We Study Billionaires - The Investors Podcast

On today’s episode, Clay chats with Kyle Bass, the founder and principal of Hayman Capital Management. Hayman’s first major success came from effectively shorting the housing market in 2008, and Kyle was profiled in Michael Lewis’ book The Big Short.  After seeing Chinese stocks drop 20% over the past year, I invited Kyle back onto the show because he has been sounding the alarm bells for years on a market correction in Chinese markets.  IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 02:01 - Why China is potentially preparing to invade Taiwan. 06:59 - How China has been restricting data and information flow to foreigners. 09:16 - Major military, mainland, and legal actions the CCP has taken in the past few years. 19:55 - Why foreign direct investment to China has collapsed in recent years. 25:53 - Potential sanctions the US may implement if China invades Taiwan. 33:38 - What Kyle is seeing in the Chinese real estate market. 39:33 - Whether he sees the crisis in Chinese affecting other markets globally. 47:10 -

Join us with Alex Leishman, River's CEO, for a dive into Bitcoin's ecosystem, discussing Argentina, Bitwise custody, Lightning Network's prospects, Ordinals, equity tokenization, BitVM, ETFs, custody improvements, AI, and institutional custody. We also touch on OTC markets' dynamics. A compact overview of the current and future Bitcoin landscape. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 01:09 - The evolving role of Bitcoin in Argentina's economy and how it's shaping local finance. 10:05 - The current state and future prospects of the Lightning Network in enhancing Bitcoin's scalability. 20:04 - An introduction to BitVM and roll-ups, and their potential to revolutionize transaction efficiency. 24:05 - The significance of Ordinals for decentralized identity and how they're changing the landscape. 27:50 - The process and benefits of tokenizing real equity to bridge traditional finance with blockchain technology. 34:02 - The challenges and opportunities presented by Bitcoin ETFs and potential regulatory impac

In today's episode, Stig Brodersen speaks to Tobias Carlisle and Hari Ramachandra. Stig only owns five individual stocks, and in this episode, he outlines why he is still bullish on Spotify. Hari’s pick, Disney, has recently been extremely volatile, and Tobias pitches Mueller Industries, a value stock trading at an appealing valuation. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 06:25 - Why Hari is bullish on Disney (Ticker: DIS) 12:09 - The bear case of Disney, including increasing competition, valuation, and debt levels 35:33 - Why Stig has invested in Spotify (Ticker: SPOT) as one of the five stocks he owns 48:44 - The bear case for Spotify, including the dependency on Alphabet 58:18 - Why Toby has invested in Mueller Industries (Ticker: MLI) 1:06:46 - The bear case for Mueller Industries, including the end of the building phase and competitive Chinese pressures Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join the exclusive TIP M

On today’s episode, Clay reviews Nassim Taleb’s book – Fooled by Randomness. Nassim Taleb is a Lebanon-born American mathematician and statistician whose work concerns problems of randomness, probability, and uncertainty. He’s very well known for his popular books, including The Black Swan, Antifragile, Skin in the Game, and Fooled by Randomness. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro. 01:37 - The role of luck in investing. 04:51 - Biases that get investors into trouble, such as the survivorship bias and the endowment effect. 10:09 - Why we should develop a sense of skepticism and humility. 15:52 - Why it’s so important to understand alternative histories. 30:47 - Why humans are more prone to make investment decisions based on emotions rather than facts and probabilities. 37:31 - What the firehouse effect is. 39:33 - The story of a trader who got married to his positions which ended up being a value trap. 48:08 - What chaos theory is. 58:54 - How Taleb’s investment strategy capitalizes on asymmetric opp

Bob Burnett shifts from tech executive to Bitcoin mining leader, focusing on innovative, sustainable solutions. He explores Bitcoin's challenges, the significance of ASICs beyond finance, and strategies for navigating regulatory environments. Burnett's insights into future trends and advice for tech entrepreneurs underscore the importance of adaptive strategies and sustainability in the evolving Bitcoin landscape. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 02:11 - Bob Burnett's journey from tech executive to leading Bitcoin mining initiatives. 18:13 - The importance of sustainable practices in the Bitcoin mining industry. 27:44 - Strategies for navigating the complex regulatory environment of Bitcoin. 35:06 - How blockchain technology extends beyond finance into other sectors. 37:01 - The significance of adaptability for entrepreneurs in the tech and finance industries. 62:15 - Insights into the future trends and potential of Bitcoin. 69:08 - Lessons in leadership and innovation drawn from Burnett's extens

In this episode, William Green chats with famed investor Bruce Berkowitz, whose Fairholme Fund has beaten the S&P 500 by 529 percentage points over 23 years. Bruce, who was named Morningstar’s Domestic Stock-Fund Manager of the Decade in 2009, talks here about the ups & downs of his volatile career, how he changed his investment strategy after three costly losses, why he likes cash as a kind of “financial valium,” & why 80% of his fund is riding on one stock. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 04:44 - What Bruce Berkowitz learned about odds by working as a bookmaker. 06:26 - What his stint as a broker taught him about how not to invest. 34:18 - Why he makes huge bets on a tiny number of stocks. 41:53 - How he’s riding a multi-decade wave of migration to Florida. 48:57 - How he justifies betting 80% of his fund on one stock. 54:59 - How he’s playing long-term trends in the energy sector. 56:56 - Why he’s changed the way he invests. 59:08 - Why he’s acutely wary of bank stocks. 59:20 - What he learne

On today’s episode, Clay chats with Chris Mayer about long-term compounding and a few of his holdings, including Constellation Software. Chris is well-known for his book, 100 Baggers, and has inspired thousands of readers to become better investors. If you’re interested in investing in multi-baggers, then this episode is a must-listen. Chris is the author of 100 Baggers and the co-founder and portfolio manager of Woodlock House Family Capital.  IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 03:27 - A review of how Chris’s fund performed in 2023. 06:37 - Where Chris focuses much of his attention in managing a fund. 12:39 - How Chris discovered Constellation Software. 18:02 - How the competitive landscape for Constellation Software has developed over the years. 24:58 - The potential drawbacks of Constellation Software’s decentralized business model. 28:09 - Chris’s thoughts on Constellation Software’s ~60% increase in their share price over the past year. 28:53 - How Constellation 2.0 has developed in recent yea

Alex Gladstein discusses Bitcoin's impact on Africa, leveraging natural resources for mining to provide electricity and financial stability. Highlighting cases in Malawi and Kenya, he shows how Bitcoin offers a stable currency and supports renewable energy, transforming economic landscapes and promoting sustainable development. This narrative illustrates Bitcoin's potential as a catalyst for empowerment and progress across the continent. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 00:57 - The potential of Bitcoin to drive sustainable development in Africa. 00:57 - How Africa's natural resources can be utilized for Bitcoin mining. 11:07 - The role of Bitcoin mining in providing access to electricity and reducing energy costs. 16:25 - Examples of successful Bitcoin mining projects in Malawi and Kenya and their socio-economic benefits. 25:09 - Strategies for leveraging stranded energy resources for economic empowerment and environmental conservation. 26:17 - Ways in which Bitcoin acts as a stable, decentralized

Kyle talks to Paul Andreola about how he evaluates smallcap stocks, why flipping over as many rocks as possible is such a strong strategy, why to put all your focus on profitable growing businesses, why the PEG ratio is so important for finding great opportunities, the importance of understanding the capital raising process, why value will always succeed in the long term, the current state of microcaps and much, much more! Paul Andreola is a highly successful microcap investor who has been managing his own money for over 30 years. He is a board member for Atlas Engineered Products, Total Telcom, and Departure Bay Bay Capital. He’s a big proponent of microcap investing and runs an investing community called SmallCap Discoveries where he interviews CEOs of microcap businesses and shares his ideas and strategies. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 03:28 - The importance of flipping over as many rocks as possible. 05:00 - The power of owning businesses that institutions can’t invest in. 05:08 - Why foc

On today’s episode, Clay is joined by Ian Cassel to discuss multi-bagger first principles, what he’s learned from investor Tony Deden, and biases he has had to overcome to continue improving as an investor. Ian is a full-time microcap investor and CIO of Intelligent Fanatics Capital Management. He is the founder of MicroCapClub.com and co-founder of the IntelligentFanatics.com.  IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro. 01:36 - Ian’s investment journaling and reflection process. 06:19 - What Ian has learned from managing a fund for over 5 years. 08:56 - A 2023 overview for Ian’s fund. 23:58 - What Ian learned from Anthony Deden. 27:43 - The multi-bagger first principles. 35:53 - A few case studies on multi-baggers. 53:26 - Why high insider ownership doesn’t correlate with stocks that outperform. 54:02 - How attribution bias influences investor behavior. 58:08 - Ian’s experience on the saying, “Risk is what you don’t see.” 61:03 - How Ian decides whether he should average down in a position or not. Disc

Dive into Bitcoin's future with Romain Rouphael: Unpacking his journey from finance to pioneering in Bitcoin research, LN Markets, and DLC Markets. Discover how leveraging Bitcoin for payments and building on its secure infrastructure is changing trading with instant settlements, trustless derivatives, and over $2 billion traded. Learn about the innovation behind LN Markets' fast retail trading and DLC Markets' approach to revolutionizing trustless OTC derivatives. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 03:35 - The reasons behind Romain Rouphael's full-time commitment to Bitcoin and its potential for revolutionizing finance. 07:43 - Insights into the foundational stages of Bitcoin research and the establishment of a Bitcoin lab. 07:43 - The advantages of Bitcoin over other cryptocurrencies as both an asset and a financial infrastructure. 26:21 - Future developments in Bitcoin financial services, including enhancements to LN Markets and DLC Markets, and the introduction of new products like hashrate/bloc

On today’s episode, Kyle talks to Dede Eyesan about investing outside of your home country and what you need to research to improve your circle of competence, why China, India, and Japan have some interesting businesses and which sectors might produce the next outperformers, the strength of monopoly type businesses when searching for outperformers, the characteristics of outperformers that are least difficult to try to identify, interesting insights into iGaming and IT consulting industries, and much, much more! Dede Eyesan is the Chief Investment Officer of Jenga Investment Partners (IP). Jenga IP is a fund specializing in allocating capital to public and private companies on a global scale. They own businesses in countries such as Finland, Poland, China, Mexico, the U.S., Australia, Sweden, Kazakhstan, and France. He authored Global Outperformers: A decade study of the top performing global listed companies (1,000% in 10 years) IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro. 02:54 - The primary reasons for

On today’s episode, Clay and Kyle give an overview of their best quality stock idea for Q1 2024. This quarter, they discuss Evolution AB. Evolution AB is well-known in the world of quality investors. The stock has compounded by over 60% per year over the past 5 years and seems to have a long runway for growth ahead. Clay and Kyle give an overview of why they own the stock and why they like the company's long-term prospects.  Disclaimer: At the time of recording, Clay and Kyle both own shares in Evolution AB. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro. 06:44 - Resources Kyle found most helpful in initially researching Evolution AB. 06:48 - What Evolution’s business model is and how they make money. 17:15 - How the quantitative metrics look for Evolution. 28:40 - The massive tailwinds at play in their industry. 33:21 - The difference between a regulated and unregulated market. 38:12 - What geographies Evolution has the largest presence in. 42:45 - What the competitive landscape looks like. 46:18 - How Evoluti

Dive into the world of Bitcoin mining with expert Harry Sudock. This episode unpacks the complexities of on-chain fee management and the intricacies of over-the-counter transactions on the blockchain. Sudock provides unique insights into the operational strategies of miners, revealing the unseen mechanisms that support blockchain efficiency and stability. An enlightening discussion for anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes of Bitcoin. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 08:23 - The role of miners in managing high on-chain fees in the Bitcoin network. 13:32 - The impact of on-chain fees on the overall efficiency of the blockchain. 17:44 - The operational challenges faced by miners in the current Bitcoin ecosystem. 30:36 - Insights into the unseen economic aspects of blockchain transactions. 35:18 - Strategies used by miners to handle fluctuations in transaction fees. 36:33 - How over-the-counter (OTC) transactions are integrated into the blockchain. 51:15 - The relationship between miners and the

On today’s show, Stig Brodersen talks with co-host William Green, the author of “Richer, Wiser, Happier.” With a strong focus on kindness, they discuss what has made them Richer, Wiser, or Happier in the past quarter. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 01:26 - What we can learn from the greatest investors about being authentic  16:40 - How to stay true to yourself 25:55 - How we change throughout the stages of our lives 43:44 - If principles are truly timeless 1:00:52 - What William learned recently about Charlie Munger’s kindness 1:11:54 - Why we want to take a simple idea and take it very seriously  1:23:59 - The challenges of the three phases in life Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. William Green’s book, Richer, Wiser, Happier – read reviews of this book. Wi

On today’s episode, Clay is joined by Morgan Housel to discuss his newest book, Same as Ever, and uncover the key themes in financial history that have never changed. Morgan Housel is a partner at The Collaborative Fund. He’s the New York Times Bestselling author of The Psychology of Money and Same As Ever. His books have sold over 4.5 million copies and have been translated into more than 50 languages. He also serves on the board of directors at Markel. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 02:34 - The key themes that seem to never change throughout history. 04:37 - Why the world is much more fragile than we’re led to believe. 09:04 - Why the biggest risk is the one you don’t see coming.  24:49 - The true power of exceptional storytelling. 23:28 - The importance of thinking probabilistically. 27:00 - Why every stock valuation is a number from today multiplied by a story about tomorrow. 27:32 - Why successful stock picking is about so much more than the numbers. 29:22 - Why market extremes such as the

Join us in this insightful episode where Caitlin Long of Custodia Bank and Wes Knobel delve into the innovative non-fractional reserve system, the challenges faced with the Federal Reserve, and the dynamic world of cryptocurrency banking. They discuss Custodia's unique approach, its role in the post-Silicon Valley bank crisis landscape, and the evolving challenges and opportunities in cryptocurrency custodianship. This conversation offers a deep dive into the intersection of traditional banking, regulatory environments, and the growing influence of digital assets. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 02:34 - How Custodia Bank is redefining traditional banking practices. 02:34 - The significance of Custodia's approach to customer deposits. 12:47 - Insights into the Federal Reserve's decision-making process. 22:19 - The implications of non-participation in fractional reserve banking. 22:19 - The importance of state laws in protecting digital assets. 28:21 - Wes Knobel's perspective on financial innovati

In this episode, William Green chats with Laura Geritz, founder of Rondure Global Advisors, which scours the globe in search of high-quality companies trading at attractive prices in places like India, China, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Turkey, Brazil, & Mexico. Here, Laura makes the case for allocating more money to undervalued stocks outside the US. She also discusses her unusual lifestyle, which is built around relentless travel, voracious reading, & abundant time to think. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 08:15 - How Laura Geritz earned the nickname “Money Bags.” 09:41 - How she broke into the investment industry by living in Japan. 12:55 - How she was shaped by the frugal, unflashy culture of rural Kansas. 22:57 - What she learned from her mentor & partner, Robert Gardiner. 30:14 - Why so many talented women quit the investment business. 36:54 - Why she believes many investors are taking too much risk. 38:56 - Why foreign stocks may be overdue for a powerful rebound. 41:20 - How she weighs the

On today’s episode, Clay shares his biggest takeaways from reading billionaire Willis Johnson’s book – Junk to Gold. Willis Johnson founded Copart in 1982, and today he is worth over $2.6 billion through his equity ownership in the company.  Copart is one of the most impressive businesses we’ve studied. Over the past 30 years, the stock has compounded at over 21% per year, outperforming Microsoft, Adobe, and the majority of other stocks. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 08:15 - The key experiences in Willis Johnson’s early life that shaped him. 12:18 - How Willis thought about money and building a business. 14:44 - Willis’s experience fighting in the Vietnam War. 24:51 - What he learned from chasing his dreams and building a successful company.  42:08 - The story of Jay Adair dropping out of college to work with Copart. 45:24 - How Willis sold Wall Street on lending him money to grow and take his company public. 52:01 - What sets Copart apart from the majority of other companies that exist. 54:1

Dive into Bitcoin's 2024 technical landscape with NVK. We dissect the impact of covenants and CheckTemplateVerify (CTV) on smart contracting and scalability, analyze OP_RETURN's usage, and evaluate the Lightning Network's potential for scaling. We also ponder Layer 2's self-custody significance, tackle block spam concerns with node filters, and delve into transaction developments brought by SegWit and Taproot. Additionally, we discuss BRC20 implications and assess the Mempool's health score. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 02:20 - An understanding of the Mempool health score and what it indicates about the Bitcoin network's efficiency and congestion. 06:31 - The technical intricacies and implications of implementing covenants in Bitcoin. 09:01 - The advancements in transaction structures and efficiency brought by the Taproot update. 09:01 - Insights into the potential and challenges of BRC20 tokens or standards on the Bitcoin network. 11:34 - The role and impact of OP_RETURN in Bitcoin transactio