STOP GUESSING. START LEARNING.

Since 2010, we've published the research, frameworks, and analytical tools our own team uses to evaluate direct investments. Every resource below is free, ungated, and written by practitioners who deploy real capital.

No email capture walls. No marketing funnels. Just honest research.

12+ Publications

200+ Pages of Research

6 Resource Categories

WHY WE PUBLISH EVERYTHING

Most investment firms guard their research behind paywalls and NDAs. We take the opposite approach. An informed investor makes better decisions, asks sharper questions, and builds a stronger portfolio. That benefits everyone—including us. These resources reflect the same frameworks our five-person team uses when evaluating opportunities across our service lines.

Practitioner-Written

Every guide, whitepaper, and checklist is authored by the same people who conduct our due diligence engagements and structure our co-investments. Theory backed by $340M+ in deployed capital.

Completely Ungated

No email required. No drip campaigns. No sales follow-up. Download anything on this page instantly. We believe access to financial education shouldn't come with strings attached.

Regularly Updated

Markets shift. Regulations change. Tax law evolves. We revisit and update our publications quarterly to ensure the data, examples, and frameworks remain current and actionable.

FEATURED RESOURCES

Guide · 28 Pages

The Direct Investing Starter Guide

New to direct investing? This comprehensive guide walks you through the mechanics of investing alongside operators rather than through fund layers. Covers deal sourcing, capital calls, J-curve dynamics, fee structures, co-investment rights, and the 14 questions every accredited investor should ask before committing capital. Written from our experience deploying $340M+ since 2010.

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Whitepaper · 16 Pages

The Hidden Cost of Layers: Fund-of-Funds Fee Analysis

How a $5M fund-of-funds allocation can lose $1.8M in cumulative fees over a decade. This whitepaper provides a side-by-side fee waterfall comparison—management fees, performance fees, fund administration costs, and the hidden drag of expense ratios compounding across multiple layers. Includes four case studies based on real Canadian fund structures.

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Checklist · 12 Pages

Due Diligence Checklist (87-Point Framework)

The same due diligence framework our team uses for every direct investment we evaluate. Covers financial analysis, management assessment, legal structure review, market positioning, competitive landscape, customer concentration risk, and 11 other critical categories. Printable format designed for use in live deal evaluation alongside our standalone due diligence service.

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COMPLETE RESOURCE LIBRARY

Click any column header to sort. Use the search bar or category filters above to narrow results. Every resource is available as an instant PDF download.

Title ▲	Type ▲	Category ▲	Date ▲
The Direct Investing Starter Guide 28-page primer covering deal mechanics, fee structures, J-curves, and the 14 pre-commitment questions.	Guide	Getting Started	Jan 2026
Hidden Cost of Layers: Fee Analysis Side-by-side fee waterfall showing how fund-of-funds structures erode returns over 10 years.	Whitepaper	Fees & Structure	Mar 2026
Due Diligence Checklist (87-Point Framework) Printable framework covering financial, legal, operational, and market assessment across 11 categories.	Checklist	Process	Nov 2025
Commitment Pacing: Building a Private Portfolio How to stagger capital calls, manage vintage year diversification, and avoid over-commitment in illiquid markets.	Guide	Portfolio Strategy	Sep 2025
Direct vs. Fund Investing: Comparative Analysis 15-year data comparison of direct co-investments vs. blind-pool fund returns, net of all fees.	Research Report	Strategy	Jun 2025
Tax-Efficient Structuring for Canadian Investors RRSP, TFSA, and corporate holdco strategies for private market allocations under current CRA guidelines.	Whitepaper	Tax & Legal	Feb 2026
The Accredited Investor's Handbook What accredited status means, how it affects deal access, and the obligations that come with exempt market participation.	Guide	Getting Started	Aug 2025
Real Asset Investing: Infrastructure & Real Estate Current market conditions, cap rate analysis, and direct investment opportunities in Canadian infrastructure and real estate.	Market Brief	Sectors	Apr 2026
Understanding SPV Structures How Special Purpose Vehicles work, when they're appropriate, and the legal, tax, and governance considerations for investors.	Technical Guide	Deal Structuring	Dec 2025
Exit Strategy Planning for Direct Investments Secondary sales, buybacks, IPO timelines, and the liquidity realities of private market positions held 3–7 years.	Guide	Exit & Liquidity	Oct 2025
Why Boots-on-the-Ground Due Diligence Matters Three case studies where site visits and management meetings uncovered risks that financial models missed entirely.	Article	Philosophy	May 2026
The Accredited Investor's Blind Spot Why high-net-worth individuals often over-rely on brand-name funds and under-invest in direct opportunities they can actually evaluate.	Article	Investor Education	Jul 2025

No resources match your search. Try a different keyword or filter, or contact our team to request a specific topic.

EXPLORE MORE

These resources are the foundation. Here's where to go next depending on what you need.

Our Services Direct co-investment, due diligence, portfolio construction, and advisory. See how we put these frameworks into practice. FAQ Questions about minimums, fees, risk, liquidity, and how direct investing compares to traditional fund structures. Client Results Real outcomes from investors who applied these frameworks and partnered with our team on direct allocations. Our Story Founded in 2010 with one conviction: every layer between investor and asset is a tax on conviction. Learn how we got here.

QUESTIONS BEYOND THE PDF?

Sometimes a conversation covers what a document can't. Our team has deployed $340M+ since 2010 and delivered a 14.3% median net IRR across completed investments. If you're evaluating a direct opportunity or questioning your current fund allocations, we're here to talk it through.

Call us directly at (213) 384-6272 or schedule a free consultation below.

Talk to an Advisor

Free consultation. No pitch. Honest answers.

Important Disclosures

Past performance is not indicative of future results. All investment returns referenced on this site are historical and do not guarantee future performance.

Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Direct investments in private markets are illiquid and may result in partial or total loss of capital.

Cook Direct Trade is registered as an Exempt Market Dealer with the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), Registration No. EMD-2010-4827. Member of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA), Member No. 7493. FINRA broker-dealer cross-border advisory reference No. BD-2014-0312. SEC-registered investment adviser under Form ADV, File No. 801-79431. All advisory services subject to KYC and AML compliance programs under Canadian securities regulation.