The Meb Faber Show - Better Investing

In episode 310, we welcome our guest, Kathryn Kaminski, Chief Research Strategist at AlphaSimplex, where she’s also the co-portfolio manager for the firm’s Managed Futures Strategy. In today’s episode, we’re talking all about trend following and managed futures. You may have heard the phrase “crisis alpha” before, and Kathryn is the person who coined that phrase. We start with hearing what it was like for her to study at MIT under the legendary Andrew Lo. Then she explains why trend following works during a crisis and uses last year as an example. As we wind down, Kathryn explains some misconceptions about trend following and talks about why it’s so important to have a process driven investment approach. All this and more in episode 310 with AlphaSimplex’s Kathryn Kaminski. --- This episode is sponsored by Masterworks. Masterworks is opening the doors to top-tier, blue-chip art investments to everyone. Use Promo Code “MEB” to skip their 15,000 person wait list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 309, we welcome our guest Andrew Horowitz, President and Founder of Horowitz & Company and host of The Disciplined Investor Podcast. In today’s episode, we start with Andrew’s investment framework. We talk about the tradeoff between active management and ETF’s with both stocks and bonds. Then we discuss the impact of fund flows on stocks and hear what Andrew thinks about current valuations. As we wind down, we talk about the importance of helping clients have a long-term investment horizon. Please enjoy this episode with Horowitz & Company’s Andrew Horowitz. ----- This episode is sponsored by Bitwise. The Bitwise 10 Crypto Index Fund is the world’s largest crypto index fund. It holds a diversified portfolio of cryptoassets, including bitcoin, ethereum, and DeFi assets. Shares of the fund trade under the ticker "BITW" and are accessible through traditional brokerage accounts. Shares may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value (NAV). For more information: bitwiseinvestments.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 308, we welcome our guest, Maciej Wojtal, founder and CIO of Amtelon Capital, an investment fund focused on Iranian equities. In today's episode, we're covering Maciej’s best idea: Iranian equities. In today’s episode, we start by hearing how the 2015 nuclear deal between the US and Iran sparked Maciej’s interest in Iran. He shares what he learned early on – the country has a resilient economy with great demographics – and when paired with companies trading at 3-4x earnings, he was compelled to set up his firm in 2018. Maciej walks us through what it’s been like over the last few years: handling new sanctions under the Trump administration, 70% currency depreciation one year, and, most recently, the impact of COVID. As we wind down, he shares the possibilities for the country going forward and the potential for foreign inflows to drive valuations up in the near future. Please enjoy this special “Best Ideas” episode with Amtelon Capital’s Maciej Wojtal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 307, we welcome our guest, Vikram Mansharamani, a Harvard lecturer, author, and global trend spotter who shows people how to anticipate the future, manage risk, and spot opportunities. In today’s episode, we’re talking all about financial bubbles. Vikram wrote the book BOOMBUSTOLOGY: Spotting Financial Bubbles Before They Burst, which uses multiple lenses to spot financial bubbles. Today, he shares that framework with us and relates it to today’s market. He explains why skyscrapers and stadiums help predict where there is excess in the market. Then we talk about the Internet bubble, housing bubble, and what he sees today with the rise of SPACs, student sentiment, and monetary and fiscal policy. We also cover a number of other topics, including why it’s important to think for yourself, why he’s bearish on India, and even some UFO’s. All this and more in episode 307 with Harvard’s Vikram Mansharamani. ----- This episode is sponsored by Bitwise. The Bitwise 10 Crypto Index Fund is the world’s largest crypto index fund. It holds a diversified portfolio of cryptoassets, including bitcoin, ethereum, and DeFi assets. Shares of the fund trade under the ticker "BITW" and are accessible through traditional brokerage accounts. Shares may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value (NAV). For more information: www.bitwiseinvestments.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 306, we welcome our guest, Jeff Seder, founder of EQB, a high-tech sports medicine startup that consults with the majority of the major thoroughbred racehorse racing stables. In today’s episode, we hear the best moneyball story you’ve never heard. With the Kentucky Derby this weekend, there’s no one better to listen to than Jeff, who’s disrupted the horse racing industry with his quantitative approach. He walks us through all he’s gone through to gather data over the last 30 years and why the industry has been resistant to data even to this day. Then he explains why studying the size of one ventricle in a horse’s heart led him to believe the it had the potential for greatness, leading him to tell his boss, “Sell your house, don’t sell this horse.” Not a bad call since that horse, American Pharoah, went on to become the first Triple-Crown winner in 37 years! As we wind down, we hear what Jeff thinks about this weekend’s Kentucky Derby and his advice if you’re thinking of betting on the race. All this and more in episode 306 with EQB’s Jeff Seder. ---------- This episode is sponsored by URNM: The NORTH SHORE GLOBAL URANIUM MINING ETF is made up of a basket of companies that are involved in the mining, exploration, development and production of uranium as well as companies that hold physical uranium, uranium royalties or other non-mining assets. To learn more go to www.urnmetf.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 305, we welcome our guest, Marc Faber, Editor and Publisher of The Gloom, Boom & Doom Report, which highlights unusual investment opportunities around the world. In today’s episode, we begin with Marc’s thoughts on why governments mishandled the COVID response in the last year, and what he expects the long-term effects from both the monetary and fiscal responses will be going forward. Then he shares his thoughts on why he thinks more and more of the younger generations favor socialism. We touch on the financial speculation in the markets, particularly with Robinhood options trading. As we wind down, we hear where Marc thinks you can put some money to work. He shares his thoughts on gold, Asian equities, energy and financials. All this and more in episode 305 with The Gloom, Boom & Doom Report’s Marc Faber. ----- This episode is sponsored by Bitwise. The Bitwise 10 Crypto Index Fund is the world’s largest crypto index fund. It holds a diversified portfolio of cryptoassets, including bitcoin, ethereum, and DeFi assets. Shares of the fund trade under the ticker "BITW" and are accessible through traditional brokerage accounts. Shares may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value (NAV). For more information: bitwiseinvestments.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 304, we welcome our guest, Damon Ficklin, Polen Capital’s head of the Large Company Growth Team and the lead portfolio manager of the firm’s Global Growth strategy. In today’s episode, we’re talking high quality, concentrated growth investing. Damon starts by describing his process for analyzing companies and the key metrics they look for when doing so. Then he covers the paradigm shift we’ve seen in the last year and how companies have adapted to the new norm. We talk about companies that have navigated the shift to e-commerce like Estee Lauder, and others that have transformed their business model like Adobe. Be sure to listen until the end to hear why one of Damon’s most memorable investments is Invisalign, a stock that has soared in the past year. All this and more in episode 304 with Polen Capital’s Damon Ficklin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 303, we welcome our guest, Kevin Lozer, co-founder of Holistiplan, a tax planning software for financial advisors. In today’s episode, we’re talking about how advisors can utilize technology to help with tax planning, something that’s historically been a very manual process. Kevin shares how creating software to help with tax planning for his own clients then turned into a standalone business. He walks us through the process of using the software and how it not only saves the advisor time but also helps find potential planning opportunities. He also explains how advisors have been utilizing the tools to help with business development. As we wind down, Kevin shares why the software complements instead of competes against CPA’s. All this and more in episode 303 with Holistiplan’s Kevin Lozer. ----- This episode is sponsored by Bitwise. The Bitwise 10 Crypto Index Fund is the world’s largest crypto index fund. It holds a diversified portfolio of cryptoassets, including bitcoin, ethereum, and DeFi assets. Shares of the fund trade under the ticker "BITW" and are accessible through traditional brokerage accounts. Shares may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value (NAV). For more information: www.bitwiseinvestments.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 302, we welcome back our guest, Lisa Rich, managing partner of Hemisphere Ventures and founder and COO of Xplore. In today’s episode, we’re chatting about the space sector, which has been absolutely on fire. Lisa updates us on what’s happened in the space sector since we last spoke. She covers the impact of both SPAC’s and Ark Invest’s new space ETF on the sector. Then she shares updates on some of her prior investments, including Axiom Space and their quest to build the first commercial space station. As we wind down, Lisa shares what’s going on with Xplore and the development of their spacecraft, the Xcraft. All this and more in episode 302 with Hemisphere Ventures and Xplore’s Lisa Rich. --- This episode is sponsored by Masterworks. Masterworks is opening the doors to top-tier, blue-chip art investments to everyone. Use Promo Code “MEB” to skip their 15,000 person wait list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 301, we welcome our guest, Dr. Daniel Crosby, Chief Behavioral Officer at Orion Advisor Solutions, where he helps organizations understand the intersection of psychology and the market. In today’s episode, we start by hearing what the 2020 bear market and pandemic looked like from a clinical psychologist’s perspective. Daniel touches on behavioral coaching and why that’s the primary value-add a financial advisor can provide. Then we move onto topics that aren’t discussed much: mental health, social isolation, and depression. He explains why it’s helpful for advisors to have their own therapist to help them handle the day-to-day stresses of the job, and how the increased social isolation over the last year translates to what we’ve seen recently with Reddit, Robinhood and NFT’s. As we wind down, we discuss the potential for technology to help us become better investors and how some fintech firms are using technology and nudges to encourage bad behaviors. All this and more in episode 301 with Orion Advisor Solutions’ Dr. Daniel Crosby. ----- This episode is sponsored by Bitwise. The Bitwise 10 Crypto Index Fund is the world’s largest crypto index fund. It holds a diversified portfolio of cryptoassets, including bitcoin, ethereum, and DeFi assets. Shares of the fund trade under the ticker "BITW" and are accessible through traditional brokerage accounts. Shares may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value (NAV). For more information: www.bitwiseinvestments.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 300, we welcome our guest, Geoffrey Batt, managing partner and founder of the Euphrates Advisors, where he invests in Iraqi equities. In today's episode, we're covering Geoffrey's best idea: investing in the Iraqi stock market. Geoffrey begins by telling us how learning about Daniel Cloud’s post-Soviet Union Russia fund led him to look around the world to find somewhere he could earn huge returns, which led him to Iraq. He gives us an overview of the market and economy and how it’s rebounded since Saddam Hussein died. Then he walks us through everything he’s had to deal with since he first invested there in 2010 – political instability, a 20% currency devaluation, negative oil prices, and an Iraqi stock market that closed in response to COVID. We talk about the tailwinds for Iraq, including the growth of the banking sector and ESG, which Geoffrey believes is bullish for oil. Be sure you stick around until the end to hear about Geoffrey’s first trip to Iraq, when he was driving to visit with a company and was forced to turn around because of a car bomb. Please enjoy this special “Best Ideas” episode with Euphrates Advisors’ Geoffrey Batt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 299, we welcome our guest, Sundeep Ahuja, a three-time founder-turned-investor, who's currently a General Partner at Duro Ventures, Climate Capital, and DVC. In today’s episode, we start by hearing about Sundeep’s entrepreneurial journey, then dipping his toe in angel investing by making his first investment into Goodreads. Then he shares the differences of using Angel List syndicates and rolling funds, and the benefits of each. We touch on why Sundeep decided to devote his investment career to help solve climate change. He explains what areas currently look attractive, why he places a lot of emphasis on the founder when making an investment decision, and how he thinks about valuations. As we wind down, we talk about specific companies he’s invested in, from food delivery to gaming companies. All this and more in episode 299 with Climate Capital’s Sundeep Ahuja. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 298, we welcome our guest, Boris Wertz, the founding partner of Version One, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on backing mission-driven founders. In today’s episode, we’re talking all things marketplaces. Boris’ knowledge of marketplaces is unrivaled. He started one of the first marketplaces in the late 1990’s and recently released the third edition of A Guide to Marketplaces, a must-read for anyone interested in the business model. We start by going all the way back to the early days of eBay and then talk about how marketplaces have evolved over time, most recently with crypto and the blockchain. Then we dive into one of the hot topics of 2021: non-fungible tokens (NFT’s). Boris shares some broad thoughts on NFT’s and touches on one of his portfolio companies, Dapper Labs, which is behind NBA Top-Shot. All this and more in episode 298 with Version One’s Boris Wertz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 297, we welcome our guest, Tim Ranzetta, co-founder of Next Gen Personal Finance, a non-profit organization working to increase access to financial education by providing its curriculum and professional development at no cost to schools. In today’s episode, we start the episode with the current state of K-12 personal finance education in the U.S. Then we hear how teaching a personal finance class in a school inspired Tim to start Next Gen Personal Finance in 2014. He shares the curriculum they provide to teachers for free, why the 43,000 teachers that are registered on the Next Gen platform are the champions to get personal finance mandated in schools across America, and how he utilizes arcade games to engage kids ranging from K-12. As we wind down, we hear about what Tim calls Mission 2030, which is to get every student who graduates high school to complete a one-semester personal finance course. All this and more in episode 297 with Next Gen Personal Finance’s Tim Ranzetta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 296, we welcome our guest, Jason Hsu, founder and chairman of Rayliant Global Advisors. In today’s episode, we get an update from Jason on the Chinese stock market and hear how it differs from the U.S. Then we talk about his new ETF, which gives investors a way to allocate to China A-Shares. He explains why the A-Shares are a great place to seek outperformance due to the large amount of retail involvement. Jason then addresses some of the most commonly cited risks for investing in the Chinese stock market, including accounting issues and the presence of so many state-owned-enterprises. As we wind down, Jason gives his take on the recent developments with Ant Financial and Jack Ma. All this and more in episode 296 with Rayliant Global Advisor’s Jason Hsu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 295, we welcome our guest, Jacob Rubin, founder and Managing Member at Philosophy Capital Management, which focuses on value and distressed credit. In today’s episode, we start by discussing Jacob’s windy road to end up where he is today, including a stint under Jerome Simon at Lonestar Capital Management. Then we dive into his investment philosophy, which can be described as old school value in a new school world. He shares how he uses pattern recognition to his advantage, how credit and equity investing help one another, and the thesis for some of his top holdings. As we wind down, Jacob explains how he thinks about the short-side of the portfolio and tells the story of why watching a TikTok video led him to immediately cover a short. All this and more in episode 295 with Philosophy Capital Management’s Jacob Rubin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 294, we welcome our guest, Dan Rasmussen, founder of Verdad Advisers, a global investment firm that provides a public market alternative to private equity. In today’s episode, we start with an update on Dan’s private equity replication thesis and hear about the rise of private credit in the past few years. Then we dive into his recent paper on emerging markets crisis investing. While buy and hold investors in emerging markets have experienced higher volatility for disappointing returns, Dan believes learning to navigate these EM crises can provide the ability to reap excess returns. He walks us through the differences between global and idiosyncratic crises and what performs best between both debt and equity in each case. All this and more in episode 294 with Verdad Advisers’ Dan Rasmussen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 293, we welcome our guest, Ted Seides, host of the Capital Allocators podcast and author of Capital Allocators: How the world's elite money managers lead and invest. In today’s episode, we go all the way back to Ted’s early days working under the great David Swensen at Yale to hear what makes him one of the most respected Chief Investment Officer’s in the world. Then we move on to his famous bet with Warren Buffett and hear how the real winner of the bet was the collateral set aside for the duration of the bet. After touching on what the Chief Investment Officer job entails and sharing the insights he’s learned from speaking with some of the top managers in the world, Ted shares how he invests his own money. We talk about Bill Ackman’s fund, SPACs, and even some crypto. All this and more in episode 293 with Ted Seides. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 292, we welcome our guest, Tom Barton, famed-short seller and founder and President of White Rock Capital. In today’s episode, we start with taking a look back at one of Tom’s tweets from September, which said that GameStop was a misunderstood short, and hear why he thought so back then. We also touch on the differences between shorting based on valuation versus because the company is a fraud. Then we turn to what he mostly focuses on these days: biotech and gene-therapy companies. We hear about his brutal two-year experience as an activist and what he learned from the experience. As we wind down, Tom walks us through some companies he likes in the biotech space, and even shares a SPAC that looks attractive to him at the moment. Please enjoy this episode with the White Rock Capital’s Tom Barton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 291, we welcome our guest, Ron Lieber, the Your Money columnist for The New York author of the book, The Price You Pay for College. In today’s episode, we’re talking about what Ron describes as the biggest financial decision your family will ever make: paying for your child’s college tuition. We begin with some background as to how the sticker price of college has soared over the past few decades. Then Ron explains what merit aid is, how it can save you tens of thousands of dollars, and how schools are using it to compete with other schools for prospective students. Ron walks us through some of the best ways to start preparing for this big expense and why he believes you should talk to your son or daughter before they enter high school about all the factors impacting this important financial decision. As we wind down, Ron explains what policy suggestions he’d love to see implemented to help fix the student debt crisis. All this and more in episode 291 with The New York Times’ Ron Lieber. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 290, we welcome our guest, Bill Smead, the Chief Investment Officer for Smead Capital Management. In today’s episode, Bill explains why he believes the market is undergoing a tide change. He starts with a look back on the 2000 tech bubble and uses Cisco as an example of why it’s important to separate a good business from a good stock. After talking about parts of the market he doesn’t like, we move on to the parts he finds attractive, including home-builders, energy, suburban mall REITs, and financials. As we wind down, Bill touches on the antitrust case for big tech and what the investment implications may be. Please enjoy this episode with Smead Capital Management’s Bill Smead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 289 is a Mebisode. In this episode, you’ll hear Meb put today's stock valuations into historical perspective. He addresses the claim that stock valuations should be high because bond yields are low and then looks at what conditions were present at the start of the best ten-year stock returns in history. Finally, he provides some thoughts on what investors could do to handle the current market environment. All of this and more in episode 289. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 288, we welcome our guest, Doug Pugliese, the Head of 1042 QRP Solutions at Alpha Architect, where he manages the firm’s qualified replacement property investment strategies practice. In today’s episode, we’re covering Doug’s best idea: employee stock ownership plans. ESOP’s are a niche but incredibly attractive way for a business owner to sell their business for both themselves and the long-term viability of the company. The episode starts with a broad overview and then dives into the inner workings of an ESOP sale. Doug explains how the tax benefits of a 1042 election allow the owner to defer capital gains tax and even invest the proceeds into a portfolio of blue chip stocks. As the conversation winds down, Doug shares why ESOP’s may be an ideal way for middle market private equity companies to exit investments. Please enjoy this special “Best Ideas” episode with Alpha Architect’s Doug Pugliese. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 287, we welcome our guest, Jonathan Hsu, the co-founder and General Partner at Tribe Capital, a venture capital firm focused on using product and data science to engineer N-of-1 companies and investments. In today’s episode we're talking about using a quantitative approach to venture capital investing in a way that hasn’t been done before. Jonathan us through his background, with stops at Facebook and Social Capital. Then we hear how Tribe Capital leverages their data science capabilities to assess the product-market fit of companies to invest from the seed stage to late stage. Jonathan explains how this process led him to invest in both Slack and Carta. As we wind down, we learn about the firm’s co-invest vehicles, which allow others to access their deal flow. All this and more in episode 287 with Tribe Capital’s Jonathan Hsu. This episode is sponsored by Masterworks. Masterworks is opening the doors to top-tier, blue-chip art investments to everyone. Use Promo Code “MEB” to skip their 15,000 person wait list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 286, we welcome our guest, Jeremy Grantham, co-founder and Chief Investment Strategist of GMO. In today’s episode, Jeremy begins by talking about the current market, which he believes will be recorded as one of the great bubbles of financial history. He puts this bubble into historical perspective by comparing it to the Japanese, technology and housing bubbles. Then he addresses the commonly cited argument that low interest rates justify high stock valuations. Next, Jeremy explains why he is so bullish on venture capital and has allocated almost 60% of his foundation to the asset class, making it, as he says, one of the most aggressive portfolios in the philanthropic world. As we wind down, Jeremy explains why he is so passionate about addressing climate change through his foundation, and why China is ahead of the U.S. to address the issue. Please enjoy this episode with GMO’s Jeremy Grantham. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 285, we welcome our guest David Marcus, the co-founder and Chief Investment Officer of Evermore Global Advisors, where he manages the Evermore Global Value Fund. In today’s episode, we’re talking about David’s best idea: special situations in Europe. David’s been investing in Europe for almost his entire career and thinks now is the best opportunity for special situations he has ever seen. First, he explains what it was like for him to watch legendary investor Michael Price navigate the 1987 crash. Then David explains what led him to start Evermore Global and the firm’s investment philosophy. He touches on the different types of special situations he focuses on, including spinoffs, restructurings, and breakups, and why activism, catalysts, and cheaper valuations make Europe especially attractive. As the conversation winds down, David talks about some of his current holdings and the benefits of investing in family-owned businesses. Please enjoy this special “Best Ideas” episode with Evermore Global Advisor’s David Marcus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 284, we welcome our guest, Michael Gayed, a Portfolio Manager at Toroso Investments, where he runs two tactical, risk-on, risk-off strategies. He’s also the publisher of the Lead-Lag Report. In today’s episode we’re talking about how to use indicators to decide when to go risk-on, risk-off. Michael explains how he came to focus on risk management early in his career and has kept that mentality since. He walks us through how he uses the utilities sector as an indicator for when volatility is going to spike, which worked well in 2020, helping him return over 70% in his ATAC fund. Then he takes us through his award winning paper on lumber and gold, two seemingly uncorrelated commodities that actually work well together to serve as a strong indicator for inflationary or deflationary conditions. As we wind down, he explains how often he assesses these signals and what they are showing as we start 2021. Please enjoy this episode with Toroso Investment’s Michael Gayed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 283, we welcome our guest, Brian Barish, the President and Chief Investment Officer at Cambiar Investors, a relative value firm focusing on out-of-favor companies with strong fundamentals. In today’s episode we’re talking all about value investing. Brian explains his evolution as a value investor with a comparison to the evolution of the NBA. He covers the two tenets he uses, taking an underwriting approach to evaluating a company and assessing the capital discipline over time. Then we hear about a couple of names in his portfolio and what he expects the recovery to look like in 2021. As we wind down, we take a look around the globe to hear where he sees value and hear what he thinks about the possibility of negative interest rates. Please enjoy this episode with Cambiar Investor's Brian Barish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 282, we welcome our guest, Salem Abraham, President of Abraham Trading Company and a legend within the trend following and managed futures space. In today’s episode we're talking with Salem about a lifetime of trend-following. Salem explains how a chance meeting with Turtle Trader Jerry Parker was his first encounter with ideas he would build his career on. We talk about the importance of risk management and diversification by utilizing assets other than equities. Then he explains how his relationship with the late Boone Pickens led to a foundation that had such good returns that he opened it up to the public and runs to this day. We touch on asset classes ranging from the dollar, bitcoin, farmland, and even trailer parks. As we wind down, we hear how hedge he put on in February turned $200,000 into $6 million in 37 days, returning 30x his money. All this and more with Abraham Trading Company’s Salem Abraham. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 281, we welcome our guest, Adrian Helfert, Director of Multi-Asset Portfolios for Westwood Group, where he leads Westwood’s multi-asset strategies group, which includes Westwood’s Income Opportunity and Flexible Income strategies, as well as Westwood’s Global Convertibles and Fixed Income strategies. In today’s episode, we’re taking a look at all asset classes. Adrian explains what he seeing in the world, from fixed income to equities and TIPS. We talk about how to earn income in a low interest rate environment through MLP’s and REIT’s, and why TIPS are an attractive insurance policy against high inflation. Then Adrian guest explains his view of the energy sector, gold miners, and the impact of low rates on growth stocks. As we start to wind down, we talk about Westwood’s unique approach to fees. Please enjoy this episode with Westwood Group's Adrian Helfert. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 280, we welcome our guest, Matthew O’Connor, co-founder of AdQuick, the first true marketplace for out-of-home advertising, providing end-to-end tools to improve the out of home buying experience for media owners, brands, and agencies. In today’s episode we’re talking about part of the advertising industry that often isn’t talked about: out-of-home. Matthew walks us through his background, with stops at Instacart and Amazon, and explains why the struggle to advertise on billboards while at Instacart gave him the idea for AdQuick. Then he explains the early days of the company, which included building out both sides of the platform while trying to entice investors and top talent to join AdQuick. We hear how the company is providing data to advertisers in a way that hasn’t been done before and why direct-to-consumer brands are embracing billboard advertising. As the conversation winds down, Matthew tells us the story of Reddit co-founder & AdQuick investor Alexis Ohanian, who used the platform to do a huge campaign for his wife, Serena Williams, when she was going back to her first tennis match after a break from the sport. Please enjoy this episode with AdQuick’s Matthew O’Connor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 279, we welcome our guests, Kevin Davitt and John Hiatt, both of whom work for the Cboe as the Senior Options Institute Instructor and VP of Derivatives Strategy, respectively. In today’s episode, we’re talking about options, the VIX, and tail risk strategies. 2020 saw elevated volatility and record levels of option volume, and Kevin and John give us their perspective on this activity. We start with some basics of the VIX, how investors use and misuse it, and what the VIX says about the market over time. Then we get into tail risk strategies. We cover how investors should implement them, how to evaluate their success, and how these strategies can have an outsized impact on your portfolio. As we wind down, Kevin and John discuss ways to implement these types of strategies in a portfolio and best practices to communicate these strategies with your clients. Please enjoy this episode with Cboe’s Kevin Davitt and John Hiatt. This episode is sponsored by Masterworks. Masterworks is opening the doors to top-tier, blue-chip art investments to everyone. Use Promo Code “MEB” to skip their 15,000 person wait list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 278, we welcome our guest, Lucas White, a portfolio manager for the Resources and Climate Change Strategies at GMO. In today’s episode we're talking all about resources and climate change as an investment strategy. Lucas sets the stage with why he believes the resource sector offers a huge opportunity and currently trades at an 80% discount to the broad equity market. Then we dive into GMO’s climate change strategy. Lucas explains what led them to focus on climate change and clean energy and officially launch a strategy in 2017. We talk about the allocation to different areas, including copper, food and water. As we wind down, Lucas explains how a traditional value shop like GMO applies their value lens to this growth area. Please enjoy this episode with GMOs’, Lucas White. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 277 is a replay of The Meb Faber Show’s top podcasts of 2020. Guests include Rick Rule, Joe Davis, and Tom Basso Hear Rick Rule discuss the forces he sees influencing gold and precious metal prices, give his take on commodities and natural resources, and provide practical thoughts on portfolio implementation. Next, listen to Joe Davis talk about the Vanguard Capital Markets Model, Vanguard's outlook for U.S. and foreign equities, and a fresh way of thinking about the evolution of knowledge and innovation called the "Idea Multiplier." Finally, hear long time trader and trend follower Tom Bass talk about his career, power laws and outliers, and why position sizing is so critical. All this and more in our replay of the top podcasts of 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year when we published The Best Investment Writing Volume 3, we offered authors the opportunity to record an audio version of their chapter to be released as a segment of the podcast, and listeners loved it. This year, we’re bringing you the entire volume of The Best Investment Writing Volume 4 in podcast format. You’ll hear from some of the most respected money managers and investment researchers all over the world. Contributors: Anil Rao and Raman Subramanian, Vineer Bhansali, Rob Arnott, Alec Lucas, Martin Tarlie, and Tyler from Portfolio Charts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 276, we welcome our guest, Craig Wichner, Founder of Farmland LP, a leading investment fund that generates returns by converting conventional commercial farmland to sustainable farmland. In today’s episode we learn the ins-and-outs of farmland as an asset class. Farmland has been an asset that’s been inaccessible for most people and Craig is trying to change that. We learn what piqued his interest in farmland and get an overview of the company, which now manages over 15,000 acres and $175 million in assets. He walks us through how the company manages the farms they acquire, focusing on both capital appreciation and increasing profits over time. We even talk about why owning an organic farm can serve as a hedge against a weaker dollar. As we start to wind down, Craig offers suggestions to policy makers on how to encourage inexpensive and environmentally friendly practices for farmers. All this and more with Farmland LP’s Craig Wichner! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 275, we welcome our guest, David Lau, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DPL Financial Partners, a firm focused on the distribution of financial products geared toward the Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and fee-based advisory channels. In today’s episode, we’re talking all about annuities. Annuities are often thought of as being too expensive and a bad product for clients, but David explains how his firm is changing that by removing the commission, which lowers the cost by 80%. We get into the benefit of annuities, which offer tax deferred accumulation and income generation, while also taking risk management into account. David explains how RIA’s are using annuities for clients and why they make sense in a world with rates so low around the globe. As we start to wind down, we hear about the future plans for the firm, which include building out their suite of offerings and eventually offering a direct-to-consumer product. Please enjoy this episode with DPL Financial Partners’ David Lau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 274, we welcome our guest, Mitch Baruchowitz, a Managing Partner at Merida Capital Holdings, a private equity firm targeting fundamental growth drivers underpinning the rapid development of the cannabis industry. In today’s episode we’re talking about investing in the cannabis space. We hear what piqued Mitch’s interest in the cannabis space and what the process was like to get a cannabis license in Connecticut and build and operate a 65,000 square foot facility. Mitch explains what led him to start Merida Capital and how he knocked it out of the park with his investment in the unicorn GrowGen. We chat about what types of investments he looks to make and what the impact of COVID and 2020 elections have had on the space. As we wind down, Mitch shares why he launched a SPAC in 2019 before the craze began and what that process was like. Please enjoy this episode with Merida Capital Holdings’, Mitch Baruchowitz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 273, we welcome our guest, Adam Moelis, co-founder and CEO of Yotta Savings, which allows users to save money, earn over 2x the national average in interest and get weekly chances to win additional prizes up to $10 million through weekly random number drawings In today’s episode, we’re talking about how to use behavioral psychology to encourage American’s to save. We start with a somber look at the average American’s financial picture. Then Adam explains the history of lottery or prize-linked savings accounts and why the idea was mostly banned in the U.S. until 2015. He discusses the experience of going through Y Combinator’s first remote batch and then explains the lottery program, which offers users a chance to win between ten cents and ten million dollars. As we wind down, we hear about the company’s’ experimentation with customer acquisition with influencers and why they’ve focused on the social aspect of the app. Please enjoy this episode with Yotta Savings’, Adam Moelis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 272, we welcome our guest, Tobias Carlisle, founder and managing director of Acquirers Funds, where he serves as the portfolio manager of the firm’s deep value strategy. In today’s episode, we’re covering Tobias’ best idea: small cap and microcap value. Value stocks have underperformed but Tobias thinks now they offer a great risk/reward. He walks us through historical data and research from the past 200 years and why that leads him to believe value will outperform going forward. We compare the current setup to prior periods when value underperformed in 2000 and even talk about some of his favorite holdings. As we wind down, he touches on shorting the market and how it provides protection for long positions if the market falls over. Please enjoy this special “Best Ideas” episode with Acquirers Funds’ Tobias Carlisle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 271, we welcome our guest, Gary Zimmerman, Managing Partner of Six Trees Capital LLC and Founder of MaxMyInterest, a software platform that allocates individuals’ cash among their own bank accounts so that they earn the most interest possible while staying within the limits for FDIC government-deposit insurance. In today’s episode, we’re talking about how to actually earn some interest on your cash. Most banks today provide little to no interest and our guest has created a company that gives you a way to maximize your interest on deposits. Gary explains how trying to solve this problem for himself actually led our guest to start the company in 2013. We talk about how it works and why banks offer the Max platform a preferential rate, with the top rate on the platform right now at 85 basis-points, while most online banks are offering 25-60 basis-points. As we start to wind down, we hear Gary’s thoughts on the potential for negative interest rates, how banks are positioned, and why the product has been picked up by lots of RIA’s and financial advisors. Please enjoy this episode with Max My Interest’s, Gary Zimmerman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 270, we welcome our guest, Terri Spath, Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager at Sierra Investment Management, where she's responsible for market and economic analysis, portfolio allocation, investment strategy and building client solutions. In today's episode, we're talking about her rules based approach to investing. Terri talks about Sierra Investment Management's different funds, including their tactical junk bond fund and their muni-bond fund. She gets into the benefits of applying a trend following approach to her strategies, what she's seeing across different asset classes, and why she's bullish on municipal bonds and South Korea. As we start to wind down, Terri offers ways to implement some of these ideas with your own portfolio, whether it's with the equity or fixed-income portion. Please enjoy this episode with Sierra Investment Management's Terri Spath. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 269, we welcome our guest, Scott Lynn, the Founder & CEO of Masterworks, the first company to allow investors to buy shares representing ownership of great masterpieces by artists like Warhol, Monet, and more. In today’s episode, we’re getting into the ins-and-outs of the art market. It’s been around a long time, but investing in it hasn’t been widely accessible. Scott launched a business that has set out to change that. He takes us through some history and the evolution of the market. We discuss constructing a data set to formally analyze returns of the asset class, and what he and his team learned from the process. Scott talks about the interesting opportunity the art market offers from an investment standpoint, and specifically, what segments and artists the Masterworks team keeps their eye on. Please enjoy this episode with Masterworks’, Scott Lynn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 268, we welcome our guest, Doug Ludlow, the co-founder and CEO of MainStreet, a startup making it easy for businesses to access government incentive programs. In today’s episode, we talking Doug’s best idea: unclaimed money for small businesses and startups. Every year the federal and local government have incentives that go unused and MainStreet’s platform is helping businesses access these and save around $75,000 per company! Doug updates us on MainStreet’s progress since we first heard from him earlier this year. He even have an exciting announcement on the company expanding their offering by almost doubling the available credits that companies have access to. As the conversation winds down, Doug provides some real examples of companies who have saved a large amount of money using their platform. Please enjoy this special “Best Ideas” episode with MainStreet’s Doug Ludlow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year we brought listeners the entire volume of The Best Investment Writing Volume 3, in audio format, right here on the podcast. Listeners loved it, so we’re running it back again this year with The Best Investment Writing Volume 4. You’ll hear from some of the most respected money managers and investment researchers from all over the planet. Enough from me, let’s let Tyler take over this special episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 267, we welcome our guest, Edward Altman, professor at the Stern School of Business at NYU. In today’s episode, we’re talking corporate bankruptcy, high yield bonds and credit risk analysis. We talk to Professor Altman about the Altman Z-Score Model, which he created in 1968 to predict bankruptcies. He discusses the record high debt levels companies had at the end of 2019 right before COVID hit the U.S. and what he’s seen this year with a large number of billion dollar bankruptcies. He also touches on the jump in the rate of zombie companies around the world. As we start to wind down, Professor Altman explains why he is bullish on high quality junk bonds and why the happiest moment of his career was testifying in front of Congress in 2008 advocating bankruptcy for GM. All this and more in episode 267 with NYU’s Edward Altman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 266, we welcome our guest, Kiyan Zandiyeh, Chief Investment Officer for Sturgeon Capital, a leading frontier markets investment boutique focused on technology-enabled businesses that offer a product or service which solves an unserved, acute pain point for a large addressable market. We’re covering Kiyan’s best idea: frontier markets. With the U.S. markets near all-time highs, investors may want to look around the globe for other opportunities and frontier markets offer a unique risk/reward. Kiyan walks us through the current landscape and what countries he’s most interested in. He covers the most common risks investors need to be aware of, and why he’s focused on private companies utilizing technology in the ecommerce and enterprise SaaS spaces. As we wind down, he walks us through a couple real examples of investments he’s made in countries like Iran and Uzbekistan. Please enjoy this special “Best Ideas” episode with Sturgeon Capital’s Kiyan Zandiyeh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year we brought listeners the entire volume of The Best Investment Writing Volume 3, in audio format, right here on the podcast. Listeners loved it, so we’re running it back again this year with The Best Investment Writing Volume 4. You’ll hear from some of the most respected money managers and investment researchers from all over the planet. Enough from me, let’s let Martin take over this special episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 265, we welcome our guest, Rusty Vanneman, Chief Investment Officer for Orion Advisor Solutions. In today’s episode, we’re talking asset management programs and markets. We talk to Rusty about the state of the industry for turnkey asset management programs, which effectively allow advisors to break out on their own with built-in back office support and a suite of investment options. He gets into direct indexing, and why these customized solutions carry unique advantages for investors in areas like ESG implementation and tax-loss harvesting. Rusty shares his thoughts on markets and some reasons to maintain a bullish attitude. As we start to wind down, we dig into balance, global diversification, bonds, and getting creative to manage portfolio risk moving forward. All this and more in episode 265 with Orion’s Rusty Vanneman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 264, we welcome our guest, Sammy Courtright, co-founder of Ten Spot. In today’s episode, we’re talking about workforce engagement and solving some of the problems with distributed teams. Sammy tells us the backstory of Ten Spot and the re-branding process they’ve gone through to focus on technology to help the company streamline and scale. She explains the business model, how important it is with the modern workforce to make sure teams are engaged and connecting, and how Ten Spot is bringing engagement to the table. We discuss what’s on the horizon for the company, including some thoughts on international expansion. As the conversation winds down, Sammy shares the difficulty of navigating 2020, which not only includes trying to run the business, but extends to securing critical funding. All this and more in episode 264 with Ten Spot’s Sammy Courtright. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices