The Meb Faber Show - Better Investing

In episode 281, we welcome our guest, Adrian Helfert, Director of Multi-Asset Portfolios for Westwood Group, where he leads Westwood’s multi-asset strategies group, which includes Westwood’s Income Opportunity and Flexible Income strategies, as well as Westwood’s Global Convertibles and Fixed Income strategies.In today’s episode, we’re taking a look at all asset classes. Adrian explains what he seeing in the world, from fixed income to equities and TIPS. We talk about how to earn income in a low interest rate environment through MLP’s and REIT’s, and why TIPS are an attractive insurance policy against high inflation. Then Adrian guest explains his view of the energy sector, gold miners, and the impact of low rates on growth stocks.As we start to wind down, we talk about Westwood’s unique approach to fees.Please enjoy this episode with Westwood Group's Adrian Helfert. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 280, we welcome our guest, Matthew O’Connor, co-founder of AdQuick, the first true marketplace for out-of-home advertising, providing end-to-end tools to improve the out of home buying experience for media owners, brands, and agencies.In today’s episode we’re talking about part of the advertising industry that often isn’t talked about: out-of-home. Matthew walks us through his background, with stops at Instacart and Amazon, and explains why the struggle to advertise on billboards while at Instacart gave him the idea for AdQuick. Then he explains the early days of the company, which included building out both sides of the platform while trying to entice investors and top talent to join AdQuick. We hear how the company is providing data to advertisers in a way that hasn’t been done before and why direct-to-consumer brands are embracing billboard advertising.As the conversation winds down, Matthew tells us the story of Reddit co-founder & AdQuick investor Alexis Ohanian, who used the platform to do a huge campaign for his wife, Serena Williams, when she was going back to her first tennis match after a break from the sport.Please enjoy this episode with AdQuick’s Matthew O’Connor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 279, we welcome our guests, Kevin Davitt and John Hiatt, both of whom work for the Cboe as the Senior Options Institute Instructor and VP of Derivatives Strategy, respectively.In today’s episode, we’re talking about options, the VIX, and tail risk strategies. 2020 saw elevated volatility and record levels of option volume, and Kevin and John give us their perspective on this activity. We start with some basics of the VIX, how investors use and misuse it, and what the VIX says about the market over time. Then we get into tail risk strategies. We cover how investors should implement them, how to evaluate their success, and how these strategies can have an outsized impact on your portfolio.As we wind down, Kevin and John discuss ways to implement these types of strategies in a portfolio and best practices to communicate these strategies with your clients.Please enjoy this episode with Cboe’s Kevin Davitt and John Hiatt.This episode is sponsored by Masterworks. Masterworks is opening the doors to top-tier, blue-chip art investments to everyone. Use Promo Code “MEB” to skip their 15,000 person wait list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 278, we welcome our guest, Lucas White, a portfolio manager for the Resources and Climate Change Strategies at GMO.In today’s episode we're talking all about resources and climate change as an investment strategy. Lucas sets the stage with why he believes the resource sector offers a huge opportunity and currently trades at an 80% discount to the broad equity market. Then we dive into GMO’s climate change strategy. Lucas explains what led them to focus on climate change and clean energy and officially launch a strategy in 2017. We talk about the allocation to different areas, including copper, food and water.As we wind down, Lucas explains how a traditional value shop like GMO applies their value lens to this growth area.Please enjoy this episode with GMOs’, Lucas White. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 277 is a replay of The Meb Faber Show’s top podcasts of 2020. Guests include Rick Rule, Joe Davis, and Tom BassoHear Rick Rule discuss the forces he sees influencing gold and precious metal prices, give his take on commodities and natural resources, and provide practical thoughts on portfolio implementation. Next, listen to Joe Davis talk about the Vanguard Capital Markets Model, Vanguard's outlook for U.S. and foreign equities, and a fresh way of thinking about the evolution of knowledge and innovation called the "Idea Multiplier." Finally, hear long time trader and trend follower Tom Bass talk about his career, power laws and outliers, and why position sizing is so critical.All this and more in our replay of the top podcasts of 2020.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year when we published The Best Investment Writing Volume 3, we offered authors the opportunity to record an audio version of their chapter to be released as a segment of the podcast, and listeners loved it.This year, we’re bringing you the entire volume of The Best Investment Writing Volume 4 in podcast format.You’ll hear from some of the most respected money managers and investment researchers all over the world.Contributors: Anil Rao and Raman Subramanian, Vineer Bhansali, Rob Arnott, Alec Lucas, Martin Tarlie, and Tyler from Portfolio Charts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 276, we welcome our guest, Craig Wichner, Founder of Farmland LP, a leading investment fund that generates returns by converting conventional commercial farmland to sustainable farmland.In today’s episode we learn the ins-and-outs of farmland as an asset class. Farmland has been an asset that’s been inaccessible for most people and Craig is trying to change that. We learn what piqued his interest in farmland and get an overview of the company, which now manages over 15,000 acres and $175 million in assets. He walks us through how the company manages the farms they acquire, focusing on both capital appreciation and increasing profits over time. We even talk about why owning an organic farm can serve as a hedge against a weaker dollar.  As we start to wind down, Craig offers suggestions to policy makers on how to encourage inexpensive and environmentally friendly practices for farmers.All this and more with Farmland LP’s Craig Wichner! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 275, we welcome our guest, David Lau, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DPL Financial Partners, a firm focused on the distribution of financial products geared toward the Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and fee-based advisory channels. In today’s episode, we’re talking all about annuities. Annuities are often thought of as being too expensive and a bad product for clients, but David explains how his firm is changing that by removing the commission, which lowers the cost by 80%. We get into the benefit of annuities, which offer tax deferred accumulation and income generation, while also taking risk management into account. David explains how RIA’s are using annuities for clients and why they make sense in a world with rates so low around the globe.  As we start to wind down, we hear about the future plans for the firm, which include building out their suite of offerings and eventually offering a direct-to-consumer product.Please enjoy this episode with DPL Financial Partners’ David Lau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 274, we welcome our guest, Mitch Baruchowitz, a Managing Partner at Merida Capital Holdings, a private equity firm targeting fundamental growth drivers underpinning the rapid development of the cannabis industry.In today’s episode we’re talking about investing in the cannabis space. We hear what piqued Mitch’s interest in the cannabis space and what the process was like to get a cannabis license in Connecticut and build and operate a 65,000 square foot facility. Mitch explains what led him to start Merida Capital and how he knocked it out of the park with his investment in the unicorn GrowGen. We chat about what types of investments he looks to make and what the impact of COVID and 2020 elections have had on the space.As we wind down, Mitch shares why he launched a SPAC in 2019 before the craze began and what that process was like.Please enjoy this episode with Merida Capital Holdings’, Mitch Baruchowitz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 273, we welcome our guest, Adam Moelis, co-founder and CEO of Yotta Savings, which allows users to save money, earn over 2x the national average in interest and get weekly chances to win additional prizes up to $10 million through weekly random number drawingsIn today’s episode, we’re talking about how to use behavioral psychology to encourage American’s to save. We start with a somber look at the average American’s financial picture. Then Adam explains the history of lottery or prize-linked savings accounts and why the idea was mostly banned in the U.S. until 2015. He discusses the experience of going through Y Combinator’s first remote batch and then explains the lottery program, which offers users a chance to win between ten cents and ten million dollars.As we wind down, we hear about the company’s’ experimentation with customer acquisition with influencers and why they’ve focused on the social aspect of the app.Please enjoy this episode with Yotta Savings’, Adam Moelis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices