My Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Michelle Connell, CFA, owns Portia Capital Management, LLC, a registered Investment Advisory firm specializing in the investments of foundations, charities, and high net worth individuals. Portia Capital Management is the only investment management firm in the Dallas-Fort Worth area owned by a female CFA charterholder-an important resource in a world where 60% of women retire in poverty.Michelle’s expertise is backed by more than 20 years of financial experience in management positions with large investment boutiques and private banks. She is also one of the highest-rated finance professors in the U.S., currently serving as an adjunct professor at The University of Texas at Dallas.She works with her students and clients to understand the value of crafting a portfolio that includes conventional products as well as alternative assets. In addition to her work with students and clients, Michelle teaches the CFA Review through the DFW CFA Society.She also founded “Portia’s Children,” through which up to 10 percent of her company’s profits are donated to the North Texas Charity, Educational First Steps. “The only way that you’re going to have any security is by understanding money and finance.”Michelle Connell Worst investment everMichelle got a job analyzing semiconductor stocks for a private boutique in San Diego in the late 90s. She didn’t have a background in engineering, and because technology stocks can be extremely volatile, it was a struggle for her to handle these stocks.No choice but to learnTo save her job and prevent losing too much on the stocks, Michelle quickly learned how to understand any investment's downside, whether it’s a stock, a bond, a private investment, etc. This way, she could tell when to let go of an investment.Though this was tough, this knowledge worked to Michelle’s advantage as a few years later; she got to use it as the head of the tech sector for Wells Fargo, right before the tech bubble burst.Lessons learnedAlways look at the downsideLook at the downside of your stocks, and if possible, have your analyst hold back on what you own. And if you don’t understand the downside, be willing to sidestep the upside.Actionable adviceYou need to evaluate the upside and downside in the different investments you hold. That doesn’t just mean the individual securities, but also those within a particular style or market cap.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsFor the next 12 months, Michelle's goal is to concentrate on her investment reallocations and take advantage of her portfolio's fixed income side.Parting words “Keep reading and looking at the downside as well as the upside. Think of investing as a long-term game. That’s the way you should approach your retirement and your assets.”Michelle Connell [spp-transcript] Connect with Michelle ConnellLinkedInInstagramWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Jordan Paris is an author, podcast host, and entrepreneur featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Men’s Health, Yahoo! Finance, and Market Watch.Jordan’s podcast, Growth Mindset University, was ranked #6 in Apple’s Self-Improvement category, #3 in the Training category, and #5 in the How-to category. In Education, one of Apple’s most competitive categories, the show was ranked #15. The show has also rated highly in 40+ countries worldwide. On the show, Jordan interviews his heroes, including James Altucher, Grant Cardone, Robert Greene, Mark Manson, Seth Godin, Ryan Serhant, Dean Graziosi, and Naveen Jain.Jordan is the founder of Trend Up Media, a one-stop podcast agency that produces podcasts to help businesses grow in profit and influence.His life and business approach is simple yet powerful: Don’t make a living, design a life. With this creator’s mentality, Jordan has produced outstanding results for himself and challenges others to rise above circumstances, break the mold of society, and take control of their lives. “If you are thinking of starting a podcast, I say just start because it’s something that you honestly want to and do not because other people are doing it.”Jordan Paris Worst investment everJordan got wrapped up in the fact that he wasn’t cool in high school, and so for the better part of his life, he just wanted to prove everyone wrong. He wanted to prove to everyone that he could be famous.Using his podcast to fuel his desire for validationThe only way Jordan could attain fame and credibility over the past few years was to surround himself with other famous people. And so his podcast, for the most part, has been a show where people can have a front-row seat to his narcissism. A platform where he would talk with famous people, laughing along with them, sucking up to them, and not asking the tough questions.The epiphanyJordan recently had an epiphany where he realized that he’s been doing life the wrong way. Now, if he’s going to be known, he wants to be known for having something important to say and having actually done something. Jordan does not want to be famous just for the sake of being famous.Lessons learnedDo it for you, not othersMany people do things they don’t want to do and buy things they don’t want or need to impress people who don’t care. They’re then forced to do more things that they don’t want to do to keep up that lifestyle and keep up with that image. Don’t join that rat race.Realize it is enoughAwareness is almost always the first step to dealing with every hurdle you face.Andrew’s takeawaysJust do itDo what you want to do, even if it is not necessarily what you’re good at.Don’t get caught up with what people thinkPeople don’t care that much about you, so don’t get caught up with what people think about you.Embrace your problemsWhat is that thing in your life that you’ve been running away from or you haven’t been aware of? Stop running, turn around, and embrace it.Actionable adviceLearn to question yourself and everything. Scrutinize yourself. This leads to good things.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsJordan’s number one goal for the next 12 months is to achieve the revenue goal he set at the beginning of the year. [spp-transcript] Connect with Jordan ParisLinkedInTwitterFacebookInstagramYouTubeWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Luke Fenwick has had a corporate career spanning over 20 years across numerous industries, including luxury goods and professional sports at organizations such as Louis Vuitton Moet, Hennessy, and Melbourne United Basketball Club.He is a father and husband and chose to follow his purpose and become a life impact coach to help people gain awareness of their vision and goals and their deeply held beliefs to create a positive impact in their lives.His official teaching is derived from the Jay Shetty Genius School for Life Coaches; however, his approach with clients has been shaped by coaching and mentoring people over 20 years and studying experts. “If you don’t have a strong handle on your beliefs, the things that shape your life, and what you believe around yourself, then that will impact your goals and your ability to get there.”Luke Fenwick Worst investment everChasing the money Luke was working for the Melbourne United Basketball Club when he got a job opportunity in Australia. The new position offered more money, and even though he found joy in working for the club, he liked the idea of making more money. Luke could now afford to do property development and other investments, so he took the job.Regretting his decisionLuke had thought that the new job was something that he would do for 10 or more years. However, all of a sudden, he started feeling that this was not it for him. Every day, for six months, he would wake up at 4 am dreading to go to work. The job didn’t align with his passion and purpose, and he hated it.Walking awayAfter months of anxiety and hating his job, Luke spoke to his wife about how he felt and why this job would not be long-term. They decided that he should quit and follow his passion. After so much reflection, Luke decided that this was enough, and things needed to change, and he left the job.Lessons learnedSelf-validation is importantMost people look for validation from others and not from within. They look for that praise or that pat on the back from their peers and friends so that they can feel confident. Real confidence, though, comes from self-validation. This is especially important if you’re looking to do challenging things outside of the box.Pause, reflect and ask yourself what is your legacyTake time to understand what’s happening in your life. Ask yourself how your life impacts other people in your life, what your legacy is, and do you like how things are turning out.Enjoy the journeyTake a pause and enjoy the journey. Be grateful for the far that you’ve come no matter what’s going on in your life. Don’t get stuck on always focusing on what was further down the road.No one is perfectFailure is part of life. Don’t dwell on the times life is imperfect.Andrew’s takeawaysBe ready to quit oftenWhen you find something that’s not working for you, don’t be afraid to leave it. Often, people don’t leave things because they fear the unknown, but it’s ok to walk away and say it wasn’t for me.Be gratefulLearn how to step back and count your blessings, especially in times of crisis.Actionable adviceWhether life is good or you’re struggling, take the opportunity to pause, reflect, and look at the legacy and life you’re creating. If you’re not satisfied with what you think life will be in 10, 20, 30, or 40 years from now, then start to make some changes now.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsLuke has a vision that by 2025, he will have impacted one million lives. His goal for the next 12 months is to continue engaging with people, get in front of many businesses, and do as much coaching as he can.Luke also wants to keep learning, growing, getting better every day, being more mindful and aware of what he needs to work on. If he does all of those things, he’ll become a better dad, better husband, and better coach and impact more lives.Parting words “Don’t let those weeks, months, and years pass you by without embracing the conversations going on in your mind, and not giving them the energy to explore and figure out how your life could go from good to amazing.”Luke Fenwick [spp-transcript] Connect with Luke FenwickLinkedInFacebookInstagramWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Josh Steimle is an entrepreneur, author, and speaker, best known for his framework The 7 Systems of Influence and the 300+ articles he’s published in more than two dozen publications like Time, Forbes, Fortune, Mashable, and TechCrunch. Get started on writing your book with Josh at Publishedauthor.com. “Business should never be your highest priority. If it is, you will lose the business along with everything else.”Josh Steimle Worst investment everWanting to be like the greatsJosh was a college student when he made his worst investment ever. At the time, he had what he thought was a great job making $13 an hour. The company Josh was working for was growing like crazy. And so he thought he should leave and start his own business.Josh would look at the company executives flying around, meeting with venture capitalists, having all the fun and making all the money, and think to himself, “I could do that too.” So he quit his job and started his own business.Doing what he knew bestJosh knew how to design websites and hence started a web design business. He thought this would be as easy as launching a business, and then people line up and hire him. But nobody lined up. Soon enough, Josh had no money to pay rent and sold everything he owned on eBay to pay the rent.Things start to looking upAfter a while, Josh got a few clients and was able to survive. The business continued to grow steadily. Then he brought on a partner and then another, and the company grew a little bit more. It was tough, but he made it along.Heading separate waysJosh and the partners kept fighting and disagreeing on how to run the business. Eventually, things got so bad that they had to sell the business.Josh restarted over again in 2003. Things went back to being tough. Because of the bad experience he had with his partners, Josh decided to do this by himself.Giving business his allJosh went out and got a $100,000 loan from the bank. He also borrowed money from family and friends. He invested all the money in his new business, and for the next four years, he drowned himself in work.Josh would work 100 hours a week. He would go to sleep at three am on his office floor, wake up at 6 am and go right back to work six days a week. Josh didn’t take holidays; he worked Christmases and birthdays. He missed weddings and family reunions. Josh thought he was investing in himself, the business, and his family’s future. He believed that everything was going to pay off eventually, someday.Four years of nothingFor the next four years, Josh immersed himself in his business, but he made absolutely no profit. He didn’t pay himself a dime all this while because he couldn’t afford it and was drowning in about $500,000 of debt.Josh’s family had gained nothing from all the time and energy he put into the business. He was now at risk of losing his wife and family if he kept going down this path. It took Josh four years to realize that this was not working; it was not a good investment, and that he was losing everything.Taking it a notch downJosh decided that he would not continue working like this anymore. He started working 40 hours a week, spent more time with his wife, and didn’t work weekends anymore.A funny thing happened once Josh set those boundaries and said no more. Within two months, he was paying himself for the first time in four years. He was able to pay off 10 or 20 grand in debt every month, and his wife could quit her job. She had been supporting the family for the previous four years, and she hated it. Everything turned around as soon as Josh set those boundaries.Lessons learnedSet your own boundariesDon’t let life set the boundaries for you, do it yourself. If you leave it to fate, the boundaries that life gives you are much more painful than the limitations you can set for yourself.Get your priorities straightPrioritizing is very important. Your family and your health have to come before your business. If you don’t take care of your health first, you won’t be very good at work, you don’t think very clearly, and you’ll end up dying because you’re not taking care of yourself. If you put your business ahead of all your other priorities in life, you will lose the company along with everything else. So get your priorities straight.Build a life outside of workHaving something outside of work allows you to focus, ironically, more on the work. When you’re in the business every day, all day, and that’s all that consumes you, you can’t see the forest for the trees, you can’t see the decisions or the choices. But when you step back, and then you come back in, you often see things more clearlyAndrew’s takeawaysSometimes working harder produces lessWorking harder during a crisis does not produce more income or more revenue because nothing is happening. Focus more on your wellbeing.Small businesses are a trapBe careful before investing in a small business. You know, you go into it with all these dreams, and you get down the road and get to a point where you can’t go back, and you can’t go forward.Actionable adviceEvery 90 days, take a break, take a day off and do nothing, no work, disconnect from the internet, disconnect from your phone, and do absolutely nothing. Go somewhere and spend time with your family or exercise or read a book, but not a business book.Do something that’s completely disconnected from your work, your career, and your business. If you do that, you will come back to your career and your business with ideas that will push you ahead. This will save you time and money. It will help you see things more clearly.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsJosh’s goal for the next 12 months is to keep his priorities in life straight. He is continuing to figure out how to step back and make sure he does not get sucked back into crisis mode, where he feels like he has to work all the time. [spp-transcript] Connect with Josh SteimleLinkedInFacebookTwitterYouTubeBlogWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Oluwatosin Olaseinde is a professional accountant with over 10 years of experience spanning across accounting, audit, financial management, and taxation. She is the Founder and CEO of Money Africa, an ed-tech platform that enhances financial literacy and investments leveraging technology.Oluwatosin is a Washington Mandela Fellow, and she was a finalist for The Future Awards. In 2019, she was selected as one of the top 100 women by The Leading Ladies Africa. She was awarded one of the top 8 traders by CNBC Africa in 2012 and is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. Oluwatosin has spoken at TedX and has been featured on BBC UK, Al Jazeera, Guardian, and other outlets. “Be comfortable with having money conversations. It’s your money, and you have every right to know where it goes and how it works.”Oluwatosin Olaseinde Worst investment everThe one with the winnersOluwatosin had this friend who was always talking about how well his investments were performing and would always entice her to join him.In 2017 the Bitcoin craze was gaining so much momentum. At the beginning of the year, it was at $2,000, then $3,000, and it kept growing. Her friend was investing in Bitcoin and would constantly tell Oluwatosin about all the profits he was making. Oluwatosin now wanted a piece of the pie.Investment out of her reachBeing an account, Oluwatosin knew about the stock market, mutual funds, and all these other things, but Bitcoin sounded very futuristic. It sounded very abstract, and she didn’t understand it. So she was relying on her friend’s knowledge.When the price of Bitcoin hit $10,000, Oluwatosin decided she could not wait anymore. She reached out to her friend, and because she didn’t bother to learn about Bitcoin, she entrusted her friend to invest on her behalf. At this point, the price was about $18,000. Oluwatosin handed her friend a large amount of money, and he promised to invest it.Time to cash outOluwatosin’s friend created an account on some Bitcoin platform and told her that he had invested her money on that platform. He would continuously give her updates on WhatsApp. Oluwatosin trusted these updates and, therefore, never concerned herself with learning how the platform worked.The next year, the Bitcoin market stagnated, and Oluwatosin knew it was time to get out. The price was at $20,000, and she felt she’d made enough profit, and it was better to get out when the market was still high.Cat and mouse gamesOluwatosin told her friend that she wanted to sell, and he tried to convince her otherwise, but she stood her ground. Then the games began.Oluwatosin would message him, and he would not respond. She even reached out to mutual friends for help, but nothing worked. Eventually, she got to learn that her friend had never invested her money, and he’d basically stolen all her money in the name of investing in Bitcoin.Lessons learnedFinancial literacy is criticalFinancial literacy is excellent. However, when it comes to particular sectors, people tend to feel they are too technology-driven. And, therefore, do not educate themselves in these sectors. The truth is that the concept is the same across the field. So whether you are investing in a savings account, shares, Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency, etc. the rule is the same, you have to understand how the investment works and how to access it.Always own your assetIf you do not own your asset, you cannot control the resources. Should you outsource the ownership to other people, always document it as proof of ownership.Even the best investors make mistakesMany times people think they are too intelligent ever to make a financial mistake. This can happen to anyone. That is why financial knowledge and awareness are essential. Always do your research and educate yourself to ensure that you’re covering all your bases.Andrew’s takeawaysIt’s not always peaches and roses in investingMost people never talk about the performance of their overall portfolio or about the investments that went wrong. They stick to the investments that are winners. This makes so many people go into the stock market, thinking that they will get rich overnight.Never put your investment in someone else’s nameNever put your money under someone else’s name or into someone else’s account; all your investments must be in your name. Even if you are investing in a mutual fund company, you’re going to be putting your money into their bank account, and your name must be represented there. So never hand over your assets to someone else because the moment you do so, and they are not in your name, you can just consider them gone.Monitor your investments constantlyAlways monitor your investment to ensure that you catch any mischief. For instance, when you put your money in a bank or an asset management account, you generally receive an account statement every month. The purpose of this monthly statement is to detect fraud within that organization. If you don’t receive your monthly report for some reason, it could mean something’s being intercepted in some way or another.Actionable adviceFinancial literacy is very critical. Find out all you need to know about your investment. Ask your trusted friends about it to get lots of insights before you invest. Also, be comfortable with having money conversations. It’s your money; you have every right to know where it goes and how it works.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsOluwatosin’s goal for the next 12 months is to grow her platform numbers. She wants to get more subscriptions and reach the ends of Nigeria and everywhere in Africa, just talking about financial literacy.Parting words “We always talk about investment and money, but at the end of the day, it is about living a fulfilling and purposeful life. Both of them can actually happen together.”Oluwatosin Olaseinde [spp-transcript] Connect with Oluwatosin OlaseindeLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Beverley Agbakoba-Onyejianya is a Sports & Entertainment lawyer and Entrepreneur. She is an accredited mediator with the Lagos High Court Multi Door Centre and a member of the panel of neutrals at the Lagos Court of Arbitration.She has years of experience in the banking and capital markets in the United Kingdom and Nigeria. She is a Nigeria SEC-registered compliance officer, providing regional compliance, risk management, and financial crime prevention advisory support. Her broad experience in the compliance industry covers investment banking, brokerage, and fund management sectors.Additionally, she is passionate about sports and youth development and founded the Lagos Tigers Football Club in 2012, the Little Tigers Football Foundation in 2017, and a social network for women called GFC. “Delay is not denial. Things do not have to run at top speed to indicate that you’re on the right path.”Beverley Agbakoba-Onyejianya Worst investment everIn 2015 Beverley and her good friend were talking about doing something to better their lives. They explored different things, and her friend suggested that they get into the peanut butter packaging business.Beverley did some research and realized that there was such a massive market for peanut butter in the US, and so she paid the suggestion more attention.Jumping right into itThe two friends jumped right into business. They did a bit of research, came up with a name and branding. They were reeling to go. The friend even suggested that they not only do peanut butter but cashew nut butter too. They went all out with different flavors. They received an incredible reception when the butter went on sale.The clashing of two personalitiesThe butter was selling in their hundreds, and everything was going great except for the two business partners’ personalities.Beverley is brash and rash, while her friend is very detailed and a risk manager. And so the two kept clashing whenever they would have different business ideas. Beverley, especially wouldn’t take feedback well.Things turn uglyBeverley wanted things done in a rush, while her friend would instead take things slow. Beverley was also very emotionally driven and would often react irrationally during disagreements.Things got so bad that one morning Beverley woke up and changed all the factory locks locking her friend out. This was the last straw that brought the butter business to its premature end.Lessons learnedSolve problems rationallyYou don’t have to react immediately every time you are confronted with a problem or a misunderstanding. You don’t need to act on whatever comes to your mind first because sometimes the first thing you think of doing could put you in jail.Develop emotional intelligencePeople who have high emotional intelligence tend to be better leaders, teammates, and colleagues. You can have the best skills, you can be the best, but what is the point if your emotional intelligence is so low?Draw the line between emotions and businessIt is unnatural to expect your business partner to agree with everything you say and vice versa. You will often disagree, but it doesn’t mean that you should take it personally.Meet people halfwayEverybody has their reference point, so meet them where they are and find ways to complement each other.Everyone has something unique to offerEverybody has different skill sets that add value to your business. If you keep measuring other people by your standards, you’ll never be satisfied.Andrew’s takeawaysThe ugly side of businessWhen books talk about building a successful business, they never talk about the ugly side of the hustle. It takes blood and sweat to build a business. Most books won’t tell you this.Slow and steady wins the raceDon’t be in a rush to become successful. Take your time to build a stable business, and you will create an empire.It’s not just about youYou may be the business owner, but your business’s success is not just about you. It’s essential to think about the well-being of all the people involved in building your business, including all the stakeholders.You need different qualified people to build a successful businessTo be successful in any startup, you need people with different skills. You need a salesperson, a product person, a marketer, an accountant, and many more. These people won’t always get along, because they’re coming from different places. Figure out a way to keep everybody together.Actionable adviceYou need to know deep down and intuitively whether this is for you or not at all. Don’t flog a dead horse, but at the same time, don’t give up too soon.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsBeverley’s goal for the next 12 months is to focus on creating digital content. She has another brand in the works right now, and her podcast Develop Your A-Game. Beverley plans to concentrate on these two projects for now.Parting words “Stay consistent and authentic.”Beverley Agbakoba-Onyejianya [spp-transcript] Connect with Beverley Agbakoba-OnyejianyaLinkedInTwitterWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Steve Anderson is an expert in strategic risk and business growth. Drawing on decades of experience in the insurance industry, he wrote The Bezos Letters: 14 Principles to Grow Your Business Like Amazon, a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and international bestseller. With hundreds of thousands of followers, Steve has been handpicked by LinkedIn as one of the world’s most influential thought leaders. “Measure what matters, question what was measured, and trust your gut.”Steve Anderson Worst investment everIn 2007, Steve inherited a pretty good amount of money from his sister, who died from breast cancer. He wanted to invest this money in the smartest way possible. So he went to an investment advisor who advised him to invest in REITs and Class A office buildings, which he did.Here comes the recessionA year later, the recession hit the US real estate market, and Steve lost his entire investment. He knew that he should have pulled out his investment as soon as things started to take a turn, but he opted to hold on for a year hoping for the best. Unfortunately, this turned out to be his worst investment decision ever.His one mistakeWhile he had the right intentions and was even smartly investing his inheritance, Steve made the one mistake not to put measures in place to protect the downside.Lessons learnedThink more about downside protectionSomething will always happen that is outside your control. So think about what you’re going to do in case of uncertainties.Protect your assetsConcentrate more on protecting your assets than growing them.Andrew’s takeawaysFocus on the long termA lot of times, we get caught up in the short term. Instead, focus on the things that will make money over a long period, such as stocks and bonds.Shortfall risk is a huge riskVery few people ever think about shortfall risk. Most people take comfort in putting all their money in the bank, thinking that it’s low risk. No, that’s high risk because your money will never grow.Actionable adviceDo a better job than I did to protect the downside.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsFor the next 12 months, Steve’s goal is to keep the book alive and keep the buzz going. Hopefully, this will lead to live in-person events.Parting words “Obsess over your customers. Think about that more because you’re probably not.”Steve Anderson [spp-transcript] Connect with Steve AndersonLinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramBlogWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Ela Staniak Leaupepe was born in Poland, and her challenging upbringing was a speed lesson in life. At 21, she moved to Australia and began working first in the fitness industry before embarking on a journey through online and corporate coaching. She studied Fitness, Sports Coaching, Neurolinguistic Programming, Hypnotherapy, Public Speaking, Intuitive Coaching, and attended countless professional development events.Ela is the Founder and CEO of Feminine Leaders–which creates a pathway for women to rise and find their place as true leaders. Ela partners with CEOs, Executives & Business Owners to produce high caliber business results and access their creative genius. “Always have multiple lead generation platforms to serve your network and clientele.”Ela Staniak Leaupepe Worst investment everEla had, for the longest time, wanted to expand her fitness career into something bigger that could empower women all over the world. She took the bold step to learn about business coaching and hired a coach.Finding her sweet spotEla invested over $100,000 in various personal development programs and business coaching programs. She also invested about $10,000 in Facebook marketing and used it as her primary lead generation platform.Finally, this year, she found her sweet spot in the business and had a formidable social media presence on Facebook. Ela had created a name for herself and was now the go-to person for women empowerment, weight loss, and hypnotherapy.Rug pulled out from under herUnfortunately for Ela, the sweet spot didn’t last very long. In June this year, Ela woke up one morning and found an email notifying her of suspicious login activity on her Facebook account and was asked to verify her identity. That verification was rejected, and her accounts got deleted entirely and disabled.Ela had 5,000 connections on her personal profile, nearly 11,000 connections on her business page, and almost 6,000 connections on Instagram. She was also running two different Facebook groups; one of them had 1,600 women in there.Shock, disbelief, and denialAt first, Ela went into shock, disbelief, and complete denial. She convinced herself that there must be a way to get her accounts back. She hadn’t done anything wrong anyway.Ela tried to contact Facebook several times, pleading her case. She eventually heard back from Facebook but not with the kind of news she was hoping for. Ela was informed that the decision to close her Facebook accounts had been reviewed and that her application to have the decision reversed had been rejected.She couldn’t believe that all the years of work, sleepless nights, 18 hour days, moments of tears, moments of giving up, and continuously pursuing and persisting in building her business on Facebook and Instagram had gone down the drain.One too fewUnfortunately, other than her email list Ela did not have any other lead generation platform, so she had to rebuild her audience from scratch. While running her business on Facebook and Instagram alone had been fruitful for a moment, it turned out to be her worst investment ever because she abandoned other platforms, and now she had nothing to work with.Lessons learnedHave multiple lead generation platformsWhen you are creating a business, have multiple lead generation platforms that you can use to serve your network and your clientele. This ensures that you still have a soft spot to fall onto should any of the platforms fail.Be flexible and adaptableIf you want to run a business or organization or be in a managerial position, practice flexibility and adaptation. Challenges, whether it’s in business or personal life, never end. So always be flexible enough to adapt to change.Andrew’s takeawaysEmbrace changeWhen things are falling apart, acknowledge that change is inevitable and embrace it. Find new ways to make the change work.Be more of yourself instead of copying othersTry to be more of yourself. Find your place on this earth, know where you’re supposed to be and be happy to be there.The four drivers of a company’s valueFour things drive the value of a company; one, revenue, increase it. Two, expense, decrease it. Three assets, increase them or get more out of the existing assets that you have. Four, risk, reduce it.Actionable adviceExpand your thinking and your consciousness. Use multiple platforms to provide your network and clients access to whatever you offer. If one platform is taken away from you or stops working, you’ll have other safety nets to continue serving your clients and networks, and that will ultimately put you in the center.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsEla’s goal for the next 12 months is to launch her biggest women empowerment event ever. She hopes the world will have overcome COVID-19. Her goal is to provide an amazing transformational experience for women to come in and experience the feeling of letting go and making peace with the past, experiencing the now, and creating the future.Parting words “You are the one and only CEO of your life. So take your life by the horns and ride it.”Ela Staniak Leaupepe [spp-transcript] Connect with Ela Staniak LeaupepeLinkedInInstagramYouTubeBlogWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

John Pastor has close to two decades of leadership experience in the business process industry in the Philippines. He has numerous years of exposure in both the in-house and outsourced areas of the industry and has had the opportunity to work with top tier multinational organizations since 2001.Aside from operations, he is also well-versed in the business’s different areas, such as continuous improvement, quality, sales, business development, workforce management, facilities management, training, human resources, and recruitment. He has had the opportunity to either oversee these areas directly and indirectly or collaborate with their respective department heads.John is passionate about people development, creating a positive culture and working environment, client and stakeholder relations, customer advocacy, and running day to day operations. “If you’re unemployed, don’t just grab the first thing that’s out there. Look for something that you truly want to be a part of.”John Pastor Worst investment everIn early 2001, John discovered the Business Process Outsourcing industry, and he felt right at home. He worked for different multinationals within the industry and built a budding career.A gloomy ChristmasThings were going pretty well for John until December 15, 2015. This is a date he remembers very well because, on that day, darkness entered his life. John received a redundancy letter. The company he was working for at the time no longer needed his services.The company was trying to reduce costs, so they made a few roles in their Philippines office redundant. And just like that, John lost his job two weeks before Christmas.Back to job huntingSearching for a job during Christmas and New Year was a futile attempt for John. It took him 10 months to get his first job offer. It had been a difficult 10 months, and John had grown desperate.No questions askedThe inability to provide financially for his family took a toll on John mentally, physically, and emotionally. When the first job offer came, he took it, no questions asked.After a few months, John was laid off again. His company decided to move all their business from the Philippines to India because it was a lot cheaper from a back-office work perspective.Two times wiserLuckily, this time around, the job search didn’t take John too long. In about two months, he had another job. This time though, he was smart enough to dig deeper during the interviews to make sure that he got himself a job that was the right fit for him and that he would not find himself jobless just a few months in.Lessons learnedTake your time when finding a jobDon’t be in a rush when finding a job. Ask many questions whenever you go for interviews to open up conversations about the role being offered. You want to make sure that the position and company is the right fit for you.Stay positiveRemain positive even when things are bad because holding onto negative ideas will only beat you up and make you give up.Andrew’s takeawaysAdapt to changeWhen things change, you also have to change the circumstances a bit to break the cycle of the emotions you’re going through.Don’t be too hard on yourselfThings go wrong in life all the time. It’s not always that it’s your fault that things don’t work out. There are times in life where circumstances are a significant factor, and so when things go south, don’t be too hard on yourself. Just know that this too shall pass.Actionable adviceIf you’re unemployed and job hunting, do not just grab the first opportunity that comes up. Take your time and ask as many questions as possible during the interview process. Make sure that you’re getting into something that you truly love and that the role is something that would align with your core competencies.No. 1 goal for the next 12 monthsFor the next 12 months, John’s goal is to grow his company, especially the online payments platform. On a personal level, John wants to make sure that his family is well taken care of while waiting for the COVID situation to be over.Parting words “Keep a positive frame of mind. Things will get better.”John Pastor [spp-transcript] Connect with John PastorLinkedInWebsiteAndrew’s booksHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketMy Worst Investment Ever9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemTransform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 PointsAndrew’s online programsValuation Master ClassHow to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock MarketFinance Made Ridiculously SimpleBecome a Great Presenter and Increase Your InfluenceTransform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 PointsConnect with Andrew Stotz:astotz.comLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeMy Worst Investment Ever Podcast

Cameron Herold is the founder of the COO Alliance & Second In Command Podcast. He is known worldwide as THE CEO Whisperer and is the mastermind behind hundreds of companies’ exponential growth. Cameron has built a dynamic consultancy by speaking, not from theory, but experience. He earned his reputation as the business growth guru by guiding his clients to double their profit and double their revenue in just three years or less. Cameron was an entrepreneur from day 1. At age 21, he had 14 employees. By 35, he’d help build his first two $100 million companies. By the age of 42, Cameron engineered 1-800-GOT-JUNK?’s spectacular growth from $2 million to $106 million in revenue and 3,100 employees—and he did that in just six years. Not only does Cameron know how to grow businesses, but the current publisher of Forbes magazine called him “The best speaker I’ve ever heard...”. Cameron is the author of the global best-selling business book Double Double, which is in its 7th printing and multiple translations around the world, as well as Meetings Suck and The Miracle Morning for Entrepreneurs. Look for all of Cameron’s five business books on Amazon today.   “Working hard isn’t the path to success, but working smart is.” Cameron Herold   Worst investment ever Cameron used to judge people based on the way they looked. He naturally gravitated to the good looking guy, the woman who looked successful, people who dressed and carried themselves well. In his mind, those were successful people. He would not give a thought to people who didn’t look successful, dressed more casually, who didn’t shave, probably overweight, and weren’t attractive. Cameron judged them as not being successful. He would avoid spending time getting to know them. Because he would judge very quickly, he would often miss out on opportunities. Snobbing the outsiders In the summer of 2008, Cameron invited Tim Ferriss to come to his first time at Burning Man; it would be Cameron’s second time. Tim said yes and brought two friends with him. One of Tim’s friends was an entrepreneur. At Burning Man, Tim and his timid friends didn’t quite fit in with Cameron’s group. Cameron’s friends did not embrace them, so they became the outsiders to his group. Being his usual judgy self, Cameron spent more time with his group than Tim and his friends. The missed opportunity of a lifetime One night, very late, Tim’s friend, the entrepreneur, wanted to pitch Cameron and his friends on a business that he was starting and had an investment opportunity. Cameron, however, did not give him any credit when he pitched his idea. He just brushed him off, thinking that because his first business was such a silly one, his second business wouldn’t be very successful. Tim’s friend explained his idea of pressing a button on an app, and a taxi or limousine would come to you. Apps at the time were a new and unpopular phenomenon. Cameron and his friends thought that this was the stupidest idea they’d ever heard. Cameron and his friends refused to invest in the business. Tim, however, put in $25,000 into the business. This business turned out to be Uber. The guy that Cameron judged as weird and not worth his time was Garrett Camp, the original CEO and founder of Uber. By saying no to him, Cameron missed out on $108 million, considering the company’s valuation the day of its IPO. Lessons learned Do not judge a book by its cover Do not judge people at face value. Take your time and get to know people before you judge them. When you go to conferences and other events, sit with people who don’t necessarily fit in. Get out of your comfort zone, meet new people, get to know them, and connect with them. Andrew’s takeaways Opportunities are all around us Often, we look at the opportunities that we miss and feel bad about it. But it’s always important to remember that there are millions of opportunities that we’re missing every single day. So don’t beat yourself up over a missed opportunity. Do not judge what you see at face value Don’t compare your insides to other people’s outsides. Everybody is broken in one way or another inside. Most people are trying to keep up a facade and look good. Don’t let this intimidate you. Change your mindset Our mindset is shaped by our past, our emotions, and our judgments. Our mindset can hold us back in one way or another, so be open to changing it and have a growth mindset if you want to be successful. Actionable advice Go into situations and try to meet people that you wouldn’t necessarily try to meet. Some of the smartest people in the room are the ones that aren’t talking. They’re the ones that are listening and writing notes. The ones learning and paying attention. They’re not trying to get seen or get known. They’re there to learn. No. 1 goal for the next 12 months Cameron is very cognizant about the time he has left with his kids, 19 and 17 years old. One of them is going into second-year university this year, and thankfully, he’s at home for four months because of COVID. His second son goes to university in 12 months, and Cameron feels a sense of loss already. Therefore, his goal for the next 12 months is to have meaningful time and connections with his sons. Parting words   “Remember that none of this matters. At the end of the day, we’re all gonna die. Let’s have fun along the journey.” Cameron Herold   Connect with Cameron Herold COO Alliance Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Blog Website Andrew’s books How to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock Market My Worst Investment Ever 9 Valuation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Transform Your Business with Dr.Deming’s 14 Points Andrew’s online programs Valuation Master Class How to Start Building Your Wealth Investing in the Stock Market Finance Made Ridiculously Simple Become a Great Presenter and Increase Your Influence Transform Your Business with Dr. Deming’s 14 Points Connect with Andrew Stotz: astotz.com LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube My Worst Investment Ever Podcast