As the need for sophisticated investment management has grown, OCIO has become an increasingly popular solution for institutional investors and advisory firms looking for comprehensive, turnkey investment management. Partnering with an OCIO team connects investment strategies and products directly to investors' unique financial goals, risk targets, and plans. It is a powerful model to increase operational efficiencies and drive growth.

In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Kurt Brown, Chief Investment Officer at TownSquare Capital and Head of OCIO at Orion. In his role, Kurt oversees the firm’s bespoke, high-touch services that power advisory practices, family offices, and institutions to more efficiency and higher growth. His team has consistently helped advisor practices accelerate their growth rates while enhancing investor returns, tax efficiency, and client retention.

An Outsourced CIO for institutions and advisory firms, Kurt talks with Rusty and Robyn about how TownSquare Capital started the OCIO trend, what the role of the OCIO entails, and why advisors that should consider an OCIO's services.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[19:41] - "If you're an advisor living and dying by just having a basket of ETFs, it will be a much more challenging environment in the future. You have to be able to provide these other elements of customization, service, and sophistication." ~ Kurt Brown

[27:10] - "It's difficult to build a great business without partners. It is possible, but partnership models are incredibly powerful." ~ Kurt Brown

[33:27] - "The faster you can learn what you're exceptional at, the easier and quicker your career and income will grow." ~ Kurt Brown

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2443-OPS-12/16/2022

Natural resources and commodities provide investors with a unique opportunity to benefit from the long-term appreciation of these assets. While global economic trends largely drive the performance of natural resources and commodities, these assets have historically outperformed traditional asset classes, such as stocks and bonds, during periods of inflation. 

In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Shawn Reynolds, Portfolio Manager for the Natural Resources Equity Strategy at VanEck. Before VanEck, Shawn served as a board member of several private Latin American oil and gas exploration and production companies and an energy analyst at Petrie Parkman & Co., covering U.S. oil and gas exploration and production companies. At VanEck, Shawn oversees the Natural Resources Equity Investment Team, including asset allocation, company research, and security selection.

Shawn talks with Rusty and Robyn about all things natural resources. He takes a deep dive into various natural resource sectors such as energy, agriculture, and precious metals, how natural resources fit into investment portfolios in the current environment, and how they complement other assets.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[04:28] - "The active natural resource strategy looks at the whole natural resource space. It's trying to drive alpha from all the aspects that natural resources and the underpinning of the global economy provide." ~ Shawn Reynolds

[14:15] - "When we think about inflation protection and leverage to global growth, which we think resources are, they are undoubtedly traditional oil and gas, renewable energy and green energy, and metal in all its forms." ~ Shawn Reynolds

[15:29] - "The great thing about the natural resource is that it does what it is supposed to do when it is supposed to do it. In times of inflationary periods, natural resource equities outperform the rest of the market." ~ Shawn Reynolds

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2447-OPS-12/19/2022

In this episode, Rusty talks with Jeff DeMaso, Editor and Founder of The Independent Vanguard Adviser. Jeff is also the interim CIO and Director of Research at Adviser Investments. He has been quoted in USA Today, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, InvestmentNews, and Kiplinger, to name a few, and named a Rising Star of manager research in 2019 by Citywire. 

Jeff launched The Independent Vanguard Adviser to provide independent, honest, and unbiased coverage of all things Vanguard. The goal is to give practical investment advice and education in a language everyone can understand.

Jeff talks with Rusty about what's great about Vanguard, what could be improved, why the company is having a tough year of sales, and a whole lot more. 

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[05:45] - "There's a lot to like about Vanguard. It's bringing low-cost investing to the masses. And not just within Vanguard, they put fee pressure on other players in the industry. We can thank Vanguard for that general pressure on fees coming down and making it such a great time to be an investor today." ~ Jeff DeMaso

[09:07] - "There are some things Vanguard could improve upon, without a doubt. The biggest one is the customer service and technology side. And this is the other coin of their low-cost effort, where Vanguard has been cutting costs for years and years." ~ Jeff DeMaso

[18:50] - "I always recommend ETFs and index funds, particularly for someone looking to get exposure to the market, keep costs low, keep things straightforward, and don't feel they have an edge." ~ Jeff DeMaso

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2253-OPS-11/21/2022

In the current market conditions, investors are looking for more than just average returns. They are looking for protection against downside risk and the ability to generate alpha. While the question of how to best construct a portfolio has no one-size-fits-all answer, certain best practices can help advisors build a better portfolio.

In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Paul Ma, Vice President and Lead Portfolio Strategist at Fidelity Institutional Asset Management. Paul and his team at Fidelity focus on helping advisors build a better portfolio.

Paul talks with Rusty and Robyn about the trends in portfolio construction and diversification, how he builds a better portfolio, and how to adapt the classic 60/40 portfolio to the current environment.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[04:07] - "We try to help advisors be more forward-looking because one of the biggest mistakes advisors make is by whatever's working, looking backward. And we are open architecture and find the best breed names from different fund families to help advisors build a better portfolio." ~ Paul Ma

[07:13] - "I hear people say that 60/40 is dead almost every year for the last decade. And they were wrong. 60/40 was awesome for two decades, with a sharp ratio much higher than a hundred percent equity sharp ratio." ~ Paul Ma

[11:05] - "The most famous disclaimer in finance is that past performance is no predictor of future performance. Being contrarian, we are moving into a different era of higher inflation. So, new era, new asset classes like commodities and liquid alts." ~ Paul Ma

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2158-OPS-11/9/2022

Advisors are an important part of the investment ecosystem. They help clients develop investment strategies and provide guidance on allocating assets best. Although every advisor has a unique approach to managing portfolios, they share one goal in common: to manage a portfolio that meets their client's expectations.

In this episode, Rusty talks with Bryce Skaff, Co-Head of Global Client Group at Dimensional Fund Advisors. Bryce has been with Dimensional since 1998. He was most recently Dimensional's Head of U.S. Financial Advisor Services, which helped advisory firms design more effective investments, messaging, and business strategies. Before joining Dimensional, Bryce was a secondary markets analyst for Provident Funding.

Bryce talks with Rusty about the value Dimensional Fund Advisors place on advisors, why the firm introduces exchange-rated funds in addition to their mutual funds, and the motivation behind Dimensional's recent introduction of ETF models.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[07:11] - "We strongly believe advisors are a linchpin in the process. Advisors do a good job increasing the odds of success for investors." ~ Bryce Skaff

[27:53] - "As an industry, we default to complexity. When in reality, it's often the simplest of concepts that make the biggest impact on investors." ~ Bryce Skaff

[33:29] - "Great advisors are doing the right thing because they understand the truth and are willing to embrace it and give that dose of reality to the investor." ~ Bryce Skaff

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1735-OPS-9/22/2022

Inflation has been rising steadily since the beginning of the year and is now at a level considered concerning by many economists. And while the Fed has been raising interest rates to keep inflation in check, it is becoming increasingly difficult. With inflation remaining stubbornly high, many believe a recession is becoming increasingly likely. What does this mean for the fixed-income market and the bond market?

In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Colleen Ambrose, Director of Fixed Income Markets at Capital Group. Colleen has 35 years of industry experience and has been with Capital Group for two years. Before joining Capital Group, Colleen was a portfolio manager at Bank of America. Before that, she was a fixed-income client portfolio manager at American Century Investments. Colleen holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and is a member of the CFA Institute, the CFA Society of Chicago, and Women Investment Professionals. 

Colleen talks with Rusty and Robyn about her outlook for fixed income, the bond market, and the headwinds in the economy, including inflation, Federal Reserve policy, and a potential recession.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[04:05] - "I love being that point person between our investment team and the end user clients to help them optimize what they're doing with their fixed income. Fixed income can be archaic and complex to understand. I like putting it in user-friendly terms to help people understand the messaging and move forward the right way." ~ Colleen Ambrose

[10:39] - "We're not there yet. But 2023 is likely to see a recession, potentially a global recession. The U.S. will be slowing from the impact of Federal Reserve hikes and higher inflation. In terms of the employment landscape, we start to see layoffs in the economy that could impact things." ~ Colleen Ambrose

[22:01] - "In the real world, you learn so much by doing. I equate learning about the bond market or financial markets to being plopped down in the middle of a foreign country, not knowing the language. And every day, you have to get up and learn the language." ~ Colleen Ambrose

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2145-OPS-11/8/2022

In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Kenneth Sleeper, Ocean Park Asset Management's Co-Founder, Co-Managing Director, and Portfolio Manager. Also joining them is James St. Aubin, Chief Investment Officer for Sierra Mutual Funds and Ocean Park Asset Management.

Kenneth oversees all aspects of the organization's activities, including asset management, research, and client relationships. Before co-founding Sierra Investment Management, the parent company of the Sierra Mutual Funds and Ocean Park Asset Management, Kenneth applied his extensive background in statistical and computer applications to develop and refine computerized techniques for reducing downside risk. James, on the other hand, is an accomplished investment management executive. His experience in over 20 years in the industry includes asset allocation, manager research, and portfolio construction leadership roles.

Kenneth and James talk with Rusty and Robyn about how they manage portfolios in today's market environment, what strategies they're implementing in their investments, and how they help investors stay calm, carry on, and stay on course during market downturns.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[10:02] - "2022 has been about dealing with the consequences of the policy mistake, a double whammy of rate hikes and QT (Quantitative Tightening) at a pace and up to a level not easily digested by financial markets. Think about it as a shock and awe in the opposite direction, but this time it's intended to beat inflation." ~ James St. Aubin

[13:41] - "We can't predict what the future holds, but we have a lot of history showing that this will eventually work itself out. It's just patience that's required right now. And that goes to the heart of investor education for all professionals that manage money." ~ Kenneth Sleeper

[20:05] - "The number one value add for advisors is keeping them from capitulation in times of stress. This, too, shall pass is a perfect phrase for both up and down markets, honestly not to get people too greedy or fearful that we have to stay the course. The key ingredient to success is ensuring that this environment does not knock them off their path." ~ James St. Aubin

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2142-OPS-11/8/2022

Throughout history, there have been different schools of thought regarding investing. Some investors believe in taking on more risk to achieve higher returns, while others prefer preserving capital and generating stability. In this current economic climate, however, many investors are worried about the stock and bond markets and how they will affect their investments. 

In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Samuel Lau. Samuel is a Portfolio Manager on DoubleLine's strategic commodity strategy while working in portfolio management and trading for derivatives-based and multi-asset strategies, including DoubleLine's Shiller Enhanced CAPE®, Shiller Enhanced International CAPE®, Real Estate and Income, and Multi-Asset Trend strategies. He also co-hosts the Sherman Show and the Monday Morning Minutes podcasts.

A fixed-income asset allocation strategist, Samuel talks with Rusty and Robyn about the fixed-income market, the headwinds facing the bond market, and the inflation and Federal Reserve policy.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[12:06] - "On the bond side of things, it's very painful. It's the worst year-to-day performance in the U.S. bond market on record going back to the index's inception. But investors have their heads wrapped around the rationale behind it." ~ Samuel Lau

[17:48] - "We all fear the risk of the Fed and the FOMC over-tightening through their rate hikes and sending the economy into a hard landing, which people would refer to as a policy mistake." ~ Samuel Lau

[38:32] - "When you look at the positive performers, commodities are one of the two asset classes that have that plus sign in front of it on a year-to-date basis. The other asset class is the U.S. dollar." ~ Samuel Lau

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2077-OPS-11/1/2022

The last few years have been a rollercoaster for investors. The market has been volatile, asset values have declined, and there is general uncertainty about the future. In times like these, it's important to have a diversified portfolio that can weather the storm. Hedge funds offer a unique opportunity for investors to hedge against risk and protect their portfolios.

In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Andrew Beer, Managing Member at Dynamic Beta investments. Andrew started in the hedge fund industry in 1994 when he joined the Baupost Group as one of six generalist portfolio managers. Over the past decade, Andrew's singular focus has been to identify strategies to match or outperform portfolios of leading hedge funds with low fees, daily liquidity, and less downside risk.

A pioneer in hedge fund replication, Andrew talks with Rusty and Robyn about hedge funds, hedge fund strategies that investors find helpful, and how hedge funds are becoming a new fixed-income substitute.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[12:19] - "What's the best diversifier on planet earth, where we want to put our money if we can? The answer for us is managed futures." ~ Andrew Beer

[13:20] - "Stocks and bonds are incredible investments over time. But stocks, bonds, and managed futures are the right diversified portfolio." ~ Andrew Beer

[27:43] - "The vast majority of products created in the ETF world are single-manager products, and single-manager products on a standalone basis don't have a role in the asset allocation model." ~ Andrew Beer

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2004-OPS-10/25/2022