Orion's The Weighing Machine

Eben Burr of Toews Asset Management - Hedging Against Inflation, and Preparing for a Potential Bear Market


Listen Later

In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Eben Burr, President of Toews Asset Management.

Eben came to the financial industry with an unusual background. With degrees in architectural history and product design, he studied architecture in Paris, designed products, and worked in NYC real estate market, before eventually landing at Toews.

That said, the common thread throughout Eben’s career has been a focus on user experience — a skill that turned out to be a huge asset at Toews. 

Eben talks with Rusty and Robyn about preparing for a potential bear market,  hedging portfolios against inflation, and bringing introspection to investing.


Key Takeaways

  • [06:45] - Are we in a superbubble?
  • [10:52] - Are advisors ready for a bear market in the stocks?
  • [15:58] - Some evidence-based findings on inflation.
  • [19:30] - What's the hedge equity approach?
  • [24:47] - Keeping up with quick volatility and market downdraft.
  • [26:14] - Advice on unconstrained fixed income strategies.
  • [27:48] - The importance of behavioral finance.
  • [30:50] - A balance of empathy, integrity, and confidence.
  • [32:54] - Why introspection is underrated.
  • [34:54] - Eben’s personal investing practices.
  • [37:23] - Eben’s book and podcast recommendations.

  • Quotes

    [27:13] - “We've gotten so complacent with thinking about S&P large caps that we no longer have this idea of true diversification, where there's intentionally something underperforming, right? There's intentionally something not going well.” - Eben Burr

    [29:14] - “Seeing someone really compelling at a conference is not likely to change your behavior. There is a deep, deep gulf between inspiration and implementation. So we're working every day with advisors to help them improve their communication, portfolio construction (which is really important in behavior), and implement structure so that the advisor practice is really embracing behavioral change on all levels. Really you need to look at things like client delight and retention, as well as just their understanding. All those things come into play.” - Eben Burr

    [33:26] - “Know your strengths and weaknesses. I mean, introspection, I think is so fantastically underrated in American society. You know, we're amazing doers as Americans, right? We're just like, give me something to do and I will do it to death but don't ask me to think about it after I've done it. Cause I don't want to do that.” - Eben Burr


    Links 

    • Eben Burr on LinkedIn
    • Toews Asset Management
    • "The IVth Crusade" by Bolt Thrower
    • Ol’e Nessie by Mastodon
    • Rise Above by Black Flag
    • Jeremy Grantham Super Bubble Comments
    • Calling a Super Bubble: Front Row With Jeremy Grantham | YouTube
    • ‘SNL’: Pete Davidson, Jack Harlow Deliver Eminem-Inspired Rap Explaining NFTs | RollingStone
    • Behavioral Investing Institute
    • Brian Portnoy
    • Advisor Communication for Bubbles and Market Crises
    • Toews Economic and Capital Markets Update 1Q22
    • Importance of Emotional Intelligence
    • Attention Robinhood power users: Most day traders lose money by Bob Pisani | CNBC
    • Cocoa Barn NYC 
    • Odd Lots Podcast
    • Standard Deviations Podcast
    • Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business by Rana Foroohar
    • Alexander Hamilton: A Life by Willard Sterne Randall
    • Downtown by Pete Hamill
    • The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy - What the Cycles of History Tell Us About America's Next Rendezvous with Destiny by William Strauss
    • Blast Beats
    • The 10 best fictional architects | The Guardian
    • Meditation
    • Super Bubble Bubble Gum
    • S&P 500
    • L’Ecole Bleue
    • Monty Python
    • The Towering Inferno
    • Fountainhead
    • Wesley Snipes
    • Paul Newman
    • John Cleese
    • The history of inflation in the United States
    • Investor Behavior in a Market Crisis
    • Investments and Wealth Monitor
    • Toews Agility Shares ETF’s

    • Connect with our hosts

      • Rusty Vanneman
      • Robyn Murray

      • Subscribe and stay in touch

        • Apple Podcasts
        • Spotify
        • Google Podcasts

        • 0348-OPS-2/23/2022

          ...more
          View all episodesView all episodes
          Download on the App Store

          Orion's The Weighing MachineBy Orion Portfolio Solutions

          • 4.6
          • 4.6
          • 4.6
          • 4.6
          • 4.6

          4.6

          22 ratings


          More shows like Orion's The Weighing Machine

          View all
          Investing Insights by Morningstar

          Investing Insights

          496 Listeners

          Masters in Business by Bloomberg

          Masters in Business

          2,163 Listeners

          We Study Billionaires - The Investor’s Podcast Network by The Investor's Podcast Network

          We Study Billionaires - The Investor’s Podcast Network

          3,364 Listeners

          Odd Lots by Bloomberg

          Odd Lots

          1,842 Listeners

          The Meb Faber Show - Better Investing by The Idea Farm

          The Meb Faber Show - Better Investing

          925 Listeners

          Capital Ideas Podcast by Capital Group

          Capital Ideas Podcast

          273 Listeners

          Capital Allocators – Inside the Institutional Investment Industry by Ted Seides – Allocator and Asset Management Expert

          Capital Allocators – Inside the Institutional Investment Industry

          796 Listeners

          Animal Spirits Podcast by The Compound

          Animal Spirits Podcast

          2,002 Listeners

          Trillions by Bloomberg

          Trillions

          188 Listeners

          The Perfect RIA by Matthew Jarvis, CFP® & Micah Shilanski, CFP®

          The Perfect RIA

          454 Listeners

          The Rational Reminder Podcast by Benjamin Felix, Cameron Passmore, and Dan Bortolotti

          The Rational Reminder Podcast

          442 Listeners

          The Compound and Friends by The Compound

          The Compound and Friends

          2,070 Listeners

          The Long View by Morningstar

          The Long View

          880 Listeners

          Excess Returns by Excess Returns

          Excess Returns

          66 Listeners

          Bloomberg Talks by Bloomberg

          Bloomberg Talks

          18 Listeners