Money Unplugged with Chris Hill

He Gave Himself a PhD in Investing — One Audiobook at a Time (Brian Feroldi)

Apr 10, 2026
Brian Feroldi, financial educator, investor, YouTuber and author of Why Does the Stock Market Go Up?, shares his self-taught investing journey. He explains learning on the road via audiobooks, why he regrets his MBA, and how Charlie Munger’s take on incentives reshapes stock-pay thinking. He also talks about teaching kids investing and the habits that built his long-term approach.
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ANECDOTE

Audiobooks Became A Road-Trip PhD

  • Brian used 40–45,000 driving miles a year as free learning time by listening to audiobooks and conference calls.
  • That period turned into what he calls a self-made PhD in business and investing while coworkers listened to Howard Stern.
INSIGHT

College Business Degree Didn’t Teach Investing

  • A business degree didn't teach Brian practical investing; Rich Dad Poor Dad served as his gateway to compounding and asset-based wealth.
  • He read the book within 48 hours and it introduced concepts he never saw in university classes.
ADVICE

Run The Numbers On Tuition Reimbursement

  • Use employer tuition reimbursement math to make greenlight decisions; Brian pursued an MBA because reimbursement made its net cost low.
  • He calculated $6,000/year coverage meant his three-year MBA netted about $5,000 out-of-pocket.
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