

The Meb Faber Show - Better Investing
The Idea Farm
Ready to grow your wealth through smarter investing decisions? With The Meb Faber Show, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and investment fund manager, Meb Faber, brings you insights on today’s markets and the art of investing. Featuring some of the top investment professionals in the world as his guests, Meb will help you interpret global equity, bond, and commodity markets just like the pros. Whether it’s smart beta, trend following, value investing, or any other timely market topic, each week you’ll hear real market wisdom from the smartest minds in investing today. Better investing starts here. For more information on Meb, please visit MebFaber.com. For more on Cambria Investment Management, visit CambriaInvestments.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 23, 2022 • 48min
Clay Gardner, Titan – Investment Management Services for The Everyday Investor | #401
Today’s guest today is Clay Gardner, co-founder and Co-CEO of Titan, a retail investment management platform aimed at the new generation of everyday investors.In today’s episode, we kick it off with an overview of Titan and the firms’ investment philosophy. Clay touches on some of their different offerings, which now includes crypto. We hear about the company’s content strategy, which help both educate investors and keep them invested in the market during volatile periods. Then we hear what other asset classes Clay is thinking of expanding to in the future.As we wind down, we hear about the firm’s fundraising history, which includes investments from a16z, Kevin Durant, and Will Smith.-----Follow Meb on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTubeFor detailed show notes, click hereTo learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com-----Sponsor: Today's episode is sponsored by The Active Share podcast. If you’re seeking the less obvious and are curious about the ever-changing world and how it affects investing, The Active Share podcast is for you. Hear thought-provoking conversations with thought leaders, company executives, and William Blair Investment Management’s own analysts and portfolio managers as they share unique perspectives on investing in a world that’s always evolving. Listen to The Active Share on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or TuneIn or visit here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 21, 2022 • 1h 5min
Patrick Geddes, Aperio – Lessons From A Customized Indexing Pioneer Who Sold His Firm To BlackRock | #400
Today’s guest today is Patrick Geddes, founder and former CEO of Aperio Group, a leader in the direct indexing space with $42b in AUM when it was acquired by BlackRock for over $1b.In today’s episode, we kick it off with hearing back Patrick’s days at Morningstar as the Director of Quantitative Research & CFO. Then Patrick shares what led him to start a firm focused on direct indexing and customization over 20 years ago. We talk about why the Great Financial Crisis was an inflection point for direct indexing and why there’s been so much M&A in the space over the last couple of years.Then we talk about his book, Transparent Investing. We talk about consumer advocacy, the importance of taxes & fees, and ways to counteract some of the behavioral biases we all have.-----Follow Meb on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTubeFor detailed show notes, click hereTo learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com-----Sponsor: Today's episode is sponsored by The Active Share podcast. If you’re seeking the less obvious and are curious about the ever-changing world and how it affects investing, The Active Share podcast is for you. Hear thought-provoking conversations with thought leaders, company executives, and William Blair Investment Management’s own analysts and portfolio managers as they share unique perspectives on investing in a world that’s always evolving. Listen to The Active Share on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or TuneIn or visit here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 16, 2022 • 46min
Mary Childs, NPR’s Planet Money – Bond King Bill Gross | #399
Today’s guest is Mary Childs, co-host for NPR’s Planet Money podcast and author of The Bond King, which shares how Pimco and Bill Gross changed finance forever.In today’s episode, we kick it off with Mary’s time with Planet Money, one of the most fun and popular finance and econ podcasts around. We talk about some of her favorite stories, like why a publicly traded deli in New Jersey was worth $100 million, how Citibank accidentally paid out $900 million, and why you’re giving your boss a loan without realizing it.Then we dive into her new book, which took seven years to complete and garnered rumors that she was paid $10 million to not publish it! She walks through the history of Pimco and Bill Gross and the irony of a bond manager becoming famous.-----Follow Meb on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTubeFor detailed show notes, click hereTo learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com-----This episode is sponsored by Masterworks. Masterworks is opening the doors to top-tier, blue-chip art investments to everyone. Visit masterworks.io/meb to skip their wait list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 14, 2022 • 52min
Adam Nash, Daffy – Why This Prominent Silicon Valley Operator & Investor Wants To Make Charitable Giving A Habit | #398
Today’s guest is Adam Nash, a prominent Silicon Valley operator and investor who has turned his attention to philanthropy with his newest venture, Daffy, a not-for-profit community built around a new, modern platform for giving.In today’s episode, Adam starts off by giving an overview of Daffy, which supports over 1.5 million charities, schools, and faith-based organizations. Then he explains why providing low-cost, donor advised funds through the app store may help spur people to donate and help causes they care about. Adam shares how working at or advising companies in the past has impacted how he’s built Daffy, whether it’s the social aspect of LinkedIn, the automation of Wealthfront, or growth strategy of Acorns. As a special offer for listeners of the show, visit daffy.org/meb/invite and get $25 to give to your favorite charity.-----Follow Meb on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTubeFor detailed show notes, click hereTo learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com-----Today’s episode is sponsored by MUD\WTR. MUD\WTR is a coffee alternative that supports your morning ritual without all the anxiety and jitters of coffee. Get your starter kit and free frother at mudwtr.com/meb and use code FABER for 15% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 9, 2022 • 50min
Jeremy Grantham, GMO – Short-Term Pessimist, Long-Term Optimist | #397
Today’s guest is Jeremy Grantham, the Long-Term Investment Strategist and co-founder of GMO. It’s been about a year since we first spoke with Jeremy and given his knowledge of financial history, there are few people who are better to hear from about what’s happening in the world today than Jeremy. We start by touching on his investment in QuantumScape, which he saw grow to $500 million on paper and later decline by 80%. Then Jeremy shares what he thinks the societal implications will be from a huge potential write down of perceived wealth in the US if this superbubble bursts.He also touches on some of his biggest concerns at the moment: the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, labor and materials shortages, poor demographics, and rising inflation.While Jeremy is frequently referred to as a bear, one of my big takeaways is his optimism and excitement to solve some of the longer-term problems faced around the globe. If you want to hear our conversation with Jeremy from February 2021, click here.-----Follow Meb on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTubeFor detailed show notes, click hereTo learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com-----Today’s episode is sponsored by MUD\WTR. MUD\WTR is a coffee alternative that supports your morning ritual without all the anxiety and jitters of coffee. Get your starter kit and free frother at mudwtr.com/meb and use code FABER for 15% off.-----
(2:52) - Welcome back to our guest, Jeremy Grantham; Episode #286: Jeremy Grantham, GMO
(3:32) - What’s transpired in the past 12 months since he first appeared on the show
(6:14) - Update on his investment in QuantumScape
(12:57) - The impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on wheat prices
(19:32) - Would we be better off with robots instead of the Fed?
(22:00) - Societal implications of a possible write down in perceived wealth
(25:35) - Not being able to rely on bond diversification (Ben Inker 4Q21 Letter)
(26:54) - Jeremy’s thoughts on commodities and emerging market value today
(29:53) - Triumph of the Optimists; Credit Suisse Annual Reports
(33:02) - Why Jeremy is as a perma-bear but largely optimistic; Reinvesting When Terrified
(34:59) - What Jeremy is thinking about in the VC world
(38:02) - Jeremy’s take on nuclear power
(45:38) - The cost of capital and inflationary pressures in the coming decade
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Mar 7, 2022 • 51min
Wes Fulford, Viridi Funds – How To Get Exposure To Crypto In Public Markets | #396
Today’s guest is Wes Fulford, CEO and Portfolio Manager of Viridi Funds and the Viridi Cleaner Energy Crypto-Mining & Semiconductor ETF (ticker RIGZ).In today’s episode, we’re talking all things crypto mining. Since there isn’t a Bitcoin or crypto ETF in the US, Wes wanted to provide investors the opportunity to get exposure to the crypto markets through the miners themselves. We hear about his background in banking and becoming the CEO of Bitfarms, which he took public in Canada. Then Wes shares why both experiences gave him the idea to launch an ETF focused on crypto miners and related businesses.We get an overview of the miners’ business model, the importance of clean energy, and how the miners are impacted by the volatility of the underlying crypto prices.-----Follow Meb on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTubeFor detailed show notes, click hereTo learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com-----Sponsor: Today's episode is sponsored by The Active Share podcast. If you’re seeking the less obvious and are curious about the ever-changing world and how it affects investing, The Active Share podcast is for you. Hear thought-provoking conversations with thought leaders, company executives, and William Blair Investment Management’s own analysts and portfolio managers as they share unique perspectives on investing in a world that’s always evolving. Listen to The Active Share on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or TuneIn or visit here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 2, 2022 • 43min
Rob Koyfman, Koyfin – Building The Go-To Investing Platform | #395
Today’s guest is Rob Koyfman, founder and CEO of Koyfin, a financial data and analytics platform for researching stocks and understanding market trends.In today’s episode, we start with Rob’s background at Goldman Sachs under the now Chief U.S. Equity Strategist, David Kostin. Then he shares why a personal pain point later in his career led him to start Koyfin. Rob walks us through the platform, which provides investors without Bloomberg access to professional grade data coverage and the analytical tools. We hear about the ability to use visual tools and create a customized dashboard to see what’s most important to you.As we wind down, we touch on some wonky client emails and Rob’s annual April Fools emails to users. As a special offer to listeners of The Meb Faber Show, click here for 10% off for new users.-----Follow Meb on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTubeFor detailed show notes, click hereTo learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com-----Sponsor: If you’re seeking the less obvious and are curious about the ever-changing world and how it affects investing, The Active Share podcast is for you. Hear thought-provoking conversations with thought leaders, company executives, and William Blair Investment Management’s own analysts and portfolio managers as they share unique perspectives on investing in a world that’s always evolving. Listen to The Active Share on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or TuneIn or visit here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 28, 2022 • 39min
Africa Startup Series – Peter Ngunyi, EarlyBird Venture Lab – Accelerating Africa’s Startup Ecosystem | #394
Today’s guest is Peter Ngunyi, founder and CEO of EarlyBird Venture Lab, which provides growth, acquisition and funding strategy for early-stage tech startups.In today’s episode, we’re talking to someone who’s seen the growth of the continent first hand over the last 40 plus years. Peter begins by touching on his recent transition from operator to investor to help solve startups get access to capital. He explains why African’s have historically mostly seen real estate as the only investment option but are now starting to invest in startups. We hear about areas he’s excited about like retail tech and fintech, and of course some companies he’s excited about.As we wind down, Peter shares why Africa needs to pave it’s own path and not just copy the US or Chinese model.-----Follow Meb on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTubeFor detailed show notes, click hereTo learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com-----Today’s episode is sponsored by The Idea Farm. The Idea Farm gives you access to over $100,000 worth of investing research, the kind usually read by only the world’s largest institutions, funds, and money managers. Join today and get access to quarterly CAPE ratios, an excel quant backtester and the entire research library. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 23, 2022 • 46min
Duncan Kelm, Arrow Point Tax – Strategic Tax Planning & Tax Mitigation Strategies | #393
Today’s guest is Duncan Kelm, managing partner for Arrow Point Tax Services, specializing in financial plans and processes for business owners, professionals, and executives with an eye on taxes.In today’s episode, we’re talking about everyone’s favorite subject – taxes! Tax day is less than 2 months away so this couldn’t be timelier. Duncan walks us through some tax breaks for businesses, individuals & private investments.We touch on the difference in taxes within the US and then get into the Employee Retention Tax Credit, which Duncan pounds the table about why more people need to know about it. Then we get into my personal favorite, yes, QSBS. We also touch on Opportunity Zones, which long-time listeners have heard us talk about before.Duncan provided resources related to the conversation today: Employee Retention Tax Credit & his Top Tax Strategies.-----Follow Meb on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTubeFor detailed show notes, click hereTo learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 21, 2022 • 1h
Laurens Swinkels, Robeco – The Global Market Portfolio, (Realistic) Expected Returns & Global Factor Premiums | #392
Today’s guest is Laurens Swinkels, Robeco’s Head of Quant Strategy and one of my favorite authors.In today’s episode, we walk through some of Laurens’ favorite research. We begin with the global market portfolio, how it’s evolved over time and where crypto fits in today. Then we talk about his research on factor performance dating back to the 19th century.We also cover his framework for determining expected returns for all major asset classes and why he and his team decided to include climate change in that analysis for the first time this year.Be sure to stick around until the end when we touch on sin stocks, ESG, and even the tokenization of real estate and other assets.-----Follow Meb on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTubeFor detailed show notes, click hereTo learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com-----Today’s episode is sponsored by MUD\WTR. MUD/WTR is a coffee alternative that supports your morning ritual without all the anxiety and jitters of coffee. Get your starter kit and free frother at mudwtr.com/meb and use code FABER for 15% off.-----
(1:35) – Intro
(2:20) – Welcome to our guest, Laurens Swinkels
(3:57) – Laurens' research on the global market portfolio (papers here and here)
(11:15) – Link to Laurens’ research
(15:00) – Where does crypto fit in the global market portfolio?
(21:22) – Laurens’ research on global factor premiums since 1800 (link)
(28:09) – How investors should think about factor investing
(31:15) – Laurens’ research into sustainable investing, ESG and sin stocks
(42:38) – Robeco’s huge report on expected returns
(52:18) – Other areas Laurens is researching
(55:37) – Laurens' most memorable investment over his career
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