The Audio Investing Podcast

In this episode, we go over what a Special Purpose Acquisition Company is, how they manage to take private companies public without going through the IPO process, why it is gaining so much popularity recently and some of the flaws that this investment vehicle has. In 2020, SPACs have raised over $82 billion in capital, more money than the past 10 years combined. A total of 248 SPACs went public last year. Popular SPACs that you may have heard of recently include Draft Kings, Virgin Galactic and the Tesla challenger Nikola. Even celebrities like Jay-Z and Shaquille O'Neal are planning to launch a SPAC. These investment vehicles have already raised more than $38 billion in 2021, with an average of $296 million for 128 SPAC IPOs, according to SPACInsider. All of this and more in today's episode.

Welcome to this new section of Audio Investing where we'll be reviewing stocks. In this new format I will be analyzing stocks with the use of fundamental and qualitative analysis so that we can have a clear overview of a company. I will also rate the company based on my judgement on whether or not its a good moment to buy and the future potential that it may have. As I always say, make sure to do your own due diligence when investing and see whether or not stock picking really suits your financial goals. Other than that, I hope you enjoy this new format and that you learn something new about Facebook.

Last year lots of headlines were occupied in wall street with IPO listings. Surprisingly, 70% of the companies who listed their shares last year were not run profitably. Ever wondered how the process for filing an IPO works? Where were the biggest companies today when they went public? What companies that went public are worth taking a closer look at? What awaits for 2021? All of these questions and more are answered in today's podcast.

In today's episode, we learn about Modern Portfolio theory, how it works and how to optimize our portfolio using risk and return analysis. There are however, some downsides towards the use of MPT, as it categorizes risk as volatility, but it doesn't take into account the downside risk. In this episode, you will also learn about why diversification is a concept that is widely accepted in the world of investing and portfolio management.

Financial technology is providing us with new apps that facilitate the way we make payments, get access to credit, manage our finances and invest. This simply adds more competition within the financial industry, which is a threat to the big banks. Now we can get mortgages within 24 hours, get access to credit anytime, use apps to improve our credit scores, trade with 0 fees, lower interest rates, etc. Fintech managed to take advantage of the accessibility of mobile and improve the user experience, and hence, provide services better than the way banks would. It's an industry with tons of future growth potential and has seen accelerated growth because of COVID-19. This and more in today's episode!!

The first podcast after re-branding from The Audio Class Experience to The Audio Investing Podcast. Exchange Traded Funds are some of the most popular financial assets because of the liquidity and the accessibility to a whole basket of securities without having to buy a whole bunch of assets separately. You can invest in gold ETFs, the S&P 500 index and numerous government bond ETFs as well that tend to be considered as low risk assets. Then, we look into the All-Weather portfolio, an investment strategy invented by one of the most well-known fund managers in the world, Ray Dalio. I explain how this strategy manages to recover quickly during times of recession and the time it takes to double the investment. I go on explaining how Ray Dalio allocates his capital, in what proportions and why. Don't miss out on this episode packed with great info!!!

The Buffet indicator, according to the oracle himself, “probably the best single measure of where valuations stand at any given moment”. Calculated by simply dividing the total market capitalization (shares x price) by the GDP or GNP (which is the same as GDP but it includes everything produced by residents of a country abroad). This indicator has reached all-time highs in terms of how overvalued the stock market is, which is a warning for all investors since it tells us that valuations are trading above their actual value. During the past summer, Warren Buffet decided to sell many of his shares. In this episode, I'm going to tell you how this indicator works and how it helped Warren buffet to avoid massive losses in the stock market. Furthermore, we'll see how the future of the markets can be predicted thanks to this indicator, and the potential annual returns in global markets.

Today Pedram is back on the show to discuss some ideas on how to tackle this fundamental issue. Over the course of the last generation more than a billion people left the most destitute living conditions behind, with the number of people living in extreme poverty being reduced from 1.9 billion in 1990 to about 650 million in 2018. Whats more, according to projections from the World Data Lab, the number of people living in extreme poverty is expected to decline. However, we are going through a period of stagnation, where the number of people living in extreme poverty doesn't change much, with projections predicting that 500 million will remain in the same condition by 2030. We discuss about the tradeoff between equity and equality, where equity is the equal access to opportunity and equality is the 'fair' distribution of income. We also talk about how education is a key tool to lift people out of poverty, and also, what educational systems can do to improve regarding inequality. All this and more in today's episode!

In today's episode we have a special guest. The Audio Class Experience and The Race Rat podcast decided to join forces to talk about our views on the current state of the world economy and capital markets, the major role of central banks, the problem of increasing inequality that we are facing and possible investments to look out for. Make sure to check of The Race Rat podcast as well!!

So why do the rich get better tax benefits than the average employee or self employed? The truth is, the benefits that the rich have are actually tools provided by the government as a way to incentivize people to start corporations and invest in Real Estate. If you can provide food, clothes, water, energy, services, technology, housing and anything that people may need, the government will give you tax breaks if you can help them out by giving jobs and helping GDP grow. Find out more in today's episode on the reasons why there are greater tax benefits for corporations and real Estate investors rather than for employees and self-employers.

Today, one of the guests, Pedram, talks about Zephyr, a new airline seating concept. An idea created by Jeffrey O'Neil, he proposes a new seating concept that allows live flatbeds for economy class travelers on long-haul international flights. Their vision is to redesign the customer experience for the modern traveler. It's offering privacy and a general enhanced onboard in-flight experience at a more affordable price point. Find out how this can revolutionize not just the airline seating space, but also other forms of travel as well and the potential growth this idea can have in the future.

This time, Edwin talks about the business that he found very disruptive. It's called Plei, an app where you can book a field, invite your friends, pay for your field, and much more. Right now its mainly centered in just football (soccer), but maybe they might expand into other sports as well. Another great idea that can solve problems for users.

Part 1 of a mini series of episodes made in collaboration with Edwin Gallego and Pedram Baniasadi where we discuss about Blue, a business card that uses Near Field Communication technology (NFC) and bluetooth to make connections with the people around you. It's a card that you can use to tap on other people's phone that shows all your social media profiles that you want to show up and even your Spotify account and PayPal in case someone wants to pay you. It keeps track of the people you walked passed by and the people that you actively made connections with. Also, it uses beacon technology which is tremendously important in the future for businesses to provide special offers to customers who are subscribed to their products/services. Among other things, this is a business that can be truly groundbreaking in the future.

Esports is a multi-billion dollar industry now. It's still a very young market but there is still much growth expected in the future. The market is then expected to grow and reach $2.11 billion in 2023 at a compounding annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.82%. The rising demand for video games and increasing awareness of esports contribute to the growth of the esports market. As technology is expanding so the video content, products, virtual reality, and video game competitions are increasing. Video gaming has become a transforming pop culture and redefining the ways that young people consume entertainment. In this episode Twitch, mobile gaming and potential stock picks for investing are mentioned. Find out more in today's episode...

Whats with all the hype anyways? Electric vehicles? Solar panels? Their own insurance company? Some see Tesla as a company that has established dominance within the EV market, but competitors are on the rise. Could it be just a bubble about to pop at some point? Where is the company going to be in the next years? This episode will leave you with more questions than answers...

I finally get to practice what I preach. I've finally entered the game, so lets see how it goes. My aim for now is the long game, so I'm going to start off with businesses that have value. As I expand my portfolio I may select more growth stocks or stocks with potential growth that are undervalued.

Whats their story? How can you explain the massive growth they've experienced over the past couple of years? What makes them so special? Are they even financially stable? All of this and more is covered in today's episode. Enjoy!

What happens on Wall Street doesn't truly reflect the current situation we're going through. Some companies (especially big tech, FAANG, etc) have reached record highs, and this is mainly thanks to the central banks with their quantitative easing. Hard to think how the stock market is going up so much when some people are out of business or in the unemployment line. Funding these big companies can be a good move at first, but someone is going to have to pay for the recovery bill.

In this crisis in which we are all tangled in, there will be winners as well as losers. There will be industries where they will see themselves heavily impacted due to the major demand shock they are experiencing. Whereas corporations with a heavy online presence will thrive in times like these. With online commerce, online streaming and cloud technology playing a huge part. Find out more in episode 30 of The Audio Class Experience.

When people tell you about the incredible returns that can be made from an investment, don't be fooled. Inflation reduces the returns you can potentially earn. So it's super important to differentiate between the nominal return and the real return. This is especially true for long-term investments. Find out more in today's episode on the adjusted return after inflation, or also known as the real rate of return.

In this episode, I go over what consumer credit is, how to apply for it and how its a serious problem within households. You'll be surprised to learn about the level of household debt in some of the countries I mention, specifically in the US. I also go over why this is such a huge problem since it can financially shatter people's lives.

You want to know how to buy a stock at a cheap price, so in order to do that, you need to figure out whether or not the current dividend yield is greater than the average dividend yield. Find out about how to do this effectively and learn about why we should put our emotions aside when it comes to investing.

I look over the concept of dividends and some examples on how this form of passive income works. There are some companies that have been increasing dividends each year consecutively such as Coca Cola, Johnson & Johnson, P&G, Target, Emerson, etc. Dividend income is not a quick way to get rich, but with the compound effect and a little patience, you can go from rags to riches. Learn more in episode 26 of The Audio Class Experience.

There's good debt and there's bad debt. We can use it as leverage for investing in real estate or in a business. Once you start earning income from the asset that you created (positive cash flow), you can pay off your loans over time and even make positive returns. Debt tends to have a negative connotation because people get loans to pay for things that do not generate any income such as a house, a car or expenses on credit cards. As long as the use of debt is expected to create future returns, debt doesn't' necessarily have to be bad. It all comes down to whether you use debt for assets or liabilities and where the flow of cash goes.

Wonder why Microsoft has been growing so much recently? In this episode, I will reveal the key points that reflect the current situation of this tech giant and their secrets to success.

In today's episode, I give 4 key ideas about how people like me and millennials (and people in general) should deal with their money. I put into context the last financial crisis, it's causes, and also my views on pensions and inequality. Very meaty episode indeed.

The tragedy of inflation we face impoverishes our society. Because of this we become compulsive consumers which leads to pollution, littering, contamination, getting into bad debt, etc. It becomes a vicious cycle. Tune in into episode 22 of The Audio Class Experience to find out why.

There are too many trends to explain in one episode, so I decided to pick 7 that I personally think are coming hot from the previous year. In today's episode I mention how UX writers, User generated content, video content, whether quality content is better than quantity, the importance of voice, the appearance of micro-influencers, and finally personal content that is topic focused. Find out how I break down each one of the trends in detail.

It's always good to remind ourselves that marketing isn't just what we see on advertisements or the different forms of publicity for promoting a product or service. There's so much more to marketing than just that. Think about all the thought put into the identification of the customer profile, what it is that you're selling, how you're going to sell it, how do you want your customers to perceive your brand, how you're going to promote it...etc. In this episode with the first guest ever, we cover some of the basic concepts that marketers use for conducting effective strategies and the things they take into account when doing this.

At least once every generation, Hollywood and the content industry undergo a revolution. From silent films to sound films in the 1920s, the advent of television in the 1950s, cable in the 1980s and now the streaming revolution. Twelve years ago Netflix started the race. Today we are facing a whole war in which the ammunition used is thousands and thousands, tens of billions of dollars in content. Netflix, Prime TV, Disney Plus, HBO... Even Apple has joined this new race. In this episode I'll tell you the details of where we are and what we can expect in this streaming war.

What are some of the issues that the youth suffer in our times? Finding a job? Finding the right job? What if we are not satisfied where we are and we need to find something that feels more fulfilling? In this episode I emphasize how the internet gives us so many options to choose from and the direction we want to take for our future. Enjoy!

Many of you may think that mcdonalds makes their money by selling burgers and fries, think again! Find out how the franchising system works and how Mcdonalds is such a profitable business.

In order to solve all our financial struggles, we need to understand the game of money. If you want to win the game of capitalism, we have to understand the rules and language of money. Unfortunately, society is hard-wired to think that being financially successful is only for the elite and the super-rich. As you may be aware, this is a lie! Find out more in today's episode...

Something different today. I want to tap into the softer side of us and talk about some of the things I think are important to not only be better people but also happier.

Considered as the eight wonder of the world by Einstein. If you understand compound interest, it could be your ticket towards financial freedom. By the way, this is the first episode with a round of questions! Make sure to ask me questions on instagram so that I can mention it in the next episode.

A brief introduction into what it is. It's usually not talked about much in the media. We're always used to hearing about the stock market, but the credit market is more important. It's actually bigger than the stock market. In this episode I explain the fundamental concepts and I talk about the things that are happening right now.

Some tips on how to make some money off Airbnb without necessarily owning any property, have any credit and not having a real estate license.

Despite some of the major advantages of dropshipping, there are some things that you should also take into account before you start an online store. In this episode I talk briefly about the concept of dropshipping, the upsides and downsides to this method of ecommerce and I share some personal thoughts on the topic. Be sure to download, follow and share with somebody else!

Just like we had a vague idea about the internet about 25 years ago, the same thing happens with blockchain technology. We might already be going through a technological revolution right now that can change once more the course of history. In this tenth episode, I talk about how blockchain works and why it is so game-changing.

Why people invest in gold, the advantages and shortcomings of it. The general belief is that it is a haven for investing during times of inflation or recession. However, this may not be necessarily true, at least to a certain extent. Find out more in episode 9 of Gold.

The months from October to December are great for sales. It's when we have events such as Halloween, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, the holiday season, etc. During this time of year, consumers' purchasing patterns increase and marketers take advantage of that. Find out about what strategies you need in order to increase in sales and fully seize the opportunities that this moment of the year holds for business.

Why business owners and employers pay less in tax than employees. Is this even legal? Find out in today's episode where I talk about Capital gains and cash flow for investing and why employees work harder for their money than business owners.

Five key points that are essential for a good affiliate marketing campaign. It is a marvelous way of making passive income, and if you get good at it, you can get rich...more in the episode.

Entrepreneurship, while still being difficult, has never been this easy. Everyone has equal opportunity to start a business. I talk about the different options people have such as Ecommerce, selling courses and personal branding.

Is the current education system corrupt? In this episode I talk about some things we don't learn in school and why so many of us are poor.

Why its so important to know where and how to sell these days. What you need to have in mind to make great content. Sometimes attention is more important than money...

Explanation of the benefits of having passive income and a brief insight into how to make some cash from having a blog page.

Hello everyone! Welcome to Audio class. This is the introductory podcast where I briefly introduce myself and explain what this is all about. I talk about the main topics that I will share which are entrepreneurship, investing and economics. However I will diversify the topics every once in a while and talk about other interesting things. So it's not like those three subjects will be permanent, besides, this is Audio class, and in these kind of classes I want you guys (and me as well) to learn as much as possible. I want to share with you guys the ideas and knowledge that the average educational system does not teach us. Anyways, hope you guys are as pumped as I am for this podcast, as this is just the first of many more to come.