In this episode, host Bill Kelly sits down with Brett Hickey, Founder and CEO of Star Mountain Capital, to explore the landscape of lower middle market private credit. Brett shares how his early experiences shaped his approach to entrepreneurship, leadership, and long-term investing. The conversation covers the evolution of private credit post-GFC, structural inefficiencies in the lower middle market, and Star Mountain’s strategy for generating value through operational expertise, alignment of interest, and AI-driven insights. They also address diversification risks, executive underwriting, and maintaining discipline while scaling responsibly.