Mitch Rales: The Art of Compounding - [Art of Investing, Forever Episode]

We are excited to share a great conversation with Mitch Rales, the co-founder of Danaher and one of the living legends in the world of business and investing. Consider that Danaher has annualized at over 21% for four decades, resulting in an 1800-times multiple on invested capital! This is Mitch's first long-form interview of any kind, and he covers his entire history and business philosophy. Interviewing Mitch are Paul Buser and Rick Buhrman, who host the Art of Investing podcast on the Colossus network. Please enjoy this comprehensive discussion with Mitch Rales.

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For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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Art of Investing is a property of Pine Grove Studios in collaboration with Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Art of Investing, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes

(00:00:00) - Welcome to The Art of Investing

(00:05:32) - The Philosophy Behind Glenstone's Creation

(00:12:57) - Benchmarking and Continuous Improvement: Lessons from Danaher and Glenstone

(00:21:22) - The Influence of Mitch’s Father and Upbringing

(00:28:43) - Transforming Danaher During The George Sherman

(00:30:39) - Embracing Long-Term Vision and Patience

(00:36:47) - The Role of Leadership in Navigating Change

(00:42:21) - Danaher's Evolutionary Journey: From 1.0 to 4.0

(00:56:37) - Building a Culture of Internal Growth and External Innovation

(00:58:42) - The Art of Successful Acquisitions and Integration Strategies

(01:03:03) - Seeking Leadership Qualities and Business Traits for Long-Term Success

(01:06:14) - The Journey from Personal Experience to Philanthropy

(01:13:10) - Investment Philosophy: Concentration vs. Diversification

(01:29:46) - Operational Expertise as a Catalyst for Company Growth

(01:34:17) - Identifying and Supporting Talent in Business

(01:43:02) - The Impact of Secular Trends on Long-Term Investments

(01:49:53) - Revitalizing the Washington Commanders

(01:57:36) - Engaging with Fans and Building a Winning Culture

(02:05:16) - The Importance of Long-Term Vision