The Wall Street Skinny

Send us a textIn this episode, we sit down with Don Kieffer, senior lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management and co-author of There’s Gotta Be a Better Way, to talk about what actually makes companies run well. Don has spent decades helping organizations, from Harley-Davidson factory floors to biotech labs, design better systems that unlock real performance. We break down the five-principle framework he developed with his co-author, Nelson Repenning, an MIT PhD, MIT Sloan professor, and leading expert in operations and systems thinking, for building operational excellence: solving the right problem, structuring for discovery, connecting the human chain, regulating for flow, and visualizing the work.Through stories that range from front-desk hotel check-ins to a corrugated cardboard plant and even private equity fundraising pipelines, Don shows how tiny operational tweaks can deliver huge impact. We explore why firefighting cultures keep companies stuck in a “capability trap,” why automation without fixing the human system first is a mistake, and why the best private equity playbooks focus on execution, not spreadsheets. For founders, operators, and investors alike, this is a practical, no-fluff conversation about how businesses actually scale.Before diving into operations, we also touch on recent rumblings in credit markets, continuing our discussion on  the failed refinancing of First Brands and the liquidation of TriColor to bank fraud write-offs and how credit default swaps can amplify market stress. It’s a lively, two-part arc: first, the operational playbook; next, how top investors at Private Equity firms think about value creation inside portfolio companies.Check out the book HEREFor 20% off Deleteme, use the code TWSS or click the link HERE! Sign up for our LIVE Virtual Bootcamps! 2-Day Financial Modeling Bootcamp Master the technical Excel and accounting skills essential for investment banking, private equity, and fundamental investing. (Learn more HERE) Global Markets & Investing PlaybookA one-day crash course on the financial ecosystem, perfect for anyone seeking a big-picture understanding of how global markets and Wall Street fit together. Our content is for informational purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. (Learn more HERE)

Gold is soaring to record highs due to sticky inflation and central-bank buying, challenging common portfolio strategies. The discussion shifts to the alarming bankruptcy of First Brands, highlighting suspected fraud and financial mismanagement. Train wrecks emerge from a trader's leveraged bond short that led to staggering losses for Wall Street. The hosts also tackle a lawsuit regarding sleep accommodations in banking, reflecting on mental health in high-pressure finance environments.

Send us a textWhat does it really mean to be a "quant investor"? How do quantitative strategies fit into a modern portfolio? And what does it take to break into a quant investing career path?In this episode, we sat down with Stacie Mintz, Head of Quantitative Equity at PGIM (one of the world's largest asset managers, with $1.4tr in AUM). Stacie's team oversees $60bn in quantitative equity strategies, and she joins us to break down what quant investing is, how it differs from other investment philosophies, what the role of human oversight is relative to AI, and what skills are essential for breaking into the field.From factor investing and natural language processing to how quants think about risk and portfolio construction, this is a no-nonsense inside look at the world of systemic investing. We also do some myth busting work (spoiler alert: quant investing isn't just AI and algorithms gone wild), the evolving role of artificial intelligence, and why communication skills often matter just as much as your coding ability.Whether you're just starting out in your career or you're an investor trying to understand how systematic strategies complement traditional fundamental analysis, this conversation is a crash course in Quant Investing 101.For 20% off Deleteme, use the code TWSS or click the link HERE! Sign up for our LIVE Virtual Bootcamps! 2-Day Financial Modeling Bootcamp Master the technical Excel and accounting skills essential for investment banking, private equity, and fundamental investing. (Learn more HERE) Global Markets & Investing PlaybookA one-day crash course on the financial ecosystem, perfect for anyone seeking a big-picture understanding of how global markets and Wall Street fit together. Our content is for informational purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. (Learn more HERE)

Send us a textTwo days into a government shutdown, we break down what it actually means for markets when key data go dark—like today’s missing non-farm payrolls—and how that uncertainty can ricochet through trading desks, air travel, the SEC/IPO pipeline, and year-end seasonals. We walk through the historical playbook (rates, dollar, risk) and how we’re thinking about positioning when the Fed is flying with fewer instruments.Then we unpack the freshly announced largest-ever LBO and stack it up against 2007’s TXU: equity checks vs. leverage, private credit’s outsized role, and why a single-bank underwrite changes the risk map. We also separate real CLO mechanics from internet myth and ask the only question that matters: are we replaying ’07—or writing a new script?Finally, Jen dives deeper into the growing conversation about moving the Fed’s focus away from fed funds toward repo/GC-SOFR—what that shift would change and why it’s gaining traction now. Housekeeping: our Fixed Income Sales & Trading self-paced course presale is live (Part 1: Bond Math now; Derivatives next; Macro/Relative Value after), live Financial Modeling Bootcamps run at the end of October, and Kristen’s 3-Statement Modeling course targets late November. Bonus: we preview our interview with a $60B quant equities head on integrating systematic strategies into real portfolios. For 20% off Deleteme, use the code TWSS or click the link HERE! Sign up for our LIVE Virtual Bootcamps! 2-Day Financial Modeling Bootcamp Master the technical Excel and accounting skills essential for investment banking, private equity, and fundamental investing. (Learn more HERE) Global Markets & Investing PlaybookA one-day crash course on the financial ecosystem, perfect for anyone seeking a big-picture understanding of how global markets and Wall Street fit together. Our content is for informational purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. (Learn more HERE)

This week, the hosts dive into Trump's bold suggestion to shift public companies from quarterly to semi-annual earnings, balancing efficiency with transparency. They explore proposed changes to H-1B visa fees that could reshape hiring in various sectors, discussing potential impacts on startups and salary dynamics. Finally, the debate heats up over whether to move away from the Fed funds rate in favor of more empirical measures like SOFR, offering insights into monetary policy and financial market dynamics.

Matt Hornbach, Global Head of Macro Strategy at Morgan Stanley, shares insights on the recent FOMC rate cut and its market implications. He explains the Fed’s third mandate and why lower long-term treasuries might not bolster the economy. Matt discusses his favored yield-curve steepener and predicts further dollar depreciation. He also sheds light on the essential skills for aspiring strategists, such as Python, and the career paths within fixed income strategy that one can pursue.

Send us a textThis week on The Wall Street Skinny, we sat down with Gene Tannuzzo, Global Head of Fixed Income at Columbia Threadneedle, right as the Federal Reserve’s latest rate decision hit the wires. We walk through the live market reaction to the Fed’s 25 basis point cut, the dissenting voices on the FOMC, and what this move signals about the central bank’s shifting priorities. For those curious about how policy decisions ripple into real-time trading activity, this episode gives you a rare seat at the table during the announcement itself.As Gene explains, the flatness of today’s yield curve and the Fed’s projections for additional cuts this year underscore the tension between slowing labor market data and still-stubborn inflation. We dig into the nuances of steepeners versus flatteners, what the dot plot is really telling us, and how fiscal policy plays into the broader bond market narrative. Whether you’re an experienced market watcher or just starting to understand the dynamics of Fed meetings, you’ll come away with a much clearer framework for interpreting these moves.We also broaden the conversation to explore structural shifts in the economy, including labor force trends, immigration, and the role of AI in reshaping productivity and capital spending. Gene helps break down why funding markets matter, how balance sheet policy can contradict rate policy, and what investors should watch for as the Fed balances credibility, growth, and inflation risk. The result is a lively, insightful discussion that blends market theory, policy analysis, and practical trading perspective.For 20% off Deleteme, use the code TWSS or click the link HERE! Sign up for our LIVE Virtual Bootcamps! 2-Day Financial Modeling Bootcamp Master the technical Excel and accounting skills essential for investment banking, private equity, and fundamental investing. (Learn more HERE) Global Markets & Investing PlaybookA one-day crash course on the financial ecosystem, perfect for anyone seeking a big-picture understanding of how global markets and Wall Street fit together. Our content is for informational purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. (Learn more HERE)

Send us a textKristen and Jen dive into the real-life Succession drama unfolding inside the Murdoch family, breaking down the legal battle over the Fox and News Corp trust that controls the family’s Class B super-voting shares. They explain how Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch secured a deal to buy out their siblings at a discount, why dual-class share structures matter for corporate control, and how this settlement resolves questions around long-term leadership of Fox Corp. The hosts connect it back to valuation, governance, and even their own courses, showing how the Disney–Fox transaction and the Murdoch saga mirror the themes of HBO’s Succession while providing a real-world case study in M&A and family business dynamics.They also preview next Wednesday that they will be streaming live on YouTube immediately after the FOMC meeting to break down the Fed’s statement and market reaction in real time. They’ll be joined by the global head of income at a $650+ billion investment firm to give listeners a rare, trading-floor perspective on how professionals dissect every nuance of Fed language and position themselves in the bond market. Expect sharp analysis on yields, funding pressures, and curve moves—plus the chance to watch the news unfold live with expert commentary.For 20% off Deleteme, use the code TWSS or click the link HERE! Sign up for our LIVE Virtual Bootcamps! 2-Day Financial Modeling Bootcamp Master the technical Excel and accounting skills essential for investment banking, private equity, and fundamental investing. (Learn more HERE) Global Markets & Investing PlaybookA one-day crash course on the financial ecosystem, perfect for anyone seeking a big-picture understanding of how global markets and Wall Street fit together. Our content is for informational purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. (Learn more HERE)

Send us a textAlex Rodriguez is not only one of the greatest players in Major League Baseball history, 22 seasons, 14 All-Star selections, and three American League MVP award, but also the founder and CEO of A-Rod Corp. Through A-Rod Corp, he has built a diversified platform across three pillars: sports, real estate, and venture capital. His portfolio spans ownership of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx, more than $2 billion invested in multifamily and other real estate, and over 60 venture investments in technology, fitness, media, and consumer brands.In this episode, Rodriguez explains how his interest in investing began at a young age, shaped by both his upbringing and the hard data he studied about professional baseball careers. Growing up in a single-parent household, he watched his mother juggle two jobs to make ends meet, which instilled in him both a fear of financial insecurity and a drive to build long-term stability. He breaks down how he approaches each asset class, from viewing team ownership as a long-duration, low-leverage asset, to focusing on levered cash flows in real estate, to applying his “VCP” filter, Vision, Capital, People, for venture investments. He also shares the story of setting the then-record $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers in 2001 and how Warren Buffett personally insured the final years of that deal.Finally he  talks about the importance of investing early and often, lessons he instilled in his daughters when they were in elementary school, and why it's so important to invest early and often. It’s a conversation that connects the mindset of an elite athlete with the discipline of a savvy investor.For 20% off Deleteme, use the code TWSS or click the link HERE! Sign up for our LIVE Virtual Bootcamps! 2-Day Financial Modeling Bootcamp Master the technical Excel and accounting skills essential for investment banking, private equity, and fundamental investing. (Learn more HERE) Global Markets & Investing PlaybookA one-day crash course on the financial ecosystem, perfect for anyone seeking a big-picture understanding of how global markets and Wall Street fit together. Our content is for informational purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. (Learn more HERE)

Send us a textIn this week’s episode of The Wall Street Skinny, Kristen and Jen return to one of their favorite formats: dissecting the finance lessons hidden inside pop culture. This time, they take on Moneyball, a Michael Lewis classic that at first glance looks like a baseball story, but in reality is a masterclass in statistics, valuation, and market inefficiencies. Far more than just a sports narrative, Moneyball is about how disciplined analysis and data-driven decision-making can disrupt entrenched orthodoxy, whether on Wall Street or on the baseball field.Kristen and Jen break down how Billy Beane transformed the Oakland A’s into one of the most competitive teams in baseball despite having one of the smallest budgets. From identifying undervalued assets (players) through on-base percentage and walks, to gaming the draft system with the savvy of a hedge fund trader, the discussion highlights how Beane’s approach mirrors the strategies of top portfolio managers. The episode draws explicit parallels between constructing a winning baseball roster and building a resilient investment portfolio, making it essential listening for anyone serious about finance.The conversation also zooms out to compare the economics of MLB with the NFL and NBA, where league structures, revenue sharing, and salary caps create vastly different financial dynamics. Along the way, the hosts spotlight themes of efficiency, market psychology, and the importance of independent thinking in both sports and investing. It’s the perfect prelude to next week’s special episode featuring one of the greatest Major League players of all time.Time Stamps00:00 – Why we're discussing Moneyball and its relevance to statistics, markets, and finance06:30 – MLB economics vs. NFL & NBA (sports business breakdown)10:15 – Small-market baseball teams + budget constraints explained13:40 – MLB draft system & farm leagues (player development economics)18:00 – Bill James + Sabermetrics: data, stats, and inefficiencies23:30 – Why on-base percentage beats batting average (investing analogy)28:00 – Market inefficiencies: scouting looks vs. true player value32:00 – 2002 Oakland A’s draft (game theory in action)38:00 – Building a roster like building a portfolio (finance lessons)43:00 – 20-game win streak + postseason risk management47:00 – Boston Red Sox adopt Moneyball, win the World Series50:00 – When everyone copies the edge (quant strategies in baseball)53:00 – Trading lessons + investor takeaways from Moneyball56:00 – Tease: legendary MLB player + investor joins next episodeFor 20% off Deleteme, use the code TWSS or click the link HERE! Sign up for our LIVE Virtual Bootcamps! 2-Day Financial Modeling Bootcamp Master the technical Excel and accounting skills essential for investment banking, private equity, and fundamental investing. (Learn more HERE) Global Markets & Investing PlaybookA one-day crash course on the financial ecosystem, perfect for anyone seeking a big-picture understanding of how global markets and Wall Street fit together. Our content is for informational purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. (Learn more HERE)