What's the Alternative? Meet the Manager

About What's the Alternative? Meet the Manager

Welcome to "What's the Alternative?" hosted by Shana Orczyk Sissel, Founder and CEO of Banríon Capital Management, and widely known as the “Queen of Alternatives.” In this insightful podcast, Shana engages with leaders who are redefining the landscape of alternative investments, diving into the intricacies of strategies that often leave investors perplexed or hesitant. Each episode tackles complex and sophisticated topics, bringing clarity to misunderstood products in the alternative space. Shana isn’t afraid to confront controversy or current events, posing the tough questions that many are thinking but few dare to ask. Through candid conversations with industry experts, listeners gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics at play in alternative investments and how these strategies can fit into their portfolios. Join Shana as she unveils the realities of investing in alternatives, educating and empowering listeners to navigate this vital sector with confidence. Whether you’re an experienced investor or exploring new opportunities, “What's the Alternative?” promises to deliver thought-provoking discussions that challenge the status quo and elevate your investment IQ.

Publisher

Shana Orczyk Sissel

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

27 Jul 2023

Latest episode

6 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

26 of 34 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   6 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   What's the Alternative? | Episode 34 | Understanding GP Stakes: A Unique Approach to Private Equity with Clark Edlund

   Host Shana Orczyk Sissel interviews Clark Edlund, Partner at CAZ Investments, exploring GP stakes as a unique private equity strategy for accessing firm-level economics.

2. 

   5 May 2026TRANSCRIPT

   What's the Alternative? | Episode 33 | ETF Masterclass: Buffered ETFs 101 with Erik Ogard

   Join host Shana Orczyk Sissel, Founder & CEO of Banríon Capital Management, as she sits down with Erik Ogard, Founder of BufferLabs, for a deep dive into Buffer ETFs — what they are, how they work, and when they can make sense in a portfolio. Erik breaks down the options mechanics behind these products, explains the risks and opportunities, and shares how active management and better analytics can improve outcomes for advisors and investors. Key takeaways: * Buffer ETFs offer defined downside protection and capped upside but are more complex than marketing suggests. Know the mechanics before you invest. * These products are built from options strategies (put spreads, call options); understanding the Greeks (Delta, Theta, Gamma) is critical to managing behavior over time. * Performance can deviate before expiration; active monitoring and dynamic management can improve results versus static laddered approaches. * Advisors must educate clients transparently about trade-offs and set realistic expectations to avoid misunderstood risk exposures. Listen now to learn how BufferLabs approaches engineering and managing Buffer ETFs, and why complexity demands expertise. Subscribe for more episodes of What's the Alternative? Connect with us! * Erik Ogard on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-ogard-cfa-a5014a161/] * BufferLabs [https://bufferlabsetfs.com/] * BufferLABS US Equity Dynamic Buffer ETF (BFLB) [https://bflbetf.com/] * Shana Orczyk Sissel on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shsissel/] * Shana Orczyk Sissel on X [http://www.twitter.com/shanas621] * Shana's Website [https://www.shanasissel.com/] * Banríon Capital Management [https://www.banrioncapital.com/]

3. 

   7 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT

   What's the Alternative? | Episode 32 | Beyond the 60/40: Navigating the Complex World of Return Stacking with Corey Hoffstein

   In this episode of What's the Alternative? host Shana Orczyk Sissel sits down with Corey Hoffstein Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Newfound Research, to demystify return stacking, a modern evolution of Portable Alpha that layers diversifying strategies onto existing portfolios using capital‑efficient instruments. They contrast long‑run diversification benefits with the short‑term pain clients feel, and explain how modest, well‑structured stacks can preserve core allocations while improving risk‑adjusted outcomes. Corey and Shana walk through the role of leverage, practical implementation choices, and sensible sizing heuristics to minimize client friction. The conversation delivers actionable guidance on designing stacks that enhance diversification without triggering performance anxiety, plus perspectives on where this trend is headed in wealth management. Key takeaways: * Return stacking lets you add diversifying exposures via leverage and derivatives without cutting core holdings. * Prudently used leverage can be a diversification tool, not just a risk amplifier. * Practical sizing: modest, diversified stacks tend to balance benefits and client acceptance. * Designing for behavioral time, reducing visible short‑term pain, is crucial to keeping clients invested in statistically sound strategies. Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications to stay up to date on future episodes of What's the Alternative? Connect with us! * Corey Hoffstein on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreyhoffstein/] * Corey Hoffstein on X [https://x.com/choffstein?s=20] * Newfound Research [https://www.thinknewfound.com/] * Return Stacked ETFs [https://www.returnstackedetfs.com/] * Shana Orczyk Sissel on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shsissel/] * Shana Orczyk Sissel on X [http://www.twitter.com/shanas621] * Shana's Website [https://www.shanasissel.com/] * Banríon Capital Management [https://www.banrioncapital.com/] Investing involves risk of loss. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Inside a recent episode

What's the Alternative? | Episode 34 | Understanding GP Stakes: A Unique Approach to Private Equity with Clark Edlund

Published 6 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] So let's talk about how the economics are structured from the GP perspective versus the LP perspective, because most advisors only invest as an LP. So the GP is a little foreign to them. Yeah, I think let's start with where they're similar, right? I think both constituents in that dynamic, although they're sitting on opposite sides of the table, whether you're the LP or the GP, both folks benefit when the performance of the portfolio companies in that particular fund do well, right? A dollar gets invested, that dollar gets applied to a number of different portfolio companies, ideally the asset management firm or the GP. will sell those portfolio companies for something more than they acquired them for, and then everyone will get their ratable share of the profits or the proceeds, right? […]

Who has been a guest on What's the Alternative? Meet the Manager

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Clark Edlund
• Michael Marone
• David Selznick
• Brad Zapp
• Michael Sedacca

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

38,079

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 55 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

36

Social presence

94

YouTube

76

Engagement

60

Contact What's the Alternative? Meet the Manager

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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