Cls's The Weighing Machine

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Frank Nickel, Head of Quantitative Strategies and Investments at Brinker Capital.Frank oversees the setup of the investment process that drives direct investing strategies and risk mitigation across various platforms at Brinker. Prior, Frank spent 27 years in various roles at Morgan Stanley—from asset allocation strategist to director of investment strategy to portfolio manager.  Frank talks with Rusty and Robyn about the ins and outs of direct investing, the concept of “searching for alpha”, and the impact of direct investing on the future of investing (especially with ETFs).“We have the ability to give investors a high price momentum, a version of our direct indexing strategies that allow them to have that ‘search for alpha’. I think the way traditional people think about the ‘search for alpha’, it’s at the individual security level. We are not going to really attempt to provide that. Our search for alpha is providing some type of factor exposures that investors

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Simeon Hyman, Global Investment Strategist at ProShares.From the initial idea of an ETF to product development to the roll-out, Simeon creates—and even customizes—a smooth product strategy to ensure every client and prospect understands the ETF's scope. Prior to creating successful ETFs with ProShares, Simeon held investment leadership roles at Bloomberg Wealth and UBS.Simeon talks with Rusty and Robyn about all things Bitcoin Futures ETF, and the rationale behind its advantage over Bitcoin or other altcoins."Bitcoin’s a volatile thing. Nobody can tell you it’s not. And our ETF, BITO, delivered. That volatility in itself is a ‘feature’ from our perspective, not a bug. There are fewer and fewer things that don’t approach this kind of correlation, so finding something that behaves differently is a very valuable diversifier.” ~ Simeon HymanMain Takeaways  Bitcoin is volatile, but it can be a great inflation hedge and diversifier. Through Bitcoin ETFs you can gain Bit

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Mike Van Wyk, Vice President of Research and Insights for Capital Group.Mike has studied human behavior throughout his two-decade career to better understand what truly drives consumer behavior and business growth. Whether it be packaged goods or financial services, Mike brings game-changing insights to the table. His research helps others skyrocket the growth of their business or their professional career.Mike talks with Rusty and Robyn about the difference between a “sage” and “caregiver” advisor and the three success factors of existing high-growth firms."Every financial professional has to have a side that's more quant-focused and can talk the numbers, but you also have to be able to connect emotionally with your clients and be there as a support for them. Those who are most successful are those who understand there's an aspect of being a sage that they need to bring to the job daily, and there's an aspect of being a caregiver that needs to be present there as

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Maria Quinn, national spokesperson and thought leadership ambassador at Vanguard.Maria provides her expertise in Vanguard’s largest business line by working externally with financial advisors and intermediaries. Before starting her journey with the firm, Maria was involved with non-profit organizations that provide marginalized people with access to education. Maria talks with Rusty and Robyn about what causes the behavior gap in investing, how human psychology and behavior affect financial success, and how we can use the Advisor Alpha model and the “Three P’s” framework to foster long-term relationships with clients."The way we think about planning is having those deep conversations with clients that require a lot of trust. We define their values (what is of greatest importance to them). And then, we find a way to translate them into a goal.” ~ Maria QuinnMain Takeaways  With the help of an advisor, a client's chance of achieving financial success is significantl

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Carl Kaufman, Co-CEO, Co-President, and Managing Director of Fixed Income at Osterwise Management in San Francisco.Before it was the norm, Carl was designing flexible fixed income strategies for his firm’s clients. His decades of industry experience built the trust necessary to switch to the brokerage industry and start work on some game-changing advancements.Carl talks with Rusty and Robyn about the difference between investment-grade and high-yield bonds, the post-pandemic state of the US market, and inflation projections. "Try to keep perspective. Ask yourself what is really important. And, don’t forget to look into the real world because sometimes you get so caught up in the Wall Street hype and you forget what the real world is. I learned this lesson very early on unfortunately in the crash of ‘87." ~Carl KaufmanMain Takeaways  Be flexible enough to tap into investment grades to get better downside protection. You can achieve better results with high-yield bo

In today’s episode, we’re sharing Rusty’s recent live interview with Jeremy Siegel from Orion’s Ascent conference. Jeremy Siegel is a professor of finance at the Wharton School of Business and a Senior Investment Strategy Advisor at WisdomTree Asset Management.Jeremy’s opinion on the economy and the financial markets has long been trusted and sought after by Wall Street firms because of his decisive and evidence-based approach. His view on inflation is notable and provides valuable insight into the markets from someone who’s been in the industry for a long time. Jeremy talks with Rusty and Robyn about the benefits of value and global investing, the future of stocks and bonds, and insights regarding the future of the US market after an inflation run."Volatility is a mark of equities and all speculative markets, so we're not going to be immune to it. But right now, when I look at relative valuations, they still argue in the direction of stocks over bonds." ~Jeremy SiegelMain Takeaways  The markets aren’t all do

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Suzanne Daly, Vice President of Model Portfolios at Fidelity Investments. After working with brokers, dealers, RIAs, and multi-family offices at Fidelity for more than 18 years, Suzanne now oversees the managed account model portfolios and managed accounts distribution efforts. Together with her team, she helps firms optimize their tech stacks, assembling efficient workflows, and outsource investment management.Suzanne talks with Rusty and Robyn about the framework for holistic wealth planning, the criteria for outsourcing investment management, and the generational differences and challenges in the advising workplace."A financial plan is the map of how individuals get from point A to point B. But there couldn't be a more personalized journey. Your point A looks a lot different than my point A, and my point B may look a lot different than your point B. So the beauty of what an advisor has to do is chart that course for the client." ~ Suzanne DalyMain Takeaways  Ge

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Glenn Dorsey, head of client portfolio management at Clark Capital Management Group.By the time he was 10, Glenn already had a deep fascination with the market and was trading stocks. In college, he double-majored in accounting and finance and got his CFA and CAIA designations. Glenn has been offering his expertise in portfolio management to well-known firms for more than three decades, putting Clark Capital’s client advisor service on an explosive growth trajectory.Glenn talks with Rusty and Robyn about the impact of COVID resurgence and the effects of inflation and government debt on investment decisions."It’s like an analogy for turbulence. Would it be surprising if you need to put your seatbelt on for a little bit? No, not really. Is it something that we need to make major changes in the portfolio for? No, not really. Let's just be aware that all of the flights won't be 100 percent smooth all the time." ~ Glenn DorseyMain Takeaways  Communication is the key to

In today’s episode, Rusty talks with Larry Swedroe, the director of research for Buckingham Strategic Wealth.Larry finished his MBA in Finance and Investment from NYU. Larry stays connected to the financial industry by spearheading research for Buckingham and the BAM Alliance, but he’s also a prolific writer who has authored or co-authored 16 books. His mission is to explain investing theories to investors in an accessible and straightforward way.Larry talks with Rusty about evidence-based investing, the effects of sustainability on investing, and diversifying portfolios with risky assets."You should invest in as many unique sources of risk as you can identify that meet all of the criteria that I established—those five criteria of persistence, robustness, pervasiveness, implementability, and intuitive rationale. Everything we do is based upon not my opinion, but the evidence has to meet those criteria" ~ @LarrySwedroeMain Takeaways  Evidence-based investing is always the winning strategy. Focusing on the risk

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Manish Khatta, President and CIO at Potomac Fund Management, Inc.Manish is a quantitative analyst and a self-professed math geek. His love for mathematical algorithms and finance blossomed from what was supposed to be a summer job with Potomac before entering law school. Now, a lifelong Protomac employee, he continues to lead and share his expertise in quantitative trading systems.Manish talks with Rusty and Robyn about conquering risks through tactical investing, the need for creative multimedia in finance, and insights on the future of the industry"True tactical investing is all about approaching it with a risk mindset. Having the comfort level to exit positions, go to cash, raise cash when you need to be, but then also get back into the market when your signals turn." ~ @ManishKhattaMain Takeaways  Buy high and sell higher, whatever the asset class. For quantitative investors, their strategy only involves looking at the price without external factors such as c

In today’s episode, Rusty talks with Aaron Scully, Portfolio Manager on the Global Sustainable Equity Team at Janus Henderson Investors.Aaron has been with Janus Henderson Investors for more than two decades. Since the beginning, he has helped with implementing the best investment strategies to move sustainability forward. When not at his desk, Aaron enjoys climbing Colorado's 14ers. As a person who grew up in the Midwest, he remembers falling in love with Colorado's scenic environment. The great career development opportunities it offered were just a bonus.Aaron and Rusty discuss the impact of sustainable investing in our future, different sustainable investing themes, and the effect of sustainable investing on portfolio performance."Investing is something you do that seems like a small decision. But it can have a profound impact on society and the environment, depending on how you invest." ~ Aaron ScullyMain Takeaways  Companies that have a product or service that is helping the world are eligible for susta

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk to Vance Howard, CEO and Portfolio Manager of Howard Capital Management.Vance's professional money management career started in 1992 when he founded Chartered Financial Services, Inc. Before founding Howard Capital Management, Vance was also elected four times to Huntsville, Texas City Council and twice as mayor pro tem. His expertise lies in the implementation of various trading systems.Vance talks with Rusty and Robyn about the difference between tactical investing and defensive investing, using trend indicators to quantify risk, and the overall benefits of the mathematical quantitative approach."By having that mathematical mechanism that we've built and that we trade-off of, it took all that emotion out of the equation. You did what the market was doing. The market had turned, the market was going up. And if it didn't go up, the byline would have kicked us back out anyway." ~ Vance HowardMain Takeaways  Stop guessing and rely on non-emotional mechanical methodologie

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Harin de Silva, Portfolio Manager for the Analytics Investors Group at Wells Fargo Asset Management.Harin's focus as a portfolio manager is on equities and factor-based asset allocation strategies. He is also regarded as one of the top quantitative managers in the US and has received the prestigious Graham and Dodd Award of Excellence for his research. Before joining Wells Fargo, Harin also provided economic research services to investors through the Analysis Group, Inc.Harin talks with Rusty and Robyn about factor-based investing, long/short funds, perspectives on risk analysis, and incorporating big data in investing."Our role as quantitative investors is to take what people are doing from a fundamental standpoint and then apply that systematically across a wide range of stocks. And technology is what allows us to do that." ~ Harin de SilvaMain Takeaways  In factor-based investing, investors can easily understand performance and the common themes in structuring

In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk to Grant Engelbart, Senior Portfolio Manager at Brinker Capital.Grant has been in the industry for more than a decade. His focus is on trading and managing assets, including ETF mutual funds and single securities. Before working as a portfolio manager, Grant was part of the trading and investment research team at Orion Advisor Solutions.Grant talks with Rusty and Robyn about ETF investment strategies, crypto as a new alternative asset class, and the non-financial skills needed in finance."One of the biggest issues we have in the advisor and investor world today is income generation. With cryptocurrencies, if done the right way, you can create pretty substantial income streams and uncorrelated income streams off of these products." ~ Grant EngelbartMain Takeaways  When choosing an ETF, the first step is to know the exposure you’ll gain from it. Other factors to consider are ETF concentration, maximum security weight, index ETF, and consistent growth. Crypto can be a new

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 cred

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: se

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 correla

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 knowledg

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 universa

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 marke