
My Worst Investment Ever Podcast
Welcome to My Worst Investment Ever podcast hosted by Your Worst Podcast Host, Andrew Stotz, where you will hear stories of loss to keep you winning. In our community, we know that to win in investing you must take the risk, but to win big, you’ve got to reduce it.
Your Worst Podcast Host, Andrew Stotz, Ph.D., CFA, is also the CEO of A. Stotz Investment Research and A. Stotz Academy, which helps people create, grow, measure, and protect their wealth.
To find more stories like this, previous episodes, and resources to help you reduce your risk, visit https://myworstinvestmentever.com/
Latest episodes

Jun 10, 2021 • 12min
Fernando LoFrano – A Good Friend is Not Always a Good Partner
BIO: Fernando LoFrano is a Brazilian IT executive, promoter, and consultant in Digital Transformation, acting as an agent of transformation in organizations, impacting the transition of business models and operations to the new digital age.STORY: Fernando got into a partnership with a friend with whom they shared different views on business and success. Fernando was an ambitious entrepreneur hungry for challenges and quick success, while his friend was a family man working towards long-term success. Their differences made their business fail after only four years. LEARNING: Think through your partnership, especially if it will affect your friendship, express your expectations from the beginning, and respect and value your friendship even as business partners. “Find partners with different skills, but with the same desire to achieve success.”Fernando LoFrano Guest profileFernando LoFrano is a Brazilian IT executive, promoter, and consultant in Digital Transformation, acting as an agent of transformation in organizations, impacting the transition of business models and operations to the new digital age.As one of the most influential in information technology in Latin America, he is an IT Governance Specialist with an MBA in Project Management.He is the author of The Role of Project Management in Digital Transformation.Worst investment everFernando started his entrepreneurship journey when he was 22 years old. Along the way, he decided to focus his business on IT solutions.Getting his friend onboardRefocusing his business was proving to be tough, and so to achieve his goal, Fernando decided to get a friend to partner with him. His friend was 26 years older than him.The unlikely pairIn the beginning, the new business plan sounded like poetry. But over time, things got hard. It became clear that the two partners had different motivations and expectations from the partnership.On the one hand, Fernando was a young, ambitious entrepreneur hungry for challenges and quick success. On the other hand, his business partner was a family man with other business commitments and working towards long-term success.The inevitable clashTheir different expectations led to numerous arguments and disagreements. So much so that the partners decided to go separate ways four years later.Lessons learnedThink through your partnership, especially if it will affect your friendshipFernando learned three important things from his business partnership:It is imperative to think through partnerships before getting into one.As you choose a partner, especially if it is a friend, consider how that partnership will affect your friendship.Empathy is critical when dealing with a partner.Andrew’s takeawaysExpress your expectations from the beginningEveryone goes into a business project or startup with different expectations, hopes, and fears. When partners don’t understand each other’s fears, hopes, or expectations, then it’s almost guaranteed the partnership will fail.Respect and value your friendship even as business partnersEvery partnership has moments when partners fight or argue about things. If you value your friendship, make sure that you stay respectful of each other even during such moments.Actionable adviceA good friend is not always a good business partner. Find partners with different skills but with the same desire to achieve success.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsFernando’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to promote and sell his new book.Parting words “As Lincoln said: ‘Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.’”Fernando LoFrano [spp-transcript] Connect with Fernando LoFranoLinkedInTwitterFacebookWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Jun 9, 2021 • 32min
Lois Koffi – Never Give Up Even When Disappointed
BIO: Lois Koffi is a professional speaker, sales trainer, coach, and Ironman Triathlete who has coached thousands of people in business and healthy lifestyles for the last 22 years.STORY: Lois got into real estate at 21 years and did pretty well for herself until she blindly got into a business partnership with her friend. They put everything in their mortgage business but soon enough lost everything to creditors.LEARNING: Choose your partnerships carefully and understand the risks of debt. “Discipline your disappointments and never give up.”Lois Koffi Guest profileLois Koffi is a professional speaker, sales trainer, coach, and Ironman Triathlete who has coached thousands of people in business and healthy lifestyles for the last 22 years.She pivoted, like many in 2020, without having an email list or podcast or tribe online–having focused on face-to-face sales for over 20 years.She went from 0 sales online to 5 figures a month in less than 6 months with permission-based lead generation online, and now coaches, affiliate marketers, and speakers hire her to do the same–pivoting in 6 months guaranteed to live their best life. She now is at multiple five figures a month in 9 months of starting at ground zero online.She loves affiliate marketing as well and is really passionate about sharing her story and resources through her top 20 podcasts.Lois has generously offered her Free Course (Promo Code: MASTERY) on permission-based lead generation to My Worst Investment Ever podcast listeners. Check it out.Worst investment everLois got into real estate at 21 years and quickly got to multiple six figures. This made her set the goal to be a millionaire by the time she turned 30.Building up to her dreamLois got serious about real estate and built a sales team to help her achieve her dream. She later started a mortgage company with a friend but didn’t put much thought into the partnership. She figured that because she was a friend, it was ok to partner with her. This was around 2005, and at this point, everyone was getting into the mortgage industry.Putting all her eggs in one basketAfter the partnership, Lois put all her efforts and investments into real estate. Then everything went south. Her business partner skipped town when things got bad. Everything in their business was guaranteed in Lois’s name, and so all the creditors came after her.Instead of becoming a millionaire at 30, Lois found herself bankrupt and homeless. Her car got repossessed the day before her 30th birthday. This was the last possession in her name. Her cell phone had been turned off, her bank accounts cleaned out, and her credit was destroyed.Going through traumaThe experience destroyed Lois’s self-worth and identity. Depression and anxiety set in, and she even had suicidal thoughts. She lived in fear and guilt because she could no longer pay her bills.Luckily, Lois was able to rise above her woes and went on to build a successful business that she’s running to date.Lessons learnedChoose your partnerships carefullyBefore choosing a partner, slow down and ask yourself if this is truly in your best interest. Consider if they are the right partner. If you are not sure you can seek counsel from other people, make sure they are qualified to help you make this decision.Don’t let your disappointments hold you backDiscipline your disappointments and never give up. Take every disappointment as a lesson and ask yourself what you can gain from that experience.Andrew’s takeawaysWhen demand rises, prices riseBe careful when entering a popular market because it may soon become oversaturated.Understand the risks of debtsThe number one risk that a company has is debt. If your business has no debt, then nobody can shut you down. That doesn’t mean that you should not have debt, but understand the risks to debt.Work on your pain and shameBe open about your pain and shame. If you can, find someone you can talk to about it to help you overcome it.Actionable adviceListen to intuition more and trust your gut.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsLois’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to hold her Manifest and Monetize Summit to grow her permission-based message and movement. She hopes to have at least 10,000 people attend the summit and listen to 20+ speakers.Parting words “You matter; you have greatness inside of you; you’re here and still breathing. So don’t give up.”Lois Koffi [spp-transcript] Connect with Lois KoffiLinkedInTwitterFacebookYouTubeWebsitePodcastFree Course (Promo Code: MASTERY)Andrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Jun 8, 2021 • 26min
Benjamin Ritter – We Are All Accountable For Our Job Satisfaction
BIO: Dr. Benjamin Ritter is a leadership and career coach, values geek, regional learning manager for Young Presidents Organization (YPO), national speaker, podcaster, author, mentor, and is passionate about guiding others in finding, creating, and sustaining a career they love.STORY: For a very long time, Benjamin worked different jobs trying to find an employer that would give him the satisfaction he was craving. It was only years later, and after doing a couple of jobs that left him unhappy, he realized it doesn’t matter where he works. What matters is how he works and how he thinks about his work.LEARNING: To have job satisfaction, you must change the way you perceive work and the value you take away from it. Live each day with intention. “You are not a product of where you work, but you can make the work a product of you.”Benjamin Ritter Guest profileDr. Benjamin Ritter is a leadership and career coach, values geek, regional learning manager for Young Presidents Organization (YPO), national speaker, podcaster, author, mentor, and is passionate about guiding others in finding, creating, and sustaining a career they love.From empowering young professionals to get unstuck, guiding senior leadership on how to stand out from the competition, and developing executive presence, Ben is an expert in his field and will guide you toward truly living for yourself at work and in life.Worst investment everBenjamin wanted to be a professional athlete when he was younger, so he never imagined himself sitting behind a desk working the nine to five. He also had a dad who was an entrepreneur, and he would take Benjamin on home remodeling jobs. A traditional job was, therefore, not on Benjamin’s mind when he was growing up.Trying to find his purposeSo when it was time for Benjamin to join the workforce, after not becoming a professional athlete, he didn’t know what he wanted to do and where he wanted to do it. But he ended up finding a couple of things he was passionate about.Benjamin got involved in public health policy and entrepreneurship in a variety of ways. He ended up in healthcare administration, an area that he never thought of. But he was happy to have a job where he was creating real direct outcomes for people. He did this for seven years.Successful but unhappyWithin the seven years Benjamin worked in healthcare, he got promoted to an executive-level position and was on the road to becoming a higher-level executive or CEO.Even with all this success, Benjamin was unhappy to the point where he stopped volunteering for work. He just did as little as possible to get by. He felt stuck, unfulfilled, and dreaded his job. This dread leaked into Benjamin’s work, romantic, and family relationships. He was walking around this dark cloud over his head. He walked into the office one day and realized just how miserable he was. It hit him that this was not how his life was meant to be.Stepping backBenjamin realized that he needed to step back and see the bigger picture. He finally realized that he thought that his organization was supposed to give him meaning. That it was supposed to provide him with job satisfaction and make him happy. And for this reason, he had given all his power to his employer, which made him resentful.Now Benjamin understood that it does not matter where he works. What matters is how he works and how he thinks about his work. That realization led to some pretty amazing things, and that’s how he got to where he is today.Lessons learnedTo be more satisfied, you must change your mindset towards workWe are all accountable for our levels of job satisfaction. You have to change the way you perceive work and the value you take away from it. So when you walk into the office, or when you open your computer to start your workday, if you are thinking negatively about your job, of course, you are going to have a negative experience. If you feel your work is worthless, it’s going to be worthless.Live each day with intentionsIf you’re going into every single day without the intention to take something from it, you’re going to take nothing. If your job feels worthless, then change your career to what you need it to be. Then show up and make the most of it.Andrew’s takeawaysLife is not meant to be complicatedLife is not meant to be complicated. If somebody is complicating things or you find yourself complicating your life, stop and make it simple.You get back what you put inWhat you get out of something is what you put into it. So whatever effort you put into personal development will determine what you become.Actionable adviceTake some time and make a list with three categories. One is what’s the work you love to do, and two is the people you love to work with, and three is the positive impact you see from the work you do daily. Every single day, try to nudge your job a little bit more towards one of these categories. If you do that, you are going to evolve in your career in a positive way naturally.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsBenjamin’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to finish writing his next book.Parting words “We are greater than our purpose, and if we can rise above it and realize that we’re greater than it, we realize that life is more important than it.”Benjamin Ritter [spp-transcript] Connect with Benjamin RitterLinkedInTwitterBlogWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever PodcastFurther reading mentionedEckhart Tolle (2004) The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

Jun 7, 2021 • 27min
Michelle Griffin – She Had Success In Her All Along
BIO: Michelle Griffin is a certified international personal brand strategist with clients from around the world. She is also a certified StoryBrand Marketing Guide and a credentialed digital marketer and copywriter. She is the host of the Personal Branding Clubhouse Weekly Show.STORY: Michelle had always wanted to be her own boss, but imposter syndrome made her lose so much time before she could muster enough confidence to do it.LEARNING: Take the first step and put yourself out there so that people know you. Be consistent in providing value. “Our most important commodity is just showing up consistently every day.”Michelle Griffin Guest profileMichelle Griffin is a certified international personal brand strategist with clients from around the world. She is also a certified StoryBrand Marketing Guide and a credentialed digital marketer and copywriter. She is the host of the Personal Branding Clubhouse Weekly Show.Worst investment everAfter graduating with a Master’s degree in PR, Michelle was so excited to become an entrepreneur. She had always dreamed of having her own business since she was in her 20s.Letting her dream remain just a dreamEven though she wanted to be an entrepreneur, Michelle threw her dream off to the side and went on to employment.Michelle’s dream kept haunting her. About five or six years ago, she started getting very interested in entrepreneurship and the online world. She wanted it so bad. Michelle invested in courses, promising herself that one day her dream would come true and she’d be her own boss.A severe case of imposter syndromeEven with all her skills and experience, Michelle didn’t feel confident enough to go into business on her own. Every day, she would wake up with the same dream but never give into it. Michelle was waiting for someone to give her permission, but only she would give herself that permission.Getting out of her comfort zoneYears later, Michelle was asked to give a talk to her local association—a group of cybersecurity professionals. She spent weeks developing this unique framework she called Own Your Message: How to Step Out to Stand Out and Succeed in Your Industry. She gave her talk, and it was a hit.This was when it dawned on her that she was not practicing what she was preaching. It was right after that that she turned in her resignation and started her business.Lessons learnedTake that first stepEven though you are scared and don’t want to do it, you just need to take that first step. You must get out of your comfort zone to grow. Once you take that one step, you won’t stop; you’ll keep going.Put yourself out there so that people know who you areTo market your brand, you must put yourself out there. If you stay hidden and make yourself small, your customers will not know who you are. Your job is to help others, but they have to know who you are and what you stand for.Just show upShow up authentically and help people. Soon, they’re going to realize you’re there to help them, and they’re going to want to come to you so.Consistency breeds confidence which results in successWhen you’re consistent in what you do, you become confident, and then you get bolder and can go out and meet people; then you slowly develop your community.Andrew’s takeawaysIdentify what your number one constraint to growth isFind out what is the number one constraint to growth in your life. This could be lack of sleep, feeling overwhelmed, procrastination, and so much more.It doesn’t have to be complicated, just consistentYou don’t have to do something complex for people to know you and what you have to offer. Just get out there and make it a habit to contribute value consistently.Actionable advicePut yourself first because if you don’t take care of yourself, you’re not going to help others. Put yourself out there and be consistent. Don’t give up because people see you. Always remember that it takes a while to succeed in this oversaturated, noisy world. Just be consistent.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsMichelle’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to launch a podcast and a LinkedIn live show. She plans to keep building those platforms and probably create mini-courses and training to continue growing her community and help more people. [spp-transcript] Connect with Michelle GriffinLinkedInTwitterWebsiteClubhouse: @Michelle GriffinAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever PodcastFurther reading mentionedDonald Miller (2017) Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen

Jun 6, 2021 • 33min
Kassy Pajarillo-Braganza – Without Trust All Is Lost
BIO: Business growth online mentor and coach Kassy Pajarillo-Braganza helps coaches, consultants, trainers, private practitioners, and service-driven entrepreneurs claim their six-figure outcomes for their seven-figure businesses through her program, the Power Profile Biz Accelerator.STORY: Kassy knew this celebrity who had an incredible idea of making passive income. All she had to do was invest $2,000 in the product the star was selling, and she would get a certain amount every time he got a new customer. This was all a lie. Kassy never made a single penny.LEARNING: Don’t trust anyone who asks you for money first. There is no such thing as passive income; you’ve got to put in the work. “Trust is everything. You don’t have to manipulate people to earn money.”Kassy Pajarillo-Braganza Guest profileBusiness growth online mentor and coach Kassy Pajarillo-Braganza helps coaches, consultants, trainers, private practitioners, and service-driven entrepreneurs claim their six-figure outcomes for their seven-figure businesses through her program, the Power Profile Biz Accelerator.Worst investment everWhen Kassy was younger, there was this reputable guy who was sort of an elite celebrity. She knew him, and he seemed to be credible.The guy has this insane idea of making passive income from a product (vitamins) he was selling. The buyer would make a certain amount every time a new customer invested in the product.Just a scamKassy was interested in the idea, so she talked to him about it. He told her that she needed to invest $2,000, and each time he invited another person to join the community under her, she would earn a certain amount of money. She just had to sit back, wait for the guy and his team to do all the work, and she’d make money in return without lifting a finger—besides paying the $2,000.The guy assured her that it was a good investment and many other celebrities were in it. Kassy was convinced that it was an excellent idea, and so she invested in it.Kassy never made any money from the investment. All she had was tons of vitamins.Lessons learnedYou’ve got to do the work to make moneyAside from doing the research, you got to do the work. There’s no such thing as sitting around and expect other people to do the job and bring in passive income for you.Work with credible peopleBeing a celebrity does not necessarily count as credibility. When you want to partner with people, always ask yourself what they are after and what you stand to benefit from the partnership.Be wary of the shiny object syndromeBe careful of people flashing money and promising you will have x amount in whatever time frame; if it’s too good to be true, run right away.Avoid people asking you to give them money so that you can make moneyAnyone asking you to provide them with cash first, avoid them at all costs.Andrew’s takeawaysTrust is vital when doing businessTrust is essential when doing business with anyone. However, it is vital to understand that there is no shortcut to trust. It has to be built over time.Don’t be seduced into a bad investmentSalespeople are very skilled at seducing you into their business ideas. Many are hard to resist, but you must be careful about every business opportunity that comes your way. Remember that anyone trying to sell an idea to you is out to benefit themselves, not you.No income is passiveThere is no such thing as passive income. Any tiny business that you’re going to do, you must put in work if you are going to make an income. No real income will ever come from just sitting and waiting for it to hit your bank.Actionable adviceKnow your goal and your big vision, then go in that direction. If you don’t have a vision, you will always be directionless.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsKassy’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to help more women reach their six to seven-figure dollar income.Parting words “Drive ambition, keep on serving love and do that one thing that fuels you.”Kassy Pajarillo-Braganza [spp-transcript] Connect with Kassy Pajarillo-BraganzaLinkedInTwitterFacebookWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Jun 2, 2021 • 24min
David Allen – When the Pressure Is on Step Back and Take Time to Think
BIO: David Allen is one of the world’s most influential thinkers on productivity. His bestselling book, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, has sold millions and been published in thirty languages.STORY: David Allen was busy writing his third book when he decided to hire someone to help him run his business. He came across someone who had a good resume and seemed like a good fit. David was pressed to make a rush decision to hire him without doing any due diligence because he claimed to have another offer. The guy ended up being a wrong fit.LEARNING: Don’t make decisions when you’re under pressure, and don’t let desperation prevent you from doing your due diligence. “Avoid decisions to the last responsible moment.” David Allen Guest profileOne of the world’s most influential thinkers on productivity, David Allen’s 35 years of experience as a management consultant and executive coach have earned him worldwide recognition. His bestselling book, the groundbreaking Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, has sold millions and been published in thirty languages; and the “GTD” methodology it describes has become a global phenomenon, being taught by training companies in more than ninety countries. David, his company, and his partners are dedicated to teaching people how to stay relaxed and productive in our fast-paced world.Worst investment everNeeding help so that he can concentrate on his bookWhen David was writing his third book, he realized that he was so busy he needed someone to help him run his business. He decided to hire a manager, someone with a sales and marketing background, because that seemed to be what the company needed at the time.Hardpressed to make a decisionDavid found a guy who had a good resume and seemed to be a good fit. However, the guy insisted that David makes a quick decision because he had another offer. So he decided quickly, without sufficient due diligence, to find out whether the guy was the right fit or not.This turned out to be the worst investment David has ever made. The guy just didn’t fit into the company’s culture, and worse, he was making side deals and stealing from the company. It took David three years to realize he had hired the wrong guy.Lessons learnedDon’t make decisions when under pressureDon’t be pressured to make decisions. Slow down, hold back and wait until the pressure is off. Deciding under pressure will only cause you to make an emotionally driven decision that is often not the right one.Andrew’s takeawaysStep away from pressureWhenever you feel pressured, it’s okay to step back. Even if you miss the opportunity, there will always be another one coming.Don’t let desperation prevent you from doing your due diligenceWhen you’re overloaded and in desperate need of assistance, and you find the solution you need, don’t get too excited and skip your due diligence. You still need to find out if the solution is the right one for you.Actionable adviceRelax, take a breath and make sure that you’re building in some reflective process for yourself in your life.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsDavid’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to continue supporting his network of trainers, coaches, and licensees.Parting words “Stay focused, be healthy, and stay safe.”David Allen [spp-transcript] Connect with David AllenLinkedInTwitterWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Jun 1, 2021 • 43min
Kevin Carter – The Math of Shorting a Stock Is Against You
BIO: Kevin Carter is the Founder and CIO of the Emerging Markets Internet & Ecommerce ETF (NYSE: EMQQ) and Chairman of the EMQQ Index Committee.STORY: During the Dot-com boom, Kevin came across Amazon, but he dismissed it as just a bookstore not worth its valuation. He decided to short Amazon and lost a third of his net worth at the time. Had he bought the stock instead of short selling it, he would be $50,000 richer today.LEARNING: Short selling is a bad investment idea. Nobody can do a perfect valuation; always know that you are working with estimates. “Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.”Kevin Carter Guest profileKevin Carter is the Founder and CIO of the Emerging Markets Internet & Ecommerce ETF (NYSE: EMQQ) and Chairman of the EMQQ Index Committee. Prior to EMQQ, Kevin was the Founder & CEO of AlphaShares, an investment firm offering five Emerging Markets ETFs in partnership with Guggenheim Investments. Previously Kevin was the Founder & CEO of Active Index Advisors, acquired by Natixis in 2005, and the Founder & CEO of eInvesting, acquired by ETRADE in 2000. Kevin received a degree in Economics from the University of Arizona and began his career in 1992 with Robertson Stephens & Company.Worst investment everIn the late 90s, Kevin was a very confident young value investor. He wanted to be like the likes of Warren Buffett. He had worked as an analyst professionally and got paid very well by hedge funds and mutual funds for his research.The Dot.com boom hitsThe Internet showed up, and then the Dot-com bubble burst. Kevin was relatively successful at that point and confident but also a bit naive.Kevin got wind of a new e-commerce company, Amazon, but he thought of it as just a bookstore. He believed that it shouldn’t be valued any differently. He spent a lot of time comparing Amazon to Barnes and Noble and was convinced that it would not amount to much.Kevin concluded that with a $1.4 billion market cap, Amazon’s stock would sell for just a fraction of that. He even predicted that the company would be lucky to sell for $200 million in cash.Short selling AmazonKevin decided to short Amazon in March of 1998. He lost about a third of his net worth in a day and a half.Amazon’s current market cap is $1.6 trillion. Had Kevin not short sold Amazon and instead bought the stock, his position today would be worth $50,000.Lessons learnedDon’t make valuation shortsShort selling to make money is a bad idea because it has complicated mathematics behind it. Most of the time, it is just not worth it. The other problem is when you short something, and you’re wrong, your exposure gets bigger.Andrew’s takeawaysLet go of hindsight biasWhen people make mistakes, they will often engage in hindsight bias. They look back and wish if only they had done this or that. The truth is, when you are making decisions, you’re making them with the best information you have and the application of your judgment at the time.Nobody can do a perfect valuationIt is tough to make a 100% correct evaluation. The solution is always to question everything when developing a valuation estimate and accept that it is an estimate.Actionable adviceUnderstand and work with the price-to-earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio when picking a stock.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsKevin’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to have fun and try to re-enter the real world.Parting words “Have fun and enjoy the rest of the year.”Kevin Carter [spp-transcript] Connect with Kevin CarterLinkedInTwitterWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

May 30, 2021 • 28min
Mohanad Alwadiya – There Is No Such Thing as Passive Income
BIO: Dubbed ‘the wolf of real estate,’ Mohanad Alwadiya is the most celebrated real estate, and business multi-media thought leader in the middle east. He is the CEO of award-winning Harbor Real Estate managing mixed-use institutional portfolios worth over $4 billion.STORY: Mohanad wanted to secure the future of his soon-to-be-born daughter, so he went for advice from his banker. The banker convinced him to sign up for a long-term insurance plan. A few years later, Mohanad realized that he was losing money from the plan instead of gaining. Any effort to resolve the issue failed, and he ended up stuck with a program where he was losing money.LEARNING: Do not trust your banker; seek independent financial advice. Don’t make emotion-driven decisions, and continuously monitor your investments. Separate the creation of wealth and the growth of wealth. “Investing in knowledge is the only thing that you will never lose.”Mohanad Alwadiya Guest profileDubbed ‘the wolf of real estate,’ Mohanad Alwadiya is the most celebrated real estate, and business multi-media thought leader in the middle east. He is the CEO of award-winning Harbor Real Estate managing mixed-use institutional portfolios worth over $4 billion. Mohanad has his own top-rated property reality–TV show & he’s the author of the best-seller “Landlording–from renting to financial freedom.”A senior instructor and advisor at Dubai Land Department since 2009, certifying and mentoring thousands of real estate professionals across the region. Mohanad was listed amongst the top 100 most influential personalities in the UAE in 2018. During the 2019 distinctive international Arab festivals awards (DIAFA), he was also awarded as the best social media influencer of the year.Worst investment everAlmost two decades ago, Mohanad was graduating from university and was excited about life. His goal back then was to become financially independent. He wanted to break free from his family financially.Making a plan to be financially independentSo the plan for Mohanad back then was to identify the number that would allow him to be free. He came up with $2,000. He thought if he gets this every month, he would be financially independent and not depend on his family.The best way to make this happen was to get a job. So he applied for jobs and finally, he got a very good one. Mohanad worked extremely hard with commitment and consistency, and he was able to achieve that number. He got the salary of his dreams.Wanting moreMohanad was super happy and excited about hitting his number, but after a while, he realized that this number was not enough anymore. He had developed higher expectations and was more ambitious. His expenses had also grown.Mohanad decided to increase his number by another $1,000. So he worked long hours, made more clients happy, and after a while, he got it. But again, he wasn’t satisfied with this new number. This time, Mohanad decided to increase the number substantially, so he doesn’t have to do this every year or two. He raised his number from $3,000 to $10,000.New and bigger responsibilitiesAs Mohanad was working hard towards achieving this new number and his ultimate goal for financial independence, something changed his life forever. Mohanad found out that he was going to be a father.Mohanad had a lot of mixed feelings. He was so happy, but he also panicked because all along, he was working on a plan for himself. He never thought of having another person that he needs to work for. So he freaked out.Securing his daughter’s futureMohanad now started concentrating on coming up with a plan to secure his soon-to-be-born baby girl. He decided to go and consult the person who knows about money the most—his banker.Mohanad rushed to his bank and broke the news to his banker. The banker pulled out a fancy folder, opened it up, and showed Mohanad this golden long-term investment plan. He later found out that this was a product that the bank was selling on behalf of an insurance company. Without any hesitation, Mohanad decided to allocate a sizable portion of his new number towards this investment for his daughter.He signed that agreement, a commitment that he will be investing every month with this company with the promise that they’re going to give him a considerable amount of money when his daughter turns 18. This money would help her get a good degree. Then, she’ll get her own job and start working on her number like Mohanad decided to do with himself.Forgetting about the investmentMohanad went back to his everyday life. His daughter was born. He kept working hard, and every month the insurance company would take a big chunk of his salary.After a couple of years, Mohanad checked his email when he came across the quarterly report he would receive from the insurance company. Usually, he wouldn’t check them because he believed his banker kept tabs on the investment for him. This particular time he decided to click and see what was happening. He was shocked to realize that he had lost almost 48% of the principal.The banker bails out on himMohanad called the banker who bailed on him immediately and asked him to call the insurance company directly. He called the company and learned that there was no mistake; he had indeed lost that much. He was confused because the investment was supposed to be gaining, not losing. They kept debating so much over the phone that Mohanad decided to have a meeting with them.He met the head of investment at the time, and he was extremely cold. He asked Mohanad to go through the contract that he signed. The contract stated that there was a big chance he could lose money. And if he wasn’t happy with the company’s performance, he could change his investment allocation.Stuck with a bad investmentMohanad weighed his options and realized that he was stuck with this investment. If he stopped the plan, he would lose everything. He decided to reduce the amount he invested with them without any penalty until such a point, about five years when he could get out with a loss.Changing his financial independence tacticsThis investment mistake left Mohanad angry and devastated. He decided to change everything, where finances were concerned. He didn’t want to have a number anymore. What he needed was to have a better objective in his life. Mohanad realized that he needed not just to have a number in terms of monetary value but also a number in terms of sources of income. He decided that he didn’t want to be an employee anymore. Or even if he stayed employed, he must have multiple sources of income.Mohanad started reading books about investment to educate himself on how to invest. He never wants to make such an investment mistake ever again.Lessons learnedDon’t make emotion-driven decisionsDon’t make investment decisions when you are feeling emotional. You need to be rational when choosing what to invest in.Never trust your bankerYou should never trust your banker ever. They are good at keeping your accounts but not good when it comes to offering you professional investment advice. Instead, seek professional advice from independent consultants or people who have been through the investment journey and have a genuine interest to help, not just trying to sell you something.Monitor your investmentMake sure that you monitor your investments regularly so that you are aware of everything going on. If something is wrong with your investment, you will know about it early and find the necessary solution.Andrew’s takeawaysDon’t take investment advice on face valueWhen someone comes to you with an investment proposal, don’t accept it on the spot. Take it home, look at it, read it, and then ask advice from people who know about such investments.Start investing now and take advantage of the power of compoundingif you start investing now and you invest over time, your money will grow exponentially over time because it’s compounding. However, if you were to take your money out of your investment for your monthly living, you don’t get the compounding interest. Correct compounding assumes all of the income and all of the gain that you receive is being reinvested in that investment.Separate creation of wealth and the growth of wealthCreating and growing wealth are two different things that should be kept separate. Creating wealth is what we do to generate income streams. Growing wealth is taking that income and investing it in a place like the stock market so you can earn more from it.You can generate wealth even if you have only one source of incomeNot everybody can generate 55 different types of income streams. There’s nothing wrong with having a good job that’s earning you good money. If you keep your monthly spending below your income, you will create wealth each month through your salary.Actionable adviceKeep reading. The more you read, the easier it will be for you to read more books. Your knowledge, your ability to comprehend specific terminologies or industries will become faster and easier for you.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsMohanad’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to start a crowd investment platform in Dubai. The platform will specialize in making real estate a mass opportunity for people to invest in. The goal is to make it easier for people to review specific assets and invest in them, as little as $1,000. This way, they can own a stake in a property that is already generating income to have an added source of income.Parting words “Just keep investing in yourselves. Try to start building other sources of income even if they are just small ones.”Mohanad Alwadiya [spp-transcript] Connect with Mohanad AlwadiyaLinkedInTwitterWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

May 30, 2021 • 14min
Jeffery Potvin – You Must Do Your Due Diligence on Investors Too
BIO: Jeffery Potvin is an angel investor in multiple regions and has invested in 55+ companies. He is a member of seven angel groups and screening committees while being the driving force behind Open People Network (OPN)! OPN is a group of angel investors helping accelerate the growth of early-stage startups.STORY: Jeffery’s company had been working on and off with this startup for about two years. When the startup came back with a product and an investor, Jefferey took interest, and even though he had some doubts, he trusted the startup. It turned out his gut was right because the investor never held his part of the deal.LEARNING: Walk away from anyone trying to pressure you to close a deal and have the proper documentation in place before you sign the contract. The ultimate validation comes from your customer. “Look for resources, educate yourself, learn and dive right into it. Build that product, then find that angel investor.”Jeffery Potvin Guest profileJeffery Potvin is an angel investor in multiple regions and has Invested in 55+ companies. He is a member of seven angel groups and screening committees while being the driving force behind Open People Network (OPN)! OPN is a group of angel investors helping accelerate the growth of early-stage startups through The Supporters Fund and Pitchit Series. Jeffery is a lifelong entrepreneur with a proven track record of building companies and reinventing existing businesses. He has worked with a list of great clients, from startups to enterprises, over the years. Jeffery is a mentor, coach and loves to climb mountains.Worst investment everJeffery worked with a company for about two years on and off, helping them through their journey. An opportunity came up to invest in this new emerging company that had some great IP. The company had found an investor that would help them with the production. The investor was going to contribute considerable funds too.Getting deeper into the business ideaJeffery went through this process of doing a deep dive and analysis around the business. He requested that he meet with the investor who would pick the ball up and put a lot of money in to make this company successful.Jeffery met the investor, and as he started to pick their brain and learn more about them, he asked them questions because he had doubts. However, he never admitted his misgivings; he just kept going forward.Ignoring hisJeffery’s gut still told him that something was not right. But because he had been working with the startup for such a significant amount of time, he trusted that they had picked the right investor.Jeffery did not want to slow down the progress, so he ignored his gut, did all of the analysis, came back, and signed off on the deal.The truth comes outJeffery signed everything off, and everything was good. About six months into the project, when the final handoff was supposed to happen, the unforeseen happened. Once everything was solidified and sorted out, the investor ended up having creditors coming after them, and they went bankrupt. Everything they had worked hard for went down the drain just because of one person. If only Jeffery had listened to his gut.Lessons learnedWalk away from anyone trying to pressure you to close a dealIf there is any panic or pressure to close a deal, walk away. There’s a reason they’re putting that pressure on you. They’re probably in debt or something else. There’s always a problem when it’s high pressure. Nothing needs to be solved in five minutes; you should always have time to think.Be wary of third party validationValidating a product is very important but be careful when the owners want to bring in different people to validate your problem. If they cannot validate it themselves, then that is a red flag.Have proper paperwork before you make the investmentMost early startups don’t pay attention to the paperwork and analysis side. But if you want to avoid trouble in the future, you must buckle down and put that paperwork together before you invest.Andrew’s takeawaysDig deep with your questionsAnyone who is trying to trick you into an investment will always come well prepared. They will come ready for your questions. So you have to go beyond the answers that you get.The ultimate validation comes from your customerThe ultimate validation comes from the customer. So if you’re not ready to go out to the market, find a customer that you could partner with and test your market with them. Find out if the customer would be interested in your product. That type of customer validation is the best validation.Actionable adviceOveranalyze everything; scrutinize the hell out of every opportunity that comes your way to make sure that you get the result that you’re looking for when you say yes.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsJeffery’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to complete a $10 million raise and invest in another 30 companies. He’s targetting to go to his next $50 million raise.Parting words “Jump out there, start talking to and helping early-stage companies work their way through the angel investing cycle.”Jeffery Potvin [spp-transcript] Connect with Jeffery PotvinLinkedInTwitterYouTubePodcastWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

May 26, 2021 • 19min
Janet Metzger – Trust Your Gut to Find the Right Coach
BIO: Janet Metzger is an experienced Network Marketing Coach and Consultant with a demonstrated history of achieving results.STORY: Janet found herself jobless after her position was made redundant. She was 59 years without any idea of what to do next. She hired a coach who misguided her from doing what she loved most. Instead, she invested in a franchise that she ran for two years and hated every bit of it.LEARNING: Get the right mentor or coach, and don’t let anything bring down your confidence. “You can do anything that you decide to do. But you have to get the right mentor or coach.”Janet Metzger Guest profileJanet Metzger is an experienced Network Marketing Coach and Consultant with a demonstrated history of achieving results. She has been a leader in various organizations and has led sales teams that produced $60M in annual revenue and large teams of over 10,000 members. Her experience varies from start-up businesses to Fortune 100 Companies. And her first love remains Network Marketing, and she’s proud to be a part of this great industry.Worst investment everJanet worked for a Fortune 100 company for 17 years. Then she went to another humongous company in network marketing and direct sales, where she worked for 18 years. Janet loved it here, but she needed a change, and so she quit.Forging a new pathJanet tried a couple of different things, including running multi-million-dollar businesses, but nothing ever felt good. All of a sudden, she was now the person working two years here, two years there. In one of her jobs, her role was made redundant, and she found herself jobless at 59 years of age.Janet did not know what she was going to do next. All she knew was that she wasn’t ready to retire. Fortunately, she had some money in the bank, but she was crazy bored.Following her passionJanet’s passion was helping people achieve their goals and dreams. She decided to hire a coach and paid her a substantial amount of money. Janet told the coach what she wanted to do, but the coach was just a dream stealer who convinced her otherwise.The coach convinced Janet that she wouldn’t be able to do what she wanted. Instead, she advised her to invest over $50,000 into a franchise. After two years of running the franchise, she still wasn’t happy.Losing her confidenceJanet lost all the confidence she had developed over the years working for great companies and from having great mentors. She went from being full of self-esteem to having none. These were the worst two years of her life.Janet regretted getting that particular coach because she got nothing out of her. The two years she invested in her became her worst investment ever.Lessons learnedGet the right mentor or coachYou know what you’re good at. Now, all you have to do is follow your goals and do anything you decide upon. But you need to have the RIGHT mentor or coach to guide you to your goals.Andrew’s takeawaysDon’t let anything bring down your confidenceA lot could bring down your confidence as an entrepreneur, from not hitting your goals to your products not selling. All this can wear you down. But always remember that to be successful, the people who work with you need confidence in you. So don’t lose your confidence; otherwise, people will bail on you.There is a difference between intuition and emotionAlways choose intuition over emotion. To do that, you must know the difference between the two. Intuition is a moment of clarity. So always pay attention to your intuition.Actionable adviceHave a goal that you want so bad that you can taste it. You may not know how to do it, but just have that goal in front of you. Secondly, when selecting a coach or a program, this is the one time to slow down so that you can speed up.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsJanet’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to serve 1,000 people with her online subscription program focusing on the 13 skills that network marketers should have.Parting words “As long as you learn a lesson from your mistake, you’re okay.”Janet Metzger [spp-transcript] Connect with Janet MetzgerLinkedInFacebookYouTubePodcastWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast