Grit, wheels and wisdom: Why team endurance wins in investing

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. – African proverb

At Global Alpha, we truly believe in having strong, connected teams because we’ve seen how it translates into better performance at work. When team members trust each other, we can push boundaries, test new ideas and endure more uncertainty. So, when we’re looking for team-building activities we look for unique activities that feel relevant, challenging and outside of the box.

This year we did a couple of truly extraordinary events that brought our team together in new ways – like a crash course in sailing with future Olympians! – but the real standout was our participation in the Grand défi Pierre Lavoie. It’s an epic annual four-day, 1000 km relay race that unites thousands of cyclists to promote healthy living and fundraise to support research into rare diseases.

No one person completes the défi alone, just as no one person can run a successful investment firm alone. It takes a cohesive group of skilled team members who can trust and count on each other, especially in volatile times – this challenge was not only a test of physical endurance and teamwork, but also a metaphor for the long-haul journeys that define our success as investment professionals.

Building strength through trust and teamwork

Picture the starting line of the Grand défi Pierre Lavoie: the sun rising, nerves jangling, teammates poised for the first pedal stroke of a 1,000 km adventure. It’s daunting. The finish feels distant, almost impossible. But there are steady wheels on all members of this team – the kind of company that makes every bitter wind lighter and every small victory sweeter.

When you’re part of a team, you’re working toward achieving a common goal, whether it be crossing a finish line 1,000 km away or producing positive returns at the end of a volatile year. As with any team, there are different strengths to be found in each of its members. For the Grand défi Pierre Lavoie, some riders were fast on the straightaways, some were strong up the hills, some were daring through the turns. In our investment team, there are curious researchers, strong risk managers, detailed analysts and more, each of whose skills differ from the others.

On the race path or in the office, the Global Alpha team leans into the grind together, trading stories, picking each other up, finding the opportunities in setbacks. Making these journeys together, especially when there are struggles, builds grit. Over time, the team learns how to support the other members and how to play to their strengths.

There are challenges – sore legs, broken chains, missed targets, sour news, a string of rough quarters or market turmoil, but because of the trust within the team, these are not seen as failures. Instead, the team regroups. An injection of humour gives that second wind that pulls the team through a headwind; one rider’s encouragement or a colleague’s fresh perspective is the spark that keeps everyone moving forward.

But in both environments, there’s an important lesson to be learned: real breakthroughs come after being stretched to the limit.

Going the distance together

During a tough market or a rough patch in life, it can be easy to doubt the journey. During the Grand défi Pierre Lavoie, there are long, quiet stretches where progress feels invisible. Despite pedaling hard, the scenery barely changes. In investing, some days are just as sluggish – despite strong investment principles and proven strategies, the returns can still seem lacklustre.

But these stretched-out moments are where the magic actually happens.

Short-term lulls aren’t proof that nothing’s working – they’re part of playing the long game. It’s easy to chase quick wins or get spooked by setbacks. But by trusting the process, working as a team and continuing to move – one kilometre, one quarter, one decision at a time – perseverance and endurance will deliver quiet rewards and lasting success that go well beyond numbers or market cycles.

Endurance is at the heart of long-term investing because the real rewards come to those who stay disciplined through every market storm and quiet patch. Team endurance wins in investing by combining diverse strengths, steady encouragement and a shared commitment – making it possible to persist, adapt and thrive when others might falter or give up.

Here’s the heart of it: the real win isn’t found at the finish line, but in the journey itself.

• Riding together, sailing together, investing together – it’s never just about the numbers.
• It’s the camaraderie, shared resilience and group celebration after the slog, when you see how far you’ve come, thanks to each other.
• Teams carry everyone through the silent, invisible stretches when progress is slow and doubt is loud.

It’s not about quick wins or epic heroics. It’s about the discipline to show up, the courage to trust the team and the humility to lean on each other for a reset. After every breakdown – on the bike, on the water, in a tough portfolio review – the team draws closer. What once felt like a failure becomes a shared memory, a lesson, a source of strength.

Final thoughts and what we’re doing next

Global Alpha Capital Management stands out because the same teamwork, grit and appetite for challenge that drive us in events like the Grand défi Pierre Lavoie also fuel our investment success. Our edge lies in superior stock picking, shaped by deep, bottom-up research and a thematic, fundamental approach to finding quality companies with real growth potential.

We’re equally relentless in risk management, applying robust analytical frameworks to ensure every investment is weighed wisely no matter how uncertain the market gets. Just as our team perseveres together through endurance events – adapting, supporting and trusting the collective process – we do the same for our clients, aiming for long-lasting performance in turbulent times.

What’s up next for Global Alpha team members? A 30 km trail run on Mont Tremblant – another chance for us take on an uphill challenge and cross a finish line, together.