In this episode, Cole Smead is joined by author Brian Potter to discuss his book “The Origins of Efficiency.” The two discuss the importance and profound impact of efficiency when producing goods and services. Potter also explains how improved efficiency in penicillin production changed the world, the five factors of the production process, and more!

In this episode, author and professor Mark Blyth sits down with Cole Smead to discuss a book he co-authored with Nicolò Fraccaroli titled “Inflation: A Guide for Users and Losers.” Blyth unpacks the modern forces driving today’s economic shifts, explaining how they reach far beyond simple price increases. They also discuss modern means for managing the economy, energy trends, and more!

In this episode, professor and author Amitav Acharya joins Cole Smead to discuss his book “The Once and Future World Order: Why Global Civilization Will Survive the Decline of the West.” The two discuss the history of world order, including its origins in Mesopotamia. Cole and Amitav also examine what historical insights reveal about the future of nations like the U.S. and China, as well as the world order in relation to the decline of the West.

In this special quarterly ‘book list’ episode, Bill Smead and Cole Smead discuss memorable takeaways from books they have recently read, share what they are reading now, and preview what is next on their reading list. The pair also offer fresh insights for investors, drawing on historical examples and personal experiences that shape their perspectives on today’s economy.

In this episode, author and professor Toby Stuart sits down with Cole Smead to discuss his book “Anointed: The Extraordinary Effects of Social Status in a Winner-Take-Most World.” Together, they explore how social status shapes perception, drawing on examples from the art world to show how value has shifted from the object itself to the identity of its creator, various forms of uncertainty, and more.

In this episode, Cole Smead sits down with author and former President and CFO of SoftBank Group International, Alok Sama, to discuss his book, “The Money Trap: Lost Illusions Inside the Tech Bubble.” Sama discusses his personal background and investing roots. He also details his experiences alongside SoftBank’s revolutionary founder, Masayoshi Son, and the “dark side” of the industry, discussing topics such as corporate espionage.

In this episode, Cole Smead sits down with professor and author James Romm to discuss his book, “Plato and the Tyrant: The Fall of Greece's Greatest Dynasty and the Making of a Philosophic Masterpiece.” They cover a series of letters that Romm believes to unmistakably be Plato’s writing. The two discuss Plato’s encounters with a tyrannical father and son, both named Dionysius, and the legendary philosopher’s impact on the opulent city of Syracuse.

In this episode, author and professor Graham Taylor sits down with Cole Smead to discuss his book, “Imperial Standard: Imperial Oil, Exxon, and the Canadian Oil Industry from 1880.” Their conversation takes an in-depth look at the history of Canada’s Imperial Oil and its complex relationship with Exxon Mobil. Additionally, Cole and Graham discuss their expectations for the future of Imperial Oil, including if they foresee a time when the company is no longer controlled or majority owned by Exxon, and more!

In this episode, Cole Smead sits down with Bloomberg Editor Duncan Mavin to discuss his book, “Meltdown: Greed, Scandal, and the Collapse of Credit Suisse.” The two explore the founding of Credit Suisse and its morally questionable history, which found the bank involved in a long list of scandals, including the laundering of Nazi funds and stolen assets, banking relationships with drug dealers and dictators, and the incineration of holocaust related documents. They also cover the bank’s collapse in March of last year, one of the largest shocks to the banking industry since the 2008 crisis.

In this episode, Cole Smead sits down with Stephen Clapham, founder of the London-based investment research and training consultancy Behind the Balance Sheet, to discuss his book “The Smart Money Method: How to Pick Stocks Like a Hedge Fund Pro.” Their conversation explores Clapham’s investment philosophy and methodology, his perspective on legendary investors such as Warren Buffett, and more.