My Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Best of 2020 Podcast Episodes Roundup“Hello, fellow risk-takers, and welcome to My Worst Investment Ever,” that’s how I start every one of the 300+ My Worst Investment Ever Podcast episodes I have recorded. Below are some of the highlights from the 170 people I interviewed in 2020.One of the things that makes the investors, businessmen and women, and experts who come on the show extraordinary is their willingness to share their worst investment with the world. Most people I ask to go on the show say, “No, thank you.”The good news for you is that you don’t have to experience their loss. Listen and absorb the lessons they teach. Whether you’re an experienced investor or just starting your investment journey, these podcasts can give you a different investment perspective and expand your knowledge.To get straight to the lessons, just click here and download my one-page cheat sheet.Ep250: Stephen Kalayjian – The Key to Success in Trading Is to Have DisciplineStephen Kalayjian is a Chief Market Strategist and co-founder of Ticker Tocker. He has decades of experience trading stocks, futures, currencies and has traded nearly 2 billion shares.Steve shared how, in his youth, he used his hard-earned money to buy 550 calls and assumed that stocks only went higher (they don’t).Key takeawaysDiscipline is the key to successIt’s better to admit you are wrong; than to lose all your moneyKnow when to continue or quit a specific investmentEp248: Karen Foo – Risk Management Is the Key to Success in ForexKaren Foo is a motivational speaker, financial trainer, and author. She has ranked #1 in a Singapore nationwide Forex trading competition. You can find her on her YouTube channel.Karen shared how she lost her savings when she invested in forex and unit trusts without guidance and research.Key takeawaysRisk management is the key to long-term successSeek out mentors who are experts in what you want to learnWrite out your investment plan before investingDo your research, ask more questions than you answerEp279: James Jani – You May Gain the Right Skills From the Wrong PathJames Jani is a YouTube Expert and Vlogger, who creates thought-provoking documentaries on YouTube about Business, Money, and Life.James shared his story of investing years of his life into acting without success, only to realize later acting wasn’t what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.Key takeawaysBe brave to follow your purpose in life, no matter what.The skills you gain from every experience combine to help you create value in the future.Ep249: Chris Mayer – Build a List of 5 Quality Companies and Enter at the Next Market FallChris Mayer is the co-founder and portfolio manager of the Woodlock House Family Capital fund. He has authored four books, including 100 Baggers: Stocks that Return 100-to-1 and How to Find Them, ranked 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon with 290 reviews. You can follow him on Twitter.Chris’s worst investment story happened when he bought cheap companies while disregarding what those businesses could offer in the long-term.Key takeawaysBuy the best companies, even if they are expensiveBuild your stock buy list and wait for significant market falls to buy themConsider the long-term returns instead of being seduced by today’s cheap stocksEp192: Sampath Mallidi – Your Startup Should Always Have Paying CustomersSampath Mallidi is the Founder and CEO of Intandemly, an account-based sales platform that helps organizations simplify their sales pipeline.Sampath shared that he and his then-boss spent all their money, shifting their company’s strategy because they anticipated funding. The money never came.Key takeawaysA deal is never done until the money is in the bankCash flow, not cash, is KingDon’t let failure get to you. Bounce back fast, and figure out how to move forward.Ep232: Ranveer Brar – Deepen Your Relationship with What You Love and Be a Good BusinessmanRanveer Brar is one of India’s top chefs, a celebrity, a Masterchef India judge, author, restaurateur, food film producer, and benefactor. He shares his passion for food on his website and his excellent YouTube channel. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.Ranveer shared how he left his executive chef position in India to join a restaurant startup in the US. His big mistake was going with the flow of other people’s plans.Key takeawaysDon’t do something just because it worked for others; find what works for youBalance your passion with the need to create a profitable business modelDeal with problems head-on rather than denying and avoiding themEp235: Rand Fishkin – Don’t Be Afraid to Stand up Against the Growth-at-All-Cost Venture Capital ModelRand Fishkin is CEO & co-founder of SparkToro, and author of Lost and Founder: A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World. The book has an impressive 4.7 out of 5 Amazon rating; I enjoyed how Rand personally narrated the book’s Audible format. He previously co-founded and ran the SEO optimization company, Moz.Rand’s worst investment was when he received venture capital for Moz and focused on expanding its other marketing services while stopping what was working for the company.Key takeawaysFind your niche and focus on it, do not get distractedStructure and incentives matter more than almost everything else when it comes to business successJust because investors want growth at all costs doesn’t mean it’s the right pathListen to different opinions but do what’s right for youEp255: Morgan Housel – A Successful Value Investor Focuses on Why a Stock Is CheapMorgan Housel is an award-winning financial writer and a partner at The Collaborative Fund. Don’t miss his recently published, The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness, which has received more than 3,000 ratings on Amazon which average an impressive 4.7 out of 5 ratings. Follow him on Twitter.Morgan shared his story of how he blindly followed the advice of the father of value investing, Benjamin Graham, to buy stocks that were trading at less than book value.Key takeawaysSeparate research on risk from research on the returnDon’t blindly follow any investment book or guru, even Warren BuffettCheap stocks are usually cheap for a reason, and they can get cheaperEp191: Cedric Dahl – You’re Going to Fail Countless Times, Don’t Dwell on the FailuresCedric Dahl was CEO of Buttercoin, one of the first Bitcoin marketplaces in the US. He writes the Internet Money newsletter covering the most critical events in the weird world of Internet Money. Find him on YouTube, where he has recently been posting Cedric Dahl Friend Call, and Twitter. Finally, consider joining his “1000x Group,” where Cedric and community members share projects and ideas that they believe have the potential for 1000x+ returns.Cedric shared how he and his friend Bennett raised money for a Bitcoin startup and how it went downhill and was ultimately knocked out by the rise of Coinbase.Key takeawaysRisk management is the key to long-term successWhen pressure, stress, and the impostor syndrome kick in, step back and take care of yourselfLuck, whether you want to admit it or not, plays a role in life and investingSuit up and show up. You can’t get better if you don’t practice, and you can’t practice if you don’t start.Pursuing your big dream will be hard at first; challenges will be many, but you’ve got to stay in the game to succeed. Have the courage to stick with it.Ep245: Mark Moss – Diversify Your Profits to Protect Your WealthMark Moss is a full-time investor with more than 25 years’ experience and has invested in businesses, real estate, stocks, gold, and cryptocurrencies. He created his website, Signal Profits, to help struggling traders. Follow Mark on his YouTube channel or Twitter to gain further investment knowledge (I watch everyone he puts out).Mark talked about the time he kept placing all his efforts solely on his real estate investments even though the market was crashing.Key takeawaysDiversify by holding various asset classesFor newbie and seasoned investors alike, make sure that you understand how real estate investing works and have a strategySome of the most dramatic investment stories often come from real estate, and even the most experienced investors experience lossEp239: E.B. Tucker – Go With Your Gut and Consider Starting SmallE.B. Tucker is a board director and major shareholder of Metalla Royalty & Streaming, a gold royalty company. He’s been active in capital markets for over two decades and authored Why gold? Why Now? The War Against Your Wealth and How to Win It has received a 4.6 out of 5 with more than 500 reviews.EB shared how he started as a sales VP for what he thought was a good company, which he then got his friends to invest in. Unfortunately, the company turned out to be a scam.Key takeawaysDo your research, ask lots of questionsFollow your gut and intuition, not your egoTake calculated risks and always assess whatever you will invest in so you don’t lose everythingEp289: Jim O’Shaughnessy – Have the Discipline to Stick With Your Investment ProcessJim O’Shaughnessy is the Chairman and Co-Chief Investment Officer of O’Shaughnessy Asset Management (OSAM). He is the author of various books, with What Works on Wall Street, Fourth Edition: The Classic Guide to the Best-Performing Investment Strategies of All Time being one of my all-time favorite finance books.Jim ignored his investment model and sold his puts (the right to sell at a fixed price, a contract that investors enter when they think the market will fall) just before the market crashed instead of holding onto them at least one more day as his model told him.Key takeawaysSet your investment system and follow itConsider entering and exiting investment positions in a step-by-step mannerEp234: John Lee Dumas – Avoid the Sunk Cost Fallacy by Testing Your Idea in the MarketJohn Lee Dumas (JLD) is the host of Entrepreneurs on Fire, an award-winning podcast where he interviews the world’s most inspiring entrepreneurs. Check out his fantastic book, The Common Path to Uncommon Success: A Roadmap to Financial Freedom and Fulfillment, which is launching now.JLD walked us through his first investment in a penny stock and the course offering he created back when Entrepreneurs on Fire was in its first year.Key takeawaysDon’t let failures stop you from doing what you love; it’s ok to pivot and persistFOCUS means Follow One Course Until SuccessListen to your audience to find out what they want and build your business around thatBefore you create something, get proof of concept by getting a few people to buyTiming is essential; just because your offer doesn’t work the first time doesn’t mean that it’s a bad offerEp231: Neil Patel – Fail Your Way to Success by Practicing the 3Es: Experiment, Experiment, ExperimentNiel Patel is a New York Times bestselling author, one of the top influencers on the web, and is recognized as a top 100 entrepreneur under 30. You can find more about him on his website. I love to watch his YouTube videos, his Facebook, and his Twitter. Most importantly, I purchased a subscription to his Ubersuggest.Neil shared his vision for...

Larry Levine is the best-selling author of Selling from the Heart and the co-host of the Selling from the Heart Podcast.In a post trust sales world, Larry Levine helps sales teams leverage the power of authenticity to grow revenue, grow themselves, and enhance their clients’ lives.Larry has coached sales professionals across the world, from tenured reps to new millennials entering the salesforce. They all appreciate the practical, real, raw, relevant, relatable, and “street-savvy” nature of his coaching. Larry is not shy when it comes to delivering his message.In a world full of empty suits, Larry is passionate about helping sales reps succeed by helping them to uncover their true value before they get visible.Larry is leading a revolution of authenticity, integrity, and substance in the sales profession. “If you can self reflect, become self-aware of who you are, and work on the inner part of who you are, you, it fills your outer success.”Larry Levine Worst investment everLarry helped start a company in LA in 1994. In 2000 he bought into the company that went on to expand rapidly.Wanting to explore more optionsIn 2012, Larry started feeling that it was time for him to move on. His work environment had become too toxic and dysfunctional. It was time for Larry to explore other options. In 2013, Larry sold his shares of the company, and after about eight months, he left the company for good.Starting afreshAfter working for almost 20 years with the same company where he poured a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, Larry made a career decision to go somewhere else. This time he decided to go to a large corporation. He was now a newbie in one of the biggest corporate firms in LA. Larry was number 18 on an 18 person corporate account team.To prove himself, Larry got an exorbitantly high quota for the year. For 90 days, it was a rough roller coaster for him but, Larry took everything he had learned, put his best foot forward, and rose in one year from number 18 to number two. He managed to bring in a million and a half dollars of brand new business.The biggest let down of his lifeIn the spring of 2015, at 50 years old, Larry was fired. For the first time, he found himself without a job. Losing his job was the worst rejection Larry had ever had in his whole life, and it hit him so bad. He cried for days. Now he had to figure out what to do with himself at 50 years old.Trusting himself to start his own businessLarry had to figure out what to do next because he had a family to take care of. He started tapping into his networks right away. A few days later, Larry’s close friend called him and suggested that he becomes a sales coach and trainer.Larry thought about his friend’s advice and realized that he could do it. But he was afraid of disappointing his dad. However, Larry decided to give it a shot. The plan was to be the best coach ever and make his dad proud.Building a successful coaching businessLarry started to coach office technology reps. He wore his emotions on his sleeves, connected deeply, and built meaningful relationships with his clients. He built a successful coaching business based on everything he had learned over the years.Lessons learnedReinvent yourself and learn from your mistakesWhether you made a horrible career investment or a bad financial investment, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep pushing forward.You are capable of doing a lot more than you think; just believe in yourselfIf you believe in yourself, you will see that you can do a lot more than you ever thought you could. Trust yourself to be great.Andrew’s takeawaysBe comfortable with facing resistance. It will propel you to greatnessEmbrace resistance, disasters, frustration, and emotions. It is this resistance that forces you to change and look for new options and propel yourself.Embrace your pain and your struggle and tell your story with authenticityYou may have gone through a lot of struggle and pain. Instead of letting it hold you back, embrace it, and then bring your story to the world. You will never know where it can take you and who you may help with your experience.Actionable adviceWhether you are in sales, finance, you are a teacher, a banker, work as a clerk in a grocery store, etc. if you bring genuine sincerity, substance, and your heart to the forefront, it will not only change you but also change the conversations you have, your relationships and your business endeavors.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsLarry’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to launch another Selling from the Heart book. He just started the rough outline, and he hopes to get the book to market in 2021.Parting words “Sincerity, substance, and heart will set you apart.”Larry Levine [spp-transcript] Connect with Larry LevineLinkedInTwitterWebsiteAndrew’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

Dr. Robert B. Ramos, CFA, CAIA, CIPM, completed his undergraduate degree from the Ateneo de Manila University. He finished one master’s degree in Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management and the second one in Business Economics from the University of Asia and the Pacific. And to top that off completed his doctoral degree from De La Salle University.Robert has more than 20 years of banking and finance experience working for both Philippine and foreign institutions. He has experience in the fields of trust and asset management, product development, treasury trading, fund management, marketing, and relationship management.He is currently the First Senior Vice-President and Group Head of RCBC Trust and Investments Group. Robert is a CFA Charterholder, a CAIA Charterholder, a CIPM Certificant, and the current President of the CFA Society of the Philippines. “The thing that made you a star may not work in the next few years. So be ready to adapt, not only from a firm management standpoint but also from a people management standpoint.”Robert Ramos Worst investment everAround 2013 Robert was promoted to the head of investments and business development. He took pride in being able to select undervalued stocks. Robert would choose firms that had a good story and a massive upside. For the past seven years, this had worked very well to the point where many of the funds managed by the firm were in the upper tier.In a continued effort to grow the fundOne of Robert’s best analysts brought a good stock in the power industry to his attention. The stock was undervalued and had fantastic growth potential. Robert looked at the numbers, and he was impressed. This firm was just the best. Not only did they have great numbers, but good management too.Having a piece of the pieRobert was satisfied that this was the best stock to buy. So the firm went ahead and decided to buy a 13% stake.Watching the stockThe stock was performing well a few days after buying it. But after about three months, it started slowing down. In about six months, the stock started dipping. Initially, the decline in value of the stock was not so much that it would cause panic, but it was enough for Robert to notice.However, he believed that the numbers he had seen when evaluating the stock would save it once people saw its value.A downward spiralIn the eighth month, the stock started dipping more and more. Now everyone, including fund managers, was taking notice. In the ninth month, clients started calling because this fund that was doing so well for them suddenly was not doing well.Now the tables had turned. The stock expected to outperform the rest was the one bringing the fund down. Eventually, Robert had to sell that position. That stock remains as Robert’s worst investment ever.Lessons learnedNumbers are not the only thing that determines the value of a good stockNumbers are great, but sometimes they will lie to you. Go beyond numbers when evaluating a good stock. Check out other factors too, including management, illiquidity, the number of analysts covering the stock, and the number of people looking at the stock daily.Selling your underperforming position does not mean you are a failureUnderstand that selling a poorly performing position does not make you a failure. You have to be able to separate yourself and your actions to be able to move accordingly. If you fall in love with your position, then you fall into the trap of throwing in good money into bad money and making a problem even worse than it is.Andrew’s takeawaysBuild a position slowly, over timeBuilding a position over time is an exceptional risk management tool because it removes the excitement of owning it all. You can put your emotions aside and observe how the position performs over time, and you can increase it when you deem it viable.Consider having a stop lossSometimes you may have played your cards right and got the best stock, but you just bought it at the wrong time. In such a case, a stop loss can have some value. So consider using stop losses in a limited way.Liquidity is a major risk factor when selecting the best stock to buyDo not overlook liquidity when deciding which stocks are good investments. You want to invest in a company that is liquid and profitable.Actionable adviceWhen evaluating a stock, look at its numbers, management, size, and liquidity. But the most important thing is being able to admit that you made a mistake and act fast.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsRobert’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to grow the business of his current asset management firm and serve the needs of his clients.Parting words “Keep learning and evolving. The world is evolving and if you don’t evolve with it you will die.”Robert Ramos [spp-transcript] Connect with Robert RamosLinkedInTwitterInstagramWebsiteAndrew’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

Kevin Maloney is a serial entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience in business development, marketing, operations, and finance with early to the mid-stage consumer, media, technology, and real estate companies.He has led more than 1,000+ early mid-stage investor presentations, conducted 100+ corporate and institutional roadshows, and raised more than $90M+ in capital for a dozen early-stage companies. “It doesn’t matter what you or your science team think. Just innovate and iterate quickly based on customer feedback.”Kevin Maloney Worst investment everAt the age of 29, Kevin connected with some scientists working on a process to produce nanomaterials. These are very tiny metallic powders. Kevin saw the potential this technology had, so he raised $100,000 to support the development of this technology.Building one of a kind productKevin gathered the best of the best people in the industry to work on this product that would be a gamechanger. He also surrounded himself with the best mentors. The team went on to develop a high-class product.Kevin raised the first amount of capital, proved the concept, filed patents, and launched his product in 2003. Then he started engaging with a few large potential partners and potential early customers.Struggling to get paying customers for his incredible productKevin believed that if you build an incredible product, then customers will come. He was so wrong. It was an uphill task to get customers to buy his product. Kevin had wanted to start engaging customers while the product was still an idea, but his scientists insisted that he waits until they had a finished product.Kevin missed Energizer’s opportunity to engage and commit to his project because he waited to have a finished product.No money, no businessKevin’s product was not bringing in any substantial income, and he could barely raise enough capital to continue working on it. He was technically running an R&D company with great technology, looking for applications.Eventually, Kevin ran out of money. He had spent over $35 million on this project. He ended up selling the technology to a public company and got an offer for about $10 million in equity.Lessons learnedEngage customers as early as possibleEngage customers and get them to buy in as early as when your product is just a vision. Do not wait for a finished product to start engaging customers. The earlier you start doing it in your product development cycle, the better.It is easier to raise money on a passionate visionStart selling your product as soon as it is a vision; do not wait until you have a finished product. Selling a passionate vision that could change the world is less complicated than selling a ready product.When you have a ready product, people will only give you their money when they see you have paying customers. So sell your vision first to investors before you even come up with the product.You don’t have a business unless you start selling somethingServe your customer well with a great product or service, and they will pay you for it. If you want your business to be successful, make creating a sustainable customer base your focal focus.Andrew’s takeawaysGetting people to pay for your product is the hardest part of entrepreneurshipYou may have a perfect idea, employ the best team that develops the best product, but you cannot count yourself as a successful entrepreneur until you convince people to pay for your product.Actionable adviceWhen the opportunity to take your company public and raise money comes, take it.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsKevin’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to launch an indoor air quality, IoT sensor, and monitoring platform. He is also launching a program with his son to motivate kids, students, athletes, and entrepreneurs worldwide to hustle with grit.Parting words “Have fun, fail quickly and often. Engage your customer and get feedback from them.”Kevin Maloney [spp-transcript] Connect with Kevin MaloneyLinkedInAndrew’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

Armand Rosamilia is a New Jersey boy currently living in sunny Florida, where he writes when he’s not sleeping. He’s happily married to a woman who helps his career and is supportive, which is all he ever wanted in life.He’s written over 150 stories that are currently available, including horror, zombies, contemporary fiction, thrillers, and more. His goal is to write a good story and not worry about genre labels.He not only runs two successful podcasts but also owns the network they’re on, Project Entertainment Network.His two podcasts are Arm Cast Podcast that interviews other authors, filmmakers, musicians, etc., and The Mando Method Podcast, with co-host Chuck Buda. The podcast talks about writing and publishing.You can find him at Armand Rosamilia for his latest releases and interviews and guest posts with other authors he likes. “When I look back on my life, at least I can say I tried, and it failed. I gave it a shot.”Armand Rosamilia Worst investment everArmand wanted to become a writer ever since he was 12 years old. However, he was now in his 40s and was yet to muster the courage to do what he wanted to do most—write.Living a life of obligationEverything that Armand did in his life was out of obligation. He got a job to be able to pay bills and take care of his family. He hated his job so much, but he couldn’t stop working. His ex-wife would not let him quit. Armand had to continue meeting his obligation to his wife and kids.Sneaking out to pursue his passionThe dream of becoming a writer never left Armand. Every night he would sneak out of bed and stay up to write. This habit annoyed his ex-wife so much, but he kept doing it.Hitting rock bottom and rising to his dreamOne day, Armand found himself jobless, and even though his ex-wife was pushing him to get another job, he spent the time writing. He managed to finish his first story. He could not be happier even though he was dead broke. At this point, Armand’s ex-wife was tired of pushing him to get a job and decided to leave him.Armand was devastated. His life was a complete mess, and he could barely take care of his family. He was ready to take on any job to make ends meet. However, Armand’s day of becoming a writer had come.The breakthroughUnbeknownst to Armand, a publisher had picked up his book, read it, and loved it. As his wife walked out of the door and left him for good, his phone rang. It was the publisher. He said he would love to have a conversation with him about a deal he had struck with a movie company in Hollywood. The company wanted to turn Armand’s book into a movie. This opportunity catapulted Armand’s career as a full-time author. He has not looked back since.Lessons learnedYour dreams are valid even if other people do not believe in themDo not stop chasing your dreams just because other people do not believe in them. You are the only one who can make your dreams come true. Do not let anyone tell you that you are not worth dreaming.Andrew’s takeawaysPursuing your dreams will not be easy, but you have to do itIf you have a passion, go for it. The world is not just going to open up for you. You have to do it yourself. People are going to resist and doubt you. They are going to challenge you and even discourage you. But, there is a point in your life when you have to decide to make your passion work. If you do that, hopefully, if you are good at it, then you will get your breakthrough.Your dreams will not always be validated, and that is okIt feels nice to be validated but don’t chase your dreams because you want validation from other people. External validation is not a guarantee. Pursue your dreams for yourself.Actionable advicePursue your dreams. Strive for what you believe in and remain realistic about it. It is a lot of work, but you have to do it.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsArmand’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to continue working and learning. [spp-transcript] Connect with Armand RosamiliaLinkedInTwitterFacebookWebsiteAndrew’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

At the age of 29, and the peak of her corporate career and deep unhappiness, Dr. Natalia Wiechowski quit her job and started from scratch. She took a nine-month sabbatical, during which she changed the way she thinks, speaks, and acts. From that moment, she committed to designing her purposeful dream life and founded Think Natalia.Her obsession is “coachsulting” people who have left the corporate rat race to do their own thing. These people all have one thing in common; they want to build an international, sustainable, and purposeful thought leadership personal brand on LinkedIn. They want to use that brand to become the voice of their niche, get more clients, and positively impact the world.She started as a Social Scientist, turned into a Dr. of Philosophy, a “LinkedIn Marketing Unicorn” (Inc. magazine), a Forbes Coaches Council Member, a LinkedIn Learning author, and the Middle East’s leading Edutainer. “If you don’t take calculated risks, then you’re going to live a boring, mediocre life. That’s my biggest nightmare.”Natalia Wiechowski Worst investment everNatalia invested a lot of time, energy, and resources into becoming the model successful woman. She finished her studies, made her parents proud, worked her way up the career ladder, and even was a competitive athlete with tons of awards. All her peers admired her.All looking good from the outside but not from the insideThis kind of life that Natalia had built for herself looked phenomenal from the outside. Everyone thought that she was very happy. This is precisely the kind of life she imagined having when she was a teenager. But deep down, Natalia was unhappy. She didn’t think of herself as successful. She felt like a complete mess.Yearning for more from lifeNatalia went through a phase of confusion. She had a seemingly successful career, but inside she felt like a mess. She wanted more from life. The confusion left Natalia in a lot of physical pain that nobody could figure out the cause. She slowly realized that the pain was self-created.Getting herself out of a rutWhen it dawned on Natalia that she was causing herself physical and emotional pain, she committed to finding healing. Natalia talked about what she was going through with her friends, mentor, and parents. They all advised her to quit her job and go on a sabbatical. During that sabbatical, she went on a journey to define what happiness, success, money, time, and work meant to her. Natalia also tried to figure out how she wanted to live and whom she wants to work with.Natalia’s sabbatical leads her to her dream life and a career of purpose. She understood that your dream job only exists when you create it, and if you believe that you have what it takes, just go for it.Lessons learnedFollow your heart and live your true purposeWhen that inner voice asks you to follow your heart, listen to it and go on that journey that leads you to your true purpose.Invest in yourself and live the life you’ve always wantedDesign a lifestyle around your dreams and passions. Go out there, sharpen that skill that fuels your dreams, master it, and share it with the world. That’s the way to live a healthy balanced life without any regrets.Don’t fear changing direction just because you have invested time in somethingMost people refuse to change because they have invested so much invest time, love, energy, and money into something. So they keep holding onto it even long after it has stopped serving them. The truth is that you will always invest and lose but learn in the process.Andrew’s takeawaysDon’t listen to the naysayersIf you want to do something, forget what other people say. Just go on and do it. Ultimately, it’s about your own satisfaction and pursuing your dreams.Learn how to quit the things that don’t workWhen you realize that a relationship, a job, or whatever, is not working for you, you better quit it. Hurry up and quit before you get trapped in it.Actionable adviceDesign space and time to reflect on your life, your goals, and your dream career. Doing this will help you figure out who you are meant to be and take control of your destiny.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsNatalia’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to be more entertaining. She wants to learn more about the art of stand up comedy, humor, satire, cracking jokes, and what is entertainment. Natalia wants to find out how she can incorporate entertainment into her business, life, stage character, and personal brand to help even more people while having fun along the way.Parting words “Stop waiting for the perfect moment because perfection is an illusion. Start now.”Natalia Wiechowski [spp-transcript] Connect with Natalia WiechowskiLinkedInFacebookYouTubeInstagramWebsiteAndrew’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

Ari Gunzburg is a rising new star in personal growth after experiencing trauma as a child and then extreme volatility as a teenager. As an award-winning international speaker, Ari motivates people using personal stories filled with triumph, tragedy, and transformation. Ari also helps inspire people using one-on-one coaching and his books for both children and adults. New in 2020 is his debut non-fiction title, The Little Book of Greatness. “If something truly isn’t working, the sooner you realize it, the better off you are.”Ari Gunzburg Worst investment everAri used to deliver a book called The Advertiser while growing, a small book full of advertisements from the community businesses and delivered to every home in Baltimore.Starting his own book of advertisementsAs a young man, Ari had a dream to start a similar book, and the opportunity came when he moved to Cleveland. He reached out to the people running it originally and made an offer, and they accepted.Ari started working on the book, and he put everything into it. He went knocking on business owners’ doors, trying to sell them to the idea of advertising in the book. In Baltimore, all the business owners believed that they needed to be in the book because that’s where people look to find out what is going on.In Cleveland, though, things were different, and the business owners needed some convincing.A poor startThe book’s uptake was not encouraging, but Ari persisted and kept trying everything he could to make it work. Things didn’t get better; in fact, they got worse.Simultaneously, a website that many people in Cleveland went to for information and news was also running an advertising section and charging low advertising prices. The website was giving Ari real competition.Doing the math and cutting his lossesAfter three years of giving this book his best and still barely making any money, Ari started thinking about closing it down, but he didn’t have the courage to do it.One day, Ari spoke with a business coach who asked him to consider a scenario in which his book suddenly became wildly successful, and every single business in town started advertising with him. What’s the maximum amount of dollars that he could make?Ari ran the numbers quickly in his head and realized that that number was about half a million a year before taking out expenses. This number made Ari realize that it was time to close shop. It was just not enough to keep him afloat.Lessons learnedPersistence is not about persevering in every situation at all costsPersistence is about recognizing when you should stick it out and when you should throw in the towel. Being persistent with things that you don’t want to be doing, or that are not working for you, or an investment that’s just losing money is pointless.Be aware of the advice you’re getting and where it’s coming fromIt is good to have sounding boards that can help you process your advice and decide if it is in line with where you truly see yourself going. Always feel free to say no to advice if it does not suit you.Andrew’s takeawaysUnderstand the actual market size and potentialAs you are researching your business, make sure you calculate your actual market size and income potential. This will guide you on whether you should invest your money and time in that business.Advice is good, but you must process itIt is good to receive all advice, but you must process that advice and identify what part of it is right for you and which one is not. Welcome advice, but accept that not all of it will come from a place of genuine understanding.Consider external factors that might affect your businessWhen starting a business, you must consider external factors that might affect your business. External factors can easily crush your business if you are not aware of them beforehand.Actionable adviceThere are many different businesses that you can start. But before you settle on any, have clarity on what you want to do, how it will help people, and whether or not you can actually make money with it.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsAri’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to finish a program that he is working on. The program is meant to help people reconnect with themselves and rekindle their lives’ magic. [spp-transcript] Connect with Ari GunzburgLinkedInTwitterYouTubeInstagramWebsiteAndrew’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

Sanjeev Chitre is the Managing Partner at U-Group and a four-time successful entrepreneur. Sanjeev has 30+ years of starting, growing, and executing the liquidity of several major small and medium-sized companies.He brings together an integrated team of industry and growth partners to creatively build value for The U-Group clients. Sanjeev earned his MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, US, and a BS in Electronics & Telecommunications from the University of Pune, India. “When you make a mistake, accept that it was not the right thing to do and make an effort never to do it again. That allows the world around you to change.”Sanjeev Chitre Worst investment everSanjeev’s worst investment ever happened when he was building his first public company. The company had five people only and had less than a million dollars in revenues. The company was in one of the not so desired spaces of the venture capital space, semiconductor and semiconductor chip-making equipment. At the time, the company was worth $25 million.Growing his portfolio of companiesAfter taking his first company public, he bought another company that was 30 times bigger than the first one but was illiquid. However, this acquisition made Sanjeev very confident, and he went on to acquire more companies, and now he had five companies in total. Two were performing well, two were average, and one was simply horrible.Letting his ego beat his business acumenEven though that one company was a poor performer, Sanjeev went ahead and outbid another buyer for it. He could have paid $12 million, but he paid $30 million for it. Sanjeev’s ego led him to believe that he could pivot the company and make money from him. He had this big plan to reduce the cost of materials by reprocessing them in real-time. This plan, however, was not risk mitigated and was purely led by ego.Losing the investmentSanjeev spent the next three years trying to prove that his plan was a good one. He ended up decimating the value of the shareholders and lost over $100 million as he tried to build that investment.Lessons learnedMitigate your risk before investing in somethingThere are so many revolutionary disruptive changes that all entrepreneurs want to make. Do not do it unless you have a risk mitigated path of execution.Listen to the people you work withListen to what the overall team is saying, respect their decisions, and their feedback.Know the expected outcome first before getting into any businessDon’t get involved in a competitive landscape where you do not know what that outcome is going to be.Cut your losses as soon as possibleIt is vital to cut your losses early enough and move on.Do not change direction pivot your business insteadThere is a difference between changing the entire direction of your business and pivoting it. Pivoting your business involves changing your vision to align with the reality of the marketplace. Changing direction entails exploring an entirely new market with a new product.Andrew’s takeawaysTake it easy on yourself; mistakes are part of lifeDo not beat yourself up when you make a mistake. Remember that you made the best decision at the time, with the knowledge and tools you had.Diversify your portfolio to manage riskHave a diversified portfolio to manage your risk. While you will never get all your investments right, at least the good performing ones will cover the poorly performing ones.Have an exit plan for all your investmentsWhat is your plan for cutting loss? One good exit plan is to have a stop loss for all your investments.Actionable adviceLook at where solutions exist and bring them into your business to create a much more workable solution. If the model has worked in other industries, it is likely to work in your industry without you having to reinvent a solution.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsSanjeev’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to publish his book on what not to do in entrepreneurship.Parting words “Keep the entrepreneurial spirit fully engaged. Entrepreneurs are made for passion in life. They are not made for an event.”Sanjeev Chitre [spp-transcript] Connect with Sanjeev ChitreLinkedInTwitterWebsiteAndrew’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

Kathleen Ann, a corporate escapee, is known as the “Money & Marketing Champion” for heart-centered women entrepreneurs (and enlightened men!). She is the Founder of ‘Power Up Your Marketing’ and holds multiple Money and Marketing Coach certifications.Kathleen works with service-based women business owners to help them create and grow financially successful businesses based on their passion and unique brilliance.Her marketing expertise and insight have helped women around the world to stand out and position themselves as experts in their field. As well as move away from charging by the hour and package and price their services instead, so they can charge what they’re worth and get it. “If you are not prepared to invest in yourself, then don’t quit your job.”Kathleen Ann Worst investment everKathleen had been working in a corporate role, had a good position, and had built a great career in direct response marketing. Everything was going great until she got laid off. And just like that, she was jobless.Starting her own businessKathleen had 20 years in the direct response marketing industry. It happens that Kathleen had started losing interest in the corporate arena, and so when she got laid off, she decided not to go back to another corporate job. Instead, she started her own business doing the same thing she had been doing in her 9 to 5 job.The challenging journey of a solopreneurThings were working out for Kathleen at first. She managed to get a few clients, and she was making money here and there. The excitement of working for herself got the best of her. Kathleen just went in without much thought about her solopreneurship and the journey with time became tough for her. There were times when she could barely make any income.Rethinking her business modelKathleen started rethinking her business model as it was not working well for her. She found a lady who was running a three-day course on rebranding. Kathleen attended the training, and after that, she rebranded her business, refocused her niche, and the business has taken off since.Lessons learnedBe in the right mindset before leaving your 9 to 5 jobUnderstand what it takes to run a business. Research your market, and be sure that it is indeed what you want to do. Be prepared for the risks that come with running a business and once you are sure you can handle it, then quit.To be a successful business owner, you must invest in yourselfTake entrepreneurial courses to learn how to run your business. By investing in your growth, you will be investing in your business and your future.Andrew’s takeawaysYour business won’t have the same infrastructure as your employerWhen you start your own business, you won’t have the same resources you had in your employment. You won’t have staff in various departments to help you out, and you won’t have all the technology you need or even a lot of working capital. So embrace yourself because running your business is a different ball game.As a business owner, you bear all the riskAs an employee, you bear no risk should anything happen to the company. However, as a business owner, all risk is on you.Actionable adviceFind somebody who has done what you want to do, have the type of business you want to have, and hire them to help you with your business.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsKathleen’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to launch an online program that will help people learn from her over 12 years of experience running her business as a solopreneur. Parting words “Good luck with your endeavors.”Kathleen Ann  Connect with Kathleen AnnLinkedInTwitterWebsiteAndrew’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

After 10 years in investment banking, Scott Eddy moved overseas and lived in Europe and Asia for 17 years. While living in Bangkok, he started the first digital agency in Southeast Asia, and it remained the biggest in the region for five years.After selling the agency and spending some time in Europe while building his personal brand, he now travels full-time while building social media strategies, speaking at conferences, creating video marketing packages, and consulting for the world of luxury travel. He is also the TV host for the new travel series on Lifetime Television called Video Globetrotter. “The one skill that you need no matter what industry you’re in is sales.”Scott Eddy Worst investment everScott comes from a police background. His father was a Fort Lauderdale cop. Just like everybody on his dad’s side, Scott’s plan in life was to graduate high school, join the police academy, become a cop, get married, have kids, retire, and die.Getting ready to be a copScott spent every day after school in the police department, where he learned everything about being a cop. He watched an autopsy when he was 13, saw interrogations, and went on ride alongs. That was Scott’s whole life.The dream turns to dustThree weeks before Scott graduated high school, and just a few months before he joined the police, his father was killed in a plane crash in the line of duty. This turned Scott’s whole world upside down and killed his dream to become a police officer.Lessons learnedFace tragedy head-onWhen tragedy strikes, you could stick your head in the sand, pity yourself, allow yourself to get crushed every time you think about it, and prevent you from moving forward. Or you could stare it in the face and move on with your life.Choose your friends wiselyContinually reevaluate and look at who you surround yourself with. If it’s the wrong people block them, unfollow them and just immediately cut them out of your life. Always have people that uplift you. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in.Manage your time wellTime management is your best friend or your worst enemy. You have to be religiously strict with your time.Andrew’s takeawaysPut your life into perspectiveOne of the tools to put your life into perspective is to look at it from the outside in. Talk to people and get other views. Use this tool to move through tragedy.Tragedies are not always mistakesSometimes a tragedy can be a mistake; sometimes, it’s just a simple tragedy. How we handle the bad things that come into our life is what matters. Take tragedies head-on and allow yourself to grow from that experience.Actionable adviceBefore you make any big decision, take a step back, take an extra day, and look at it from the outside looking in. If you have people you trust in your inner circle, ask for their opinion. By looking at things from the outside in, you’re always going to have a clearer mind.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsScott’s goal is to make his personal brand continue to grow.Parting words “Stay positive, go big, or go home.”Scott Eddy [spp-transcript] Connect with Scott EddyLinkedInTwitterFacebookInstagramWebsiteAndrew’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