Based in New York, Justin Muccigrosso most recently served as an associate with at a global asset manager. His position involved gathering and compiling corporate data for reports delivered to prospects and investors. Areas of focus for Justin Muccigrosso include equity, fixed-income and private debt strategies. He created materials in request for information (RFI), due diligence questionnaire, and request for proposal (RFP) formats.
After earning his Bachelor’s degree at Boston College, Mr. Muccigrosso gained early experience as a summer finance analyst and investment team member with a growth-equity platform. He participated in prospecting calls that brought together founders and executives of startups, and reviewed prospects’ capitalization tables and financial statements.
Mr. Muccigrosso’s input spanned areas such as financials, future funding partnerships, and current funding processes. The in-depth investment presentations and memos he crafted were presented to investment committee members at meetings. He maintains FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses and is proficient in Microsoft Office, Bloomberg Terminal, BlackRock Aladdin, and Salesforce.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I like to start my day with a run in Central Park or the West Side Highway and then some strength training, followed by 20 minutes in the sauna. This routine allows me to get into the right mindset for the day and wake myself up before work. I find it beneficial to be outside and get in some form of exercise first thing in the morning.
Every morning at work, I write a list of tasks and reminders for the day. This allows me to be present with what is needed and prioritize accordingly. As I work, I enjoy having the list as a reference and to be able to check off items. Of course, it is also important to be dynamic and able to shuffle the list as new things come in. During meetings, I am sure to take notes and ask questions where they may come up and engage with my team. Before leaving work, I’ll typically go through my email inbox to be sure I didn’t miss anything—this exercise also allows me to go through what I got done and recap the day.
After work, I’ll go for a walk and listen to podcasts of things I am interested in. I enjoy seeing friends as much as possible, so later in the week, if there is a game on or something, I enjoy meeting up after work for that. Before bed, I’ll catch up on a show I am watching and then read before bed.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Being a diligent note taker and thorough communicator helps me bring ideas to my team for projects I am working on
What’s one trend that excites you?
The growth of golf as a global sport, both for recreational golfers and as a professional sport that fans follow closely.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I find that my habit of handwriting notes and list of tasks throughout the day helps me to be present and actively engaged with whatever it is I am working on. Accordingly, I enjoy efficiently mapping out my calendar on a daily and weekly basis. This helps me to prioritize and work according to deadlines.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell my college-freshman self to say “yes” to things with friends and classmates and to spend at least an hour or two in the library after class every day, even if you think you don’t need to.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
Golf is the best sport.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Cardio exercise—running, biking, walking, etc. It is so good for you and feels great.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Sometimes I think it helps to take a break from whatever it is you are working on, go for a short walk outside, and then come back to whatever it may be with fresh eyes. This allows me to reset and get back into it in the right mindset/headspace to get back on track and move in the right direction. Instead of going for a short walk, you can also check in on something entirely separate, whatever helps you reset.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Early in my career, I have been taught the value of face-to-face conversation or phone calls as a primary method of communication over sending an email or direct message. To me, this is more effective and mutually beneficial and allows you to become a more engaging speaker and thinker. Additionally, being present and inquisitive has allowed me to grow as a team player.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early on in my career, I would try to complete things that were asked of me as quickly as I could. This would cause me to rush and not check things over as thoroughly as needed. I learned to be more vocal with my team about my current projects and deadlines in order to give myself time to thoroughly check things over with a fresh set of eyes. This has helped me provide cleaner deliverables to both my team and external stakeholders and be generally more mindful about my projects.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
I’d say Google Calendar for my personal and professional schedule. I add events and obligations to my calendar so I am current with what I need to be on top of. I also use Strava and WHOOP for my workouts and recovery.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I recently read Phil Knight’s Nike memoir Shoe Dog, which I really enjoyed. It is an inspiring story of teamwork, perseverance, and following your passions. I read it while training for the NYC Marathon, which was fitting.
Outside of my golf and comedy podcast rotation, I enjoy listening to the Freakonomics podcast. It explores interesting topics I normally wouldn’t think about in depth. I also like to listen to Acquired’s episodes on companies I am interested in learning about.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I recently rewatched The Wire, which is one of my favorite shows. The writing, character development, and layered portrayal of Baltimore are all top tier. Each season explores a different pocket of the city while touching on universal themes and sentiments.
Key learnings
- Get outside and make time for exercise for the mental and physical health benefits.
- Be a strong team player in the office; engage, be present, ask questions and follow up.
- Get out and be social. Spend time with your friends and follow things you are interested in and passionate about.