Different things affect different individuals’ career choices. For Austin Barnard, the path he walks today is the product of passion and his environment when he was growing up. He is currently the co-founder and portfolio manager for Orca Capital’s family of funds.
Austin’s journey in trading started when he was very young. As a kid, he got his first interaction with stock trading through his mom, who worked as a trader at a small family office. Austin’s analytical nature also started showing early.
By the time he was in high school, he knew enough to start his own thing. In fact, he started trading stocks in his Roth IRA in high school and has never looked back. When he enrolled at Ohio State University, he took his trading further. Sometimes he’d even trade during class.
After college, Austin earned his CPA from Ernst & Young and then became a full-time stock and equities trader. In 2017, he discovered Bitcoin, and it piqued his curiosity. After researching more about blockchain technology, he realized crypto is the future and began his exploration in the space.
At first, it was the 24/7 markets and crazy volatility of the crypto industry that attracted Austin. Then in 2018, the bear market came, and he deepened his study of the industry. The more he discovered, the more he fell in love. Convinced he was on the right path, he committed his life to the industry, and that’s how Orca Capital was born.
Orca Capital was started in April 2019. Over the last 2+ years, it has grown into a family of funds with around 200 investors and $60M assets under its management. Although several companies share the same space with Orca Capital, Austin and his team have set themselves apart in several ways.
Transparency is a strong pillar of business at Orca. Austin says that life is less stressful when expectations are set from the beginning and there is clear communication. Austin believes that is one reason their clients trust them and entrust their money to them. The fact that Orca returns profits to its customers is an added advantage.
Education is the second pillar of business at Orca. The company manages money and also helps educate its clients on crypto and finance. Even better, clients get the luxury of speaking directly with the people managing their funds. Austin believes in the work he and the team at Orca do and demonstrates this through his own money. He has 90% + of his own net worth in the funds he manages.
Austin also finds fulfillment in helping other people better their lives. Every day he goes to work and gets a chance to help traditional finance people see the incredible potential of blockchain technology to disrupt pretty much everything.
He says, “I feel like my life’s goal is to help others have an open mind. Too many people naturally bash things they don’t understand, and it often can lead to some of the biggest missed opportunities.”
The future is bright for Austin and Orca Capital. The company is about to open its DeFi-focused fund and add to its already growing list. On a personal level, Austin is working on philanthropic plans tied to the fund aimed at making the world a better place.
