We Study Billionaires - The Investor’s Podcast Network

RWH014: The Resilient Investor w/ Matthew McLennan

Oct 2, 2022

Matthew McLennan, an investment professional with a rich background at Goldman Sachs and First Eagle Investments, shares insights on resilient wealth creation. He reflects on his off-the-grid upbringing and how it shaped his perspective. The conversation includes the importance of patience in investing, likening it to gardening, and the value of established businesses. McLennan also discusses why gold may be a better hedge than Bitcoin and emphasizes the need for global diversification in an unpredictable market.

01:54:29

Episode guests

Matt McLennan

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

Adventures from PNG to Australia

5min

Navigating Truth and Investment Wisdom

26min

Navigating Risk: The Case for Established Businesses in Investing

5min

Building Resilient Portfolios

11min

Resilient Investments in Uncertain Times

23min

Exploring Investment Dynamics: Bitcoin Versus Gold

3min

Navigating Global Currency and Investment Strategies

20min

Navigating Complexity: Insights on Learning and Investing

18min

10.

Reflections on Investing and Personal Growth

2min

William chats with Matthew McLennan about how to achieve resilient wealth creation, which is a central focus of William's book “Richer, Wiser, Happier." This interview was recorded on August 30, 2022.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:

02:36 - How Matthew McLennan grew up off the grid without electricity or hot running water.
12:56 - What he learned as a money manager at Goldman Sachs during the dotcom bubble.
15:57 - Why investors should try to emulate the patient, selective mindset of gardeners.
27:01 - How the most resilient businesses remind Matt of great wines and enduring artworks.
35:01 - Why investors need to respect the phenomenon of entropy as an ironclad law of life.
44:18 - Why investors should be wary of hot growth stocks, which are liable to fade.
46:27 - Why there’s surprising beauty in mundane businesses like bicycle brakes & elevators.
57:14 - How to ask the right “splitting” questions as a way to rule out what you shouldn’t own.
1:07:07 - Why gold might be more attractive than Bitcoin as a potential hedge against chaos.
1:18:25 - Why it’s wise to diversify overseas, where many stocks are much cheaper than in the US.
1:23:33 - Why the high-flying US dollar is at risk of weakening in the years to come.
1:32:59 - Why Matt is wary of Chinese stocks & thinks China’s ascendancy is not inevitable.
1:37:17 - What history can teach us about the growing risk of war between the US & China.
1:38:52 - Why it’s critical to set aside time to read, reflect, & distill what you’re learning.

*Disclaimer: Slight timestamp discrepancies may occur due to podcast platform differences.

BOOKS AND RESOURCES

Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, and the other community members.
Website for First Eagle Investments.
Fred Schwed’s classic book, Where Are the Customers’ Yachts?
History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides.
Hendrik Bessembinder’s study of wealth creation in US stocks from 1926-2019.
William Green’s book, “Richer, Wiser, Happier” – read the reviews of this book.
Follow William Green on Twitter.

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