Podcast Idea Suggestions

[EricSchleien]

Hi All,

 

I run the Intelligent Investing Podcast.

 

Looking for ideas/topics that you think would be interesting for a podcast episode. Would be done interview style.

 

Eric

[DTEJD1997]

Eric:

 

I might suggest some questions for guests on your podcast...maybe not a topic for a whole podcast.

 

1). Best/Worst investment

 

2). Biggest mistake you ever made

 

3). Investment(s) that didn't work out the way you imagined.  Something with unusual circumstances.  For instance.  I once bought a quiet nano-cap stock.  All of a sudden the bid was 50%+ higher than I bought a week previously.  I sold.  Several thousand shares traded...all this on no apparent news.  A couple days later it went back down to about what I paid.  Very odd activity on a small cap stock.  Only time in my career that ever happened.

 

Or a family member of mine had many thousands of shares in Greek shipping company.  Shipping company stocks got caught in short squeeze, some of them went up 100x in a year.  This one went up like 50X, IN LESS THAN A YEAR.  Movement was all based on technical issues/short squeezes...Very odd.  Once in a career type thing.

 

4). Most "off the beaten path" where you've invested.  Anybody ever have money at work in Zimbabwe?  Eritrea? North Korea?  I bet some members of CofB&F have!  Perhaps they might wish to share?

 

5). Unusual business(es) that you've been involved/worked at?  Strip club?  Gold refinery?  Mercenaries in Africa?  Used car lot on 8 Mile road in Detroit?  Part of a card counting crew in casinos?

 

6). Best small business model that you've ever seen/encountered and know to be producing actual good returns?  In my area of town, there are some small businesses that are COMPLETELY off the radar scope that are making their owners quite well to do.  These are very low profile businesses.  Several have even evaded my prying eyes and I learned about them from other investors...

 

I look for odd/unusual stuff. I find interesting things...but there is TON that I miss, don't see OR even mistake.

 

7). Maybe the biggest return you've ever made.  Turning $.50 into $20 does not count.  It has to be something like turning $5k into $80k (or even more).

 

Maybe put together several of these ideas and you might have an interesting episode or two?

 

[StevieV]

Hi Eric,

 

I listen to your podcast.  I the DT has some excellent ideas.  I've got some general suggestions for your podcast, even though they may not be suggested episodes.  I am not sure what your goals are for the podcast, so some of these may not apply.

 

(1) It would put out the podcast on a regular schedule.  As a listener, I like that.  Also, most of the successful podcasts I am aware of do so.  If you are lacking a guest, you could try to do the podcast without a guest every once in a while.  I imagine it is tougher, but a simple:  This is one of my most recent investments; or this is my portfolio podcast could be interesting.

 

(2)  I like hearing guests who aren't on other podcasts, and that's one of the things I like about your podcast.  I am not sure this is the path to podcast success.  Just a personal preference.

 

(3)  I am interested in individual or perhaps small shop investors who have had success over a reasonable period of time.  Someone like Packer would fit the bill.  I am just interested in hearing the person's record, how they achieved it, how they've adapted, and what they are doing today.

 

(4)  I've always thought that concentration versus diversification is an interesting topic.  How many stocks should you own?  Is it possible to outperform with 30+ significant position?  Should you cap a single position at 20%?  Higher, lower?  Has your weighting changed over time (more or less concentrated)?  Why?

 

(5)  You put out a general call for guests here.  If there is a poster here that you would like to interview on your podcast, I suggest you send them a message and invite them specifically.  I think you'll have a much better chance of getting folks from the board if you specifically ask particular members.

 

Enjoy the shows.  Keep up the good work.

 

 

[tombgrt]

 

 

(3)  I am interested in individual or perhaps small shop investors who have had success over a reasonable period of time.  Someone like Packer would fit the bill.  I am just interested in hearing the person's record, how they achieved it, how they've adapted, and what they are doing today.

 

(4)  I've always thought that concentration versus diversification is an interesting topic.  How many stocks should you own?  Is it possible to outperform with 30+ significant position?  Should you cap a single position at 20%?  Higher, lower?  Has your weighting changed over time (more or less concentrated)?  Why?

 

Enjoy the shows.  Keep up the good work.

 

 

 

Agreed!

 

In fact, you might find a bull and bear on a stock somewhere here who are both willing to discuss the investment on your podcast. Would be great to listen to!

[bookie71]

One on "How to hedge your portfolio at the top of a bull market"

[LC]

I always ask investors - what are you unsure about, what have you avoided due to being unsure.

[Dynamic]

I also listen to your podcast, Eric, and frankly it's the only investing podcast I have listening time to include regularly among all my science and skepticism podcasts and a couple of comedies, and I enjoy it almost always because it's very focused on different forms of Value Investing that I'd be interest to know more about and doesn't go into lots of non-value areas I don't care about, or discuss greeks and CAPM and all that crap I believe is largely irrelevant.

 

A few questions that various interviewees might have different opinions on:

 

1. Do you change any aspect of your strategy, your margin or safety or your asset allocation when you feel we're at the late stages of a bull market, entering a bear market or when interest rates change greatly?

 

2. Do you find times when you are lacking investment opportunities, and if so, what do you do?

 

3. How do you think about when to exit a position on its own merits or when to switch from one investment to another? If you exit a position on its own merits, is your default holding cash or another instrument?

 

4. Do you employ leverage, and if so, how do you think about it?

 

5. Do you employ hedging, and if so, how do you think about it?

 

6. How do you get your news, and how do you think about it?

 

7. Would you care to share your Pick of the Show - an interesting resource, be it an article, book, podcast, video, or blog that has influenced you, clarified your approach or changed your views, or even something you largely disagree with that is well argued or thought-provoking?

 

You might use these questions only when a line of conversation reaches its conclusion, pick one or two to ask everyone, or choose some at random if you end up with a large list of too many questions.

[mwtorock]

Hey Eric, chinese stocks are hot topic now. how about taking Travis back to talk about JD thoughts? Or anyone that is familiar with chinese stocks?

[Gilp]

I've just subscribed. Sounds great podcast to listen to.

I would also like a "back to basics" episode.

Summarizes the principles, the fundamentals and the ways of acting of the top value investors: Buffett, Lynch and others.

 

Thank You and keep up the great work.

 

Gil