Investing Mastermind Podcast

You're probably told you should save and invest your money, but where should you start? The first thing you should do is set a financial goal as the north star you will save and invest toward. Do you want to be financially free or achieve financial independence? Signe and Michelle share some of their financial goals and habits that we hope inspires you to come up with your own.

Signe and Michelle often get asked: "Which Stocks Should I Buy?" and in this episode we will reveal our reply to this question.

Book recommended in this episode: "Americana: A 400-Year History of American Capitalism" written by Bhu Srinivasan.

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To take an investing workshop, visit Signe's website: Investionista.com

Learn more about Buffett-style investing by subscribing to Michelle's YouTube channel, @MichelleMarki

Michelle's investing blog: www.michellemarki.com.

Signe and Michelle reflect on the last section of Warren Buffett's annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter for the year 2023 that was released on February 24, 2024.

To take an investing workshop, visit Signe's website: Investionista.com

Signe and Michelle reflect on the middle section of Warren Buffett's annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter for the year 2023 that was released on February 24, 2024. Buffett sets the tone by writing, "Our goal at Berkshire is simple: We want to own either all or a portion of businesses that enjoy good economics that are fundamental and enduring." While Buffett warns about potential economic storms like those from 2008, he reassures shareholders that Berkshire will remain a financial fortress in that "Berkshire is built to last."

Warren Buffett released his annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter for the year 2023 on February 24, 2024. Signe and Michelle reflect on Warren Buffett's beautiful first page tribute to Charlie Munger, the Architect of Berkshire Hathaway, and the beginning section of the 2023 shareholder letter. Warren Buffett writes his letter to shareholders like his sister Bertie and all shareholders out there who would like to understand how Berkshire is performing in its CEO's eyes. Buffett encouraged investors to make good investing decisions by writing, "America has been a terrific country for investors. All they have needed to do is sit quietly, listening to no one."

Signe and Michelle go back to Buffett basics as we explain what circle of competence means and how this investing principle can help you identify when you know enough, or not enough, about stocks you are interested in investing in.

The S&P 500 stock market index just hit an all-time high of 5,000 in early February 2024 as a new milestone. Should investors be excited and rush into the market, or should they exercise some caution? Signe and Michelle share their reactions and opinions, all of which is not advice as no one knows what will happen but it's fun to imagine the possibilities! We reflect on some of the Magnificent 7 stocks that may be driving a lot of the current stock market rally in early 2024.

How much should a CEO get paid for being the leader of the business? How Executives and Board of Directors are paid could influence whether you invest in a stock or not. Legendary investor Warren Buffett who has had the same salary of $100,000 for decades has been critical of CEOs who convince their Board Member buddies to rubber stamp huge pay packages while average employee wages stagnate.

People often wonder how much money do they need to be able to start investing? You might be surprised at how little you need to get started! Signe and Michelle answer this question with suggested ideas in today's episode. As mentioned, feel free to check out one of Michelle's YouTube videos explaining various S&P 500 index fund options: https://youtu.be/v0t6q3LuGIQ

Signe and Michelle discuss whether making automatic investments into the stock market (ETFs, mutual funds, stocks) is a good idea. There are pros and cons to what is often referred to as Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA), so we keep these considerations in mind.