Todd on Scaling a T-Mobile Retail Business
At a fireside chat, Richard C. Wilson asks Todd about his wireless career, business decisions, and family office.
Richard C. Wilson speaks with Todd of Ridgeline Capital Group about moving from a corporate wireless career to building a T-Mobile retail business and running a family office. Todd describes how he chose partners, grew the business, and later worked with his sons.
In this video: Richard C. Wilson (fireside chat interviewer), Todd (head of Ridgeline Capital Group, a single family office)
What they said
- Todd on complementary partners. Todd says he chose two partners whose financial and operating skills filled gaps in his own. He saw their different strengths as a combination that could help the business succeed. (at 4:14)
- Todd on equal decision-making power. Todd says that although he controlled most of the business, he gave all three founders equal decision-making power. His partners could also acquire equity or receive sweat equity. (at 4:41)
- Todd on patient relationships. Todd says his family office focused on relationships that could lead to off-market deals with other small family offices. He describes its aim as a win-win experience, with above-average returns and quality of life as priorities. (at 5:38)
- Todd on entering during downturns. Todd says downturns had been followed by recovery in his experience. When few people wanted to distribute for T-Mobile, he and his partners believed they had the skills and finances to enter. (at 7:04)
- Todd on quick decisions and careful hiring. Todd says he made decisions quickly and adjusted when needed. He also learned to take more time when hiring senior and key leaders. (at 17:35)
In their words
"I made it a point to take my kids with me on several of my business trips."
"It's the journey. It's the journey that was much more important to me than the destination."
Why it matters if you are building or preserving great wealth
After selling the retail business, Todd said the family office had to replace the cash flow that was gone. He said they moved slowly and looked for ways to create cash flow for the family.
From Richard's exclusive Billionaires.com interviews
Lessons from Richard C. Wilson's one-on-one interviews, as published on each interview page.
- Anu Aga: Focus on one main cause. Her family found its giving more satisfying and impactful once it chose primary education for the underprivileged in India.
- Binod K. Chaudhary: Never chase a deal out of desperation. Stay cool and look at every part of the deal. Have your advisers and your finance team review it critically. Your counsel should review it too.
- Larry Connor: Learn from every mistake. Larry's team owns its failures and makes no excuses. They learn, change quickly, and keep getting better.
See the data
Frequently asked questions
What was the team's original store target?
Todd says they initially aimed to open 75 stores, then reset the target to 200 as new opportunities appeared.
How did Todd's company open its first stores?
Todd says they acquired the first nine stores, then acquired three more later. They built the rest from the ground up.
What return did Todd say minority investors received?
He said the two minority investors received 28 X on their investment.
Sources
Quotes are copied from the video captions and checked against the transcript. Timestamps link to the moment in the video. General information only, not legal, tax or investment advice.