Fintech Takes: The Prodigal Return of Frank Rotman; On Financial Nihilism and Rebuilding The Game

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Apr 30, 2025

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INSIGHT

When Winning Equals Zero

Many people feel playing by the traditional rules of life leads to losing financially and socially.
"Irrational" moves like crypto gambles can be rational if the game is perceived as unwinnable by normal means.

INSIGHT

Soaring Expectations Vs. Reality

Expectations of life success have risen, but opportunities to achieve them have stagnated or worsened.
This mismatch drives financial nihilism and zero-sum thinking in younger generations.

ANECDOTE

Moving for Work, A Former Norm

Alex Johnson moved cross-country for a job that could have been done remotely.
Younger listeners find this impractical and unfair, showing rapid societal shifts.

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Welcome back to the Fintech Takes podcast. I’m your host, Alex Johnson, and today, one of our favorite guests is making a triumphant return visit—Frank Rotman, founding partner and CIO at QED Investors.

Frank has a theory: in his words, the game of life is getting “harder to win.” Debt is piling up, wages are stagnant, and folks are being told they’re the only ones to blame for their financial struggles. His observation is that more people see themselves as playing PvE (Player vs. Everyone), prioritizing personal survival over collective outcomes. In a world where following the rules doesn’t pay off, so-called "irrational" moves like crypto gambles start making a lot more sense. We unpack what this shift means for finance, behavior, and the economy.

Then, we take on a big question: is traditional financial theory broken? The old "work hard, save, invest in a 60/40 portfolio" model no longer delivers retirement security, and that's because rising costs, debt, and economic shifts have eroded its effectiveness. So, what might replace it? And how can avoiding financial mistakes be just as important as making smart investments?

And finally, we explore how AI is rewriting the future of finance. Instead of generic, one-size-fits-all advice, AI-powered financial guidance could be real-time, scenario-based, and deeply personalized (aka imagine a 150-IQ financial strategist that can help you make smarter decisions on the fly...by actually talking to it? That future’s not so far away).

Instead of shopping for financial products, what happens when AI can custom-build financial products to fit our specific needs? Would that create a system that works for everyone—or just make it even more complex?

Join us for a deep, challenging, and necessary conversation about the future of money, markets, and human behavior.

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Sign up for Alex’s Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/

And for more exclusive insider content, don’t forget to check out my YouTube page.

Follow Frank:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-rotman/

X: https://x.com/fintechjunkie

Follow Alex:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson

X: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson