The Wall Street Skinny

Listeners get a humorous glimpse into a chaotic night involving a gas smell leading to an evacuation. The discussion delves into the Treasury Stock Method, revealing its impact on equity value and earnings dilution. Relative value trading is explored through the lens of the coffee industry, emphasizing fixed income strategies. Bond risks linked to leveraged buyouts by private equity firms are highlighted. Finally, the yield curve is examined for its crucial role in economic forecasting and investment decision-making.

Dr. Harry Mamaysky, professor at Columbia Uni and co-founder of Quant Street, discusses the role of quantitative models, AI, and quant funds in the finance industry. He explores the impact of technology on investment strategies, the use of AI in investing, the importance of coding skills, and offers valuable advice for starting careers in finance.

Discover how understanding client motivations can elevate your investment banking game. Explore the differences between hedgers and speculators, and dive into the complexities of GSEs and the mortgage market. Learn essential concepts like duration and convexity to navigate interest rate changes. The interplay of banks and public services reveals the financial backbone of society. Plus, get insider tips for acing finance interviews by mastering key financial terminologies and strategies!

Send us a textWe tackle these listener questions and more in our latest Q&A episode!  1. What is the difference is between prop trading and the trading you hear about in the sales & trading division of an investment bank?  And how does a prop shop differ from a hedge fund?2. When running a DCF and choosing your beta for CAPM, when do you use the industry average beta vs. when do you use the company beta? We also get into predicted betas vs. historicals, levering and unlevering betas, if R squared is useful in making decisions about your beta, why banks purposefully don't use what the academics say to use and more.3. What are these mysterious Greek letters that people in finance toss around like delta, beta, and gamma?  4. Why would some industries like natural resources not use LBOs and instead only use a DCF, like for example when constructing a toll road.5. How do you choose between a career in banking or consulting?  If you want us to answer YOUR questions in our next Q&A, please write to questions@wallstreetskinny.com.Learn more about 9fin HERE Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others’ experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

Send us a textWhen you hear talking heads yelling at you or see a crazy meme on the internet telling to buy or sell a stock, how do you know if they are right or wrong?  Today we sit down with Anish Mitra, host of the hilarious podcast Laughing Stocks to discuss his journey through FIG Banking, investing in Goldman Sachs' reinsurance group (now Global Atlantic, part of KKR), and talent development at Goldman Sachs before venturing into the world of comedy and content creation. Anish explains how FIG banking differs from traditional banking (hint it doesn't really), how the foundational training on Wall Street gives you a toolkit with which to analyze companies and form investment theses, and we hear some crazy stories from back in the day when Kristen actually interviewed Anish for a job at Morgan Stanley Sales and Trading. Spoiler alert: it didn't go well.  Anish graduated from Brown in 2010, worked in FIG banking at Barclays then moved to a buyside role at Goldman Sachs (now Global Atlantic, part of KKR), then to talent management at Goldman Sachs when he finally left the finance world to pursue a career in comedy. He now combines all his interests: finance, education and comedy as a content creator. You can find him on Instagram and TikTok at anishkmitra and on LinkedIn, and his podcast Laughing Stocks on your favorite podcasting platform.Learn more about 9fin HERE Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others’ experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

Send us a textTwo of the most high profile exit opportunities from the sell side are Private Equity and Hedge Funds.  In today's uber-competitive environment, recruiting for some of these exits starts BEFORE you've even begun your career on the sell side.  We discuss why these jobs are so competitive and attractive to many young people entering world of finance.  What really is the difference between them?  Is one more lucrative than the other?  And, most importantly, WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU....if either???Learn more about 9fin HERE Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others’ experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

Susie Lee Korb, Head of Finance at Chord Commerce, transitioned from a successful decade on Wall Street to the tech startup scene. She discusses her insight into seed and venture capital, plus how her expertise helped navigate the Silicon Valley Bank crisis. Susie explains the nuances of municipal finance and offers tips for breaking into corporate strategy while juggling parenthood. The conversation highlights career adaptability and the importance of networking in today's shifting financial landscape.

Send us a textHow do you level up in your career --- or even just not get fired when sh*t hits the fan?!?  We sit down with CEO and career coach Helen Dayen to understand the psychology, mindset, skills, and creativity required to advance in the financial services industry and beyond.  Helen also shares her own  stories from the cutthroat environment on the trading floor, "The Devil Wears Prada of Finance" so to speak, how she was able to pivot and make her self invaluable when she knew she was on the chopping block, and how she forged an entrepreneurial path for personal & professional fulfillment. Helen Dayen is CEO and coach at The Dayen Group, where she has over 15 years of experience in sales, relationship management, business development and executive coaching.  She works with professionals in high stress/high demand industries such as finance, technology, and law. To learn more about The Dayen Group, you can find their website here: https://www.dayengroup.com/Follow The Dayen Group on Instagram @dayengroupLearn more about 9fin HERE Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others’ experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

Send us a textAnswering questions we've received from listeners via Instagram, TikTok and email!  This week's topics include: 1. Can you explain the different indices?  SPX, FTSE, DAX, NASDAQ, Barclays AGG…as an investor, why would you look at indices?  What do they mean/represent, and why do we have them?2. I’m building my first model, and trying to figure out how to connect the Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement and Balance Sheet.  Is there a particular order these should go in??  3. Two similar questions: a) is there any mobility into hedge funds or banks if you’re 10+ years into a career in tech/startups?  And b)  What about any insights on how JD grads can break into the financial services industry?4. Does and incremental increase in debt increase or lower the WACC?5. Why wouldn’t EVERYONE use interest rate swaps to hedge risk?  To have your question featured on our next Q&A episode, please email us at questions@wallstreetskinny.com or follow us on Instagram and send us a DM!Follow us on Instagram and Tik Tok at @thewallstreetskinnyLearn more about 9fin HERE Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others’ experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

Send us a textToday we are joined by Steve Haggerty, the former Head of Research in both New York and Hong Kong at Bank of America Merrill Lynch before making the move to the Buy-Side, to answer all your questions about Equity Research including: What is Equity Research? What does a day in the life look like? What is the difference between Buy-Side and Sell-Side Research? How does the skill set differ between Buy-Side and Sell-Side Research? What exit opportunities are there out of Sell-Side Research? and much much more. Steve Haggerty was Head of Research in both New York and Hong Kong  at Bank of America Merrill Lynch before making the move to the Buy-Side, and becoming Head of Research at Moon Capital. Prior to that he worked at General Motors and Schroders Securitues in London before joining Merrill Lynch as an equity analyst in New York and then becoming a research manager.He retired  in 2021 and is now an advisor at Columbia Business School as well as the founder of Interior Lines Research where he helps Sell-Side Researchers learn to be more influential with Buyside clients. He also is working in venture capital in the agtech space and is a hobby farmer in the Hudson Valley.Learn more about 9fin HERE Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others’ experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.