

The Derivative
RCM Alternatives
Welcome to The Derivative by RCM Alternatives, where we dive into what makes alternative investments go, analyze the strategies of unique hedge fund managers, and chat with interesting guests from across the investment world. Hosted by RCM Managing Partner, Jeff Malec, join us to take a ride through the world of alternative investments.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 21, 2022 • 1h 8min
Don’t Call it Private Equity, Seeking Value (and Tax Alpha) in Small Business with Adam Tkaczuk
It's not every day you get to talk about investing and food in the same conversation, and this week, refinancing, restructuring, and investing in niche businesses is on the menu with Adam Tkaczuk(@Adam_Tkaczuk). Adam is a tax consultant, project CFO, and private equity investor. He raises debt, equity, and government subsidies for projects and helps business owners reduce the tax liability on the sale of their business.
In this episode, Adam and Jeff get into "The Greatest Show on Earth" and discuss investing in distressed companies, just what deep value means, food processing and Philly cheesesteaks (we'll take a Whiz with onions, please), private vs. public equity (is the juice worth the squeeze), the true heroes of finance, tax strategies for business owners and so much more! Plus, we're playing two truths and a lie with Adam where he throws in a coffee roasting twist — SEND IT!
Chapters:
00:00-01:47 = Intro
01:48-03:45 = Choose your Fighter: Calgary Stampede or Tour De France
03:46-20:49 = Flipping distressed companies, Food processing & Philly Cheesesteaks
20:50-37:48 = Private vs. Public Equity, site selection, subsidy programs & is the juice worth the squeeze?
37:49-45:59 = Family-owned small businesses are the heroes, why not just be a plumber?
46:00-59:37 = Tax strategies for business owners, selling a business & breakdown of an opportunity zone
59:38-01:07:42 = Two Truth's & a lie? A Coffee roast profile
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From the episode:
Check out Adam's newest white paper 8 Ways to Minimize Taxes When Selling a Business
Follow along with Adam on Twitter @Adam_Tkaczuk and for more information visit ventouxholdings.com
Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.
Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Jul 14, 2022 • 1h 6min
Covering Calls and Charting Curves with Jay Soloff of Investors Alley
You may know this week's guest as a Kansas City Chief and sometime Royals fan on Twitter, but he has more than one connection to Kansas City. Jay Soloff (@jsoloff), an options volatility analyst, former CBOE market maker, pirate, and seller of uncapped forward variance swaps, joins us this week to discuss covering calls and charting curves.
Jay brings an exciting twist to this episode and talks about options education and where to find the premium, is the VIX broken (did we create a monster? + curve doodles), retail vs. investing (an exclusive look into what retail investors are getting wrong), and more. Plus, Jay gets put into the hot seat, where he provides his take on how The Fed is doing — SEND IT!
Chapters:
0:00-01:09 = Intro
01:10-06:18 = Chiefs? Royals? What it takes to be a KC sports fan
06:19-20:02 = Option trading at KC Board of trade, being a market maker & Pit language
20:03-36:48 = Is the VIX broken? The VIX: Did we create a monster? VIX curve doodles
36:49-50:14 = Options education - Find the premium!
50:15-59:24 = Retail vs Investing w/ pros & what are retail investors getting wrong?
59:25-01:05:57 = Hottest Take: The Fed's doing pretty good
Follow along with Jay on Twitter @jsoloff and for more information check out investorsalley.com
Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.
Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Jul 7, 2022 • 1h 25min
Cotton the Canary, Why it’s a leading indicator, and how it’s traded with Ron Lawson
Are the Fed’s hikes starting to dampen inflation? Oil, grains, and metals have all fallen from their highs. But the rarely spoken of Cotton market was one of the first to crack…falling from 1.58/lb to 0.95/lb in just a few short days. We're digging into this sharp drop and just why and how Cotton is involved in seemingly everything with RCM's very own cotton king, LOGIC Advisors Ron Lawson.
In this episode, Ron is giving us the low down on how and why he believes it’s not Dr. Copper which acts as the global economic barometer, but how Cotton is the real Canary and leading indicator on global demand. In between those talks, we’re covering all things Cotton including crop insurance, irrigated vs dry land, the scam that was Pima and Egyptian Cotton, the process of cotton – which countries have it, which want it, ginning it, spinning it, dyeing it, global commodity merchant co’s pushing it around, and even micro-plastics, climate change, and how Cotton always flows to the cheapest labor source. Finally, we're walking in some high Cotton putting Ron in the hot seat. Will we ever get the growth back? Tune in to get these critical hot takes — SEND IT!
Chapters:
00:00-02:00 = Intro
02:01-07:10 = Welcome to Ernie's Tin Bar
07:11-26:16 = Cotton market Selloff, the lack of demand, and Crop Insurance Payouts
26:17-42:20 = Who has the cotton? Where is it going? The Touch, the Feel, the Process of Cotton
42:21-55:34 = Merchants, Ginners, and Spinners: The players in the cotton game
55:35-01:11:45 = Pima & Egyptian Cotton, Technologies & Standards
01:11:46-01:16:38 = UC Davis - Is all Wine starting to taste the same?
01:16:39-01:24:32 = Hottest Take: We'll get the Growth Back
Check out and sign up for LOGIC newsletters here and for more information visit their website at logicadvisors.com
Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.
Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Jun 30, 2022 • 1h 16min
Trend Following Crypto with Leigh Drogen of Starkiller
What should we make of the recent crypto crash? A sign this is all a scam? Or just another dip in the cycle? Gather round; you're in for an interesting chat with the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster Disciple on Twitter @LDrogen. A Long Island surfer turned quant turned crypto fund manager who shows us how you have to be able to hold two separate thoughts in your head to succeed in the wild world of crypto. We're hanging ten and talking Crypto with Starkiller Capital's Leigh Drogen. In this episode, Jeff and Leigh bond over their love of skiing, the inception of Starkiller, how he's doing trend-following on a portfolio of coins with dynamic yield farming.
Jeff gets Leigh to dive deep on the long list of warts in crypto: shadow banking, yield swaps, yolo trades, Ponzi schemes – but also wants to know what the real opportunities are. They then talk just how you can do trend following on assets so volatile, how you even start to go about doing due diligence in this space, and how to hedge the book. Plus, Leigh's in the hot seat giving us his views for preparing for the next 10x cycle — SEND IT!
Chapters:
00:00-01:44 = Intro
01:45-10:50 = Big Wave Surfing, Skiiing & Montana scenery
10:51-31:45 = The Warts of Crypto: Shadow banking, Yield Swaps, Yolo trades & Ponzi schemes
31:46-43:19 = Trading the coins: Trend following in the Volatile Crypto space
43:20-58:02 = Hedging the book, Coin rewards & farming for extra yields and liquidity
58:03-01:09:57 = Managing Risk & Stepping into the pool with a hazmat suit
01:09:58-01:16:11 = Hottest take: Preparing for the next 10x cycle
Follow along with Leigh on Twitter @LDrogen and @StarkillerCap and for more information visit www.starkiller.capital
Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.
Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Jun 23, 2022 • 1h 12min
TIPS, Options & Rates. Increased Volatility environments with Nancy Davis
This week's guest may be new to Twitter (@nancy__davis), but she's certainly not new to the wide world of volatility in all its wonderous “fruit” forms, including of course rates and fixed income volatility. In this Derivative episode, Jeff sits down with one of the "100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance," Nancy Davis. Nancy, who started her career at Goldman Sachs, is the founder of Quadratic Capital, portfolio manager for the IVOL and BNDD ETFs, and a frequent finance commentator on Bloomberg and CNBC.
In this engaging chat, Nancy is talking TIPS (inflation, duration exposure, plus real yields, and yield curve control), debit card vs credit card investing, why most bond investors are short mortgage calls, the purpose of IVOL, the day-to-day of running an ETF (the Vanguard of Convexity), a mother's love for options, what it takes to make it as a female in finance, why having a P&L is the key to meritocracy, and much more. Plus, we're playing two truths and a lie where we find out if she has a strong poker face or if that's just a reference to her doppelganger — SEND IT!
Chapters:
00:00-01:29 = Intro
01:30-20:26 = Everything TIPS: a single inflation index, duration exposure, real yields & yield curve control
20:27-30:56 = Debit Card Investing: Risk Management budgets & Orders of Operation
30:57-47:31 = The Purpose of IVOL, Mortgage rates & Bond portfolios, & Rate Risk vs Spread risk
47:32-55:13 = Running an ETF: The Vanguard of Convexity
55:14-01:04:58 = Goldman’s not a Squid, A mothers love for Options & What it takes to make it
01:04:59-01:12:17 = Two Truths & a Lie: Gaga edition
Follow Nancy on Twitter @nancy__davis and for more information on Quadratic Capital visit quadraticllc.com
Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.
Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Jun 16, 2022 • 1h 28min
It’s Not a Fed Put, it’s a Fed Short Call! And more inflation thoughts with StoneX’s Vincent Deluard
In this week's episode, Jeff talks with StoneX's Global Macro Strategist, Vincent Deluard @VincentDeluard, who authors weekly research reports on global macro trends, asset flows, European capital markets, and quantitative topics. We catch him literally right after the Fed hikes 75bps, and learn quickly that Lagarde was an accomplished synchronized swimmer and that having a French accent sure helps selling “French” wine in China. But what about that Fed hike? Are we saved? Are we doomed? Who’s got the cleanest dirty shirt in the global economy this time around?
In this fun chat, Vincent talks about inflation, deflation, stagflation, and even some greenflation….but don’t insult him by saying he’s an economist. He’s a researcher, making calls and taking stands. We dig into his early inflation call, what different Inflation hedges look like, his unhappiness with Silver, commodity supercycles, the ticking corporate debt timebomb, a potential short squeeze to end all short squeezes in the Japanese Yen, and so much more! Vincent also gives us a hot take...that the real pain is yet to come?! Yikes..except he does it all with a smile and charm. SEND IT!
Chapters:
00:00-01:50 = Intro
01:51-09:32 = Le Tour de France, selling fake French wine & a Live Fed report breakdown
09:33-22:20 = Inflation is here to stay, Stagflation, Deflation & why Japan is a sample size of 1
22:21-35:06 = You’re not Long a Fed Put, the Fed’s Short Gas Price Calls
35:07-50:29 = Inflation Hedges, Energy as the best driver & Commodity super cycles
50:30-57:43 = Companies aren’t going to be able to cover the debt service, joining Toxic blobs
57:44-01:17:23 = World Tour: Japan, Swiss Milkshakes, Norway, China, Brazil - & Pick your fighter
01:17:24-01:27:47 = Hottest Take: Real pain & a Second Leg Down
Follow along with Vincent on Twitter @VincentDeluard and check out StoneX.com for more information.
Also, don't forget to check out Vincent's Global Macro reports and sign up for a free trial!
Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.
Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Jun 9, 2022 • 1h 8min
Algorithmic Sports Betting, Trading Metals to Trending Commodities, & Crypto’s Future with Charlie McGarraugh of Blockchain.com
We're taking flight and zooming over to the big bend for a cheerio chat with Charlie McGarraugh, an ex-midwesterner turned londonite. Charlie is the Chief Strategy Officer at Blockchain.com and has an impressive resume as a former mortgage-backed securities trader, head of metals at Goldman, founder of an algo sports betting company, and more.
In this episode, Charlie dives into living across the pond (in the metals and commodities space), starting the world's LARGEST Bitcoin wallet (and selling it to blockchain.com), what's going on in the Crypto space and what's to come, and rebuilding and retooling a robust trend following CTA like Altis. This episode is hotter than your favorite Fish'N'Chips — SEND IT!
Chapters:
00:00-02:07 = Intro
02:08-16:26 = Is Goldman a Vampire Squid? Living across the pond in the metals & commodities space
16:27-28:50 = Starting the world's largest Bitcoin wallet, selling to and joining Blockchain.com
28:51-46:22 = Crypto Carnage? What's going on in the Crypto space and what's to come
46:23-01:03:50 = Atlis: Rebuilding & Retooling a robust trend following CTA
01:03:51-01:08:08 = Hottest Take: Ether on the highs
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Follow along with Charlie on Twitter @CMcgarraugh and for more information check out blockchain.com
Watch & Listen to Part II of What happens in Vegas... Gets dished on this pod. Overheard at a Derivatives Conference on the Mutiny Funds podcast and if you haven't yet, check out Part 1
Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.
Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Jun 2, 2022 • 58min
What happens in Vegas…. Gets Dished on this Pod. Overheard at a Derivatives Conference, Part 1
Viva Las EQ Derivatives... This week Jeff journeys back to the Windy City from Sin City, where he is joined by a special guest, Mutiny's very own Jason Buck @JasonMutiny. In this episode, they give essential insight into this unique conference for options traders, hedge funds, and insurers. They break down everything you need to know about the event and key takeaways like what was being said, what wasn't said, and what caught their attention.
Jason and Jeff dive into topics like; the vibes at EQD, Russian Energy, Commodity supercycles, Multi-Assets including Hedges/Risk Premia, Backtesting, Puts & Dips, the unknown (unknowns), the smartest guys in Vol, and so much more. But the fun doesn't end there...we're putting a part-2 to this discussion on Jason's Mutiny Investing Podcast! So go check it out on your favorite podcast platform, Apple, Spotify, whatever you got...SEND IT!
Chapters:
00:00-01:50 = Intro
01:51-16:08 = Vegas Vibes, Russian Energy, "Greenflation", term structure, Carry, & Commodity super cycles
16:09-27:36 = Multi-Asset Hedges, Risk Premia, Back testing, Puts & Dips
27:37-48:04 = The Unknown Unknowns: Skew is crashing, global risks, sell-offs, inflation, & the smartest guys in long Vol
48:05-58:19 = Liquidity & the S&P Index, Dispersion, & the end game for Supply of Derivative tools
Follow along with Jason on Twitter @JasonMutiny and @MutinyFunds and for information on Mutiny Funds visit mutinyfund.com
Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.
Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

May 26, 2022 • 1h 11min
Wine as an Asset Class: Demands, Dilemmas, & Distribution with Vinovest's Anthony Zhang
You're driving down the winding roads of Napa Valley, visiting the countless wineries, taking in the beautiful scenery, and enjoying the various pairings of meats, cheeses, and palate cleansers... But that’s not all that pairs well with wine. This week Anthony Zhang, an ambitious entrepreneur who created Vinovest, gives us the inside scoop on how wine is so much more than just those ‘soft’ descriptors, and can actually be considered an asset class. Even if Jeff asks… really? Is it really scalable and doable for large investors?
It's no coincidence we're dropping this week's pod the day after National Wine Day. Grab yourself a glass of vino as Anthony aerates topics like; starting a company from a dorm room, getting paid to skip college, how wine gains value, why wine doesn't need a token for Crypto, coping with paraplegia, and his outlook ahead. Plus, he gives us an exclusive insight into finding a gem within the wine list. This episode will make you want to sip, savor, and repeat — enjoy!
Chapters:
00:00-01:58 = Intro
01:59-17:46 = Side hustle turned startup, a Thiel Fellow & the Entrepreneur's Trap
17:47-30:16 = Vinovest: Wine as an Asset Class
30:17-41:12 = Supply Dilemmas, Moving the crop, Do/Don't Embrace Technology & How wine gets value
41:13-51:03 = Crypto? Why Wine doesn't need a Token
51:04-56:49 = Beating Paraplegia and how to interact with the handicapped
56:50-01:10:55 = What would you invest in: Assets vs Wine / Finding the gem in the wine list
Follow Along with Anthony on Twitter @anthony_j_zhang and Vinovest @vinovest1 and check out vinovest.co for more information.
Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.
Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

May 19, 2022 • 1h 8min
Vol Arb, Rates Vol, Dispersion, & Risk Premium. Part II with Noel Smith
We're back for part two with Noel Smith – where we dig into the types of options and volatility strategies, he employs for his Convex AM hedge fund. For the background on why he’s worth listening to on that front, listen to Part 1 about marketing making on the CBOE floor, Getco, and more here: https://youtu.be/XCeN56HgT68
Noel’s deep options expertise has led Convex AM to a four pillars approach to volatility trading: Vol Arb, Dispersion, Risk Premium, and Bond Vol Arb. In this episode, you will learn ideas and best practices from a lifetime of professional trading and how the Convex AM team bundles these four pillars to offer them to outside investors.
Noel also takes a deeper dive into the current macro environment we're in and how it impacts his trading (or should we say how he lets it affect his trading), option and market maker gamma hedging, what exactly is Bond Vol Arb, how to trade it and why it is in a portfolio, and more! Plus, we couldn't close out this two-part segment without a little fun. We ask Noel to play two truths and a lie. So, stay tuned to find out if Noel has done better in real estate or options trading, if he is actively working with Columbia University in their AI department developing their derivative model, and/or if he was the only market maker in the world on a few stocks. SEND IT.
Chapters:
00:00-01:51 = Intro
01:52-05:25 = Constructing a Volatility Trading Program & Driving Your Own Car
05:26-16:52 = The 4 Pillars of Convex AM, providing real Alpha in Vol Arb
16:53-38:28 = The importance of Dispersion & Risk Premium
38:29-49:57 = What is Bond Vol Arb? / Term Structures & the Move Index
49:58-58:12 = Macro thoughts: Flow & Liquidity
58:13-01:08:01 = Two Truths & a Lie
Follow along with Noel on Twitter @NoelConvex and for more information check out convexam.com
Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.
Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer