Fireside Chat with Robert F. Smith

Vista Equity’s success is attributed to their focus and vast knowledge in the Enterprise Software space.

The firm is focused on Enterprise Software.

Having resources and employees focused on enhancing the productivity of a businesses, through the power of computing, allows the company to build strong expertise in the Enterprise Software space.

Accumulated knowledge and network.

Vista has built an extensive engagement and network of entrepreneurs. It has assessed over 8,000 deals and executed over 550 transactions. Working with entrepreneurs allows them to identify critical success factors.

Focus on accelerating learning from executives to the C-suite members.

The company invests in teaching executive and management teams relevant tools and best practices.

Great entrepreneurs have focus and are able to listen well, and great leaders enable employees to become their best self.

Entrepreneurs need a mindset for growth.

Company must foster mindset of continuous improvement within the company. Access to other entrepreneurs in Vista Equity’s portfolio has been crucial for the company’s success.

Focus on nurturing the company and its people to be their absolute best self.

Do not compare with other people, focus on equipping yourself with the knowledge and expertise needed to become the best self.

The 2% solution to empower minority communities.

Large corporations should use 2% of their annual net income for the next decade to empower minority communities. Robert has been personally involved in setting up ‘The 2% Solution’ and is a signatory of The Giving Pledge to help improve the community. Besides that, Vista Equity is working with BCG and Paypal to modernize banking for the marginalized communities in the US that will substantially close the racial wealth gap.

Human capital will be Malaysia’s greatest asset and weapon to drive redistribution of wealth and pivot from a resource- and land-based economy.

The main challenge will be people’s access to opportunities around them.

Vista’s main goal in enterprise software was to provide computing power to more people to enable more opportunities.

Government will play a key role to provide access to platforms of opportunities.

In the US, one key platform is access to broadband as most historically black colleges do not have access to broadbands. Vista is currently working on this project with other private players and encouraging government to participate in this area.

Racism and segregation are challenges to access and exacerbate inequalities.

There has been a renewed sense of urgency in adopting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies in the corporate world. Vista Equity implements conscious inclusion (of marginalized communities) as a formal policy, for the company and their investee companies.