My Private Network

Hosted by Bob Simpson, today we shift the focus to answering the question "Are Bond Funds Stalling Your Investment Progress?".

Bob Simpson, the host of My Private Network podcast, discusses his concerns with bond funds. He highlights the general issues investors have faced over the past 10 to 15 years, noting that there is a significant problem with their performance. He emphasizes that his critique isn't aimed at any particular bond fund but rather the category as a whole.

Through his analysis, he identifies 339 Canadian bond funds with five-year track records, which collectively manage nearly 422 billion CAD. Despite these significant assets under management, the returns have been disappointingly low.

He highlights the importance of understanding fees and their impact on returns, pointing out that paying fees to both bond managers and advisors can reduce returns to around 3%, making it crucial for investors to scrutinize their investments. 

Bob also delves into private lending markets, suggesting that investors consider private lending or mortgage funds as alternatives to bond funds. He explains the benefits of diversifying into these areas to achieve higher returns after fees while managing risks. He advises investors to thoroughly understand the types of loans private lenders make and the importance of diversification.

He encourages listeners to re-evaluate their investment portfolios and consider alternative strategies. He stresses the importance of proactive financial planning and staying informed about investment options. 

Points of Interest:
0:00 - Intro
0:58 Bonds made nearly 422 billion CAD in a 5-year track record.
1:37 3, 5 and 10 year disappointing return rate.
2:11 Bonds vs. GICs - stagger or ladder maturities?
3:08 Would you lend money to the province of Ontario, for example, for 10 years at 4.5%?
3:38 20 years ago, bond yields were in the 8 to 10 percent range.
4:11 Current bond and GIC landscape.
6:41 Should you still consider the 60/40 or 40/60 diversification in an investment portfolio?
7:01 We recommend you stop lending banks money and "be the bank" yourself.
8:25 Important investment terms you should know.
8:48 Following podcast release plan.
9:59 If you want to learn more, please get in touch with us!
10:45 Final thoughts toward your best financial health.

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Today we are shaking things up with a roundtable discussion with our experts with "boots on the ground" experience in private investing.

Featuring an insightful discussion on real estate, music royalties and more on alternative investments with industry experts.

We explore the evolving landscape of private debt and equity investments, and delve into real estate market trends, including demographic shifts and migration patterns, that impact leverage on investment returns.

You'll also learn about the upcoming Alt by Alt conference, dedicated to educating investors and advisors about alternative investments and promoting transparency and education in the industry.

Expert Panelists:
Vikram Rajagopalan
Senior Managing Director, Capital Strategy and Distribution
Trez Capital

Cynthia Maisonneuve
Director, National Accounts and Investment Sales
CMLS Asset Management

Michael Baker
Principal & Director, Sales at ICM Asset Management
ICM Asset Management

Today's Points of Interest:
0:00 Intro
3:11 - Cynthia, could you tell us about yourself and CMLS Asset Management?
5:12 - Michael, tell us about yourself and ICM Asset Management.
6:40 - Vikram, share with us your background.
8:47 - Cynthia, what are you seeing in the multi-family space today?
12:09 - Mike, can you talk about the Music Royalties fund?
15:17 - Vikram, can you talk about the marketplace when it comes to private debt and equity?
19:34 - Cynthia talking about transparency and Alt by Alt conference.
20:27 - Mike, what are you seeing in the world of real estate investing?
22:09 - Vikram speaks on U.S. in comparison to Canadian real estate markets.
21:14 - Vikram speaks about the U-Haul Index moving rates in the U.S. versus Canada.
25:27 - Cynthia, is real estate highly levered or a conservative investment?
26:12 - Mike can you talk about how leverage is affecting the market right now?
27:13 - Vikram expands on the leverage topic.
29:40 - Cynthia's final thoughts.
30:10 - Mike's final thoughts.
31:29 - Vikram talks more about the Alt by Alt conference.
33:57 - How to attend the conference.

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Hosted by Bob Simpson, today we shift the focus to answering the question "Why Invest in  Self Storage?".

Learn from our host Bob Simpson and our expert guest,  Rob Anton, President and Partner at Next Edge Capital.

Questions of Interest:
1:44 What are you seeing with equities and bonds in the current financial landscape?
5:13 Could you explain the returns you're seeing in private lending?
12:41 What can investors expect when it comes to fees?
13:55 How do you go about assessing return of capital?
19:27 Are most private lenders floaters?
 23:08 Does the combination of higher interest rates plus a recession impact your borrowers?
26:28 You measure withe the Cliffwater indicies ?
27:25 During the negative years, what were the size of the losses?
28:07 Is private lending an alternative to bonds in a portfolio?

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and visit our website at https://www.privatedebtandequity.ca/ for any questions or to learn more!

Hosted by Bob Simpson, today we shift the focus to answering the question "Why Invest in  Self Storage?".

Learn from our host Bob Simpson and our expert guest,  Gabriel Millard, Managing Partner at Avenue Living.

Today's questions of interest:

0:00 - Intro
1:14 - What brought you to this investment concept and you current position at Avenue Living?
2:38 - Where did Avenue Living get its name?
5:13 - Could you tell us about the Self Storage concept?
8:46 - What makes self storage a better investment because of the use of technology? 
13:52 - What percentage would you say are owned by individuals versus firms like yours when it comes to self storage?
16:35 - Are you a buy and hold strategy or do you put packages together then sell lumps to some institutions at premium prices? 
19:12 - What do you people keep in self storage?
22:41 - What's what's happening in the marketplace in the prairies?
27:29 - What's important about being an active manager versus a passive manager?
31:42 - Can you explain what investors should expect in terms of returns, risk and liquidity?
33:24 -  How has the self storage area been affected by interest rates?
36:23 - What's your level of leverage in this particular investment? 
37:02 - How do you handle the debt? Are you more fixed term or are you more floater on this?

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Hosted by Bob Simpson, today we shift the focus to answering the question "Why Invest in Purpose Built Student Accommodations?".

Learn from our host Bob Simpson and our expert guest, Aly Damji, Managing Partner at Forum Asset Management.

Today's questions of interest:

0:00 - Intro
1:32 - Aly, tell us about you and what brought you to Forum?
4:11 - Please talk about your firm, Forum Asset Management.
6:49 - What are the trends that you're seeing in student accommodation in Canada today? 
9:40 - Tell us why you're excited about this new asset class?
12:58 - Why is student housing an attractive investment option for potential investors?
15:43 - How does student housing compare to other asset classes out there?
17:07 - If you look at your portfolio, how does your financing line up?
19:50 - How does your portfolio compare in the private and public REIT space?
23:25 - Could talk about the QUAD at York University, an RFP you won back in 2010?
25:44 -  How does your firm look at ESG and social responsibility when looking to run a build? 
27:54 - Talk about how this fund, Purpose Built Student Accommodations align with investor intrigue?

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and visit our website at https://www.privatedebtandequity.ca/ for any questions or to learn more!

Hosted by Bob Simpson, today we shift the focus to answering the question "What is Liquidity?".

In this episode Bob explores the complexities of liquidity in both private and public investment markets. He is a veteran of the financial industry, discusses the evolution from transaction-based to fee-based business structures and the gradual integration of private mandates into investment portfolios. 

He emphasizes the importance of understanding liquidity and its implications for various investment strategies, including private debt and equity solutions.

Simpson provides insights into the challenges of managing liquidity in private investments and the need for aligning investors' time horizons with investment strategies. 

He also compares the performance of private investments with traditional options like stocks and bonds, highlighting the importance of evaluating risk and returns. 

The episode concludes with Simpson underscoring the significance of patience and informed decision-making in navigating the financial landscape.

Points of Interest:
0:00 - Intro
1:00 - A deep dive into liquidity.
2:49 - Investors are faced with implications of reduced liquidity due to increase popularity.
4:30 - Your investment advisor should always have your best interest in mind! 
6:44 - Private managers work hard to give investors what they want.
7:54 - It's important to understand where your investment money is going.
9:08 - Plan your investment according to your financial goals.
11:11 - Are your stock funds accessible when you need them?
14:37 -  When time horizon's and investment processes align, it protects long-term interest.
16:05 - Review your current investments and seek comparable advantageous opportunities.
17:09 - Does providing investors with greater liquidity actually serve their best interests?
18:22 - Your financial journey begins when you understand your relationship to liquidity.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and visit our website at https://www.privatedebtandequity.ca/ for any questions or to learn more!

Hosted by Bob Simpson, today we shift the focus to answering the question "Why Invest in Farmland?".

Learn from our host Bob Simpson and our expert guest, Kent Willmore, CEO & President at AGInvest Properties Canada Inc.

Today's questions of interest:

0:00 - Intro
2:38 - Kent's background, growing up on a farm and getting into this investment space.
5:15 - Are baby boom farmers looking to exit their business with kids resisting the legacy? 
7:10 - Is farmland owned 50/50 by elderly farmers and corporations?
8:51 - Describe the work that you do to make investments available to people like our listeners. 
10:39 - Is it a good idea to invest in farmland, especially down in Southwestern Ontario? 
12:32 - Can you explain the one group you've rented to using technology to ship soybeans worldwide?
13:29 - Why should investors consider the farmland asset class in their portfolio? 
16:32 - When you buy a farm, are you trying to improve the land and the investment overall?
18:22 - Who are you leasing farmland to and what is the process?
19:56 - What do you do to protect that important 12 inches of soil on farmland?
21:13 - How has farmland reacted with some of the recent economic pressures in the marketplaces?
23:20 - Can you touch on how farmland considers ESG as part of the investing process?
25:13 - Why should somebody choose your firm over some of your competitors?
27:05 - What do you see happening with farmland in the longer term, say 25, 50, 100 years?
30:19 - Will there be farm tours available for interested investors?

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and visit our website at https://www.privatedebtandequity.ca/ for any questions or to learn more!

Hosted by Bob Simpson, today we shift the focus to answering the question "Why Invest in Canadian Multi-Family?".

Learn from our host Bob Simpson and our expert guest, Geoff Lang, Senior Vice President at Equiton Inc.

Today's questions of interest:

0:00 - Intro
2:47 - Tell us about your story and the work your firm does with investors.
4:15  -Could you explain Canadian Multi-Family in terms of your buy and hold strategy?
5:28 - What kind of financing do you have in place in your portfolio?
6:18 - Do you have lower leverage compared to a buy and flip model?
7:23 - What's your forecast on future interest rates?
9:44 - Could you touch upon value add as it relates to multi-family?
11:52 - Where do you get the best deal when it comes to value add's?
13:56 - How does the Canadian Multi-Family model help those interested when starting in this space?
16:40 - How does this investment fit into a typical investor portfolio?
19:23 - How does this model work for the millennial demographic who have difficulty finding housing?
21:13 - Can you explain the difference in public versus private when it comes to Canadian Multi-Family?
25:03 - Are we currently in a buyer's market? 
28:07 - Final thoughts.

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Hosted by Bob Simpson, today we shift the focus to answering the question "Why Invest in  Mortgage Investment Corporations?".

Learn from our host Bob Simpson and our expert guest, Will Granleese, Director and Portfolio Manager at Antrim Investments.

Today's questions of interest:

0:00 - Intro
4:03 - Where were you back 50 years ago and what has led you to join in on Mortgage Investment Corporation work?
6:28 - Who borrows from private lenders? If they need a mortgage, why don't they just go to the bank? 
9:43 - What does a typical mortgage in your portfolio look like? 
11:09 - With 2000 plus mortgage's,  tell us where are you now and what's your latest number? 
12:46 - Tell us how you differ from a bank when you work with borrower's who are going through a rough patch. 
15:43 - Can you talk about secured lending as opposed to unsecured lending?
16:35 - We're reading reports that banks are having major write offs, could you touch on that?
19:45 - How do you differ from private lenders who offer minimum holding periods and have early redemption penalties. 
21:57 - How long is your typical mortgage and could you explain the mortgage market?
22:33 - Have you had over the last 30 years, how many negative months? 
24:34 - What is you fund's current return rate?at compare to what the returns would have been over the last couple of years? 

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Welcome to a special episode of the podcast, Outlook 2024 is a collaborative effort between us and our founding company, Wealth Stewards Inc..

Our lineup of experts panelists include: 

Bill Chinery FSA, FCIA, ICD.D - Retired Chairman of Ontario Teachers Pension Plan’s Investment Committee
Topic - Recent Economic and Investment Trends

Sasha Cucuz - CEO Greybrook Securities Inc. & Partner of Greybrook Capital
Topic - Ontario Real Estate

Prathna Ramesh - Vice President of Operations FutureSight
Topic - Artificial Intelligence Trends in the Economy

Today's questions of interest:

3:21 How do you anticipate equity market changes over the next 12 months?

5:33 Should we be watching the short or long terms rates?

7:27 Do you see a recession?

8:04 Does the Fed watch the equity markets?

9:08 Do you see a reversion back to the real low rates that we saw during COVID? 

11:02 Looking inside the market, where should we be focusing our attention?

12:06 Should we be looking at healthcare as an opportunity, with an aging baby boomer 
economy?

13:10 With North America's large millennial group, will we see more manufacturing happening here?

14:29 Should we diversify nationally or internationally?

16:59 What is your view on the state of Canadian Real Estate?

18:17 Could you address your thoughts on immigration, especially during recent changes in real estate?

19:36 If you compare Canadian immigration rates to U. S. immigration rates, how do they compare?

20:47 So although it's concentrated, what we're seeing especially in the GTA is that boundaries are expanding?

21:55 With constant changing, what is has been happening with permits and approvals? 
Where do they stand?

23:43 With Ontario having the best farmland in the world, what do you think about the expansion of agriculture?

25:38 Could you talk about single family communities and condo market opportunities available to investors?

27:37 How has rate shifts affected the market, developers’ perspectives and plans of action for private equity firms in real estate?

31:18 Can you please give us some insights into your view of the current landscape of AI technologies?

36:41 Are we going to see the large, multi-national companies become major players in this area of AI?

39:29 Could you touch upon the negative and positive aspects of technological advancements in AI?

43:13 For sites like ChatGPT, could you explain the advantages of using these tools?

44:33 Could you give your insights when it comes to AI and real estate?

46:54 Can you comment on any trends in institutional towards private debt and equity versus public market investment?

49:48 With housing valuation metrics, is it sustainable, with evergreen's collapse and the highlights of highly concentration of real estate in individual holdings?

54:40 As AI evolves, how can financial professionals and investors stay informed on the changing landscape? 

57:51 The private investor, the individual investor hasn't really kept up with the shift to private markets. What's your view on that?  

59:44 What is your viewpoint on the buzz around AI and the teacher’s position on this?

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and visit our website at https://www.privatedebtandequity.ca/ for any questions or to learn more!