Gaining Perspective

The problems of active management have been well documented. It has been statistically proven that it is incredibly difficult to identify managers who will outperform the market on a risk-adjusted basis. Those managers make a living by picking winning stocks that are likely generate above-market returns. My guest today, David Barse, has built a company around the premise that it is easier beat the market by identifying the losers rather than the winners. 

From the sage investor to the novice with little to no experience, humans are inherently emotional and often irrational when it comes to money decisions. This year alone, we’ve already seen how a global pandemic, unstable markets, and a sensationalized news cycle can influence investor behavior. This begs the question: How can financial professionals help keep their clients on track through uncertainty?

My guest today, Mark Halloran, answered that question in a webinar we hosted in August. There were so many questions from the audience that I decided to have Mark back as my guest today to dig a little deeper into the critically important topic of behavioral finance.

Today I am speaking with one of the advisory profession’s preeminent thought leaders, business strategist and success coach Stephanie Bogan. Stephanie is going to share her perspective on the value of coaching, some of her favorite lessons she has learned along the way as a coach and what it takes to really be Successful…in all aspects of your life, not just as an advisor. 

Gender-lens investing is one of the fastest-growing subsets of sustainable or impact investing—and should be of particular interest to you and your clients as you guide them toward their investment goals. Traditionally, gender-lens investing focused on investing in companies with a higher representation of women on their boards or in senior positions. Stopping at representation, however, may not be enough to achieve gender diversity and equality. Here to discuss the full scope of gender-lens investing is Anuradha (“Anu”) Gaggar.

One of the enduring effects of the pandemic will be the structural changes it inflicts on the economy. Some industries – hotels, travel, restaurants – may be obliterated or radically changed. Others, like those that support the podcasting technology I am using now, will be at the forefront of accelerated growth. With the advent of thematic ETFs, investors can position themselves for this structurally evolving economy.   My guest today, Jon Maier is here to discuss the role of thematic ETFs in your clients’ portfolios.

Over the past few months, advisors and investors have been whipsawed by market movements and emotions have been magnified due to the pandemic. And while the term behavioral finance has often been discussed in the advisor world, the application of it into practice tends to lag.

Dynamic Beta’s portfolios seek to match or outperform the portfolios of leading hedge funds by identifying, and investing directly in, the key drivers (or factors) that explain recent pre-fee performance.  Its engine is based on over a decade of research into the primary sources of returns among Equity Long/short, Managed Futures and Multi-strategy hedge funds.  Its portfolios consist only of highly-liquid futures and/or ETFs.

Nancy is the founder and managing partner of Quadratic Capital Management. She is the portfolio manager for The Quadratic Interest Rate Volatility and Inflation Hedge ETF (NYSE Ticker: IVOL).

Irrevocable trusts are an effective way to minimize the tax consequences of transferring wealth to future generations. My guest today, Michael Roberts, will discuss how they are set up, who they are most effective for and how advisors can advance their relationships with clients by using them.

Individuals are often reluctant to speak to their heirs about the amount of wealth they will leave behind for a variety of reasons. Jan Blakeley Holman, my guest today, will explain the common barriers to those discussions and how advisors can help their clients overcome them.