Biden’s Big Bet
May 5, 2021Regarding the plan, when Biden said Xi and Putin believe democracy can’t “compete in the 21st century” that rang true to me. My mind flashed back to a conversation I had had years before in an elegant Beijing restaurant. My interlocutor was a financially savvy Chinese acquaintance who had earned an advanced degree in the US, worked in New York for a period and then returned home. He was bald, wore a stylish black blazer and had a thoughtful manner. This was years before Trump and George Floyd.
Happenstance
April 3, 2021Wednesday, I will publish my 18th podcast, this one with NBA star, businessman, father and husband Pat Garrity (available on Apple, Spotify, etc). As I reflect on my conversations with my guests, one thread that runs through them all is the role of a) happenstance and b) response. Happenstance is random, response is often creative and intentional.
The Artist’s Life and the Money Life
March 13, 2021Last week I shared my interview with American sculptor Pete Beeman. You can hear the full conversation here.
Fathers, Sons and Money
February 24, 2021In this month’s Things I Didn’t Learn in School podcasts, I share two conversations with men who have each had remarkable and quite different journeys. Pierre-Yves Bonnet was born in France and has lived in the US, Mexico, Spain and China. A key moment in his life came when his father insisted he learn two foreign languages. Roger Johnson was raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, lacked the daily presence of a father, served time as a young man and went on to found an organization that helps get ex-cons and others on their feet and also became an involved father and minister. In both conversations, the relative impact of a father’s presence or absence is a thread. Click on their names above to listen or go to my website or Apple podcasts. (And if you like these conversations please submit a rating on Apple).
Reflections on Coups, Information and Mentoring
February 5, 2021This edition is a “two-for,” a podcast and investment perspective. If you want the asset allocation that goes with this investment perspective, email me and I’ll share it. Also, if you like my book Raising a Thief, post a review on Amazon or tell a friend. If you like the podcast Things I Didn’t Learn in School, post a review on Apple Podcast. If you like these essays, share them. If you don’t like any of the above, tell me why and I’ll learn.