The Investors First Podcast

In this episode, the discussion centered around the complexities and dynamics of family offices. Topics covered included the growing number of single-family offices, especially in North America, the typical asset size that justifies establishing a family office, and the transition to multifamily offices to manage costs and expand services. The conversation touched on investment management within family offices, the mystique and challenges of maintaining privacy, and the psychological factors, including family dynamics and governance. We also highlighted trends such as technological advancements, charitable involvement, and interest in unique investments like art and collectibles. Furthermore, the discussion emphasized the importance of journalism's role in bringing transparency and information to this evolving sector, with insights into Mike Thrasher's new company, Modus, which focuses on family office content. Mike Thrasher is Founder & Editor of Modus News, a newsletter for family-office professionals. His background includes two stints at Institutional Investor, time with Pensions & Investments as a Senior Reporter, as well as time at WealthManagmeent.com. Our host today are Steve Curley, CFA (Co-Managing Principal, 55 North Private Wealth) & guest host Chris Cannon, CFA (Chief Investment Officer, FirsTrust). Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn.

For our third episode of year six of the podcast, we welcome Herb Greenberg to the Investors First Podcast. Herb's career is incredible, with time as a journalist at major news outlets ranging from the Chicago Tribune and San Francisco Chronicle, to the WSJ, and also time at The Street and CNBC. It should be noted that he was born and raised in Florida and attended the University of Miami. Herb's energy and curiosity are up there with anyone we have interviewed in the history of this podcast. In today's episode, we cover a wide range of topics, starting with Herb's successful career as a journalist, how he developed a niche in covering red flags on individual companies, how to use his intel to help mitigate risk, and what are his top red flags today, along with much more. Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Founder/Co-Managing Principal, 55 North Private Wealth) & co-hostChris Cannon (CIO/Principal, FirsTrust) Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com Show Notes: · Substack: https://substack.com/@herbgreenberg · Site: herbgreenberg.com

For our second episode of year six of the podcast, we welcome my friend John Bowman to the podcast. I can't say enough positive things about what John is doing with the CAIA Association (as well as his predecessor Bill Kelly), both of whom put investors first, which is what this podcast is all about. John stepped in as CEO at the beginning of 2025 and we thought it would be great to hear his vision for where alternative investing is headed over the next decade. John is a speaker, writer, commentator and frequently keynoting industry conferences and has been featured in the WSJ, NYT, Pension and Investments, Financial Advisor, CNBC and more. John earned a BS in Business Administration from Mary Washington College and is a CFA charter holder, which is how we have known John for so long. In this episode, we discuss past CEO Bill Kelly, miles traveled over the past year, the future of CAIA, liquidity budgets for investors and how to size an allocation to alternatives, the private/public convergence, tokenization of private assets, and more. Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Founder & Co-Managing Principal of 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host  Kevin Laake, CFA, CAIA (Team Lead at Mariner Institutional). Both of us are past Presidents of CFA Society Orlando. It is worth noting that Kevin serves as a Chapter Executive for CAIA Florida, which is why I thought he would be great as a co-host for this episode. Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com   Show Notes: · From Vision to Action: CAIA's CEO on Shaping Tomorrow's Industry (https://caia.org/blog/2025/01/14/vision-action-caias-ceo-shaping-tomorrows-industry) · Capital Decanted Podcast (https://caia.org/capital-decanted-podcast) · Caia.org · CFA stackable program (https://caia.org/stackable)

To kick off year six of the Investors First Podcast, today's guest is Tom Lee. Tom is the Managing Partner and Head of Research at Fundstrat Global Advisors, with over 25 years of experience in equity research. Formerly J.P. Morgan's Chief Equity Strategist, he is a top-ranked strategist and you will frequently find him on CNBC. Lee holds a BS in Economics from the Wharton School and is a CFA charter holder. In this episode, we discuss where the S&P 500 will end up in 2025 and areas of the market Tom likes in 2025. Tom discusses bitcoin and how it should be valued relative to gold. We talk about AI and its impact on the market, but more importantly, the importance of ethics as it relates to AI. We also discuss DOGE (which hasn't been discussed since Truman in the 40's), why more basketball players should shoot free throws underhand, and how he developed the granny shots strategy. Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Co-Managing Principal at 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host Drew Papke, CFA (Director, Private Bank Investments at Fifth Third Bank). Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com Show Notes: · FundSrat: https://fundstrat.com · Complimentary Research: fsinsight.com · Granny Shots: https://fsinsight.com/members/stock-lists/?category=granny-shots-stock-list · Book rec: The Coming Wave (By: Mustafa Suleyman)

Today's guest is Rob Arnott, Founder and Chairman of Research Affiliates, where he actively contributes to research, portfolio management, product innovation, business strategy, and client relations. He co-manages several funds, including the PIMCO All Asset and RAE™ funds. Throughout his career, Rob has challenged conventional financial wisdom and pioneered strategies such as tactical asset allocation, global tactical asset allocation, tax-advantaged equity management, and the Fundamental Index™ approach. Before founding Research Affiliates in 2002, Rob was chair of First Quadrant, LP, global equity strategist at Salomon Brothers, and CEO of TSA Capital Management. He has published over 150 articles and won numerous awards, including eight Graham and Dodd Scrolls awarded annually by the CFA Institute. Rob also received the 2013 William F. Sharpe Indexing Lifetime Achievement Award. Rob holds a summa cum laude BS in economics, applied mathematics, and computer science from UC Santa Barbara. (Note: bio condensed by ChatGPT). In this episode, Rob gets us current since he last visited us in Orlando last February, with everything from market returns to the returns impact pre and post-election. We officially welcome Rob as a Florida resident, we discuss the beginning of Research Affiliates, along with indexes dumping stocks and the contrarian launch of his new ETF, NIXT, expected returns, AI and its impact on white-collar professionals, and more. Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Founder, 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host Javier Perez, CFA (Director, BlackPoint Capital), both of us are Past Presidents of CFA Orlando. Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com Show Notes: Link: Expected Returns Interactive Tool Research Affiliates: https://www.researchaffiliates.com/ NIXT ETF: https://nixtetf.com/etf/

Today's guest is Marlena Lee. Marlena is Dimensional Fund Advisor's (DFA) Global Head of Investment Solutions, leading a team focused on investment thought leadership and client education. She is also a member of DFA's Investment Research Committee.    Founded in 1981, DFA is a global asset management firm with ~$800B in assets under management, known for successfully applying academic research to practical investing.   Prior to her time at DFA, Marlena served as Co-Head of Research, directing the firm's global research agenda. Marlena was a teaching assistant for Nobel laureate Eugene Fama at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She holds a PhD and MBA from Chicago Booth, an MS in agricultural and resource economics, and a BS in managerial economics from UC Davis. (ChatGPT generated Bio)   In this episode, we start by covering Marlena's academic journey as a TA with Nobel Laureate Professor Gene Fama at the University of Chicago. We pivot to the investment side with a discussion about the Magnificent 7 and what is driving US market performance, an update on factor investing, a brief history of Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA), small c(r)ap investing, the use of Russell 2000 as a benchmark and the dwindling number of public names in US markets.    Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Founder, 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host Christina Shaffer, CFA (Director of Fixed Income, AllGen Financial)   Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com   Show Notes: https://www.dimensional.com https://www.dimensional.com/hk-en/bios/marlena-lee  

Today's guest is Marko Papic, Marko leads BCA Research's BCA Access and developed GeoMacro Research, the first discretionary macro-geopolitical investment strategy in finance. He connects clients with a broad expert network and custom research, having founded BCA's Geopolitical Strategy service. His book, Geopolitical Alpha, presents a framework for predicting investment outcomes. Previously, Marko was a Partner and Chief Strategist at Clocktower Group, advising institutional investors. His work is included in the CAIA curriculum and The Palgrave Handbook of Contemporary Geopolitics. Starting as a Senior Analyst at Stratfor, he has lectured at Stanford and Georgetown. Marko holds advanced degrees from the University of Texas and UBC.   This is the second time we have had the privilege of hosting Marko, almost 4 years ago on the button. Marko is no doubt one of our favorite guests in the history of this podcast.   In this episode, we cover the U.S. election, who will win and what America's foreign policy will look like for Trump or Harris. We discuss the powerful American consumer driven economy, how to position your portfolio, the untapped equity in American's homes, and getting us current on the last 4 years since the last time Marko joined us.   Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Founder, 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host Chris Cannon (CIO/Principal, FirsTrust)   Links: https://www.bcaresearch.com https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/report/gmac/what-geomacro/100026   Please enjoy the episode.  

Today's guest is Jeremy Schwartz, CFA, Global Chief Investment Officer at WisdomTree. Before Jeremy started at WisdomTree in 2005, he was a head research assistant for Professor Jeremy Siegel and became his co-author on the sixth edition of the book Stocks for the Long Run. He received his B.S. in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and hosts the Wharton Business Radio program Behind the Markets on SiriusXM 132. Jeremy is a CFA charter holder and is a member of CFA Society Philadelphia. In this episode, we start by covering Jeremy's charter holder story. We discuss how he first met Professor Jeremy Siegel while at U Penn and the amazing partnership they have had over the last couple of decades. We also dived into currency hedging in equity markets, the calculus behind launching a new ETF, his podcast and more. Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Founder, 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host Chris Cannon (CIO/Principal, FirsTrust) Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com

In this episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Michael Mauboussin, Michael is a highly respected figure in finance, celebrated for his deep insights into decision-making, behavioral economics, and investing. Michael is currently the Head of Consilient Research at Counterpoint Global (part of Morgan Stanley Investment Management).  He also serves as an adjunct professor of finance teaching Security Analysis at Columbia Business School (since 1993), teaching essentially the same class that Ben Graham started teaching in 1920. Michael is chairman emeritus of the board of trustees of the Santa Fe Institute, a leading center for multi-disciplinary research in complex systems theory. Mauboussin is best known for his influential books like "The Success Equation" and "Think Twice," which explore critical concepts such as the interplay of skill and luck in business and the power of counterintuitive thinking, which we will touch on in this episode.    In today's episode, we cover a wide range of topics, including the ongoing public vs. private equity discussion, luck vs. skill as skill increases, stock market concentration, buybacks, valuation and advice for aspiring investment professionals.    Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Founder, 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host Chris Cannon (CIO/Principal, FirsTrust)   Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com

Today we host Ali Hamed, a Co-Founder and Partner at CoVenture and a prominent figure in venture capital and alternative investments. With a background in finance and technology, Ali brings strategic insights to early-stage investing. Hamed's track record of success and commitment to fostering entrepreneurship make him a key player in shaping the startup ecosystem. (concise bio courtesy of ChatGPT).   In today's episode, we start with Ali's origin story, starting with his time as a baseball player and agriculture major at Cornell, and what led to him eventually saying the internet was his major in college (which you will see on his LinkedIn profile). I have witnessed Ali's differentiated view on investing in person and have enjoyed listening to his firm's approach, which in some cases, they are 1 of 1 in their space. We discuss whether it is better to have capital or a good investment idea first, the democratization of private market investing, funding YouTube creators, and more.     Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Founder, 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host Chris Cannon (CIO/Principal, FirsTrust)   Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn.    Social Media:   LinkedIn Post (and Facebook): New episode w/ Ali Hamed, Co-Founder & Partner at Coventure, hosted by Steve Curley, CFA & Chris Cannon, CFA.   *Ali's non-traditional route to starting his non-traditional firm *What is more important, the investment idea or capital *Finding new or different investments and convincing the world after that it is a good idea (after) *Funding YouTube personalities *How much does he pay attention to public markets *Is the democratization of alternatives for most retail investors too far removed from the original value add?   Enjoy! Insert link here   Twitter Post: New episode w/ Ali Hamed, hosted by Steve Curley, CFA & Chris Cannon, CFA. We discuss Ali Hamed's origin story and his firm's differentiated approach to private investments.    Show Notes:  https://www.coventure.vc/ https://www.crossbeam.vc/team/ali-hamed https://www.crossbeam.vc

Today we host Dr. Meir Statman, somebody who was extremely productive during the pandemic, which included completing his new book A Wealth of Well Being. For those familiar with his behavioral finance research, Meir needs no introduction. For the rest of you listening, Meir has devoted his entire career to behavioral finance and making better investment decisions. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to host Meir for an event before the pandemic, but this is the first time he has been on our podcast.   Meir received his Ph.D. from Columbia University and his B.A. and M.B.A. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It is worth noting that his research has been published in countless reputable academic journals and has been supported by the CFA Institute Reserarch Foundation, the National Science Foundation and the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA).    In today's episode, we cover the different measures of wealth in a person's life and the case for diversification across the various measures of wealth one can have (financial, social, cultural, among others). We also discuss human capital as a measure of wealth, optimal vs. sensible portfolio management, overspending vs. underspending, self-actualization, and more.   Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Founder, 55 North Private Wealth) & guest host Frank Garcia, CFA (Founder, Frankly Finances).    Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn.    Social Media:   LinkedIn Post (and Facebook): New episode w/ Dr. Meir Statman, Professor of Finance at Santa Clara University, hosted by Steve Curley, CFA & Frank Garcia, CFA   *Various measures of wealth a person can have *The healing power of multiple forms of wealth *Human capital as a measure of wealth *Optimal vs. sensible portfolio management *Overspending vs. underspending *Self-Actualization   Enjoy! Insert link here   Twitter Post: New episode w/ Dr. Meir Statman, hosted by Steve Curley, CFA & Frank Garcia, CFA. We discuss personal wealth beyond the numbers (well-being) with the authority on the topic.   Show Notes:  Santa Clara University: https://www.scu.edu/business/finance/faculty/statman/ New book: A Wealth of Well-Being Office Hours with Professor Meir Statman: A Crash Course in Behavioral Finance

Our guest today is Sion Evans, CFA, Senior Investment Manager at VenCap, one of the longest-established investment management and advisory firms active in the VC industry today. They've made over 500 commitments to venture capital funds in the US, Europe, China and India.    In today's episode, Sion gives a masterclass on what the data says about venture capital. We spend a lot of time on the importance of capturing the fund returners, why power laws drive venture returns, and what the global VC & startup landscape looks like today.    Our co-hosts today are Frank Garcia, CFA, and myself, Colby Donovan, CFA. Please enjoy the episode.    Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL

Our returning guest today is Vikram Mansharamani, a global trend-watcher who shows people how to anticipate the future, manage risk and spot opportunities.   In today's episode, Vikram updates us on what's been a busy three years since he first came on the podcast. We discuss his senatorial campaign in New Hampshire, his unfortunate split at Harvard, and then get into his new book, The Making of a Generalist. He gives a brief overview of the book and then apply his generalist lens to talk about his annual blog post that shares global developments he's keeping an eye on over the next five years. We touch on immigration, the space economy, AI, tensions between US & China, and more.    Be sure to check out the show notes for all the related links we discuss in the episode.   Our co-hosts today are Chris Cannon, CFA, and myself, Colby Donovan, CFA. Please enjoy the episode.    Resources 24 Global Developments to Watch Over the Next Five Years Purchase his book, The Making of a Generalist: An Independent Thinker Finds Unconventional Success in an Uncertain World Read the intro to his book Drill, Baby, Drill! The Kai Guy Show   Vikram's Recommendations Grant by Ron Chernow Quantum Supremacy: How the Quantum Computer Revolution Will Change Everything Hardcover Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 1984 by George Orwell Grid Down, Power Up     Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL

Today we host Howard Marks of Oaktree Capital Management. For most of us in the investment community, Howard needs no introduction. He is somebody we have looked forward to hosting for quite some time and I couldn't think of anybody better to kick off year five of the Investors First Podcast. We could go on and on about his track record, whether it be his time at the University of Pennsylvania or the University of Chicago, his firm's investment performance, or his various professional achievements, but we must note that Howard is a fellow CFA charter holder (circa 1975).    In today's episode, we cover the various phases of Howard's career. We then discuss the beginning of his time in high-yield debt and how the shift to a risk-return framework for fiduciaries forever changed the investing profession. We also discussed his famous memos and his important thoughts on the Sea Change we are currently experiencing in markets and much more. We are truly grateful for the time Howard offered and he was everything we expected and then some.    Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Founder, 55 North Private Wealth) & guest host Chris Cannon, CFA (Chief Investment Officer, FirsTrust).    Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn.

Our guest today is Adam Nash, the co-founder & CEO of Daffy.org, a modern platform and community for charitable giving that allows you to sign up for your donor-advised fund. Adam has served as an executive, angel investor, and advisor to some of the most successful technology companies to come out of Silicon Valley, including Dropbox, LinkedIn, eBay, and Apple. Adam also served as President & CEO of Wealthfront.    In today's episode, Adam explains why his time at Wealthfront gave him the idea to launch Daffy (which stands for donor-advised fund for you). We walk through the ins and outs of a donor-advised fund, how Daffy manages to offer it at a cost that makes Vanguard 13x more expensive, and why this can be a great tool for year-end tax planning.   Listeners get an extra $25 for charity when they join Daffy. Get started for free here.    Our co-hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA, and myself, Colby Donovan, CFA. Please enjoy the episode.    Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL

Today we host Professor Aswath Damodaran, where we speak about how Aswath gained his love for teaching and how it led to him becoming an expert in valuation. The episode quickly veered into a sharp critique of the shortcomings of ESG investing. We also discuss market efficiency as it relates to active vs. passive investing, his story approach to individual companies, the future of education, career advice for finance professionals and more.    Our hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA & guest host Chris Cannon, CFA (Chief Investment Officer, FirsTrust).   Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn.   Social Media:   LinkedIn Post (and Facebook): New episode w/ Aswath Damodaran, hosted by Steve Curley, CFA & Chris Cannon, CFA.   *Aswath's love for teaching and how it led to him becoming an expert in valuation *A sharp critique of ESG investing *Market efficiency *His story approach to individual companies *Future of education and career advice for finance professionals   Enjoy! Insert link here   Twitter Post: New episode w/ Aswath Damodaran, hosted by Steve Curley, CFA & Chris Cannon, CFA. We discuss his love for teaching, his story approach for individual companies, a sharp critique of ESG investing and more.   Show Notes:  NYU Homepage: https://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar/ Writing: https://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar Data: https://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar Tools: https://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar Musings on Markets blog: https://aswathdamodaran.substack.com/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLvnJL8htRR1T9cbSccaoVw

Today we host Phil Hayes, The ESOP Guy, where we speak about how Phil went from banker to Managing Partner of a large regional accounting firm (as a non-CPA) to now becoming an expert in ESOP's.     In today's episode, we speak about exit strategies in general, where ESOP's fit, the mechanics of ESOP transactions and the tax advantages of this structure. We then bounce around and discuss everything all at once ranging from 1042 exchanges with qualified replacement property, to whether this is a good deal for BOTH the owners and the employees and much more.     Our hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA & guest host Chris Cannon, CFA (Chief Investment Officer, FirsTrust).   Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn.   Social Media:   LinkedIn Post (and Facebook): New episode w/ Phil Hayes, Partner at Berman Hopkins, hosted by Steve Curley, CFA & Chris Cannon, CFA.   *Journey from banker to Managing Partner of Regional accounting firm to ESOP expert *The ESOP Guy podcast *Exit strategies and where ESOP's fit for business owners *Tax advantages *1042 qualified replacement property *Is this a good deal for BOTH seller and employees?    Enjoy! Insert link here   Twitter Post: New episode w/ Phil Hayes, Partner at Berman Hopkins, hosted by Steve Curley, CFA & Chris Cannon, CFA. We discuss the ESOP Guy podcast, goodness of fit for business owners, tax advantages, 1042 qualified replacement property, and whether this a good deal for all parties involved.    Show Notes:  https://www.journeytoanesop.com https://www.bermanhopkins.com/ https://www.esopassociation.org/resources https://www.nceo.org/find-your-resource https://www.esop.org

Our guest today is Peter Atwater, President of Financial Insyghts and an adjunct professor at William & Mary and the University of Delaware. He studies the impact of changing confidence on consumer decision-making, using his research to advise investors, business leaders, and policymakers. In 2023, he released the book, The Confidence Map: Charting a Path from Chaos to Clarity.    In today's episode, Peter walks through some of the key topics in the world today, including the dominance of U.S. stocks, the rise of grifters in the past few years, why he coined the term K-Shape Recovery in 2020. Everything Peter discusses is through the lens of the decision-making framework laid out in his recent book, which is the best writing about the way feelings of confidence and vulnerability relate to the markets at any given time.    Our co-hosts today are Chris Cannon, CFA, and myself, Colby Donovan, CFA. Please enjoy the episode.  Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL

Our guest today is Orlando's own fantasy football expert, KC Joyner. KC used to work for ESPN and now runs his own website called The Football Scientist. We've had lots of amazing podcast guests since we started in March 2020, but since last year's episode with KC was the second most downloaded episode of any episode we've had, we had to invite him back on.     In today's episode, KC explains how another past podcast guest Peter Zeihan's geopolitical framework applies to fantasy football. We cover a range of topics to get you prepped for your draft, and KC was kind enough to give our listeners a discount to his draft guide, so visit www.thefootballscientist.com and use the code CFA for a discount on his draft guide and season-long packages.    Our co-hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA, and myself, Colby Donovan, CFA. Please enjoy the episode.    Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL

Our guest today is Cameron Dawson, Chief Investment Officer of NewEdge Wealth. Cameron is a Florida native, Rollins college graduate and former board member of the CFA Society of Orlando.  In today's episode, Cameron talks about her overall view of the markets. She touches on value, emerging markets, alternatives, and why she's keeping a close eye on the Bank of Japan going forward.  Our co-hosts today are Chris Cannon, CFA, and myself, Colby Donovan, CFA. Please enjoy the episode.  Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL

Our guests today are David Lau and Wade Pfau. These two individuals have been collaborating for quite some time to solve retirement income puzzles for investors. David has been doing it with DPL, bridging the gap between low cost insurance and Fee Only wealth management firms. On the other hand, Wade has been approaching retirement solutions from the academic lens with rigorous research.    In today's episode, we discuss the potential blind spot in Fee-Only wealth management firms as it relates to insurance and annuities, whether insurance and investments should be comingled and the concept of the outsourced Chief Insurance Officer. We break down the cost of certain products and discuss the puzzles that David and Wade are trying to solve for retirees seeking stable income sources. We also discuss if Ken Fisher is a fiduciary, what products should exist that don't currently exist, recreating your grandparents pension with lower cost products and whether long term care insurance products are cost efficient for retirees.    Wade will receive the award as the most resilient guest of the Investors First Podcast, as he was kind enough to join us while on a trip in Japan and even experienced two earthquakes while recording the episode.    Our host today is Steve Curley, CFA. Please enjoy the episode.   Follow CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL   Social Media:   LinkedIn Post (and Facebook): New episode w/ David Lau, DPL & Dr. Wade Pfau, RISA, hosted by Steve Curley, CFA.    *Breaking down a commission free insurance product *The challenges of market volatility and homemade dividends in retirement *Credit risk associated w/ the implicit guarantee in insurance products *Is Ken Fisher a fiduciary?   Enjoy!   Twitter Post: New episode w/ David Lau & Dr. Wade Pfau, hosted by Steve Curley, CFA. We break down commission free insurance products for Fee-Only Advisors, the challenges of homemade dividends for retirees with total return approaches, whether Ken Fisher is a fiduciary and the concept of the Outsourced Chief Insurance Officer.   https://www.dplfp.com https://risaprofile.com https://retirementresearcher.com/ https://www.mcleanam.com/ https://www.theamericancollege.edu/our-people/faculty/wade-pfau

In today's episode, we host Wes Gray, CEO of Alpha Architect. Founded in 2010, Alpha Architect is a research focused quant firm that put themselves on the map offering value and momentum factor exposures, but it doesn't stop there. Wes and his group have evolved to offer advanced tax strategies in the form of ETF's, separately managed accounts (SMA's), and ETF white-labeled services. Wes has an incredible bio that starts with humble beginnings growing up on a ranch. He later becomes a Captain in the US Marine Corps followed by earning his MBA & PhD studying under Nobel Prize Winner Eugene Fama at the University of Chicago.    This episode is centered around investments and tax minimization, starting with why Wes moved to Puerto Rico a few years ago. We discuss his bio and his mission for Alpha Architect & ETF Architect. We focus the rest of the episode on tax efficiency for asset owners, starting with white labeling ETF's, creative conversions to ETF's, whether direct indexing is currently oversold, post ESOP investment strategies, box spreads as an alternative to T-Bills and more.    Hosting today's episode is myself Steve Curley, CFA & guest host Frank Garcia, CFA.    Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn.   Social Media:   LinkedIn Post (and Facebook): New episode w/ Wes Gray, CEO of Alpha Architect, hosted by Steve Curley, CFA & Frank Garcia, CFA.    *PR Act 60 (Preferred Tax Status for Puerto Rico Residents) *Bio/Mission if Alpha Architect & ETF Architect *White labeling ETF's & creative ETF conversions *Direct indexing, oversold? *Box spreads as an alternative to T-Bills *Post ESOP investment strategies   Enjoy! Insert link here   Twitter Post: New episode w/ Wes Gray, CEO of Alpha Architect & ETF Architect. We discuss everything tax, from PR Act 60, to his firm's mission & focus on tax efficient investments, white labeling ETF's, creative ETF conversions, direct indexing being oversold, box spreads instead of T-Bills & more.    Show Notes:  Alpha Architect: https://alphaarchitect.com/about ETF Architect: https://etfarchitect.com/ Box spreads: https://alphaarchitect.com/2023/05/box-spreads-an-alternative-to-treasury-bills/ March for the Fallen: https://alphaarchitect.com/mftf/ Democratize Quant: https://alphaarchitect.com/democratizequant/ How to Start an ETF: https://alphaarchitect.com/2021/11/how-to-start-an-etf-resources-and-faq/

Today we host Jan van Eck for the second time on the Investors First Podcast. Jan is the CEO of VanEck, a global asset manager with over $57 billion in assets under management, including ETF's, mutual funds, SMA's, UCITS and more. Since our first recording with Jan in April 2020, Jan took the initiative to create a financial history course at VanEck during the pandemic. Jan is a brilliant investment professional with a passion for financial history. Beyond VanEck's work as a pioneer in the asset management business, we wanted to highlight the great work he is doing (beyond managing money) in this episode.    In today's episode, we speak about Jan's financial history curriculum, railroads as the first internet of the United States, the philosophical debate continuing between Hamiltonians and Jeffersonians, the concentration of power with ETF's (and politicization of ESG), predicting the future and much more.    Our host today are Steve Curley, CFA & today's guest host is Chris Cannon, CFA (Chief Investment Officer, FirsTrust).   Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn.

Our guest today are Rick Bookstaber and Govinda Quish, co-founders at Fabric Risk, which provides factor-based risk management applications for investment advisors, consultants and family offices. This is the second time we have hosted Rick on our podcast, with this time focused on the current state of banking and the risks of contagion, as well as other risks in public and private markets. We encourage you to listen to our prior episode with Rick to learn more about his background or visit fabricrisk.com to learn more about their professional backgrounds. Hosting today's episode is Steve Curley, CFA, co-founder of The Investors First Podcast & former President of CFA Orlando. Please enjoy the episode. Follow CFA Society of Orlando on LinkedIn & Twitter @CFAOrlandoFL. You can find every past episode of the The Investors First Podcast at investorsfirstpodcast.com.

Our guests today are Dan Rasmussen and Bob Elliott. This is the first time both Dan and Bob have shared a podcast stage and they did not disappoint. In today's episode, we discuss Dan and Bob's time at Bain Capital and Bridgewater and how that experience led to founding their respective firms. We then discuss the idea of return smoothing in venture capital, whether active management has an edge in this market environment, is alpha just beta waiting to be discovered, the flaws of private market indices, and much more. Our host today is Steve Curley, CFA. Please enjoy the episode. BIO's: Dan is the Founder of Verdad, which is an independent research driven global asset management firm seeking to replicate private equity exposure in public markets. Prior to Verdad, Dan spent time at Bain Capital Private Equity and Bridgewater Associates. In 2017, Dan was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list. Dan earned an AB from Harvard College and a MBA from Stanford. Bob is Co-Founder, CEO and CIO of Unlimited Funds, which uses machine learning to create low cost ETF's to replicate the returns of classic hedge fund strategies. Prior to Unlimited, Bob was at Bridgewater Associates, where he served on Bridgewater's investment committee, led Ray Dalio's personal research team and authored hundreds of Bridgewater's widely read Daily Observations. Bob holds a BA in History and Science from Harvard. Follow CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL

Our guest today is Jeffrey Sherman, Deputy CIO of DoubleLine, which manages over $100 billion.  Jeffrey oversees and administers DoubleLine's Investment Management sub-committee coordinating and implementing policies and processes across the investment teams. He also serves as lead portfolio manager for multi-sector and derivative-based strategies. In today's episode, Jeffrey shares how he views the investment landscape as we kick off a new year. He touches on inflation, interest rates, and whether or not he expects a Fed pivot. He also shares where he sees opportunity in the market today, specifically in the credit markets. Our co-hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA, and Colby Donovan, CFA. Please enjoy the episode.  Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL

Our guest today is Mark Brewer, President and CEO of the Central Florida Foundation. Mark frequently advises private and corporate foundation grantmakers across the region and plays a public policy advisory role on strategy and advisory boards around the state of Florida.   Our conversation on this Giving Tuesday focuses on the role philanthropy in society, best practices on how to be strategic about causes you choose to support, and the major areas of need in Central Florida today.   Our co-hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA, and Colby Donovan. Please enjoy the episode.    Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL

Our guests today are David Berns & Mike Taylor. David Berns is Chief Investment Officer & Co-Founder of Simplify Asset Management, which is focused on creating hedge fund and structured product strategies in a liquid, transparent, tax-efficient and low cost vehicle (ETF's). David has a PhD in Physics from MIT in the field of Quantum Computation. Mike Taylor is Portfolio Manager for the health care strategy at Simplify, which is one of the most unique strategies in the investment management industry, with all net profits donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. He has spent the last two decades managing hedge fund strategies at funds including Millennium, Citadel and Diamondback Capital. Mike holds advanced degrees in Science and Business from the Johns Hopkins University and the William E. Simon School of Business. In today's episode, we discuss how Simplify was created and how the idea for their health care strategy came together. We then discuss Mike's hedge fund career, how managing a long only health care ETF differs from hedge fund investing and much more. We recorded this episode in October for breast cancer awareness month and we wanted to highlight the great work Simplify is doing with Susan G. Komen, using finance as a cause for good. This is the first 100% pro bono ETF, with all net profits donated for the benefit of Susan G. Komen Foundation. Our hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA, past President of CFA Society Orlando and co-founder of the Investors First Podcast, and Javier Perez, CFA, also a past President of CFA Society Orlando & Director at Skyview Investment Advisors. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Dr. Snaith is the Director of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Economic Forecasting and a nationally recognized economist in the field of business and economic forecasting. An award-winning forecaster, researcher and professor, Snaith applies academic expertise to solve real-world problems. He has served as a consultant for local governments and multi-national corporations such as Compaq, Dell and IBM.  Snaith holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Pennsylvania State University. Snaith frequently is interviewed in national and regional media and is a sought-after speaker. He has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, The Economist and CNNMoney.com and has appeared on CNBC, Fox Business Network and Business News Network, based in Toronto. Sean correctly called the end of the great financial crisis in June 2009. Prior to that, Snaith was named by Bloomberg News as one of the nation's most accurate forecasters in 2008. In 2007, he was named California's most accurate forecaster by the Western Blue Chip Consensus Forecast. In this episode, we will talk about the Fed, inflation, and discuss how we are headed for a pasta-bowl recession. We focus the rest of the episode on the state of Florida and potential headwinds to growth such as rising housing costs, supply chain shortages, labor market shortages, and high overall inflation. Last, we discuss ways the state of Florida (and particularly Central Florida) can best position itself for future growth. Our host today is Steve Curley, CFA, prior President of CFA Society Orlando, current board member & co-founder of The Investors First Podcast. Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Our guest today is Zach Conway, Founder and CEO of Seeds Investor. Seeds Investor is a new wealth technology platform designed to empower advisors to better understand investors and deliver the personalized portfolios that align. In addition to Seeds, Zach is a Managing Director with the Conway Wealth Group, a private advisory firm based in Parsippany, New Jersey. Prior to the Conway Group, Zach served as Editorial Manager at Standard & Poor's. Zach is a contributor to Forbes, Founder of the Leader Board and Co-Founder of the Life & Health Network. Zach earned his bachelors degree from Gettysburg College. In today's episode, we discuss current headwinds in ESG, actor Adrian Grenier's involvement with Seeds Investor, tailored portfolios with values based investing and eliminating Fund/ETF wrappers from client conversations with direct investing. Our host today is Steve Curley, CFA, board member & past President of CFA Society Orlando, as well as co-founder of the Investors First Podcast. Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Our guest today is Andrew Beer, Managing Member and Co-Portfolio manager for Dynamic Beta Investments, an investment firm founded in 2012. Over the past decade, Andrew's singular focus has been to identify strategies to match or outperform portfolios of leading hedge funds with low fees, daily liquidity, and less downside risk. Andrew has been in and around the financial services and hedge fund industry in particular for more than 25 years. In today's episode, we will discuss Andrew's journey to starting dynamic beta, democratizing access to hedge fund strategies at a reasonable costs, the benefits of replication and managed futures for portfolios, and building investment solutions to solve for client needs. My name is Frank Garcia and I currently serve as the president of CFA Society Orlando and will be your host today. Please enjoy the episode.   https://www.dynamicbeta.com/ Follow Andrew on Twitter: @Andrewdbeer1 FranklyFinances.com Follow Frank on Twitter: @franklyfinances

Our guest today is KC Joyner, a fantasy football guru and pioneer of the football analytics revolution, featured on ESPN and The Athletic. He is Founder of the Football Scientist, a data analytics subscription service designed to help you win your fantasy football league. KC left his career in telecom to pursue a lifelong dream of writing a Bill James-style book about football. 19 months later, his detailed tape breakdowns of the 2003 and 2004 season led to the self-publication of Joyner's groundbreaking book Scientific Football in 2005. Since his first book was released, he has joined forced with the likes of ESPN and most recently the writing team at The Athletic. KC is a nationally published author and his other books include Blindsided, Why the Left Tackle is Overrated and Other Contrarian Football Thoughts. In today's episode, we discuss KC's background and how the The Football Scientist publication came to be. We then dive in to the quant approach he uses for fantasy football and how it could help you win your league this year, with several stops in between. Our hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA and Colby Donovan, current board members of CFA Society Orlando. Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Social Media: LinkedIn Post (and Facebook): New episode w/ KC Joyner, Founder of Football Scientist, hosted by Steve Curley, CFA and Colby Donovan. *KC's background and the research and book that put him on the map *His pursuit of a Bill James style of advanced analytics for the National Football League *Time w/ ESPN, the Athletic & more *How to win your fantasy football league this year, with actionable ideas for this year's draft Enjoy! Insert link here (and please add KC's twitter handle to below) Twitter Post: New episode w/ the Football Scientist KC Joyner, his background & the book that put him on the map, his pursuit of Bill James style analytics for NFL, time w/ ESPN, & how to win your fantasy football league this year. Show Notes:thefootballscientist.com (use code “CFA” to save on draft guide)https://theathletic.com/3359667/2022/06/23/warren-buffett-fantasy-football-strategy/

Our guest today is Ranji Nagaswami, Managing Director, Chief Strategy/Commercial Officer at SVP Global. Headquartered in Greenwich, CT. SVP is a global investment firm focused on distressed debt and private equity opportunities. Founded in 2001, SVP has over $18 billion in assets under management, 4 offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia and has ~140 employees and over 60 investment professionals. Ranji is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute and is also the Founder and Lead Moderator of the Aspen Institute Finance Leaders Fellowship program. She has served as trustee and member of several boards, including the Yale University investment committee with David Swenson, the UAW VEBA investment advisory council and the Curtis Institute Investment Committee. Last, but certainly not least, she is a CFA Charter Holder. In today's episode, we start with Ranji's experience as the youngest ever MBA student at Yale, discussing the positive impact that studying dance as a child had on her. We then discuss some of her career highlights, including her time at Alliance Bernstein, Mayor Bloomberg and as the CEO of Hirtle Callaghan. We then take a deep dive on private credit investing. Last, we discuss her involvement with the CFA Institute and the wonderful work she is doing at the Aspen Institute. Our hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA and Chris Cannon, current board members (and Past Presidents) of CFA Society Orlando. Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Our guest today is Samir Vasavada, co-founder & CEO of Vise. Samir came up with the idea for Vise when him and Runik Mehrotra (fellow co-founder) were teenagers. Samir is responsible for Operations, Business Development and managing a team of Engineers and Ph.D. AI and Quantitative Finance Researchers at Vise. Vise is a venture-backed FinTech startup using Artificial Intelligence to revolutionize Portfolio Construction and Management for Financial Advisors. Vise has raised enough capital to be considered a unicorn (valuation greater than $1B) and is backed by Sequoia Capital, Founders Fund, & the Wharton School of Business (among other investors). Samir is one of the youngest FinTech founders I have ever met and was named in the 2021 Forbes list for top 30 under 30. In today's episode, we go back to Samir's time in high school and how he met his business partner and fellow co-founder Runik Mehrotra. We discuss what Vise is, what is unique about them and the venture backed fundraising process. We also talk about the all in cost of advice for investors, the future of the wealth management profession and much more. It is worth noting that this episode was recorded a short time ago and both the market environment and Vise's strategy have shifted substantially since recording this episode. That said, it will be exciting to watch what Samir and Vise do next as they attempt to shape the future of investment management. Our host today is Steve Curley, CFA, current board member & most recent President of CFA Society Orlando. Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn.

Our guest today is Eduardo Repetto, Chief Investment Officer for Avantis Investors. Avantis was established to help clients achieve their investment goals through a persistent focus on providing well-diversified investment solutions that fit seamlessly into asset allocations and combine the potential for added value with the reliability of indexing. Eduardo is responsible for directing the research, design and implementation of investment strategies, providing oversight of the investment team and the firm's marketing initiatives and interacting with clients. He is former co-Chief Executive Officer and co-Chief Investment Officer of Dimensional Fund Advisors and holds a doctorate in Aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology, a Master of Science degree in Engineering from Brown University, Civil Engineering from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. Eduardo is a Trustee of the California Institute of Technology. In todays episode, we will discuss Eduardo's journey from engineering to finance, the influence of great mentors, how to think about market prices, building investment solutions, and advice for young professionals. Our local co-hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA, and Frank Garcia, CFA, both of which are board members of CFA Orlando. Please enjoy the episode. Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL

Our guest today is Chris Arnade, author of the best seller Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America. A Florida native, Chris was one of the first quants on Wall Street and spent 20 years as a trader before becoming disenchanted in finance's role in the 2008 Great Financial Crisis, leading him to walk through the South Bronx and all over areas of the country that he describes as “left behind.”   Chris has a way of putting the current bipolarization in the US into words as well as anyone I've come across. We talk about our country's focus on quantifiable things like GDP and efficiency and lack of focus on intangible things like community, connection and religion. We also touch on the role of McDonald's in the country, why you may need to change what you think of McDonald's, and what he thinks is behind the mistrust of authority and others.     Our local co-hosts today are Chris Cannon, CFA, and Colby Donovan, both of which are board members of CFA Orlando. Please enjoy the episode.  Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL Resources: Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City Paperback by Matthew Desmond Walking America: Orlando by Chris Arnade

Our guest today is Rick Bookstaber, co-founder and Head of Risk for Fabric, which provides factor-based risk management applications for investment advisors. Rick resume is as impressive as you can come across. He's held Chief Risk Officer roles at Morgan Stanley, Salomon, Bridgewater, and the University of California pension. He also worked at the U.S. Treasury post-2008 and helped write the Volcker Rule. He's the author of The End of Theory and A Demon of Our Own Design.   In today's episode, we start with Rick's framework for looking at risk and what the cockroach can teach us about sound portfolio construction and risk management. Then Rick shares what he thinks are some of the biggest risks in the market today, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine and rising inflation and interest rates and QT.   Finally, we get into his newest venture and why he chose to start a firm on helping financial advisors and individuals with risk management.     Our co-hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA, and myself, Colby Donovan. Please enjoy the episode.    Please enjoy our episode with Fabric's Rick Bookstaber.     Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL

Our guest today is Roger Urwin, Global Head of Investment Content with Willis Towers Watson. Roger joined Watson Wyatt in 1989 to start the firm's investment consulting practice and, under his leadership, grew to a global team of over 600. Roger has been influential with the CFA Institute and their Future of Finance initiative, as well as co-founder of the Thinking Ahead Institute. His investment innovations include three global firsts, one of which is the creation of the first target date and lifestyle defined contribution funds (1988). Roger is also Advisory Director at MSCI Inc. He has a degree in Mathematics and a Masters in Applied Statistics from Oxford University. In today's episode, we speak with Roger about his personal background, including a personal tragedy he experienced, followed by his professional background and his work at the Thinking Ahead Institute. We then do a deep dive on the current state of sustainable investing, which includes greenwashing, comparing investors globally, net zero, proxy voting, benchmarking and more. Our host today is Steve Curley, CFA & his guest host is James Sellon, CFA (Managing Partner, Maseco). Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn.

Our guest today is Matt Brown. Matt is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of CAIS. Found in 2009, CAIS, a fintech leader, empowers over 4,000+ unique advisor firms/teams who oversee more than $2T+ in network assets. Founded by a financial advisor, CAIS considers itself the first truly open marketplace for alternative investments, where financial advisors and asset managers can engage and transact directly. CAIS offers access to alternative strategies ranging from hedge funds to private equity/credit to real estate, digital assets, structured notes and more. CAIS is unique in that all funds on the platform undergo Mercer's due diligence and ongoing monitoring. They also offer an education platform called CAIS IQ, which helps educate advisors on alternative investments. In today's episode, we start in 2009 and discuss how difficult it must have been to launch CAIS during the great financial crisis. We then discuss the CAIS platform, competition, the democratization of alternatives and CAIS's value proposition. We later get into distribution (and why it isn't a negative term), their recent high profile fundraise and what they plan to do with the money to grow. Other topics range from artificial intelligence to the power of data, the accredited investor rule, CAIS IQ education platform, the importance of reporting and the value of soft skills. Our hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA & John Bowman, CFA of CAIA Association. Please enjoy the episode. Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn.

Our guest today is Ben Savage. Ben manages Clocktower Technology Ventures and is responsible for all of Clocktower Group's private market activities.   Our conversation covers the state of venture capital today, where fintech sits within the venture space, the convergence of public and private markets, and the importance of trust within financial services.   Our co-hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA, and Colby Donovan. Please enjoy the episode.    CFA Orlando is hosting JP Morgan's Dr. David Kelly for the 2022 Forecast Dinner on February 23rd at the Alfond Inn by Rollins College. Click here for more information and to register.  Please note – you do not need to be a member of CFA Orlando or have the CFA designation to attend the event.   Please enjoy our episode with Clocktower Technology Ventures' Ben Savage.   Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL

Our guest today is Jason Zweig. Jason has been a Columnist for the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) since 2008, writing the Intelligent Investor Column. Jason is on a short list of people globally that advocate for individual investors on a weekly basis and is somebody that embodies the spirit of The Investors First Podcast (putting investors first). Before joining the WSJ, Jason held positions with Money Magazine (Senior Writer) and Forbes (Mutual Funds Editor), while also serving as a guest columnist for Time magazine and cnn.com. He is author of Your Money and Your Brain, is editor of the revised edition of Benjamin Graham's The Intelligent Investor and his most recent book is The Devil's Financial Dictionary. In today's episode, we start with Jason's beginnings on a farm in upstate New York. We then compare traders vs. investors and discuss the gamification of investing, time on device (TOD; a term casinos often use as a measure of success), and the boredom market hypothesis (BMH; doing nothing). Jason then discusses how we can improve as an investor emotionally, the lone thing we can often control. We later discuss why investors don't incorporate human capital in their investment portfolio, demand for ESG, the importance of writing in plain English for investors, and the illusion of “conflict-free” financial advice. Last, we cover heroes in investing and the financial literacy industrial complex. Our hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA and Chris Cannon, CFA. Please enjoy the episode. Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter and LinkedIn.   We invite you to join CFA Society Orlando on February 23rd for our 2022 Annual Forecast Dinner. our dinner's featured speaker, Dr. David Kelly, CFA, Chief Global Strategist and Head of Global Market Insights Strategy Team with J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Please note, you do not need to be a CFA charterholder or be a member of the society to attend. To learn more, click here. 

Our guest today is Eric Sim. The header on his LinkedIn profile shows a banker, lecturer, speaker and writer, but he is actually much more. Eric is a proponent of the portfolio career, a topic for which he has become a thought leader and the most followed CFA charter holder globally with almost 3 million followers on LinkedIn. Based in Singapore, Eric reached the pinnacle of his career as a Managing director at UBS Investment Bank. He quickly realized that he could offer the world much more than being an investment banker and left his position at UBS. From there, he embarked on the portfolio career, founding the Institute of life, becoming a professor, a prominent speaker and now a global thought leader teaching others how to have a portfolio career of their own. In today's episode, we start with Eric's personal journey, how small actions can lead to big returns and the relevance of personal branding for anyone at any stage in their career. We then dive into details and tactics of personal branding, followed by a discussion on the three sources of capital (financial, human, and social) and the outsized returns that can be generated by investing in social capital. Our hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA and Marina Hayes, CFA. Please enjoy the episode. Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Our guest today is Drew Dickson, founder of Albert Bridge Capital and CIO of the Alpha Europe funds. Our conversation today focuses on Drew's application of behavioral finance and fundamental analysis. We start with his time at the University of Chicago and learning from people like Merton Miller, Gene Fama and Richard Thaler, and then hear how he applies those behavioral principles when analyzing the market today. We talk about the valuation differences between the US and Europe, and then specifically the differences between value and growth in both regions, and get his thoughts on some of the speculation we're seeing in the market today. As we wind down, we talk about some of Drew's posts about the intersection of investing and sports. We cover James Harden & the paradox of skill and Rick Barry and being willing to look different. Our co-hosts today are Frank Garcia, CFA, and Colby Donovan. Please enjoy the episode.  Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL   Resources: Drew's Writing James Harden and Alpha Bill Sharpe and Hank Aaron Rick Barry and Lewis Carroll A Memo to Investors Should Europe Be Cheap   Malcolm Gladwell's Podcast on Rick Barry: The Big Man Can't Shoot

Our guest today is Anthony Zhang, co-founder and CEO of Vinovest, the first of its kind investment platform where individual investors of all kinds can own fine wine (investment grade). He dropped out of the University of Southern California at the age of 20 when he was selected for the prestigious Thiel Fellowship, a two-year program that provides entrepreneurs under 23 a $100K grant to pursue their startups. Other companies he has held leadership or board positions include RateMyInvestor, Blockfolio, JOANY & JoyRun. He is also an active angel investor (portfolio holdings listed on LinkedIn profile). In today's episode, we begin with discussing Anthony's background as a serial entrepreneur, starting with the Thiel Fellowship, his pitch to Mark Cuban, and what led him to dropping out of USC. We quickly move to the life changing accident that Anthony experienced, including his painful rehab and his incredible return to save his company. We then discuss how his interest in wine led him to starting Vinovest. Then we get into the case for investing in wine, beta exposure and how you can generate alpha buying and selling wine. We also compare investing in wine vs. whiskey, storage, and most importantly, what success will look like for a Vinovest investor (performance vs. the U.S. stock market). Last, we discuss fundraising for a startup, his heavy hitter investors and the future of his company. Our host today is Steve Curley, CFA, Co-Founder of the Investors First Podcast and former President of CFA Society Orlando. Please enjoy the episode. Follow the Investors First Podcast & CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Our guest today is Eric Clarke, Chief Executive Officer for Orion Advisor Solutions (Orion). Eric is shaping the future of advice delivery with the organization's brand entities (fintech and investment management solutions), which include Orion Advisor Tech, Orion Portfolio Solutions, CLS Investments and Brinker Capital Investments. Eric is a thought leader in the industry, writing numerous articles, as well as receiving multiple awards, most recently receiving the Investment News's Icon & Innovators Award in 2019. Eric holds a B.S. in Accounting from BYU and a MBA from Utah. In today's episode, we start with Eric's passion for entrepreneurship, the origin of Orion and what he is most excited about regarding industry consolidation and recent Orion acquisitions. We then discuss the future of the wealth management industry, including fee compression, private equity in the wealth management space & what advisors should be discussing (and are afraid to discuss). Our local hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA and Chris Cannon, CFA, both board members and former Presidents of CFA Society Orlando. Please enjoy the episode. Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter & LinkedIn.

Our guest today is Cliff Asness, Founder, Managing Principal and Chief Investment Officer at AQR Capital Management. He has authored articles on financial topics in almost every major financial publication and his awards are too many to list. He received his Ph.D. from University of Chicago while learning under Nobel Laureate Gene Fama. Notably, his bio states that “he still feels guilty trying to beat the market” after all these years because of his work with Gene. In today's episode, we start with Cliff's education background and how his father's aim for diversification in education paid off for him. We then pivot to the Avengers and discuss the heir apparent to Captain America, before quickly diving into a variety of topics, ranging from his work under Gene Fama at University of Chicago, momentum investing, and then pulling the goalie in hockey. Then we discuss whether size is a factor, if price to book is a good value measure, his take on ESG investing, expected returns and much more. Our local host today is Steve Curley, CFA, board member and a former President of CFA Society Orlando. Please enjoy the episode. Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Our guest for this episode, is Bill Kelly, CEO of the CAIA Association, a position he has held since 2014. Previously, Bill was the CEO of Boston Partners and one of the seven founding partners of Boston Partners Asset Management.  He is a tireless advocate for shareholder protection and investor education and a frequent industry speaker, writer, and commentator on alternative investment topics around the world. In this episode, we explore the specialization of credentialing in the investment industry,  the relevance of the chartered alternative investment designation (known as CAIA), the stackable program available to CFA charterholders, and the prospect of broadening investor access to alternatives to meet individual retirement needs.

Gerard O'Reilly serves as Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Dimensional Fund Advisors LP and has been with Dimensional since 2004. Since joining the firm, Gerard has been instrumental in the evolution of Dimensional's systematic approach to creating and implementing investment solutions. He is Co-Chair of the firm's Investment Research Committee and a member of the Investment Committee, which oversees portfolio and account management. Prior to joining Dimensional, Gerard obtained his PhD in aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology. He holds a Master of Science degree in high performance computing from Trinity College Dublin in his native country of Ireland. In today's episode, Gerard shares his journey to DFA and what makes DFA unique. We spend some time discussing the pros and cons of index funds, DFA's recent launch of ETFs and conversion of Mutual Funds into ETFs, and their upcoming launch of SMAs. We also discuss expected returns, the need to account for the unexpected, and the longer-term viability of the size, value, and profitability premiums, along with the discipline needed to capture these premiums over time. Our local co-hosts today are Frank Garcia, CFA, president of the CFA Society of Orlando, and Steve Curley, CFA, board member and former president of the CFA Society Orlando. Please enjoy the episode. Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL  

Our guest today is Jerry Parker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chesapeake Capital and long-time trend-follower.   In this episode we start by going back to Jerry's days as a “Turtle Trader” under Richard Dennis and the lessons he learned from the experience. We walk through some of the keys to trend-following, what 2020 looked like from his point of view, and the benefits of a rules based approach. In a world of Dogecoin and meme stocks, Jerry provides a rational perspective on the markets.   Our local co-hosts today are Chris Cannon, CFA, and Colby Donovan, both of which are board members of CFA Orlando. Please enjoy the episode.  Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL  

Our guest today is Dr. Vincent Milhau, who is a Research Director of the EDHEC-Risk Institute. Vincent is in charge of several research projects at the Institute in the fields of portfolio optimization and asset allocation for institutional and individual investors. Most of these projects are funded by large industry players interested in the latest advances in risk management and asset allocation. His main focus is on goal-based investing or GBI and it is what we focus on in the episode.   Vincent has a diverse academic background that ranges from his bachelor's degree in Mathematics at University of Paris to graduate work in modeling, statistics and finance. He finished his academic studies with his PhD in Finance from University of Nice, where the EDHEC Risk Institute is located.   In this episode, we discuss a variety of topics centered around GBI, with the focus on retirement investing for individuals. Our listeners will receive a primer on GBI, flaws with existing strategies, new ways we can address the retirement problem and more.   Please enjoy the episode.    Our local co-hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA (President of CFA Society Orlando) & Sebastien Gault, CFA (Member of CFA Society Orlando, who is originally from Nice).   Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL   Links:   Website: https://risk.edhec.edu Papers/Books: Advances in Retirement Investing (2020, Martellini, Milhau) https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/advances-in-retirement-investing/E097D7D585051A8BFCEDE518F40562DC Securing Replacement Income with Goals-Based Retirement Investing Strategies (2020, Martellini, Milhau, Mulvey) https://risk.edhec.edu/publications/securing-replacement-income-goal-based-0 “Flexicure” Retirement Solutions: A Part of the Answer to the Pension Crisis? (Martinelli, Milhau, Mulvey) https://risk.edhec.edu/publications/flexicure-retirement-solutions-part-answer-0   About EDHEC Risk Institute: In 2001, EDHEC Business School created EDHEC-Risk Institute, a premier academic centre for industry-relevant research in investment management, which has developed a portfolio of research and educational initiatives in the domain of investment solutions for institutional and individual investors. The institute, in partnership with industry leaders, boasts a team of permanent professors, engineers and support staff, as well as affiliate professors and research associates. Their collective work has a particularly significant footprint in the areas of risk premia harvesting, retirement investing and sustainable investing. Its philosophy is to validate its work by publishing in international academic journals, as well as to make it available to the sector through position papers, published studies, online courses, on-campus workshops and global conferences. To ensure the dissemination of its research to the investment industry, EDHEC-Risk also provides professionals with access to its website, https://risk.edhec.edu, which has more than 120,000 visitors and is devoted to asset and risk management research, with a focus on investment solutions. Finally, its quarterly newsletter is distributed to over 100,000 readers.  

Bill Brewster, CFA is the Founder and Portfolio Manager of Sullimar Capital Group. Bill hosts the popular podcast, The Business Brew, and is also a co-host on the very popular series, Value After Hours, with Tobias Carlisle and Jake Taylor.   In today's episode, Bill starts by explaining his windy road to be the value investor he is today. Then we spend some time talking about Robinhood and the gamification of the app. Bill shares the tragic story of his cousin-in-law who took his own life after Robinhood incorrectly showed he owed over $100,000 in his account and did not respond to his messages until after he passed. As we see more and more younger individuals start to trade on platforms like Robinhood over the past year, this is a really important conversation to be had.  Finally, we talk about Bill's personal journey to be open minded and talk with people who have opposing views, and share his conversations publicly through both podcasts he hosts.     Resources Discussed: Freetrade podcast   Today's episode is co-hosted by Chris Cannon, CFA, and Colby Donovan.  Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL