. Sasha is very intentional about keeping his clients’ needs at the forefront of everything he does at Shaker.
Sasha’s motto at work is: “How will I make the right call today?” The role of portfolio manager and research analyst comes with making a lot of difficult decisions. This is why it’s so important to have a reliable process to fall back on to arrive at the right conclusion. A trustworthy process is paramount to being successful in this field and Shaker offers just that. Shaker’s investment process has been proven to be successful, and Sasha relies on that to help his clients.
Sasha has big goals for the future of Shaker. Ultimately, he would love to see the business grow, expand their client base, and welcome new talent onto the team. As a member of the leadership council, Sasha and his colleagues have a deep understanding of the experience and knowledge needed to be successful in this industry and they are excited to share what they know with the next generation. They hope that by attracting young talent and mentoring them, Shaker can have a positive impact on the financial services industry.