Fund Your Retirement Podcast

Mark Bentley has been a full-time stock market investor since 2004, having pursued investing as a rewarding hobby for 20 years previously. Some of the stand-out talking points were: Mark shares in detail some of his best investments and how he came across them. Some of Mark’s worst investments and what he learnt from them. Two stocks Mark has high hopes for today and the reasons why. Why does 60% of Mark’s portfolio consist of investment companies? Mark’s 18-month foray into trading and what he learnt from that experience. Most of Mark’s early career was spent in the I.T. industry starting in 1980, where he worked for the European Space Agency before going on to start his own IT services business, Anvil Technology, which he ran successfully for 14 years. Mark was later asked to join the board of ShareSoc in 2011, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the support of individual investors and shareholders’ rights. Mark now splits his time between managing his portfolio and his other passion educating and improving the rights of private investors through ShareSoc as a non-executive director. This episode could have easily been two hours long. Mark was a fantastic guest sharing some great insights from his multi-decade experience as a private investor. Timestamps: 2:00 How Mark got started investing. 3:00 How Mark’s investing has evolved over the years. 4:00 Becoming a full-time investor. 6:15 The type of investor Mark is today. 8:00 Some of Mark’s best investments with detailed reasons why. 25:30 Companies Mark currently hold’s a high conviction on 30:30 Why 60% of Mark’s portfolio consists of investment companies and Investments Trusts. 37:45 Some of Mark’s investments that didn’t work out so well, and why. 47:30 Marks other big passion, ShareSoc. 51:15 Closing thoughts and wrap up. If you like the episode, please subscribe for future investor interviews, and leave us a review. The FYR Team. Guest Links & Resources: Follow Mark on Twitter: https://twitter.com/marben100 ShareSoc Website: https://www.sharesoc.org/ Follow ShareSoc on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShareSocUK Visit Fund Your Retirement: https://www.fundyourretirement.com/ Disclaimer: This presentation is for educational purposes only. All opinions and information are for demonstrational purposes and do not constitute investment advice. Trading and investing carries a high level of risk and are not right for everyone. If you need financial advice, consult with a regulated financial adviser in your country before making any decisions.    

Chris Boxall is the co-founder, and the director of Fundamental Asset Management with primary responsibility for equity research and management of client portfolios, including the high-performing AIM portfolio services. Chris specialises in UK small-cap investing with over 20 years of experience operating in this area as a fund manager and as a private investor. Prior to Fundamental Chris oversaw activities at the Washington Financial Group, where he was a Director and a key member of the investment management team of the Washington US Fund Ltd, a successful equity fund. While Chris’s main responsibility is his role as director of Fundamental assets, he is also the co-founder of Investor’s Champion an investment research website covering companies, funds, economics and the hottest topics in global investment.   Chris discusses: His investing journey. The inheritance tax breaks on AIM. how investing in AIM companies has changed over the last 20 years. the differences between being a private investor and a fund manager. Some of his best investments in the last 20 years, which he still holds to this day. and weaved throughout the conversation a handful of companies he has high hopes for presently, and of course much much more.   Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:30 How Chris got started on his investing journey 2:30 What type of investor is Chris Boxall 4:00 Why does Chris focus on the UK small caps on AIM 6:30 Inheritance tax breaks on AIM-listed stocks 8:15 Potential threats to the Inheritance tax breaks on AIM-listed stocks 9:30 How the AIM market has evolved over the last 20+ years 11:45 Two companies that worked out very well for Chris and why 16:30 Two companies Chris holds a high conviction in presently 20:00 Chris’s view and experience on meeting many CEO’s and founders over the last 20 years 24:00 Chris’s view on the AIM market 28:00 Chris on international stocks on AIM 29:45 Advice on becoming a fund manager, if that thought has crossed your mind 35:15 Why did Chris co-found Investors Champion 38:15 Closing thoughts and wrap up   Hope you enjoy this episode and have a wonderful day. The FYR Team. If you like the episode, please leave us a review and subscribe for future investor interviews.   Guest Links & Resources: Chris’s email address: cboxall@fundamentalasset.com Fundamental Assets Website : https://fundamentalasset.com/ Fundamental Assets on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fundasset Fundamental Assets on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fundamental-asset-management-limited/ Investors Champion Website: https://www.investorschampion.com/ Investors Champion on Twitter: https://twitter.com/investchampion Visit Fund Your Retirement: https://www.fundyourretirement.com/   Disclaimer: This presentation is for educational purposes only. All opinions and information are for demonstrational purposes and do not constitute investment advice. Trading and investing carries a high level of risk and are not right for everyone. If you need financial advice, consult with a regulated financial adviser in your country before making any decisions.

Bruce Packard talks about the advantages amateur investors have over professionals and how he believes amateurs can outperform most Professional fund managers. Bruce talks about his top five holdings, his current high-conviction positions, his biggest investing mistakes, and much more. Bruce is an ex-city analyst turned private investor who has been investing since he was 18 years old. He writes regularly for Share Pad, money week and his blog site Bruce Packard.com. Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction and Bruce Packard’s investing journey. 3:30 Can amateurs outperform most professional fund managers? 9:05 Using Chat GBT as a research tool. 11:50 Bruce’s investing style and approach. 12:50 Bruce’s top five holdings. 13:30 How Bruce came across the Bank of Georgia investment. 16:45 Current high convictions. 20:05 Knowing when to sell and selling too early. 23:35 How to deal with a 29% drawdown. 25:47 Getting started and building your own portfolio. 28:45 Closing thoughts and wrap up. Hope you enjoy this episode and have a wonderful day. The FYR Team.   If you like the episode, please leave us a review and subscribe for future investor interviews.   Guest Links & Resources:  Follow Bruce Packard on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bruce_packard Bruce Packard’s Blog Website: https://brucepackard.com/ Bruce’s Articles on Sharepad: https://knowledge.sharescope.co.uk/bruce-packard/ Bruce’s Articles on MoneyWeek: https://moneyweek.com/authors/bruce-packard Visit Fund Your Retirement: https://www.fundyourretirement.com/   Disclaimer: This presentation is for educational purposes only. All opinions and information are for demonstrational purposes and do not constitute investment advice. Trading and investing carries a high level of risk and are not right for everyone. If you need financial advice, consult with a regulated financial adviser in your country before making any decisions.

Jonathan Davis is the founder and host of Money Makers, a weekly podcast show dedicated exclusively to following the latest news and developments in the investment trust sector. Jonathan is a private investor and has been writing about the financial markets for some of the major national publications such as the times, the economist, the independent and the financial times for over four decades. Jonathan is also a published author, authoring the very popular and successful book The investment Trust handbook which is now on its 6th edition. Jonathan has also held several advisory roles, including Saunderson House, a fee-based wealth management firm, where he was a senior adviser on investment strategy and research. Smith & Williamson where he was a strategist and investment director. Non-executive directorships have included Hargreaves Lansdown and Jupiter UK Growth Trust. Jonathan's main interests are in “big picture” investment issues – asset allocation, Investment trust strategy and fund selection – but he also invests in private and listed equities where he sees exceptional opportunities. Jonathan shares his investing journey and demonstrates why he believes investment trusts are a superior investment vehicle compared to other types of funds. Jonathan shares his thoughts on: What are investment trusts? Why does Jonathan champion investment trusts? What is the difference between funds and trusts? What are the fees for investment trusts? What are the metrics Jonathan looks for when searching for investment trust opportunities? Hope you enjoy this episode and have a wonderful day. The FYR Team. If you like the episode, please leave us a review and subscribe for future investor interviews. Guest Links & Resources: Follow Money Makers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MoneyMakersITs Download The Investment Trust Handbook Here: https://money-makers.co/ithb/ Money Makers Website: https://money-makers.co/ The Money Makers Podcast: https://money-makers.co/money-maker-podcasts/ Disclaimer: This presentation is for educational purposes only. All opinions and information are for demonstrational purposes and do not constitute investment advice. Trading and investing carries a high level of risk and are not right for everyone. If you need financial advice, consult with a regulated financial adviser in your country before making any decisions.

Mark Simpson is a deep-value investor and has been investing in individual stocks since 2003. Over the last decade, Mark has generated a 19% compound annual return following a Value methodology. He has achieved this out-performance by developing a strategy that plays to his unique strengths and overcomes his weaknesses, in particular finding practical ways to overcome behavioural biases. Mark Simpson is a full-time investor and published author of the book Excellent Investing, a practical guide for investors who are looking to elevate their investment performance to the next level available on Amazon. Mark shares his investing journey and demonstrates his stock-picking methodology by breaking down a company from his portfolio that he has a high conviction in such as: What first drew Mark to the stock What was his buy price Accounts and balance sheet metrics What is the competitive advantage or moat around the company How Mark finds these types of companies? Hope you enjoy this episode and have a wonderful day. The FYR Team If you like the episode, please leave us a review and subscribe for future investor interviews. Guest Links & Resources: Follow Mark on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dangercapital Buy Excellent Investing from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Excellent-Investing-Build-Winning-Portfolio/dp/1074944798 Mark’s discord server channel: https://discord.gg/9aQxA44Ftg Mark Simpson’s Website: http://excellentinvesting.org/ Visit Fund Your Retirement: https://www.fundyourretirement.com/   Disclaimer: This presentation is for educational purposes only. All opinions and information are for demonstrational purposes and do not constitute investment advice. Trading and investing carries a high level of risk and are not right for everyone. If you need financial advice, consult with a regulated financial adviser in your country before making any decisions.

Roland Head is a UK equity income analyst with a particular focus on investing for dividend growth. Roland is here to talk about his investment approach and some of the lessons he has learnt over the many years as a private investor and shares one of the strongest convictions in his portfolio. Roland has been investing since 2007 and is an experienced investment writer and analyst writing for Stockopedia since 2015, and regularly contributes to Investors Champion and the Motley Fool as well as many other well-known investor websites. 0:00 to 0:50 Introduction. 0:51 to 2:38 The catalyst that inspired Roland Head to start his investing journey in 2007. 2:39 to 3:59 Roland’s investing style and strategy. 4:00 to 5:25 Why Roland focuses on dividend income. 5:26 to 9:29 What metrics does Roland focus on when investing in a company? 9:30 to 18:18 How does Roland find these winning companies? 18:19 to 21:15 Roland’s lessons from many years of being a private investor. 21:16 to 24:52 How Roland is managing his portfolio given the current economic situation. 24:53 28:40 Ronald’s view on AGMs, management and using data for his investment approach. 28:41 to 32:06 How does Roland know it’s time to sell or re-balance his portfolio? 33:00 to 36:00 Roland Heads biggest investing mistake and what you can learn from it?           36:01 37:43 How Roland manages the media and the latest media narrative. 37:45 to 39:00 Roland’s mentors when he started out investing and today. 39:01 to 40:18 Closing thoughts and wrap up. Hope you enjoy this episode and have a wonderful day. The FYR Team If you like the episode, please leave us a review and subscribe for future conversations with expert guests in finance and wealth-building strategies. Guest Links & Resources: Roland Head’s Website: https://www.rolandhead.com/ Twitter @rolandhead: https://twitter.com/rolandhead Visit Fund Your Retirement: https://www.fundyourretirement.com/  Disclaimer: This presentation is for educational purposes only. All opinions and information are for demonstrational purposes and do not constitute investment advice. Trading and investing carries a high level of risk and are not right for everyone. If you need financial advice, consult with a regulated financial adviser in your country before making any decisions.

Lord Lee of Trafford holds the accolade of becoming the first ISA millionaire in 2003. Lord Lee is a well-known and respected private investor who has been investing in the UK small-caps very successfully for many decades. During this interview; Lord John Lee reflects on his many years of investing and discusses the types of businesses he invests in, why he likes AGMs, how he assesses management, his top five holdings and the recent 30% drop in one of his largest holdings, Treatt Lord Lee is a published author, published his first book, "How to make a million slowly" in 2013 and more recently in 2019 he published "Yummi yoghurt the first taste of stock market investment" aimed at helping the younger generation to get involved in the stock market. Lord John Lee left the Conservative Party in the 90s, and joined the Liberal Democrats in 2001, he was appointed to the House of Lords as a Lib Dem Peer in 2006 where he continues to sit today. Timestamps: 0:00 to 109 Introduction. 1:10 to 2:09 The catalyst that started Lord John Lee on his investing journey. 2:10 to 2:42 Lord Lee’s investing style and strategy overview. 2:43 to 5:35 The types of businesses Lord Lee invests in. 5:36 to 6:26 How Lord Lee resists the temptation of the new hot stock or hot market. 6:27 to 9:00 How Lord Lee assesses the management of the companies he invests in. 9:01 to 10:02 Why Lord Lee likes AGM,s. 10:01 to 10:36 The metrics Lord Lee looks for in his accounts 10:37 to 11:31 How often does Lord Lee re-balance his portfolio? 11:32 to 12:45 How Lord Lee managed the 30% drop in his largest holding Treatt (TET) 12:46 to Lord Lee’s top five holdings. 14:20 to 15:01 Lord Lee talks about transitioning to dividends for income. 15:02 to 16:30  Looking at small-caps for take-over potential. 16:31 to 18:01 Does Lord Lee top-slice or take profits, and if so how and when. 18:02 to 19:35 Lord Lee’s investing mistakes. 19:36 to 21:10 How does Lord Lee hold on to these companies for so long; multi-decades? 21:09 25:00 Lord Lee’s journey to becoming the first UK ISA millionaire. 25:01 to 28:15 The power of reinvested dividends. 28:16 to 31:39 Why Lord Lee wrote both his books How to Make a Million Slowly and Yummi Yoghurt: A First Taste of Stock Market Investment. 31:40 to 33:20 Should you borrow to invest? 33:21 to 36:03 Closing thoughts and wrap up. Hope you enjoy this episode and have a wonderful day. The FYR Team. If you like the episode, please leave us a review and subscribe for future interviews with experts in the field of finance and wealth-building strategies.  Guest Links & Resources: Purchase How to Make a Million – Slowly: Guiding Principles From A Lifetime Of Investing (Financial Times Series): https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Make-Million-principles-successful/dp/1292005084/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2USP282XCQAVS&keywords=yumi-yogurt+lord+lee&qid=1662493101&sprefix=yumi-yogurt+lord+lee%2Caps%2C54&sr=8-1 Purchase Yummi Yoghurt: A First Taste of Stock Market Investment: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yummi-Yoghurt-First-Market-Investment/dp/178623520X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2USP282XCQAVS&keywords=yumi-yogurt+lord+lee&qid=1662493065&sprefix=yumi-yogurt+lord+lee%2Caps%2C54&sr=8-2 Visit Fund Your Retirement: https://www.fundyourretirement.com/ Disclaimer: This presentation is for educational purposes only. All opinions and information are for demonstrational purposes and do not constitute investment advice. Trading and investing carries a high level of risk and are not right for everyone. If you need financial advice, consult with a regulated financial adviser in your country before making any decisions.

Joe Kuhn had a successful career as an operations manager and chose to retire at the age of 54. During this conversation, Joe shares what surprised him the most about leaving the work environment and living off his investments, and hows it going now? Joe also shares what he did to build his portfolio of investments that enabled him to retire at 54. How Joe manages himself and his portfolio during stock market swings and the constant media narrative of the crash is coming. Joe also shares what happened to his relationships since retiring and how there had to be an adjustment period with his nearest and dearest. Joe started a YouTube channel on retirement, financial independence, leadership and career coaching. Joe’s YouTube channel has become a huge success with over 22,000 subscribers and growing fast. Joe shares many more insights about his journey toward retirement and into retirement. Hope you enjoy the episode. Timestamps: 0:00 to 0:40 Introduction 0:41 to 7:10 Who is Joe Kuhn; Joe’s story and journey so far. 7:11 to 19:25 What did Joe do that enabled him to retire at 54? 19:26 to 23:15 How does Joe’s portfolio look now compared to when he was working full time? 23:16 to 30:01 Implementing the bucket system. 30:01 to 38:45 What happened to Joe’s Identity and relationships since Joe retired 38:46 to 39:58 Joe as a social media influencer and advice for the younger generation 41:19 to 49:10 Joe’s advice to those who are getting close to retirement or thinking about when is the right time. 49:11 to 53:11 Where you can connect and follow Joe and wrap up. Hope you enjoy it and have a wonderful day. The FYR team. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe for future episodes and insights, and don’t forget to leave us a review.  Guest Links & Resources: Joe’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY0hd1Iff79JnPNkPHmOXAg Joe’s website: https://joekuhn1964.wixsite.com/ldrjfk Visit Fund Your Retirement: https://www.fundyourretirement.com/ Disclaimer: This presentation is for educational purposes only. All opinions and information are for demonstrational purposes and do not constitute investment advice. Trading and investing carries a high level of risk and are not right for everyone. If you need financial advice, consult with a regulated financial adviser in your country before making any decisions.

Paul Belanger, a PhD chemical engineer who achieved financial independence at 50, shares insights from his new book on retirement planning. He emphasizes the power of a 30% savings rate as essential for financial freedom. The discussion unpacks the true nature of money and its evolution post-gold standard. Paul also dives into effective investment strategies, like dividend reinvestment and cash buffering, offering a balanced approach for retirees. Practical tips and enlightening case studies make this a must-listen for aspiring early retirees.

Private investor Mark Atkinson has been investing since the mid-80s. Mark is a self-directed private investor who achieved financial independence at the young age of 53, living full time off his stock portfolio of 36 stocks. In this episode of The Fund Your Retirement Podcast, Mark answer’s the common questions we received after our first podcast chat such as: how do I know if I am cut out to be a private investor? why he invests in stocks and not funds Are 36 stocks too many? Can you share a couple of stocks you hold and your reasoning for holding them? How can I control my impatience/boredom that makes me overtrade? How does your mindset change when you stop working and living off your investments? how did he manage the transition going from a full-time employee to financially independent and leaving the work environment? You can find the links to Mark's first interview on becoming a self-directed investor below. Link here: https://www.fundyourretirement.com/podcasts/fyr051-mark-atkinson-on-becoming-a-self-directed-private-investor/ Timestamps: 0:00 to 2:05 Introduction. 2:06 to 3:30 Mark shares how you know if you are cut out to be a private investor. 3:31 to 6:50 Mark shares his thought processes around risk and investing. 6:51 to 9:50 Mark shares why he holds Smurfit Kappa Group. 9:51 to 12:25 Mark shares why he holds Somero Enterprise. 12:26 to 13:46 Are holding 36 stocks to many too hold for a private investor? 13:37 to 14:30 How much time does Mark dedicate to investing and managing his portfolio? 14:31 to 16:55 Why does Mark uses the information of others around him above his research. 16:56 to 17:50 Why Mark chooses to invest in stocks above managed funds. 17:51 to 18:50 How Mark controls the impulse to over trading. 18:50 to 20:15 How Mark managed his portfolio of 36 stocks and his full time job. 20:16 to 22:30 How Mark managed the transition going from employee to living off his investments full time. 22:31 to 23:40 Closing thoughts and wrap up. Thanks for listening to the Fund Your Retirement Podcast. We hope you have enjoyed this episode and if you did, please let us know by subscribing, sharing and leave us a review. Until next time, we hope you have a wonderful day. The FYR team. Guest Links & Resources: Mark Atkinson's Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-atkinson-10824b71/ Visit Fund Your Retirement: https://www.fundyourretirement.com/ Disclaimer: This presentation is for educational purposes only. All opinions and information are for demonstrational purposes and do not constitute investment advice. Trading and investing carries a high level of risk and are not right for everyone. If you need financial advice, consult with a regulated financial adviser in your country before making any decisions