[This is a talk I recently gave at The Frankfurt Conversation 2019 by MOI Global.] I’d like to summarize some of the lessons I learned from helping to run a buy and hold real estate portfolio: Lesson 1: Find a framework Before my involvement, I had no prior experience in the real estate industry. So…
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Investing Lessons from Running a Startup
[This is an edited version of a talk I recently gave at a MOI Global event.] I’d like to share some of the lessons I learned from being a startup founder, and how these can be applied to investing: Lesson 1: I’m a better investor because I was a founder As Warren Buffett famously said:…
Hell Yeah or No
Four words. This is the simplest and most useful decision making concept I have come across. I reflect on it regularly and it helps me to say “no” with more conviction. If you’re not saying “HELL YEAH!” about something, say “no”. When deciding whether to do something, if you feel anything less than “Wow! That…
Cleaning up my Mac
My hard disc was almost full, so I was faced with a choice: buy more space or clean up. I chose to do a cleaning session and now have 40% free space. Here’s how I did it. Clean up iTunesHere I found the most potential. I stopped the syncing of podcasts with my iPhone and…
Why I stopped drinking alcohol
This thread reminded me that it is now 10 years since I stopped drinking alcohol. I haven’t had one drop since. Sometimes people ask me: Why not just one glass? Why stop completely? Why not enjoy life? The simple answer is: It simplified my life. It’s easier to quit something 100% than 98%. It eliminates…
How to choose a money manager?
You’ve inherited some money, or sold a business. What now? Most people don’t have the skill, time, or willingness to manage their own investments. One option is to entrust your funds to a professional money manager. But how to choose one? I would recommend the following checklist: 1. Skin in the gameThe first question I…
How to Identify Great Capital Allocators?
This was the topic at the recent MOI Global Zurich chapter dinner I attended. Here I summarize my notes and thoughts on this topic. I understand capital allocation as follows: How do companies spend their limited resources, be it capital, time, or mental resources, so that they create the maximum amount of value per invested…
A Journey to the End of Time
This video takes us on a journey to the end of time, trillions of years into the future, to discover what the fate of our planet and our universe may ultimately be. Fascinating, truly fascinating! [Thank you Adrian Hilti for pointing me to this video.] PDF
Consider Using a Pen Name
We live in a time where the default is to use your real name for writing. This was not always the case, as I learned in Benjamin Franklin’s biography. 300 years ago the default was to use a pen name. For good reason, as speaking your mind could be dangerous. This got me thinking. Why…
How to Block Spam Calls
Marketing and spam calls are annoying. A great way to block them is by installing a spam blocker app on your phone. I am using Truecaller and also the local.ch app to block spam calls. Depending on where you live there might be other local blockers to complement Truecaller which works globally. Bye bye spam…