Orion's The Weighing Machine

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk to Skip Schweiss, President of the Financial Planning Association (FPA).Skip has long been passionate about educating financial planners on how they can increase the value they provide to consumers. Before FPA, Skip oversaw TD Ameritrade’s retirement plan services business and public policy advocacy efforts among others. When not in his office, he's hiking somewhere in Colorado.Skip talks with Rusty and Robyn about the merits of a CFP credential, the importance of personal finance education, and the impact of recent legislative developments and emerging secular trends on the financial planning industry."My philosophy is maximum consumer protections, consistent with a reasonable regulatory level of regulatory burden on the providers. If you burden the providers so heavily that they can't even provide the services, you haven't done consumers any good. So, you've got to balance those out." ~ Skip SchweissMain Takeaways  Being CFP-certified is one way to increase your credibility and easily gain trust from clients. The profession of financial planning is embedded in the CFP designation. Promoting consumer protection and minimizing regulatory burdens for financial advisors can go hand in hand. It’s good to have balance in the industry. There’s a secular trend in the finance industry where advisors are going from being commission-based to fee-based. Conflict of interests can still arise in both approaches so it’s important to remember that financial planning should not be focused on the money, but on how you can help clients. Urge young people to dive into programs that involve financial planning. The industry can be lucrative since there are a variety of career paths to follow. Links Skip Schweiss on LinkedIn Something for Nothing by Rush Financial Planning Association (FPA) Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Credential Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) Credential Fiduciary of the Year TD Ameritrade Natixis Investor Survey – individual investors expecting 17.5% returns after inflation Chip and Skip’s Excellent Adventure Four Pass Loop Colorado Klement on Investing Financial Literacy and Planning: How financial planning adds 2-3x more wealth by retirement by Lusardi and Mitchell Triumph of the Optimists by Dimson, Marsh, and Staunton Credit Suisse Global Investment Returns Yearbook 2021 Michael Kitces Bob Veres FINRA Bernie Madoff Mary Schapiro Dodd-Frank Act SECURE Act of 2019 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 SEC Regulation Best Interest DOL Conflict of Interest Rule Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 2002-OAS-7/13/2021

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk to Scott Helfstein, Executive Director of Thematic Investing at ProShares.Scott's military background and investing expertise paved the way for understanding the complexity of decision-making and resource allocation for individuals, especially in times of uncertainty. Recently, his focus has been on helping people build thematic portfolios that can boost long-term returns. Together with Proshares, Scott brings cutting-edge innovation to the ETF space.Scott talks with Rusty and Robyn about the benefits of thematic investing, the positioning of thematic funds in portfolios, and the four themes to look out for when investing in the long-term.Themes give people things they experience in the everyday world that they associate with. And I think that's really what's driven the growth. That’s part one. Part two is that most of the themes that are put out in the market are future-forward." ~ Scott HelfsteinMain Takeaways  There are three selling points of thematic investing: secular changes to the global economy, long-term trends, and high-growth opportunities.  Rather than anticipate linearly, learn to see the exponential changes—especially with regard to the four long-term themes: work, genomics & telehealth, digital consumer, and food revolution. You can allocate 5-10% of your portfolio in thematic ETFs. However, do the basket approach first and weigh meticulously what would be an immense player in the long-term. Whatever ETF you put out, make sure that you’re bringing in something new at the table—innovate. Links Scott Helfstein on LinkedIn Right Now by Van Halen Riding with the King by B.B. King and Eric Clapton ProShares ETFs Morgan Stanley George Washington University US Military Academy Center for Cyber and Homeland Security - Auburn University Federal Reserve Barron’s Wall Street Journal Russell 1000 Index S&P 500 Moderna US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Zoom Pet Care ETF ProShares Nasdaq-100 Dorsey Wright Momentum ETF (QQQA) Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 1941-OAS-7/1/2021

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk to Sal Gilbertie, President and Chief Investment Officer at Teucrium Trading, LLC.Sal’s first experience in trading and brokering was at Cargill in the early 80’s. After getting some reps in, he realized that trading securities stocks wasn’t a long-term venture for him. He moved on from there to an ethanol futures desk, which traded about 30 different commodities. Building on his experience, Sal created ETFs on agricultural products, and consequently, launched his own firm. Sal talks with Rusty and Robyn about agriculture-focused portfolio diversification, the challenges to the agriculture industry, and the future of the commodity market."There's so much innovation going on. It's astounding. What's happening now is I'd say, in 10 years, big grains are the place that money's going to flow—as it has been doing." ~ Sal GilbertieMain Takeaways  Diversify your portfolio by investing in agricultural products. Commodities have volatility like stocks, but they have low correlations to stocks like bonds. The best time to buy grains is when they’re flatline, when they’re ‘boring’. Most are yet to realize the great potential of agricultural investment funds. Good traders must focus on the opportunities more than the risks. Good investors, on the other hand, must do open-minded research and then have a patient, disciplined approach when investing. Links Sal Gilbertie on LinkedIn Rain is a Good Thing by Luke Bryan Teucrium Trading LLC Teucrium Corn Fund (CORN) Cargill US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) The Wall Street Journal Three-child Policy 40 Act Fund Paul Tudor Jones AgriTalk Market Wizards: Interviews with Top Traders by Jack D Schwager Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 1940-OAS-6/30/2021

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk to Ken Sleeper, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Sierra Investment Management.Ken has been the industry’s go-to expert for advanced risk and portfolio management for decades. Unswayed by hype, Ken is known for making company decisions based on relevant information and remaining firm in his choices. Ken talks with Rusty and Robyn about the secret behind Sierra’s decades of success, tactical rules-based investing, and the current market outlook on income, equity, and cryptocurrencies."There are almost too many points of view—what we need to have is a cohesive strategy and not react to the latest talking head or the latest point of view. Having a strategy that gets implemented on a daily basis is so important." ~ Ken SleeperMain Takeaways  Clients come first. The secret to staying on top is knowing what your firm is good at and sticking to it.  The three main asset classes at this point are income, equity, and cryptocurrencies. Always think about your level of knowledge about your investment, your risk exposure, and your resources. To be a great financial advisor and investor, you have to be tactical. Learn from others’ mistakes and keep your eyes on the market, but don’t make quick decisions because of hype. Links Ken Sleeper I Won't Back Down by Tom Petty Ocean Park Asset Management Sierra Investment Management Market Wizards: Interviews with Top Traders by Jack D Schwager Manias, Panics, and Crashes: A History of Financial Crises by Charles P. Kindleberger Investor's Business Daily The Wall Street Journal Reddit Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 1915-OAS-6/28/2021

In today's episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Dave Lundgren, a 30-year investment veteran who is now the co-host of the Fill The Gap podcast.Dave is an expert in technical analysis strategies. He’s especially adept at watching trends and momentum swings in stock valuation. Currently, Dave serves on the CMT Association’s board of directors and is a private investor. Dave talks with Rusty and Robyn about the wonders of technical analysis, the difference between following trends and the following momentum, the role of sentiment in stock valuation, and how to master your investment style. “It's not about finding the holy grail—finding the style that makes money all the time. It's about finding the style that fits you, and knowing that style inside and out so that when things are going wrong, you don't take it personally." ~ Dave LundgrenMain Takeaways  Technical analysis is as important as fundamental analysis. It's your road map; it shows you how to get to your destination. Focus on the price. There's a universal formula for price and it involves stock valuation and sentiment.  Master your own investing style. There's no absolute investing approach that makes more money over the long-term. Making money and overcoming setbacks are all about the execution of whichever method you use. Links Dave Lundgren on LinkedIn Rosalita by Bruce Springsteen Dave Lundgren, CMT, CFA Fill The Gap Podcast Charles Dow Theory Trading In the Zone: Master the Market with Confidence, Discipline and a Winning Attitude by Mark Douglas David Ricardo Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Edwin Lefevre How to Trade in Stocks by Jesse Livermore How I Made $2,000,000 in the Stock Market by Nicholas Darvas How to Make Money in Stocks: A Winning System in Good Times and Bad by William O'Neil Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Jake Gilliam, Head of Multi Asset Solutions at Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.Jake is a 20-year veteran at Charles Schwab, who has taken on a lot of different positions in his tenure, eventually landing in the multi-asset solutions group. The investment bug bit him early on as an intern with Schwab, and he never looked back. Jake talks with Rusty and Robyn about fundamental weighting, what it means to be strategic and tactical, and how human-to-financial capital shifts over time and what that means for risk tolerance. “If you do the right thing for clients with a multi-asset class portfolio or any other service that truly helps them, you can help a lot of people that you’ll never meet eye-to-eye, and that’s something really powerful about our industry.” ~ Jake GilliamMain takeaways Being strategic means that you’re making an investment decision for the long-term and recognizing what the market conditions might be during that time rather than trying to time the markets. Advisors or those in financial services should always be focused on helping investors get a plan, stick to that plan, and have a good outcome. We want them to be in a place where clients won’t overreact or sell off their assets at the worst times.   If you look at how the ratio of human and financial capital changes over time with a client, it can help you understand where they might be able to tolerate more or less risk along the way. Links Jake Gilliam on LinkedIn Schwab Asset Management  Omar Aguilar Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk to Christopher King, Founder and CEO of Eaglebrook Advisors.Christopher King is a seasoned financial advisor who’s based in Jersey City, New Jersey. Together with his team at Eaglebrook Advisors, they provide digital asset-focused investment management solutions to wealth managers, RIAs, private banks, and institutions. Chris talks with Rusty and Robyn about the role of bitcoin as an emerging store value, why advisors need to educate themselves around crypto, and some brilliant strategies on why to use crypto as a portfolio diversifier.“We’re seeing from an advisor’s perspective that understanding how Bitcoin and crypto work from an education perspective is a now defense as opposed to offense. Advisors need to talk about it articulately to their clients—or their clients are gonna go somewhere else.” ~ @cjking711Main takeaways  Bitcoin is an emerging store value, comparable to gold, even with its extreme volatility. This blue-chip asset satisfies Paul Tudor Jones’ four characteristics of a store value: trustworthiness, liquidity, portability, and purchasing power.  Advisors need to talk about crypto investing articulately to their clients. They need to be informed and updated with how crypto is changing the investment landscape.   There are 3 (+1) talking points for advisors when clients are looking into adding crypto to their portfolios. And, in terms of position sizing, a 3-4% slice of a client’s portfolio can be allocated to crypto. Links Christopher King on LinkedIn Christopher King on Twitter Eaglebrook Advisors Official Website Bitcoin Ethereum Paul Tudor Jones’ Bitcoin Investment Thesis Charlie Munger calls Bitcoin ‘disgusting and contrary to the interests of civilization’ | CNBC Nic Carter Raoul Pal The Block Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Ryan Issakainen, ETF strategist and SVP at First Trust Portfolios. When Ryan graduated college, he spent nine weeks traveling Europe and hopped from temp job to temp job before landing at First Trust Portfolios. He realized pretty quickly that First Trust was a place he could happily grow into professionally. 22 years later, he’s certainly done so.Investors succeed as a result of the advice and conviction presented by investment professionals. So for Ryan and First Trust, the best way to help investors is to help the advisors in their ears. At First Trust, Ryan helps the firm advocate for advisors through innovative products and intellectual property.Ryan talks with Rusty and Robyn about all things ETFs including what’s ahead for the ETF industry, whether advisors should worry about inflation, and why transparency is everything. “The most important thing that an economist can do isn’t that they nail the S&P end of the year number, because nobody’s really gonna do that consistently. They’re not fortune-tellers. It’s really directionally, and that’s what their team is more focused on. They’ve got their models, but what they want to make sure they get right is to say, ‘the market is too cheap or too expensive with stocks’ or ‘commodities are going to be a good place to be.’ That is the most important part.” ~ Ryan IssakainenMain takeaways  The ETF industry will continue to grow. However, the growth may not be in the S&P 500, but the less obvious avenues like active management, factors, and themes.  ETFs tend to be more tax-efficient regardless of which bracket you land in. However, it’s not the only feature that makes ETFs a hot commodity. The transparency and the real-time pricing are equally as valuable.  The benefits of transparent portfolios always outweigh the downfalls of transparency.  Links Ryan on LinkedIn First Trust Portfolios Metallica Jack Johnson Wheaton College First Trust Newsletter RDVY FTGC FIXD FIW GRID US ETF Investors Mainly Motivated By Tax Loophole, Study Shows Rich Americans Fleeing Tax Hikes May Turbocharge Shift To ETFs Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 1757-OAS-5/28/2021

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Amy Magnotta, SVP and Head of Discretionary Portfolios at Brinker Capital Investments. Amy landed a job in investments right out of college. While it wasn’t her ideal job, she learned a great deal about investments, particularly fixed income. After stints at BlackRock and Franklin Park, Amy joined Brinker in 2006 and hasn’t looked back. Today Amy manages active and diversified portfolios, constantly focusing on helping advisors and clients achieve their financial goals through investments.Amy talks with Rusty and Robyn about key qualities of top investment firms, the role of behavioral finance, why the pandemic helped women in finance, and her outlook on the evolution of portfolios.“Challenge yourself to read opposing opinions. I think that’s hard for most people. It’s hard for me. But you should really be able to. Especially when you’re thinking about making investment decisions you should really be able to have that opposing opinion and make sure your thesis is bulletproof by being able to defend it.” ~ Amy MagnottaMain takeaways  Mentors don’t need to be professionals in your field. Seek out whoever can be helpful. Read as much as you can, always ask questions, and always ask others how you can be helpful. Don’t worry about being annoying, worry about being an advocate for yourself.  Find ways to wade through the overwhelming amount of information that’s out there. Set a specific time to catch up on trends and reading each day and always read opposing viewpoints.  Links Amy on LinkedIn Brinker Capital Franklin Park BlackRock SEI Investments Barron’s  The Weighing Machine 081: Behavioral Finance Strategies & Best Practices with Orion’s Dr. Daniel Crosby Dr. Daniel Crosby Odd Lots Masters in Business The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel The Price You Pay For College by Ron Lieber An Economist Gets Lunch by Tyler Cowen Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 1689-OAS-5/20/2021

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Jay Jacobs & Tom Driscoll of Global X ETFs in New York City. Jay is the Head of Research & Global Strategy while Tom leads model portfolio sales. Jay’s goal at Global X ETFs is to develop a deep understanding of new industry products and share those insights with clients as products are released. In doing so, his team works to strategize the implementation of advances in technology and integrate new products into clients’ overall portfolios. Tom is responsible for bringing thematic and income-based strategies straight to the marketplace. Jay and Tom talk with Rusty and Robyn about the progression of our modern economy, why thematic investing is much more than a marketing gimmick, and exactly how much investors should allocate to thematic investing. “The way I think about thematic investing is trying to get a jumpstart on the next leaders. The next leaders of individual sectors, the next leaders of the S&P 500, maybe even the NASDAQ 100. Not all of these companies will succeed, but the idea is that investing in an ETF that can give you exposure to 30, 40, or 50 names in a space like Genomics or in a space like FinTech, lets you participate in the rise of that industry before it even starts to be a blip on the S&P 500.” ~ @jayjacobsCFAMain takeaways  The new investors of our time getting into robo advising have a bright future ahead. Those platforms aren’t going away and they’re an opportunity for advisors and investors alike to improve client outcomes and expand their portfolios. Change in the financial industry is driven by investor demographics. ETFs like FinTech are helping an industry known for being the last to change, embrace disruption. Advisors must develop technology and services that can meet the unmet needs of the next generation of investors.  Global X ETFs approaches thematic investing from a model portfolio perspective as a type of satellite strategy, using ETFs to compliment someone’s core portfolio.  Links Jay on LinkedIn Tom on LinkedIn Jay on Twitter Global X ETFs Berkshire Hathaway Robinhood U2 Goldman Sachs Barron’s Genomics FinTech Bloomberg FactSet Morningstar Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 1717-OAS-5/24/2021