All Epsilon Theory Content
Everything we have published at Epsilon Theory since 2013, an archive of more than 1,000 evergreen notes.
In this episode of the Intentional Investor, Matt Zeigler speaks with Ryan Krueger, founder of Freedom Day Solutions. Ryan shares his journey from working at a baseball card shop as a child to becoming a successful financial professional. He discusses his philosophy on investing, which focuses on transparency, partnership with clients, and a unique approach to retirement planning called “Freedom Day.” Ryan emphasizes the importance of trust, ethical practices, and long-term commitment in his business. He also touches on personal values, such as the influence of his family, his desire to make a positive impact, and his goal of continuing to work and grow rather than retire. Throughout the interview, Ryan’s passion for helping others achieve financial freedom and peace of mind is evident, as is his dedication to building lasting relationships with his clients and team.
The human animal is a social animal, in the truest sense of the words, more similar in our essence to ants, bees and termites than to any other creature. And like any social animal, we are pushed by our very nature towards The Hive, a meaning for our species where consciousness is outsourced, autonomy is abdicated, and discovery is denatured. In his keynote presentation at Epsilon Connect 2024, Ben Hunt shows how the technological push towards The Hive has never been stronger than here at the dawn of the Age of AI, but also how we can use those same tools of language, memory and story to reclaim our human society, our human dominion, and our human being.
In this episode if Breaking News, we discuss the recent assassination attempt on former President Trump and explore its implications within the context of “The Great Ravine” – our term for the current period of political strife and violence. We analyze how media, technology, and politics intersect to shape public narratives, often transforming sadness into anger directed at opponents. We examine the rationality behind this behavior in closed political systems and discuss the challenges of maintaining critical distance. We also discuss the event’s impact on the 2024 election and explore themes of nourishment and healing through an analysis of the TV show “The Bear.”
Our mediated cultural transition from sadness to generalized anger to focused anger at specific people and institutions of the Other Party is an entirely intentional effort by Big Politics, Big Tech and Big Media.
This is the Great Ravine, and it’s all going to get much worse before it gets any better.
in this episode, Matt Zeigler speaks with with Wes Gray, founder of Alpha Architect and ETF Architect. Wes shares his fascinating journey from growing up on a ranch to pursuing a PhD in finance at the University of Chicago, serving in the Marine Corps, and eventually building successful businesses in quantitative investing and ETF infrastructure. He discusses key moments that shaped his career, including early experiences with investing, his time in academia and the military, and how he identified opportunities in the ETF space. Wes provides insights into his entrepreneurial approach, the importance of community and collaboration in investing, and how his businesses have evolved over time. The conversation covers a wide range of topics including quantitative investing strategies, ETF structures, and Wes’s philosophy on building innovative financial businesses while maintaining a focus on family and work-life balance.
In this episode of Breaking News we look at the impact of the presidential debate and the role it played in changing the common knowledge about President Biden’s fitness for office. We explore the concept of common knowledge and illustrate how public perception shifts when everyone knows that everyone else knows something. We discuss the implications for the 2024 election, the role of media in shaping these narratives, and the potential fallout within the Democratic Party. Intertwining serious political analysis with lighter anecdotes, including a story about the Beastie Boys’ early days, we emphasize the importance of community and shared understanding in navigating these turbulent times. Join us as we break down what’s making us tick with Clear Eyes and Full Hearts.
Common knowledge is what everyone knows that everyone knows.
Common knowledge is why the 2024 Biden/Harris campaign has collapsed.
All that remains is the cope.
In this episode, Matt Zeigler talks with Epsilon Theory co-founder Rusty Guinn. Rusty shares his life journey, from growing up in rural Texas to working on Wall Street and eventually co-founding Second Foundation Partners. He discusses his experiences in finance, including roles in investment banking, private equity, and asset management. Rusty reflects on the lessons learned throughout his career, emphasizing the importance of humility, earnestness, and agency. He also talks about his decision to move to a farm in Connecticut, where he now balances his work in finance with homeschooling his children and running an apple orchard. Throughout the conversation, Rusty provides insights into the investment industry, personal growth, and the search for meaningful work and life balance.
Welcome to regulatory stagnation: ETF Industry style.
Innovation is still happening inside the four walls of the established ETF ecosystem. But the structure itself?
Late-Stage.
In this episode of Breaking News, we examine the current state of the 2024 US presidential election and how it is playing out in the narrative world. We explore the recent Trump trial and its minimal impact on public opinion, as well as growing concerns about President Biden’s age and fitness for office. We then shift to reflections on our recent Epsilon Connect conference about being human in an age of AI, highlighting the importance of maintaining humanity and ethics in our use of technology. We also delve into the troubling state of higher education in America, particularly the exorbitant costs and increasing commercialization of college athletics.
In this episode of The Intentional Investor, we sit down with Daniel Crosby, a clinical psychologist turned behavioral finance expert and author of the upcoming book “The Soul of Wealth.” We explore Daniel’s fascinating journey from punk rock bassist to leading voice in the world of investing psychology, discussing the importance of setting healthy boundaries, letting life’s phases run their course, and the art of translating complex ideas into actionable insights. Join us as we dive into the power of narrative, the process of learning and unlearning, and the gift of being present in life’s heaviest moments, all while uncovering the parallels between Daniel’s work and our own mission to help people navigate the intersection of investing and life.
In this episode of The Intentional Investor, host Matt Zeigler interviews Perth Tolle, founder of the Freedom Index and Life + Liberty Indexes. Perth shares her remarkable journey from growing up in China to launching a freedom-weighted emerging markets ETF strategy, which recently celebrated its 5th anniversary. She discusses her experiences with personal and economic freedom, the importance of objective data in the investment process, and the challenges she faced in bringing her vision to life.
Risks are rising on a variety of fronts across the world. And market players are positioning themselves to profit before they are realized. In this episode of Breaking News, we take a tour of some of the major issues we face in the current challenging environment. We discuss the peculiar announcement by Ireland, Norway, and Spain recognizing the Palestinian state, the potential for total war in the Middle East, Rick Rieder’s suggestion for interest rate cuts and the return of Roaring Kitty and the GameStop saga. We also cover President Biden’s questionable housing proposal, and the lessons we can learn from Conan O’Brien’s appearance on the YouTube show Hot Ones.
We are in an age of tremendous uncertainty. Trust has evaporated. But agency, the individual expression of trust, has evaporated, too.
Before we can rebuild trust in institutions, we have to start by rebuilding agency in ourselves.
In this episode of The Intentional Investor, host Matt Zeigler is joined by Bogumil Baranowski to discuss the power of investing with a multi-generational mindset. Baranowski shares his personal journey from growing up in communist Poland to discovering the transformative potential of free market economies and property rights. We also discuss the importance of viewing wealth as a tree that can be planted, nurtured, and enjoyed by future generations and explore the value of community, education, and personal experiences in shaping one’s perspective on investing and life.
Please, let’s have a laugh at Conan on Hot Ones, but let’s also think this out together:
How do you win at story?
I’ve got 10 rules to try and help. And, using plenty of examples from the show, let’s see if we can’t get just a little bit better at the stories we tell ourselves too.
In this episode of Breaking News, we explore a range of topics, from the lack of media coverage surrounding the billions of dollars funneled to Donald Trump through his social media company, to the pervasiveness of gambling and speculation in our society. We discuss the embedded wage-price inflationary environment and its potential impact on our fragile, optimized systems. Additionally, we delve into the creative process behind Kelly Clarkson’s hit song “Since U Been Gone” and how it relates to the construction of pop stars, media stories, and political narratives.
The ‘monomyth’ or Hero’s Journey isn’t just a script for movies. It’s also the script of our society and our individual lives.
If we let it.
In this episode of The Intentional Investor, host Matt Ziegler interviews Howard Lindzon, the founder and CEO of StockTwits. Lindzon shares his journey from aspiring comedian to stockbroker, entrepreneur, and investor, highlighting the importance of mentorship, tight networks, and adaptability in the ever-changing landscape of business and technology. The conversation covers Lindzon’s early investments in companies like Robinhood and eToro, the evolution of social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube, and the lessons he’s learned from navigating bull and bear markets.
Free is a good price. It’s how we got Fortnite, and Radio, and a terrible internet. People hate paying for things.
That’s what Fidelity was counting on when they decided to make a stink about 9 ETF issuers not signing their revenue sharing deal.
And they’ll win. They always win.