Watershed was founded in 1998 by Dale Connors and Kevin Yoshida who firmly believed that a company’s business objectives must be philosophically and practically aligned with its investing values and client service objectives. The two founders set this strategic business vision based on their experience working together at one of the largest global investment consulting firms and from observing their competitors, reaching the conclusion that advice is often compromised within larger organizations. These experiences taught them that to deliver customized advice, maintain the highest level of client service, and remain an independent firm, Watershed must be a boutique – defined as a firm with a focused group of senior investment professionals servicing a limited number of clients, absent any conflicts of interest that inhibit the ability to provide such customized advice.

Stated differently, it was a “watershed event” for them.

We believe our firm structure ultimately supports our core investing values:  to be a research-driven firm that delivers critical insight and understands relative value, with an overlay of balance and common sense.

Watershed was founded in 1998 by Dale Connors and Kevin Yoshida, who firmly believed that a company’s business objectives must be philosophically and practically aligned with its client service objectives. They thought the best way to accomplish this was by incorporating an independent, boutique investment consulting firm. Stated differently, they experienced a “watershed event”.

 

The two founders set this strategic business objective based on their experience working together for one of the largest global investment consulting firms, as well as observing their competitors. Their experience told them that to deliver customized advice, to maintain the highest level of client service and to remain an independent firm (i.e., free from conflicts of interest), Watershed must be a boutique, defined as a firm that has a focused group of experienced investment professionals servicing a limited number of regionally-based clients.

 

Watershed offers the independence and commitment to providing high levels of service that is only available in smaller firms, coupled with an unusually broad and deep level of experience and professional expertise.