100k pushups in a year: Why consistency compounds in and out of the gym

Michael Bell has built and sold companies worth billions, but the thing his own office didn't know about him was a personal commitment to 100,000 push-ups this year. In this episode, Paisley and Josh sit down with Michael, founder and CEO of Meketa Capital, to talk about the philosophy of relentless consistency that shaped his career from CPA to deal lawyer to company builder, and how that same mindset led him to build a private markets platform that gives financial advisors institutional grade access to private equity and infrastructure without the layered fees that usually come with it. 🎯 In this episode: Michael breaks down the three phases of his career and how each one built the tool set for the next. He explains why co-investing gives investors direct access to individual deals instead of paying fees on fees through a typical fund of funds structure, and how his partnership with Meketa Investment Group opened the door to institutional deal flow built over five decades. Paisley and Josh also press him on liquidity risk in interval funds, the surging demand for infrastructure driven by AI and data center buildout, and the hardest lesson he learned from a deal that looked perfect on paper but was much harder in practice. 🎙️ ABOUT BBP Building Better Portfolios is hosted by Paisley Nardini, CFA, CAIA, and Josh Flade, CFA. Each episode features candid conversations with top investors, fund managers, and financial thinkers on building resilient, modern portfolios, and better lives. Our tagline: building better portfolios, building better lives. Subscribe and hit the bell. 📩 CONNECT & CONTACT [email protected] Paisley LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paisleynardini Josh LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joshua-j-flade-cfa-55682b30 ⚠️ DISCLOSURES The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guest and do not reflect those of any employer or affiliated firm. This podcast is for informational purposes only, not investment, legal, or tax advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk including loss of principal. Consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions. 🏷️ #BuildingBetterPortfolios #PrivateEquity #PrivateMarkets #CoInvesting #Infrastructure #AlternativeInvestments #WealthManagement #FinancialAdvisors #RIA #InvestmentPodcast