Introduction

John Maxfield – studies and writes about banking. He spent two decades studying America's best banks, the history of banking, and interviewing bank leaders. He writes a newsletter about banks, a newsletter that has been called the best newsletter on banks. I know seasoned stock investors who told me they choose to never invest in banks because they don’t understand them. We can’t avoid banks in our lives though, we don’t all have to be equity investors in banks, but most if not all of us have deposits with banks. There is a lot to learn, and to understand about banks, and in the next hour, John is going to make this difficult topic a lot more relatable. John is a great student of history, and comes from a family with a multi-generational history with bank ownership. Both as passionate student of history, and investment advisor to families with multi-generational fortunes, I was delighted to have John on the show. Today, we talk about: Childhood and Relationship with Money: Inquiry into John's upbringing, how it shaped his relationship with money, led to his career, and spurred his fascination with banks. Discussion of John's article detailing the four eras of US banking, and how banking is unique compared to other businesses. Counterintuitive Truths about Banking: Exploration of unconventional or counterintuitive truths about banking. Unacknowledged Origins of Banking Crisis: Examination of the hidden or unacknowledged causes of the banking crisis, including if it was foreseeable and how to detect such issues in the future. The Silly Valley Panic of 2023: Inquiry into what John refers to as "the Silly Valley Panic of 2023" and the details of what transpired. Ten Commandments of Banking: Request for John to elaborate on his proposed "ten commandments" for the banking industry, sharing some or all of them. Definition of Success: Conclusion with John's personal definition of success. The big highlight for me was our discussion of the importance of history. John explains how nothing is new, history rhymes.   https://www.maxfieldonbanks.com/p/john-maxfields-magnum-opus-on-banking https://www.maxfieldonbanks.com/p/counter-intuitive-truths-about-banking ---- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ NEVER INVESTMENT ADVICE.