Podcasts about Consumer

Trump Calls For 2020 Election To Be Completely Overturned In Wake of SPLC Revelations! That Means All Actions of Biden Admin Were Illegitimate! Plus, Netherlands To Legalize Humanoid Babies In Name of LGBT! Consumer Sentiment Plunges On Inflation

Story of the Week (DR):Apple names John Ternus as CEO to replace Tim Cook, who will become chairmanApple CEO Tim Cook is stepping downMeet John Ternus, the 51-year-old former swimming champ who will succeed Tim Cook as Apple CEOTim Cook to step down as Apple CEO. In letter, describes 15 years of emailsTim Cook's exit is part of a CEO reckoning sweeping Corporate AmericaAre internal CEOs the way to go?Best Buy taps insider Jason Bonfig as new CEO, Corie Barry steps downShe's actually leaving the boardLululemon names former Nike exec Heidi O'Neill as CEO MMLululemon CEO Pick Heidi O'Neill Faces Skeptical Wall Street AND Lululemon shares dive on new CEO pick — as investors fear she may not have chops to save struggling companyO'Neill brings more than 30 years of experience in performance apparel, footwear, and sports, including over 25 years at Nike, where she was credited with transforming their women's business from a side-project into a global juggernaut. Her leadership spanned product creation, brand strategy, marketing, and global operations, making her one of the most influential executives in the company's modern era. Most recently, she served as President, Consumer, Product & Brand, overseeing Nike's global consumer and product engineGolden hello: $7M equity, $2M cashRoughly 75% of Lululemon's customers are womenLululemon board: 7 of 11 FChair Martha MorfittCommittees:Audit: 2 of 3 F, including chairNomination: 3 of 5Pay: 3 of 5 F, including chairAlso: CFO, Chief Merchandising Officer, Chief People & Culture Officer, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, Chief Brand & Product Activation OfficerNow we get why Chip is so mad: Chip Wilson, Lululemon's founder, largest shareholder and chief agitator, has not weighed in on the pick yet, although he previously advocated for waiting to name a new CEO until the board could be resetBest Buy taps insider Jason Bonfig as new CEO, Corie Barry steps downBest Buy taps insider Bonfig to succeed veteran Barry as CEO amid demand slowdownOil giant BP suffers shareholder revolt over climate transparency at tense AGM“BP suffered a shareholder revolt at its AGM over the election of a new chair and resolutions that included dropping some climate disclosure obligations”BP failed to get majority shareholder approval on two highly anticipated motions, which would have permitted online-only AGMs and retired two company-specific climate disclosure obligations. Each resolution received around 47% support, far short of the required 75% required to pass.Ahead of the AGM, BP's board blocked a motion tabled by Follow This that would have required the company to share plans on creating value for shareholders under future scenarios of falling oil and gas demand.Resolution 1: Annual Report and Accounts – 98% For / 2% AgainstResolution 2: Directors' remuneration report – 95% For / 5% AgainstResolution 3: Directors' remuneration policy – 95% For / 5% AgainstResolution 4: To elect Albert Manifold as a director – 82% For / 18% AgainstSome activist investors had said even a 5% vote against Manifold, who has only been in post as chair since October, would represent a severe reprimand, particularly after a historic 24% vote against outgoing chair Helge Lund last year.Resolution 5: To elect Meg O'Neill as a director – 97% For / 3% AgainstResolution 6: To re-elect Kate Thomson as a director – 96% For / 4% AgainstResolution 7: To re-elect Dame Amanda Blanc as a director – 95% For / 5% AgainstResolution 8: To re-elect Tushar Morzaria as a director – 96% For / 4% AgainstResolution 9: To re-elect Ian Tyler as a director – 96% For / 4% AgainstResolution 10: To re-elect Satish Pai as a director – 92% For / 8% AgainstResolution 11: To re-elect Dr Johannes Teyssen as a director – 89% For / 11% AgainstResolution 12: To re-elect Hina Nagarajan as a director – 96% For / 4% AgainstResolution 13: To elect Dave Hager as a director – 97% For / 3% AgainstResolution 14: Reappointment of auditor – 100% For / 0% AgainstResolution 15: Remuneration of auditor – 100% For / 0% AgainstResolution 16: Political donations and political expenditure – 98% For / 2% AgainstResolution 17: Directors' authority to allot shares – 96% For / 4% AgainstResolution 18: Special resolution: Authority for disapplication of pre-emption rights – 99% For / 1% AgainstResolution 19: Special resolution: Additional authority for disapplication of pre-emption rights – 99% For / 1% AgainstResolution 20: Special resolution: Share buyback – 100% For / 0% AgainstResolution 21: Special resolution: Notice of general meetings – 94% For / 6% AgainstResolution 22: Special resolution: New Articles of Association – 47% For / 53% AgainstResolution 23: Special resolution: Revocation of previous 2015 and 2019 resolutions – 47% For / 53% AgainstResolution 24: Special resolution: ACCR shareholder resolution – 26% For / 74% AgainstNetflix authorizes $25 billion share buyback after stock dropPopulist Math Time:Employees: As of 2026, Netflix employs roughly 16,000 people. If you took that $25 billion and distributed it directly to the workforce = $1,562,500 per employeeAlternatively: They could fund a $100,000 annual salary for 250,000 new people for an entire year.Customers: Netflix has roughly 325 million subscribers globally. If they decided to use that money to subsidize the service instead of buying back stock: $77 per person.Netflix could give every subscriber on the planet roughly 4 to 5 months of service for free.Or, they could lower the price of every subscription by about $6.40 per month for a full year.Social impact:Various estimates (including from HUD) suggest that ending homelessness in the US would cost roughly $20 billion to $30 billion.It could provide a full four-year scholarship (at an average cost of $100k total) to 250,000 students.It could fund the eradication of several neglected tropical diseases or provide clean water infrastructure for tens of millions of people globally.For perspective, the entire annual budget for NASA in 2025 was around $25 billion. Netflix is essentially spending one "National Space Program" worth of cash just to tweak its stock price.Shareholders:If Netflix successfully retires that 6.4% of shares and the market maintains its current valuation, the stock price should mathematically rise by about 7% to compensate for the reduced supply.If the price jumps 7% (from $93 to roughly $99.50), here is the wealth jump:Vanguard: $2.5BBlackRock: $2.1BFidelity: $1.4BReed Hastings: $138MGoodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: Lufthansa Cuts 20,000 Flights to Save Fuel Amid Iran War Price SurgeMM: The Onion Says It Has Again Struck a Deal to Take Over InfowarsMM: Texas Capital stays incorporated in Delaware after shareholders reject 'Dexit' voteAre investors waking up??? They rejected TEXAS CAPITAL redomestication to TEXAS!Assholiest of the Week (MM):White guy victimhood DR‘The disfavored groups, No. 1, obviously, would be white males': Ron DeSantis is still signing anti-DEI legislationWhite males are…70% of governors70% of congress60% of US corporate boards31% of US populationWhat percentage of DEI programs for companies were designed by white male CEOs? 90% of CEOs in Fortune 500 are white guys - so ALL OF THEMSo when we read: White House study says DEI policies cost US economy by promoting unqualified managers…Even if the premise and math and methodology and concepts are literally all make believe, we SHOULD take away that “white men pretending to do DEI are bad for the economy” right?Federal Job Cuts Hit Black Women Hard—a Year Later, Unemployment Is UpDonald Trump 'Honours' UGA Women's Tennis Champions With Bizarre Photo Featuring Only Men In The ForegroundThe anti DEI, white male victimhood movement should entirely OWN DEI itself - this is the great blame transfer - somehow manage to blame black women and gays for the fact that white men running the world instituted shitty policies not meant to distribute equal opportunity, just meant for press releases - anti DEI is actually anti white male leaders. Make every company CEO a black woman and then see what DEI looks likeWhite guy manifestosPalantir published a mini manifesto calling some cultures ‘harmful' and ‘middling' and said Silicon Valley has ‘a moral debt' to the U.S.Why are tech bros so insistent we listen to everything they think? Were you not listened to as a child? Did no one ever validate you? Is this just about sex? Could you not get laid, and now because you have money you need to get everything you ever thought off your chest?Here are snippets of what Alex Karp, man who couldn't get laid, thought so important that we know:The postwar neutering of Germany and Japan must be undone.The culture almost snickers at Musk's interest in grand narrative, as if billionaires ought to simply stay in their lane of enriching themselves . . . . Any curiosity or genuine interest in the value of what he has created is essentially dismissed, or perhaps lurks from beneath a thinly veiled scorn.The ruthless exposure of the private lives of public figures drives far too much talent away from government service.Man who exposes private lives as a business model says it's badWe, in America and more broadly the West, have for the past half century resisted defining national cultures in the name of inclusivity.All very important points from a man we should clearly listen to about everything - the lane I want you to stay in is “shut the fuck up” lane where, BECAUSE you have billions, I'm not forced to listen to you as if you matterWhite guy philanthropyJeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos Donate $34 Million in Fashion GrantsMacKenzie Scott's latest donation takes her HBCU giving to well over $1 billionMacKenzie Scott has donated more than $26 billion—but it's barely made a dent in her net worth because of the power of Amazon sharesHeadliniest of the WeekDR: The blowhards:Sam Altman opens up about the Molotov cocktail attack on his home: 'The way Anthropic talks about OpenAI doesn't help'Nvidia CEO says that AI agents will make workers busier than ever—they'll ‘harass' and ‘micromanage' you, instead of take your jobMcDonald's boss on abuse claims: 'I don't want to talk about the past'Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says you won't lose your job to AI—you'll lose it to your coworker who uses it‘I think it's a mistake': Delta CEO Ed Bastian refuses to call it ‘artificial intelligence' because it scares peopleAI will boost productivity so ServiceNow won't have to backfill open jobs, CEO saysDR: The Nutter Chutter Butter Double: Morgan Stanley biotech banker Jessica Chutter joins Tectonic board AND Tectonic Therapeutic Appoints Jessica Chutter to Board of DirectorsI screwed up: blanked and thought that was two different companies. But then I did 3 seconds of research and found that she had joined a second board: PTC Therapeutics on March 24, 2026.MM: Apple's New CEO Needs to Be a ‘Cowboy' — But Can He With Tim Cook Still There?MM: SEC Imposes Strict Nine-Year Cap on Independent DirectorsPhillipinesWho Won the Week?DR: Jessica ChutterMM: The Philippines, whose corporate boards will no longer be allowed to have Edward Sylvester of WestAmerica Bancorp, born in 1938 and on the board for 47 yearsPredictionsDR: Nobody ever talks about Jason BonfigMM: Edward Sylvester steps down as Lead Independent Director of WestAmerica Bancorp to take the role of Non Executive Advisor to the Lead Independent Director Emeritus of WestAmerica Bancorp, says the rise of AI calls fresh blood on the board

The AI race, the future of AGI, and the inside story of OpenAI. Greg Brockman is the co-founder and President of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT and GPT-5. He was the first engineer at Stripe before leaving in 2015 to help start OpenAI. In this rare conversation, Greg goes inside the moments that built, and nearly broke, the most important AI company in the world. Greg explains how the original Napa offsite produced the three-step technical plan OpenAI has followed for a decade and the real reason OpenAI had to abandon its pure nonprofit structure. He then walks through the 72 hours after Sam Altman was fired: where he was when he got the board call, why he quit the same day, how the "Phoenix" backup company was designed at Sam's house the next morning, and the moment Ilya Sutskever's tweet changed everything. From there, the conversation turns forward: whether we're in a global AI race, how much of OpenAI's own code is now written by AI ("it's hard to know what percent is not"), why OpenAI stopped showing reasoning traces, what a compute-constrained world means for who gets access to AGI, and Greg's answer to the question everyone is really asking: What happens to your job? ----- Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:49 Meeting Sam Altman and Starting OpenAI 00:02:40 Building the Founding Team 00:04:25 DeepMind's Lead Over OpenAI 00:04:54 Changing OpenAI to a For-Profit Model 00:06:05 Breakthrough Moments at OpenAI 00:08:22 What Dota 2 Meant for OpenAI 00:10:04 Reasoning Versus Prediction 00:11:59 Tensions Grow at OpenAI 00:15:44 Sam Altman's Firing 00:17:49 Greg Quits OpenAI 00:19:56 Sam Explores Deal with Microsoft's Satya 00:20:28 OpenAI Employees Sign Petition for Altman's Return 00:23:43 Ilya Sutskever Leaves OpenAI 00:24:59 Lessons Learned in Leadership after Sam Ousting 00:28:22 The Thing Ilya Said that Greg Can't Forget 00:32:22 Is AI Going Parabolic? 00:33:24 How Much of OpenAI's Code is Written by AI? 00:36:21 Are AI Chatbots Just Telling Us What We Want to Hear? 00:38:06 The Global AI Race to Reach AGI 00:38:40 What Happens if US Doesn't Reach AGI First? 00:39:49 Are Competing Countries Stealing AI Advancements from U.S? 00:40:38 Why ChatGPT No Longer Shows Reasoning 00:41:47 The Finite Constraints of Compute 00:43:38 On Investing Early in Data Centers 00:46:31 The Future of Data Center Specialization 00:47:52 How OpenAI Will Decide Whose Queries to Serve 00:49:08 OpenAI on Consumer vs Enterprise Models 00:53:05 Data Centers in Space? 01:00:56 What Should AI Regulation Look Like? 01:04:33 The Future of AI-Powered Entrepreneurship 01:04:44 AI and Job Loss 01:07:15 The Skills Young People Should Invest In 01:11:30 What Does Success Look Like For You? ------ Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it's completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠ Insta: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠ Follow Greg Brockman: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thegdb/ Blog: https://blog.gregbrockman.com/ ------ Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: +CoinShares: Delivering Reason to Digital Asset Investing. ⁠https://coinshares.com/⁠ +Granola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://www.granola.ai/shane Check out the Granola Notes. HeyGen is a message-first AI video platform that helps people and AI agents turn ideas into professional video in minutes. Try for free at https://www.heygen.com/ Join the salty rebellion: https://drinklmnt.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The war is over? Next we were off to the moon! Today we talk geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and their impact on global markets. Markets have reacted optimistically despite underlying economic realities such as rising inflation, delayed energy shocks, and weakening global growth that have yet to fully materialize. Market movements are currently driven more by sentiment and positioning than fundamentals, with unusual sector reversals and shifting correlations adding to the complexity. Patience and caution are always the most important thing: markets are overstretched, earnings reactions matter more than the results themselves, and delayed economic impacts are likely to surface in coming months, meaning investors should focus on how markets respond to new information rather than blindly chasing momentum. We discuss... Reports of a ceasefire and the Strait of Hormuz reopening have boosted market optimism, though confirmation remains unclear. Markets have rallied sharply, pricing in a best-case scenario despite limited improvement in underlying fundamentals. Energy markets remain volatile, with oil shocks expected to impact the global economy with a delayed effect. Emerging markets are facing greater strain due to reliance on energy imports and policy responses like subsidies and rationing. Inflation pressures are rising again, driven largely by energy costs and sector-specific factors. Global growth expectations are being revised lower, with downside risks increasing amid geopolitical uncertainty. Market behavior has shifted from fear-driven to misaligned, where optimism is outpacing economic reality. Sector performance has flipped compared to pre-war trends, with previous leaders now lagging and vice versa. Correlations between asset classes have tightened, reflecting stress and leverage in the system rather than normal rotation. The market is acting as a forward-looking mechanism, already pricing in expected future disruptions. Earnings season should be evaluated based on market reaction rather than headline results. Delayed economic impacts, especially from energy supply chains, are expected to show up in future quarters. Labor market data shows cooling job and wage growth, adding pressure alongside rising costs. Consumer spending is slowing, which could weigh on corporate profits moving forward. Rapid market gains have created overbought conditions, increasing the risk of consolidation or pullback. Investor positioning and short-covering have contributed to the recent rally. Caution is advised against chasing momentum, particularly in an overstretched market. Market conditions remain messy and difficult to interpret, with few clear trends emerging.   Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the full show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/the-war-is-over-809 

A jar of homemade deodorant at a Portland farmers market became a multimillion-dollar acquisition by Unilever seven years later, and the woman behind it never had a master plan.On this episode of Dear FoundHer, host Lindsay Pinchuk sits down with Jaime Schmidt, founder of Schmidt's Naturals, for one of those rare, unfiltered conversations about bootstrapping a consumer brand from a kitchen table with almost no money, no manufacturing experience, and a newborn at home. Jaime's path was not linear or polished. She was a social worker who moved across the country, got inspired by the Portland maker community, and started whipping up natural deodorant while pregnant because she wanted cleaner products and could not afford to buy them. That is where it all began.What makes her story so useful for a first-time founder is how unglamorous the early days really were. Jaime hand-formulated everything using basic pantry ingredients, packed jars in a garage with a small team working off a changing table, and sold them on Etsy and at markets before she had a real website. Getting publicity came not from a PR firm but from sending samples to bloggers and YouTubers who were excited for new things to try. An early Today Show feature brought a flood of orders she was not ready for.Transitioning from employee to founder meant learning wholesale, retail pricing, inventory forecasting, and supply chain on the fly as the brand moved into Whole Foods and beyond. Managing rapid growth brought its own pressure. Scaling rapidly through multiple manufacturing spaces while trying to protect product quality and stay cash-flow stable tested everything she had built.Jaime's advice to women starting over or starting late? Stop talking yourself out of it. Find people who support you. And stop fixating on the end game. Just focus on the next real step in front of you. She did exactly that, and it was enough.Episode Breakdown:00:00 Jaime Schmidt on Building Schmidt's Naturals From Scratch03:16 How Schmidt's Naturals Started at a Kitchen Table06:09 Getting Publicity Through Bloggers, The Today Show, and Early Retail Wins10:39 Bootstrapping Manufacturing and Scaling Into Major Retail Stores13:08 Why Jaime Schmidt Sold Schmidt's Naturals to Unilever17:28 How to Scale a Consumer Brand Without Losing Your Values22:20 Jaime Schmidt on Mentorship, Supermaker, and Investing After Exit26:28 Business Advice for Women Starting Later and Becoming a FounderConnect with Jaime Schmidt:Follow Jaime on InstagramConnect with Jaime on LinkedInSubscribe to The FoundHer Files: http://foundherfiles.substack.comDon't build your business alone, join the FoundHer Forum to build alongside women just like you: https://www.dearfoundher.com/tourFollow Dear FoundHer on Instagram Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do simple choices like buying groceries, using plastic, or ordering dinner feel so loaded? In this episode of How to Protect the Ocean, we unpack the hidden systems that push environmental responsibility onto consumers instead of solving problems where they start. If you've ever felt guilty trying to "do the right thing," this episode is for you. Consumer choices matter, but they were never meant to carry the full weight of ocean conservation, climate action, or ethical supply chains. We explore seafood sourcing, AI data centers, plastic waste, and why corporations often benefit when responsibility gets pushed downstream to everyday people. The surprising truth: guilt is not the solution, clarity is. Real change happens when we push accountability upstream, where decisions, power, and profit actually live. Follow How to Protect the Ocean for more weekday ocean stories and real conservation insight. Support Independent Podcasts: https://www.speakupforblue.com/patreon Help fund a new seagrass podcast: https://www.speakupforblue.com/seagrass Join the Undertow: https://www.speakupforblue.com/jointheundertow Connect with Speak Up For Blue Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speakupforblue Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc YouTube: www.speakupforblue.com/youtube  

This episode originally aired on The Kevin Rose Show. Kevin Rose speaks with Anish Acharya, general partner at a16z, about how AI is rewriting the rules of consumer software, the defensibility of network effects in a world where anyone can spin up an app in 48 hours, and why the real threat to consumer founders may be the cost of inference, not competition. They also discuss model pricing, the future of the four-day work week, and peptides.   Resources: Follow Anish on X: https://x.com/illscience Follow Kevin on X: https://x.com/kevinrose   Stay Updated:Find a16z on YouTube: YouTubeFind a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Show on SpotifyListen to the a16z Show on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

 Chris Markowski, the Watchdog on Wall Street, discusses the current state of capitalism, the failures of the American university system, and the implications of corporate layoffs. He emphasizes the need for financial literacy and responsibility among consumers, particularly in light of rising gas prices and the increasing trend of financing everyday expenses. Markowski critiques government interventions in the economy, particularly in the grocery sector, and highlights the alarming statistics surrounding consumer debt and financial habits among young people.

Chris Markowski discusses the complexities of market dynamics, emphasizing the importance of understanding economic indicators, consumer sentiment, and the impact of global events on financial markets. He critiques the political landscape's influence on economic reality and shares insights on effective investment strategies and portfolio management. The discussion also highlights the significance of risk management in investing and critiques the Robinhood trading phenomenon, advocating for a more disciplined approach to wealth building.

The Industry Relations Podcast is now available on your favorite podcast player! Overview Rob and Greg break down NAR's latest settlement move, Zillow's shift toward pre-marketing, and what it all means for the industry. The back half turns into a heated debate on new "public marketing" laws, the definition of marketing itself, and whether the MLS is a listing platform or a broker cooperative. ***CORRECTION: During the podcast we mistakenly commented that we had recieved an update about the recent NAR settlement 24hrs ahead of time.  That is not accurate.  We recieved the update the day of the news being announced. We apologize and regret the error.*** Key Takeaways NAR's new settlement strategy is more proactive—but may face legal pushback Zillow's "Preview" signals a major shift toward pre-marketing Portal competition remains intense across Zillow, Homes.com, and others New state laws are vague and raise more questions than answers "What is marketing?" is becoming a core industry debate The MLS identity crisis: platform vs. cooperative Pre-marketing continues to reshape listing strategy Consumer expectations could determine where this all goes Connect with Rob and Greg Rob's Website  Greg's Website    Watch us on YouTube   Our Sponsors: Cotality  Notorious VIP The Giant Steps Job Board    Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios

In this episode, host Greg Palmer sits down with Debbie Hsu, EVP of Product at Experian, to discuss the company's innovative approach to empowering consumers through technology. Debbie shares insights into her role at Experian, where she leads product development for North America's consumer services.She highlights Experian's mission to bring financial power to all by leveraging data and technology responsibly, creating tools that help consumers better understand and manage their financial situations with confidence. Debbie's passion for solving meaningful problems at scale shines through as she explains how Experian is working to make a real impact on consumers' financial lives.The conversation focuses on Experian's virtual assistant, EVA, a consumer-first AI tool designed to simplify complex financial questions and provide actionable guidance. Available through the Experian app and website, EVA helps users navigate tasks like improving credit scores with Experian Boost, freezing credit files during data breaches, and understanding spending and cash flow insights.Debbie emphasizes the importance of finance-specific AI tools like EVA, which are built on trusted data and domain expertise, as opposed to generic AI solutions that may provide misleading or incomplete advice. She also shares how real-world consumer interactions with EVA have revealed a strong need for clarity on financial fundamentals, such as credit scores, debt management, and identity protection.Debbie concludes by discussing the critical role of trust in AI-driven financial tools. She outlines Experian's commitment to transparency, high-quality data, and strong governance to ensure EVA acts in consumers' best interests. By empowering users to stay in control of their financial decisions and providing personalized, explainable recommendations, Experian aims to build lasting trust with its customers. This episode offers valuable insights into how consumer-centric AI can address real financial challenges and create a more inclusive financial ecosystem.More info:Experian: https://www.experian.com/; https://www.linkedin.com/company/experian/EVA: https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/what-is-eva/Debbie Hsu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-hsu/Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/Finovate: https://www.finovate.com; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/FinovateSpring: https://informaconnect.com/finovatespring/#Finovate #FinovateSpring #Banking #banks #Experian #EVA #consumer #credit #lending #digitaladoption #cx #podcast #fintechpodcast #financialservices #innovation #digitraltransformation #fintech #finserv #modernization

Brian Belski, CEO & CIO of Humilis Investment Strategies, former Chief Investment Strategist at BMO, joins us to break down his long-standing bullish outlook on markets.------------

Pippa Hudson speaks to crime writer Mike Nicol about his new book Falls the Shadow. Lunch with Pippa Hudson is CapeTalk’s mid-afternoon show. This 2-hour respite from hard news encourages the audience to take the time to explore, taste, read and reflect. The show - presented by former journalist, baker and water sports enthusiast Pippa Hudson - is unashamedly lifestyle driven. Popular features include a daily profile interview #OnTheCouch at 1:10pm. Consumer issues are in the spotlight every Wednesday while the team also unpacks all things related to health, wealth & the environment. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Lunch with Pippa Hudson Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays between 13:00 and 15:00 (SA Time) to Lunch with Pippa Hudson broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/MdSlWEs or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/fDJWe69 Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pippa Hudson speaks to swimmer Karen Kennedy after she completed a quadruple Robben Island crossing in freezing Atlantic waters… without a wetsuit. If ratified by Guinness World Records, she’ll be the first and fastest woman to ever complete it in skins — covering nearly 30 kilometres in just over 10 hours Lunch with Pippa Hudson is CapeTalk’s mid-afternoon show. This 2-hour respite from hard news encourages the audience to take the time to explore, taste, read and reflect. The show - presented by former journalist, baker and water sports enthusiast Pippa Hudson - is unashamedly lifestyle driven. Popular features include a daily profile interview #OnTheCouch at 1:10pm. Consumer issues are in the spotlight every Wednesday while the team also unpacks all things related to health, wealth & the environment. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Lunch with Pippa Hudson Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays between 13:00 and 15:00 (SA Time) to Lunch with Pippa Hudson broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/MdSlWEs or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/fDJWe69 Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plan your weekend entertainment, from events, movies and theatre to tv shows. Lunch with Pippa Hudson is CapeTalk’s mid-afternoon show. This 2-hour respite from hard news encourages the audience to take the time to explore, taste, read and reflect. The show - presented by former journalist, baker and water sports enthusiast Pippa Hudson - is unashamedly lifestyle driven. Popular features include a daily profile interview #OnTheCouch at 1:10pm. Consumer issues are in the spotlight every Wednesday while the team also unpacks all things related to health, wealth & the environment. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Lunch with Pippa Hudson Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays between 13:00 and 15:00 (SA Time) to Lunch with Pippa Hudson broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/MdSlWEs or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/fDJWe69 Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pippa Hudson speaks to Sister Pippa Hime who is an experienced nurse practitioner and the founder of The Infusion Room about iron infusions. Lunch with Pippa Hudson is CapeTalk’s mid-afternoon show. This 2-hour respite from hard news encourages the audience to take the time to explore, taste, read and reflect. The show - presented by former journalist, baker and water sports enthusiast Pippa Hudson - is unashamedly lifestyle driven. Popular features include a daily profile interview #OnTheCouch at 1:10pm. Consumer issues are in the spotlight every Wednesday while the team also unpacks all things related to health, wealth & the environment. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Lunch with Pippa Hudson Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays between 13:00 and 15:00 (SA Time) to Lunch with Pippa Hudson broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/MdSlWEs or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/fDJWe69 Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

-- On the Show -- Pat Ford, producer of the David Pakman Show, fills in for David -- In an interview with Maria Bartiromo, Donald Trump gives a series of inconsistent answers on war with Iran, midterms, and energy policy -- Karoline Leavitt claims gas prices are falling, promotes misleading figures, and deflects criticism during a press conference -- JD Vance faces a weak event turnout at a TPUSA event while Erika Kirk cancels her appearance citing serious threats and backlash -- Dr. Mehmet Oz says on Donald Trump Jr.'s podcast that the President suggested diet soda could kill cancer cells -- Donald Trump supporters continue to react negatively to an AI-generated image he posted depicting himself as Jesus -- New data shows consumer sentiment hits a record low under Donald Trump as inflation rises and economic confidence drops -- Donald Trump records sharply negative approval on tax policy as voters react to higher costs and all-around frustration with him -- On the Bonus Show: Democrats file impeachment articles against Pete Hegseth, Virginia joins the popular vote interstate compact, Meta faces blowback over facial recognition glasses, and much more...

Consumer prices are up 28% in six years and inflation is accelerating again. Cato's Ryan Bourne, Jai Kedia, Colin Grabow, and Stephen Slivinski unpack Cato's new Handbook on Affordability and the macroeconomic and supply-side reforms that could actually help. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Erik Torenberg and Anish Acharya, general partners at a16z, speak with signüll about how technology reshapes culture, relationships, and the products we build. The conversation covers tacit knowledge versus intellectual knowledge, dating apps and their effect on human connection, AI relationships, why Claude feels artisan while other models feel utilitarian, and what consumer founders should actually care about.   Resources: Follow signüll on X: https://twitter.com/signulll Follow Anish Acharya on X: https://twitter.com/illscience Follow Erik Torenberg on X: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Stay Updated:Find a16z on YouTube: YouTubeFind a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Show on SpotifyListen to the a16z Show on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, we sit down with Elijah Khasabo, co-founder of Vidovo — a UGC and influencer platform connecting brands with creators — who started his entrepreneurial journey at 17, built a Discord community of 30,000 organically, and is now weeks away from graduating college while running a bootstrapped platform with 300+ brand clients and 25,000+ creators. Elijah breaks down why the creator economy has become a volume game, why creative briefs make or break campaign performance, and what brands consistently get wrong when managing creator relationships. He also shares his honest take on AI-generated content (spoiler: consumers are already calling it out), what inspires his strategy approach, and the two pieces of advice he'd give any entrepreneur just getting started.Key Takeaways:// The creator economy is now a volume game. Consumer touchpoints have grown from 8–12 to an estimated 21–24+. Brands that are winning understand that performance marketing requires testing multiple hooks, angles, and creators across platforms — not just finding one or two winning ads.// The brief is the most important variable. A strong brief with creative freedom will outperform a rigid script every time. Give creators guidelines (do's and don'ts), not a teleprompter — and let them deliver in their own voice.// Creators are businesses now. The best creators understand performance, rate cards, and why ads work. Elijah hired his top-performing creator as his head of strategy — proof that lived creator experience translates directly into better briefs.// Don't make it transactional. Brands that lead with communication — getting to know creators before the collab happens — consistently build longer-term partnerships and better-performing content. Pay fairly (Elijah recommends $200–$500 for quality UGC), and don't skip the relationship-building step.// AI content gets views, but real creators convert. Brands that tested AI content are coming back to real creators because consumers notice and call it out. Use AI for strategy and briefing — not for the content itself.Connect with Elijah: LinkedIn____Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collectiveSay hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠Join the MHH Collective: ⁠Join now⁠Get the latest marketing trends, open jobs and MHH updates, straight to your inbox: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our email list!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow MHH on Social: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

From employee #16 to $1B ARR at Nutanix, then scaling ThoughtSpot to $150M ARR and a $4B+ valuation now building for a world where agents will drive the internet.Sudheesh Nair joins the Neon Show.The internet as we see it today was optimized around human strengths and weaknesses, using algorithms to monetize our greed and fear. But as agents take up more of the internet, that playbook starts to break. We are moving from a web of discovery to an outcome-driven internet, where agents care only about the destination, not the journey.As an operator who has scaled companies, Sudheesh believes sales is a noble profession where there is no middle ground. You are either a hero or a zero. Sales is not a function at the edge of the company, it is the primary job of every employee in a company. When that happens, teams stop acting like mercenaries chasing targets and start behaving like missionaries focused on customer outcomes.Beyond agents, we also discuss building companies and whether there are right or wrong reasons to start. Sudheesh's view is simple. There are no right or wrong reasons, but you have to be brutally honest with yourself about why you are doing it.This episode is one hour of clear thinking on agents, sales, and the realities of company building.00:00 – Trailer01:49 – What % of the internet is agents today?10:25 – How far are we from trillions of agents?12:47 – Why isn't the internet ready for agents?18:31 – Consumer is a tough game19:49 – Selling to enterprises = high value / low risk22:14 – A noble profession with only heroes or zeroes24:41 – Only 3 reasons why people buy anything26:14 – How we got Fortune 500 customers in just 18 months27:28 – The wrong reasons to start a company31:05 – Cursor vs Claude vs Codex34:30 – Do investors prefer failed founders over first-time founders?35:06 – 3 reasons why an enterprise will sign your startup39:52 – PMF has to be proven every day41:21 – What's the play b/w OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic?45:12 – Drivers vs passengers in companies47:17 – The muscles you build as an operator50:45 – Hire one person when you actually need four51:41 – Why is marketing the most in-demand skill?53:50 – Nutanix: from 0 to $1B ARR in 26 quarters54:55 – The hardest choice Nutanix made59:25 – Talent is universal. Opportunities are not01:04:08 – Selling is everyone's job01:05:58 – Passion comes from value creation-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us Fan Mail

Anada Lakra just raised a $21M Series A for BoldVoice, a $150/year pronunciation app that helps immigrants speak English with confidence. But she started from zero in her Harvard dorm room and a problem most VCs didn't think was big enough. She recruited a Hollywood accent coach, shipped a bare-bones V1, and got into YC.In this episode, Anada breaks down why she launched a consumer app when every investor was chasing B2B, how a Reddit thread called "Judge My Accent" became an early growth hack, and why switching to annual-default pricing transformed her unit economics overnight.Why You Should ListenWhy building a consumer app in the 2020s is not as crazy as VCs think.How Reddit threads and guerrilla marketing drove BoldVoice's first thousand users.Why defaulting to annual pricing gave her instant CAC payback.How she grew from zero to $1M ARR and raised a $21M Series A.Keywords startup podcast, startup podcast for founders, product market fit, finding pmf, consumer app, B2C startup, pronunciation app, accent coaching, AI app, YC startup, mobile app growth, Anada Lakra, BoldVoiceChapters00:00:00 Intro00:02:14 The Accent Problem Nobody Was Solving00:11:49 Getting Into YC with No Revenue00:22:48 Shipping V1 from a Dorm Room00:29:31 Guerrilla Growth on Reddit and Facebook00:36:05 Cracking the YouTube Influencer Playbook00:48:09 Why Annual Pricing Changed Everything00:50:47 The Moment of True Product Market FitSend me a message to let me know what you think!

Segment 1: Jack Ablin, Founding Partner & Chief Investment Strategist, Cresset Capital, talks to John about how the market has been performing this week, his outlook for the market for the new few months, why he doesn’t see a credit crisis on the horizon, the overall health of the consumer, if he’s concerned about the federal deficit, […]

US markets are back above pre-war levels – Kea Nonyana unpacks what's driving the rebound and whether recent US results are delivering any real standouts, good or bad. Viv Govender weighs in on the AI arms race and whether the Mag 7's solid run still has legs. Plus, John Loos looks ahead to 2026 GDP – with the consumer under pressure, what does that mean for growth?

Flipkart is gearing up for a major pre-IPO funding round, engaging global investors to establish a strong valuation benchmark ahead of its public listing plans. At the same time, a Blackstone-led consortium is exploring innovative funding routes by tapping wealthy Indian investors to support its high-profile acquisition of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise. Consumer demand trends are also shifting with an early and intense summer boosting sales of seasonal goods, though uneven temperature patterns are leading to fluctuating demand. Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, rising worker productivity has not translated into better wages, as increasing labour supply and cost-of-living pressures continue to fuel discontent and protests. All this and more inside.

SCHEDULE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 4-14-2026.1874 MONET1. US Economic Resilience Amid Global Conflict. Elizabeth Peek and John Batchelor discuss the surprisingly strong US economy despite Middle East instability. Consumer spending remains robust, wages are rising, and the Trump agenda of deregulation and tariffs is encouraging domestic investment.2. Russia and China's Strategic Calculations. Gregory Copley explains how Russia benefits from rising oil prices and expanded influence in Central Asia. Conversely, China fears regime collapse in Iran and seeks to diminish US global prestige during the conflict.3. The Risks of Puppet Government Models. John Batchelor and Gregory Copley critique the Trump administration's attempt to use Delcy Rodriguez as a model for Iran. They discuss how hardline leaders in Venezuela and Iran prioritize personal survival over national interests.4. King Charles III's Diplomatic Mission to Washington. Gregory Copley discusses King Charles III's upcoming visit to address Congress. The King aims to heal diplomatic rifts between Donald Trump and Keir Starmer, particularly regarding the Chagos Archipelago and Diego Garcia strategic nodes.5. Naval Challenges and Maritime Chokepoints. Grant Newsham asserts that the US Navy can successfully blockade the Strait of Hormuz and manage the Bab-el-Mandeb. He notes China and Russia are encouraging Iran to test American resolve through maritime provocations.6. The Resurgence and Failure of Industrial Policy. Veronique de Rugy criticizes the resurgence of industrial policy, noting past failures in Japan and China. She warns that World Bank recommendations for government-led industry protection often result in economic distortions and higher costs.7. Purges and Divisions within the Chinese Military. Piero Tozzi and Gordon Chang analyze Xi Jinping's recent military purges, including Zhang Youxia. These internal divisions and the removal of operational commanders may hinder China's ability to coordinate a successful invasion of Taiwan.8. Nuclear Deterrence and Battlefield Realities. Peter Huessy warns about the lack of nuclear education among modern policymakers. He discusses Russia's potential use of battlefield nuclear weapons in Ukraine to reverse military losses and Iran's acquisition of Russian missile technology.9. The California Gubernatorial Jungle Primary. Elizabeth Peek details the collapse of Eric Swalwell's campaign following misconduct allegations. The jungle primary system in California creates a risk for Democrats that two Republicans, like Steve Hilton, could face off in November.10. The Electoral Defeat of Viktor Orbán. Judy Dempsey explains how Peter Magyar defeated Viktor Orbán in Hungary by uniting a divided opposition. Hungarian voters rejected corruption and Russian interference, signaling a desire for rule of law and European integration.11. Populism and Energy Subsidies in Germany. Judy Dempsey observes the rise of the AfD party in Saxony, fueled by nationalist fervor among young voters. Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces pressure to address high energy costs and immigration while maintaining transatlantic relations.12. The Strategy of Economic Siege against Iran. Jonathan Schanzer describes the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as part of a wider economic war. This strategy aims to deplete regime revenue by hundreds of millions daily through heightened sanctions.13. Escalation and Unprecedented Diplomacy in Lebanon. Jonathan Schanzer discusses the IDF's efforts to establish a security zone in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah. Simultaneously, unprecedented direct talks between the Lebanese and Israeli governments are occurring at the US State Department.14. Dismantling Information Warfare in Hungary. Ivana Stradner celebrates Peter Magyar's victory over Viktor Orbán, emphasizing the need to dismantle the state-controlled media apparatus. She warns that Russia continues to use influence operations to support authoritarian leaders in Eastern Europe.15. Iran's Nuclear Ambitions and Fissile Material Extraction. Andrea Stricker outlines the challenge of extracting Iran's 60% enriched uranium from deeply buried sites like Fordo. She emphasizes that permanent peace requires the complete removal of fissile material and centrifuges to prevent breakout.16. Geopolitics of the Strait of Hormuz Blockade. Gregory Copley analyzes the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and its impact on global oil markets. He argues the US must ensure the Red Sea remains viable while managing pressure from Saudi Arabia.

PCE and inflation trends – single day concern Earnings Season – Goldman, JPM Eco Reports of historic proportion Feds looking at Private Credit holdings at banks PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm-Up - Walking back - Waffling and Extensions --- Blockade - not really - Market Immunity - Jesus.ai - Reading Retreats (The New Silent Disco?) Markets - PCE and inflation trends - single day concern - PPI revised - Earnings Season - Goldman, JPM - Historic Eco Report - Feds looking at Private Credit holdings at banks CONGRATS RORY! - back-to-Back Masters Champ - Over $250M in tour winnings Market Update - Great week for markets as Operation obliteration is postponed - - Weekend concerns and opening in the RED Monday as we get clarification - Markets somewhat immune? Looking past? - FWIW: Not much is moving thought the Straight....But who cares! ----- Markets made back all of the losses from the War! Nothing to worry about... Historic! - As of this month, we have officially hit a new historical floor. - The preliminary University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment reading for April 2026 came in at 47.6, which is the lowest recorded value in the survey's 70-plus-year history. Consumer Sentiment Fed Looking - The Federal Reserve is asking major US banks for details about their exposure to private credit due to a surge in redemptions and a rise in troubled loans in the industry. - The Fed's queries are intended to assess the level of stress in the private credit industry and the potential for it to spill over to the wider financial system. - The Treasury Department is also questioning the insurance industry about exposures to private credit, as part of a broader regulatory push to get a handle on the scale of the strains in the $1.8 trillion private credit industry. ECO - PPI - PPI: Rose 0.5% month-over-month in March, well below the 1.2% consensus expectation -  Follows a downwardly revised 0.5% increase in February (from 0.7%) Core PPI (excluding food and energy): - Increased 0.1% in March, below the 0.4% consensus expectation - Follows a downwardly revised 0.3% increase in February (from 0.5%) --- Market talk: -- -  Final demand services were unchanged, giving markets room to look through the energy-driven spike as likely temporary Meanwhile... - Dow Inc. and Exxon Mobil Corp. are among the companies boosting prices for plastics as the sector grapples with supply shocks from the US-Israeli war on Iran. - The company said Monday that it will raise prices for North American buyers of polyethylene resins — common plastics found in packaging, films and containers — through at least May, according to a document viewed by Bloomberg. - That increase includes a 30-cent-per-pound boost for April and plans for another 20-cent-per-pound hike next month, according to the notice. Blockade - President Donald Trump said the US will begin a full naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to retaliate in the event of Iranian resistance. -The US and Iran failed to reach a deal in direct talks in Pakistan due to differences over the nuclear issue, according to Trump. --- At first, it was a FULL blockade - then another walk-back (or is this just politics vs reality?) - The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, according to US Central Command. Goldman Earnings - Reports Q1 (Mar) earnings of $17.55 per share, $1.08 better than the FactSet Consensus of $16.47; revenues rose 14.4% year/year to $17.23 bln vs the $16.99 bln FactSet Consensus. - Net revenues in Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities were $4.01 billion, 10% lower than the first quarter of 2025, reflecting lower net revenues in FICC intermediation, due to significantly lower net revenues in interest rate products and mortgages and lower net revenues in credit products, partially offset by significantly higher net revenues in commodities and currencies. - Provisions for the first quarter of 2025 primarily reflected net provisions related to the credit card portfolio, which was transferred to held for sale in the fourth quarter of 2025. --- Goldman is cleaning up and selling off some of the credit card portfolio (Apple Card) ---- We discussed that analysts had been raising guidance for companies into the print. GS rallied 16% since March - so maybe just sell-the-news event Stocks: Earnings - Goldman Sachs downgraded Best Buy to a sell, and the stock dropped about 4% on the news. --- Goldman's view is that while Best Buy should get a short?term boost in the first quarter—helped by people pulling forward PC purchases and getting bigger tax refunds—that strength may not last. --------According to the analysts, once higher memory costs start working their way into laptop and computer prices, sales could come under pressure after Q1. Blackrock Call - Asset management giant BlackRock has raised its outlook for U.S. stocks, reasoning that contained impacts from the Iran war and strong corporate earnings will create a favorable backdrop. - With earnings season just getting underway, S&P 500 companies are expected to post a collective 12.6% profit increase for the first quarter. - But do we care what Blackrock says? Long only shop with $14T in ETFs Stocks: Monday/Tuesday -----Cruise line stocks were under pressure as higher energy costs and renewed concerns about demand came back into focus. Carnival dropped about 4%, Norwegian Cruise Line was down roughly 3%, and Royal Caribbean slid more than 2%. -----Airlines moved lower for similar reasons. Rising jet fuel prices and softer demand expectations weighed on the group, with United Airlines falling more than 2.5%, while Southwest and Delta both declined around 2%. --Tuesday - Follow through getting us at/above pre-war levels Stocks: Mattress Consolidation: - Leggett & Platt jumped about 9% after announcing it will be acquired by Somnigroup International, a bedding manufacturer. The deal is an all-stock transaction valued at roughly $2.5 billion, and it's expected to close by the end of 2026. ----Mattress Monopoly Now? Adding to  - Tempur Sealy, Mattress Firm, Dreams Stocks - Upgrades - Toll Brothers, Pultegroup — Shares of both stocks rose more than 1% after Evercore ISI upgraded the two homebuilders to outperform. - - The investment firm said it's time to buy the dip in the companies, believing the bad news is already priced in and that both Toll Brothers and Pultegroup could manage macroeconomic headwinds better than some of their peers. Pope Leo - WEAK on crime and terrible for Foreign Policy say President Trump -- Is the Pope involved in criminal /  police issues ? Jesus Update - Aside from the Jesus imagery with Trump as Jesus this weekend (Trust social post - then deleted) - At $1.99 per minute, the tech company Just Like Me is taking that concept to talk to Jesus to a new level. -----Users of the platform can join video calls with an avatar of Jesus generated by artificial intelligence. ------- Like other religious AI tools on the market, it offers words of prayer and encouragement in various languages. ----------With the occasional glitch, it remembers previous conversations and speaks through not-quite-synced lips. Reading Retreats - What it is: Paid reading retreats where people travel to quiet, upscale settings to read their own books—mostly in silence—alongside strangers. - The price: Typically $1,000+ for a long weekend, often selling out months in advance. - Why it works: People are burned out by screens and distractions and are paying for structure, silence, and protected time to focus. - Social without pressure: It offers light community—being alone together—without forced conversation or networking. - Cultural tailwinds: Fueled by BookTok, wellness travel, and nostalgia for slower, analog experiences, turning reading into a premium lifestyle activity. Of Interest - Delta Air Lines said Wednesday it will “meaningfully reduce” its capacity growth plans in the near term. AFTER BULLISH COMMENTS DAYS EARLIER - Delta joined United and JetBlue in hiking its checked bag fees this week as jet fuel costs surge. PRICE WILL NEVER COME DOWN - Delta said its fuel bill will be $2 billion higher this quarter because of the spike in costs. - The carrier also reported first-quarter earnings that beat analysts' expectations. BY THE WAY>>>>> JAYNA - AKA China - China's factory?gate prices rose 0.5%, the first increase in more than three years. -  Consumer prices increased 1% year over year in March, falling short of economists' expectations. - Gasoline prices jumped 11.1% from the prior month, even as Beijing tried to limit fuel price increases. - Economists warn the spike in input costs could lead to “bad inflation,” putting added pressure on manufacturers that are already operating with thin margins. Health Breakthrough - Revolution Medicines said its pancreatic cancer drug daraxonrasib succeeded in a Phase 3 trial. - RevMed said its drug almost doubled the typical length of survival and slashed the risk of death by 60% versus chemotherapy. - The company said it will soon seek FDA approval using a Commissioner's National Priority Voucher, which grants a quicker review. - It is a small?molecule oral oncology drug, taken as a daily pill, not chemotherapy or immunotherapy. - Stock up nicely on the news... China PPI - China's factory-gate prices rose for the first time in more than three years while consumer inflation moderated in March, amid a surge in oil prices as the Iran war upended global energy markets. - The producer price index grew 0.5% from a year earlier, the first growth since September 2022, ending the longest deflationary streak in decades. For the first quarter, the PPI fell 0.6% year on year. China PPI and CPI Intel - Intel's stock had a ninth straight winning day on Monday, up 58% over that stretch. - Shares of the semiconductor company are soaring after a series of announcements and major partnerships with Google and Elon Musk. - CPUs are seeing a resurgence as agentic artificial intelligence continues to gain traction.   Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? THE CLOSEST TO THE PIN for NETGEAR Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt!     FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS   See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter

Interview with Rory Sayres, PhD, author of Consumer Understanding of Skin Concerns With an AI-Powered Informational Tool. Hosted by Adewole S. Adamson, MD, MPP. Related Content: Consumer Understanding of Skin Concerns With an AI-Powered Informational Tool

Interview with Rory Sayres, PhD, author of Consumer Understanding of Skin Concerns With an AI-Powered Informational Tool. Hosted by Adewole S. Adamson, MD, MPP. Related Content: Consumer Understanding of Skin Concerns With an AI-Powered Informational Tool

Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the biggest news affecting family farmers, starting with false narratives from the Trump administration claiming farm income soared 20% upon Trump re-entering the White House. The reality of most farmers is quite the opposite, with many relying on bailouts or folding their farm altogether. Additionally, the lack of overall support continues to be shown in the form of the price of oil going sky high and the USDA halting grant applications for the Renewable Energy Program. Next up, there is a public awareness campaign for labeling standards to increase consumer understanding of what is being grown and what they are purchasing, where it's been grown, and what kind of chemicals or genetically modified practices have been put in place. Another understanding of which consumers need to be aware is in regards to lab-grown meat. There was a federal court ruling upholding Florida's ban on lab-grown meat. This will expand to other states who may want to institute a ban on lab-grown meat as well. Lastly, Doug opines on the USDA restricting communication and making questionable data provisions, a poll on the confidence, and the continuous layoff of jobs within the USDA. Website: AmericanFamilyFarmerShow.com Social Media: @GoodDayNetworks

Consumer sentiment is at crisis levels and the Fed is trapped. The reset is already underway. The question is whether you'll see it before it's too late. Questions on Protecting Your Wealth with Gold & Silver? Schedule a Strategy Call Here ➡️ https://calendly.com/itmtrading/podcastor Call 866-349-3310 

Sean O'Hara says strong bank earnings are masking growing uncertainty tied to energy volatility and geopolitical risk. He explains why JPMorgan Chase (JPM) is focused on consumer resilience and guidance risk, as markets rotate away from the Magnificent Seven toward free‑cash‑flow‑rich companies. O'Hara also outlines an alternative A.I. strategy centered on infrastructure plays, including energy pipelines, data centers, and critical hardware providers.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Options involve risks and are not suitable for all investors. Before trading, read the Options Disclosure Document. http://bit.ly/2v9tH6DSubscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Get your download here - My podcast notes of The industry got this WRONG.If you've been posting consistently and still feel like nothing is clicking… this episode is for you.The truth? The industry has completely misled you on what actually matters when it comes to content.In this episode, we break down what really builds growth, influence, and income online. From someone with over a decade of experience and hundreds of posts per week.You'll learn: The real purpose behind every post you create  How to “run the loop” and make success predictable  What metrics actually matter (and which ones to ignore)  How to attract the right audience, not just more views  Why real-life connection is your biggest growth hack If you're ready to stop posting aimlessly and start building a network, a brand, and real momentum… press play.00:00 Controversial Social Take00:25 Just Post More00:51 Social Media Is Networking01:49 Consumer vs Creator Lens04:54 No Perfect Playbook06:17 Why Posts Dont Grow06:43 Content With Clear Purpose07:27 Viral Educational Local Mix11:02 Reels Carousels And Search13:11 Creators Must Adapt15:04 Network Expansion Mindset18:53 Signals That Matter19:40 The Success Loop Framework21:50 Testing Reels Like Data25:17 PODCAST NOTES DOWNLOAD26:35 Overwhelmed to Success Loop27:39 Make Content Fun Again28:12 Personal Posts and Trends30:01 Consistency Beats Convenience34:46 Data Not Self Worth36:09 Saves Shares and Pillars42:12 Daily Posting and TikTok46:47 Notes Links and Wrap Up47:30 Trademark and Future Show50:30 Final Thanks and GoodbyeMy Podcast Notes: Download the PDFKelli Cooper (The Vine Club): Connect with her below!The Vine Club Instagram:Kelli Cooper Instagram:The Vine Club: Want to Work with The Samantha Parker for Content Management  CLICK HEREFollow me on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthaparkershowYouTube https://www.youtube.com/@thesamanthaparkerInstagram https://www.instagram.com/thesamanthaparker/

When a family walks through your doors, are they getting a five-star experience, or are they just another transaction? Consumer demands in death care are shifting rapidly—families don't just want products anymore; they want genuine hospitality, ethical options, and a truly meaningful experience. In this episode of A Brush with Death, host Gabe Schauf sits down with Darren Crouch, President of Passages International and a 2025 TIME100 Climate leader, to discuss how to navigate this changing landscape, the green movement, the strategies to apply in the selection room, and why the profession must proactively offer green funeral options to avoid repeating the mistakes of the early cremation era. Whether you are looking to elevate your customer service or expand your eco-friendly offerings, this episode provides a practical blueprint for funeral directors ready to lead the market.

Apple is taking Epic back to court over App Store fees. YouTube hikes prices on premium again. Italy says NO to Netflix rate hikes. Study says Americans are dropping streaming services. Data center projects are struggling, while Google might turn to fossil fuels to power their AI. France launches a plan to use Linux instead of Windows for government systems. OnePlus might be making a gaming handheld? Framework could be working on a Linux system. Insta360 launched a selfie screen. Huawei's Pura foldable looks familiar. And we HAVE to talk about the Oppo Find X9 Ultra leaks! Let's get our tech week started off RIGHT! -- Show Notes and Links https://somegadgetguy.com/b/4c4 Support Talking Tech with SomeGadgetGuy by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/talking-tech-with-somegadgetgu Find out more at https://talking-tech-with-somegadgetgu.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-c117ce for 40% off for 4 months, and support Talking Tech with SomeGadgetGuy.

One of World Liberty Financial's biggest investors accused the company of “treating the crypto community as a personal ATM.”~This episode is sponsored by Tangem~Tangem ➜ https://bit.ly/TangemPBNUse Code: "PBN" for Additional Discounts!00:00 Intro00:10 Sponsor: Tangem01:10 Consumer sentiment02:00 We need good news ASAP02:30 2025 Scams03:20 CLARITY 2 weeks04:00 Justin Sun05:30 Website wiped06:45 WLFI FUD07:30 Dolomite Exchange08:20 Paid pardon09:20 WLFI = FTX10:00 Drift Protocol11:20 Circle Freeze?11:45 ABA FUD13:10 No CLARITY, more problems14:00 America needs CLARITY14:10 Worst case scenario#Crypto #Bitcoin #trump ~No CLARITY Causing Ultimate Black Swan Crash?

By Doug Green “The missing layer in stopping scam calls is verified identity—knowing with certainty who is behind the call.” In a recent Telecom Reseller podcast, I spoke with Keith Buell, General Counsel and Head of Global Public Policy at Numeracle, about the Federal Communications Commission's latest Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on caller ID and what it means for service providers. At the center of the discussion is a growing consensus in Washington: authentication alone is not enough. While frameworks like STIR/SHAKEN have improved call authentication, they do not fully address the problem of identity—specifically, verifying the entity originating the call. Numeracle has been focused on this issue since 2018, working at both the regulatory and industry levels to address the gap between authentication and identity. As Buell explained, the company's mission is to ensure that legitimate calls reach consumers while protecting enterprises and service providers from reputational and regulatory risk associated with misidentified or spam-labeled calls. The FCC's NPRM reflects this shift in thinking. The proposal emphasizes stronger caller authentication, greater transparency, and more robust Know Your Customer (KYC) processes. The goal is to reduce illegal robocalls while preserving the ability for legitimate businesses to communicate effectively with customers. Central to this effort is the concept of traceable, verifiable caller identity. Numeracle has been actively engaged in shaping this conversation. The company submitted formal comments supporting the FCC's objectives, while advocating for end-to-end identity verification that can scale across the ecosystem. In addition, Numeracle has met with FCC leadership, including Chairman Carr, Commissioner Gomez, and staff from key bureaus such as the Wireline Competition Bureau and the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau. A key theme in those discussions is the need for practical, standards-based solutions that do not disrupt legitimate communications. As Buell noted, the challenge is to balance enforcement with enablement—ensuring bad actors are stopped without inadvertently blocking trusted enterprise traffic. To address this, Numeracle recently introduced KYC as a Service (KYCaaS), a fully managed solution designed to help service providers implement standardized identity verification processes. The offering enables carriers to collect, validate, and maintain customer identity data in alignment with evolving FCC requirements, while also creating an auditable trail that supports compliance. More importantly, KYCaaS is positioned as a proactive approach. Rather than reacting to regulatory enforcement after the fact, service providers can establish a framework for verified identity that reduces risk and improves call deliverability. For service providers, the message is clear: the regulatory environment is shifting toward verified identity as a foundational requirement. Those who move early to implement scalable KYC processes will be better positioned to maintain compliance, protect their brands, and ensure their communications reach customers. Learn more at: https://www.numeracle.com/kycaas

è My Failure to ASK! • Unbelief; Fear; False View of Identity; Unresolved Guilt • James 1:6, 7 • Jesus Directive! ASK! (and keep on asking) Matthew 7:7 • James 4:2; Philippians 4:6; Hebrews 4:15, 16 è My Motives Are Misaligned: James 4:3 • Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal where my prayers are “all about me”. • “Search me, O God” …. Psalm 139:23 • Relief vs. Resolution; Recognition vs. Service; Consumer vs. Investor; Star vs. Servant/Leader; Winner vs. Reconciler; etc. è I Have Neglected or Refused to Forgive • Mark 11:25, 26; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13 • I must be willing to GRANT what I am asking for myself! (Not a feeling, but a decision.) ✸ TO BE CONTINUED

Derek Moore is joined by Mike Snyder and Shane Skinner this week to discuss the all-time low in consumer sentiment and what if anything it means for markets. By the way, who exactly are they getting to stay on the phone for 50 questions? Then they discuss Exxon vs Salesforce performance since the CRM replaced XOM in the Down Jones Index. Plus, secular bull markets have pullbacks so are we still in one now?   Consumer confidence all-time low Does Consumer Sentiment indicator from UMich forecast stock movements? Semiconductor forward earnings growth is predicted to be strong S&P 500 Index earnings seasons is upon us Exxon got replaced by Salesforce in the Down but since then CRM is trailing XOM Geopolitical volatility Why the Fed probably still cuts and the stock market is seeing through the clutter US Dollar Index peeled back from recent highs so is that good for earnings? Sarcastic discussion on who the heck is answering survey calls   Mentioned in this Episode     Derek Moore's book Broken Pie Chart https://amzn.to/3S8ADNT   Jay Pestrichelli's book Buy and Hedge https://amzn.to/3jQYgMt   Derek's book on public speaking Effortless Public Speaking https://amzn.to/3hL1Mag   Contact Derek derek.moore@zegainvestments.com        

This week's Excess Returns Weekly Wrap brings together insights from Jim Paulsen, Brent Kochuba, Anthony Wang, and Tom Hancock to break down what's really driving markets right now—from recession signals and oil shocks to AI economics and options flows. We explore whether current conditions look more like the start of a new bull market or something more fragile beneath the surface.We dive into unique indicators like the “Walmart signal,” shifting oil/VIX correlations, the real economics behind the AI boom, and what options markets are telling us about positioning and risk.Topics Covered:The Walmart vs. luxury retail indicator and what it signals about recession riskWhy oil is no longer driving volatility the way it did earlier in the crisisHow geopolitical shocks are (and aren't) translating into equity market stressThe role of options flows and the JP Morgan collar in shaping market movesWhy all market signals should be viewed as probabilities, not certaintiesAI and the “cost of intelligence going to zero” and what that means for productivityThe layering of AI economics and how cash flows through the systemWhy this AI cycle differs from the dot-com bubble (utilization, funding, cost curves)The importance of cash-funded capex vs. debt-driven speculationWhy low consumer confidence may actually be bullish for stocksIndicators that look more like the start of a bull market than the endThe role of sentiment, positioning, and underreaction in driving returnsTimestamps:00:00 Intro01:00 Weekly Wrap overview and guest lineup03:05 The Walmart indicator and recession signals06:20 Private credit stress vs traditional credit signals09:05 Interpreting economic indicators in context10:25 Oil and VIX correlation breakdown13:05 Why oil stopped driving volatility15:00 “Certainty about uncertainty” and market behavior16:10 AI and the collapsing cost of intelligence18:40 Agents, productivity, and the future of software21:05 AI skepticism vs long-term adoption curve22:30 AI capex, cash flow, and economic layering25:00 Why this AI cycle is more stable than dot-com27:00 Cash-funded investment vs debt-driven bubbles29:25 Bull market vs bear market signals today31:00 Consumer confidence as a contrarian indicator33:30 The role of sentiment and upside surprises34:25 The JP Morgan collar and market structure37:00 Trading probabilities vs certainty39:00 How options flows act as market “magnets”41:05 Comparing AI infrastructure to fiber buildout44:30 Utilization and demand in AI vs dot-com47:00 Network effects and scaling AI adoption01:09:30 Final thoughts and wrap-up

CPI triples to 0.9%, consumer sentiment hits an all-time low, and the Fed is quietly running QE — stagflation isn't coming, it's here.Gold ended the week at $4,745 with silver at $75.76 and mining stocks up 5%, all buoyed by the Taco Tuesday ceasefire that sent markets surging mid-week. Peter Schiff argues the ceasefire is a win for Iran and that Trump was looking for a way out of threats he could never carry out — but the real story is the inflation data.March CPI came in at 0.9% month-over-month, tripling February's reading and pushing year-over-year inflation to 3.3%. The Fed's balance sheet has quietly expanded by nearly $200 billion in 2026 — quantitative easing in everything but name. Q4 GDP was revised down to 0.5%, making 2025's full-year growth just 2.1% — lower than any year under Biden. Consumer sentiment plunged to 47.6, the lowest reading in the history of the survey. Schiff connects the dots: M2 money supply growing at 5%, a proposed 50% defense budget increase, and a Fed that will be forced to cut rates regardless of inflation all point to a stagflation environment where gold and silver are headed substantially higher.Chapters:00:00 Ceasefire and Market Mood15:20 Inflation Data and Fed QE23:14 Inflation Not The War38:46 Stagflation Bull CaseFollow @peterschiffX: https://twitter.com/peterschiffInstagram: https://instagram.com/peterschiffTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@peterschiffofficialFacebook: https://facebook.com/peterschiffGet more gold & silver now: https://www.schiffgold.com1-888-GOLD-160 (465-3160)Open a T Gold account: https://www.tgold.comOpen a managed account: https://europac.comListen to The Peter Schiff Show: https://schiffradio.comFollow the main channel: https://youtube.com/peterschiff#PeterSchiffShow #Stagflation #GoldInvestingOur Sponsors:* Check out Fast Growing Trees and use my code GOLD for a great deal: https://www.fast-growing-trees.com* Check out GhostBed: https://ghostbed.com/PETER* Check out Grammarly: https://grammarly.com* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/GOLD* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code GOLD20 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

CPI triples to 0.9%, consumer sentiment hits an all-time low, and the Fed is quietly running QE — stagflation isn't coming, it's here. Gold ended the week at $4,745 with silver at $75.76 and mining stocks up 5%, all buoyed by the Taco Tuesday ceasefire that sent markets surging mid-week. Peter Schiff argues the ceasefire is a win for Iran and that Trump was looking for a way out of threats he could never carry out — but the real story is the inflation data. March CPI came in at 0.9% month-over-month, tripling February's reading and pushing year-over-year inflation to 3.3%. The Fed's balance sheet has quietly expanded by nearly $200 billion in 2026 — quantitative easing in everything but name. Q4 GDP was revised down to 0.5%, making 2025's full-year growth just 2.1% — lower than any year under Biden. Consumer sentiment plunged to 47.6, the lowest reading in the history of the survey. Schiff connects the dots: M2 money supply growing at 5%, a proposed 50% defense budget increase, and a Fed that will be forced to cut rates regardless of inflation all point to a stagflation environment where gold and silver are headed substantially higher.

In part one of Red Eye Radio with Gary McNamara and Eric Harley, we begin the show with economic news as the inflation report is released today. Consumer and government spending is dicussed as affordability remains the key concerns for every consumer. Also President Trump takes to social media calling out the low IQs of those who challenge MAGA. He also took on the Wall Street Journal by taking credit for the success of the war on Iran. For more talk on the issues that matter to you, listen on radio stations across America Monday-Friday 12am-5am CT (1am-6am ET and 10pm-3am PT), download the RED EYE RADIO SHOW app, asking your smart speaker, or listening at RedEyeRadioShow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Theo Jaffee speaks with Steven Sinofsky, board partner at a16z and former president of the Windows division at Microsoft, about Apple's 50th anniversary, the cultural differences that separated Apple and Microsoft, why the MacBook Neo puts Windows laptops in a difficult position, and what the history of computing design reveals about where hardware and software are headed.   Resources: Follow Steven Sinofsky on X: https://twitter.com/stevesi Follow Theo Jaffee on X: https://twitter.com/theojaffee   Stay Updated:Find a16z on YouTube: YouTubeFind a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Show on SpotifyListen to the a16z Show on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Consumer prices hit a nearly two-year high. Plus: Organon shares jumped after the company agreed to be purchased. Katherine Sullivan hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this episode by creating summaries that were based on Wall Street Journal reporting and reviewed and adapted by an editor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carl Quintanilla, Jim Cramer and David Faber led off the show with the first CPI report reflecting the spike in oil and gasoline prices due to the Iran war: Consumer inflation rose in March by 3.3% year-on-year, the biggest increase in two years. On the AI front: CNBC confirmed that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Fed Chair Jerome Powell convened a meeting with bank CEOs earlier this week, to discuss cyber risks raised by Anthropic's new Mythos AI Model. CoreWeave CEO Mike Intrator joined the program to talk about the company's latest AI deals: One with Anthropic, the other with Meta. Also in focus: A week to forget for software stocks, Taiwan Semi's revenue surge, Intel extends rally on Melius' price target hike, Nike downgraded. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The FCC has banned all new consumer routers made outside the US, leaving networks stuck with aging, insecure hardware while blocking innovation. Find out why this sweeping move is raising eyebrows and lawsuits—and why it makes zero sense for cybersecurity. Apple's 26.4 age queries catches many by surprise. LinkedIn's 2.7 MB of privacy-invading javascript. Microsoft starts forcing Win11 24H2 to 25H2. Cisco loses source code to the Trivy supply-chain mess. Proton introduces privacy-first voice and video "Meet." GitHub to fix lagging security of its Actions feature. Cloudflare reaffirms the privacy of its 1.1.1.1 DNS. Cloudflare uses AI to re-code better secure Wordpress. The FCC drops a ban on all new consumer-grade routers. Show Notes - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1073-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to Security Now at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: meter.com/securitynow zscaler.com/security material.security bitwarden.com/twit hoxhunt.com/securitynow

The FCC has banned all new consumer routers made outside the US, leaving networks stuck with aging, insecure hardware while blocking innovation. Find out why this sweeping move is raising eyebrows and lawsuits—and why it makes zero sense for cybersecurity. Apple's 26.4 age queries catches many by surprise. LinkedIn's 2.7 MB of privacy-invading javascript. Microsoft starts forcing Win11 24H2 to 25H2. Cisco loses source code to the Trivy supply-chain mess. Proton introduces privacy-first voice and video "Meet." GitHub to fix lagging security of its Actions feature. Cloudflare reaffirms the privacy of its 1.1.1.1 DNS. Cloudflare uses AI to re-code better secure Wordpress. The FCC drops a ban on all new consumer-grade routers. Show Notes - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1073-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to Security Now at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: meter.com/securitynow zscaler.com/security material.security bitwarden.com/twit hoxhunt.com/securitynow

The FCC has banned all new consumer routers made outside the US, leaving networks stuck with aging, insecure hardware while blocking innovation. Find out why this sweeping move is raising eyebrows and lawsuits—and why it makes zero sense for cybersecurity. Apple's 26.4 age queries catches many by surprise. LinkedIn's 2.7 MB of privacy-invading javascript. Microsoft starts forcing Win11 24H2 to 25H2. Cisco loses source code to the Trivy supply-chain mess. Proton introduces privacy-first voice and video "Meet." GitHub to fix lagging security of its Actions feature. Cloudflare reaffirms the privacy of its 1.1.1.1 DNS. Cloudflare uses AI to re-code better secure Wordpress. The FCC drops a ban on all new consumer-grade routers. Show Notes - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-1073-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to Security Now at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: meter.com/securitynow zscaler.com/security material.security bitwarden.com/twit hoxhunt.com/securitynow

Keith challenges the belief that all debt is bad and reframes it as a tool for building wealth when used intentionally.  He contrasts destructive consumer debt with productive investment debt, especially in real estate, and explains how inflation, long-term fixed-rate loans, and rental income can work together to grow net worth.  Keith explores the mindset shift from prioritizing safety and being debt-free to pursuing growth through leverage, highlights the opportunity cost of avoiding debt, and offers practical guidelines for using borrowing rationally rather than emotionally.  He also shows how modern economies and many wealthy individuals rely on strategic debt, positioning it as a key part of a more intentional, asset-focused version of the American Dream. Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/600 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text  FAMILY to 66866  Unlock truly passive real estate income—visit flockhomes.com/GRE today to see if your properties qualify for a 721 exchange with Flock Homes. Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review"  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com  Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Keith Weinhold  0:00   welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith weinholder, there's bad debt, good debt and great debt. Are you using debt wisely, and are you ensuring that you stay in debt? Because debt is the American dream today, on get rich education milestone episode 600   Corey Coates  0:23   since 2014 the powerful get rich education podcast has created more passive income for people than nearly any other show in the world. This show teaches you how to earn strong returns from passive real estate investing in the best markets without losing your time being a flipper or landlord. Show Host Keith Weinhold writes for both Forbes and Rich Dad advisors and delivers a new show every week since 2014 there's been millions of listener downloads of 188 world nations. He has a list show guests include top selling personal finance author Robert Kiyosaki. Get rich education can be heard in every podcast platform, plus it has its own dedicated Apple and Android listener phone apps build wealth on the go with the get rich education podcast. Sign up now for the get rich education podcast, or visit get rich education.com   Keith Weinhold  1:06   the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequel and even chat with President chailey Ridge personally while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lending group.com that's Ridge lending group.com   Speaker 1  1:40   You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  1:56   Welcome to GRE from Kennewick, Washington at Kennebunkport, Maine and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold, and you are inside get rich education. Yes, America's favorite slack jawed mammal on a microphone has got his act back on track, for your listening pleasure, since 2014 This is our 600th wealth building week in a row, you've been misled, not maliciously, not even intentionally, but somewhere along the way, a really expensive idea got planted inside your head, and it was once planted inside my head, that debt is bad, just blanketly bad, that the goal is to be debt free, that owing money to somebody else is something to escape as fast as possible. And look, I get it, if your mindset is in the old middle class consumer credit world like mine was for much of my life, debt feels heavy, it feels like risk, it feels like obligation, but the people telling you to avoid debt, they're the same people that never built much wealth now a reliance on 22% APR, credit card debt just To pay basic living expenses, because it's the only way that you could do it, merely making the minimum monthly payment that right there is the road to ruin. Why? Well, because the interest rate is high, because you have to pay it back yourself, and because it's unsecured, meaning that there's no collateral, and at the same time, the people quietly getting rich, what are they doing? They're using debt every single day. So debt is not the enemy, it's just the tool, and like any tool, it can build a house, or it can smash your thumb if you miss the nail. Well today we're going to separate the two, because if you understand this one concept, then you stop playing defense financially and start going on offense. In fact, I'll go further. Debt isn't the opposite of the American Dream used correctly. Debt is the American dream. Now, my turning point was really fueled when I made my first ever home, that $295,000 blue four Plex Building Two decades ago, with just my three and a half percent down payment. That meant that 96 and a half percent was borrowed. That's debt, and that fueled everything for me, and got the ball rolling on using that seminal four Plex to leverage even more debt and more property with 1031 exchanges and cash out refinances debt made that American dream free. Me because I could not have afforded $295,000 all cash back then. Now, a guest that we had on the show last year and the owner of a commercial lending company, Hannah Hannan, she recently talked about the virtues of debt. I met Hannah because we were both faculty members on last year's real estate guys Investor Summit at sea cruise. Well, Hannah went on a different cruise and saw in Jamaica that there were all these vacant and uncompleted houses just sort of weirdly stuck at different stages of construction. She asked the tour guide, why are these houses all abandoned? And and the tour guide answered, we don't have loans here in Jamaica. People have to work make money and then start the build, and then the build pauses while they make more money, and then they have to construct the next phase of the build as they go and go back to making more money like that. I mean, sheesh, that's awful. Can you imagine if you had to build a home or a rental property for yourself that way? Well, back here in the US, access to debt is what allows people to build wealth faster, especially in real estate, you can use other people's money control large assets, pay less in taxes and compound off a much smaller amount of capital. That's the difference. Debt availability is really good in the US compared to other nations, and that's the emphasis on the American part of today's episode. Debt is the American dream. Now, when it comes to the big misunderstanding, most people think that debt is really just one thing. They just lump it all like it's all bad, credit cards, car loans, student loans, mortgages. A lot of people, they really do. They just still throw it all into one mental bucket that's sort of labeled da, avoid that at all costs. I'm telling you, no way you cannot do that. I mean, this is like saying food is bad because candy exists. No, there's junk food and there's fuel. It's the same with debt. Consumer debt is a wealth killer. Investment debt is a wealth creator, and if you don't know the difference well, you end up avoiding the very thing that could move your life forward. Here's another way to think about it, debt doesn't make you poor. Using debt poorly makes you poor.    Keith Weinhold  7:36   In real estate, inflation is quietly paying your mortgage, even if you never made a principal payment at all. When you really understand this, it almost sounds too good to be true. Most people think inflation is just rising prices, and it is that, but they miss the other side of the equation. Inflation also shrinks debt, something I've been talking about for more than 10 years here. If you have a 30 year fixed rate mortgage, you're paying back that loan with future dollars that are worth less, and meanwhile, rents tend to rise, wages tend to rise, and asset values tend to rise, but your mortgage, it stays fixed. Inflation can't touch it, and that means that over time, your payment gets easier and easier to make. Oh, and then if you've got a tenant in place as well, oh, they're the one sending in the check for everything. And inflation is not just happening to you. It's now working for you. If you've got, say, a $500,000 mortgage loan, and inflation is 3% well, then inflation enriched you by $15,000 every single year. That's $1,250 a month just on this 500k mortgage loan. And if you've got an investment property rented out. You've even got the tenant paying down, oh, maybe $400 in monthly principal for you on the property, plus this $1,250 in inflation profiting, plus $100 of cash flow. This is $1,750 in monthly benefit before we've even added in your tax benefits and the appreciation potential. What made this all happen debt is what made it all a reality for you. When we talk about why the middle class fears debt, yeah, there is a mindset divide here. On one side, it simply says, get out of debt, stay out of debt and avoid risk. On the other we ask, How can I use that to acquire assets? So it's really like the first group is focused on safety and the second group is focused on growth, and after a while you have to ask bigger X. Potential questions like, do you want to live a life of safety, or do you want to live a life of growth? Now, I'm not knocking discipline, but there is a hidden cost to avoiding debt entirely. It's called opportunity cost. When you pay all cash, oh, well, then you lose leverage, you lose scalability, you lose tax advantages, and you often lose time. Hey, just like I would have by postponing my first four Plex purchase for, say, five plus years until I could have saved up all that money by myself. That's why playing it safe is often the riskiest move, because while you're sitting on the sidelines, inflation and rising prices are still in the game, and you've taken yourself out of the game. When we talk about the American dream, look, America was built on debt leverage.    Keith Weinhold  11:01   Zoom out for a second. This isn't just about you and me. America itself was built on debt. Railroads were financed with borrowed money that helped Cornelius Vanderbilt build his railroad empire in the 1800s in the 1900s highways were funded through government debt. Today, our entire suburbs are built on mortgages. Leverage didn't break the system. It built the system. So it's kind of ironic that today people are told the safest move is to avoid the very mechanism that built this modern economy that you and I are living inside every day. Debt is how things get done. Now, practically, yes, debt can absolutely wreck you if it's used poorly. So we think about some simple guardrails then favor fixed rate debt over variable match long term debt with long term assets, and you want to chiefly borrow for cash flowing or appreciating assets, and also stress test your deals assume that things won't go perfectly. So this certainly is not about being reckless. It's about being intentional. Debt should serve you, not the other way around. And now notice how I said to chiefly use debt for cash flowing or appreciating assets. I didn't say solely because you'll remember how last year, I talked to you about how I bought a new car for myself and financed as much as I was allowed, almost 100% debt. I had to make, like, a two or 3k down payment on the car because it was a special order. And once they start, you know, building it and customizing it for me, well, then they're at risk if they don't have a deposit, all right? Well, I found a way to make this car debt pretty good debt. Oh, and you might be thinking, oh, yeah, of course. Well, if you use it for business, you probably get some deductions that way. Oh, no, no. Business use totally a personal car, almost leveraged to the hilt, but it's not bad debt, and I'll tell you why. By the way, this isn't some high end exotic car. It's a BMW x3 SUV. It was like 53 or 55k and now how could I possibly call this good debt? Nope, I'm not running it out to other people or anything like that, because here, unlike income property, where a tenant pays it down, I do have to make these car payments myself. Well, in a word, the reason I did it this way is for the arbitrage. I got a fixed 3.99% interest rate for five years. Call it 4% Oh, I am almost certainly going to beat that by investing those dollars in real estate. So the 55k almost that I did not have to allocate to a car. Oh, well, that amount is enough for a down payment and closing costs on a cash flowing rental. That's probably going to pay me five ways with a total ROI that I expect to be multiples above the 4% interest rate, but the car's value depreciates. What about that debt on a depreciating asset? A car depreciates at the same rate whether it's bought all cash or all debt. It doesn't matter. Here is the better question, why tie up that much in a depreciating asset? 55k if I had paid all cash which I could have, I would have foregone returns and paid opportunity cost. Now, arbitraging car debt this way. That's not great debt. I don't put it in that category like real estate that pays for itself is and that is mostly because no tenant services. My personal car debt. For me, this car debt is just good debt, not great debt. Now how about some more guardrails? How can you keep yourself from going nuts and just trying to arbitrage everything. How would you know if you've gone too far? I mean, any person that's savvy with personal finance has to ask themselves a question, and that is always, what is the risk associated with this investment, or what is the risk associated with this debt, right? Because I already talked about the upsides of car debt this way. Well, the first risk is that I don't successfully arbitrage it. Rather than having the 55k sunk into the car, I have it invested elsewhere than say, it doesn't achieve a greater than 4% return. Well, the risk of that happening is small, maybe about a 10% chance. What's another big risk of leveraging car debt this way? Well, it's if you cannot make the monthly payment, which for me is about $1,050 a month, 1050 that's a comfortable payment. For me, if you can't make the payment that's called, you got yourself into an over leveraged condition. But for me, these risks are manageable. And this is applied thinking. This is clear eyed thinking, rational decision making, a level headed approach, a long term approach. It's common sense investing. Have a strategy and then invest your plan, not your emotions. Look paying off debt. That's often an emotional response, like when the debt is at a low interest rate and yes, understanding that debt is the American dream. Okay, this is still a pretty unconventional understanding, for sure, but it is pragmatism over emotions. When emotions go up, intelligence goes down. You can see that in a lot of places in your life. I can too. I think that a lot of the emotion happened to us when we were really young, perhaps age 12. And maybe you're saying, Oh, well, grandpa, he would not have arranged his finances this way. Grandpa wouldn't have leveraged all this real estate debt, and he sure wouldn't have thought that arbitraging car debt is savvy, but your grandpa was born before 1971 back when the dollar was still gold, backed if you're older now, your grandpa might have even been affected by living through the 1930s Great Depression. Our world does not work that way. Today, the dollar is no longer tethered to gold. It's just borrowed and lent into existence, and another Great Depression that's actually really unlikely. In the 1930s President Herbert Hoover refused to provide government support to prop up the economy, and sheesh today, any crisis is like immediately propped up by us printing a ton of dollars and then giving them out, just like covid stimulus checks and mortgage loan forbearance and all of that debt, debt, debt. Now I don't think that all of that is good, but you got to acknowledge that that's the world we live in today. If you're debt averse, because grandpa always said to stay out of debt, well then you know what you can take solace. Take comfort in the fact that today, ultimately, grandpa would have understood that the world changed, and he would want what is best for you.    Keith Weinhold  19:03   I'm get rich education. Host Keith Weinhold, this week, we're talking about why debt is the American dream on episode 600 with guidance that's practical, contrarian investor first and non emotional. Contrarian does not mean reckless. And by the way, just because something is mainstream, well, that doesn't necessarily make it bad, but in this case with debt, it often does. Here we're kind of back onto the old Mark Twain quote. Go out on a limb, that's where the fruit is. This is independent thinking for real world investors. It's where theory meets what actually works, and I'll discuss some specific actionable guidance for you before we're done today. But this is largely about ignoring the masses and following a clear incentive path. And what do the masses do? Now they kind of all gel together and get pumped up when they follow these debt free call in radio shows where the host advises the caller to always desperately retire debt at all costs. They'll even tell you work a second and a third job. You got to postpone vacations. They'll tell you to defer your life and go into lifestyle debt. Then in order to desperately stay out of financial debt, we're never going to get that time back. So just chill, take it easy with a lot of debt types inflation and sometimes tenants both passively pay it back for you. I mean, on these debt free call in radio shows, almost every time they give guidance, I kind of chuckle when I listen to this stuff. I sort of quietly ask myself, how would that path ever build wealth like when people are advised to retire 3% mortgage debt? Why dreadful sounding guidance like this happens is because it keeps irresponsible people from going over a cliff. That's all it serves to do. I mean, you're here listening to me because you're good with money, or you desire to be good with money and not give all your money away to creditors used intelligently. Debt isn't reckless. It's a tool, and it's one that lets you scale without trading every hour of your life for dollars. It seems to me that some of the groups of people that need to hear the debt is the American Dream message. They tend to be in a few groups. I need to be careful here, but I'm talking about groups like people with less financial education, engineers and women. It doesn't mean that people with less financial education are any less intelligent. And then when it comes to the engineering profession, you know that type of person tends to be unusually conservative, and I've worked for engineering firms in the past, so I wouldn't know this is somewhat of a paradox. Since engineers are the calculating types, you would think that they would have leverage and arbitrage figured out, and then women are a group that they tend to be more debt averse than most, and this is not a knock on women at all. In fact, women generally do a lot of things better than men do. I mean, I could go on and on there, like emotional intelligence and social awareness and relationship building and even multitasking and sticking to a plan, but I know couples where the husband does understand that it does not make a lick of financial sense to pay off the home, but he did it because the wife wants it so badly she deems that as security. But yeah, there was a time in my life where I thought that being millions of dollars in debt. Oh, that just sounded awful, like I thought that after graduating from college, but Oh, position well, with leverage in real estate, after a long time, you might get yourself where you're increasing your debt half a million bucks every year, but right alongside it, you're increasing your asset value 1 million bucks every year. Well, right there, since net worth is assets minus debt, you're increasing your net worth by a half million bucks a year because you have a big amount to leverage, because you've been a real estate investor for a long time. For example, debt made that American dream possible. But, yeah, the needling engineer type that's conventional and is like still the guy faithfully contributing to their 401 k which is locked up until their age, 59 and a half and keeps paying down debt. You know, they're the ones showing up to their engineering job in a pair of Dockers pants. I'm telling you, people that wear Dockers are not good debtors. I mean, do they still make stupid Dockers? I've got to look that up. Do those pants have pleats at the front or not? I don't even know.    Speaker 2  24:16   Levi's 100% cotton Dockers. If you're not wearing Dockers, you're just wearing pants.   Keith Weinhold  24:21   Oh jeez. And yeah, they still do make Dockers. I mean, the stereotypical needling engineer that dutifully contributes to a 401, K, he's got to have a complete dresser drawer full of stupid Dockers, no doubt.   Keith Weinhold  24:37   Hey, I can make a little fun of them, because I spent a lot of time in that world. I think it makes sense to contribute to a 401 K, by the way, but only up to the employer match amount. That way it's tax advantaged, and you're using other people's money one to one, but above that, oh, every dollar you lock inside a 401 k is $1 that can No. Longer leverage other people's money. That means no debt, no leverage, and a steep opportunity cost. Now to get a holistic picture here, we need to think through what are some reasons to pay down debt, or to pay off debt and completely retire it? Because there are some good reasons for doing that. I talked about credit cards earlier, student loan debt is also not good debt, because you must pay that debt, not somebody else, like a tenant, and now their interest rates are not as high as credit cards, but there's also no collateral with student loans. Maybe you could arbitrage it, like I did with my car, but student loan debt can't be discharged in bankruptcy. Like most other debt types, can you also want to pay off debt when an interest rate is working against you and not for you. Also, if you want to buy more property, but you need to lower your DTI in order to qualify with your mortgage loan underwriter that is lower your debt to income ratio before you take out another mortgage. Oh, well, that would be a reason, for example, to pay off a car loan. Another reason to pay off debt is if you're approaching retirement and you expect a decrease in your income, then you would want to revisit that here at GRE you might be structuring things to increase your income once you retire. That's its own discussion. They are some of the reasons to pay off debt. It makes sense sometimes, and with all those reasons, we've kept emotions out of it. But otherwise, yeah, bring on the good debt. Debt and loan are my two favorite four letter words the wealthiest people have the most debt. I've discussed that reality before on previous episodes, and I gave a lot of examples, like with Mark Zuckerberg and also with Jay Z and Beyonce, so I won't go into all that again. So therefore, let me discuss how, not only do the wealthiest people have the most debt, I mean, for example, I'm wealthier than I've ever been, and I simultaneously have the most debt that I've ever had. Not surprisingly, the wealthiest world nations have the most debt too. Let's look at it from the perspective of household debt as a percent of GDP. There are about 200 world nations, and sure enough, the US ranks pretty high 13th in this measure of household debt, the top 10 nations, counting them down from 10 to one is and look, they're all wealthy nations that have the most debt, Sweden, Denmark, Hong Kong, Norway, South Korea. Up to fifth is New Zealand. And then you've got the Netherlands at fourth, and then Canada, Australia, and number one is the nation that you probably think of as the most wealthy and stable in the entire world. It is Switzerland. They are number one in household debt per GDP, and then the poorest of the 200 world nations have the least debt and the highest interest rates and the least stable currencies. But see, the wealthy nations can borrow the most. These countries can borrow trillions because investors trust them. Their economies are productive and they can service the payments just like you see, say that I know you've got $5 million in debt. Just say that's true. All right. Well, now that's an interesting thing that I know about you, and now I can automatically deduce something else about you. I know that you must be pretty credit worthy for anyone to have even extended you that much credit. So a high debt level is a mark of creditworthiness. The richest people have the most debt and the richest nations have the most debt too. Debt is a contract with time. Here's the deeper idea, debt lets you pull future resources into today. It's financial time travel. But there is a catch. You need to deploy that capital into something that grows faster than the cost of borrowing. If you do that, you win. If you don't, then you just brought future problems into the present debt is time travel, and most people just waste the trip. That's why debt has a bad name. Debt Free surely is not the goal. But you know, even hitting a certain net worth or income mark is not an end goal. Their financial goal. But not the end. The end goal is genuinely living the best version of you. And in fact, let's listen to this together for a minute or two from the parallel truth. Are you really living? It's a little oversimplified, but this is quite a bit more substantive than civil engineers wearing Levi's 100% cotton Dockers. Don't be startled by the sound effects.   Speaker 3  30:23   If you really think working 50 years at a job you hate just to get a few years of so called Freedom makes sense, then I'm sorry to say, you have been brainwashed. This is not living. It's a trap. From the moment you're born, the system starts programming you. School doesn't teach you to think. It teaches you to obey, to sit still, follow orders and wait for permission. Then comes work, where your best years, your energy, your creativity, all get drained away to build someone else's dream. And they call that success. Retirement is the prize they dangle in front of you. Work hard now, they say, so one day you can finally rest. But by the time that day comes, your body's worn out, your fire's gone, and all those dreams you once had, they faded into routine. You traded your time for money and then your health to earn it back. And here's the cruel truth, that's not an accident. It's designed that way, a system built to keep you tired, broke and too distracted to notice what's really happening. They want you so busy surviving that you forget to actually live the scam is simple. They steal your youth when it's full of energy, passion and possibility, and then hand you back your freedom when you're too weak to use it. And the worst part, most people defend the very system that's enslaving them. They call it normal life. They laugh at anyone who questions it, because it's easier to believe the lie than to face the truth. But nothing about this is normal. It's just comfortable enough to stop you from revolting. They give you weekends, holidays and Netflix tiny doses of relief so you don't question the cage you live in. You were born to create, to explore, to build your own path, not to clock in and out until the day you die. The world doesn't need more workers. It needs more thinkers, more dreamers, more people brave enough to walk away from the illusion. So ask yourself, are you really living or just slowly dying inside a system that calls itself freedom?   Speaker 4  31:59   Yeah. Are you truly living or just existing with GRE plan, you can often retire in five to 10 years. So no debt isn't something to fear. It's something to understand. Because the difference between being stuck financially and moving forward faster than you thought possible, it often comes down to one thing, whether you avoid debt or you learn to use it, the American dream is not about being debt free. It's more about owning assets, leveraging wisely, and then letting time tenants and inflation do some of the heavy lifting for you, all of your life. Debt is the American dream, and I've got more on this for you today, coming up here on the show in future, GRE episodes, Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Author Robert Kiyosaki publicly states that he has $1.4 billion in debt, billion with a B, not because he's irresponsible, because he understands leverage and debt often entails a tax advantage with it too. Later this spring, Robert Kiyosaki returns to the show with me here. He's been one of our more recurrent guests over time. Next week, Redfin chief economist, Darrell fairweather, PhD, sits down with me here. Also a lot of other prominent guests lined up, like real estate influencer thatch Wynn will be here with me and lots of other great episodes coming up, including a lot of content that you wouldn't expect to hear that can make a real difference in your life. Be sure to follow or subscribe to the show and also tell a friend about the show today could very well be one of these paradigm shifting episodes that you want to share on social media. More straight ahead you're listening to debt is the American Dream On get rich education.    Keith Weinhold  33:50   Let me throw out a simple idea, sometimes doing nothing with your money is actually a decision. Leaving it parked might feel safe, but over time, purchasing power changes. So the conversation isn't about chasing returns. It's about intentionally placing money somewhere. Freedom, family investments works in real estate people use every day housing, senior communities, essential properties, things tied to living and not trends, their freedom notes. Offering is built for accredited investors looking for structured income backed by real assets, not speculation. I am an investor with them myself. The Freedom team makes themselves available to walk through their approach, structure and operating philosophy, so you can ask questions and determine alignment before moving forward, while past performance doesn't guarantee future results, their historical operating philosophy has yielded 100% investor payouts backed by over 20 years of experience. If you want clarity before making any moves, book a clarity call. At freedom familyinvestments.com or text family to 66 866, text the word family to 66 866.    Keith Weinhold  35:12   Flock homes helps you retire from real estate and landlording, whether it's one problem property or your whole portfolio through a 721 exchange, deferring your capital gains tax and depreciation recapture. It's a strategy long used by the ultra wealthy. Now Mom and Pop landlords can 721 the residential real estate request your initial valuation, see if your properties qualify@flockhomes.com slash, slash GRE, that's F, l, O, C, K, homes.com/gre   Tom Wheelwright  35:50   This is Rich Dad Advisor Tom wheelwright. Listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream.   Keith Weinhold  36:02   You welcome back to get rich Education. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold its debt is the American dream on episode 600 now, just before taking the mic, about 30 minutes ago, I ate some raspberries. I looked at the package to see where they were grown Mexico. Someone in Mexico supplied them. There was a supply chain. Those raspberries were planted in rows with trellising grown, and then they need to be hand picked. They're highly perishable, and they need to be shipped a long way fast, therefore, I just simply had the exorbitant privilege of buying those raspberries from a lit refrigerated store shelf with my dollars. Well, effectively, a bank lent me those dollars. Most of my debt is real estate debt, where time, tenants and inflation service my debt for me. I mean, what an amazing world. I'm just here to control those flows, those flows of money between Mexican raspberry growers, for my property managers that manage my tenants and for the banks that provide the loan. I mean, gosh, debt really is the American dream. It made raspberries appear. This is a contrarian way of thinking, but it's calculated. It's unconventional, but it's first principles thinking, rather than emotions from grandpa. You know something I've said it before that. Hey, I'm proud that throughout my life I have never ridden the government dole. Once. Never have I done that. I've never accepted a subsidy, no covid stimulus checks. I've never accepted an unemployment check in my life, even though I could have been eligible one time. I'm proud of that, because otherwise taxpayers would have had to work for me and pay for me. But in a way, since so many of my mortgage loans are subsidized, I am riding the government dole to get 30 year mortgage money at a 7% interest rate, that's also tax deductible, so therefore maybe I'm paying 5% I mean, that's a really good deal, and the government backing makes banks want to provide lucrative loans to us, just like the FHA program that I personally began with on a fourplex, and Just like these first 10 Fannie, Mae, Freddie Mac backed investor loans that you can get for one to four unit properties. So although it's indirect, it's really like a government handout that we're getting. And what can we do when we can do our part in giving back by doing good in the world and providing good housing, not being slumlords. That's the path that we're on here and the future, it's always going to feel uncertain. Always, I'm encouraging you. You've got to plant the tree, you've got to take the leap. You've got to choose to believe that there is something worth building toward optimism is not about ignoring what's broken in the world. It's about deciding anyway to keep on going, and you're probably doing a lot right, working hard, earning, well, a little saving, but more investing. There's a problem that very few people talk about, labor income is taxed heavily, asset income is treated better, and then 401, K income, well, that doesn't even start arriving until you're about 60 or 70. And really, this is why a lot of high performing. Professionals eventually hit a wall. They make more money, but they don't feel much freer. The people who break out usually do one thing differently. They stop relying on one income source, and they start building income producing assets, and that's where I come in, you already know how to do things like budget and save. We all learned that quite a long time ago, and we've all heard the usual advice about maxing out your 41k waiting for years and just sort of hoping, and that might build a nest egg like that usually does turn into something, and it's better than nothing. It usually won't build outsized returns or freedom, though, and surely not while you're young enough to fully enjoy it. So get rich education is about a different path, building durable wealth through income, property, financial education and smarter leverage, certainly not day trading, certainly not get rich quick, just a proven framework for escaping overdependence on a paycheck, a generationally proven vehicle here and here you get the mindset and tactics to make generationally proven real estate a life changing investment because most people are Climbing the wrong mountain. A lot of smart professionals spend 30 years trying to save their way to freedom, but wealth usually grows faster when you own assets that produce income appreciate over time, offer tax advantages and can be financed with long term debt. That's how you get a lot of them. That is the difference between working hard and building leverage. So you can't out earn a broken wealth strategy.    Keith Weinhold  41:47   Most people earn income, but few people own income. You own the source of the income when you have rental property. A lot of smart professionals really learn that too late, Your salary alone doesn't even have the ability to make you wealthy, since wealth is freedom. So we use an abundance mentality to invest in assets that are scarce. Most people use a scarcity mentality, leading with loss aversion, to invest in something that's abundant and plentiful. So there is always opportunity out there in a market as big and as broad as the US residential real estate market. Where is that opportunity today? Well, I'll tell you that list prices rose 2% year over year to a median of 423k that's in the four week period that just ended according to Redfin. But notice I said that was the list price buyers haggled them down to about 389k that's really significant. It's really proof that sellers are willing to bend in today's markets. So therefore in most markets, I'm encouraging you to make an offer that's below the list price, as we know, available for sale property that is still scarce in a lot of the Northeast and Midwest, and supply is abundant in Texas and Florida. But here's the thing, although Florida inventory is higher now than it was pre pandemic over that six or seven year stretch, here's the new trend, and it's worthwhile to identify inflection points like this on a year over year basis. So looking at only the past one year, Florida inventory is now down 4% it's no longer going up. So it's possible that we've reached the peak of this new Florida supply. We could have hit the turning point now, and yet, builders are still buying down your mortgage rate to about 4% giving you that long term fixed rate on new builds. So I'm telling you, that's where the opportunity is now. As far as the rent side, nationally, I don't see rents going up significantly anytime soon, and that's for most everything, single family rentals all the way up to huge apartment buildings. Rent increases in the single family to fourplex space, they showed some real promise last spring, a year ago, but as we got into summer, they didn't really materialize. Now, although you get rent increases historically, it's never wise to buy and just assume that that is automatic. But I want to underscore the fact that you really should not count on a rent increase over the next year. So that's new builds.    Keith Weinhold  44:53   The other area ripe for opportunity. Here is burrs, buy, renovate, rent. Finance and repeat properties and among GRE listeners, burrs have been our most popular investment over the past two years. Yeah, Memphis, Little Rock, Birmingham and Kansas City, they are our hottest and most reliable burr markets, and we've really improved our burr operations since first helping you with those found the secret sauce, as far as helping you get the right provider that doesn't leave you hanging on the renovation, burrs are also good for you if you have fewer investment resources than what new build properties require. GRE coaching calls and our coaching program are completely free to help you with this now. Of course, our investment coaches listen to all the GRE episodes like you. They're aligned, and we have family guys that work here, like our investment coach Naresh. He has a wife and kids, and he's just the type of person that you want to see succeed in life and that you would enjoy working with over time. And we are all investors ourselves here, every one of us, so it doesn't hurt to set up a 30 minute consultation call to see if our GRE coaching program is right for you, some good, abundantly minded council for free. Our investment coaches have access to the best deals in real time. That alone is worth a connection. We're in constant communication with the top national providers in the best markets. So there might be an incentive today, like, say, a builder rate by down to 4% that didn't exist just two days ago or yesterday. So this is why investors are succeeding. They're also succeeding thanks to our recent Florida online live event. Connect with us to watch the replay and get in on these deals yourself. In fact, we have never seen so many incentives and price reductions in GRE history as we are right now. And see, here's the thing, when it comes to you making an offer below the list price, because our coaches work with other GRE listeners, they're going to know how low that seller is really going to go for you on that price. So that negotiation is some key information that you can learn. We have access to more than 200 deals nationwide, so contact our real estate investment coaches to get access and these burr properties can give you a super high ROI, because sometimes you can end up with as little as 10k or 20k of equity invested in an income producing single family rental. That's probably going to be 20k or more. And then with some of these developers that overbuilt in places like Florida, make that offer use good debt and take advantage of that interest rate in the fours. Buy low. And the reason that these new build deals provide positive income is because you buy at a lower purchase price overall, and you get a fixed rate in the fours, and you get a low property insurance rate, since they are new build properties, you don't need urgency right now so much as you need clarity, because there are opportunities, real ones, whether it's burrs in the Midwest or builder incentives in places like Florida, where you can Get those 4% rates. But the challenge isn't finding opportunity, it's knowing which one is right for you, and that's exactly what we help you do. And since our coaches are active investors themselves, they follow the same markets and the same providers and the same strategies that we talk about here on the show. So instead of guessing or going back and forth in emails, just get clear book, a quick call. It's free, it's 30 minutes, and it could save you months or years of going in the wrong direction. You can do that@greinvestmentcoach.com that's greinvestmentcoach.com the best thing you can do next is get aligned with the right opportunity. I'll chat with you in a week. I'm Keith Weinhold. Don't quit your Daydream.   Speaker 3  49:35   Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively the.   Speaker 4  50:03   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth, building, get richeducation.com