Breaking the Hedge Fund Barrier | Justin Kuyper on Democratizing Elite Investing for Everyone

For decades, hedge funds and elite private investments have been reserved for the wealthy few. Everyday investors are left out—limited by regulations, high fees, and lack of access to opportunities that could truly grow their wealth.

While millions chase average returns through ETFs and index funds, the world’s top funds continue to multiply fortunes for a select circle of insiders. Most people never get the chance to play the same game—until now.

In this episode, Jeff Kikel sits down with Justin Kuyper, founder of OpenVest, a revolutionary investment platform that brings hedge fund-level performance to everyday investors. Justin shares how his Wall Street background led him to create a low-cost, subscription-based investment model that uses advanced analytics, regulatory partnerships, and proprietary data to make high-performing strategies accessible to all.

Key Takeaways:

• How Justin’s Wall Street and Columbia MBA experience inspired OpenVest.

• Why traditional hedge funds exclude 99% of investors—and how OpenVest changes that.

• The power of data-driven investing and proprietary analytics.

• How OpenVest integrates with Interactive Brokers for secure, regulated trading.

• The role of liquidity and transparency in modern portfolio management.

• Why low-cost subscription models could redefine the investment industry.

• How OpenVest provides hedge fund-style returns with simple access through iOS and Google Play.

• Why real innovation in finance means breaking down barriers, not building them.

About the Guest:

Justin Kuyper, the Co-Founder & CEO of Openvest — a fintech platform that gives everyday investors access to the kinds of high-performing, alternative investment portfolios once reserved for the ultra-wealthy. A former hedge fund manager and Columbia MBA, Justin has managed to build Openvest from scratch into a disruptive force in the investment space — offering elite-style portfolios with no AUM fees and just a $300 minimum. Get ready to rethink what smart investing looks like

Links:

https://openvest.co/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-kuyper-a862b0103/

Fast Five Questions:

1. If you woke up and your business was gone, you have $500, a laptop, a place to live, and food, what would you do first? “I’d do the same thing I did to start this business—it took less than $500 to begin. I’d run the same playbook again, from day one.”

2. What is the biggest mistake that you have made in business? “Errors of omission—missing opportunities because I didn’t act fast enough. Palantir would be an example I overlooked that’s since skyrocketed.”

3. What is a book that you would recommend? “The Everything Store by Brad Stone. It’s an incredible look into the building of Amazon that you won’t find in any article or interview.”

4. What is a tool that you use every day that you would recommend? “Adobe InDesign. We use it daily for design and marketing—it’s powerful once you get past the learning curve.”

5. What is your definition of freedom? “Having more money coming in than going out so you can pursue your passions freely. It’s about having enough cash flow to live on your own terms.”

About Jeff:

Jeff spent the early part of his career working for others. Jeff had started 5 businesses that failed before he had his first success. Since that time he has learned the principles of a successful business and has been able to build and grow multiple seven-figure businesses. Jeff lives in the Austin area and is actively working in his community...