On this episode of Counting Capital, we are joined by Trevor Schuesler, Executive Vice President at Buchanan Street Partners. We explore the democratization of alternative investments and how alternative assets like real estate, private credit, and private equity have become accessible to a broader range of investors beyond just large institutions. We discuss how modern portfolio construction has evolved from the traditional 60/40 stock-bond allocation to include alternatives, in the search for better risk-adjusted returns. We examine key considerations for alternative investment selection, including manager evaluation, understanding what drives performance, the risks of mark-to-market pricing in private assets, and why real estate often serves as a foundational alternative investment due to its combination of equity-like returns, bond-like cash flows, and tax advantages.