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Ctrl Alt Invest Returns: Cash, Crashes, and Why Private Equity is Eating Your HVAC Guy
The pivot is here. After a summer break, Ctrl Alt Invest is back with a new format but the same mission: cut through Wall Street's BS and talk about what actually matters to regular investors.
In this episode:
Government Shutdown Reality Check
The right-wing talking point that "the government's been shut down and your life hasn't changed" ignores the TSA workers directing planes without paychecks and families living paycheck-to-paycheck being forced to drive Uber just to survive. Plus: October saw the most private sector layoffs since 2003, and CEOs are blaming "AI" for everything.
NYC's New Mayor & Socialist Fears
Mom Donnie (Mondami) won, and conservatives are freaking out. Is he actually a socialist, or is this just more political theater? We break down what city-level policy actually means when the federal government isn't playing ball.
Commercial Real Estate's Ticking Time Bomb
Everyone talks about residential mortgages, but commercial mortgage-backed securities—especially multifamily—are showing serious cracks. Defaults are climbing fast, but here's the thing: commercial defaults work differently than residential. Banks don't want your 200-unit building. They'll negotiate. We explain what this means for average investors and why your local strip mall might be in trouble.
Being "In Cash" in a Volatile Market
Warren Buffett is sitting on $380 billion in cash. Should you be hoarding cash too, or is that just preparing for discounts? We discuss currency devaluation risks, what Buffett's actually doing with that money (spoiler: Treasury bills), and whether the doomsday bread-line scenario is actually coming.
Control Panel: Private Equity is a Problem
Listener question: Is now a good time to invest in private equity? Our take: Hell no. Private equity firms are buying up mom-and-pop businesses—HVAC companies, service providers—slapping iPads on contractors, implementing dynamic pricing (charge the guy with the Mercedes more), and running these businesses into the ground. Real example: PE firm buys successful HVAC company, pivots entire business to just selling generators because of margins. Spoiler: It's failing.
The problem? Financial guys with spreadsheets don't know jack about selling HVAC systems. Just because you can make money in markets doesn't mean you know how to run a plumbing business.
Looking Ahead:
- James is watching Palantir's trajectory
- Jason's tracking gaming stocks and the DraftKings/ESPN partnership (after Penn pulled out)
This isn't a reboot. It's a hard pivot. Welcome back.
View all episodes
By Jason VondersmithThe pivot is here. After a summer break, Ctrl Alt Invest is back with a new format but the same mission: cut through Wall Street's BS and talk about what actually matters to regular investors.
In this episode:
Government Shutdown Reality Check
The right-wing talking point that "the government's been shut down and your life hasn't changed" ignores the TSA workers directing planes without paychecks and families living paycheck-to-paycheck being forced to drive Uber just to survive. Plus: October saw the most private sector layoffs since 2003, and CEOs are blaming "AI" for everything.
NYC's New Mayor & Socialist Fears
Mom Donnie (Mondami) won, and conservatives are freaking out. Is he actually a socialist, or is this just more political theater? We break down what city-level policy actually means when the federal government isn't playing ball.
Commercial Real Estate's Ticking Time Bomb
Everyone talks about residential mortgages, but commercial mortgage-backed securities—especially multifamily—are showing serious cracks. Defaults are climbing fast, but here's the thing: commercial defaults work differently than residential. Banks don't want your 200-unit building. They'll negotiate. We explain what this means for average investors and why your local strip mall might be in trouble.
Being "In Cash" in a Volatile Market
Warren Buffett is sitting on $380 billion in cash. Should you be hoarding cash too, or is that just preparing for discounts? We discuss currency devaluation risks, what Buffett's actually doing with that money (spoiler: Treasury bills), and whether the doomsday bread-line scenario is actually coming.
Control Panel: Private Equity is a Problem
Listener question: Is now a good time to invest in private equity? Our take: Hell no. Private equity firms are buying up mom-and-pop businesses—HVAC companies, service providers—slapping iPads on contractors, implementing dynamic pricing (charge the guy with the Mercedes more), and running these businesses into the ground. Real example: PE firm buys successful HVAC company, pivots entire business to just selling generators because of margins. Spoiler: It's failing.
The problem? Financial guys with spreadsheets don't know jack about selling HVAC systems. Just because you can make money in markets doesn't mean you know how to run a plumbing business.
Looking Ahead:
- James is watching Palantir's trajectory
- Jason's tracking gaming stocks and the DraftKings/ESPN partnership (after Penn pulled out)
This isn't a reboot. It's a hard pivot. Welcome back.