Rule Breaker Investing

Spring is here! The air is warming, cherry trees have peaked, and showers are bringing flowers. But if you Google “April” today, your first page of results will be all about April the Giraffe and her brand new, web-cam-friendly calf. David doesn’t mention any of this specifically in today’s show, but he does pick 5 stocks that he thinks will go giraffishly up. We’ll check back in 3 years to see how these stocks have performed, and to see if anyone remembers our long-necked YouTube sensation. Thanks to Warby Parker for supporting Motley Fool. Order your FREE Home Try-On's at http://www.warbyparker.com/fool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the early years of The Motley Fool, an unlikely opportunity came knocking. This is the tale of how David almost became the next Warrior Princess -- and a lesson in how keeping the long game in mind will help you in life, in business, and in investing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue (and a silver sixpence in her shoe)” traditionally refers to what a bride should wear on her wedding day for good luck. No wedding bells here today, but we’re borrowing the old, familiar rhyme to rein in an otherwise disparate collection of Rule Breaking investing thoughts. Spoiler alert: At the end, David will be talking about his beloved – and blue – alma mater. Thanks to Audible for supporting our podcast. Get a free audiobook with a free 30 day trial at audible.com/fool. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's mailbag is overstuffed with your excellent contributions! We talk about how to keep cool in the face of big losers, relay a life-hack to make you happy, debut a new investing term, and even leave you with a tune worth whistling. All this and more in the March mailbag! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we look at Malcolm Gladwell’s 2009 New Yorker article, “How David Beats Goliath” and extract three inspiring investing lessons. Gladwell spells out the hidden advantages of being the “underdog” in a way well-suited to our Rule Breaker investing style. Thanks to Audible for supporting our podcast. Listen to Audible's new original series: Ponzi Supernova. Details at audible.com/ponzi. Audible and Amazon Prime members listen free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Often the best way to improve our investing is to improve our thinking. And to improve our thinking, it’s often helpful to reach outside of the disciplines of investing and business. Today we delve into the teachings of education reformer, Deborah Meier, and the “5 Habits of Mind” that she believes should be taught to all 21st Century students. Perhaps these habits should be taught to 21st Century investors as well! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the earliest days of The Motley Fool, our mission has been to "Educate, Amuse & Enrich." Today we double-down on the "Educate" with an exploration of some commonly used financial terms. Guest analysts Andrew Fredrickson, Abi Malin, Aaron Bush, and Jim Mueller join David to define and discuss net profit margin, cash flow vs. net income, dividend yield, burn rate, and spiffy-pop! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we present a third installment of tips, tricks and lifehacks—to help you be a better you. Find a hidden superpower in your Kindle app, improve your investing while learning to draw, achieve your goals by ignoring them, and much more! Do you have a favorite mental tip or trick? Share it with us on Twitter @RBIPodcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

February may be a short month, but our mailbag is as full as ever, overflowing with great questions and comments from you, our dear listener. Today we tackle why our biggest losers are the stocks we never buy, why predicting the future is getting more difficult, and much more. Plus, David reveals some of his favorite books to inspire and improve your investing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a world of “fake news” and “alternative facts,” the political climate seems ever more chaotic and unpredictable. But as investors, by definition, we take a long-term view. And we look to businesses and innovators, not politicians, to bring us into the future. Today, David picks 5 companies that are likely to help us through these troubled times -- and become ever more valuable for doing so. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This time last year, David picked “5 Stocks to Feed the Bear,” highlighting 5 smaller companies with low risk ratings. Though these were meant as long-term picks (3 years at least), today we’re checking in to see how they’re doing so far. Spoiler alert: we’re kind of hoping you bought a few shares! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After last year's Portrait of the Investor as a Young Man, David goes even further back, seeking insights and investing lessons from his early youth. So gather back around the campfire for a few stories and lessons from these formative years. We look back to days of school projects, theater companies, baseball characters and mishaps abroad. Through it all, we learn that as we stumble through this human experiment, character counts, and optimism is justified. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are plenty of riches in this month's mailbag, including your thoughts on David's biggest losers, how to score your "Golden Ticket" to FoolFest, and how David switches hats when choosing stocks for Rule Breakers or Stock Advisor. Plus, a lightning round of your picks for "Don't Make Me Think" stocks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In March of 2008, David had just read a wonderful book on information architecture and website design by Steve Krug, entitled. "Don't Make Me Think." Turning lessons learned about design towards his home turf of investing, this inspired David to publish an essay titled, "Great Stocks Don't Make You Think!" Today we revisit that essay, the lessons learned at the time, and reflect on what we've learned in the years that have passed since. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year around this time we released a two-part podcast entitled David's Biggest Losers. Let's make that a tradition here and talk about another half-dozen stocks that have performed poorly over the past 3 years. We don't like to dwell on failure—and indeed can learn a lot more by studying our wins—but it's good to eat some humble pie once in a while and remember that we don't have to win them all to win the game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy New Year! In 2017, as always, we predict that the market will go up. But these great quotes will help you face the coming market, regardless of what it does. And if our prediction is wrong, we'll just "wait for a warm day and shoot off the next one!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this final mailbag of 2016 we answer your questions about picking stocks when the market is at all-time highs, what to do when "buy what you know" steers you wrong, how to navigate a short squeeze, and more. Plus, a little flattery from one of our favorite CEOs! This week’s podcast is brought to you by Foolanthropy: Learn more at give.fool.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our newly founded Holiday Tradition here at Rule Breaker Investing is a re-reading of David’s 2010 essay entitled Why We Invest. But first, as special a gift to us all, a brief and illuminating cameo with the living investing legend, Jack Bogle. Jack gives us his recipe for great investing success, his thoughts on investing in our current political climate, the importance of character over success, and much more. It’s a perfect holiday blend of investing wisdom! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

December is a month of gratitude here at Rule Breaker Investing. With that in mind, we’re spending today’s episode talking about and, more importantly, listening to Jack Bogle. As the creator of the Index Fund, the founder of Vanguard, and an all-around stand-up guy who has dedicated his life’s work to helping people invest better, you might say that Jack is the ultimate Rule Breaker. Certainly his accomplishments are worth singing about. So indeed, we will! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the holidays approach, you may be looking for an extra special present for the children in your life. For the gift that truly keeps on giving, today’s show brings you five kid-friendly stocks that are good to hold for the next five years or longer. And never to pass up a teaching moment, David also shares some advice on how to talk about each of the companies those lucky kids will now own. Spoiler alert: The stock you’re probably most expecting is not on the list! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guy Kawasaki is currently the Chief Evangelist of Canva, an online tool with the mantra of democratizing graphic design. But his resume goes much deeper. From his early days at Apple to his venture capital firm to his bestselling books, Guy has a long history of helping startups succeed. In this RBI Extra episode, we break down some conventional wisdom with Guy's 10 Commandments of Entrepreneurship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uh oh, it's both mailbag day and the close of November's Entrepreneur Month. How can we possibly do both? I guess it's time for another RBI Extra episode! Today we answer your questions on investing in the Great Recession, Stock Advisor vs. Rule Breakers, and games for the holidays, and we also address concerns over David's diction. Then, on Saturday watch your feed for a special episode with tech evangelist, Guy Kawasaki. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a professional, at any given time, you probably have 150-220 action items and 30-100 projects on your plate. That’s a lot – in fact too much – to keep in your head. Your brain, it turns out, is a terrible office! Fortunately, with a little help you can build an external brain that’s designed to simplify your complicated life. In this RBI Extra, we get down to GTD basics with David Allen’s 5 steps to help you get your “stuff” under control. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Allen did not set out to become a productivity guru, but with the release of his book, Getting Things Done, in 2001, he became just that. You may well be familiar with his methodology – in fact we hope you are, and that it has improved your life dramatically! After hearing a bit of his “super hero origin story,” today we’ll talk to David about some additional tips and insights specifically for entrepreneurs. Also, stay tuned this weekend for a special RBI Extra episode where we’ll get down to the basics of GTD with David Allen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Meyer is famous for opening more than a dozen highly successful New York restaurants. And those restaurants – from Union Square Café to Shake Shack – are famous for their hospitality. More than mere service, hospitality is a measure of how a dining experience makes us feel. Today Danny speaks with David about how to differentiate your business in the age of plagiarism, how to glean entrepreneurial ideas from Seinfeld, how to pronounce Zagat, and more. Plus, an update on 5 lesser-known Rule Breaker stocks David picked on the show last year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today it's David's brother Tom in the spotlight! Not only is Tom a fellow co-founder of The Motley Fool, he's also made it his life's passion to study businesses and the ambitious people who build them. With a little Fool history, a dose of brotherly rapport, and an obligatory mention of Strat-O-Matic Baseball, Tom Gardner brings his top 5 tips for entrepreneurs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We hereby declare November Entrepreneur Month here at RBI! First up: Stonemaier co-founder Jamey Stegmaier is known as a master of the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform. His new book, A Crowdfunder’s Strategy Guide builds off of his already successful blog to help entrepreneurs make the most of Kickstarter. To kick of Entrepreneur Month, David talks with Jamey to geek out over board games and learn about how to go from zero to millions in croudfunding dollars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the end of another month, and here at RBI, that means mailbag! We touch on the new Fool School, the Cubs’ run for the World Series, and then look at retirement strategies with Motley Fool Answers’ host, Robert Brokamp. But first, with your help, David spells out his Core Values for the US of A – which might just explain why this election cycle has been so disturbing. Thanks to Criquet for supporting The Motley Fool. For 20% off your first purchase, go to criquetshirts.com/fool and use the promo code “fool”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a few years of brutal campaigning, the U.S. presidential election is upon us! Always the Rule Breaker, David’s take on politics is decidedly non-political. Taking the long view, we’ll apply some systemic thinking and reach all the way back to Dickens for some perspective and inspiration. And be sure to listen to the end for your homework assignment! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we return to the subject of mental tips and tricks, and a few Lifehacks to boot. Get things done in two minutes, win a drink at ro-sham-bo, and make all your photos picture perfect! Do you have a favorite mental tip or trick? Share it with us on Twitter @RBIPodcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Motley Fool has long been an advocate of financial literacy in our schools. Crazy talk, right? Today, David has the pleasure of hosting one of the preeminent experts on the subject, Dr. Annamaria Lusardi of George Washingon University to discuss why this is such an important subject. And stick around for the close, where we will announce a fantastic opportunity for you and your kids! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When one of your favorite authors stops by the office, a 10-minute interview just won't do! Lucky for us, Candice Millard was generous with her time here at Fool HQ. In this bonus episode, David goes into greater depth about Millard's New York Times bestsellers The River of Doubt and Destiny of the Republic, as well as her upcoming epic story of the making of Winston Churchill, Hero of the Empire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Candice Millard is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The River of Doubt and Destiny of the Republic, which David has praised in earlier episodes of the podcast. Today she sits down with David for a conversation about presidents, prime ministers, Fools, and non-fiction. Also, we dip into the mailbag to tell some listener stories, including one of the best exchanges ever to hit the Rule Breaker inbox. All that and more in this very Motley edition of Rule Breaker Investing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ah, the Folly of youth! Today David takes a tour of some of his earliest investments, from mistakes to multi-baggers. Find out which companies went under, which are still around, and most importantly, what were the lessons learned along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a century or so, humans might be able to scan our brains and run emulations or "ems" on futuristic supercomputers. That means conscious, digital minds working much faster than our own, and rendering us all but obsolete! So how should we plan for that? Today David interviews Robin Hanson, George Mason University economist and author of "The Age of Em - Work, Love and Life when Robots Rule the Earth." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A year ago, here on the Rule Breaker Investing Podcast, David picked 5 Stocks For The Next 5 Years. Today we check in on those companies, because we’ll never know who’s winning if we don’t keep score! Then David digs through the safest stocks on his recommendation list to choose 5 more stocks for the coming year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What your business can learn from the US Military, why America will keep on winning, how to conduct a public Q&A session, and other learnings from David's experience with the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference. Plus, a few items from the August mailbag. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today David inspects an F-35, fires an M-16, overlooks combat operations, flies in a Blackhawk helicopter, and lands on an aircraft carrier. Has he joined the Special Forces? No, but as a member of this year's Joint Civilian Orientation Conference, David has had the remarkable opportunity to visit with the United States Armed Forces up close, and has come back with stories to share. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this fourth installment of RBI's "Great Quotes" series, we're digging into the past with words of wisdom from philosophers and founders, and then jumping to present-day Foolishness – all in the service of helping you create a better future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1998, Tom & David made an appearance on ABC's The View and recommended a company for investment. Six weeks later, they were invited back to explain why the stock had already dropped by 33%. Luckily we are still keeping score -- and are still invested. Today we take a deep dive into one of the great companies of our time and its truly visionary CEO. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1997 The Motley Fool publicly shorted Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts (DJT). In 1999, after the stock had dropped significantly, David got a call from the CEO, Nicholas Ribis. He invited a handful of Fools to Trump Tower in New York City to hear a defense of the business, and to meet The Donald in person. Here's what happened. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should you buy in thirds or set limit orders? What's the big deal about Pokemon Go? Why would anyone ever own a bond with a negative interest rate? And why isn't The Motley Fool a public company? All this and more in this month's mailbag! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State lotteries, disclaimers, and soaps that don’t lather… From the sublime to the ridiculous, David shares his list of pet peeves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five companies that we like over the next 3 years - all inspired by The United Kingdom's recent move to withdraw from the European Union. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Motley Fool CAPS (caps.fool.com) is a free service you can use to test your stock-picking prowess. You don’t have to risk any money in the market, but you will be scored for your performance. At the age of 8, David’s son Zack started picking stocks on CAPS, and now, nine years later, you may be surprised by how well he did. Today, a teenaged Zack is in the studio to review those picks, his reasons for making them, and the lessons learned growing up with a Rule-Breaking dad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you cut out to pick stocks or should you stick to index funds? Should your first thought be your final thought? Is what to buy > when to sell? All this and more as we go over your questions and comments in today’s monthly mailbag episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few minutes with Rob Daviau in last week's podcast was simply not enough! In today's extended interview, David digs deeper into Daviau's disruptive game design, how he runs his business, and where he finds his inspiration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's more exciting than the next hot IPO? The release of the next blockbuster board game, of course! Today we delve deep into David’s greatest obsession and see how his favorite games relate to you as an investor. And we meet Rob Daviau, a true Rule Breaker and designer of Pandemic Legacy Season One, which at least one sources ranks as the highest-rated of all-time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today David wants you to stay sharp with these simple life hacks. Tweak your thinking just a bit and soon you will be winning bar bets, giving great toasts, and of course, investing better. Do you have a favorite mental tip or trick? Share it with us on Twitter @RBIPodcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this third installment of RBI's "Great Quotes" series, we're going all Buffett all the time! What is the market really for? Do we need to watch out for "Idiots"? What's the one thing we need to do to become better investors? Find out now from the man who invests like a girl. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices