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On today's episode, Kyle Grieve discusses a thought-provoking framework that redefines competitive advantage through the lens of customer loyalty. Kyle breaks down the five types of customer loyalty moats, introduces the Moat Strength Index (MSI), and explains how investors can use this approach to measure, monitor, and deepen their conviction in high-quality businesses. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 03:45 – Why scale effects are ineffective against disruption via innovation 06:22 – Why having high customer loyalty is so powerful as an advantage vs competitors 10:01 – The five customer loyalty moats you must know 17:15 – Why ecosystem moats are so hard to build, but generate significant customer loyalty 18:53 – How platform moats generate powerful customer loyalty between multiple parties 20:08 – How can we objectively measure a company's moat using customer loyalty advantages 23:09 – The nine failures in using retention-like KPI's 25:31 – The three barriers that create customer loyalty 26:57 – Why the moat score index is such a handy tool for measuring moat 47:17 – How customer loyalty moats can be disrupted And so much more! Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here. Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Buy a copy of Hidden Monopolies here. Listen to TIP694 The Scuttlebutt Edge here. Follow Kyle on Twitter and LinkedIn. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: SimpleMining Hardblock AnchorWatch Human Rights Foundation Cape Unchained Vanta Shopify Onramp Abundant Mines HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
Colter Nuanez and Andrew Houghton discuss some of the forgotten teams in the Big Sky Conference and share some interesting thoughts about the Griz receivers.
Send us a textAnn P. Kaiser, Ph.D. and Taydi Owens Ray, CCC-SLP, Eon-Joo Jang, M.Ed., BCBAEpisode 134Topic: Building early relationships and language: The potential for positive impacts on school outcomes!https://www.youtube.com/live/7F5brySSi60?si=zB40aNWGvMcb0lpl#EarlyLanguageDevelopment #LanguageIsEverything #OralLanguage #MultilingualLearners #ParentEngagement #LanguageAcquisition #EarlyIntervention #LanguageDevelopmentMatters #language #theliteracyviewSummit Mentor Recordings
In this episode, Clay shares John Bogle's timeless philosophy of passively investing in low-cost index funds. Bogle, the founder of Vanguard, helped spark a global movement that has made investing more accessible and cost-effective. Today, Vanguard manages over $10 trillion in assets, and Bogle's simple approach has been adopted by millions worldwide, collectively saving investors trillions of dollars in fees over the years. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 03:34 - How John Bogle's index fund philosophy revolutionized investing. 05:46 - Why most active mutual fund managers underperform the S&P 500 over time. 25:11 - How to estimate realistic future returns for the S&P 500. 31:50 - How fees and taxes quietly erode investment returns. 50:23 - Why index funds are easier to hold onto during market crashes. 52:11 - Why Clay chose not to invest in index funds at this point in his investment journey. Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here. Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. John Bogle's book, The Little Book of Common Sense Investing. Nick Magguilli's book, Just Keep Buying. Related Episode: MI167: The Bogle Effect w/ Eric Balchunas. Related Episode: TIP709: The Art of Long-Term Investing w/ Francois Rochon. Related Episode: TIP734: My Investment Philosophy w/ Clay Finck. Follow Clay on X and LinkedIn. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: SimpleMining Hardblock AnchorWatch Human Rights Foundation Cape Unchained Vanta Shopify Onramp Abundant Mines HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
Send us a textLive from Big Sky Literacy Summit Day 2Episode 133
Send us a text Big Sky Literacy Summit, Day 2: Dr. Ola Ozernov-Palchik – From Neuroscience to Scalable Human & AI TutoringHow can brain research lead to literacy solutions that truly scale? Dr. Ola Ozernov-Palchik shares how neuroscience is guiding early screening, effective interventions, and the design of assistive technology that supports both teachers and students. From lab research to classroom reality, this conversation is all about turning evidence into impact at scale.
Colter Nuanez and Andrew Houghton revisit a conversation from last week about the state of Montana-Montana State rivalry. Plus: Colter reacts to the new coaching hires on the Griz football staff.
In our inaugural Tubs Short, Brian interviews ISU HC Cody Hawkins at Big Sky Media Day.
Send us a textEpisode 132The Literacy View LIVE from The Big Sky Literacy SummitEpisode Title: Syntax Is Everything with Julie Van Dyke, Nancy Eberhardt, and Carla Stanford
Montana State Representative Kerri Seekins-Crowe may represent just over 10,000 constituents in Yellowstone County, but she carries the concerns of Montana's working families with her wherever she goes. At ALEC's 52nd Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, the ALEC State Chair reflected on her path into public service, her recent legislative priorities, and what she hopes to take home from the conference. Special Guest: Kerri Seekins-Crowe.
Adam Jones was the runner-up for the FCS National Freshman of the Year last year. Coming into his sophomore year, he was named the Big Sky preseason Offensive MVP.
In this week's Akem's Analysis, we will be examining all the schedules for the Big Sky Conference and predicting wins and losses for each team. We will also be discussing Tim Rosario's article, which examines the number of TRUE contenders in each season of FCS football; the numbers are quite surprising. We also predict the FCS Top 25. In the beginning, we look at how many Big Sky players made the #ShrineBowl1000, some big-time names on there, and even some juniors made the list."0:00 - Intro 3:57 - Big Sky Players on the #ShrineBowl1000 List 12:43 - Montana State Defensive Coordinator On The Doubters 19:45 - My FCS Top 25 Prediction 23:05 - My Big Sky Win/Loss Predictions For 2025 35:49 - How Many TRUE Contenders Are In The FCS? 51:59 - Final Thoughts 54:03 - End
Colter Nuanez has thoughts on the trend of Big Sky coaches failing to find success in the FBS, the STATS preseason poll and much more.
La multipremida escritora mexicana, residente en Canadá nos habla de literatura de sus novelas Azul Humo y Seda Araña, de la migración, la ecologia y del Centro Liquidámbar que ella fundó.Música: https://www.purple-planet.com The Big Sky
In this episode, Stig Brodersen speaks with David Fagan, a successful entrepreneur and investor, about the powerful overlap between building businesses and investing in public markets. They explore why business owners often think differently about diversification, dividends, and risk—and how habits, friendships, and clarity of purpose shape long-term success in both business and life. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 05:35 – Why some business owners often become better investors through firsthand experience with risk, volatility, and capital allocation. 14:57 – The blind spots business owners have when they enter the world of investing. 23:09 – Why you might shift your attitude toward dividends after experiencing firsthand how brutal capitalism is. 28:30 – David shares the daily habits that help him stay grounded, including exercise, reading, and reflection. 35:49 – A different take on “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”—and the tradeoffs of seeking higher-caliber peers. 37:51 – Why financial independence raises deeper questions about purpose, relationships, and long-term alignment in life and work. 59:06 – When (and how) to go into business with friends: lessons from real stories about incentives, equity splits, and mutual expectations. Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here. Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Listen to our interview with David Fagan about Buffett's favorite business book. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: Hardblock AnchorWatch Cape Intuit Shopify Vanta reMarkable Abundant Mines HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
The Storm does not cover athletes or gear or hot tubs or whisky bars or helicopters or bros jumping off things. I'm focused on the lift-served skiing world that 99 percent of skiers actually inhabit, and I'm covering it year-round. To support this mission of independent ski journalism, please subscribe to the free or paid versions of the email newsletter.WhoGreg Pack, President and General Manager of Mt. Hood Meadows, OregonRecorded onApril 28, 2025About Mt. Hood MeadowsClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: The Drake Family (and other minority shareholders)Located in: Mt. Hood, OregonYear founded: 1968Pass affiliations:* Indy Pass – 2 days, select blackouts* Indy+ Pass – 2 days, no blackoutsClosest neighboring U.S. ski areas: Summit (:17), Mt. Hood Skibowl (:19), Cooper Spur (:23), Timberline (:26)Base elevation: 4,528 feetSummit elevation: 7,305 feet at top of Cascade Express; 9,000 feet at top of hike-to permit area; 11,249 feet at summit of Mount HoodVertical drop: 2,777 feet lift-served; 4,472 hike-to inbounds; 6,721 feet from Mount Hood summitSkiable acres: 2,150Average annual snowfall: 430 inchesTrail count: 87 (15% beginner, 40% intermediate, 15% advanced, 30% expert)Lift count: 11 (1 six-pack, 5 high-speed quads, 1 fixed-grip quad, 3 doubles, 1 carpet – view Lift Blog's inventory of Mount Hood Meadows' lift fleet)About Cooper SpurClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: The Drake FamilyLocated in: Mt. Hood, OregonYear founded: 1927Pass affiliations: Indy Pass, Indy+ Pass – 2 days, no blackoutsClosest neighboring U.S. ski areas: Mt. Hood Meadows (:22), Summit (:29), Mt. Hood Skibowl (:30), Timberline (:37)Base elevation: 3,969 feetSummit elevation: 4,400 feetVertical drop: 431 feetSkiable acres: 50Average annual snowfall: 250 inchesTrail count: 9 (1 most difficult, 7 more difficult, 1 easier)Lift count: 2 (1 double, 1 ropetow – view Lift Blog's inventory of Cooper Spur's lift fleet)Why I interviewed himVolcanoes are weird. Oh look, an exploding mountain. Because that seems reasonable. Volcanoes sound like something imagined, like dragons or teleportation or dinosaurs*. “So let me get this straight,” I imagine some puzzled Appalachian miner, circa 1852, responding to the fellow across the fire as he tells of his adventures in the Oregon Territory, “you expect me to believe that out thataways they got themselves mountains that just blow their roofs off whenever they feel like it, and shoot off fire and rocks and gas for 50 mile or more, and no one never knows when it's a'comin'? You must think I'm dumber'n that there tree stump.”Turns out volcanoes are real. How humanity survived past day one I have no idea. But here we are, skiing on volcanoes instead of tossing our virgins from the rim as a way of asking the nice mountain to please not explode (seriously how did anyone make it out of the past alive?).And one of the volcanoes we can ski on is Mount Hood. This actually seems more unbelievable to me than the concept of a vengeful nuclear mountain. PNW Nature Bros shield every blade of grass like they're guarding Fort Knox. When, in 2014, federal scientists proposed installing four monitoring stations on Hood, which the U.S. Geological Survey ranks as the sixth-highest threat to erupt out of America's 161 active volcanoes, these morons stalled the process for six years. “I think it is so important to have places like that where we can just step back, out of respect and humility, and appreciate nature for what it is,” a Wilderness Watch official told The New York Times. Personally I think it's so important to install basic monitoring infrastructure so that thousands of people are not incinerated in a predictable volcanic eruption. While “Japan, Iceland and Chile smother their high-threat volcanoes in scientific instruments,” The Times wrote, American Granola Bros say things like, “This is more proof that the Forest Service has abandoned any pretense of administering wilderness as per the letter or spirit of the Wilderness Act.” And Hood and the nation's other volcanoes cackle madly. “These idiots are dumber than the human-sacrifice people,” they say just before belching up an ash cloud that could take down a 747. When officials finally installed these instrument clusters on Hood in 2020, they occupied three boxes that look to be approximately the size of a convenience-store ice freezer, which feels like an acceptable trade-off to mass death and airplanes falling out of the sky.I know that as an outdoor writer I'm supposed to be all pissed off if anyone anywhere suggests any use of even a centimeter of undeveloped land other than giving it back to the deer in a treaty printed on recycled Styrofoam and signed with human blood to symbolize the life we've looted from nature by commandeering 108 square feet to potentially protect millions of lives from volcanic eruption, but this sort of trivial protectionism and willful denial that humans ought to have rights too is the kind of brainless uncompromising overreach that I fear will one day lead to a massive over-correction at the other extreme, in which a federal government exhausted with never being able to do anything strips away or massively dilutes land protections that allow anyone to do anything they can afford. And that's when we get Monster Pete's Arctic Dune Buggies setting up a casino/coal mine/rhinoceros-hunting ranch on the Eliot Glacier and it's like thanks Bros I hope that was worth it to stall the placement of gardenshed-sized public safety infrastructure for six years.Anyway, given the trouble U.S. officials have with installing necessary things on Mount Hood, it's incredible how many unnecessary ones our ancestors were able to build. But in 1927 the good old boys hacked their way into the wilderness and said, “by gum what a spot for snoskiing” and built a bunch of ski areas. And today 31 lifts serve four Mt. Hood ski areas covering a combined 4,845 acres:Which I'm just like, do these Wilderness Watch people not know about this? Perhaps if this and similar groups truly cared about the environmental integrity of Mount Hood they would invest their time, energy, and attention into a long-term regional infrastructure plan that identified parcels for concentrated mixed-use development and non-personal-car-based transit options to mitigate the impact of thousands of skiers traveling up the mountain daily from Portland, rather than in delaying the installation of basic monitoring equipment that notifies humanity of a civilization-shattering volcanic eruption before it happens. But then again I am probably not considering how this would impact the integrity of squirrel poop decomposition below 6,000 feet and the concomitant impacts on pinestand soil erosion which of course would basically end life as we know it on planet Earth.OK this went sideways let me try to salvage it.*Whoops I know dinosaurs were real; I meant to write “the moon landing.” How embarrassing.What we talked aboutA strong 2024-25; recruiting employees in mountains with little nearby housing; why Meadows doesn't compete with Timberline for summer skiing; bye-bye Blue double, Meadows' last standing opening-year chairlift; what it takes to keep an old Riblet operating; the reliability of old versus new chairlifts; Blue's slow-motion demolition and which relics might remain long term; the logic of getting a free anytime buddy lift ticket with your season pass; thoughts on ski area software providers that take a percentage of all sales; why Meadows and Cooper Spur have no pass reciprocity; the ongoing Cooper Spur land exchange; the value of Cooper Spur and Summit on a volcano with three large ski areas; why Meadows hasn't backed away from reciprocal agreements; why Meadows chose Indy over Epic, Ikon, or Mountain Collective; becoming a ski kid when you're not from a ski family; landing at Mountain Creek, New Jersey after a Colorado ski career; how Moonlight Basin started as an independent ski area and eventually became part of Big Sky; the tension underlying Telluride; how the Drake Family, who has managed the ski area since inception, makes decisions; a board that reinvests 100 percent of earnings back into the mountain; why we need large independents in a consolidating world; being independent is “our badge of honor”; whether ownership wants to remain independent long term; potential next lift upgrades; a potential all-new lift line and small expansion; thoughts on a better Heather lift; wild Hood weather and the upper limits of lift service; considering surface lifts on the upper mountain; the challenges of running Cascade Express; the future of the Daisy and Easy Rider doubles; more potential future expansion; and whether we could ever see a ski connection with Timberline Lodge.Why now was a good time for this interviewIt's kind of dumb that 210 episodes into this podcast I've only recorded one Oregon ep: Timberline Lodge President Jeff Kohnstamm, more than three years ago. While Oregon only has 11 active ski areas, and the state ranks 11th-ish in skier visits, it's an important ski state. PNW skiers treat skiing like the Northeast treats baseball or the Midwest treats football or D.C. treats politics: rabid beyond reason. That explains the eight Idaho pods and half dozen each in Washington and B.C. These episodes hit like a hash stand at a Dead show. So why so few Oregon eps?Eh, no reason in particular. There isn't a ski area in North America that I don't want to feature on the podcast, but I can't just order them online like a pizza. Relationships, more than anything, drive the podcast, and The Storm's schedule is primarily opportunity driven. I invite folks on as I meet them or when they do something cool. And sometimes we can connect right away and sometimes it takes months or even years, even if they want to do it. Sometimes we're waiting on contracts or approvals so we can discuss some big project in depth. It can take time to build trust, or to convince a non-podcast person that they have a great story to tell.So we finally get to Meadows. Not to be It-Must-Be-Nice Bro about benefits that arise from clear deliberate life choices, but It must be nice to live in the PNW, where every city sits within 90 minutes of a ripping, open-until-Memorial-Day skyscraper that gets carpet bombed with 400 annual inches but receives between one and four out-of-state visitors per winter. Yeah the ski areas are busy anyway because they don't have enough of them, but busy with Subaru-driving Granola Bros is different than busy with Subaru-driving Granola Bros + Texas Bro whose cowboy boots aren't clicking in right + Florida Bro who bought a Trans Am for his boa constrictor + Midwest Bro rocking Olin 210s he found in Gramp's garage + Hella Rad Cali Bro + New Yorker Bro asking what time they groom Corbet's + Aussie Bro touring the Rockies on a seven-week long weekend + Euro Bro rocking 65 cm underfoot on a two-foot powder day. I have no issue with tourists mind you because I am one but there is something amazing about a ski area that is gigantic and snowy and covered in modern infrastructure while simultaneously being unknown outside of its area code.Yes this is hyperbole. But while everyone in Portland knows that Meadows has the best parking lot views in America and a statistical profile that matches up with Beaver Creek and as many detachable chairlifts as Snowbasin or Snowbird and more snow than Steamboat or Jackson or Palisades or Pow Mow, most of the rest of the world doesn't, and I think they should.Why you should ski Mt. Hood Meadows and Cooper SpurIt's interesting that the 4,845 combined skiable acres of Hood's four ski areas are just a touch larger than the 4,323 acres at Mt. Bachelor, which as far as I know has operated as a single interconnected facility since its 1958 founding. Both are volcanoes whose ski areas operate on U.S. Forest Service land a commutable distance from demographically similar markets, providing a case study in distributed versus centralized management.Bachelor in many ways delivers a better experience. Bachelor's snow is almost always drier and better, an outlier in the kingdom of Cascade Concrete. Skiers can move contiguously across its full acreage, an impossible mission on Balkanized Hood. The mountain runs an efficient, mostly modern 15 lifts to Hood's wild 31, which includes a dozen detachables but also a half dozen vintage Riblet doubles with no safety bars. Bachelor's lifts scale the summit, rather than stopping thousands of feet short as they do on Hood. While neither are Colorado-grade destination ski areas, metro Portland is stuffed with 25 times more people than Bend, and Hood ski areas have an everbusy feel that skiers can often outrun at Bachelor. Bachelor is closer to its mothership – just 26 minutes from Bend to Portland's hour-to-two-hour commutes up to the ski areas. And Bachelor, accessible on all versions of the Ikon Pass and not hamstrung by the confusing counter-branding of multiple ski areas with similar names occupying the same mountain, presents a more clearcut target for the mainstream skier.But Mount Hood's quirky scatterplot ski centers reward skiers in other ways. Four distinct ski areas means four distinct ski cultures, each with its own pace, purpose, customs, traditions, and orientation to the outside world. Timberline Lodge is a funky mix of summertime Bro parks, Government Camp greens, St. Bernards, and its upscale landmark namesake hotel. Cooper Spur is tucked-away, low-key, low-vert family resort skiing. Meadows sprawls, big and steep, with Hood's most interesting terrain. And low-altitude, closest-to-the-city Skibowl is night-lit slowpoke with a vintage all-Riblet lift fleet. Your Epic and Ikon passes are no good here, though Indy gets you Meadows and Cooper Spur. Walk-up lift tickets (still the only way to buy them at Skibowl), are more tier-varied and affordable than those at Bachelor, which can exceed $200 on peak days (though Bachelor heavily discounts access to its beginner lifts, with free access to select novice areas). Bachelor's $1,299 season pass is 30 percent more expensive than Meadows'.This dynamic, of course, showcases single-entity efficiency and market capture versus the messy choice of competition. Yes Free Market Bro you are right sometimes. Hood's ski areas have more inherent motivators to fight on price, forge allegiances like the Timberline-Skibowl joint season pass, invest in risks like night and summer skiing, and run wonky low-tide lift ticket deals. Empowering this flexibility: all four Hood ski areas remain locally owned – Meadows and T-Line by their founding families. Bachelor, of course, is a fiefdom of Park City, Utah-based Powdr, which owns a half-dozen other ski areas across the West.I don't think that Hood is better than Bachelor or that Bachelor is better than Hood. They're different, and you should ski both. But however you dissect the niceties of these not-really-competing-but-close-enough-that-a-comarison-makes-sense ski centers, the on-the-ground reality adds up to this: Hood locals, in general, are a far more contented gang than Bachelor Bros. I don't have any way to quantify this, and Bachelor has its partisans. But I talk to skiers all over the country, all the time. Skiers will complain about anything, and online guttings of even the most beloved mountains exist. But talk to enough people and strong enough patterns emerge to understand that, in general, locals are happy with Mammoth and Alpine Meadows and Sierra-at-Tahoe and A-Basin and Copper and Bridger Bowl and Nub's Nob and Perfect North and Elk and Plattekill and Berkshire East and Smuggs and Loon and Saddleback and, mostly, the Hood ski areas. And locals are generally less happy with Camelback and Seven Springs and Park City and Sunrise and Shasta and Stratton and, lately, former locals' faves Sugarbush and Wildcat. And, as far as I can tell, Bachelor.Potential explanations for Hood happiness versus Bachelor blues abound, all of them partial, none completely satisfactory, all asterisked with the vagaries of skiing and skiers and weather and luck. But my sense is this: Meadows, Timberline, and Skibowl locals are generally content not because they have better skiing than everyplace else or because their ski areas are some grand bargain or because they're not crowded or because they have the best lift systems or terrain parks or grooming or snow conditions, but because Hood, in its haphazard and confounding-to-outsiders borders and layout, has forced its varied operators to hyper-adapt to niche needs in the local market while liberating them from the all-things-to-everyone imperative thrust on isolated operations like Bachelor. They have to decide what they're good at and be good at that all the time, because they have no other option. Hood operators can't be Vail-owned Paoli Peaks, turning in 25-day ski seasons and saying well it's Indiana what do you expect? They have to be independent Perfect North, striving always for triple-digit operating days and saying it's Indiana and we're doing this anyway because if we don't you'll stop coming and we'll all be broke.In this way Hood is a snapshot of old skiing, pre-consolidation, pre-national pass, pre-social media platforms that flung open global windows onto local mountains. Other than Timberline summer parks no one is asking these places to be anything other than very good local ski areas serving rabid local skiers. And they're doing a damn good job.Podcast NotesOn Meadows and Timberline Lodge opening and closing datesOne of the most baffling set of basic facts to get straight in American skiing is the number of ski areas on Mount Hood and the distinction between them. Part of the reason for this is the volcano's famous summer skiing, which takes place not at either of the eponymous ski areas – Mt. Hood Meadows or Mt. Hood Skibowl – but at the awkwardly named Timberline Lodge, which sounds more like a hipster cocktail lounge with a 19th-century fur-trapper aesthetic than the name of a ski resort (which is why no one actually calls it “Timberline Lodge”; I do so only to avoid confusion with the ski area in West Virginia, because people are constantly getting Appalachian ski areas mixed up with those in the Cascades). I couldn't find a comprehensive list of historic closing dates for Meadows and Timberline, but the basic distinction is this: Meadows tends to wrap winter sometime between late April and late May. Timberline goes into August and beyond when it can. Why doesn't Meadows push its season when it is right next door and probably could? We discuss in the pod.On Riblet clipsFun fact about defunct-as-a-company-even-though-a-couple-hundred-of-their-machines-are-still-spinning Riblet chairlifts: rather than clamping on like a vice grip, the end of each chair is woven into the rope via something called an “insert clip.” I wrote about this in my Wildcat pod last year:On Alpental Chair 2A small but vocal segment of Broseph McBros with nothing better to do always reflexively oppose the demolition of legacy fixed-grip lifts to make way for modern machines. Pack does a great job laying out why it's harder to maintain older chairlifts than many skiers may think. I wrote about this here:On Blue's breakover towers and unload rampWe also dropped photos of this into the video version of the pod:On the Cooper Spur land exchangeHere's a somewhat-dated and very biased-against-the-ski-area infographic summarizing the proposed land swap between Meadows and the U.S. Forest Service, from the Cooper Spur Wild & Free Coalition, an organization that “first came together in 2002 to fight Mt. Hood Meadows' plans to develop a sprawling destination resort on the slopes of Mt. Hood near Cooper Spur”:While I find the sanctimonious language in this timeline off-putting, I'm more sympathetic to Enviro Bro here than I was with the eruption-detection controversy discussed up top. Opposing small-footprint, high-impact catastrophe-monitoring equipment on an active volcano to save five bushes but potentially endanger millions of human lives is foolish. But checking sprawling wilderness development by identifying smaller parcels adjacent to already-disturbed lands as alternative sites for denser, hopefully walkable, hopefully mixed-use projects is exactly the sort of thing that every mountain community ought to prioritize.On the combination of Summit and Timberline LodgeThe small Summit Pass ski area in Government Camp operated as an independent entity from its 1927 founding until Timberline Lodge purchased the ski area in 2018. In 2021, the owners connected the two – at least in one direction. Skiers can move 4,540 vertical feet from the top of Timberline's Palmer chair to the base of Summit. While Palmer tends to open late in the season and Summit tends to close early, and while skiers will have to ride shuttles back up to the Timberline lifts until the resort builds a much anticipated gondola connecting the full height, this is technically America's largest lift-served vertical drop.On Meadows' reciprocalsMeadows only has three season pass reciprocal partners, but they're all aspirational spots that passholders would actually travel for: Baker, Schweitzer, and Whitefish. I ask Pack why he continues to offer these exchanges even as larger ski areas such as Brundage and Tamarack move away from them. One bit of context I neglected to include, however, is that neighboring Timberline Lodge and Mount Hood Skibowl not only offer a joint pass, but are longtime members of Powder Alliance, which is an incredible regional reciprocal pass that's free for passholders at any of these mountains:On Ski Broadmoor, ColoradoColorado Springs is less convenient to skiing than the name implies – skiers are driving a couple of hours, minimum, to access Monarch or the Summit County ski areas. So I was surprised, when I looked up Pack's original home mountain of Ski Broadmoor, to see that it sat on the city's outskirts:This was never a big ski area, with 600 vertical feet served by an “America The Beautiful Lift” that sounds as though it was named by Donald Trump:The “famous” Broadmoor Hotel built and operated the ski area, according to Colorado Ski History. They sold the hotel in 1986 to the city, which promptly sold it to Vail Associates (now Vail Resorts), in 1988. Vail closed the ski area in 1991 – the only mountain they ever surrendered on. I'll update all my charts and such to reflect this soon.On pre-high-speed KeystoneIt's kind of amazing that Keystone, which now spins seven high-speed chairlifts, didn't install its first detachable until 1990, nearly a decade after neighboring Breckenridge installed the world's first, in 1981. As with many resorts that have aggressively modernized, this means that Keystone once ran more chairlifts than it does today. When Pack started his ski career at the mountain in 1989, Keystone ran 10 frontside aerial lifts (8 doubles, 1 triple, 1 gondola) compared to just six today (2 doubles, 2 sixers, a high-speed quad, and a higher-capacity gondy).On Mountain CreekI've talked about the bananas-ness of Mountain Creek many times. I love this unhinged New Jersey bump in the same way I loved my crazy late uncle who would get wasted at the Bay City fireworks and yell at people driving Toyotas to “Buy American!” (This was the ‘80s in Michigan, dudes. I don't know what to tell you. The auto industry was falling apart and everybody was tripping, especially dudes who worked in – or, in my uncle's case, adjacent to (steel) – the auto industry.)On IntrawestOne of the reasons I did this insane timeline project was so that I would no longer have to sink 30 minutes into Google every time someone said the word “Intrawest.” The timeline was a pain in the ass, but worth it, because now whenever I think “wait exactly what did Intrawest own and when?” I can just say “oh yeah I already did that here you go”:On Moonlight Basin and merging with Big SkyIt's kind of weird how many now-united ski areas started out as separate operations: Beaver Creek and Arrowhead (merged 1997), Canyons and Park City (2014), Whistler and Blackcomb (1997), Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley (connected via gondola in 2022), Carinthia and Mount Snow (1986), Sugarbush and Mount Ellen (connected via chairlift in 1995). Sometimes – Beaver Creek, Mount Snow – the terrain and culture mergers are seamless. Other times – Alpine and the Palisades side of what is now Palisades Tahoe – the connection feels like opening a store that sells four-wheelers and 74-piece high-end dinnerware sets. Like, these things don't go together, Man. But when Big Sky absorbed Moonlight Basin and Spanish Peaks in 2013, everyone immediately forgot that it was ever any different. This suggests that Big Sky's 2032 Yellowstone Club acquisition will be seamless.**Kidding, Brah. Maybe.On Lehman BrothersNearly two decades later, it's still astonishing how quickly Lehman Brothers, in business for 158 years, collapsed in 2008.On the “mutiny” at TellurideEvery now and then, a reader will ask the very reasonable question about why I never pay any attention to Telluride, one of America's great ski resorts, and one that Pack once led. Mostly it's because management is unstable, making long-term skier experience stories of the sort I mostly focus on hard to tell. And management is mostly unstable because the resort's owner is, by all accounts, willful and boorish and sort of unhinged. Blevins, in The Colorado Sun's “Outsider” newsletter earlier this week:A few months ago, locals in Telluride and Mountain Village began publicly blasting the resort's owner, a rare revolt by a community that has grown weary of the erratic Chuck Horning.For years, residents around the resort had quietly lamented the antics and decisions of the temperamental Horning, the 81-year-old California real estate investor who acquired Telluride Ski & Golf Resort in 2004. It's the only resort Horning has ever owned and over the last 21 years, he has fired several veteran ski area executives — including, earlier this year, his son, Chad.Now, unnamed locals have launched a website, publicly detailing the resort owner's messy management of the Telluride ski area and other businesses across the country.“For years, Chuck Horning has caused harm to us all, both individually and collectively,” reads the opening paragraph of ChuckChuck.ski — which originated when a Telluride councilman in March said that it was “time to chuck Chuck.” “The community deserves something better. For years, we've whispered about the stories, the incidents, the poor decisions we've witnessed. Those stories should no longer be kept secret from everyone that relies on our ski resort for our wellbeing.”The chuckchuck.ski site drags skeletons out of Horning's closet. There are a lot of skeletons in there. The website details a long history of lawsuits across the country accusing Horning and the Newport Federal Financial investment firm he founded in 1970 of fraud.It's a pretty amazing site.On Bogus BasinI was surprised that ostensibly for-profit Meadows regularly re-invests 100 percent of profits into the ski area. Such a model is more typical for explicitly nonprofit outfits such as Bogus Basin, Idaho. Longtime GM Brad Wilson outlined how that ski area functions a few years back:The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe
On today's episode, Clay is joined by Shawn O'Malley to discuss his work on The Intrinsic Value Podcast and two key holdings from The Intrinsic Value Portfolio. Shawn recently launched The Intrinsic Value Podcast alongside co-host Daniel Mahncke, where they conduct weekly deep dives into companies while building their own concentrated portfolio of 20 holdings. In this conversation, they explore Reddit's transformation from an unprofitable tech IPO to a rapidly growing, cash flow positive business, and examine Uber's dominant market position and diversified revenue streams. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 02:01 - Shawn's process for conducting weekly company deep dives on The Intrinsic Value Podcast. 16:14 - How Reddit transformed from an unprofitable IPO to a rapidly growing cash flow positive business. 29:27 - How Reddit's user base presents unique challenges for its advertising business. 44:11 - Why Bill Ackman invested $2 billion in Uber's stock. 52:29 - Why Uber is well-positioned to benefit from the trend to autonomous vehicles. 01:00:57 - An overview of Uber's billion-dollar advertising business. 01:05:18 - Shawn's intrinsic value target price for Uber. And so much more! Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here. Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Check out The Intrinsic Value Podcast. Check out The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out The Intrinsic Value Community. Related Episode: TIVP014: Reddit (RDDT): Valuing the Front Page of the Internet Shawn O'Malley & Daniel Mahnke. Related Episode: TIVP016: Uber (UBER): Cash Burner to Compounder? Shawn O'Malley and Daniel Mahnke. Follow Clay on LinkedIn & X. Follow Shawn on LinkedIn & X. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: Hardblock AnchorWatch Cape Intuit Shopify Vanta reMarkable Abundant Mines HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
Colter Nuanez finishes up a conversation from Monday about five storylines that he's watching for both Montana and Montana State football.
R&R is brought to you The Bobcat CollectiveWe go through our rankings and personal polls for the Big Sky, including the Cats, and talk preseason awards. Go Cats!Intro music courtesy of Ugly Duckling
Colter Nuanez recaps the weekend and shares some of his thoughts about Montana and Montana State football as fall camp draws closer.
In this week's Akem's Analysis, Samuel Akem talk about the nature of "annual opponents" in Big Sky football and what that looks like for each team in the Big Sky Conference. Tom Wistrcill mentioned the concept last week in his time with the media at Big Sky Media Day.Tim Plough commented on one of his young QBs. Have they already found their starting QB for 2025? Late last week, Zack McKinnell tweeted about the transfer of Sacramento State QB Kaiden Bennett, and it sent shock waves across the Big Sky and the entire college football landscape. 0:00 - Intro 1:50 - Big Sky Annual Opponents 19:18 - Montana Hasn't Had A +2,300 Yard Passer in 5 Seasons 29:01 - Donald Trump's College Sports Executive Order 43:38 - UC Davis Starting A Freshman QB? 47:56 - Kaiden Bennett Now at Delaware State 53:21 - Sacred Heart Joining The CAA in 2026 57:33 - Marcus Welnel is UMs NEW “Chief Revenue Officer” 1:03:46 - Final Thoughts 1:05:46 - End
On today's episode, Kyle Grieve discusses the power of mental models, how they sharpen our thinking, and how they improve our decision-making in investing and everyday life. He explores various key concepts in general thinking, including the circle of competence, inversion, first-principles thinking, probabilistic thinking, and more. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 02:01 - What exactly are mental models? 04:37 - The three failures people have with interacting with reality. 08:43 - A simple 6-step framework for making mentals into a habit. 17:45 - How to utilize what you already know to gain an edge. 29:40 - The importance of thinking in first principles to improve your ability to innovate and simplify. 36:10 - How to use thought experiments to analyze a business. 41:14 - Why using second-order thinking can rapidly enhance your quality of thinking. 49:46 - How probabilistic thinking helps make sense of a dynamic world. 58:54 - Why spending time thinking about a problem backwards can improve your upside. 01:04:57 - Why you should focus on simple solutions over complex ones. And so much more! Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here. Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Buy a copy of The Great Mental Models Vol. 1 here. Read Shane Parrish's blog here here. Follow Kyle on X and LinkedIn. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: SimpleMining Hardblock AnchorWatch Onramp Human Rights Foundation Unchained Intuit Shopify Vanta reMarkable HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
Colter Nuanez and Rajiem Seabrook talk Big Sky football, including the big questions surrounding the quarterback position for both the Griz and the 'Cats.
On today's episode, Kyle Grieve discusses Charlie Munger's legendary speech, The Psychology of Human Misjudgment, and unpacks all 25 of his cognitive biases that often lead even the most intelligent people to make poor decisions. Drawing from Poor Charlie's Almanack, Kyle explores how these psychological tendencies—like incentive-caused bias, social proof, and inconsistency avoidance—can distort our thinking in business, investing, and everyday life. He blends Munger's timeless wisdom with real-world investing examples, personal experiences, and practical strategies to help listeners make better, more rational decisions. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 03:02 - Why incentives quietly override moral behavior. 06:32 - Why liking and disliking an investing thesis can distort reality. 09:54 - Why doubt avoidance cause investors to take significant risks in things like IPOs. 12:07 - How inconsistency avoidance causes a lazy creep into our thinking processes. 24:38 - How to avoid the destructive effects of reciprocation. 32:49 - The dangers of overestimating our abilities. 37:44 - Why jumping off a sinking ship beats trying to patch it up. 45:58 - Why contrasting stock prices in exuberant markets evaporates margins of safety. 59:41 - Why investors should choose simplicity > complexity. 01:01:43 - Why you should search for Lollapalooza effects in business. And so much more! Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here. Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Buy a copy of Poor Charlie's Almanack here. Read about Charlie's Psychology of Human Misjudgement here. Watch Charlie's presentation on The Psychology of Human Misjudgement here. Follow Kyle on X and LinkedIn. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: SimpleMining Hardblock AnchorWatch Onramp Human Rights Foundation Unchained Intuit Shopify Vanta reMarkable HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
The crew reports on the Big Sky Conference's 2025 Media Day. Interviews include Idaho head coach Thomas Ford, Big Sky Commissioner Tom Wistrcill, Idaho OL Nate Azzopardi, and Idaho DL Sam Brown.
Football is almost here, and the Weber State wrapped up the 2025 Big Sky Kickoff this week at the Northern Quest Resort and Casino in Spokane. Two players and the head coach of all 12 Big Sky football teams assembled in Spokane for the annual kickoff and media days. Head coach Mickey Mental was joined by Wildcat senior offensive lineman Gavin Ortega and junior defensive tackle Matt Herron at the kickoff. The event included a youth clinic, the annual Big Sky Hall of Fame, meetings and trainings, as well as a media session. Weber State football opens fall camp for the 2025 season on July 30, with the season opener on August 30 at James Madison. The home opener will be on September 20 against Butler. Weber State also hosts Sacramento State, Eastern Washington, Montana, and Northern Arizona.
We toured the NEZ and have a report. Bronco Focus on the offensive line and we'll talk with both Big Sky coaches Cody Hawkins and Thomas Ford.
What draws tens of thousands to a rural Montana ranch each summer? In this special episode from the Daily Inter Lake, reporter Taylor Inman hits the fields at Under the Big Sky 2025 to talk with fans from across the country. From college reunions to last-minute ticket surprises, hear why this music festival—with artists like Tyler Childers, Mumford & Sons, and Wynonna—has become a must-do pilgrimage for Americana lovers. We also explore what makes this more than just a music event: the rodeos, tattoos, Glacier hikes, tooth gems, and cornhole rivalries. It's the story of connection, place, and unforgettable sound under the Montana sky.Learn more at underthebigskyfest.comRead more Under the Big Sky coverage from the DIL: Music, western wear take center stage at Under the Big SkyUnder the Big Sky brings three days of music to Flathead ValleyDrew Landry's return to music leads him to Under the Big Sky festival stageA big thank you to our headline sponsor for the News Now podcast, Loren's Auto Repair! They combine skill with integrity resulting in auto service & repair of the highest caliber. Discover them in Ashley Square Mall at 1309 Hwy 2 West in Kalispell Montana, or learn more at lorensauto.com. In Season 3 of Daily Inter Lake's Deep Dive podcast, we explore the devastating fire that struck the small town of Noxon, Montana. By the end of the day on February 27, 2024, three-quarters of the town's business community were wiped out. Listen to the two-part story on any audio platform you prefer, or watch the series on our YouTube channel.Visit DailyInterLake.com to stay up-to-date with the latest breaking news from the Flathead Valley and beyond. Support local journalism and please consider subscribing to us. Watch this podcast and more on our YouTube Channel. And follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a news tip, want to place an ad, or sponsor this podcast? Contact us! Subscribe to all our other DIL pods! Keep up with northwest Montana sports on Keeping Score, dig into stories with Deep Dive, and jam out to local musicians with Press Play.
J.T. Reed was an All-Big Sky selection in 2022 who then missed 2023 with an injury and split time coming back from another injury last season.This off-season, the Bobcat OL earned his degree and is expected to be one of the top linemen in the Big Sky. He sat down with Colter Nuanez of Skyline Sports.
Bobby Hauck enters his 14th season between two tenures as the head coach of his alma mater. He sat down with Colter Nuanez of Skyline Sports at the Big Sky Kickoff.
Big Sky Conference commissioner Tom Wistricill took questions after giving his annual address at the Big Sky Kickoff in Spokane, Washington on July 21, 2025.
Montana State was picked to win the conference by both the league's coaches and media. Montana State head coach Brent Vigen joined Colter Nuanez of Skyline Sports to preview the 2025 season
Superpowers for Good should not be considered investment advice. Seek counsel before making investment decisions. When you purchase an item, launch a campaign or create an investment account after clicking a link here, we may earn a fee. Engage to support our work.Watch the show on television by downloading the e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or AmazonFireTV. You can also see it on YouTube.Devin: What is your superpower?Lisa: Refusing to give up.Too many families face overwhelming challenges when trying to access life-saving benefits, often giving up before receiving the help they need. Lisa Marino, Founder and CEO of Dopple, has made it her mission to simplify the process.Lisa's personal experience navigating the welfare system while earning her MBA at Stanford inspired her to create Dopple. She explained, “We built for others what we did for ourselves to get our own family through.” Her platform connects families to an array of funding sources—government benefits, philanthropic programs, and contributions from friends and family—by streamlining the process into a simple, AI-driven solution.In today's episode, Lisa highlighted a staggering statistic: “40% of families eligible for SNAP are so overwhelmed by the application process that many just drop out.” She's determined to eliminate this friction, helping families secure critical funding for essentials like childcare, diapers, and even college savings.Dopple's approach begins with a 12-month budget, encouraging families to think comprehensively about their needs. The platform then leverages AI to match families with available resources and funding opportunities. Lisa shared, “We've taken this budget that maybe started at $25,000 and start whacking away at it… shifting $20,000 plus from being out of pocket to the family to the village that wants to support them.”Dopple's innovative model also addresses the philanthropic side. By fractionalizing gifting, Dopple enables friends, family, and organizations to contribute directly to a family's needs. Additionally, the company generates revenue through subscription-based kids' clothing and essential products like diapers and formula.Lisa's commitment to making a difference extends beyond her platform's services. Dopple is currently raising funds on Wefunder, inviting everyday individuals to invest in the company's vision. Lisa explained, “I believe in being egalitarian… If we're trying to help families fund the basics, we need to walk the walk.”By tackling the bureaucratic hurdles that prevent families from accessing critical support, Lisa and Dopple are making an extraordinary impact. Learn more about their mission and investment opportunity at thedopple.com/invest.tl;dr:Lisa Marino, CEO of Dopple, shares her journey navigating welfare systems during her MBA at Stanford.Dopple simplifies access to critical benefits, combining AI and a comprehensive family budgeting platform.The platform connects families to funding sources, reducing out-of-pocket expenses by leveraging their community.Lisa emphasizes Dopple's egalitarian approach, inviting individuals to invest via a Wefunder campaign.Her superpower, refusing to give up, drives her to tackle challenges with persistence and grit.How to Develop Refusing to Give Up As a SuperpowerLisa Marino's superpower is her unrelenting tenacity to overcome obstacles. She described it simply: “The hard part was sitting down and figuring it out.” Whether navigating complex welfare systems during her pregnancy or guiding her company through challenges, Lisa defines success as persistence. As she told her kids, “People who put on the big kid pants clean it up… and move forward.”Lisa's determination was tested during her time as CEO of Rocky. She inherited a company with a $400 million preference stack and declining revenue. Despite being advised against taking the role, she worked tirelessly to restructure the business, rebuild profitability, and grow through acquisitions. Years of difficult conversations and strategic moves eventually led to success—an exemplary display of perseverance.Tips for Developing This Superpower:Set Realistic Expectations: Focus on achieving small wins, even when faced with overwhelming challenges.Embrace the Grind: Accept that progress takes time and effort, and remain committed to the vision.Allow Yourself Breaks: Give yourself permission to recharge when needed, such as Lisa's “quarterly pity party.”Take Control: Address challenges proactively rather than waiting for them to escalate.By following Lisa's example and advice, you can make refusing to give up a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileLisa Marino (she/her):Founder and CEO, DoppleAbout Dopple: Two thirds of all families live paycheck to paycheck yet billions of federal and philanthropic dollars earmarked for these families go unused each year. The system is opaque, inefficient, and requires an advanced degree to navigate. I know this because at one point, before I became a successful operator, I was forced to navigate it for my family. Dopple is the platform to bring transparency and efficiency to the flow of funds in this market. We are the qualification engine and payment rails in the middle. Dopple launches in July in New Jersey, and I am looking for a famly foundation with an aligned vision to be a design and beta partner with us. Use of funds will be to cover needs such as diapers, childcare and tuition for mid to low income families in NJ.Website: thedopple.comCompany Facebook Page: facebook.com/thedoppleOther URL: thedopple.com/investBiographical Information: - First person in my immigrant Mexican family to go to college, which I paid for myself. BS Wharton, MBA Stanford GSB, MA Latin American Studies, Stanford.- Reformed tech M&A banker and 3rd time entrepreneur who gets it done while a single mom. - Bootstrapped my last company and sold it to McClatchy in January 2024.- Designed with my daughter and then GC'd my home build during 2022-2023 in Big Sky, MT while simultaneously running a company. Every piece of trim in my house I stained myself. - At 54, there's still no friends on powder days.Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/lisa-marino-b520545Instagram Handle: @thedopple Support Our SponsorsOur generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today's advertisers include FundingHope, DealMaker, DNA, Rancho Affordable Housing (Proactive). Learn more about advertising with us here.Max-Impact MembersThe following Max-Impact Members provide valuable financial support:Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Hiten Sonpal, RISE Robotics | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Marcia Brinton, High Desert Gear | Matthew Mead, Hempitecture | Michael Pratt, Qnetic | Dr. Nicole Paulk, Siren Biotechnology | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Ralf Mandt, Next Pitch | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name HereUpcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on August 19, 2025, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.SuperCrowdHour, August 20, 2025, at 12:00 PM Eastern. Devin Thorpe, CEO and Founder of The Super Crowd, Inc., will lead a session on "Your Portal, Your Future: How to Choose the Right Reg CF Platform." With so many investment crowdfunding portals available today, selecting the right one can be overwhelming for both founders and investors. In this session, Devin will break down the critical factors to consider—such as platform fees, audience demographics, compliance support, industry focus, and overall user experience. Whether you're a founder planning a raise or an investor exploring where to put your dollars to work, you'll walk away with a clearer understanding of how to evaluate and choose the platform that best aligns with your goals. Don't miss this practical, insight-packed hour designed to help you take your next step in the Reg CF ecosystem with confidence.SuperCrowd25, August 21st and 22nd: This two-day virtual event is an annual tradition but with big upgrades for 2025! We'll be streaming live across the web and on TV via e360tv. Apply for the Live Pitch here. VIPs get access to our better-than-in-person networking, including backstage passes, VIP networking and an exclusive VIP webinar! Get your VIP access for just $25. A select group of affordable sponsorship opportunities is still available. Learn more here.Community Event CalendarSuccessful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET - Click on Events.Devin Thorpe is featured in a free virtual masterclass series hosted by Irina Portnova titled Break Free, Elevate Your Money Mindset & Call In Overflow, focused on transforming your relationship with money through personal stories and practical insights. June 8-21, 2025.Join Dorian Dickinson, founder & CEO of FundingHope, for Startup.com's monthly crowdfunding workshop, where he'll dive into strategies for successfully raising capital through investment crowdfunding. June 24 at noon Eastern.Future Forward Summit: San Francisco, Wednesday, June 25 · 3:30 - 8:30 pm PDT.Regulated Investment Crowdfunding Summit 2025, Crowdfunding Professional Association, Washington DC, October 21-22, 2025.Impact Accelerator Summit is a live in-person event taking place in Austin, Texas, from October 23–25, 2025. This exclusive gathering brings together 100 heart-centered, conscious entrepreneurs generating $1M+ in revenue with 20–30 family offices and venture funds actively seeking to invest in world-changing businesses. Referred by Michael Dash, participants can expect an inspiring, high-impact experience focused on capital connection, growth, and global impact.Call for community action:Please show your support for a tax credit for investments made via Regulation Crowdfunding, benefiting both the investors and the small businesses that receive the investments. Learn more here.If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 9,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe
Colter Nuanez breaks down all the news of the day from the Big Sky Conference media days in Spokane, with sound bites from commissioner Tom Wistrcill, Griz players and more.
Colter Nuanez and Samuel Akem share their impressions from a long day of interviewing players and coaches at the Big Sky Kickoff. Plus: sound from Montana State star Kenneth Eiden.
Talking CFP, Boise State Football, Big Sky media daysSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this week's Akem's Analysis, Samuel Akem discusses the 2025 Big Sky Media Day and all the weekend's happenings. Tom Wistrcill addressed the media and spoke about some of the exciting updates coming to the conference in 2025 and beyond. The preseason all-conference picks, as well as the preseason coaches' and media polls, were also discussed. 0:00 - Intro 3:08 - Tom Wistrcill's State of the Conference Address 24:19 - Big Sky Preseason Media/Coaches Polls 32:51 - Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Picks 40:01 - Final Thoughts 41:51 - End
Kyle Cooper is entering his third season as Head Men's Basketball Coach and Athletic Director at Howard College. In his first two years, the Hawks had a 37-23 record. The Hawks had NJCAA All-Americans back-to-back years and sent 10 players to play at the NCAA D1 level. Cooper has helped players to compete in the SEC, WAC, A-10, Southland, Sun Belt, Big Sky, Summit, and SWAC.Cooper came to Howard after one year as an assistant coach at Tarleton State University. Before Tarleton, Cooper served as the Head Men's basketball coach at Western Texas College. In his two years, the Westerners had back-to-back Region V tournament appearances, multiple wins against nationally-ranked opponents, several appearances in the NJCAA national rankings, and an overall record of 38-19. Before his time in Snyder, Cooper spent one season as the top assistant coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Cooper broke into the coaching industry in 2011 and spent his first six seasons as an assistant and associate head coach for North Iowa Area Community College where he also played and was a first-team All-Region player.On this episode Mike and Kyle discuss the multifaceted challenges and rewards inherent in coaching at the junior college level. Throughout our discussion, Cooper emphasizes the profound educational experience that junior college coaching provides, equipping coaches with the skills to navigate various responsibilities, from recruitment to player development. He shares insights from his coaching journey, highlighting his commitment to fostering players' growth while simultaneously striving for team success. The conversation delves into the intricacies of developing a cohesive team culture, particularly when faced with a roster comprised entirely of newcomers. Ultimately, Cooper conveys his passion for coaching, illustrating how his experiences have shaped his approach to mentorship and leadership in the game of basketball.Follow us on Twitterand Instagram @hoopheadspod for the latest updates on episodes, guests, and events from the Hoop Heads Pod.Make sure you're subscribed to the Hoop Heads Pod on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts and while you're there please leave us a 5 star rating and review. Your ratings help your friends and coaching colleagues find the show. If you really love what you're hearing recommend the Hoop Heads Pod to someone and get them to join you as a part of Hoop Heads Nation.Have your notebook ready as you listen to this episode with Kyle Cooper, Head Men's Basketball Coach at Howard College.Website - https://www.hchawk.com/sports/mbkb/indexEmail - kcooper@howardcollege.eduTwitter/X - @CoachCooper_Visit our Sponsors!Dr. Dish BasketballOur friends at Dr. Dish Basketball are here to help you transform your team's training this off-season with exclusive offers of up to $4,000 OFF their Rebel+, All-Star+, and CT+ shooting machines. Unsure about budget? Dr. Dish offers schools-only Buy Now, Pay Later payment plans to make getting new equipment easier than ever.The Coaching PortfolioYour first impression is everything when applying...
In this unusually personal and candid episode, William Green answers a wide range of probing questions posed by listeners to his podcast and readers of his book, “Richer, Wiser, Happier: How the World's Greatest Investors Win in Markets & Life.” Here, William discusses the key qualities, principles, and practices he's observed in the best investors; how they handle adversity; what he's learned from his own setbacks, failures, and mistakes; and how he'd invest if he were starting over. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 01:19 - What were the three best decisions William Green ever made? 17:04 - What Charlie Munger and Bill Miller can teach us about handling adversity. 23:40 - Why he views indomitable perseverance as the key to success. 34:52 - What drives investing stars like Bill Ackman, Will Danoff, and Mario Gabelli. 48:19 - Why the best investors focus on reducing complexity. 01:03:58 - How to succeed while constructing a calmer, more spacious life. 01:12:50 - How William approaches the art of interviewing. 01:38:22 - What he learned when his career (and profession) went up in smoke. 01:48:39 - What his worst investment mistakes taught him about building wealth. 01:53:28 - How investors can prosper mightily by getting the big things right. 01:55:23 - How he'd invest if he were starting over again. Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here. Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. William Green's podcast interview with Annie Duke. William Green's podcast interview with Samantha McLemore. William Green's podcast interview with Tsoknyi Rinpoche & Daniel Goleman. William Green's podcast interview with Bill Nygren. William Green's podcast interview with Brad Stulberg. Guy Spier's The Education of a Value Investor. Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. Jim Stockdale's Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot. Daniel Goleman & Richard Davison's Altered Traits. Daniel Goleman & Tsoknyi Rinpoche's Why We Meditate. William Green's TEDx Talk. William Green's book, “Richer, Wiser, Happier” – read the reviews of this book. Follow William Green on X. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: SimpleMining Hardblock AnchorWatch Onramp Human Rights Foundation Unchained Intuit Shopify Vanta reMarkable HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
In this episode, Clay dives deep into the remarkable story of Heico — a quiet compounder that's delivered over 22% annual returns for more than three decades. While aerospace may seem like a commoditized or slow-moving industry, Heico flips that assumption on its head. Clay breaks down how the Mendelson family transformed a struggling parts supplier into a $38 billion industry leader through exceptional capital allocation, a culture of ownership, and a nearly unbreakable moat built on regulatory mastery and being a partner that customers can trust. Whether you're an investor, entrepreneur, or business strategist, this episode offers timeless lessons on how to build and sustain a truly durable business. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 01:27 - The story of how the Mendelsons took a tiny parts supplier and turned it into a $38B aerospace powerhouse. 06:47 - How Heico turned strict FAA regulations into its biggest competitive advantage. 10:10 - Why airlines prefer Heico parts over the OEM alternatives. 17:50 - What makes Heico's acquisition playbook similar to Berkshire Hathaway. 27:58 - Why Heico's products and services are extremely sticky and provide predictable, recurring revenue streams. 37:25 - Why economic downturns benefit Heico, creating a countercyclical business model. 47:19 - How Heico's culture is unique and has created hundreds of millionaire factory workers. And so much more! Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here. Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Interview with Eric Mendelson. 50x Podcast with Nick Howley. Book mentioned: Lessons from the Titans. Related Episode: TIP731: Owning Best-In-Class Businesses w/ Joseph Shaposhnik. Related Episode: TIP709: The Art of Long-Term Investing w/ Francois Rochon. Follow Clay on X and LinkedIn. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: SimpleMining Hardblock AnchorWatch Onramp Human Rights Foundation Unchained Intuit Vanta reMarkable Shopify HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
The Chick Who Doesn't Know Sports drops by with updates on Cal Raleigh, the WNBA, Tom Brady and more. Plus: Andrew Houghton breaks down the news of the day, including Ryggs Johnston at the British Open, the Big Sky football preseason polls, Jackson Presley flipping his commitment to Sac State and more.
This week TMPT welcomes into the show for our feature episode, actor and former pro wrestler, Tyler Mane. The former WCW Superstar joins the show to discuss his entire professional wrestling and acting career. Host John Poz and Tyler will also talk about the Marvel's Sabretooth, cameo in Deadpool and Wolverine, Michael Myers, breaking into the wrestling business, WCW, Woman, Big Sky, Mexico, Canada, AJPW, Stu Hart, Sting, Ric Flair, and so much more!Store - Teepublic.com/stores/TMPTFollow us @TwoManPowerTrip on Twitter and IG
On today's episode, Kyle Grieve discusses the principles of value investing, including how to distinguish between speculation and true investing, the dangers of Wall Street's incentive structures, and the importance of prioritizing downside protection over upside potential. We'll also delve into discipline for value investing, how to develop a margin of safety mindset, and how to build a risk-averse strategy and portfolio. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 05:04 - Why most investors speculate rather than invest—and how to tell the difference 11:01 - Why fund managers have structural weaknesses that require them to prioritize the wrong things 13:26 - Why EBITDA can mislead—and how it hides a business's actual condition 16:46 - Why value investors focus more on downside protection than upside potential 18:47 - How to think about margin of safety when constructing a portfolio 31:51 - The three temperamental traits most critical to successful value investing 36:38 - Why value investors hold cash and how they use it as a strategic weapon 44:00 - A detailed breakdown of how Klarman values businesses 20:06 - The major types of value opportunities—and where to find them 1:02:49 - Klarman's perspective on diversification and intelligent position sizing Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here. Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Buy a copy of Margin of Safety here. Follow Kyle on Twitter and LinkedIn. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: SimpleMining Hardblock AnchorWatch Human Rights Foundation Unchained Vanta Shopify Onramp HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
WhoRon Schmalzle, President, Co-Owner, and General Manager of Ski Big Bear operator Recreation Management Corp; and Lori Phillips, General Manager of Ski Big Bear at Masthope Mountain, PennsylvaniaRecorded onApril 22, 2025About Ski Big BearClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Property owners of Masthope Mountain Community; operated by Recreation Management CorporationLocated in: Lackawaxen, PennsylvaniaYear founded: 1976 as “Masthope Mountain”; changed name to “Ski Big Bear” in 1993Pass affiliations:* Indy Pass – 2 days, select blackouts* Indy+ Pass – 2 days, no blackoutsClosest neighboring ski areas: Villa Roma (:44), Holiday Mountain (:52), Shawnee Mountain (1:04)Base elevation: 550 feetSummit elevation: 1,200 feetVertical drop: 650 feetSkiable acres: 26Average annual snowfall: 50 inchesTrail count: 18 (1 expert, 5 advanced, 6 intermediate, 6 beginner)Lift count: 7 (4 doubles, 3 carpets – view Lift Blog's inventory of Ski Big Bear's lift fleet)Why I interviewed themThis isn't really why I interviewed them, but have you ever noticed how the internet ruined everything? Sure, it made our lives easier, but it made our world worse. Yes I can now pay my credit card bill four seconds before it's due and reconnect with my best friend Bill who moved away after fourth grade. But it also turns out that Bill believes seahorses are a hoax and that Jesus spoke English because the internet socializes bad ideas in a way that the 45 people who Bill knew in 1986 would have shut down by saying “Bill you're an idiot.”Bill, fortunately, is not real. Nor, as far as I'm aware, is a seahorse hoax narrative (though I'd like to start one). But here's something that is real: When Schmalzle renamed Masthope Mountain to “Ski Big Bear” in 1993, in honor of the region's endemic black bears, he had little reason to believe anyone, anywhere, would ever confuse his 550-vertical-foot Pennsylvania ski area with Big Bear Mountain, California, a 39-hour, 2,697-mile drive west.Well, no one used the internet in 1993 except weird proto-gamers and genius movie programmers like the fat evil dude in Jurassic Park. Honestly I didn't even think the “Information Superhighway” was real until I figured email out sometime in 1996. Like time travel or a human changing into a cat, I thought the internet was some Hollywood gimmick, imagined because wouldn't it be cool if we could?Well, we can. The internet is real, and it follows us around like oxygen, the invisible scaffolding of existence. And it tricks us into being dumb by making us feel smart. So much information, so immediately and insistently, that we lack a motive to fact check. Thus, a skier in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania (let's call him “Bill 2”), can Google “Big Bear season pass” and end up with an Ikon Pass, believing this is his season pass not just to the bump five miles up the road, but a mid-winter vacation passport to Sugarbush, Copper Mountain, and Snowbird.Well Bill 2 I'm sorry but you are as dumb as my imaginary friend Bill 1 from elementary school. Because your Ikon Pass will not work at Ski Big Bear, Pennsylvania. And I'm sorry Bill 3 who lives in Riverside, California, but your Ski Big Bear, Pennsylvania season pass will not work at Big Bear Mountain Resort in California.At this point, you're probably wondering if I have nothing better to do but sit around inventing problems to grumble about. But Phillips tells me that product mix-ups with Big Bear, California happen all the time. I had a similar conversation a few months ago with the owners of Magic Mountain, Idaho, who frequently sell tubing tickets to folks headed to Magic Mountain, Vermont, which has no tubing. Upon discovering this, typically at the hour assigned on their vouchers, these would-be customers call Idaho for a refund, which the owners grant. But since Magic Mountain, Idaho can only sell a limited number of tickets for each tubing timeslot, this internet misfire, impossible in 1993, means the mountain may have forfeited revenue from a different customer who understands how ZIP codes work.Sixty-seven years after the Giants baseball franchise moved from Manhattan to San Francisco, NFL commentators still frequently refer to the “New York football Giants,” a semantic relic of what must have been a confusing three-decade cohabitation of two sports teams using the same name in the same city. Because no one could possibly confuse a West Coast baseball team with an East Coast football team, right?But the internet put everything with a similar name right next to each other. I frequently field media requests for a fellow names Stuart Winchester, who, like me, lives in New York City and, unlike me, is some sort of founder tech genius. When I reached out to Mr. Winchester to ask where I could forward such requests, he informed me that he had recently disappointed someone asking for ski recommendations at a party. So the internet made us all dumb? Is that my point? No. Though it's kind of hilarious that advanced technology has enabled new kinds of human error like mixing up ski areas that are thousands of miles apart, this forced contrast of two entities that have nothing in common other than their name and their reason for existence asks us to consider how such timeline cohabitation is possible. Isn't the existence of Alterra-owned, Ikon Pass staple Big Bear, with its hundreds of thousands of annual skier visits and high-speed lifts, at odds with the notion of hokey, low-speed, independent, Boondocks-situated Ski Big Bear simultaneously offering a simpler version of the same thing on the opposite side of the continent? Isn't this like a brontosaurus and a wooly mammoth appearing on the same timeline? Doesn't technology move ever upward, pinching out the obsolete as it goes? Isn't Ski Big Bear the skiing equivalent of a tube TV or a rotary phone or skin-tight hip-high basketball shorts or, hell, beartrap ski bindings? Things no one uses anymore because we invented better versions of them?Well, it's not so simple. Let's jump out of normal podcast-article sequence here and move the “why now” section up, so we can expand upon the “why” of our Ski Big Bear interview.Why now was a good time for this interviewEvery ski region offers some version of Ski Big Bear, of a Little Engine That Keeps Coulding, unapologetically existent even as it's out-gunned, out-lifted, out-marketed, out-mega-passed, and out-locationed: Plattekill in the Catskills, Black Mountain in New Hampshire's White Mountains, Middlebury Snowbowl in Vermont's Greens, Ski Cooper in Colorado's I-70 paper shredder, Nordic Valley in the Wasatch, Tahoe Donner on the North Shore, Grand Geneva in Milwaukee's skiing asteroid belt.When interviewing small ski area operators who thrive in the midst of such conditions, I'll often ask some version of this question: why, and how, do you still exist? Because frankly, from the point of view of evolutionary biologist studying your ecosystem, you should have been eaten by a tiger sometime around 1985.And that is almost what happened to Ski Big Bear AKA Masthope Mountain, and what happened to most of the dozens of ski areas that once dotted northeast Pennsylvania. You can spend days doomsday touring lost ski area shipwrecks across the Poconos and adjacent ranges. A very partial list: Alpine Mountain, Split Rock, Tanglwood, Kahkout, Mount Tone, Mount Airy, Fernwood - all time-capsuled in various states of decay. Alpine, slopes mowed, side-by-side quad chairs climbing 550 vertical feet, base lodge sealed, shrink-wrapped like a winter-stowed boat, looks like a buy-and-revive would-be ski area savior's dream (the entrance off PA 147 is fence-sealed, but you can enter through the housing development at the summit). Kahkout's paint-flecked double chair, dormant since 2008, still rollercoasters through forest and field on a surprisingly long line. Nothing remains at Tanglwood but concrete tower pads.Why did they all die? Why didn't Ski Big Bear? Seven other public, chairlift-served ski areas survive in the region: Big Boulder, Blue Mountain, Camelback, Elk, Jack Frost, Montage, and Shawnee. Of these eight, Ski Big Bear has the smallest skiable footprint, the lowest-capacity lift fleet, and the third-shortest vertical drop. It is the only northeast Pennsylvania ski area that still relies entirely on double chairs, off kilter in a region spinning six high-speed lifts and 10 fixed quads. Ski Big Bear sits the farthest of these eight from an interstate, lodged at the top of a steep and confusing access road nearly two dozen backwoods miles off I-84. Unlike Jack Frost and Big Boulder, Ski Big Bear has not leaned into terrain parks or been handed an Epic Pass assist to vacuum in the youth and the masses.So that's the somewhat rude premise of this interview: um, why are you still here? Yes, the gigantic attached housing development helps, but Phillips distills Ski Big Bear's resilience into what is probably one of the 10 best operator quotes in the 209 episodes of this podcast. “Treat everyone as if they just paid a million dollars to do what you're going to share with them,” she says.Skiing, like nature, can accommodate considerable complexity. If the tigers kill everything, eventually they'll run out of food and die. Nature also needs large numbers of less interesting and less charismatic animals, lots of buffalo and wapiti and wild boar and porcupines, most of which the tiger will never eat. Vail Mountain and Big Sky also need lots of Ski Big Bears and Mt. Peters and Perfect Norths and Lee Canyons. We all understand this. But saying “we need buffalo so don't die” is harder than being the buffalo that doesn't get eaten. “Just be nice” probably won't work in the jungle, but so far, it seems to be working on the eastern edge of PA.What we talked aboutUtah!; creating a West-ready skier assembly line in northeast PA; how – and why – Ski Big Bear has added “two or three weeks” to its ski season over the decades; missing Christmas; why the snowmaking window is creeping earlier into the calendar; “there has never been a year … where we haven't improved our snowmaking”; why the owners still groom all season long; will the computerized machine era compromise the DIY spirit of independent ski areas buying used equipment; why it's unlikely Ski Big Bear would ever install a high-speed lift; why Ski Big Bear's snowmaking fleet mixes so many makes and models of machines; “treat everyone as if they just paid a million dollars to do what you're going to share with them”; why RFID; why skiers who know and could move to Utah don't; the founding of Ski Big Bear; how the ski area is able to offer free skiing to all homeowners and extended family members; why Ski Big Bear is the only housing development-specific ski area in Pennsylvania that's open to the public; surviving in a tough and crowded ski area neighborhood; the impact of short-term rentals; the future of Ski Big Bear management, what could be changing, and when; changing the name from Masthope Mountain and how the advent of the internet complicated that decision; why Ski Big Bear built maybe the last double-double chairlift in America, rather than a fixed-grip quad; thoughts on the Grizzly and Little Bear lifts; Indy Pass; and an affordable season pass.What I got wrongOn U.S. migration into cities: For decades, America's youth have flowed from rural areas into cities, and I assumed, when I asked Schmalzle why he'd stayed in rural PA, that this was still the case. Turns out that migration has flipped since Covid, with the majority of growth in the 25-to-44 age bracket changing from 90 percent large metros in the 2010s to two-thirds smaller cities and rural areas in this decade, according to a Cooper Center report.Why you should ski Ski Big BearOK, I spent several paragraphs above outlining what Ski Big Bear doesn't have, which makes it sound as though the bump succeeds in spite of itself. But here's what the hill does have: a skis-bigger-than-it-is network of narrow, gentle, wood-canyoned trails; one of the best snowmaking systems anywhere; lots of conveyors right at the top; a cheapo season pass; and an extremely nice and modern lodge (a bit of an accident, after a 2005 fire torched the original).A ski area's FAQ page can tell you a lot about the sort of clientele they're built to attract. The first two questions on Ski Big Bear's are “Do I need to purchase a lift ticket?” and “Do I need rental equipment?” These are not questions you will find on the website for, say, Snowbird.So mostly I'm going to tell you to ski here if you have kids to ski with, or a friend who wants to learn. Ski Big Bear will also be fine if you have an Indy Pass and can ski midweek and don't care about glades or steeps, or you're like me and you just enjoy novelty and exploration. On the weekends, well, this is still PA, and PA skiing is demented. The state is skiing's version of Hanoi, Vietnam, which has declined to add traffic-management devices of any kind even as cheap motorbikes have nearly broken the formerly sleepy pedestrian city's spine:Hanoi, Vietnam, January 2016. Video by Stuart Winchester. There are no stop signs or traffic signals, for vehicles or pedestrians, at this (or most), four-way intersections in old-town Hanoi.Compare that to Camelback:Camelback, Pennsylvania, January 2024. Video by Stuart Winchester.Same thing, right? So it may seem weird for me to say you should consider taking your kids to Ski Big Bear. But just about every ski area within a two-hour drive of New York City resembles some version of this during peak hours. Ski Big Bear, however, is a gentler beast than its competitors. Fewer steeps, fewer weird intersections, fewer places to meet your fellow skiers via high-speed collision. No reason to release the little chipmunks into the Pamplona chutes of Hunter or Blue, steep and peopled and wild. Just take them to this nice little ski area where families can #FamOut. Podcast NotesOn smaller Utah ski areasStep off the Utah mainline, and you'll find most of the pow with fewer of the peak Wasatch crowds:I've featured both Sundance and Beaver Mountain on the podcast:On Plattekill and Berkshire EastBoth Plattekill, New York and Berkshire East, Massachusetts punched their way into the modern era by repurposing other ski areas' junkyard discards. The owners of both have each been on the pod a couple of times to tell their stories:On small Michigan ski areas closingI didn't ski for the first time until I was 14, but I grew up within an hour of three different ski areas, each of which had one chairlift and several surface lifts. Two of these ski areas are now permanently closed. My first day ever was at Mott Mountain in Farwell, Michigan, which closed around 2000:Day two was later that winter at what was then called “Bintz Apple Mountain” in Freeland, which hasn't spun lifts in about a decade:Snow Snake, in Harrison, managed to survive:The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast is a sustainable small business directly because of my paid subscribers. To upgrade, please click through below. Thank you for your support of independent ski journalism. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe
In this episode, Clay reviews Lee Freeman-Shor's book — The Art of Execution. Freeman-Shor studied 45 of the world's top investors over seven years, revealing why investment success depends far more on execution than stock picking. Through analysis of nearly 1,000 investments, he discovered that even the best investors are wrong half the time, but their success comes from how they handle both winners and losers. This episode provides essential lessons on the execution strategies that determine long-term investment success. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 06:07 - The three types of investor behaviors when facing losing positions and their outcomes. 08:37 - The psychological biases that trap investors in losing positions for years. 11:48 - Why even the world's best investors are wrong 51% of the time. 38:17 - Why selling winners early is more damaging than holding losers too long. 56:25 - How concentration beats diversification for generating superior long-term returns. 58:42 - Why execution matters more than stock picking for investment success. 01:00:36 - The five-point winner's checklist for executing investment strategies like top performers. And so much more! Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here. Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Lee Freeman-Shor's book: The Art of Execution. Michael Lewis' book: Moneyball. The Intrinsic Value Podcast. Shawn and Daniel's episode on Reddit. Related Episode: TIP709: The Art of Long-Term Investing w/ Francois Rochon. Follow Clay on X and LinkedIn. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: SimpleMining Hardblock AnchorWatch Human Rights Foundation Unchained Vanta Shopify Onramp HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
In this episode, Stig Brodersen speaks with Guy Spier who has outperformed the S&P 500 since 1997, with a 9.6% vs. 8.8% CAGR. They explore why Guy invested in The Economist, and how friendships, service, and living by an inner scorecard guide his life and investment philosophy. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 02:27 - Why Guy Spier decided to invest in The Economist. 13:16 - How Guy is living by his inner scorecard. 55:16 - Why friendships are there for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. 55:16 - How does Guy invest in friendships? 01:09:03 - How to facilitate thoughtful conversations with friends. 01:22:03 - How do you seek wisdom? 01:44:04 - How do you identify how to best be of service? 01:57:43 - What money can and can't buy you. Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here. Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Stig's interview with Guy Spier about his track record and risk. Stig's interview with Guy Spier about investing and life. Stig and Preston's interview with Guy Spier on his book, The Education of a Value Investor. Stig and Preston's interview with Guy Spier about his lunch with Warren Buffett. Guy Spier's book, The Education of a Value Investor – Read reviews of the book. Subscribe to Guy Spier's Free Newsletter. Guy Spier's podcast and website. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: SimpleMining AnchorWatch Human Rights Foundation Onramp Superhero Leadership Unchained Vanta Shopify HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
In this episode, Clay shares the key principles behind his personal investment approach. His approach has been shaped by over a decade of experience and lessons from great investors like Charlie Munger, Nick Sleep, and Chris Mayer. He explains how he builds a portfolio focused on high-quality businesses and long-term compounding. It's a candid look at how he filters out the noise and plays the game on his own terms. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 03:19 - How Clay defines and pursues financial independence through investing. 05:22 - The lessons Clay learned from Charlie Munger, Nick Sleep, and Chris Mayer. 08:35 - How Clay constructs and thinks about his personal portfolio. 16:22 - Why great businesses often beat cheap stocks over the long run. 27:05 - What “sidecar investing” means and how to apply it. 58:08 - The importance of simplicity and ignoring market noise. 01:04:26 - Why patience may be the biggest edge in investing. Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join Clay and a select group of passionate value investors for a retreat in Big Sky, Montana. Learn more here. Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Richard Zechhauser's paper: Investing in the Unknown and Unknowable. Related Episode: TIP598: A Tribute to Charlie Munger. Related Episode: TIP492: The Best Investor You've Never Heard Of (Nick Sleep). Related Episode: TIP677: Why Most Stocks Will Lose You Money w/ Hendrik Bessembinder. Related Episode: TIP713: Why Serial Acquirers Outperform w/ Niklas Savas. Clay's podcast episode on Constellation Software. Clay's podcast episode on Topicus. Clay's podcast episode on Dino Polska. Clay's podcast episode on Booking Holdings. Clay's video on Lumine. Follow Clay on X and LinkedIn. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out our We Study Billionaires Starter Packs. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: SimpleMining AnchorWatch Human Rights Foundation Onramp Superhero Leadership Unchained Vanta Shopify HELP US OUT! Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review on Spotify! It takes less than 30 seconds, and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it! Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm