My guest today is Mike Zlotnik, CEO of TF Management Group and host of Big Mike Fund Podcast. In this episode Mike reflects on his upbringing in the Soviet Union, his journey from Moldova to New York, and his shift from a technology career to real estate investing. He and Ken discuss how chess and poker develop critical skills vital for investing and business, and highlight the challenges of real estate investing, particularly maintenance costs and leveraging in the current market. 

Please enjoy my conversation with Mike Zlotnik.

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For more episodes of Compound Ideas, visit Compoundideasshow.com

For more insights like these and to contribute to the conversation go to: https://www.ridgewoodinvestments.com/insights-from-our-founder  

Follow Ken Majmudar on: 

Linkedin @kenmajmudar

YouTube - Investing with Ken Majmudar

Instagram - @kenmajmudar

Twitter @kmajmudar 

Resources

bigmikefund.com

https://tempofunding.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mzlotnik/

https://thecollectivegenius.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Animal-Farm-George-Orwell/dp/0451526341

Show Notes

• [00:01:17] -Reflecting on his upbringing in the Soviet Union, Mike describes the hardships his family endured.
• [00:09:14] -Ken and Mike discuss how chess and poker teach critical thinking, adaptability, and decision-making, skills vital for investing and business.
• [00:17:33] - Mike recounts his journey from Moldova to New York, highlighting his family's immigration, education, technology career, and transition to real estate investing.
• [00:20:36] - Mike shares lessons from real estate investing, focusing on the challenges of maintenance costs and leveraging in the current market.
• [00:27:01] -  Highlighting his path in the industry, Mike’s shares his transition from personal real estate investing to joining Tempo Funding.
• [00:32:22] -  Ken & Mike discuss the Tempo Advantage Fund, designed to provide mezzanine financing for real estate projects facing difficulties due to higher interest rates.
• [00:37:11] - Recounting Tempo Funding's evolution from short-sale flip financing to hard money lending and eventually to launching commercial investment funds and syndications.
• [00:43:32] - Discussing the obstacles confronting recent real estate investments amid market shifts and increasing interest rates, highlighting investor communication and the unpredictability of market timing.

My guest today is Dustin Stout, entrepreneur and founder of Magai - An AI Software As A Services Tool that he developed. In this episode, Dustin shares his journey from acting school to creating a successful freelance agency and the SaaS product Social Warfare, discusses influential books on content creation, explores the transformative impact of AI tools on business productivity with his AI platform Magai, and emphasizes the cultural shift towards AI adoption and the importance of hands-on experimentation to harness its full potential.

Please enjoy my conversation with Dustin Stout.

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For more episodes of Compound Ideas, visit Compoundideasshow.com

For more insights like these and to contribute to the conversation go to: https://www.ridgewoodinvestments.com/insights-from-our-founder

Follow Ken Majmudar on:

Linkedin @kenmajmudar

YouTube - Investing with Ken Majmudar

Instagram - @kenmajmudar

Twitter @kmajmudar

Resources

https://dustinstout.com/

https://magai.co/

https://fullfocusstore.com/collections/books/products/platform-get-noticed-in-a-noisy-world

https://www.jaybaer.com/books

https://jonahberger.com/

https://10xeasierbook.com/

Show Notes

[00:01:30] - Dustin reflects on his upbringing in Sharon, Pennsylvania, highlighting the town's location and cultural diversity.

[00:05:12] - Comparing acting school's practical approach to traditional academics, Dustin underscores the importance of focusing on vital skills necessary for his career in acting.

[00:06:44] - The progression from sharing insights and strategies on a personal blog to the establishment of a thriving freelance agency.

[00:12:12] - Dustin discusses the books that shaped his content creation strategy, stressing the importance of delivering value tailored to the audience's needs and interests.

[00:18:22] - Dustin recounts Social Warfare, his first successful venture in the realm of SaaS products.

[00:21:32] - Inspired by the potential of ChatGPT, Dustin discusses the conception of Magai, an integrated all-in-one AI platform.

[00:32:52] - Comparing the strengths of AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, and unmoderated models, while previewing the anticipated capabilities of Google Gemini Pro.

[00:40:59] - Exploring the capabilities of image AI models like Dall-E 3, Leonardo AI, Midjourney, and the upcoming LensGo, while noting challenges in adding text to images.

[00:48:05] - Dustin examines the transformative impact of AI tools on business productivity, showcasing real-world applications like real-time data analysis and efficient task automation.

[00:52:19] - Dustin and Ken discuss the cultural shift towards AI adoption, emphasizing the need for hands-on experimentation to fully realize its potential.

My guest today is Rob Hunter, a seasoned entrepreneur, educator and the visionary behind Speaker Ventures. Our discussion includes a dive into Rob’s fascinating journey into entrepreneurship from a young age, exploring the challenges of failed ventures to the triumphs of successful ones, including the experience of being a Y combinator entrepreneur and invaluable insights and experiences gleaned from his entrepreneurial journey.

Please enjoy my conversation with Rob Hunter.

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For more episodes of Compound Ideas, visit Compoundideasshow.com

For more insights like these and to contribute to the conversation go to: https://www.ridgewoodinvestments.com/insights-from-our-founder  

Follow Ken Majmudar on: 

Linkedin @kenmajmudar

YouTube - Investing with Ken Majmudar

Instagram - @kenmajmudar

Twitter @kmajmudar 

Resources

https://www.speakerventures.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robhunter7/?originalSubdomain=ca

https://www.amazon.com/Ping-Frog-Search-New-Pond/dp/1557046824

Show Notes

[00:01:30] - Unconventional ventures that provided valuable lessons and a taste of entrepreneurship at a young age.

[00:03:51] - Rob recalls a middle-class upbringing with his entrepreneurial father, fostering mutual empathy and contributing to a generally happy life in a small town.

[00:05:05] - The motivational materials that sparked a lasting, formative journey of self-improvement.

[00:08:37] - Rob contemplates how the business program at Western University aided him in self-discovery and cementing his career trajectory.

[00:12:37] - The unsuccessful ice cream franchise that served as a pivotal moment in Rob's life, prompting him to reevaluate his goals and aspirations.

[00:16:39] - An idea conceived by Rob during an internship evolved into his greatest accomplishment, giving rise to Hire Me.

[00:20:06] - Rob shares his journey through Y Combinator, highlighting the ups and downs of tech entrepreneurship.

[00:28:38] - Recognizing the valuable lessons it provided for his future ventures, Rob reflects on challenges with his first franchise, Marble Slab.

[00:31:05] - Ken and Rob discuss the potential of franchising as an entrepreneurial venture, stressing strong brands and the benefits of being franchisor over a franchisee.

[00:35:56] - Rob offers insights gained from his adventures in establishing a business.

[00:43:17] - Deep dive into Rob’s latest endeavor, Speaker Ventures.

[00:50:16] - Rob offers some parting thoughts and words of advice to the listeners.

My guest today is Ninad Shinde, private equity advisor & vet care entrepreneur. Our discussion includes Ninad’s diverse background spanning growing up in India, attending business and engineering schools, living in the US, and spending the last decade in London. With a broad mind and interests in investing, technology, and luxury companies, he brings a wealth of knowledge to this wide-ranging conversation.

Please enjoy my conversation with Ninad Shinde.

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For more episodes of Compound Ideas, visit Compoundideasshow.com

For more insights like these and to contribute to the conversation go to: https://www.ridgewoodinvestments.com/insights-from-our-founder

Follow Ken Majmudar on:

Linkedin @kenmajmudar

YouTube - Investing with Ken Majmudar

Instagram - @kenmajmudar

X/Twitter - @kmajmudar

Resources

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ninadshinde/

https://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804139296

https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/letters/letters.html

Show Notes

[00:02:12] - Ninad recalls his formative years in India, and how his cosmopolitan upbringing played a pivotal role in shaping his worldview and fostering an appreciation for diversity.

[00:03:06] - Ninad’s remarkable international career journey.

[00:04:58] - Ken and Ninad engage in a discussion about the evolving nature of India.

[00:06:54] - Contemplating the differences between the Indian and American education systems and the cultural differences in how elders are perceived and respected.

[00:09:07] - Recalling his Catholic school education in India, Ninad notes the impactful role of exams in shaping his future, emphasizing his passion for self-directed learning.

[00:11:50] - Ninad describes his academic journey at Purdue University, covering his transition from mechanical to electrical engineering.

[00:14:22] - Motivated by the challenges and intricacies of semiconductors in the dot-com boom, Ninad explains his shift into the interdisciplinary realm of microfluidics.

[00:16:38] - Drawing on his analytical engineering background, Ninad explores a transition to management consulting.

[00:23:17] - Ninad discusses the key elements in comprehending incentives and motivations within the realm of business decisions.

[00:25:52] - After consulting, Ninad pursued business school in London for a challenge shifting into investment banking during the financial crisis.

[00:28:04] - Becoming disillusioned with investment banking, Ninad discovered that it failed to provide the expected instruction on valuing companies.

[00:33:38] - Ninad reflects on his years of experience, sharing the essential insights gained.

[00:37:42] - Ninad shares his journey as an amateur investor, attributing early success to the guiding principles of Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger.

[00:44:52] - Ninad highlights the significance of adaptability in value investing, emphasizing his concentration on economically promising sectors with enduring growth potential.

[00:50:28] - Ken and Ninad discuss investing in hyperscalers, addressing growth concerns and lack of pure plays.

[00:57:41] - Ninad highlights luxury goods as a top investment theme, noting their universal appeal and sustained demand driven by intergenerational wealth transfer.

[01:07:25] - Ninad explores the lucrative investment prospects in veterinary care with his new project, Virtue Vets.

My guest today is Vatsal Nahata, Research Analyst at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In our conversation, Vatsal talks about growing up in a middle class Marwadi community in Calcutta and the values he learned from his parents and grandparents. We also talk about his interest in the Indian civil service and his passion for economics, and Vatsal shares his inspiring story of how he utilized the power of social media to secure a job at the height of the pandemic.

Please enjoy my conversation with Vatsal Nahata.

For full show notes, transcript, and links to content discussed in this episode refer to the episode page here:

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For more episodes of Compound Ideas, visit Compoundideasshow.com

For more insights like these and to contribute to the conversation go to: https://www.ridgewoodinvestments.com/insights-from-our-founder  

Follow Ken Majmudar on: 

Linkedin @kenmajmudar

YouTube - Investing with Ken Majmudar

Instagram - @kenmajmudar

Twitter @kmajmudar 

Resources

Vatsal Nahata - Research Analyst - International Monetary Fund | LinkedIn

https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/other/600-cold-emails-80-phone-calls-how-delhi-s-vatsal-nahata-got-a-job-at-the-world-bank-imf/ar-AA12f1QB

Show Notes

[00:01:45] - A traditional upbringing and the values Vatsal gained from his childhood growing up in Calcutta, India

[00:02:49] - The reasoning behind Vatsal’s move to the United States

[00:04:24] - Insights on India’s surging economy and youthful impact

[00:07:22] - An internship and passion for economics become the catalyst for Vatsal's interest in the Indian civil service

[00:12:46] - Struggling to find a job after graduating into the beginning of the global pandemic.  His strategy of cold outreach to all levels of employers and learning to become fearless

[00:19:35] - Deep dive into the work of an economist initially at The World Bank and now at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and how they are structured and operate

[00:25:59] - His thoughts on his growing LinkedIn following and his content strategy of creating authentic stories and posts that created his growing following

[00:29:47] - Ken and Vatsal discuss their relatable Gujarati and Marwadi backgrounds and Ken encourages Vatsal’s future interest in entrepreneurship

My guest today is Terry McGuire, a long time friend, partner and portfolio manager at Dividend Growth Partners. In our conversation today, we discuss the appreciation Terry gained from a migrant childhood and the friends he discovered along the way. Despite struggling with dyslexia, he was able to overcome the challenges it presented and go on to major in both rhetoric and economics. He also shares valuable lessons he learned from his first major investment loss in high yield bonds, and we delve into the world of dividend investing.

Please enjoy my conversation with Terry McGuire

For full show notes, transcript, and links to content discussed in this episode refer to the episode page here:

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For more episodes of Compound Ideas, visit Compoundideasshow.com

For more insights like these and to contribute to the conversation go to: https://www.ridgewoodinvestments.com/insights-from-our-founder  

Follow Ken Majmudar on: 

Linkedin @kenmajmudar

YouTube - @InvestingwithKenMajmudar

Instagram - @kenmajmudar

Twitter @kmajmudar

Resources

Dividend Growth Partners – DGP

SRC Green Book

Value Line

Seeking Alpha | Stock Market Analysis & Tools for Investors

Show Notes

[00:01:30] - Terry finds appreciation in his nomadic childhood from the friendships he’s established all over the world.

[00:06:51] - A life changing learning disorder diagnosed at boarding school

[00:09:19] - The defining moment in an economics class that inspired a first investment and the financial loss that triggered an interest in dividend investing.

[00:14:27] - Learning the importance of saving.

[00:17:52] - Founding a bagel business at Cal Berkley

[00:24:18] - Insights on the differences between Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School

[00:27:33] - Challenges after graduation opens new doors to opportunities on the West Coast at Capital Research manager of the American Funds family of mutual funds

[00:31:59] - Deep dive into many elements of dividend growth investing 

[00:37:03] - A glance at the sustained history and future outlook for dividend growth investing

My guest today is Jason Medley, a personal friend, entrepreneur and founder of The Collective Genius. In our conversation today we discussed Jason’s upbringing and the lessons he learned in discipline from a single parent household. We talked about hitting rock bottom and making the conscious choice to reprogram his life. We also discussed Jason’s subsequent journey that led him to founding The Collective Genius - the leading real estate mastermind for wholesalers and the overall value of peer to peer networking groups. 

Please enjoy my conversation with Jason Medley.

For full show notes, transcript, and links to content discussed in this episode refer to the episode page here: https://www.compoundideasshow.com/jason-medley-founder-of-the-collective-genius-real-estate-mastermind/

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For more episodes of Compound Ideas, visit Compoundideasshow.com

For more insights like these and to contribute to the conversation go to: https://www.ridgewoodinvestments.com/insights-from-our-founder  

Follow Ken Majmudar on: 

Linkedin @kenmajmudar

Twitter @kmajmudar 

YouTube - @investingwithkenmajmudar

Instagram - @kenmajmudar

Tiktok - @kenmajmudar

Resources

https://gapandgainbook.com/

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill 

Show Notes

[00:01:59] - Empowerment through a strict but loving childhood

[00:06:44] -  Jason struggles to balance freedom and responsibility as a young college student  

[00:11:43] - Jason shares his story of a life changing illness

[00:15:38] - The beginning of his entrepreneurial journey

[00:19:49] - Losing everything and hitting rock bottom

[00:21:54] - A morning ritual that changed the trajectory of his life

[00:27:09] - How flipping a few short sales evolved into iVisionary Financial

[00:29:08] - Jason learns what it means to be well rounded and successful

[00:30:28] - The launch of The Collective Genius

[00:36:01] - What it takes to start a mastermind

[00:39:07] - Deepdive into the value of peer to peer networking groups

[00:42:25] - A look at future project iwillriseup.com

[00:43:37] - The impact of a good book

My guest today is Jeremy Hill, a successful entrepreneur and founder of JB Capital. In our conversations today, we discuss what success looks like and how one person's path to success may differ from another. We discuss how the ways we make connections today differ significantly from our grandparents' generations and the importance of a good connection in the business world. 

Please enjoy my conversation with Jeremy Hill.

For full show notes, transcript, and links to content discussed in this episode refer to the episode page here:

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For more episodes of Compound Ideas, visit Compoundideasshow.com

For more insights like these and to contribute to the conversation go to: https://www.ridgewoodinvestments.com/insights-from-our-founder  

Follow Ken Majmudar on: 

Linkedin @kenmajmudar

Twitter @kmajmudar 

Facebook kaushal.majmudar.3

Youtube

Resources

https://thelostconnections.com/buy-the-book/

Show Notes

[00:02:28] - Learning to adapt to a vagrant childhood

[00:05:22] - How Jeremy’s grandparents shaped his perspective on life

[00:10:34] - The values and behaviors from past generations

[00:12:20] - The “Stand By Me” moments of this generation

[00:15:41] - Why he never got his degree

[00:17:08] - What it means to be successful 

[00:21:30] - A really good employee who can’t keep a job

[00:25:31] - A friendly cup of coffee accidentally develops into new business opportunities  

[00:29:25] - Deep dive into JB Capital’s business structure and how it’s changed over the years.

[00:39:28] - General wisdom for entrepreneurship

[00:43:39] - Jeremy shares his perspective on the decline of the Emerald City 

[00:48:59] - Outlook on the oncoming recession.

[00:50:30] - Perspective on social media and using it to build a portfolio

My guest today is Nick Anderson, advisor, mentor, and author of “Six-Word Lessons For Middle Managers”. In our conversation we discuss how Nick has drawn upon his experience in the banking industry coupled with how he’s overcome personal tragedy to mentor others through his company Chosen Leader. We dive into the meaning of Chosen Leader and the idea that leaders are not born or built.  

Please enjoy my conversation with Nick Anderson.

For full show notes, transcript, and links to content discussed in this episode refer to the episode page here:

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For more episodes of Compound Ideas, visit Compoundideasshow.com

For more insights like these and to contribute to the conversation go to: https://www.ridgewoodinvestments.com/insights-from-our-founder  

Follow Ken Majmudar on: 

Linkedin @kenmajmudar

Twitter @kmajmudar 

Facebook kaushal.majmudar.3

Youtube

Resources

https://chosen-leader.com/

https://markmanson.net/books/subtle-art

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk2YkzOQerk

Show Notes

[00:01:58] - From isolated youth to discovering the power of perception

[00:07:47] - Developing empathy through personal tragedy - a salesperson is born

[00:10:31]- The shirt and tie illusion 

[00:11:58]- Becoming a manager at nineteen years old 

[00:12:57] - How Nick took an underperforming bank to number one

[00:15:00]- Lessons on vulnerability

[00:15:43] - What we learned about banking from “It’s a Wonderful Life” 

[00:21:18] - The American Dream turns tragic

[00:23:55] - Why I asked to be fired

[00:25:00] - A life changing decision without a plan

[00:28:29] - The valuable lessons in Nick’s book

[00:38:05] - A new project

[00:40:06] -  Dichotomy of salvation in the darkest hours

[00:42:05] - Self-discovery and an identity once lost

[00:43:40] - Solomon’s Paradox and why we need good advisors and coaches

My guest today is Chris Lahiji, President and founder of LD Micro, host of one of the most influential micro-cap conferences in the world of professional investing. Chris takes pleasure in pretty much everything he does; his larger than life personality lends itself well to being the founder of one of the most interesting conferences I attend each year. Chris’ approach to his conferences and to life is energizing and contagious. He defines a successful conference as a carefully orchestrated sensory experience; a convergence of meeting and connecting with great people, learning about great ideas and management teams, and growing in the process.

Please enjoy my conversation with Chris Lahiji.

For full show notes, transcript, and links to content discussed in this episode refer to the episode page here:

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For more episodes of Compound Ideas, visit Compoundideasshow.com

For more insights like these and to contribute to the conversation go to: https://www.ridgewoodinvestments.com/insights-from-our-founder  

Follow Ken Majmudar on: 

Linkedin @kenmajmudar

Twitter @kmajmudar 

Facebook kaushal.majmudar.3

Resources

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2003-04-20/i-want-my-annual-reports

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2004-03-08/he-manages-a-million-but-still-cant-drink

https://www.ldmicro.com/

https://www.bamsec.com/ 

Show Notes

[00:03:40] - Chris’ origin story and how an investor adds value to the world

[00:07:37] - Thoughts on how Texas has transformed over the years

[00:12:59] - The teachings a 10 year old kid deduces following the 1994 Earthquake

[00:20:38] - Why Tennis players have a chip on their shoulder.

[00:29:40] - Companies Chris is passionate about

[00:34:24] - The best companies no one has ever heard of and My first 90 bagger

[00:39:22] - How an insult turns into inspiration for a new career move

[00:43:30]  - Takeaways from successful conferences 

[00:57:39]  - Chris shares insights on finding unique opportunities in microcap 

[01:05:19] - How “Weird Al” Yankovic inspired Chris’ career path