Shows
The Investors First PodcastPerth Tolle, Life & Liberty Indexes: Perth Tolle's EM Freedom FactorIn this episode of the Investors First Podcast, we sit down with Perth Tolle, founder of the Freedom 100 Emerging Markets Index (FRDM), now over $1.6B in assets. We explore her vision for how personal and economic freedom can shape global investment outcomes. Perth shares her journey from growing up in Beijing to moving to the U.S. at age nine, her early career as a Fidelity advisor, and how those experiences ultimately inspired her differentiated approach to emerging-markets investing. We discuss how she constructs and maintains the FRDM Index, the impact of excluding authoritarian regimes like China...
2025-11-0650 minThe Investors First PodcastMarty Bicknell, Mariner – A Private Wealth Shipwright in KansasMarty Bicknell is the CEO and founder of Mariner, a nationally recognized wealth advisory firm providing comprehensive financial solutions to individuals, families, and institutions. Under his leadership since founding the firm in 2006, Mariner has grown from a small startup into one of the largest registered investment advisory (RIA) firms in the United States, with over $500 billion in assets under advisement. With a strong emphasis on client-first service, innovation, and culture, Marty has cultivated a business model that prioritizes holistic financial planning, investment management, and long-term relationship-building. Mariner has been ranked as a top 5 RIA by Barron's from 2016-2024. Beyond...
2025-10-0248 min
The Blunt DollarOrlando Gemes: Why 80% of Hedge Funds FailIn this episode of The Blunt Dollar, I sit down with Orlando Gemes, Founding Partner and CIO of Fourier Asset Management, a credit hedge fund focused on uncovering repeatable alpha through a highly data-driven approach to convertible arbitrage. Orlando’s background spans from fixed income at Deutsche Bank to leading structured credit at Hermes and running his own shop at Fairwater Capital. Now, he’s building something truly unique with Farrier.We talk about what makes convertibles so compelling, how he’s assembling a PhD-led quant team from scratch, and what it really takes to launch an emergi...
2025-09-301h 03The Investors First PodcastMatt Orosz, Trinity Family Builders – Current State of Housing & HomebuildersToday's guest is Matt Orosz. Matt Orosz is Co-President of Trinity Family Builders, launched in March 2024 by the Orosz brothers in Central Florida. He oversees marketing, sales, land acquisition & operations. Before starting Trinity Family Builders, he co-founded Royal Oak Homes (2011) and Hanover Family Builders (2017), both high-growth companies that were sold—Royal Oak in 2014 and Hanover in 2022 (to Land & Sea Homes, a publicly traded entity). He holds a bachelor's degree from Villanova and an MBA from Rollins College. In today's episode, we discussed: · Matt's curiosity, passion for homebuilding, & background in the industrial side of CRE
2025-08-0756 minThe Investors First PodcastCoaching, Creating Your Own Window & Capital Allocation: Chris Hyzy's PlaybookToday's guest is Chris Hyzy. Chris is Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer supporting Bank of America Private Bank and Merrill Lynch (within Bank of America Corporation). He leads investment strategy, asset allocation, equity and fixed income management, due diligence, and wealth planning guidance. Previously, he was CIO and Chief Investment Strategist for the Private Bank at Bank of America. Before that, he held senior investment roles at Citigroup Private Bank, including CIO for Latin America and chair of the Global Investment Themes Committee. He also led investment strategy teams at Merrill earlier in his car...
2025-07-101h 05The Investors First PodcastAlejandra Grindal, Ned Davis Research – Tariff Lesson with Prof. GrindalToday's guest is Alejandra Grindal. Alejandra serves as the Chief Economist for Ned Davis Research. Based in Florida and a graduate (undergraduate and Master's) of Florida State University, we were pleased to host a true Floridian for this episode. We recently hosted Alejandra for our Annual Dinner for CFA Society Orlando and did such a great job, we wanted to have her on the podcast. She joined Ned Davis in 2006 and has been quoted in national media, including Barron's, WSJ, CNBC, and TIME, and is a guest on CNBC, and Bloomberg TV. Prior to Ned Davis, she served as...
2025-06-0549 minThe Investors First PodcastMike Thrasher, Modus - Family Office 101In this episode, the discussion centered around the complexities and dynamics of family offices. Topics covered included the growing number of single-family offices, especially in North America, the typical asset size that justifies establishing a family office, and the transition to multifamily offices to manage costs and expand services. The conversation touched on investment management within family offices, the mystique and challenges of maintaining privacy, and the psychological factors, including family dynamics and governance. We also highlighted trends such as technological advancements, charitable involvement, and interest in unique investments like art and collectibles. Furthermore, the discussion emphasized the importance of journalism...
2025-04-101h 01The Investors First PodcastHerb Greenberg – Red FlagsFor our third episode of year six of the podcast, we welcome Herb Greenberg to the Investors First Podcast. Herb's career is incredible, with time as a journalist at major news outlets ranging from the Chicago Tribune and San Francisco Chronicle, to the WSJ, and also time at The Street and CNBC. It should be noted that he was born and raised in Florida and attended the University of Miami. Herb's energy and curiosity are up there with anyone we have interviewed in the history of this podcast. In today's episode, we cover a wide range of topics, s...
2025-03-061h 03The Investors First PodcastJohn Bowman, CAIA Association – Alternative Investing in 2035For our second episode of year six of the podcast, we welcome my friend John Bowman to the podcast. I can't say enough positive things about what John is doing with the CAIA Association (as well as his predecessor Bill Kelly), both of whom put investors first, which is what this podcast is all about. John stepped in as CEO at the beginning of 2025 and we thought it would be great to hear his vision for where alternative investing is headed over the next decade. John is a speaker, writer, commentator and frequently keynoting industry conferences and has been...
2025-02-0655 minThe Investors First PodcastTom Lee, Fundstrat – 2025 Market OutlookTo kick off year six of the Investors First Podcast, today's guest is Tom Lee. Tom is the Managing Partner and Head of Research at Fundstrat Global Advisors, with over 25 years of experience in equity research. Formerly J.P. Morgan's Chief Equity Strategist, he is a top-ranked strategist and you will frequently find him on CNBC. Lee holds a BS in Economics from the Wharton School and is a CFA charter holder. In this episode, we discuss where the S&P 500 will end up in 2025 and areas of the market Tom likes in 2025. Tom discusses bitcoin...
2025-01-0248 minThe Investors First PodcastRob Arnott, Research Affiliates – Getting Dumped, AI, & Expected ReturnsToday's guest is Rob Arnott, Founder and Chairman of Research Affiliates, where he actively contributes to research, portfolio management, product innovation, business strategy, and client relations. He co-manages several funds, including the PIMCO All Asset and RAE™ funds. Throughout his career, Rob has challenged conventional financial wisdom and pioneered strategies such as tactical asset allocation, global tactical asset allocation, tax-advantaged equity management, and the Fundamental Index™ approach. Before founding Research Affiliates in 2002, Rob was chair of First Quadrant, LP, global equity strategist at Salomon Brothers, and CEO of TSA Capital Management. He has published over 150 articles and won numerous awar...
2024-12-051h 03The Investors First PodcastMarlena Lee, PhD – Fama, Factors & Women in Finance Today's guest is Marlena Lee. Marlena is Dimensional Fund Advisor's (DFA) Global Head of Investment Solutions, leading a team focused on investment thought leadership and client education. She is also a member of DFA's Investment Research Committee. Founded in 1981, DFA is a global asset management firm with ~$800B in assets under management, known for successfully applying academic research to practical investing. Prior to her time at DFA, Marlena served as Co-Head of Research, directing the firm's global research agenda. Marlena was a teaching assistant for Nobel laureate Eugene Fama at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She holds a PhD an...
2024-11-141h 01The Investors First PodcastMarko Papic – GeoMacro Lens on U.S. Election, China Policy, & MarketsToday's guest is Marko Papic, Marko leads BCA Research's BCA Access and developed GeoMacro Research, the first discretionary macro-geopolitical investment strategy in finance. He connects clients with a broad expert network and custom research, having founded BCA's Geopolitical Strategy service. His book, Geopolitical Alpha, presents a framework for predicting investment outcomes. Previously, Marko was a Partner and Chief Strategist at Clocktower Group, advising institutional investors. His work is included in the CAIA curriculum and The Palgrave Handbook of Contemporary Geopolitics. Starting as a Senior Analyst at Stratfor, he has lectured at Stanford and Georgetown. Marko holds advanced degrees from the Uni...
2024-10-1753 minThe Investors First PodcastJeremy Schwartz, CFA – Currency Hedging, Legacy of Professor Siegel & Innovation in ETF'sToday's guest is Jeremy Schwartz, CFA, Global Chief Investment Officer at WisdomTree. Before Jeremy started at WisdomTree in 2005, he was a head research assistant for Professor Jeremy Siegel and became his co-author on the sixth edition of the book Stocks for the Long Run. He received his B.S. in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and hosts the Wharton Business Radio program Behind the Markets on SiriusXM 132. Jeremy is a CFA charter holder and is a member of CFA Society Philadelphia. In this episode, we start by covering Jeremy's charter holder story...
2024-09-0549 minThe Investors First PodcastMichael Mauboussin – Market Concentration, Buybacks & Luck vs. SkillIn this episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Michael Mauboussin, Michael is a highly respected figure in finance, celebrated for his deep insights into decision-making, behavioral economics, and investing. Michael is currently the Head of Consilient Research at Counterpoint Global (part of Morgan Stanley Investment Management). He also serves as an adjunct professor of finance teaching Security Analysis at Columbia Business School (since 1993), teaching essentially the same class that Ben Graham started teaching in 1920. Michael is chairman emeritus of the board of trustees of the Santa Fe Institute, a leading center for multi-disciplinary research in complex systems theory. M...
2024-07-111h 05The Investors First PodcastAli Hamed – Contrarian Early-Stage InvestingToday we host Ali Hamed, a Co-Founder and Partner at CoVenture and a prominent figure in venture capital and alternative investments. With a background in finance and technology, Ali brings strategic insights to early-stage investing. Hamed's track record of success and commitment to fostering entrepreneurship make him a key player in shaping the startup ecosystem. (concise bio courtesy of ChatGPT). In today's episode, we start with Ali's origin story, starting with his time as a baseball player and agriculture major at Cornell, and what led to him eventually saying the internet was his major in c...
2024-06-0656 minThe Investors First PodcastDr. Meir Statman – A Diversified Measure of WealthToday we host Dr. Meir Statman, somebody who was extremely productive during the pandemic, which included completing his new book A Wealth of Well Being. For those familiar with his behavioral finance research, Meir needs no introduction. For the rest of you listening, Meir has devoted his entire career to behavioral finance and making better investment decisions. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to host Meir for an event before the pandemic, but this is the first time he has been on our podcast. Meir received his Ph.D. from Columbia University and his B...
2024-05-0254 minThe Investors First PodcastSion Evans, VenCap – Exponential Outliers: The Power Law's Role in VCOur guest today is Sion Evans, CFA, Senior Investment Manager at VenCap, one of the longest-established investment management and advisory firms active in the VC industry today. They've made over 500 commitments to venture capital funds in the US, Europe, China and India. In today's episode, Sion gives a masterclass on what the data says about venture capital. We spend a lot of time on the importance of capturing the fund returners, why power laws drive venture returns, and what the global VC & startup landscape looks like today. Our co-hosts today are Fran...
2024-04-1155 minThe Investors First PodcastVikram Mansharamani on Developments to Watch Over the Next Five YearsOur returning guest today is Vikram Mansharamani, a global trend-watcher who shows people how to anticipate the future, manage risk and spot opportunities. In today's episode, Vikram updates us on what's been a busy three years since he first came on the podcast. We discuss his senatorial campaign in New Hampshire, his unfortunate split at Harvard, and then get into his new book, The Making of a Generalist. He gives a brief overview of the book and then apply his generalist lens to talk about his annual blog post that shares global developments he's keeping a...
2024-02-011h 12The Investors First PodcastHoward Marks - Investing During a Regime Change from CFA Charter #3,700Today we host Howard Marks of Oaktree Capital Management. For most of us in the investment community, Howard needs no introduction. He is somebody we have looked forward to hosting for quite some time and I couldn't think of anybody better to kick off year five of the Investors First Podcast. We could go on and on about his track record, whether it be his time at the University of Pennsylvania or the University of Chicago, his firm's investment performance, or his various professional achievements, but we must note that Howard is a fellow CFA charter holder (circa 1975).
2024-01-0449 minThe Investors First PodcastDaffy's Adam Nash on Disrupting DAF's (Donor Advised Funds)Our guest today is Adam Nash, the co-founder & CEO of Daffy.org, a modern platform and community for charitable giving that allows you to sign up for your donor-advised fund. Adam has served as an executive, angel investor, and advisor to some of the most successful technology companies to come out of Silicon Valley, including Dropbox, LinkedIn, eBay, and Apple. Adam also served as President & CEO of Wealthfront. In today's episode, Adam explains why his time at Wealthfront gave him the idea to launch Daffy (which stands for donor-advised fund for you). We walk through th...
2023-12-071h 03The Investors First PodcastAswath Damodaran: Unmasking ESGToday we host Professor Aswath Damodaran, where we speak about how Aswath gained his love for teaching and how it led to him becoming an expert in valuation. The episode quickly veered into a sharp critique of the shortcomings of ESG investing. We also discuss market efficiency as it relates to active vs. passive investing, his story approach to individual companies, the future of education, career advice for finance professionals and more. Our hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA & guest host Chris Cannon, CFA (Chief Investment Officer, FirsTrust). Please enjoy the epi...
2023-11-021h 20The Investors First PodcastPhil Hayes, Berman Hopkins: Everything Everywhere All At Once w/ The ESOP GuyToday we host Phil Hayes, The ESOP Guy, where we speak about how Phil went from banker to Managing Partner of a large regional accounting firm (as a non-CPA) to now becoming an expert in ESOP's. In today's episode, we speak about exit strategies in general, where ESOP's fit, the mechanics of ESOP transactions and the tax advantages of this structure. We then bounce around and discuss everything all at once ranging from 1042 exchanges with qualified replacement property, to whether this is a good deal for BOTH the owners and the employees and much more. ...
2023-10-0553 minThe Investors First PodcastPeter Atwater – Diversifying by SentimentOur guest today is Peter Atwater, President of Financial Insyghts and an adjunct professor at William & Mary and the University of Delaware. He studies the impact of changing confidence on consumer decision-making, using his research to advise investors, business leaders, and policymakers. In 2023, he released the book, The Confidence Map: Charting a Path from Chaos to Clarity. In today's episode, Peter walks through some of the key topics in the world today, including the dominance of U.S. stocks, the rise of grifters in the past few years, why he coined the term K-Shape Recovery in...
2023-09-141h 09The Investors First PodcastKC Joyner - Fantasy Football Draft Prep Using Peter Zeihan's Geopolitical FrameworkOur guest today is Orlando's own fantasy football expert, KC Joyner. KC used to work for ESPN and now runs his own website called The Football Scientist. We've had lots of amazing podcast guests since we started in March 2020, but since last year's episode with KC was the second most downloaded episode of any episode we've had, we had to invite him back on. In today's episode, KC explains how another past podcast guest Peter Zeihan's geopolitical framework applies to fantasy football. We cover a range of topics to get you prepped for your draft, an...
2023-08-2458 minThe Investors First PodcastNewEdge Wealth's Cameron Dawson on the State of the MarketsOur guest today is Cameron Dawson, Chief Investment Officer of NewEdge Wealth. Cameron is a Florida native, Rollins college graduate and former board member of the CFA Society of Orlando. In today's episode, Cameron talks about her overall view of the markets. She touches on value, emerging markets, alternatives, and why she's keeping a close eye on the Bank of Japan going forward. Our co-hosts today are Chris Cannon, CFA, and myself, Colby Donovan, CFA. Please enjoy the episode. Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL
2023-08-0344 minThe Investors First PodcastDavid Lau, DPL & Dr. Wade Pfau, RISA: Insurance, Annuities & The Outsourced Chief Insurance OfficerOur guests today are David Lau and Wade Pfau. These two individuals have been collaborating for quite some time to solve retirement income puzzles for investors. David has been doing it with DPL, bridging the gap between low cost insurance and Fee Only wealth management firms. On the other hand, Wade has been approaching retirement solutions from the academic lens with rigorous research. In today's episode, we discuss the potential blind spot in Fee-Only wealth management firms as it relates to insurance and annuities, whether insurance and investments should be comingled and the concept of th...
2023-07-131h 01The Investors First PodcastWes Gray, Alpha Architect: Build Your Own ETF, Advanced Tax Strategies & a New T-Bill AlternativeIn today's episode, we host Wes Gray, CEO of Alpha Architect. Founded in 2010, Alpha Architect is a research focused quant firm that put themselves on the map offering value and momentum factor exposures, but it doesn't stop there. Wes and his group have evolved to offer advanced tax strategies in the form of ETF's, separately managed accounts (SMA's), and ETF white-labeled services. Wes has an incredible bio that starts with humble beginnings growing up on a ranch. He later becomes a Captain in the US Marine Corps followed by earning his MBA & PhD studying under Nobel Prize Winner Eugene...
2023-06-0159 minThe Investors First PodcastJan van Eck, VanEck: Back to School, A Lesson in Financial HistoryToday we host Jan van Eck for the second time on the Investors First Podcast. Jan is the CEO of VanEck, a global asset manager with over $57 billion in assets under management, including ETF's, mutual funds, SMA's, UCITS and more. Since our first recording with Jan in April 2020, Jan took the initiative to create a financial history course at VanEck during the pandemic. Jan is a brilliant investment professional with a passion for financial history. Beyond VanEck's work as a pioneer in the asset management business, we wanted to highlight the great work he is doing (beyond managing money...
2023-05-0447 minThe Investors First PodcastRick Bookstaber & Govinda Quish, Fabric Risk - Current State of Banking & Risks of ContagionOur guest today are Rick Bookstaber and Govinda Quish, co-founders at Fabric Risk, which provides factor-based risk management applications for investment advisors, consultants and family offices. This is the second time we have hosted Rick on our podcast, with this time focused on the current state of banking and the risks of contagion, as well as other risks in public and private markets. We encourage you to listen to our prior episode with Rick to learn more about his background or visit fabricrisk.com to learn more about their professional backgrounds. Hosting today's episode is Steve Curley...
2023-04-0652 minThe Investors First PodcastDan Rasmussen & Bob Elliott - Replicating Private Equity/Hedge Funds in Public MarketsOur guests today are Dan Rasmussen and Bob Elliott. This is the first time both Dan and Bob have shared a podcast stage and they did not disappoint. In today's episode, we discuss Dan and Bob's time at Bain Capital and Bridgewater and how that experience led to founding their respective firms. We then discuss the idea of return smoothing in venture capital, whether active management has an edge in this market environment, is alpha just beta waiting to be discovered, the flaws of private market indices, and much more. Our host today is Steve...
2023-02-021h 11The Investors First PodcastJeffrey Sherman, DoubleLine – 'Sherman Says' His Take on The Fed, Rates, & State of the MarketsOur guest today is Jeffrey Sherman, Deputy CIO of DoubleLine, which manages over $100 billion. Jeffrey oversees and administers DoubleLine's Investment Management sub-committee coordinating and implementing policies and processes across the investment teams. He also serves as lead portfolio manager for multi-sector and derivative-based strategies. In today's episode, Jeffrey shares how he views the investment landscape as we kick off a new year. He touches on inflation, interest rates, and whether or not he expects a Fed pivot. He also shares where he sees opportunity in the market today, specifically in the credit markets. Our co-hosts t...
2023-01-0547 minThe Investors First PodcastMark Brewer, Central Florida Foundation: Strategic Philanthropy: Head, Heart & WalletOur guest today is Mark Brewer, President and CEO of the Central Florida Foundation. Mark frequently advises private and corporate foundation grantmakers across the region and plays a public policy advisory role on strategy and advisory boards around the state of Florida. Our conversation on this Giving Tuesday focuses on the role philanthropy in society, best practices on how to be strategic about causes you choose to support, and the major areas of need in Central Florida today. Our co-hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA, and Colby Donovan. Please enjoy the epi...
2022-11-2945 minThe Investors First PodcastDavid Berns & Mike Taylor, Simplify: Finance for a CureOur guests today are David Berns & Mike Taylor. David Berns is Chief Investment Officer & Co-Founder of Simplify Asset Management, which is focused on creating hedge fund and structured product strategies in a liquid, transparent, tax-efficient and low cost vehicle (ETF's). David has a PhD in Physics from MIT in the field of Quantum Computation. Mike Taylor is Portfolio Manager for the health care strategy at Simplify, which is one of the most unique strategies in the investment management industry, with all net profits donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. He has spent the last...
2022-11-0357 minThe Investors First PodcastDr. Sean Snaith, UCF: Florida Economic Update & Predicting Recessions Dr. Snaith is the Director of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Economic Forecasting and a nationally recognized economist in the field of business and economic forecasting. An award-winning forecaster, researcher and professor, Snaith applies academic expertise to solve real-world problems. He has served as a consultant for local governments and multi-national corporations such as Compaq, Dell and IBM. Snaith holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Pennsylvania State University. Snaith frequently is interviewed in national and regional media and is a sought-after speaker. He has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, U...
2022-10-0648 minThe Investors First PodcastZach Conway, Seeds Investor: ESG, Values Based Investing & Bespoke PortfoliosOur guest today is Zach Conway, Founder and CEO of Seeds Investor. Seeds Investor is a new wealth technology platform designed to empower advisors to better understand investors and deliver the personalized portfolios that align. In addition to Seeds, Zach is a Managing Director with the Conway Wealth Group, a private advisory firm based in Parsippany, New Jersey. Prior to the Conway Group, Zach served as Editorial Manager at Standard & Poor's. Zach is a contributor to Forbes, Founder of the Leader Board and Co-Founder of the Life & Health Network. Zach earned his bachelors degree from Gettysburg College.
2022-09-2231 minThe Investors First PodcastZach Conway, Seeds Investor: ESG, Values Based Investing & Bespoke PortfoliosOur guest today is Zach Conway, Founder and CEO of Seeds Investor. Seeds Investor is a new wealth technology platform designed to empower advisors to better understand investors and deliver the personalized portfolios that align. In addition to Seeds, Zach is a Managing Director with the Conway Wealth Group, a private advisory firm based in Parsippany, New Jersey. Prior to the Conway Group, Zach served as Editorial Manager at Standard & Poor's. Zach is a contributor to Forbes, Founder of the Leader Board and Co-Founder of the Life & Health Network. Zach earned his bachelors degree from Gettysburg College.
2022-09-2231 minThe Investors First PodcastAndrew Beer, Dynamic Beta Investments: Replicating Hedge funds in an ETF WrapperOur guest today is Andrew Beer, Managing Member and Co-Portfolio manager for Dynamic Beta Investments, an investment firm founded in 2012. Over the past decade, Andrew's singular focus has been to identify strategies to match or outperform portfolios of leading hedge funds with low fees, daily liquidity, and less downside risk. Andrew has been in and around the financial services and hedge fund industry in particular for more than 25 years. In today's episode, we will discuss Andrew's journey to starting dynamic beta, democratizing access to hedge fund strategies at a reasonable costs, the benefits...
2022-09-0845 minThe Investors First PodcastKC Joyner, The Football Scientist: A Buffett/Munger Approach to Fantasy FootballOur guest today is KC Joyner, a fantasy football guru and pioneer of the football analytics revolution, featured on ESPN and The Athletic. He is Founder of the Football Scientist, a data analytics subscription service designed to help you win your fantasy football league. KC left his career in telecom to pursue a lifelong dream of writing a Bill James-style book about football. 19 months later, his detailed tape breakdowns of the 2003 and 2004 season led to the self-publication of Joyner's groundbreaking book Scientific Football in 2005. Since his first book was released, he has joined forced with...
2022-08-1849 minThe Investors First PodcastRanji Nagaswami, SVP Global: A Primer on Private CreditOur guest today is Ranji Nagaswami, Managing Director, Chief Strategy/Commercial Officer at SVP Global. Headquartered in Greenwich, CT. SVP is a global investment firm focused on distressed debt and private equity opportunities. Founded in 2001, SVP has over $18 billion in assets under management, 4 offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia and has ~140 employees and over 60 investment professionals. Ranji is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute and is also the Founder and Lead Moderator of the Aspen Institute Finance Leaders Fellowship program. She has served as trustee and member of several boards, including the Yale...
2022-07-1456 minThe Investors First PodcastSamir Vasavada, Vise: Automating Wealth ManagementOur guest today is Samir Vasavada, co-founder & CEO of Vise. Samir came up with the idea for Vise when him and Runik Mehrotra (fellow co-founder) were teenagers. Samir is responsible for Operations, Business Development and managing a team of Engineers and Ph.D. AI and Quantitative Finance Researchers at Vise. Vise is a venture-backed FinTech startup using Artificial Intelligence to revolutionize Portfolio Construction and Management for Financial Advisors. Vise has raised enough capital to be considered a unicorn (valuation greater than $1B) and is backed by Sequoia Capital, Founders Fund, & the Wharton School of Business (among other investors). Samir...
2022-06-0242 minThe Investors First PodcastEduardo Repetto: Building Better Portfolios, From Aeronautics To AvantisOur guest today is Eduardo Repetto, Chief Investment Officer for Avantis Investors. Avantis was established to help clients achieve their investment goals through a persistent focus on providing well-diversified investment solutions that fit seamlessly into asset allocations and combine the potential for added value with the reliability of indexing. Eduardo is responsible for directing the research, design and implementation of investment strategies, providing oversight of the investment team and the firm's marketing initiatives and interacting with clients. He is former co-Chief Executive Officer and co-Chief Investment Officer of Dimensional Fund Advisors and holds a doctorate in Aeronautics...
2022-05-0554 minThe Investors First PodcastChris Arnade: Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row AmericaOur guest today is Chris Arnade, author of the best seller Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America. A Florida native, Chris was one of the first quants on Wall Street and spent 20 years as a trader before becoming disenchanted in finance's role in the 2008 Great Financial Crisis, leading him to walk through the South Bronx and all over areas of the country that he describes as "left behind." Chris has a way of putting the current bipolarization in the US into words as well as anyone I've come across. We talk about our country's f...
2022-04-2158 minThe Investors First PodcastRick Bookstaber, Fabric: A Framework for Risk Management from an Industry PioneerOur guest today is Rick Bookstaber, co-founder and Head of Risk for Fabric, which provides factor-based risk management applications for investment advisors. Rick resume is as impressive as you can come across. He's held Chief Risk Officer roles at Morgan Stanley, Salomon, Bridgewater, and the University of California pension. He also worked at the U.S. Treasury post-2008 and helped write the Volcker Rule. He's the author of The End of Theory and A Demon of Our Own Design. In today's episode, we start with Rick's framework for looking at risk and what the cockroach c...
2022-04-071h 04The Investors First PodcastRoger Urwin, Willis Towers Watson - Sustainable Investing & Seeing Around CornersOur guest today is Roger Urwin, Global Head of Investment Content with Willis Towers Watson. Roger joined Watson Wyatt in 1989 to start the firm's investment consulting practice and, under his leadership, grew to a global team of over 600. Roger has been influential with the CFA Institute and their Future of Finance initiative, as well as co-founder of the Thinking Ahead Institute. His investment innovations include three global firsts, one of which is the creation of the first target date and lifestyle defined contribution funds (1988). Roger is also Advisory Director at MSCI Inc. He has a degree in Mathematics and...
2022-03-2459 minThe Investors First PodcastMatt Brown, CAIS: A Fintech Unicorn Democratizing Alternatives & Educating/Empowering Financial Advisors.Our guest today is Matt Brown. Matt is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of CAIS. Found in 2009, CAIS, a fintech leader, empowers over 4,000+ unique advisor firms/teams who oversee more than $2T+ in network assets. Founded by a financial advisor, CAIS considers itself the first truly open marketplace for alternative investments, where financial advisors and asset managers can engage and transact directly. CAIS offers access to alternative strategies ranging from hedge funds to private equity/credit to real estate, digital assets, structured notes and more. CAIS is unique in that all funds on the platform undergo Mercer's due diligence...
2022-03-0351 minThe Investors First PodcastBen Savage, Clocktower Technology Ventures: The State of Fintech VCOur guest today is Ben Savage. Ben manages Clocktower Technology Ventures and is responsible for all of Clocktower Group's private market activities. Our conversation covers the state of venture capital today, where fintech sits within the venture space, the convergence of public and private markets, and the importance of trust within financial services. Our co-hosts today are Steve Curley, CFA, and Colby Donovan. Please enjoy the episode. CFA Orlando is hosting JP Morgan's Dr. David Kelly for the 2022 Forecast Dinner on February 23rd at the Alfond Inn by Ro...
2022-02-031h 01The Investors First PodcastJason Zweig, The Wall Street Journal: Traders vs. Investors, "Conflict-Free" Advice & Investing HeroesOur guest today is Jason Zweig. Jason has been a Columnist for the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) since 2008, writing the Intelligent Investor Column. Jason is on a short list of people globally that advocate for individual investors on a weekly basis and is somebody that embodies the spirit of The Investors First Podcast (putting investors first). Before joining the WSJ, Jason held positions with Money Magazine (Senior Writer) and Forbes (Mutual Funds Editor), while also serving as a guest columnist for Time magazine and cnn.com. He is author of Your Money and Your Brain...
2022-01-131h 08The Investors First PodcastEric Sim, Institute of Life: How a Portfolio Career & Social Capital Led to 2.8+ Million FollowersOur guest today is Eric Sim. The header on his LinkedIn profile shows a banker, lecturer, speaker and writer, but he is actually much more. Eric is a proponent of the portfolio career, a topic for which he has become a thought leader and the most followed CFA charter holder globally with almost 3 million followers on LinkedIn. Based in Singapore, Eric reached the pinnacle of his career as a Managing director at UBS Investment Bank. He quickly realized that he could offer the world much more than being an investment banker and left his position at UBS. From there, he emb...
2021-12-1634 minThe Investors First PodcastDrew Dickson, Albert Bridge Capital: Behavioral Investing, Bias-Bias, & The Intersection of Sports & InvestingOur guest today is Drew Dickson, founder of Albert Bridge Capital and CIO of the Alpha Europe funds. Our conversation today focuses on Drew's application of behavioral finance and fundamental analysis. We start with his time at the University of Chicago and learning from people like Merton Miller, Gene Fama and Richard Thaler, and then hear how he applies those behavioral principles when analyzing the market today. We talk about the valuation differences between the US and Europe, and then specifically the differences between value and growth in both regions, and get his thoughts on some of...
2021-12-021h 00The Investors First PodcastAnthony Zhang, Vinovest: Fine Wine as an Alternative InvestmentOur guest today is Anthony Zhang, co-founder and CEO of Vinovest, the first of its kind investment platform where individual investors of all kinds can own fine wine (investment grade). He dropped out of the University of Southern California at the age of 20 when he was selected for the prestigious Thiel Fellowship, a two-year program that provides entrepreneurs under 23 a $100K grant to pursue their startups. Other companies he has held leadership or board positions include RateMyInvestor, Blockfolio, JOANY & JoyRun. He is also an active angel investor (portfolio holdings listed on LinkedIn profile). In today's episode, we begin wi...
2021-11-0438 minThe Investors First PodcastEric Clarke, Orion Advisor Technology: WealthTech & Future of Wealth Management IndustryOur guest today is Eric Clarke, Chief Executive Officer for Orion Advisor Solutions (Orion). Eric is shaping the future of advice delivery with the organization's brand entities (fintech and investment management solutions), which include Orion Advisor Tech, Orion Portfolio Solutions, CLS Investments and Brinker Capital Investments. Eric is a thought leader in the industry, writing numerous articles, as well as receiving multiple awards, most recently receiving the Investment News's Icon & Innovators Award in 2019. Eric holds a B.S. in Accounting from BYU and a MBA from Utah. In today's episode, we start with Eric's passion for entrepreneurship, the...
2021-10-0755 minThe Investors First PodcastCliff Asness, AQR: Fama, Quant & Captain AmericaOur guest today is Cliff Asness, Founder, Managing Principal and Chief Investment Officer at AQR Capital Management. He has authored articles on financial topics in almost every major financial publication and his awards are too many to list. He received his Ph.D. from University of Chicago while learning under Nobel Laureate Gene Fama. Notably, his bio states that "he still feels guilty trying to beat the market" after all these years because of his work with Gene. In today's episode, we start with Cliff's education background and how his father's aim for diversification in education paid o...
2021-09-091h 16The Investors First PodcastBill Kelly, CAIA: Democratizing Alternatives & The Retirement PromiseOur guest for this episode, is Bill Kelly, CEO of the CAIA Association, a position he has held since 2014. Previously, Bill was the CEO of Boston Partners and one of the seven founding partners of Boston Partners Asset Management. He is a tireless advocate for shareholder protection and investor education and a frequent industry speaker, writer, and commentator on alternative investment topics around the world. In this episode, we explore the specialization of credentialing in the investment industry, the relevance of the chartered alternative investment designation (known as CAIA), the stackable program available to CFA charterholders, and the...
2021-08-1958 minThe Investors First PodcastGerard O'Reilly, Dimensional Fund Advisors: Innovation, Engineering, and the Power of PricesGerard O'Reilly serves as Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Dimensional Fund Advisors LP and has been with Dimensional since 2004. Since joining the firm, Gerard has been instrumental in the evolution of Dimensional's systematic approach to creating and implementing investment solutions. He is Co-Chair of the firm's Investment Research Committee and a member of the Investment Committee, which oversees portfolio and account management. Prior to joining Dimensional, Gerard obtained his PhD in aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology. He holds a Master of Science degree in high performance computing from Trinity College Dublin in his native...
2021-08-051h 06The Investors First PodcastJerry Parker, Chesapeake Capital: Tampa's Turtle TraderOur guest today is Jerry Parker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chesapeake Capital and long-time trend-follower. In this episode we start by going back to Jerry's days as a "Turtle Trader" under Richard Dennis and the lessons he learned from the experience. We walk through some of the keys to trend-following, what 2020 looked like from his point of view, and the benefits of a rules based approach. In a world of Dogecoin and meme stocks, Jerry provides a rational perspective on the markets. Our local co-hosts today are Chris Cannon, CF...
2021-07-0154 minThe Investors First PodcastVincent Milhau, PhD, EDHEC Risk Institute: The Future of Goals Based InvestingOur guest today is Dr. Vincent Milhau, who is a Research Director of the EDHEC-Risk Institute. Vincent is in charge of several research projects at the Institute in the fields of portfolio optimization and asset allocation for institutional and individual investors. Most of these projects are funded by large industry players interested in the latest advances in risk management and asset allocation. His main focus is on goal-based investing or GBI and it is what we focus on in the episode. Vincent has a diverse academic background that ranges from his bachelor's degree in Mathematics...
2021-04-2249 minThe Investors First PodcastBill Brewster, CFA: Value, Robinhood and #FinTwitBill Brewster, CFA is the Founder and Portfolio Manager of Sullimar Capital Group. Bill hosts the popular podcast, The Business Brew, and is also a co-host on the very popular series, Value After Hours, with Tobias Carlisle and Jake Taylor. In today's episode, Bill starts by explaining his windy road to be the value investor he is today. Then we spend some time talking about Robinhood and the gamification of the app. Bill shares the tragic story of his cousin-in-law who took his own life after Robinhood incorrectly showed he owed over $100,000 in his account and did not respond to his...
2021-04-0158 minThe Investors First PodcastMike Welker, AndCo Consulting: Redefining Institutional Consulting With A $100B+ Trend SetterOur guest today is Mike Welker, CFA, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee at AndCo Consulting. In today's episode, we begin with Mike's background, hearing how playing basketball at Rollins College brought him from Indiana to Central Florida. Mike shares the story of how he joined AndCo soon after the firm was founded in the early 2000's and what led him to become the majority owner in 2015. Then we dive into AndCo's consulting business. He shares the profile of a typical AndCo client, how the firm evaluates active managers, and how clients are handling l...
2021-03-1848 minThe Investors First PodcastAnthony Scaramucci, SkyBridge Capital: The Mooch - UnfilteredOur guest today is Anthony Scaramucci, founder and Co-Managing Partner of SkyBridge Capital. In November 2016, Mr. Scaramucci was named to President-Elect Trump's 16-person Presidential Transition Team Executive Committee and served as the White House Communications Director for a brief period in July 2017. In this episode, we discuss his professional journey as a first generation college graduate, then working for Goldman Sachs and becoming a serial entrepreneur. We talk about his brief stint in the White House, lessons learned from the experience and why it's important to control your ego. Then we hear about what he's m...
2021-03-0448 minThe Investors First PodcastTamar Frankel, Boston University: State of The Union With The Godmother of FiduciaryOur guest today is Professor Tamar Frankel, a long-time member of the Boston University School of Law faculty who writes and teaches in the areas of fiduciary law, corporate governance, mutual funds and the regulation of the financial system. In 2013, the Institute for Fiduciary Standard established the annual Frankel Fiduciary Prize in her honor to award individuals who advance fiduciary principles. WealthManagerWeb has named her among the 50 Top Women in Wealth Management. In today's episode, Tamar explains what led her to spend her career focusing on fiduciary law and what it means to be a fiduciary. We...
2021-02-1853 minThe Investors First PodcastDr. Campbell Harvey, Duke University: DeFi, Gold, Crypto & Undefeated Record of Yield Curve IndicatorOur guest today is Dr. Campbell R. Harvey, who for the past 35 years has served as Professor of Finance at Duke University. Professor Harvey has also served as Partner/Senior Advisor to Research Affiliates, LLC and Advisor to Man Group. He served as Editor of the Journal of Finance from 2006 to 2012 and as the 2016 President of the American Finance Association. He holds a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Chicago, MBA from York University and a BA from University of Toronto. Dr. Harvey has published over 125 scholarly articles on a variety of topics...
2021-02-041h 06The Investors First PodcastDr. Gio Valiante & Steve Curley, CFA: The Art of Performance in Investing, the PGA Tour, & the NFL Our guest today is Dr. Gio Valiante, Sports Psychologist and Performance Coach to professional athletes and investors. Gio has a fascinating background, which includes a 5 year stint at Point 72 with Steve Cohen (many know Steve and Gio's dynamic via the hit show Billions on Showtime), 10+ years of coaching pro golfers on the PGA Tour, and most recently, Head Performance Coach of the Buffalo Bills. Gio's academic background includes a Master's of Education at University of Florida, a Ph.D. from Emory University, and 13+ years as a College Professor at Rollins College. In this episode, we...
2021-01-2146 minThe Investors First PodcastMeb Faber, Cambria Investments: Quantitative Investing, $TAIL Risk & Tim TebowOur guest today is Meb Faber, Founder & Chief Investment Officer at Cambria Investment Management. He also hosts one of the top investment podcasts called The Meb Faber Show. In this episode, talk about Meb's quantitative approach to investing, embracing both value and trend following. We dive into one of his funds, $TAIL, and the entire thought process of how, when, and why to hedge your portfolio. We also talk about the benefits of a shareholder yield approach, and why he has started to do some private investing in over 200 companies. As we wind down, we h...
2021-01-071h 11The Investors First PodcastMarko Papic, Clocktower Group: Biden Presidency, Buenos Aires Consensus & Generating Geopolitical AlphaOur guest today is Marko Papic, Partner and Chief Strategist of Clocktower Group, an alternative investment management firm based in California. In 2011, he founded BCA Research's Geopolitical Strategy practice, the world's only dedicated investment consultancy focused on political analysis. He also recently wrote the book, Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future. In this episode we discuss why investors need to be cognizant of geopolitics for the first time in 40 years, his framework anyone can use to assess the impact of geopolitics, and what his views are on global assets and relations with a Biden...
2020-11-121h 03The Investors First PodcastAusten Allred & Steve Curley, CFA: Lambda School's CEO on Disrupting Education & Income Sharing AgreementsOur guest today is Austen Allred, co-founder & CEO of Lambda School, which provides students a computer science education funded by an Income Share Agreement (ISA). Lambda School recently raised $74M, valuing the company at over $150M. In this episode we discuss the structure of Lambda School's year-long program, the current issues within the education system, and how income sharing agreements work and provide students with an alternative to student loans. Our local co-host today is Steve Curley, CFA, CIO of WaterOak Advisors and current President of the CFA Society of Orlando. Please enjoy the episode. ...
2020-11-0559 minThe Investors First PodcastAdam Davidson & Frank Garcia, CFA: Building Things That Last, Seeking Out Your Next Project, & The Future of WorkOur guest today is Adam Davidson, the CEO of the podcast company Three Uncanny Four and author of The Passion Economy: The New Rules for Thriving in the Twenty-First Century. Adam is known for co-founding NPR's Planet Money, one of the first and most popular business and economics podcast to this day. Our conversation today focuses on the passion economy and how finance professionals can thrive in the twenty-first century. Adam explains what the passion economy is, why some of the rules (like turning customers away) are counterintuitive but imperative, and what his career advice is to...
2020-10-2946 minThe Investors First PodcastJay Ritter & Steve Curley, CFA: "Mr. IPO" on SPACs, Direct Listings, & Public vs. PrivateOur guest today is University of Florida Professor Jay Ritter, who is known as "Mr. IPO" for his work on initial public offerings. He received his BA, MA, and PhD degrees in economics and finance from the University of Chicago. In this episode, we discuss all things IPO. Professor Ritter gives an overview of the IPO process and why so many companies are being underpriced in 2020. He also explains why direct listings may be favorable to the traditional IPO process, and what has led to the popularity of SPACs in 2020. He finishes the episode with what he e...
2020-10-2250 minThe Investors First PodcastStuart Lucas, CFA & Steve Curley, CFA: Tax Alpha Amid a Changing Tax RegimeOur guest today is Stuart Lucas, founder and Chief Investment Officer of Wealth Strategist Partners, a firm that advises complex family enterprises. He also co-founded the University of Chicago's Private Wealth Management program, now in its fourteenth year. Our conversation today focuses on his book, The Taxable Investor's Manifesto: Wealth Management Strategies to Last a Lifetime. We discuss why investors typically treat taxes as an afterthought, his analogy of taxable and non-taxable investors playing the same game by two different rules, what his thoughts are about how to position your portfolio based on a possible Biden victory...
2020-10-1548 minThe Investors First PodcastAnnie Duke & Steve Curley, CFA: Tracking Error, Career Risk, & How to DecideOur guest today is Annie Duke, who was previously one of the best poker players in the world and is now a renowned public speaker and best-selling author. Our conversation is all about decision-making and there's no one better to cover the topic than her. We begin with the topics of tracking error, career risk in the NFL and in finance, and remaining process-focused over time. We then shift to discussing how to fine tune our predictions, ways we can combat memory creep and hindsight bias, and how to structure organizations to make better group decisions. If y...
2020-10-121h 08The Investors First PodcastMark Yusko & Chris Cannon, CFA: Road Trippin', Tiger Cubs, & Satoshi NakamotoOur guest today is Mark Yusko, Founder, CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Morgan Creek Capital Management, which manages close to $2 billion. He is also the Managing Partner of Morgan Creek Digital Assets. Prior to founding Morgan Creek, he was CIO and Founder of UNC Management Company (UNCMC), the Endowment investment office for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In this episode we discuss his transition from running UNC's endowment to starting Morgan Creek with the help of Julian Robertson, why his recent road trip across the country leads him to believe the U...
2020-10-081h 31The Investors First PodcastMorgan Housel & Steve Curley, CFA: The Psychology of Rational Economic ManOur guest today is Morgan Housel, Partner at Collaborative Fund, a former columnist at The Motley Fool and The Wall Street Journal, and arguably the best financial writer of our time. In this episode, we discuss his writing process, his advice to those in the finance industry looking to start or improve their writing, and his new book, The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness. Some of the topics he touches on include what his goal of personal finance is, how we can use money to make us happier, and the different muscles...
2020-10-0154 minThe Investors First PodcastJohn Streur & Steve Curley, CFA: ABCs of ESG with Calvert's CEOOur guest today is John Streur, President and Chief Executive Officer of Calvert Research and Management, an investment management firm that specializes in responsible and sustainable investing across global capital markets. Our episode today focuses on all things Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG). We discuss John's background and what led him to his position as CEO of Calvert, the history of ESG investing and how they implement ESG factors into their research, and the difference between exclusionary passive strategies relative to alpha seeking active management strategies. We also discuss ways you can learn more about the ESG...
2020-09-2443 minThe Investors First PodcastTyrone Ross & Frank Garcia, CFA: Financial Literacy, Poverty in America, & Bitcoin's PotentialOur guest today is Tyrone Ross, CEO of Onramp Invest, a fintech platform designed for the next generation of advisors and investors. The majority of our conversation today focuses on Tyrone's passion: lifting up Americans out of poverty and expanding the reach of financial education. Tyrone explains why the current state of financial education in schools is lacking and what he is doing to help fix it, why he believes bitcoin will be beneficial to inner city communities, and the exciting platform he is working on with Onramp Invest. Our guest-host today is Frank Garcia, Co-Chi...
2020-09-1759 minThe Investors First PodcastChristine Benz & Steve Curley, CFA: Personal Finance & Retirement ReadinessOur guest today is Christine Benz, Morningstar's Director of Personal Finance and recently named one of Barron's 100 Most Influential Women in Finance. As so many people have been put into tough financial circumstances due to COVID, the topic of personal finance is more important than ever. In this episode, we discuss Americans' lack of retirement preparedness, the need for more personal finance education for the demographic advisors don't serve, what she thinks young investors will learn from trading on Robinhood, and if the future of the 60/40 portfolio is dead. Our local co-host today is Steve...
2020-09-1049 minThe Investors First PodcastScott Young & Steve Curley, CFA: Ultralearning: Fast Track the CFA, MIT Degree, or Second LanguageIf you are a CFA candidate or life-long learner, this episode is for you. Our guest today is Scott Young, who garnered notoriety when he completed MIT's four year computer science program in just 12 months without taking classes, and later wrote the book Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career. To say Scott has become an expert on self-directed learning is an understatement, and in this episode he shares the lessons he's learned that directly apply to you while studying for the CFA exam. He also explains common pitfalls people make while studying....
2020-09-0349 minThe Investors First PodcastChris Cannon, CFA & Michael Falk, CFA: Six Deadly Sins of InvestingOur guest today is Michael Falk, CFA, CRC. Michael is a partner at the Focus Consulting Group. Michael has authored 2.5 books: the 2016 CFA Institute Research Foundation Monograph "Let's All Learn How To Fish… To Sustain Long-Term Economic Growth", the 2019 Monograph follow-up "Get to Work… on OUR Future" and he co-authored the 2017 "Money, Meaning and Mindsets." Our local co-host is Chris Cannon, who is the Chief Investment Officer of FirsTrust, an RIA in Daytona Beach, Florida. He is also a board member and the Advocacy Chair for the CFA Society of Orlando. In this episode, we discus...
2020-08-2728 minThe Investors First PodcastFrank Garcia, CFA & Dr. Daniel Crosby: Your Brain on Money: How to Make Better Financial DecisionsOur guest today is Dr. Daniel Crosby, Chief Behavioral Officer at Brinker Capital and a New York Times best-selling author of multiple books, including his most recent, The Behavioral Investor. Daniel is a licensed psychologist who provides a unique lens into decision-making around money. In the episode we discuss why we're not wired to make sound financial decisions, how bear markets truly have a long lasting impact on us, why he believes automating financial decisions is optimal in almost every scenario, and why he believes it's beneficial to have a financial advisor. He also offers advice on ho...
2020-08-2039 minThe Investors First PodcastRob Roy & Javier Perez, CFA: AdventHealth's CIO on Faith, Health & WealthOur guest today is Rob Roy, Chief Investment Officer at AdventHealth, the largest hospital headquartered in the state of Florida. In this episode, we take a look at the investment side that powers the largest healthcare system headquartered in Florida. Due to the size of Advent Health, Rob is able to present a unique view of the impact of COVID on both portfolios and the healthcare system, along with possible long-term impacts of COVID on the U.S., supply chains, and potential inflation. He also discusses the impact of religious principles on their investment process.
2020-08-1336 minThe Investors First PodcastGreg Bartalos & Steve Curley, CFA: RIA Intel, Boog Powell's BBQ, and Ponzi SchemesOur guest today is Greg Bartalos, Editor in Chief of RIA Intel. He was previously Editor in Chief of Barrons.com and had roles at Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg News and Institutional Investor. In this episode, Greg explains what led Institutional Investor to launch RIA Intel with him leading the charge in Summer 2019, how RIA's can leverage the media to benefit their business, and why he thinks some RIA's didn't properly evaluate the risk of accepting PPP loans. We also discuss some of his recent pieces covering ethical issues in the industry, why the March downturn may unmask p...
2020-08-0635 minThe Investors First PodcastDr. Ed Yardeni & Steve Curley, CFA: Fed Watching - Who is More Powerful: POTUS vs. Powell?Our guest today is Dr. Ed Yardeni, founder of Yardeni Research. He is also the author of multiple books, including Fed Watching for Fun & Profit: A Primer for Investors. We discuss his recent book, which is about the history of the Fed through the end of 2019 and couldn't be more timely, and get his thoughts on the unprecedented fiscal and monetary policy in response to COVID. We also get his take on the buyback debate and why he believes the increase in the market has caused the increase in buybacks, contrary to popular opinion. Our local...
2020-07-3040 minThe Investors First PodcastMike Pyle, CFA & Steve Curley, CFA: Restart, Revolution, & ResilienceOur guest today is Mike Pyle, CFA. Mike is the Global Chief Investment Strategist for BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager. Prior to joining BlackRock, he served for five years at the center of President Obama's economic team. Our conversation hinges on the long-term themes he and his team discuss in the 2020 Mid Year Outlook, which cover the restart of activities post-COVID, the policy revolution we've witnessed in 2020, and why he expects countries and sectors will make comebacks as diversifiers going forward. He also reflects on the five years he spent at the center of President Obama's e...
2020-07-2340 minThe Investors First PodcastDr. Chris Pierson & Steve Curley, CFA: Cyber Security for High Net Worth IndividualsOur guest today is Dr. Chris Pierson, founder and CEO of BlackCloak, a Concierge Cybersecurity protection suite for high net-worth individuals and corporate executives. Previously, he was the first Chief Privacy Officer for the Royal Bank of Scotland's (RBS) U.S. operations, where he led its privacy and data protection program. He received his B.A. and M.A from Boston College and his Ph.D and J.D. from the University of Iowa. In this episode, we discuss what hackers are looking for, real-world stories of victims helped by BlackCloak, ways your home may be vulnerable...
2020-07-1641 minThe Investors First PodcastVikram Mansharamani & Chris Cannon, CFA: Becoming a Heterodox Fox – How To Make Your Own Mosaic With Focused ExpertsOur guest today is Dr. Vikram Mansharamani, who is currently a lecturer at Harvard University. In addition to teaching, he also advises several Fortune 500 CEOs and was listed as LinkedIn's #1 Top Voice for Money, Finance and Global Economics twice. He has a Ph.D, two Masters degrees from MIT, and a Bachelors degree from Yale University. In this episode, we discuss his new book, Think for Yourself: Restoring Common Sense in an Age of Experts and Artificial Intelligence. He explains when to rely on experts for help, the importance of focus in today's age, the downside of b...
2020-07-0956 minThe Investors First PodcastRaphael Bostic & Steve Curley, CFA: Rates, Race, and Economic MobilityOur guest today is Dr. Raphael Bostic, the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and the first African-American President in the 106 year history of the Fed. Prior to his role at the Federal Reserve, he served as a professor at the University of Southern California and was the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He graduated from Harvard University in 1987 with a combined major in economics and psychology. He earned his doctorate in economics from Stanford University in 1995. In this episode, we discuss...
2020-06-2551 minThe Investors First PodcastMarty Flanagan, CFA and Steve Curley, CFA: Invesco's CEO on Managing $1.1 Trillion in Assets & Lessons from John TempletonOur guest today is Marty Flanagan, the CEO of Invesco, a $1.1T asset manager. He joined Invesco from Franklin Resources, Inc., where he was president and co-chief executive officer from 2004 to 2005. Previously, he held numerous positions of increasing responsibility at Franklin — co-president, chief operating officer, chief financial officer and senior vice president from 1993 - 2003. Mr. Flanagan served as director, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Templeton, Galbraith & Hansberger, Ltd. before its acquisition by Franklin in 1992. He is a CFA charterholder and a certified public accountant. Mr. Flanagan earned a B.A. and B.B.A. from Southern Met...
2020-06-1827 minThe Investors First PodcastRob Forsyth and Frank Garcia, CFA: ETF's and Their Role in Markets During Uncertain TimesOur guest today is Rob Forsyth, Head of SPDR America's ETF Strategy at State Street. He was previously the Head of Exchange Traded Products and Derivatives with UBS. Our local co-host today is Frank Garcia, CFA. Frank is the VP of the CFA Society of Orlando. He is a wealth advisor and Co-Chief Investment Officer with Resource Consulting Group, an independent fee-only investment advisory firm with $1.8 billion in AUM. In this episode, Rob discusses how ETF's held up during the volatility in March, the trends within both fixed-income and equity ETF's, the impact of the Fe...
2020-06-1137 minThe Investors First PodcastDave Krepcho, Javier Perez, CFA and Zach Knope, CFA: Fighting Hunger and Feeding Hope with Second HarvestAs many of you know, Second Harvest has been an important partner of CFA Society Orlando. As a team, and over the past four years, this partnership has aided many individuals through financial literacy and Second Harvest's culinary training program. During these difficult times we are excited to expand on that partnership by matching member donations to Second Harvest, up to $75 per member. Please consider donating here. Our guest today is Dave Krepcho, President & CEO at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. In 1992, he became the Executive Director of the Miami Food Bank and went on to...
2020-06-0428 minThe Investors First PodcastBen Harrison and Steve Curley, CFA: Pershing Advisor Solutions CEO on the Future of RIA CustodyOur guest today is Ben Harrison, who will be named as the head of BNY Mellon's Pershing registered investment advisor (RIA) custody business, succeeding Mark Tibergien, effective June 1, 2020. He joined Pershing in 2006 and was promoted to lead business development for advisory marketplace solutions on the West Coast in 2013. In 2015, Harrison became the head of business development for the RIA custody business. He took on the additional role of relationship management in 2019. He has been serving in his current role since then. In this episode, we discuss the growth Pershing has had since he started his career, trends wit...
2020-05-2825 minThe Investors First PodcastDanny Moses and Jeff Goll, CFA: Life After The Big Short, COVID-19, and $TSLAOur guest today is Danny Moses, who was the head trader at FrontPoint Partners under Steve Eisman during the housing crash in 2008 and was featured in Michael Lewis' best-selling book "The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine," which was later turned into an Academy Award-winning movie. Our local co-host is Jeff Goll, a Managing Director and Head of Capital Markets for Hillpointe, a real estate development and investment firm based in Winter Park, FL. Prior to joining Hillpointe, Jeff was with DePrince, Race & Zollo, Inc., a Value Equity investment manager. Before that, Jeff worked with our guest...
2020-05-2138 minThe Investors First PodcastBrian Langstraat, CFA and Steve Curley, CFA: Direct Indexing - Tax Alpha and Direct BetaThis episode features the CEO of Parametric, Brian Langstraat, CFA. Brian is responsible for Parametric's firmwide strategy and organizational development. Since joining Parametric in 1990, Brian has held positions in portfolio management, product development, portfolio administration, marketing, and client service. In 2014 he was elected to the Eaton Vance Corp. board of directors. He earned a BA in economics and sociology from the University of Washington. In this episode, Brian begins with his background and why he chose to pursue the CFA designation. Then he explains what direct indexing is, how it utilizes tax-loss harvesting to increase returns, the d...
2020-05-1438 minThe Investors First PodcastBarry Ritholtz and Steve Curley, CFA: Part II of II: Active ShareThis is Part II of our episode with Barry Ritholtz. If you haven't listened to Part I, hit pause and listen to that first. This episode features Barry Ritholtz, co-founder, Chairman, and Chief Investment Officer of Ritholtz Wealth Management. He is also the creator and host of the Masters in Business podcast/show on Bloomberg Radio and author of the book Bailout Nation, which was published in 2009. In the second of a two part episode, Ritholtz explains why he prefers active management in fixed-income over equities, how he curates which writers to follow, thoughts on t...
2020-05-0732 minThe Investors First PodcastBarry Ritholtz and Steve Curley, CFA: Part I of II - Bailout NationThis is Part I of a two-part episode; check back for Part II. This episode features Barry Ritholtz, co-founder, Chairman, and Chief Investment Officer of Ritholtz Wealth Management. He is also the creator and host of the Masters in Business podcast/show on Bloomberg Radio and author of the book Bailout Nation, which was published in 2009. In the first of a two-part episode, Ritholtz dives into a discussion about bailouts, how current airline bailouts compare the bank bailouts in 2008-09, whether the government has made money on bailouts before and what restrictions should be placed o...
2020-04-3024 minThe Investors First PodcastLiz Ann Sonders and Steve Curley, CFA - COVID-19: A Y-Shaped RecoveryThis episode features Liz Ann Sonders, Chief Investment Strategist at Charles Schwab. In 1999, Liz Ann joined U.S. Trust—which was acquired by Schwab in 2000—as a Managing Director and member of its Investment Policy Committee. Before U.S. Trust, Liz Ann was a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager at Avatar Associates (1986-1999), an original division of the Zweig/Avatar Group. She was recently named to the inaugural Barron's "100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance." In this episode, Liz Ann discusses her career path from Zweig/Avatar Group to Charles Schwab, gender diversity within the indust...
2020-04-2337 minThe Investors First PodcastJan van Eck and Steve Curley, CFA: Inside the Mind of an ETF PioneerThis episode features Jan van Eck, CEO and Director of Van Eck Associates, which manages more than $50 billion. He originally joined the family firm in 1992. In this episode, van Eck discusses the history of his firm, the early days of his career and what led him to eventually join the family business, the future of gold and bitcoin, how his firm decides to launch an ETF, some of his more popular ETFs including e-sports, green bonds and fallen angels, and what the future is for the industry. Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter...
2020-04-1634 minThe Investors First PodcastDr. David Kelly, CFA and Steve Curley, CFA - COVID-19: Pessimist on the Virus, Optimist on the EconomyOur guest today is Dr. David Kelly, the Chief Global Strategist and Head of the Global Market Insights Strategy Team for J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan Asset Management, David served as Economic Advisor to Putnam Investments, and as Senior Strategist/Economist at SPP Investment Management, Primark Decision Economics, Lehman Brothers and DRI/McGraw-Hill. David is a CFA® charterholder. He also has a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from Michigan State University and a B.A. in Economics from University College Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. Dr. Kelly discusses t...
2020-04-0928 minThe Investors First PodcastPaul Smith, CFA and Chris Cannon, CFA - COVID-19: Around the World and Back AgainThis episode features two guests. The first is Paul Smith, who was previously the President and CEO of the CFA Institute. Paul has more than 25 years of relevant financial services leadership experience in many aspects of the investment management industry. The second is Chris Cannon, who is the Chief Investment Officer of FirsTrust, an RIA in Daytona Beach, Florida. He is also a board member and the Advocacy Chair for the CFA Society of Orlando. In this episode, Smith covers the current mood in Hong Kong (where he resides) and what he expects to happen w...
2020-04-0241 minThe Investors First PodcastPeter Zeihan and Steve Curley - COVID-19: New World DisorderOur guest today is Peter Zeihan (@PeterZeihan), a geopolitical expert. He launched his own firm, Zeihan on Geopolitics, in 2012 in order to specialize in customized executive briefings for his clients. Prior to going independent, Zeihan worked for 12 years with the geopolitical analysis firm Stratfor. He has authored multiple books, including his most recent, Disunited Nations. Zeihan discusses the thesis from his most recent book that the world is becoming more de-globalized, how the COVID-19 outbreak is accelerating that process, U.S. and Chinese relations moving forward, thoughts on the November election, relations between Russia and the Saudis, a...
2020-03-2642 minThe Investors First PodcastChen Zhao and Steve Curley - COVID- 19, De-risk or Re-risk Your Portfolio?Our guest today is Chen Zhao, Chief Global Strategist at Alpine Macro. Chen discusses the different factors causing the current economic and financial situation, why the Fed has done their job but it's time for the government to step in and do theirs, where he's seeing the best opportunities in the market, and how the coronavirus outbreak impacts the trade war with China. We hope you enjoy. Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL 0:38 — Colby Donovan and Steve Curley introduce the podcast 3:10 – Introduce Chen Zhao 5:00 – Why he believes...
2020-03-1930 minThe Investors First PodcastPatrick O'Shaughnessy and Steve Curley - Trail MagicOur two guests today are Patrick O'Shaughnessy, CEO of O'Shaughnessy Asset Management and host of the Invest Like the Best podcast, and Steve Curley, Chief Investment Officer of WaterOak Advisors and President of the CFA Society of Orlando. Patrick discusses the recent talk he gave at the 2020 Annual Forecast Dinner and why we all need to avoid becoming "yellow-blazers," along with other mistakes he frequently sees investors make. We hope you enjoy. Follow the CFA Society of Orlando on Twitter at @CFAOrlandoFL 0:38 — Colby Donovan and Steve Curley introduce the podcast 3:03 — Introduce Patrick O'Shau...
2020-03-0530 min