My Worst Investment Ever Podcast

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 35: Mad Money.LEARNING: Investors are naive, and Cramer is an entertainer, not a financial advisor who adds value. “Do not confuse information with value-added information. If you know something because it was in the newspaper, everyone else knows it as well. So it has no value.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 35: Mad Money.Chapter 35: Mad MoneyIn this chapter, Larry explains why investment advice from so-called market experts is often worthless.The infamous Jim CramerJim Cramer, a former hedge fund manager, has become one of the most recognizable faces in the investment world. He dispenses rapid-fire investment advice on the show “Mad Money.” Since it premiered in March 2005, it has been one of CNBC's most-watched shows. But has his advice been as successful for the investors who follow it? Larry shares a couple of research studies that answer this question.It pays more to invest in an S&P than in Cramer's fundCramer manages a portfolio that invests in many of the stock recommendations he makes on TV. Established in August 2001 with approximately $3 million, the Action Alerts PLUS (AAP) portfolio has been the centerpiece of Cramer's media company, TheStreet, which sells his financial advice, giving subscribers in the millions access to each trade the portfolio makes ahead of time. Jonathan Hartley and Matthew Olson, authors of the 2018 study “Jim Cramer's Mad Money Charitable Trust Performance and Factor Attribution,” examined the AAP portfolio's historical performance. Their study covered the period from August 1, 2001, the AAP portfolio's inception, through December 31, 2017. The study found that the fund returned a total of 97%. During that same period, an investment in the S&P would have returned 204%.No real stock-picking skill, just entertainmentIn another study, “How Mad Is Mad Money?”, Paul Bolster, Emery Trahan, and Anand Venkateswaran examined Cramer's buy and sell recommendations for the period from July 28, 2005, through December 31, 2008. They also constructed a portfolio of his recommendations and compared it to a market index. The researchers came to three key conclusions:Investors were paying attention, as the stocks he recommended had abnormal returns of almost 2% on the day following his recommendations.The returns...

BIO: Mike Koenigs is a serial entrepreneur with five successful exits, a 19-time bestselling author, and a top strategist for founders post-exit.STORY: Mike invested big in a SaaS startup set up for success, but infighting brought it to its knees.LEARNING: Character is bigger than charisma. “If you're a shareholder, your best exit is for a big company to come and buy what they believe is money at a discount.”Mike Koenigs Guest profileMike Koenigs is a serial entrepreneur with five successful exits, a 19-time bestselling author, and a top strategist for founders post-exit. He helps build powerful personal brands in just one week and pioneers Generative AI for executives, speaking at elite events like Abundance 360, MIT, and Tony Robbins' gatherings.Worst investment everMike learned about a SaaS startup from a client with whom he had spent time and had gotten to know, like, and trust him. So, when the client introduced Mike to this deal, he got interested.The startup looked great, so he invested a substantial amount of money and then doubled down because it got even better.Off to a promising startThe basic premise was that it was a pool. The founders would find SaaS companies with customers, momentum, technology, and a bit of a moat. They had much experience and success, such as a 10x dividend to investors in three years.Infighting paralyzes everythingUnfortunately, the two founders started fighting. One of them locked the other one out of everything. They had the majority and equal shareholding, making infighting even worse. The remaining partner started emptying the coffers.Someone doing the books became a whistleblower and revealed the shenanigans going on. The partner was siphoning off money, building a house, going on big trips, using private jets everywhere, etc. It got uglier and uglier, causing the shareholders to file lawsuits, and the FTC got involved. Years have gone by, and things are still shut down.Lessons learnedTime kills deals.Character is bigger than charisma. Crooked founders will gut you faster than any market downturn.Put all that money into index funds and let it compound.Andrew's takeawaysThe only way to invest as an angel investor is to invest in 10 startups. Don't do it if you are not prepared with the money and time to do that.Actionable adviceUnless you're a full-time VC with deal flow, customer channels, or an exit mapped out, keep your money in things you can control. If you're a shareholder, your best exit is for a big company to come and buy what they believe is money at a discount.Mike's recommendationsMike recommends learning to build a brand that will elevate everything you touch for the rest of your life. He suggests reading his book, Your Next Act: The Six Growth Accelerators for Creating a Business You'll Love for the Rest of Your Life, to help you build your brand. He also recommends immersing yourself in AI and learning how to use it effectively.No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsMike's number one goal for the next 12 months is to become an international citizen. He wants to continue living his beautiful life in multiple locations and working with more entrepreneurs worldwide.Parting words “Go out and build your brand. You will get access to better deals faster at a discounted price.”

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 34: Bear Markets: A Necessary Evil.LEARNING: Investors must view bear markets as necessary evils. “If stocks didn't experience the kind of bear markets that we have, investors would be very unhappy.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 34: Bear Markets: A Necessary Evil.Chapter 34: Bear Markets: A Necessary EvilIn this chapter, Larry explains why investors must view bear markets as necessary evils. He says that if stocks didn't experience the kind of bear markets that we have, investors would be very unhappy.Larry further explains that the most basic finance principle is the relationship between risk and expected, but not guaranteed, return. So, the higher the risk, the higher the expected return, which means that if the risk is high, investors will apply a bigger risk premium, which will lead to the denominator in the formula of the Net Present Value. The numerator is the expected earnings. The denominator is the risk-free rate plus the risk premium.The higher the risk, the higher the premiumsLarry highlights historical bear markets, noting the U.S. has experienced losses exceeding 34% during the COVID crisis and 51% from 2007 to 2009. He argues that these losses are essential for investors to demand higher risk premiums. The very fact that investors have experienced such significant losses leads them to price stocks with a large risk premium.From 1926 through 2022, the S&P provided an annual risk premium over one-month Treasury bills of 8.2% and an annualized premium of 6.9%. If the losses that investors experienced had been smaller, the risk premium would also have been smaller. And the smaller the losses experienced, the smaller the premium would have been.In other words, the less risk investors perceive, the higher the price they are willing to pay for stocks. And the higher the market's price-to-earnings ratio, the lower the future returns.Staying the course during underperformanceThe bottom line, Larry says, is that bear markets are necessary for the creation of the large equity risk premium we have experienced. Thus, if investors want stocks to provide high expected returns, bear markets (while painful to endure) should be considered a necessary evil.However, Larry notes that it is during the periods of underperformance that investor discipline is tested. Unfortunately, the evidence suggests that most investors significantly underperform the stock market and the mutual funds they invest in. The underperformance is because investors act like generals fighting the last war.Subject to

BIO: Jeff Sarti, CEO of Morton Wealth, leads a firm managing over $3 billion in assets. With a mission to empower better investors, Jeff helps clients achieve their financial goals while supporting employees in their career growth.STORY: Jeff bought a few dot-com companies, thinking it was smart and safe because he bought the big brands. All of the companies dropped 90%+.LEARNING: Don't let greed, FOMO, and a lack of imagination drive you to a bad investment. “Don't take shortcuts. If you do, at least know that you're gambling and speculating. That's different from investing.”Jeff Sarti Guest profileJeff Sarti, CEO of Morton Wealth, leads a firm managing over $3 billion in assets. With a mission to empower better investors, Jeff helps clients achieve their financial goals while supporting employees in their career growth. A CFA charterholder, Jeff shares his insights through his Perspective newsletter. His expertise emphasizes challenging the status quo and fostering long-term, resilient investment strategies.Worst investment everIn the late 90s, during the dot-com boom, Jeff had just started making a bit of money. He bought a few dot-com companies, thinking it was smart and safe because he bought the big brands. All of the companies dropped 90%+ after a while.Lessons learnedDon't let greed, FOMO, and a lack of imagination drive you to a bad investment.Always do your research.Andrew's takeawaysWhen prices get untethered from earnings growth, our expectation of the future is what matters.Actionable adviceThe only way you can learn is by doing and making mistakes. But before you start doing, do the research, understand the underlying risk factors of your investments, and don't take shortcuts.If you do, at least know you're speculating and not investing. Keep that speculative piece of your portfolio small. It's always a good idea to balance speculative investments with more traditional, long-term investment strategies for a more secure financial future.Jeff's recommendationsJeff recommends checking out resources on his website, such as his investment guides and market analysis, and signing up for his quarterly newsletter if you want financial education.He also recommends reading Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman and books by Morgan Housel to understand how emotions drive investment decisions.No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsJeff's number one goal for the next 12 months is to continue traveling the country with his investment team, uncovering some new niche opportunities.Parting words “I really enjoyed the conversation. It was a lot of fun.”Jeff Sarti [spp-transcript] Connect with Jeff Sarti

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 33: An Investor's Worst Enemy.LEARNING: You are your own worst enemy when it comes to investing. “The right strategy is to avoid the loser's game. Don't try to pick individual stocks or time the market, just invest in a disciplined way, and you will win by getting the market's return.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 33: An Investor's Worst Enemy.Chapter 33: An Investor's Worst EnemyIn this chapter, Larry demonstrates why investors are their own worst enemies. He observes that many people think the key to investing is identifying the stocks that will outperform the market and avoiding the ones that will underperform.Yet the vast body of evidence says that's playing the losers' game. He adds that most professionals with advanced degrees in finance and mathematics, with access to the best databases and huge advantages over individuals, often think they're smart enough to beat the market.They do so by attempting to uncover individual securities they believe the rest of the market has somehow mispriced (the price is too high or too low). They also try to time their investment decisions to buy when the market is “undervalued” and sell when it is “overvalued.”However, evidence shows that 98% of them fail to outperform in any statistically significant way on a risk-adjusted basis, even before taxes. As historian and author Peter Bernstein puts it: “The essence of investment theory is that being smart is not a sufficient condition for being rich.”Why do people keep playing the loser's game?In the face of such overwhelming evidence, the puzzling question is why people keep trying to play a game they are likely to lose. From Larry's perspective, there are four explanations:Because our education system has failed investors and Wall Street, and most financial media want to conceal the evidence, people are unaware of it.While the evidence suggests that playing the game of active management is the triumph of hope over wisdom and experience, hope does spring eternal—after all, a small minority succeed.Active management is exciting, while passive management is boring.Investors are overconfident—a normal human condition, not limited to investing. While each investor might admit that it's hard to beat the market, each believes he will be one of the few who succeed.So, what is the right strategy?In light of the evidence presented, Larry's advice is clear: avoid the losers' game. Instead of trying to pick individual stocks or time the market, he advocates...

A retailer in Bangkok was staring down a cash crunch after COVID. He was ready to sign for a loan, convinced it was his only option.Instead, we dug into his numbers and found $30,000 in unsold inventory gathering dust and $8,000 in overpayments to suppliers. That cash was enough to stabilize his business; no debt was needed. The money was there; he just couldn't see it.Download The Profit Gap for free at TheProfitBootCamp.com to see 5 hidden reasons family businesses work hard but still fall short of profit.Find hidden profit before you borrowWhen cash flow gets tight, panic sets in. Your mind races, layoffs, loans, maybe even shutting down. But fear isn't a strategy. The truth is, your business is probably sitting on hidden profit, even in tough times. You just need to find it.Start with a zero-based budget. That means you begin each budget line at zero, not last year's number, and build it up based on what's actually needed. Each team member justifies every expense from scratch. No assumptions. No carryovers. Just what drives results. Look at your expenses, inventory, and contracts. What's wasting money?Maybe it's unused subscriptions, overstocked supplies, or a vendor charging too much. One client found $500 a month in duplicate software licenses. Canceling them took one email and saved $6,000 a year.Cut smart, not deepDon't just cut costs mindlessly; focus on waste, not muscle. Keep what drives value, like your best staff or marketing, that works. I've seen owners slash their top salespeople in a panic, only to tank revenue. Instead, realign spending to what moves profit.For example, shift the budget from low-margin products to high-margin ones. One business I worked with dropped a product line that was barely breaking even. That freed up $20,000 for ads, bringing in $100,000 in new sales.Small wins create momentum. Even saving $1,000 can shift your mindset from panic to possibility. Try this: call your top five vendors this week. Ask for a 10% discount or better payment terms. Most will say no, but some will say yes to keep your business.A client of mine negotiated $5,000 off his annual shipping costs in one 15-minute call. That's cash you can use to grow, not just survive.Discipline is your secret weaponDiscipline beats loans every time. Borrowing might feel like a lifeline, but it's a weight around your neck if you don't fix the root problems. A logistics firm I worked with was desperate for a loan. Instead, we audited their spending and found $8,600 in waste, unused equipment leases, and overpaid utilities. That cash funded a marketing push that brought in new clients without debt. They weren't out of options; they just needed clarity.Here's one last story. That same logistics firm thought they were done. But that $8,600 audit changed everything. They used the savings to relaunch ads, landing three new contracts monthly. The owner told me, “I thought we were stuck. Turns out, we just needed to look closer.” What's hiding in your business?You've now faced the five hard truths holding your business back. You know no one's coming to save you, that delay kills profit, that family dynamics can trap you, that leadership drives results, and that you have options even in a cash crunch. Now, it's time to act. Pick one step this week, cut an expense, fix a meeting, check your P&L, and do it. Your business depends on you.Actions from prior episodesCut one cost: Block 30 minutes, review P&L, and cut one expense. Just one. Lead by example.Find one drain: Review finances weekly, searching for one hidden loss. Act now.Align the family: Hold a monthly, one-hour family meeting. Ask: “What...

BIO: Oeystein Kalleklev is the outgoing CEO of Flex LNG and Avance Gas. He has prior experience as CFO of Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers and Umoe Group and Chairman General Partner of MLP KNOT Offshore Partners.STORY: Oeystein has been part of some terrible investments made by his employers. One invested $150 million to become the biggest shareholder of a mine in Guinea, which was lost due to a bad regime. During the great financial crisis, another invested $300 million into a bioethanol plant in Brazil.LEARNING: In a dynamic industry like shipping, you must think more about adapting and being tactical rather than strategic. “You have to be really disciplined when you are in a cyclical industry. Observe where the market is going, and learn how to adapt.”Oeystein Kalleklev Guest profileOeystein Kalleklev is the outgoing CEO of Flex LNG (NYSE/OSE: FLNG) and Avance Gas (OSE: AGAS). He has prior experience as CFO of Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers and Umoe Group, as well as Chairman General Partner of MLP KNOT Offshore Partners (NYSE: KNOP).Worst investment everOeystein has been part of some terrible investments. In one case, a family Oeystein worked for had invested about $150 million to become the biggest shareholder of a mine in Guinea. The country was under an unstable regime, and the leader was assassinated. There were also so many operational hiccups operationally. That $150 million turned out to be like $3 million when they sold their last share.He has also been involved in bioethanol production in Brazil, where a company he worked for invested about $300 million into a bioethanol plant in Brazil during the great financial crisis. The bosses had to restructure the whole company, and Oeystein had to go to the US to talk to bondholders, trying to get them to choose whether to become shareholders or take a big hit on the bond loans.In another case, Oeystein was involved in a nickel mine in the Philippines where the company he was working for was building a floating production ship for oil. The budget was $280 million, but the company spent $500 million on that building project, and it also took one and a half extra years to complete.Lessons learnedWhen you have such a dynamic industry as shipping, you must think more about adapting and being tactical rather than strategic.Focus on running your ships efficiently—it's a critical success factor.Shipping is a lot about market timing. Read the market, know where it is going, when you should exit, and when you should invest.You have to be knowledgeable about technology because technology changes quite often in shipping.Be smart about running a shipping company. Do it lean and follow the technology.Andrew's takeawaysIt's hard to set a long-term strategy in an industry such as shipping because you've got to adapt to what's happening in the market.You have to run ships efficiently, or else you will miss the core aspect of your business.Actionable adviceIf you want to venture into the shipping industry, you must properly understand shipping because it's not as straightforward as people think. It's not just about moving goods from A to B.No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsOeystein's number one goal for the next 12 months is to read more books to be on top of contemporary issues and be a successful shipping...

I once sat down with a furious business owner. “My team's useless,” he said. “They never deliver.” I asked him two simple questions: “Who hired them? Who sets their goals?”He went quiet. He admitted he hadn't run a proper meeting in months, and his priorities changed weekly. His team wasn't failing; they were confused.Once he got clear and consistent, everything shifted. Execution improved, morale spiked, and profit followed. The problem wasn't his team; it was his leadership.Download The Profit Gap for free at TheProfitBootCamp.com to see 5 hidden reasons family businesses work hard but still fall short of profit.It starts with youWhen the same issues keep popping up: missed deadlines, low margins, and sloppy execution, it's easy to blame your team or the market. But nine times out of ten, those problems point to your systems, not your people. If your business feels stuck in a loop, you haven't built the structure to break free. Leadership isn't about charisma or barking orders. It's about clarity and follow-through.Start by auditing yourself. Are your priorities clear to your team? Do you track progress, or just hope things get done?I've seen owners delegate tasks and then forget about them, leaving their teams guessing. That's not leadership. That's abdication. One client delegated a pricing review but never checked in. Six months later, nothing had changed, and they'd lost $50,000 in potential profit. Set clear goals, assign owners, and follow up. It's not sexy, but it works.Fix your meetings, fix your profitHere's a game-changer: fix your meetings. Most business meetings are a mess, with endless venting or no focus. Better meetings lead to better profit. Try this: run one weekly meeting with a tight agenda. Pick one metric, like cash flow, gross margin, or overdue invoices, and identify three actions to move them.One client's meetings were just complaint sessions. We set a new rule: every meeting ends with three clear next steps. Four weeks later, the execution was sharper, and he told me, “We didn't need more staff, just a real plan.” Focused action works.Build momentum with better habitsYou don't need a new team, just better habits. Your people are probably capable, but they need direction. A weekly rhythm, like Monday priorities, Wednesday short check-ins, and Friday results, builds momentum fast. It's not about working harder; it's about working smarter. And start writing down what works. That's your playbook for scaling.One owner I know documented his best sales process. It took an hour, but it cut training time for new hires and boosted close rates by 10%. That's leadership in action.You're leading with clarity now, but what if cash is still tight? In our final episode, we'll tackle how to turn things around when money's low and pressure's high. Don't miss it.Actions from prior episodesCut one cost: Block 30 minutes, review P&L, and cut one expense. Just one. Lead by example.Find one drain: Review finances weekly, searching for one hidden loss. Act now.Align the family: Hold a monthly, one-hour family meeting. Ask: “What will drive next month's profit?” Prioritize profit over family tension.The next actionLead the team: Run focused weekly meetings with a clear agenda and one action item. Drive results.Download The Profit Gap for free at TheProfitBootCamp.com to see 5 hidden reasons family businesses work hard but still fall short of profit. Andrew's books

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 32: The Twenty-Dollar Bill.LEARNING: Trade as if the markets are efficient, even though they are not. “If the markets were perfectly efficient, then no one would discover anything about a mispriced stock. There would be no abnormal behaviors or biases, such as investors preferring to buy lottery stocks; therefore, there would be no incentive for investors to conduct any research. This would make the market inefficient.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 32: The Twenty-Dollar Bill.Chapter 32: The Uncertainty of InvestingIn this chapter, Larry explains the efficient markets hypothesis (EMH) and why successful trading strategies often self-destruct due to their inherent limitations.According to Larry, one of the fundamental tenets of the EMH is that in a competitive financial environment, successful trading strategies self-destruct because they are self-limiting—when they are discovered, they are eliminated by exploiting the strategy.He shares the example of Andrew Lo's adaptive markets hypothesis, which acknowledges that while the EMH may not necessarily hold in the short term, it does predict that inefficiencies will self-correct over time as arbitrageurs exploit them after publication. This understanding leads us to the inevitable conclusion that financial markets trend toward efficiency in the long run.Efficient markets rapidly eliminate opportunities for abnormal profitsTo demonstrate how the efficiency of markets rapidly eliminates opportunities for abnormal profits, Larry shares the following example:Imagine that an investor discovers that small-cap stocks have historically outperformed the market in January. To take advantage of this anomaly, that investor would have to buy small-cap stocks at the end of December, before the period of outperformance. After achieving some success with this strategy, other investors would take note—with the large dollars at stake, Wall Street is quick to copy successful strategies. An academic paper might even be published. Since the effect is now known to more than just the original discoverer of the anomaly, one would have to buy before others do to generate abnormal profits. Now, prices start to rise in November. But the next group of investors, recognizing this was going to happen, would have to buy even earlier.As you can see, the very act of exploiting an anomaly has the effect of making it disappear, making the market more efficient. This underscores the significant role investors play in shaping market efficiency.Behave as if equity markets are...

I once worked with a family business run by two brothers and a sister. The sister was a dreamer, pushing niche markets and creative ideas. Her CEO brother was all about landing big accounts to keep cash flowing. Every strategy meeting turned into a shouting match. Nothing got decided, and the business was stuck.I pulled the creative sister aside and asked, “Do you want to be CEO?” She laughed, “No way.” That honesty was a game-changer. They finally aligned behind one leader, and the chaos started to fade. Is your family business stuck because no one's steering the ship?Download The Profit Gap for free at TheProfitBootCamp.com to see 5 hidden reasons family businesses work hard but still fall short of profit.Survival mode kills profitFamily businesses are special, but they come with unique traps. The daily grind, orders, payroll, and customer complaints can bury any chance of big-picture thinking. You're so busy keeping the lights on that you forget to ask: where's this business going? That's survival mode, and it's a profit killer. Strategy takes a backseat when you're just trying to get through the week.Clear roles fix family chaosThen there's the family dynamic. Loyalty and emotions can cloud tough calls. Maybe your cousin's great at sales but terrible at managing people, yet no one says anything because he's family. Or your parents are still on the payroll, even though they retired years ago. These are human issues, but they hurt your bottom line.The fix? Write down everyone's roles, even if it's awkward. Be clear: who's in charge of what? I've seen families transform their businesses just by putting this on paper. It's not about cutting people out but giving everyone a lane so the company can move forward. Always return to the core principle that increasing profit increases value for all family members.If every week feels like a scramble, you're missing structure. Without a precise rhythm, you're starting from zero every Monday. That's exhausting, and it keeps you stuck. Try this: start one monthly owner profit check-in, 60 minutes max.Focus on one question: what's driving profit next month? It could be following up on late invoices, cutting a small cost, or pushing a high-margin product. Get your team thinking about profit, not just staying busy. Structure turns chaos into progress.Family businesses also risk getting too comfortable. You might have a warm and loyal culture, but is it driving growth? Or is it just keeping the peace? Ask yourself: does our setup push us toward profit, or are we coasting on familiarity?One family business I know kept a low-margin product line because it was “part of our history.” Dropping it felt like betraying the past, but it freed up cash for marketing that doubled their revenue. Logic has to win.Structure over stressHere's a quick story. I had a client who groaned, “Mondays are a mess.” Projects stalled, and he was micromanaging everything. We set a simple rhythm: Monday to set goals, Wednesday for updates, Friday to review wins. In just a few weeks, his team started owning their tasks. He wasn't carrying the whole business anymore; he had breathing room. Structure doesn't sound sexy, but it's a game-changer.Now you see the real traps keeping your family business stuck. But what if the real problem isn't your family, it's you? In our next episode, we'll face the hard truth about leadership and profit. Don't miss it.Actions from prior episodesCut one cost: Block 30 minutes, review P&L, and cut one expense. Just one. Lead by example.Find one drain: Review finances weekly, searching for one hidden loss. Act now.The next actionAlign the family: Hold a...

BIO: Jeff Holman, founder of Intellectual Strategies, is revolutionizing legal support for startups and scaling businesses. His Fractional Legal Team model provides expert legal guidance without the cost of a full-time team.STORY: Jeff started a cold plunge and sauna business during the pandemic. The company looked great, but he had employee issues, which affected its success. Soon, tens of other studios, brands, and franchises were all popping up within a mile of Jeff's studio.LEARNING: Create strategic alignment incrementally and iteratively. “Create strategic alignment incrementally and iteratively because the business that you're operating today might not be the business that you pivot to tomorrow.”Jeff Holman Guest profileJeff Holman, founder of Intellectual Strategies, is revolutionizing legal support for startups and scaling businesses. His Fractional Legal Team model provides expert legal guidance without the cost of a full-time team. With expertise in engineering, law, and business, Jeff helps companies navigate complex challenges, enabling them to grow with confidence.Worst investment everDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeff decided to find ways to spend his time and invest some of his money. He settled on a cold plunge and sauna business. The spreadsheet looked great, and the numbers were fantastic. The business model followed another business that Jeff had previously done, which had achieved considerable success.Jeff found a local company in Utah that was manufacturing cold plunges at the time and secured a couple of investor friends to invest in the business. He rented an office space and converted one of the suites into a cold plunge and sauna studio.The biggest mistake that cost Jeff this business was hiring employees and trying to get them more involved in marketing. He would help train and incentivize employees, ensure tasks were completed, have people submit reports, follow up for accountability, and more. It felt like he was babysitting his employees. This eventually brought his business down. However, the final nail in the coffin was a proliferation of other studios, brands, and franchises, all popping up within a mile of Jeff's studio.Lessons learnedIf you're part of a franchise, consider visiting other franchise businesses that may not be competing with yours or those a little further away from your customer base to observe how they operate.If you're pivoting your business, create strategic alignment incrementally and iteratively because the business you're operating today might not be the one you pivot to tomorrow.Andrew's takeawaysFind a business that does what you want to do in another state and go work with them for a while.Actionable adviceValidate the business idea you want to invest in well beyond the spreadsheet. Research regulations, test your MVP, identify channels that you'll use to drive revenue, and much more.Jeff's recommended resourcesJeff's journey has taught him the value of seeking expert advice. He recommends holding a strategy call with him if you need legal expertise to scale your business confidently. He also suggests reading Rocket Fuel and Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman to learn how to align intellectual property, assets, patents, trademarks, and...

I met a family business owner in the Philippines who was proud of his “stable” company. Two percent net profit, year after year. Sounds okay, right? Until I showed him the math: because his margin was deeply below average, he'd missed out on $1.2 million in potential profit over three years.That “stability” was a slow bleed, draining his business while he didn't even notice. Are you losing money you can't see? That's what this episode is all about: how profit problems silently grow while you're looking the other way.Download The Profit Gap for free at TheProfitBootCamp.com to see 5 hidden reasons family businesses work hard but still fall short of profit.Small leaks, big lossesProfit problems don't usually hit you like a freight train. They creep in quietly; a slight inefficiency here, a missed opportunity there. Maybe it's a subscription you forgot to cancel or pricing that hasn't budged in years. These leaks add up, and the longer you wait, the harder they are to fix. Think of it like a leaky pipe: today's drip becomes a flood tomorrow.The longer you delay, the more risk and complexity you're piling on. Your margins shrink, your stress grows, and suddenly, you're vulnerable to a bad month or a competitor's move. I experienced this in my own business leading up to the government COVID lockdowns.The good news? You don't need a massive overhaul to start. Just find one recurring cost that's dragging you down. It could be an overpriced vendor, software you barely use, or a process that wastes your team's time.One client I worked with found $1,500 monthly in unused cloud storage. Cutting it took 10 minutes and saved him $18,000 a year. That's the kind of win you can grab right now. Small tweaks today prevent painful losses tomorrow.Don't overthink, just reviewHere's a simple way to start: schedule a 30-minute profit review this month. Pull your profit and loss statement and look for one leak. Don't overcomplicate it. Just ask: where's money slipping away?If you don't know your P&L, ask your accountant to walk you through it. You may need a new accountant if your accountant can't do that. This isn't about being a finance wizard but knowing your business. One owner I know avoided his financials for years, trusting his bookkeeper. When we finally looked, we found $40,000 lost to outdated pricing. A 30-minute review fixed it. That's the power of paying attention.Don't wait until you're desperate. I've seen too many owners hold off until they're scraping by, thinking they'll fix profit when things “calm down.” Spoiler: things don't calm down. The time to act is now when you still have options. If you wait until you're broke, your choices shrink fast. You might have to cut staff, take a loan, or close up shop. Acting early keeps you in control.Here's a question to spark clarity: if a third party bought your business today, what's the first thing they would fix?Maybe it's a product line barely breaking even or a client who pays late but demands your time. Write down one fix and tackle it this week. That mindset, seeing your business with fresh eyes, uncovers profit you didn't know you had. Don't wait for the third party to arrive. Fix your business now.See your business with fresh eyesLet's pause for a story. I worked with a client who never tracked profit by product. His team was convinced their manufactured products were the cash cow, way better than their imported products. We dug into the numbers, and guess what?The imported products they sold were nearly twice as profitable. He immediately shifted strategy, focused on imports, raised prices on the manufactured stuff, and boosted gross profit by 17% in three months. That money was sitting there, waiting to be found. What's hiding in your...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 31: The Uncertainty of Investing.LEARNING: Equity investing is always about uncertainty. “Most investors think of investing as much more like risk and forget there's a lot of uncertainty. That's a problem because investing is always about uncertainty. You have to recognize that we cannot rely on historical data to tell us that much about the future.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 31: The Uncertainty of Investing.Chapter 31: The Uncertainty of InvestingIn this chapter, Larry explains the difference between risk and uncertainty. He highlights that one of the most important concepts to grasp is that investing is about dealing with both risk and uncertainty.University of Chicago professor Frank Knight defined risk and uncertainty as follows: Risk is present when future events occur with measurable probability. Uncertainty is present when the likelihood of future events is indefinite or incalculable. Larry further explains that risk involves known probabilities, like casino odds or life insurance estimates, while uncertainty involves unknown outcomes, such as major events like the Great Depression or COVID-19.Larry explains that we sometimes know the odds of an event occurring with certainty. For example, because of demographic data, we can reasonably estimate the odds that a 65-year-old couple will have at least one spouse live beyond 90. However, we cannot know the exact odds because future advances in medical science may extend life expectancy. Conversely, new diseases may arise that shorten life expectancy.Why must you understand the difference between risk and uncertainty?Larry insists that it is crucial to understand the difference between risk and uncertainty. This understanding is key, as many investors mistakenly view equities as closer to risk, where the odds can be precisely calculated. This misconception often arises when economic conditions are favorable. The ability to estimate the odds gives investors a false sense of confidence, leading them to make decisions that exceed their ability, willingness, and need to take risks.However, Larry adds that the perception of equity investing shifts from risk to uncertainty during crises. Since investors prefer risky bets (where they can calculate the odds, like investing in a stable company with a proven track record) to uncertain bets (where the odds cannot be calculated, like investing in a startup with an unpredictable future) when the markets begin to appear to investors to become uncertain, the risk premium demanded rises, and that is what causes severe bear markets.Further, dramatic falls in prices lead to panicked...

I want to tell you about a midsize business owner drowning in consultants. He kept hiring them, one after another, each promising to turn things around. They'd show up, drop off a fancy report, and disappear. Meanwhile, his profit stayed flat, his team was overwhelmed, and he barely slept.One night, he was alone in his office, staring at a payroll he wasn't sure he could cover. That's when it hit him. He told me, “I realized it's on me. No one's coming to save my business.” That moment was his turning point. So, what's yours?Download The Profit Gap for free at TheProfitBootCamp.com to see 5 hidden reasons family businesses work hard but still fall short of profit.The turning point every owner needsLet's be real: hoping someone else will fix your problems is tempting. A consultant, a new hire, maybe even some magic software. But here's the truth: no one will care about your business as much as you do. Consultants can advise, pinpoint blind spots, and maybe even hand you a plan. But if you don't act, nothing changes.I've seen owners spend thousands on experts only to shelve their advice because it felt too hard or the timing wasn't “perfect.” Waiting for the right moment is a trap. Your business doesn't have time for that. The problems are piling up: low margins, stressed teams, endless emergencies, they're not going away on their own. You have to step up.Your calendar tells the truthI know what you're thinking: “I'm already doing everything I can!” But are you? Pull up your calendar right now. What does it say? If it's packed with meetings, emails, and putting out fires, you're probably not leading; you're reacting.Your calendar tells the truth about your priorities. If there's no time blocked for profit-focused work, like reviewing your P&L or cutting a bloated expense, you're not owning the future of your business.One client I worked with swore he had no time for strategy. His calendar showed 12 hours a week chasing emergencies, zero on profit. We carved out just 90 minutes a week to review his financials. Within months, his managers solved problems without him, and the whole business felt calmer and more focused. That's the power of taking charge.Here's the thing: you can't pay someone to care as much as you do. You can hire the best accountant and the sharpest operations manager, but responsibility for your business's success rests with you.It's not about working harder; it's about working smarter. Start small. Pick one profit-related task this week. Maybe it's canceling an unused subscription, renegotiating a vendor contract, or reviewing your pricing. Do it by Friday. One task, done well, can shift your momentum.A client thought he needed a complete overhaul to boost profit. Instead, we started with one thing: he cut a $900 monthly software he barely used. That small win gave him the confidence to tackle bigger issues.Start small, lead strongYour team is watching you, too. They feed off your clarity and energy. If you're scattered, putting out fires, they'll be scattered too. But they'll follow if you show up focused with a clear plan. That client I mentioned. Whose calendar was filled with firefighting?Once he started those weekly financial reviews, his team noticed. They started coming to meetings prepared, pitching ideas to save money. Your leadership sets the tone. When you own your business's future, you also allow your team to step up.Owning your business isn't just about responsibility; it's your biggest advantage. No one knows your customers, team, or vision like you do. That's your edge. But you have to use it. Stop waiting for a savior. Stop hoping the market will turn or a new hire will fix everything. The power to change your business is in your hands right now.So, here's

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 30: The Economically Irrational Investor Preference for Dividend-Paying Stocks.LEARNING: The dividend policy is irrelevant to stock returns. “Stock prices tend to rise in the month before they pay the dividend, because dumb retail investors overvalue dividends, and then they tend to revert back after the dividend gets paid.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 30: The Economically Irrational Investor Preference for Dividend-Paying Stocks.Chapter 30: The Economically Irrational Investor Preference for Dividend-Paying StocksIn this chapter, Larry discusses why many investors prefer cash dividends, especially those using a cash flow approach to spending.Larry explains that experts have established that dividend policy should be irrelevant to stock returns, which is supported by historical evidence. Stocks with the same exposure to common factors (such as size, value, momentum, and profitability/quality) have had the same returns, whether they pay dividends or not. Despite theory and evidence, many investors express a preference for dividend-paying stocks.The fallacy of the free dividendAs Larry explains, investors tend to assume that dividends offer a safe hedge against the large price fluctuations that stocks experience. However, this assumption ignores that the dividend is offset by the fall in the stock price—the fallacy of the free dividend is a common misconception in the investment world.Larry adds that stocks with the same “loading,” or exposure, to the four factors (size, value, momentum, and profitability/quality) have the same expected return regardless of their dividend policy. This has important implications because about 60% of US and 40% of international stocks do not pay dividends.Thus, any screen that includes dividends results in far less diversified portfolios than they could be if they had not included dividends in the portfolio design. Less diversified portfolios are less efficient because they have a higher potential dispersion of returns without any compensation in the form of higher expected returns.Taxes matterLarry notes that what is particularly puzzling about the preference for dividends is that taxable investors should favor the self-dividend (by selling shares) if cash flow is required. Taxes play a crucial role in investment decisions, and understanding their implications is essential for making informed choices.Even in tax-advantaged accounts, investors who diversify globally (the prudent strategy) should prefer capital gains because the foreign tax credits associated with dividends have no value in tax-advantaged accounts.Why

I, Coffee: The Capitalist Miracle Behind Your Morning CupI am the cup of coffee warming your hands right now. A simple drink with a story no government could brew. My journey from a cherry on a tree to your morning ritual is a testament to freedom, ambition, and human ingenuity.I exist not because of a single plan by a government or business but because of countless decisions, risks, and exchanges made by individuals and companies.I am the child of voluntary trade, fierce competition, and the pursuit of profit, all working without a master plan. These forces grow me, move me, roast me, and deliver me to you.No single person could make me from start to finish, yet billions of cups like me are made every day.Private ownership gives rise to ambitionI began as a cherry on a small farm in Costa Rica, grown by Manuel. Because he owns the land, he has reason to think long-term, studying prices, testing new methods, and planting varieties that take years to bear fruit. He's not just farming for today; he's betting on tomorrow. That's what capitalism rewards: patience, planning, and the courage to take risks.Manuel's commitment to tomorrow propels his green coffee bean across borders, where profit and competition transform local harvests into global goods.Profit connects personal effort to progressOnce picked, my journey begins from fruit to finished drink. I pass through the hands of workers and businesses, each driven by their own needs. No one is in it for love. They're in it for a paycheck. And that's precisely the point. The drive to earn a living keeps the whole system in motion.Profit isn't greed; it's survival. Prices tell people what is scarce and wanted; markets change direction overnight. To survive, you adapt. To win, you innovate. That's how competition works; it's the quiet engine pushing new ideas forward. In capitalism, you don't get to stand still. Evolve, and you'll thrive. Stay stuck, and you'll disappear.Trade works without central controlAs I leave the processing facility, my journey goes global. I cross oceans and borders. The people along the way live in different countries, speak different languages, follow different beliefs, and may even hate each other, yet they still cooperate. Peace is the quiet miracle of capitalism. The market's invisible hand turns individual pursuits into shared progress.Each region plays to its strengths. Manuel grows coffee in Costa Rica. Luigi builds espresso machines in Italy. They've never met, but through trade, they both win. By trading rather than trying to do everything alone, both end up better off.Consumers determine what survivesAt the roasting factory, experts dial in flavor. The process begins with precise heat control, powered by machines and fuels from distant places. Roasters adjust their methods to meet customer expectations because you, the consumer, decide who wins.I don't exist by chance. Every choice, a dark roast or a decaf, oat milk or cream, sends a signal. You're the boss here. I'm shaped by what you sip. That's why quality matters. Even minor errors lead to waste, lost sales, and the risk of being replaced by someone who gets it right.Every job contributes to final valueEach role, from warehouse staff to maintenance teams, shapes the outcome. The technician who calibrates the roaster's heat, the quality inspector who catches defects, and the logistics coordinator who ensures delivery affect how I taste in the end.In this system, no task is too small. A green coffee warehouse worker in Indonesia who rotates inventory properly helps ensure I arrive fresh in Denver. One mistake and a competitor gets the next order.Specialization turns effort into excellenceAt the café, baristas add their expertise,...

BIO: Collin Plume, a precious metals expert and serial entrepreneur, helps investors maximize returns with minimal risk.STORY: Collin inherited some money from his grandmother at 18. When two of his college friends came to him with the idea of creating a TV show, but on the internet, he cut them a check that was way too much than what he should have. The business didn't work.LEARNING: If you're going to make a mistake in something, make it yourself and learn from it. “If I'm going to make a mistake, I will make it myself. I will put my blood, sweat, and tears into it.”Collin Plume Guest profileCollin Plume, a precious metals expert and serial entrepreneur, helps investors maximize returns with minimal risk. Founder of Noble Gold Investments and My Digital Money, he champions alternative assets like metals, real estate, and crypto. He is a dedicated family man who prioritizes integrity and client success in navigating complex financial markets.Worst investment everCollin inherited some money from his grandmother at 18. He did some traveling and a few other things with the money. Two of Collin's college friends came to him with the idea of creating a TV show but on the internet. In theory, it made a lot of sense. They raised money, and Collin cut them a check that was way too much than what he should have.Unfortunately, Collin didn't fully engage with the idea beyond writing the check. He didn't foresee the potential pitfalls. The business, however, didn't pan out. Collin's deepest regret in this investment was not actively participating in the business and learning from it. He lost money and the opportunity to grow as an entrepreneur.Lessons learnedIf you're going to make a mistake in something, make it yourself. Don't give money to someone else to make a mistake on your behalf—they will learn from it, you won't.Teach your kids how to make money from an early age.Andrew's takeawaysFamilies should take it upon themselves to protect the next generation.Actionable adviceIf you get that opportunity, take it and learn from it, but know that if you invest, you'll probably never see $1 come back to you. Also, you could jump on the bandwagon of a totally new and exciting idea, but there are some successful businesses out there that you can invest in.Collin's recommendationsCollin advises seeking out new mentors in different areas every year. Continuous learning and growth through mentorship is a powerful tool for personal development, and Collin himself has found it invaluable in his journey as an entrepreneur.No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsCollin's number one goal for the next 12 months is to train some people to take over more of the day-to-day operations in two of his businesses. On a personal level, he wants to go on one of the big hiking trips he's never been able to do.Parting words “I love this show—everything about it. You're a great guy to talk to. I appreciate you having me on; it's been a pleasure to be with you.”Collin Plume [spp-transcript] Connect with Collin Plume

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 28: Buy, Hold, or Sell and the Endowment Effect and Chapter 29: The Drivers of Investor Behavior.LEARNING: Smart people are humble and able to admit when they have made a mistake. “As humans, we make all kinds of behavioral errors. Thus, it should not be surprising that we make them when investing. Smart people are, however, humble and able to admit when they have made a mistake.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 28: Buy, Hold, or Sell and the Endowment Effect and Chapter 29: The Drivers of Investor Behavior.Chapter 28: Buy, Hold, or Sell and the Endowment EffectIn this chapter, Larry discusses one of the more frequent risk management problems: holding or selling an asset and how the endowment effect affects this decision.The endowment effectLarry begins by empathetically explaining how the endowment effect, a common behavioral quirk, often causes individuals to make poor investment decisions. For example, it leads investors to hold onto assets they wouldn't purchase if they didn't already own them. Whether it's because the assets don't fit into their asset allocation plan or because they view them as overpriced, they're no longer the best choice from a risk/reward perspective.Larry shares the most common example of the endowment effect. People are often reluctant to sell stocks or mutual funds that they inherited or a deceased spouse purchased. Many people will usually say, “I can't sell that stock; it was my grandfather's favorite, and he'd owned it since 1952.” Or, “That stock has been in my family for generations.” Or, “My husband worked for that company for 40 years. I couldn't possibly sell it.”Another example of an investor subject to the endowment effect is stock accumulated through stock options or some type of profit-sharing/retirement plan.How to avoid the endowment effectLarry says you can avoid the endowment effect by asking: If I didn't already own this asset, how much would I buy today as part of my overall investment plan? If the answer is, “I wouldn't buy any,” or, “I would buy less than I currently hold,” you should sell. The rule applies whether the asset is a bottle of wine, a stock, a bond, or a mutual fund.He adds that you should only own an investment if it fits into your overall asset allocation plan.Chapter 29: The Drivers of Investor BehaviorIn this chapter, Larry discusses how investors make errors simply because they are humans prone to behavioral mistakes. He reviews some of the more common ones to help you avoid making such mistakes.Ego-driven investmentsIn this type of mistake, investors want more than...

BIO: Stu Heinecke is the author of How to Get a Meeting with Anyone, named one of the top 64 sales books of all time and the #1 sales book ever written on prospecting.STORY: Stu discusses his updated book edition, which caused a worldwide stir when the first edition was released in 2016. He talks about how to get a meeting with anyone.LEARNING: Be audacious and try to get that meeting that seems impossible. “When trying to get meetings, we have to make human-to-human connections. We must be audacious and surprise people and have them just say, wow.”Stu Heinecke Guest profileStu Heinecke is the author of How to Get a Meeting with Anyone, named one of the top 64 sales books of all time and the #1 sales book ever written on prospecting. A hall-of-fame-nominated marketer and Wall Street Journal cartoonist, he is known for oblique perspectives and utterly unique strategies for selling, entrepreneurship, explosive growth, and, of course, getting meetings.Worst investment everIn today's episode, Stu, who previously appeared on the podcast on episode Ep503: Never Cling to One-to-One Leverage, discusses his updated book edition, which caused a stir worldwide when the first edition was released in 2016. Stu shares how his book has inspired a global community, including the founder of Reach Desk, who raised $48 million in funding, and many others who have found inspiration in his work.AI and B2B salesStu highlights the transformative role of AI in B2B sales, a significant development that is miraculously changing the landscape. As AI becomes more prolific, Stu believes there will be a clamor for uniquely human things.He underscores the importance of human-to-human connections and creativity in making audacious and surprising efforts to get meetings in the new AI world, ensuring the audience is well-informed and prepared for the future.Creativity and overcoming self-doubtGetting people to meet you can be overwhelming, and self-doubt may creep in occasionally. Stu encourages people to make breaking through part of their character. He adds that having a sense of mischief and adventure is essential because if you can't get a meeting, you can't sell. Stu urges people to get as good as possible at getting meetings and reaching out to people that they think they would never be able to reach. Just be audacious and try.Stu also emphasizes the importance of involving assistants in outreach efforts and making them part of the process to extend your reach.No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsStu's number one goal for the next 12 months is to get into bodybuilder shape.Parting words “One of the best investments you can make is to get good at getting meetings with people that you might think are completely out of reach. Reach out, and you'll see they aren't out of reach.”Stu Heinecke Connect with Stu HeineckeLinkedInWebsiteBooksAndrew's...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 27: Pascal's Wager and the Making of Prudent Decisions.LEARNING: Use Pascal's wager to avoid making devastating mistakes. “You have to think about the cost of being wrong versus giving up on that hope or the ability to brag about how you pick the best-performing stock. Pascal's wager gives you the right way to think about the answer. And then, you get to enjoy your life much more.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 27: Pascal's Wager and the Making of Prudent Decisions.Chapter 27: Pascal's Wager and the Making of Prudent DecisionsIn this chapter, Larry discusses Pascal's wager, a suggestion posed by the French philosopher Blaise Pascal that emphasizes the importance of considering the consequences of decisions rather than just the probability of outcomes.Pascal's wagerIn Pascal's wager, the philosopher asked how we should act when we cannot prove or disprove if God exists. To answer this question, the philosopher said: if a Supreme Being doesn't exist, then all the devout have lost is the opportunity to fornicate, imbibe, and skip a lot of adult church services. But if God does exist, then the atheist roasts in hell for eternity.Pascal concluded that the consequences of your actions matter far more than whatever you think the probabilities of the outcomes might be.Using Pascal's wager to make financial decisionsPascal's wager empowers individuals to make informed financial decisions. It encourages us to carefully consider the consequences before accepting the risks involved in case we are wrong. This approach can be applied to a wide range of financial decisions, instilling confidence in our choices.Buying life insuranceImagine you're an average 28-year-old. You got married a few years ago and have your first child. Now, you must decide whether you should have life insurance. If you buy the life insurance, you know with a very high degree of certainty for the next 40 years, you're going to be paying away a premium to the life insurance company and foregoing their earnings that you could get by taking that money investing in the stock market and maybe get a seven to 10% per annum return.Yet, most people buy the insurance because of the consequences of their being wrong, and they happen to be unlucky enough to die, either through an accident or some disease that wasn't forecasted for them. Then, their wives and children may live in poverty. And that's just a consequence that's not acceptable.Asset allocationIn another example, Pascal discusses

BIO: Wes Schaeffer is The Business Fixer®. He sees the message you want to convey but can't find the words and gives them to you because if you don't toot your own horn, there is no music.STORY: Wes discusses the evolving landscape of business and marketing, emphasizing the importance of human connection, trust, and information.LEARNING: Future-proof your business with trust, strategy, and agility. “It is time to spring clean your business. Get light, get lean, get focused, and build a legacy.”Wes Schaeffer Guest profileWes Schaeffer is The Business Fixer®. He sees the message you want to convey but can't find the words and gives them to you because if you don't toot your own horn, there is no music. He's a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the president of his HOA, so mow your lawn and pay attention to what this AF veteran, father of 7, and grandfather of three has to say. He's written a couple of books, spoken around the world, published over 700 podcasts, and was once duct-taped to a bar in Korea.Join his free 12 Weeks to Peak program designed to help individuals and teams build a life cadence and achieve their goals.Worst investment everIn today's episode, Wes, who previously appeared on the podcast on episode Ep280: Do Your Research and Trust Your Gut, discusses the evolving landscape of business and marketing, emphasizing the importance of human connection, trust, and information.Effects of technology on marketingWes starts the discussion by noting how the salesperson's role has evolved since the internet came around. Before the internet, he says, salespeople were the keepers of the knowledge. If you wanted to buy a car, you had to go down to the dealership. Now you have CarFax and online shopping in comparison, and you can compare models and negotiate before you get there. People freely share information online, so salespeople are no longer the keeper of knowledge.Despite the abundance of knowledge, buyers often find themselves in a state of confusion. In the past, this confusion stemmed from a lack of information. However, in today's digital age, the problem has shifted to an overwhelming amount of information.This is where the salesperson's role becomes crucial. As a salesperson, you have the opportunity to step in as a trusted advisor. Your role is to help your customers navigate the sea of information available online, assuage their fears, and instill in them the confidence that they are making the right decision.The role of trust and information in marketingAndrew and Wes delve into the significance of trust in marketing, with Wes underlining that trust is the cornerstone of purchasing decisions. He points out that despite the advancements in technology, people still crave individualized treatment.As a salesperson, it's crucial to ask yourself: What am I doing to connect with the human being on the other side of the screen? This connection, built on trust, is what reassures customers and gives them the confidence to make a purchase.Wes reminds salespersons that customers don't want to be treated like numbers, so they should be consistent and congruent in their approach to marketing and spend enough time building trust.Adapting to market changes and future-proofing businessesWes and Andrew discuss the impact of global competition,...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 26: Dollar Cost Averaging.LEARNING: Invest all your money whenever you have it. “If you want to put the odds in your favor, which is the best we can do because we don't have clear crystal balls, you should put all your money in whenever you have it to invest.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 26: Dollar Cost Averaging.Chapter 26: Dollar Cost AveragingIn this chapter, Larry discusses why lump sum investing is better than dollar cost averaging.Should you invest your money all at once or spread it over time?According to Larry, the issue of Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) typically arises when an investor receives a large lump sum of money and wonders if they should invest it all at once or spread it over time. The same problem arises when an investor panics and sells when confronted with a bear market, but then there are two questions: How does the investor decide when it is safe to reenter the market? And does she reinvest all at once or by DCA?Constantinides, a University of Chicago professor in the 1960s, studied this question. He demonstrated that DCA is an inferior strategy to lump sum investing. He termed it logically dumb as it makes no sense based on an expected return outcome. From a purely financial perspective, the logical answer is that if you have money to invest, you should always invest it whenever it's available.Another paper by John Knight and Lewis Mandell compared DCA to a buy-and-hold strategy. Then, it analyzed the strategies across a series of investor profiles from risk-averse to aggressive. They concluded that DCA had no advantage over the two alternative investment strategies. Combined with their graphical analysis, their numerical trial and empirical evidence favored optimal rebalancing and buy-and-hold strategy over dollar cost averaging. Optimal rebalancing refers to the strategy of adjusting the proportions of assets in a portfolio to maintain a desired level of risk and return.Dollar cost averaging versus lump sum investingKnight and Mandell conducted a backtest to compare the performance of DCA versus LSI (lump sum investing). Backtesting is a simulation technique to evaluate the performance of a trading strategy using historical data. They backtested the two strategies between 1926 and 2010. Transaction costs were ignored (favoring DCA, which involves more trading). The authors assumed the initial portfolio was $1 million in cash, and the...

BIO: Elvi Caperonis is a former Harvard University Analyst and Technical Program Manager at Amazon and LinkedIn's top Voice and a career strategist who has mastered the art of storytelling to create a six-figure personal brand on LinkedIn.STORY: Elvi decided to be her own boss and started an e-commerce business for which she had no knowledge or passion. It turned out to be a nightmare that cost her $30,000.LEARNING: If you don't have passion for something, don't do it. Happiness and delivering value should be the ultimate goal, not just making money. “Yes, you want to start a business. But first, sit back and ask yourself, “Will I enjoy this? Is this going to tell the story that I want to live in the world?”Elvi Caperonis Guest profileElvi Caperonis is a former Harvard University Analyst and Technical Program Manager at Amazon and LinkedIn's top Voice and a career strategist who has mastered the art of storytelling to create a six-figure personal brand on LinkedIn.With a track record of helping job seekers land their dream jobs and supporting millions across the globe through her content on Linkedin, Elvi Caperonis has become the go-to expert for those looking to build a personal brand and land their dream job.The ability to connect with her audience through storytelling and content strategies has made an impact and helped build her brand. Elvi is passionate about helping and inspiring others to achieve results similar to hers.Land Your Dream Job and Succeed 10X Faster!: Access the same strategies that transformed my career Growth by landing jobs at top companies like Harvard University and Amazon—all for a fraction of the price.Worst investment everA few years ago, Elvi decided she wanted to be an entrepreneur and her own boss. She discussed it with her husband, who was very supportive. Elvi chose to launch an E-commerce business. She had heard many people say it was a fun and profitable business and believed she could do it.Elvi took an online course and started learning about E-commerce and how to do it step by step. She did her due diligence. Unfortunately, Elvi didn't have a passion for E-commerce. It was a lot of work, and it was a nightmare at the end because she was putting in a lot of hours and didn't turn a profit. She lost about $30,000 in that business.Lessons learnedIf you don't have passion for something, question yourself 1,000 times before starting that business. Passion allows you to tell a story that resonates with your customers.Learn from people who have done it before and get a mentor.If you don't have experience in the kind of business you want to start, don't go all in; be agile and try to sell a few units of your product, then double down as you continue to grow and adapt.Happiness and delivering value should be the ultimate goal, not just making money.Andrew's takeawaysWhatever job or business you start, ensure it's built around the core thing you do naturally today.No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsElvi's number one goal for the next 12 months is to spend more time with her kids, husband, mom, sisters, aunts, and whole family.Parting words “Even if you cannot see it now, whatever you are going through will be okay. Just keep reminding yourself of this.”Elvi...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 25: Battles are Won Before They Are Fought.LEARNING: Be well-prepared for potential disruptions in the market. “Many investors let emotions drive their decisions, and they end up buying high and selling low—the opposite of what you are doing when rebalancing.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 25: Battles are Won Before They Are Fought.Chapter 25: Battles Are Won Before They Are FoughtIn this chapter, Larry emphasizes the importance of strategic planning to anticipate market shocks, which occur approximately once every three or four years. This proactive approach ensures that investors are well-prepared for potential disruptions in the market.Historical distribution of stock returnsGene Fama studied the historical distribution of stock returns and found that the population of price changes if it was strictly normal on any stock, then a standard deviation shift from the mean of five standard deviations should occur about once every 7,000 years.The reality, though, is it occurs about once every three or four years in the US equity markets. That means the distribution of returns is not normally distributed. To illustrate this, Larry shares evidence of big fat tails in the distribution. From 1926–2022, in 26 out of the 97 years, the S&P 500 Index produced negative returns. In 11 of those years, the losses were greater than 10%. In six of the years, the losses exceeded 20%. In three of the years, the losses exceeded 30%. In one year, the loss exceeded 40%.Prepare to live through a big market downturnAccording to Larry, the data unequivocally shows that stocks are risky assets, with risks that are more prevalent than historical volatility would suggest. Investors must be prepared to face severe losses at some point. It's not a matter of if these risks will manifest, but when, how sharp the declines will be, and when they will subside.For investors, Larry underscores the importance of winning the big fat tails battle in the planning stage. Successful investors know that bear markets will happen and that they cannot be predicted with a high degree of accuracy. Thus, they build bear markets into their plans. They determine their ability, willingness, and need to take risks.Larry notes that, on average, prudent investors prepare to live through a big market shock once every three or four years. They ensure that their asset allocation does not cause them to take so much risk that when a bear market inevitably shows up, they might sell in a panic. They also make sure that they don't take so much risk that they lose sleep when emotions caused by bear markets run...

BIO: Fabrizio has always wanted to fly jets and has had a career flying both private jets and for various airlines worldwide. He has shared the cockpit with pilots from over 65 nationalities, giving him a broader perspective on people and life.STORY: Fabrizio invested in a luxury car business in Italy but chose the wrong person to run the show, and because of this, he lost all his money and a very good friend.LEARNING: Do not mix business with friendship. Hire the right people. “Business decisions need to be made to make money. If that money helps people as well, great. But trying to mix charity with business is a very bad idea.”Fabrizio Poli Guest profileFabrizio Poli has always wanted to fly jets and has had a career flying both private jets and for various airlines worldwide. He has shared the cockpit with pilots from over 65 nationalities, giving him a broader perspective on people and life. For the last 14 years, Fabrizio has been buying, selling, leasing, and chartering private jets for the ultra-wealthy.Fabrizio is the author of “The Quantum Economy” and other books. He often shares his aviation expertise in the media and is featured in the Financial Times, Bloomberg, Social Media Examiner, and Chicago Tribune.Worst investment everBeing in the private jet business, Fabrizio decided to venture into the car business a few years ago. He figured people who buy private jets also collect cars. Fabrizio teamed up with a friend of his in Italy. The idea was to buy Vespers, Alfa Romeos, and Ferraris in Italy and sell them internationally. They bought a bunch of cars and opened a showroom in Italy on the road where the first Ferrari was driven. However, Fabrizio was in England at the time. He assumed that his friend was doing things properly.Since the showroom was on a popular road with all these flashy cars parked outside, many people were walking into the showroom, unfortunately not to buy but to look at them.Fabrizio sent over a web designer to help tweak the website and suggested that his partner let people into the showroom by appointment only. This way, he'd avoid spending 90% of his day talking to people who are not there to buy a car. The friend did not heed his advice, and eventually, the business went under.Fabrizio had invested in the right business but in the wrong person, and because of this, he lost all his money and a very good friend.Lessons learnedHire the right people and create a supportive environment for them.Separate business decisions from personal emotions and make independent evaluations.The product and the process can be great, but if you pick the wrong people to run it, they'll screw the whole thing up.Andrew's takeawaysFind an independent, objective, knowledgeable third party to help pick a business partner.Separate the business idea from the person in charge of bringing it to life.Actionable adviceIf you are going to invest with your friend, you are emotionally engaged, and that's dangerous. Bring somebody else to play the bad guy, someone who can make tough decisions and keep emotions in check if you cannot take the emotion out.Fabrizio's recommendationsFabrizio recommends reading a lot—both fiction and nonfiction—to open up new possibilities and perspectives. He also recommends listening to other business leaders to learn from their...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 24: Why Do Smart People Do Dumb Things?LEARNING: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Change the criteria you use to select managers. “There are only two things that are infinite, the universe and man's capacity for stupidity.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 24: Why Do Smart People Do Dumb Things?Chapter 24: Why Do Smart People Do Dumb Things?In this chapter, Larry discusses why investors still make mistakes despite multiple SEC warnings.The past performance delusionLarry explains that it's normal for most investors to make mistakes when investing, often due to behavioral errors like overconfidence. Being overconfident can cause investors to take too much risk, trade too much, and confuse the familiar with the safe. Those are explainable errors.However, there's one mistake that Larry finds hard to explain. Most investors ignore the SEC's required warning that accompanies all mutual fund advertising: “Past performance does not guarantee future results.” Despite an overwhelming body of evidence, including the annual S&P's Active Versus Passive Scorecards, that demonstrates that active managers' past mutual fund returns are not prologue and the SEC's warning, investors still flock to funds that have performed well in the past.Today's underperforming manager may be tomorrow's outperformerAccording to Larry, various researchers have found that the common selection methodology is detrimental to performance. The greater benchmark-adjusted return to investing in ‘loser funds' over ‘winner funds' is statistically and economically large and robust to reasonable variations in the evaluation and holding periods and standard risk adjustments.Additionally, the standard practice of firing managers who have recently underperformed actually eliminates those managers who are more likely to outperform in the future.Why Are Warnings Worthless?Larry quotes the study “Worthless Warnings? Testing the Effectiveness of Disclaimers in Mutual Fund Advertisements,” which provided some interesting results. The authors found that people viewing the advertisement with the current SEC disclaimer were just as likely to invest in a fund and had the exact expectations regarding a fund's...

BIO: James “Jimmy” Milliron is Co-Founder & President of National Brokerage Atlantic, specializing in Wealth Enhancement, Estate Planning, and Asset Protection.STORY: Jimmy wanted to invest $100,000 in Bitcoin, but when he couldn't find an easy way to do it, he bought a car instead.LEARNING: Research and learn all you can about investment opportunities before investing. “Don't be afraid to pick up the phone and make a few calls. There's nothing like picking up the phone and talking to a real person on the other end instead of just texting them.”Jimmy Milliron Guest profileJames “Jimmy” Milliron is Co-Founder & President of National Brokerage Atlantic, specializing in Wealth Enhancement, Estate Planning, and Asset Protection. An insurance veteran, he previously served as Executive Vice President at NexTier Bank, building a $400 million premium finance portfolio. He holds a BA from VMI and various securities and insurance licenses.Worst investment everJimmy's worst investment is a mix between marrying a second wife and buying a car in 2016. He invested many resources in his second marriage, but it did not last that long.When Jimmy married his second ex-wife, he wanted to invest about $100,000 in Bitcoin. But he was busy and did not have time to research and learn more about Bitcoin. When Jimmy could not find an easy way to do it, he purchased a car instead with that cash.Lessons learnedGo the extra mile in research and learning about investment opportunities before investing.Consider all the investment options available.Actionable adviceIf you're young, seek advice from a mentor or your parents about what they would do instead of arbitrarily investing in a make-me-feel-good investment. Their guidance can be invaluable in navigating the complex world of investments.Jimmy's recommendationsJimmy recommends reading Donald Trump's Art of the Deal as a valuable resource for negotiation and decision-making.No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsJimmy's number one goal for the next 12 months is losing weight.Parting words “Thank you very much. Andrew and I wish everyone well.”Jimmy Milliron [spp-transcript] Connect with Jimmy MillironLinkedInWebsiteAndrew's booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming's 14 PointsAndrew's online programsValuation Master Class

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 23: Framing the Problem.LEARNING: Understand how each indexed annuity feature works before buying one. “I would never buy an annuity that didn't give me full inflation protection.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 23: Framing the Problem.Chapter 23: Framing the ProblemIn this chapter, Larry discusses how we, as human beings, are subject to biases and mistakes that we're almost certainly not aware of. He introduces the concept of ‘framing' in the context of behavioral finance, which refers to how a question or a problem is presented and how this presentation can influence our decision-making, often leading us to answer how the questioner wants us to.Examples of framingLarry shares the following examples from Jason Zweig's book Your Money & Your Brain to support the theory of framing in decision-making. These examples illustrate how the same information, when presented in different ways, can lead to significantly different decisions, highlighting the impact of framing on our perceptions and choices.A group of people was told ground beef was “75% lean.” Another was told the same meat was “25% fat.” The “fat” group estimated the meat would be 31% lower in quality and taste 22% worse than the “lean” group estimated.Pregnant women are more willing to agree to amniocentesis if told they face a 20% chance of having a Down syndrome child than if told there is an 80% chance they will have a “normal” baby.A study asked more than 400 doctors whether they would prefer radiation or surgery if they became cancer patients themselves. Among the physicians who were informed that 10% would die from surgery, 50% said they would prefer radiation. Among those who were told that 90% would survive the surgery, only 16% chose radiation.The evidence from the three examples shows that if a situation is framed from a negative viewpoint, people focus on that. On the other hand, if a problem is framed...

BIO: Mitch Russo is a serial entrepreneur who built and sold his first software company for eight figures, scaled a $25M business with Tony Robbins and Chet Holmes, and was twice nominated for Inc. Entrepreneur of the Year.STORY: Mitch bought several Amazon stores to make passive income, which he did for a while. Unfortunately, the lucky streak ended after Amazon significantly reduced the commissions it paid to its resellers, and Google changed its algorithm. Now, Mitch's SEO pages were not working, and nobody was finding them.LEARNING: Never start a business without knowing who will buy the product. Try to sell your product/service before you build it. “Please do not create a product until you understand exactly what the client needs. Try and sell it first before you build it.”Mitch Russo Guest profileMitch Russo is a serial entrepreneur who built and sold his first software company for eight figures, scaled a $25M business with Tony Robbins and Chet Holmes, and was twice nominated for Inc. Entrepreneur of the Year. He's the author of four books and the creator of ClientFol.io.Worst investment everMitch highlighted two particular investments that have left a lasting mark on his life as an investor.The Amazon storesA couple of years ago, Mitch embarked on an exhilarating journey to create recurring revenue by investing in businesses that required minimal participation. The Amazon stores, a hot trend at the time, became his focus. With significant investments, these stores flourished, and Mitch was able to generate a substantial monthly income of $18,000 to $20,000, almost passively.Then the whole thing came crashing down. Two things happened simultaneously: Amazon significantly reduced the commissions it paid to its resellers, and Google changed its algorithm. Now, Mitch's SEO pages were not working, and nobody was finding them.The peer-to-peer accountability platformMitch created an earlier version of ClientFol.io called resultsbreakthrough.com, a peer-to-peer accountability platform. Mitch had to invent some technology to do it. At the time, the platform worked fantastic.To succeed with the the peer-to-peer accountability platform, Mitch poured his heart and soul into it. He was deeply passionate about what he had created. However, the platform did not receive the response he had hoped for. Despite his belief in the platform's potential, it remained unsold, a stark reminder that success is not guaranteed, no matter how brilliant the idea.Lessons learnedNever start a business without knowing who will buy the product first.Try to sell your product/service before you build it.It's never over until you quit.Hire a coach to accelerate business growth and learn valuable lessons quickly.Andrew's takeawaysSolving a problem is not enough; you must ensure your target customer can pay for the product. Is the pain valuable enough that they'll pay high enough prices?Actionable adviceIf you are smart and you can see what's happening around you, you can make almost any mistake, recover from it, learn from it, and grow from it.Mitch's recommendationsMitch recommends reading Crossing the Chasm, which beautifully encapsulates the power of focus.No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsMitch's number one goal for the next 12 months is to continue building recurring revenue through internet processes and funnels, a path he is deeply passionate about. Additionally, he is on the verge of publishing two fiction books, one of which he...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 21: You Can't Handle the Truth.LEARNING: Don't put all your eggs in one basket; diversify your portfolio. “Once you have enough to live a high-quality life and enjoy things, taking unwarranted risks becomes unnecessary.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 22: Some Risks are Not Worth Taking.Chapter 22: Some Risks Are Not Worth TakingIn this chapter, Larry discusses the importance of investors knowing which risks are worth taking and which are not.The $10 million bet that almost didn't pay offTo kick off this episode, Larry shared a story of an executive who put his entire $10 million portfolio in one stock.Around the late 1999 and early 2000s, Larry was a consultant to a registered investment advisor in Atlanta, and one of their clients was a very senior Intel executive. This executive's net worth was about $13 million, and $10 million was an Intel stock. To Larry's shock, the executive would not consider selling even a small%age of his stock to diversify his portfolio. He was confident that this stock was the best company despite acknowledging the risks of this concentrated strategy. It was, in fact, the NVIDIA of its day. It was trading at spectacular levels. The executive had watched it go up and up and up.Learning from the pastLarry pointed out that there were similar situations not long ago, from the 60s, for example, when we had the Nifty 50 bubble, and, once great companies like Xerox, Polaroid Kodak, and many others disappeared, and these were among the leading stocks.Like this executive, many had invested all their money in a single company and had seen their net worth suffer greatly when these companies crumbled.This history serves as a powerful lesson, enlightening us about the risks of overconfidence and the importance of diversification.The Intel stock comes tumbling downSince he was a senior executive, he believed he would know if Intel was ever in trouble. Larry went ahead and told him some risks were not worth taking. He advised him to sell most of his stock and build a nice, safe, diversified portfolio, mostly even bonds.The executive could withdraw half a million bucks a year from it pretty safely because interest rates were higher, and that was far more than he needed. Larry's advice didn't matter—he couldn't convince him.Within two and a half years, Intel's stock was trading at about $10, falling about 75%. It was not until late in 2017 that it once again reached $40.Some risks are just not worth...

BIO: Craig Cecilio is a visionary disruptor and CEO of DiversyFund, dedicated to democratizing wealth building. He has broken barriers in private markets, raising over $1 billion and offering investment opportunities once reserved for the elite.STORY: Craig had a potential business partner introduced to him by a friend. The partner had a land deal and convinced Craig to invest $10,000. A couple of other people joined in and deposited about $250,000 into the land development deal in New Mexico. A week went by, and the investors got ghosted by the land deal owner.LEARNING: Don't mix friendship with business. Do your due diligence on all the parties involved in the transaction. “Assume everybody is a crook and work backward. That's the key to underwriting and any investment.”Craig Cecilio Guest profileCraig Cecilio is a visionary disruptor and CEO of DiversyFund, dedicated to democratizing wealth-building. He has broken barriers in private markets, raising over $1 billion and offering investment opportunities once reserved for the elite. Craig empowers others to reclaim financial control and make meaningful, lasting impact.DiversyFund offers a unique opportunity to invest in multifamily real estate, making wealth-building accessible to everyone. By investing in DiversyFund, your audience can take part in a diversified real estate portfolio typically reserved for high-net-worth investors—no accreditation needed.Worst investment everCraig had a potential business partner, and they were doing a land deal. The partner always liked to chase big deals, while Craig is a singles hitter. However, he decided to invest $10,000 in this deal. A couple of other people joined the deal and deposited about $250,000 into the land development deal in New Mexico. A week went by, and the investors got ghosted by the land deal owner.Realizing the gravity of the situation, Craig took it upon himself to investigate the deal. He delved into the intricacies of the financial system, learning about wire transfers and the sequence of events. His thorough examination of the circumstances and the paperwork revealed crucial oversights in basic information and essential due diligence items.While Craig lost $10,000, losing that potential partner and the trust was the biggest loss. Craig had to sever that relationship as well.Lessons learnedWhen underwriting, ensure all the boxes get checked, and ask those questions a little more.Don't mix friendship with business.Andrew's takeawaysBefore you transfer any money, stop and go through a checklist to make sure you know what you are doing. You have to assume that once it's gone, it's gone.Actionable adviceDo your due diligence on all the parties involved in the transaction, and if it sounds too good to be true, it is not.Assume everybody is the crook and work backward. That's the key to underwriting and any investment.Craig's recommendationsCraig recommends checking out the online courses he plans to launch next month. He also recommends his upcoming book, You Know What You Got To Do.No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsCraig's number one goal for the next 12 months is to launch his online courses. He also plans to put them on the map.Parting words “Just get started. Lean into it and get started. Take the first step. Read about it. You have so many...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 21: You Can't Handle the Truth.LEARNING: Overconfidence leads to poor investment decisions. Measure your returns against benchmarks. “If you think you can forecast the future better than others, you're going to ignore risks that you shouldn't ignore because you'll treat the unlikely as possible.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 21: You Can't Handle the Truth.Chapter 21: You Can't Handle the TruthIn this chapter, Larry discusses how investors delude themselves about their skills and performance, leading to persistent and costly investment mistakes.The deluded investorAccording to Larry, evidence from the field of behavioral finance suggests that investors persist in deluding themselves about their skills and performance. This persistent self-deception leads to costly investment mistakes, emphasizing the need for continuous vigilance in investment decisions.Larry quotes a New York Times article in which professors Richard Thaler and Robert Shiller noted that individual investors and money managers persist in believing that they are endowed with more and better information than others and can profit by picking stocks. This insight helps explain why individual investors think they can:Pick stocks that will outperform the market.Time the market, so they're in it when it's rising and out of it when it's falling.Identify the few active managers who will beat their respective benchmarks.The overconfident investorLarry adds that even when individuals acknowledge the difficulty of beating the market, they are buoyed by the hope of success. He quotes noted economist Peter Bernstein: “Active management is extraordinarily difficult because there are so many knowledgeable investors and information does move so fast. The market is hard to beat. There are a lot of smart people trying to do the same thing. Nobody's saying that it's easy. But possible? Yes.”This slim possibility keeps hope alive. Overconfidence, fueled by this hope, leads investors to believe they will be among the few who succeed.Why investors spend so much time and money on actively managed mutual fundsLarry also examined another study, Positive Illusions and Forecasting Errors in Mutual Fund Investment Decisions,...

BIO: Michael Episcope is the co-CEO of Origin Investments. He co-chairs its investment committee and oversees investor relations and capital raising.STORY: Michael invested in a multi-family property in Austin with a friend who had vouched for somebody else. Unbeknownst to Michael, the guy in Austin had taken a loan against his property to save other properties in his portfolio.LEARNING: Do not justify the red flags because an investment opportunity looks great. Investing is about how you behave and not what you know. “When looking at an investment opportunity, do not justify the red flags because the investor investment opportunity looks so great.”Michael Episcope Guest profileMichael Episcope is the co-CEO of Origin Investments. He co-chairs its investment committee and oversees investor relations and capital raising. Prior to Origin, Michael had a prolific derivatives trading career and was twice named one of the top 100 traders in the world. Michael earned his undergraduate and master's degrees from DePaul University. He has more than 30 years of investment and risk management experience.Worst investment everIn 2004, Michael, a commodities trader, ventured into an investment with a friend's recommendation. His friend's assurance and Michael's financial stability made him believe he was impervious to mistakes.The investment was a multi-family property in Austin, Texas. Michael trusted his friend and thought he did the due diligence, but he did not. The deal was okay, as they had the right city and the right piece of land. But then the communication from the individual in Austin was not going very well, and things just weren't adding up. But Michael's friend kept insisting everything was good.Still, something didn't sit well with Michael, so he went online and Googled his property. He saw his property was sitting on a bridge lender site. The guy in Austin had taken a loan against Michael's property to save other properties in his portfolio.The whole thing just went sideways. Michael took a lot of time and effort to wrangle away from that investment, wasting a year of his life. He got pennies on the dollar back from that investment.Lessons learnedInvesting is about people.When looking at an investment opportunity, do not justify the red flags because the investment opportunity seems so great.Investing is about how you behave and not what you know.Andrew's takeawaysEven though you may sometimes have the wrong outcome, it doesn't mean you didn't do the right thing.Actionable adviceDo as much due diligence as possible. When investing with someone, ask yourself:Do they have something to lose if the investment fails?Do they have their skin in the game?Do they have a balance sheet?Do they have something here at risk more than you do?Michael's recommendationsMichael recommends that anyone wanting to learn about personal finance read Morgan Housel's books. He also recommends downloading his free Comprehensive Guide to Real Estate Investing.No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsMichael's number one goal...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 20: A Higher Intelligence.LEARNING: Choose passive investing over active investing. “Passive investing involves systematic, transparent, and replicable strategies without individual stock selection or market timing. It's the more ethical way to go.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 20: A Higher Intelligence.Chapter 20: A Higher IntelligenceIn this chapter, Larry discusses prudent investing.The Uniform Prudent Investor ActThe Uniform Prudent Investor Act, a cornerstone of prudent investment management, offers two key benefits.Firstly, it underscores the importance of broad diversification in risk management, empowering trustees and investors to make informed decisions.Secondly, it promotes cost control as a vital aspect of prudent investing, providing a clear roadmap for those who may lack the necessary knowledge, skill, time, or interest to manage a portfolio effectively.Ethical malfeasance and misfeasance in investingIn this chapter, Larry sheds light on Michael G. Sher's insights. Sher extensively discusses ethical malfeasance and misfeasance. He says ethical malfeasance occurs when an investment manager does something deliberately or conceals it (e.g., the manager knows that he's too drunk to drive but drives anyway).For example, consider the manager who invests intentionally at a higher level of risk than the client chose without informing them and then generates a subsequently higher return. The manager attributes the alpha or the excess return to his superior skill instead of the reality that he was taking more risk, so it was just more exposure to beta, not alpha.On the other hand, ethical misfeasance occurs when an investment manager does something by accident (e.g., the manager really believes that he's sober enough to drive). Thus, the manager doesn't know what he's doing and shouldn't be managing money.Avoid active investingLarry highly discourages active investing because the evidence shows that active managers who tend to outperform on average outperform by a little bit, and the ones that underperform tend to underperform by a lot.Either they don't have the skill, and they have higher expenses, and the ones who have enough skills to beat the market, most of that skill is offset by their higher costs. So it's still really tough to generate alpha.Passive investing is the ethical way to goAccording to Sher, managing money in an efficient market without investing passively is investment malfeasance.

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 19: Is Gold a Safe Haven Asset?LEARNING: Do not allocate more than 5% of gold to your portfolio. “I don't have a problem with people allocating a very small amount of gold to their portfolio, but they should only do it if they're prepared to earn lousy returns most of the time.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 19: Is Gold a Safe Haven Asset?Chapter 19: Is Gold a Safe Haven Asset?In this chapter, Larry explains why you should not buy gold because you think it's a good inflation hedge. While he is fine with people allocating a minimal amount of gold to their portfolio, Larry cautions that they should only do it if they're prepared to earn lousy returns most of the time.Gold as an investment assetGold has long been used as a store of value, a unit of exchange, and as jewelry. More recently, many investors have come to believe that gold should be considered an investment asset, playing a potential role in the asset allocation decision by providing a hedge against currency risk, a hedge against inflation, and a haven of safety during severe economic recessions. Larry reviews various research findings to determine if the evidence supports those beliefs.The evidenceIn their June 2012 study, “The Golden Dilemma,” Claude Erb and Campbell Harvey found that in terms of being a currency hedge, changes in the real price of gold were largely independent of the change in currency values—gold is not a good hedge against currency risk.This means that the value of gold does not necessarily increase or decrease in response to changes in currency values, making it a less effective hedge than commonly believed.Erb and Harvey also found gold isn't quite the safe haven many investors think it is, as 17% of monthly stock returns fell into the category where gold dropped while stocks posted negative returns. If gold acted as a true safe haven, we would expect very few, if any, such observations. Still, 83% of the time, on the right side isn't a bad record.Gold is not an inflation hedge, no matter the trading horizonThe following example provides the answer regarding gold's value as an inflation hedge. On January 21, 1980, the price of gold reached a then-record high of US$850. On March 19, 2002, gold traded at US$293, well below its price two decades earlier. The inflation rate for the period from 1980 through 2001 was 3.9%.Thus, gold's loss in real purchasing power, which refers to the amount of goods or services that can be purchased with a unit of gold, was

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 18: Black Swans and Fat Tails.LEARNING: Never treat the unlikely as impossible. Diversify your portfolio to withstand black swans. “If you build a portfolio that can withstand the black swans and is highly diversified, then psychological or economic events won't force you to sell.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 18: Black Swans and Fat Tails.Chapter 18: Black Swans and Fat TailsIn this chapter, Larry explains the importance of never treating the unlikely as impossible and ensuring your plan includes the near certainty that black swan events will appear. Thus, your plan should consider their risks and how to address them.Understanding the risk of fat tailsIn terms of investing, Larry says, fat tails are distributions in which very low and high values are more frequent than a normal distribution predicts. In a normal distribution, the tails to the extreme left and extreme right of the mean become smaller, ultimately reaching zero occurrences.However, the historical evidence on stock returns is that they demonstrate occurrences of low and high values that are far greater than theoretically expected by a normal distribution. Thus, understanding the risk of fat tails is essential to developing an appropriate asset allocation and investment plan. Unfortunately, Larry notes, many investors fail to account for the risks of fat tails.History of the black swansWith the publication of Nassim Nicholas Taleb's 2001 book Fooled by Randomness, the term black swan became part of the investment vernacular—virtually synonymous with the term fat tail. In his second book, The Black Swan, published in 2007, Taleb called a black swan an event with three attributes:It is an outlier, as it lies outside the realm of regular expectations because nothing in the past can convincingly point to its possibility.It carries an extreme impact.Despite its outlier status, human nature makes us concoct explanations for its occurrence after the fact, making it explainable and predictable.Taleb went on further to show that stock returns have big fat tails. Their distribution of returns is not normally distributed, and fat tails mean that what people think are unlikely events are much more likely to occur than people believe will.To illustrate this, Larry uses an example: if you take stock returns, and in the last 100 years, you cut out one best month per year, which is 1% of the...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 17: There is Only One Way to See Things Rightly.LEARNING: Consider the overall impact of investments rather than focusing on individual metrics. "There is only one right way to build a portfolio—by recognizing that the risk and return of any asset class by itself should be irrelevant."Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 17: There is Only One Way to See Things Rightly.Chapter 17: There is Only One Way to See Things RightlyIn this chapter, Larry enlightens us on the benefits of considering the overall impact of investments rather than focusing on individual metrics. This holistic approach empowers investors and advisors to make more informed decisions.Don't view an asset class's returns and risk in isolationA common mistake that investors and even professional advisors often make is viewing an asset class's returns and risk in isolation. Larry emphasizes this point by giving the example of Vanguard's popular index funds, the largest index funds in their respective categories, to make us all more cautious and aware of the potential pitfalls of this approach.From 1998 through 2022, the Vanguard 500 Index Fund (VFINX) returned 7.53% per annum, outperforming Vanguard's Emerging Markets Index Fund (VEIEX), which returned 6.14% per annum. VFINX also experienced lower volatility of 15.7% versus 22.6% for VEIEX. The result was that VFINX produced a much higher Sharpe ratio (risk-adjusted return measure) of 0.43 versus 0.30 for VEIEX.Why more volatile emerging markets have a higher returnAccording to Larry, despite including an allocation to the lower returning and more volatile VEIEX, a portfolio of 90% VFINX/10% VEIEX, rebalanced annually, would have outperformed, returning 7.59%. And it did so while also producing the same Sharpe ratio of 0.43. Perhaps surprisingly, a 20% allocation to VEIEX would have done even better, returning 7.61% with a 0.43 Sharpe ratio.Even a 30% allocation to VEIEX would have returned 7.59%, higher than the 7.53% return of VFINX (though the Sharpe ratio would have fallen slightly to 0.42 from 0.43). The portfolios that included an allocation to the lower-returning and more volatile emerging markets benefited from the imperfect correlation of returns (0.77) between the S&P 500 Index and the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.The right way to build a portfolioLarry says there is only one right way to build a portfolio—by recognizing that the risk and return of any asset class by itself should be irrelevant. The only thing that should matter is considering how adding an asset class impacts the risk and return of the entire...

Listen onApple | Listen Notes | Spotify | YouTube | OtherQuick takeIn this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 16: All Crystal Balls are Cloudy.LEARNING: Estimated return is not always inevitable. “If returns are negative early on, don't withdraw large amounts because when the market eventually recovers, you won't have that money to earn your returns.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 16: All Crystal Balls are Cloudy.Chapter 16: All crystal balls are cloudyIn this chapter, Larry illustrates why past returns are not crystal balls that predict future returns.According to Larry, the problem with all forecasts that deal with estimations of probabilities is that people tend to think of them in a deterministic way. He says that as an investor, you should think about returns with the idea that distribution and estimate are only the middle points.Your plan has to be prepared for either the good tail to show up, which is easy to deal with and usually will allow you to take chips off the table and reduce your risk because you'll be well ahead of your goal. But if the bad tail shows up, you may have to either work longer, plan on saving more, or rebalance, which means buying stocks at a tough time.The threat of sequence riskTo demonstrate the danger of sequence risk, Larry asks us to imagine it's 1973, and stocks have returned 8% in real terms and 10% in nominal returns. We've had similar results over the next 50 years. Say an investor in that time frame decides to withdraw 7% yearly from their portfolio in real terms because they know with their clear crystal ball that they will get 8% for the next 50 years.This means if they take out, say, $100,000 in the first year, and inflation is 3%, to keep their actual spending the same, they have to take out $103,000. According to Larry, this investor will be bankrupt within 10 years due to the sequence of returns, which is the order in which the returns occur, not the returns themselves.As you can see in the table below, despite providing an 8.7% per annum real return over the 27 years, because the S&P 500 Index declined by more than 37% from January 1973 through December 1974, withdrawing an inflation-adjusted 7% per annum in the portfolio caused it to be depleted by the end of 1982—in just 10 years! (Note that from January 1973 through October 1974, when the bear market ended, the...

BIO: Damon Pistulka, co-founder of Exit Your Way, is known for his hands-on, practical approach to helping business owners maximize value and achieve successful exits.STORY: Damon explains his journey into understanding technology and its role in business growth.LEARNING: Stay informed and adapt to changing industry trends. Adapt to changing customer expectations and preferences. “The simple things we can do with technology today make the customer experience so much better.”Damon Pistulka Guest profileDamon Pistulka, co-founder of Exit Your Way, is known for his hands-on, practical approach to helping business owners maximize value and achieve successful exits. With over 20 years of experience, Damon is dedicated to transforming businesses, enhancing profitability, and helping founders create lasting legacies​​.Technology is your business allyIn today's episode, Damon, who previously appeared on the podcast on episode Ep649: Be Careful of Concentration Risk, discusses the value of technology in running a business. He emphasizes the importance of robotic process automation, CRMs, and AI in modern business operations to accelerate value. In his opinion, technology allows businesses to do simple things that improve customer experience.Damon highlights a couple of threats businesses face today that could be dealt with by adopting technology.Rapid innovation is outpacing businesses. Those lagging behind will be overtaken by competitors who have adopted new technologies.Aging workforce with limited new talent. There's an aging workforce and limited new talent. As more people retire, businesses increasingly find it hard to replace the retirees with educated and qualified people.Customers now expect top-tier service levels. Buyers are now demanding businesses provide instant feedback and real-time updates. Businesses that don't meet customer expectations will not stay competitive.Using technology to deal with the threatsDamon explains his approach to helping clients develop business growth strategies. He emphasizes the importance of starting with small, manageable changes and gradually scaling up.Damon cautions entrepreneurs from trying to do it all. Instead, he advises starting with simple, practical changes, often referred to as ‘low-hanging fruits'—these are the tasks or opportunities that are the easiest to achieve and provide the quickest benefits. Gradually, as these are implemented, more complex systems can be adopted.Seek out experts who can help you advanceFurther, Damon advises seeking out experts who can help you advance in the particular area you're focusing on. Then, work your way up as you get your company, your people, and your supplier base comfortable with these changes.Get educated before adopting new technologyDamon also underscores the importance of getting educated before adopting new technology. He advises becoming familiar and comfortable enough with it to try it, enabling you to identify potential areas where the technology could help your business.This approach instills a sense of preparedness and confidence. Then, he suggests hiring an expert to help you implement your new technologies and strategies.Move fastAnother way to deal with the business threats is to move fast. Damon says that speed sells, and businesses must adopt a speed and...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 15: Individual Stocks Are Riskier Than Investors Believe.LEARNING: Don't invest in individual stocks. Instead, diversify your portfolio to reduce your risk. “Diversification has been said to be the only free lunch in investing. Unfortunately, most investors fail to use the full buffet available.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 15: Individual Stocks Are Riskier Than Investors Believe.Chapter 15: Individual Stocks Are Riskier Than Investors BelieveIn this chapter, Larry reveals the stark reality of investing in individual stocks, highlighting the significant risks involved. His aim is to help investors understand the potential pitfalls of this high-stakes game and why they should avoid it.Given the apparent benefits of diversification, it's baffling why investors don't hold highly diversified portfolios. According to Larry, one reason is that most investors likely don't understand how risky individual stocks are compared to owning a broad selection of hundreds or thousands of stocks.Evidence that individual stocks are very riskyLarry notes that the stock market has returned roughly 10% per year over the last 100 years, and the standard deviation on an annual basis of a portfolio of a broad market of stocks has been about 20%. He observes that most people don't understand that the average individual stock has a standard deviation of more than twice that.In another study from 1983 to 2006 that covered the top 3,000 stocks, the stock market returned almost 13% per annum, but the median return was just 5.1%, nearly 8% below the market's return. The mean annualized return was -1.1%. This means that if you randomly pick one stock, the odds would say you're more likely to get -1.1%. However, if you own hundreds or thousands of stocks, the odds are in your favor, and you'll get very close to that mean return.Larry shares another stark example of the riskiness of individual stocks. Despite the 1990s being one of the greatest bull markets of all time, with the Russell 3000 providing an annualized return of 17.7% and a cumulative return of almost 410%, 22% of the 2,397 U.S. stocks in existence throughout the decade had negative absolute returns. This means they underperformed by at least 410%. Over the decade, inflation was a cumulative 33.5%, meaning they lost at least 33.5% in real terms.In another study by Hendrik Bessembinder of all common stocks listed on the NYSE, Amex, and NASDAQ exchanges from 1926 through 2015 and

BIO: Ava Benesocky is an author, public speaker, educator, CEO, and Co-Founder of CPI Capital, a uniquely innovative real estate private equity firm that helps investors invest in multifamily assets.STORY: Ava became passionate about real estate when she was young. At 15, she convinced her parents to invest $13,000 in a course by Scott McGillivray on renovating and selling homes. Ava never did anything with the course, which made it the worst investment ever.LEARNING: If you invest in anything, ensure you're ready to be committed, take action, and focus completely on it. Beware of shiny object syndrome. “If you're ever going to invest in something, you have to take action, or else it's a total waste of time and money. And what's the point?”Ava Benesocky Guest profileAva Benesocky is an author, public speaker, educator, CEO, and Co-Founder of CPI Capital, a uniquely innovative real estate private equity firm that helps investors invest in multifamily assets.She is the Host of Real Estate Investing Demystified with August Biniaz, who was Ep 784.Ava has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Yahoo Finance, and numerous PodCasts and YouTube shows. Ava helps busy professionals earn passive income through Multifamily Real Estate investments.Worst investment everAva became passionate about real estate when she was young. At 15, she convinced her parents to invest $13,000 in a course by Scott McGillivray on renovating and selling homes. Ava never did anything with the course, which made it the worst investment ever.She tried to get it started, but there were so many moving components, and the process was so convoluted that she got scared. It all fell through the cracks. Ava never ended up taking action on it.Lessons learnedIf you invest in anything, ensure you're ready to be committed, take action, and focus completely on it.Beware of shiny object syndrome.Andrew's takeawaysEmbrace boring, dull, consistent, and regular assets.Before buying a course, ask yourself if you have the time to commit to it or if it is better to get someone to help you achieve what you could if you took the course.Actionable adviceRefrain from being impulsive when buying courses. Take your time and ask yourself if you have time for it. Can you block it off on your calendar? If not, do not get it.Ava's recommendationsAva recommends listening to her podcast Real Estate Investing Demystified, where she shares her personal experiences, interviews industry experts, and provides advice on real estate investing and other investment opportunities.No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsAva's number one goal for the next 12 months is to continue building a couple of departments in the company and closing on a couple more assets. On a personal level, she will continue taking care of her mind, body, and family.Parting words “Thank you so much for letting me be

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 14: Stocks Are Risky No Matter How Long the Horizon.LEARNING: Stocks are risky no matter the length of your investment horizon “Investors should never take more risk than is appropriate to their personal situation.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 14: Stocks Are Risky No Matter How Long the Horizon.Chapter 14: Stocks Are Risky No Matter How Long the HorizonIn this chapter, Larry illustrates why stocks are risky no matter how long the investment horizon is.According to Larry, the claim that stocks are not risky if one's horizon is long is based on just one set of data (the U.S.) for one period (albeit a long one). It could be that the results were due to a ‘lucky draw.' In other words, if stocks are only risky when one's horizon is short, we should see evidence of this in other markets. Unfortunately, investors in many different markets did not receive the kind of returns U.S. investors did.Historical examples of stock market risksLarry presents evidence from several markets, reinforcing the historical data that stocks are also risky over the long term.First, Larry looks at U.S. equity returns 20 years back from 1949. The S&P 500 Index had returned 3.1 percent per year, underperforming long-term government bonds by 0.8 percent per year—so much for the argument that stocks always beat bonds if the horizon is 20 years or more.In 1900, the Egyptian stock market was the fifth largest in the world, attracting significant capital inflows from global investors. However, those investors are still waiting for the return ON their capital, let alone the return OF their capital.In the 1880s, two promising countries in the Western Hemisphere received capital inflows from Europe for development purposes: the U.S. and Argentina. One group of long-term investors was well rewarded, while the other was not.Finally, in December 1989, the Nikkei index reached an intraday all-time high of 38,957. From 1990 through 2022, Japanese large-cap stocks (MSCI/Nomura) returned just 0.2 percent a year—a total return of just 6 percent. Considering cumulative inflation over the period was about 15 percent, Japanese large-cap stocks lost about 9 percent in real terms over the 33 years.Taking the risk of equity ownershipLarry notes that the most crucial lesson investors need to learn from this evidence is that while it is true that the longer your investment horizon, the greater your ability to take the risk of investing in stocks (because you have a greater ability to wait out a bear market without having to sell to raise capital), stocks are risky no matter the length of your...

BIO: Pritesh Ruparel is the CEO of ALT21, a leading tech company in hedging and currency solutions.STORY: Pritesh found a good trade and invested 100% in it. His manager later advised him to liquidate that position because it was too concentrated. A day after Pritesh liquidated, a natural disaster occurred, and the spread went from $10 to $250 in an hour.LEARNING: Put yourself in a position to get lucky. Never decide against your gut. Stay grounded between the highs and the lows. “The worst thing you can do is to trade on something or to make a decision that you don't 100% agree with.”Pritesh Ruparel Guest profilePritesh Ruparel is the CEO of ALT21, a leading tech company in hedging and currency solutions. With two decades of expertise in financial derivatives and structured finance, he leverages technology to make financial products accessible and affordable, aiming to save small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) millions annually on international transactions.Worst investment everPritesh's first trading role was as a market maker in commodity relatives. One summer, he put a ton of analysis into a particular commodity spread trade. Pritesh thought the risk-to-reward looked good, but the trade was not doing anything. Nobody was marking the trade. Pritesh thought this was insane, so he went all in. He had the biggest position possible in that trade and it was 100% of his portfolio.A manager advised Pritesh to liquidate the position because it was too concentrated. A day after Pritesh liquidated, a natural disaster occurred. The position benefited from this disaster and went from $10 to $250 in an hour. Unfortunately, Pritesh could have earned so much if only he had not liquidated.Lessons learnedPut yourself in a position to get lucky.When you start any role, listen, learn as much as possible, and take advice.Never decide against your gut.Never make a decision that you don't agree with 100%.Actionable adviceStay grounded between the highs and the lows. Ultimately, you'll be fine if you make decisions that align with what you believe in. This can give you a sense of confidence and conviction in your decisions.Pritesh's recommendationsPritesh recommends building systems, processes, or resources that suit your risk appetite, emotional intelligence, and patience. This can enhance your decision-making and risk management, as it aligns with your personal attributes.No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsPritesh's number one goal for the next 12 months is to have repeatable, scalable processes for his go-to-market and use that to make an impact globally.Parting words “Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint.”Pritesh Ruparel [spp-transcript] Connect with Pritesh RuparelLinkedInWebsiteAndrew's booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock Market

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 13: Between a Rock and a Hard Place.LEARNING: Past performance is not a strong predictor of future performance. “If you must invest actively, find active funds that design their strategies more intelligently to take advantage of the problems and at least avoid pitfalls.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 13: Between a Rock and a Hard Place.Chapter 13: Between a Rock and a Hard PlaceIn this chapter, Larry illustrates why past performance is not a strong predictor of future performance.Academic research has found that prominent financial advisors, investment policy committees, and pension and retirement plans engage top academic practitioners to help them identify future managers who will outperform the market. Such entities only hire managers with a track record of outperforming. They analyze their performance to see if it is statistically significant.However, research also shows that, on average, the active managers chosen based on outstanding track records have failed to live up to expectations. The underperformance relative to passive benchmarks invariably leads decision-makers to fire the active manager. And the process begins anew.A new round of due diligence is performed, and a new manager is selected to replace the poorly performing one. And, almost invariably, the process is repeated a few years later. So whenever pension plans interview Larry and he notices this hiring pattern, he always asks them what their hiring process is and what they're doing differently this time since, you know, the same process failed persistently, causing regular turnover of managers. Nobody has ever answered that question.According to Larry, many individual investors go through the same motions of picking a manager and end up with the same results—a high likelihood of poor performance.Doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result is insanityLarry observes that the conventional wisdom that past performance is a strong predictor of future performance is so firmly ingrained in our culture that it seems almost no one stops to ask if it is correct, even in the face of persistent failure. Larry wonders why investors aren't asking themselves: “If the process I used to choose a manager that would deliver outperformance failed, and I use the same process the next time, why should I expect anything but failure the next time?”The answer is painfully apparent. If you don't do anything different, you should expect the same result. Yet, so many investors do not ask this simple question.Larry insists that it is essential to understand that neither the purveyors of active...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 12: Outfoxing the Box.LEARNING: You don't have to engage in active investing; instead, accept market returns by investing passively. “You don't have to play the game of active investing. You don't have to try to overcome abysmal odds—odds that make the crap tables at Las Vegas seem appealing. Instead, you can outfox the box and accept market returns by investing passively.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 12: Outfoxing the Box.Chapter 12: Outfoxing the BoxIn this chapter, Larry aims to guide investors toward a winning investment strategy: accepting market returns. He uses Bill Schultheis's “Outfoxing the Box.” This is a simple game that you can choose to either play or not play. The box contains nine percentages, each representing a rate of return your financial assets are guaranteed to earn for the rest of your life.As an investor, you have the following choice: Accept the 10 percent rate of return in the center box or be asked to leave the room. The boxes will be shuffled around, and you will have to choose a box, not knowing what return each box holds. You quickly calculate that the average return of the other eight boxes is 10 percent.Thus, if thousands of people played the game and each chose a box, the expected average return would be the same as if they all decided not to play. Of course, some would earn a return of negative 3 percent per annum, while others would earn 23 percent. This is like the world of investing: if you choose an actively managed fund and the market returns 10 percent, you might be lucky and earn as much as 23 percent per annum, or you might be unlucky and lose 3 percent per annum. A rational risk-averse investor should logically decide to “outfox the box” and accept the average (market) return of 10 percent.In all the years Larry has been an investment advisor, whenever he presents this game to an investor, not once has an investor chosen to play. Everyone decides to accept par or 10 percent. While they might be willing to spend a dollar on a lottery ticket, they become more prudent in their choice when it comes to investing their life's savings.Active investing is a loser's gameActive investing is a game with low odds of success that many would consider a losing battle. It's a game that, when compared to the ‘outfoxing the box' game, seems like a futile endeavor. Larry's advice is to avoid this game altogether.In the “outfoxing the box” game, the average return of all choices was the same 10 percent as the 10 percent that would have been earned by choosing not to play. And 50 percent of those choosing to play would be expected to...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 11: The Demon of Chance.LEARNING: Don't always attribute skill to success, sometimes it could be just luck. “Just because there is a correlation doesn't mean causation. You must be careful not to attribute skill and not luck to success.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 11: The Demon of Chance.Chapter 11: The Demon of ChanceIn this chapter, Larry discusses why investors confuse skill with what he calls “the demon of luck,” a term he uses to describe the random and unpredictable nature of market outcomes.Larry cautions that before concluding that because an investment strategy worked in the past, it will work in the future, investors should be aware of the uncertainty and ask if there is a rational explanation for the correlation between the outcome and strategy.According to Larry, the assumption is that while short-term outperformance might be a matter of luck, long-term outperformance must be evidence of skill. However, a basic knowledge of statistics is crucial in understanding that with thousands of money managers playing the game, the odds are that a few, not just one, will produce a long-term performance record.Today, there are more mutual funds than there are stocks. With so many active managers trying to win, statistical theory shows that it's expected that some will likely outperform the market. However, beating the market is a zero-sum game before expenses since someone must own all stocks. And, if some group of active managers outperforms the market, there must be another group that underperforms. Therefore, the odds of any specific active manager being successful are, at best, 50/50 (before considering the burden of higher expenses active managers must overcome to outperform a benchmark index fund).Skill or “the demon of luck?From probability, it's expected that randomly, half the active managers would outperform in any one year, about one in four to outperform two years in a row, and one in eight to do so three years in a row. Fund managers who outperform for even three years in a row are often declared to be gurus by the financial media. But are they gurus, or is it just luck? According to Larry, it is hard to tell the difference between the two. Without this knowledge of statistics investors are likely to confuse skill with “the demon of luck.”Bill Miller, the Legg Mason Value Trust manager, was acclaimed as the next Peter Lynch. He managed to do what no current manager has done—beat the S&P 500 Index 15 years in a row (1991–2005). Indeed, that could be luck. You can't rely on that performance as a predictor of future greatness. Larry turns to academic...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 10: When Even the Best Aren't Likely to Win the Game.LEARNING: Refrain from the futile pursuit of trying to beat the market. “Only play the game of active management if you can truly identify an advantage you have, like inside information, but you have to be careful because it's illegal to trade on it. Also, play only if you place a very high value on the entertainment.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 10: When Even the Best Aren't Likely to Win the Game.Chapter 10: When Even the Best Aren't Likely to Win the GameIn this chapter, Larry illustrates why individual investors should refrain from the futile pursuit of trying to beat the market.It seems logical to believe that if anyone could beat the market, it would be the pension plans of the largest U.S. companies. Larry lists a few reasons this is a reasonable assumption:These pension plans control large sums of money. They have access to the best and brightest portfolio managers, each clamoring to manage the billions of dollars in these plans (and earn hefty fees). Pension plans can also invest with managers that most individuals don't have access to because they don't have sufficient assets to meet the minimums of these superstar managers.Pension plans always hire managers with a track record of outperforming their benchmarks or, at the very least, matching them. Not the ones with a record of underperformance.Additionally, pension plans will always choose the manager who makes an excellent presentation, explaining why they succeeded and would continue to succeed.Many, if not the majority, of these pension plans hire professional consultants such as Frank Russell, SEI, and Goldman Sachs to help them perform due diligence in interviewing, screening, and ultimately selecting the very best of the best. These consultants have considered every conceivable screen to find the best fund managers, such as performance records, management tenure, depth of staff, consistency of performance (to make sure that a long-term record is not the result of one or two lucky years), performance in bear markets, consistency of implementation of strategy, turnover, costs, etc. It is unlikely that there is something that you or your financial advisor would think of that they had not already considered.As individuals, we rarely have the luxury of personally interviewing money managers and performing as thorough a due diligence as these consultants. We generally do not have professionals helping us avoid mistakes in the process.The fees they pay for active management are typically lower than the fees individual investors...

BIO: Andrew Pek is a co-founder of Amiko XR Inc., a groundbreaking company that leverages VR and AI technologies to create immersive, personalized learning experiences available 24/7.STORY: Andrew shared his worst investment ever story on episode 376: Build Revenue in Your Startup Before You Build Up Cost. Today, he discusses his new business.LEARNING: Learning can be more immersive, sparking curiosity and excitement. “Thank you so much, Andrew, for having me on your podcast. It's great to see you. I am excited about the future.”Andrew Pek Guest profileAndrew Pek is a co-founder of Amiko XR Inc., a groundbreaking company that leverages VR and AI technologies to create immersive, personalized learning experiences available 24/7. He is a recognized C-Suite advisor on innovation and human transformation. Andrew's insights on leadership and design thinking have been featured in prominent media outlets such as ABC, NBC, Forbes, and Entrepreneur.Andrew shared his worst investment ever story on episode 376: Build Revenue in Your Startup Before You Build Up Cost. Today, he discusses his new business.Worst investment everMuch of Andrew's work has involved teaching leadership, innovation, product design, and business development skills. He's always seeking new ways that technology can engage people to absorb learning and become more engaged—not just a boring, traditional training program, but something that would really involve learners in a more immersive way, sparking their curiosity and excitement.Andrew and his team successfully prototyped a solution in which learners get an immersive learning experience through a headset and talk to a coach avatar who can teach just about anything.So, if you're interested in finance, investing, sales, leadership, career preparation, and just about any topic matter, you'll find it on the app. This includes job-related skills, general management and leadership courses, and personal development topics.You can obtain information at your fingertips through generative AI and large language models. What sets the application apart is the combination of artificial intelligence and a VR experience. Through simulations, role plays, or evaluation, learners can master any particular topic or get support in any particular challenge. Unlike mobile device applications, VR experiences significantly reduce distractions, leading to more focused and practical engagement.The solution is also unique because it is curated and configured to the expert level. You teach the avatar, and the avatar then teaches others. It ingests your content to become a master in your subject and attain the same level of intelligence as you.Learners who use the solution talk to someone as if they're talking to you in an interactive, dynamic environment. If something is unclear or learners want to probe further or even get additional guidance or resources, the solution will facilitate that. Learners get videos and information transcripts and don't have to take notes.Andrew's solution is a smart choice for mid-to-large-sized corporations or even smaller corporations that can't afford expensive training or trainers. It's a cost-effective solution for those looking to provide any training, such as onboarding new employees. Employees can use the application on an ongoing basis to access courses specific to their...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 09: The Fed Model and the Money Illusion.LEARNING: Just because there is a correlation doesn't mean that there's causation. “Just because there is a correlation doesn't mean that there's causation. The mere existence of a correlation doesn't necessarily give it predictive value.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 09: The Fed Model and the Money Illusion.Chapter 09: The Fed Model and the Money IllusionIn this chapter, Larry illustrates why the Fed Model should not be used to determine whether the market is at fair value and that the E/P ratio is a much better predictor of future real returns.The FED modelThe stock and bond markets are filled with wrongheaded data mining. David Leinweber of First Quadrant famously illustrated this point with what he called “stupid data miner tricks.”Leinweber sifted through a United Nations CD-ROM and discovered the single best predictor of the S&P 500 Index had been butter production in Bangladesh. His example perfectly illustrates that a correlation's mere existence doesn't necessarily give it predictive value. Some logical reason for the correlation is required for it to have credibility. Without a logical reason, the correlation is just a mere illusion.According to Larry, the “money illusion” has the potential to create investment mistakes. It relates to one of the most popular indicators used by investors to determine whether the market is under or overvalued—what is known as “the Fed Model.”The Federal Reserve was using the Fed model to determine if the market was fairly valued and how attractive stocks were priced relative to bonds. Using the “logic” that bonds and stocks are competing instruments, the model uses the yield on the 10-year Treasury bond to calculate “fair value,” comparing that rate to the earnings-price, or E/P, ratio (the inverse of the popular price-to-earnings, or P/E, ratio).Larry points out two major problems with the Fed Model. The first relates to how the model is used by many investors. Edward Yardeni, at the time a market strategist for Morgan, Grenfell & Co. speculated that the Federal Reserve used the model to compare the valuation of stocks relative to bonds as competing instruments.The model says nothing about absolute expected returns. Thus, stocks, using the Fed Model, might be priced under fair value relative to bonds, and they can have either high or low expected returns. The expected return of stocks is not determined by their relative value to bonds.Instead, the expected real return is determined by the current dividend yield plus the expected real growth in dividends. To get the...

BIO: Pavan Sukhdev's remarkable journey from scientist to international banker to environmental economist has brought him to the forefront of the sustainability movement.STORY: Pavan ignored his investment rules and invested in a bond, which caused him to lose almost his entire investment.LEARNING: Don't make exceptions; the rules are the essence. Set up concentration risk limits. Diversify. “A lot of investment mistakes are about not following your own disciplines. Had I followed my own disciplines, I wouldn't be telling you this story.”Pavan Sukhdev Guest profilePavan Sukhdev's remarkable journey from scientist to international banker to environmental economist has brought him to the forefront of the sustainability movement. As CEO and Founder of GIST Impact, he collaborates with corporations and investors, leveraging impact economics and technology to measure a business's holistic value contribution to the world.Worst investment everPavan is a relatively disciplined investor who always tries to maintain his money's principal value by investing it wisely. For this reason, Pavan follows a couple of personal investment rules.First, wherever he invests, he either makes friends or has friends. Second, Pavan follows a strict logic when investing in financial assets—he only invests in sovereign bonds. Third, Pavan has set up a concentration risk limit of $100,000 for a single sovereign emerging market. He never invests more than $50,000 on a credit. Fourth, Pavan always reads about the company he wants to invest in to understand what it does and its credit rating. Fifth, Pavan typically invests in sectors where he would be above average in reading and knowledge about that company.Once, a friend came along and asked Pavan if he knew of a particular company with a bond earning 8.75%. Pavan hadn't heard about it. But he happened to know the family that owned it, and he was interested in it. Pavan decided to invest $100,000 instead of putting his maximum concentration of $50,000.As part of his investment strategy, Pavan reads about companies. A news flash said that the company was involved in a contract in Malaysia. Pavan thought this was great, but that was that.He never followed up on the news. It happens that the company lost the contract. Losing the contract was a big thing that caused the bond price to go down to $75 from $88. At this point, Pavan should have reduced his exposure by bringing the $100,000 down to $50,000, but he didn't. He continued to sit on the losses and hung on, and the price kept dropping. Finally, at some point, when it was just too low for it to make any difference, the company stopped paying coupons.Lessons learnedDon't make exceptions; the rules are the essence.Set up concentration risk limits and reflect the volatility of that asset.DiversifyDon't sit on losses.Andrew's takeawaysFollow and stick to a stop-loss system.Don't buy something just because you've sold something else.Actionable adviceSet your concentration risk limits, put your trading style in place, and diversify.No.1 goal for the next 12 monthsPavan's number one goal for the next 12 months is to get his company profitable because it's nice to be right, but it's better to be profitable.Parting words “All the best, guys. Invest wisely and invest well, and when it works, do...

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 08: Be Careful What You Ask For.LEARNING: High growth rates don't always mean high stock returns. “Emerging markets are very much like the rest of the world's capital markets—they do an excellent job of reflecting economic growth prospects into stock prices.”Larry Swedroe In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry's new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. The book is a collection of stories that Larry has developed over 30 years as the head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Wealth Partners to help investors. You can learn more about Larry's Worst Investment Ever story on Ep645: Beware of Idiosyncratic Risks.Larry deeply understands the world of academic research and investing, especially risk. Today, Andrew and Larry discuss Chapter 08: Be Careful What You Ask For.Chapter 08: Be Careful What You Ask ForIn this chapter, Larry cautions people to be careful what they wish for in investing. He emphasizes the daunting challenge of active management, a path many choose in the belief that they can accurately forecast market trends.However, as Larry points out, the reality is far from this ideal. The unpredictability of the market makes it almost impossible to predict with 100% accuracy, a fact that investors should be acutely aware of.High growth rates don't always mean high stock returnsIt's important to note that high growth rates don't always translate into high stock returns, underscoring the unpredictability of market outcomes. According to Larry, for today's investors, the equivalent of the “Midas touch” (the king who turned everything he touched into gold) might be the ability to forecast economic growth rates.If investors could forecast with 100% certainty which countries would have the highest growth rates, they could invest in them and avoid those with low growth rates. This would lead to abnormal profits—or, perhaps not.Nobody can predict with that accuracy. Even if one could make such a prediction, they may still not make the profits they think they will. This is because, as Larry explains, experts have found that there has been a slightly negative correlation between country growth rates and stock returns.A 2006 study on emerging markets by Jim Davis of Dimensional Fund Advisors found that the high-growth countries from 1990 to 2005 returned 16.4%, and the low-growth countries returned the same 16.4%.Such evidence has led Larry to conclude that it doesn't matter if you can even forecast which countries will have high growth rates; the market will make the same forecast and adjust stock prices accordingly.Therefore, to beat the market, you must be able to forecast better than the market already expects, and to do so, you need to gather information at a cost. In other words, you can't just be smarter than the market; you have to be smarter than the market enough to overcome all your expenses of gathering information and trading costs.Larry emphasizes that emerging markets are very much like the rest of the world's capital markets—they do an excellent job of reflecting economic growth...