WTFinance

Interview recorded - 19th of November, 2024

On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming back Jim Rogers. Jim is a legend in the investing world, author, financial commentator and more! After attending Yale and Oxford University, Rogers co-founded the Quantum Fund, a global-investment partnership.

Jim talks further about his current thoughts on the economy, what this means for the market, whether inflation will return, will Trump be good for the economy, China & Uzbekistan, De-dollarisation, current geopolitical strategy and more. I hope you enjoy!

0:00 - Introduction
1:17 - Current outlook for the economy?
2:26 - Why could things go bad?
3:24 - How have markets changed?
5:25 - Inflation to return?
7:17 - Trump good for the economy?
10:17 - China & Uzbekistan
12:30 - Resolutions to debt trajectory?
14:42 - US industry onshoring?
16:02 - De-dollarisation
18:07 - US still the best investment?
21:32 - Current geopolitical situation?
24:19 - Investment strategy
25:42 - One message to takeaway?

Jim Rogers is an author, financial commentator and international investor.

After attending Yale and Oxford University, Rogers co-founded the Quantum Fund, a global-investment partnership. During the next 10 years, the portfolio gained 4200%, while the S&P rose less than 50%. Rogers then decided to retire – at age 37. Continuing to manage his own portfolio, Rogers kept busy serving as a full professor of finance at Columbia University Graduate School of Business, and, in 1989 and 1990, as the moderator of WCBS’s ‘The Dreyfus Roundtable’ and FNN’s ‘The Profit Motive with Jim Rogers’.

From 1990-92, Jim Rogers fulfilled his lifelong dream: motorcycling 100,000 miles across six continents, a feat that landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records. As a private investor, he constantly analysed the countries through which he travelled for investment ideas. He chronicled his one-of-a-kind journey in “Investment Biker: On the Road with Jim Rogers”. Rogers also embarked on a Millennium Adventure in 1999. He travelled for 3 years on his round-the-world, Guinness World Record journey. It was his 3rd Guinness Record. Passing through 116 countries, he covered more than 245,000 kilometres, which he recounted in his book “Adventure Capitalist: The Ultimate Road Trip”.

His book, “Hot Commodities: How Anyone Can Invest Profitably In The World’s Best Market”, was published in 2004. Another of his books “A Bull in China” describes his experiences in China as well as the changes and opportunities there. His most recent book “A Gift to My Children” was a heartfelt, indispensable guide for his daughters (as well as for all adults and children) to find success and happiness. His latest memoir “Street Smarts: Adventures on the Road and in the Markets” was published in 2013.

Jim Rogers -

Website - https://www.jimrogers.com/

WTFinance -

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfn
iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Interview recorded - 18th of November, 2024 

On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming back Eric Basmajian. Eric is the Founder & CEO of EPB Business Cycle Research. 

During our conversation we spoke about the current outlook for the economy, inflation risk, employment, impacts on markets and more. I hope you enjoy!

0:00 - Introduction
1:51 - Current outlook for the economy?
9:11 - Economic lag
16:51 - High inventory skewing economic data
21:35 - Risk of increasing inflation?
31:27 - When is data a trend?
34:17 - Employment
41:02 - Impact on markets?
45:27 - One message to takeaway?

Eric Basmajian is an economic cycle analyst providing research on long-term and short-term trends in growth and inflation. With a degree in economics and experience at a quantitative hedge fund, Eric has developed a unique secular and cyclical framework to forecast major economic inflection points and the resulting impact on asset prices.

Eric holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from New York University. Eric started on the buy-side of the financial sector, as an analyst with Panorama Partners, a quantitative hedge fund specializing in algorithmically scanning for mispriced equity derivatives.

Eric Basmajian - 

Website - https://epbresearch.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/EPBResearch
YouTube -  @EPBResearch  
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-basmajian-32614116a/

WTFinance -

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfn
iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Interview recorded - 7th of November, 2024

On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming on Former Ambassador Chas Freeman. Chas is a well know diplomat with an array of experience. Examples include being the main interpreter for Richard Nixon during his 1972 China visit and the US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1989 to 1992, during the Gulf war.

During our conversation we spoke about the US driving together China and Russia, Biden escalating tensions, US fighting Russia, sustainment of global hegemony, 

0:00 - Introduction
2:06 - Driving China and Russia together?
5:28 - Biden escalating tensions
11:22 - Should NATO have been ended when Soviet Union collapsed?
15:32 - US fighting Russia?
17:50 - Sustainment of global hegemony
20:56 - How has the Middle East evolved?
24:20 - Anyway to get back to two state solution?
31:39 - Axis of evil
36:09 - Further escalation?
39:19 - Madman theory
40:29 - Normalise relations with adversaries?
49:49 - One message to takeaway from our conversation?

Ambassador Freeman has recently retired from Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. He was Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs from 1993-94, earning the highest public service awards of the Department of Defense for his roles in designing a NATO-centered post-Cold War European security system and in reestablishing defense and military relations with China. He served as U. S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm). He was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs during the historic U.S. mediation of Namibian independence from South Africa and Cuban troop withdrawal from Angola.

Chas Freeman served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires in the American embassies at both Bangkok (1984-1986) and Beijing (1981-1984). He was Director for Chinese Affairs at the U.S. Department of State from 1979-1981. He was the principal American interpreter during the late President Nixon’s path-breaking visit to China in 1972. In addition to his Middle Eastern, African, East Asian and European diplomatic experience, he served in India.

Ambassador Freeman earned a certificate in Latin American studies from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, certificates in both the national and Taiwan dialects of Chinese from the former Foreign Service Institute field school in Taiwan, a BA magna cum laude from Yale University and a JD from the Harvard Law School. He is the recipient of numerous high honors and awards. He is the author of three books on U.S. foreign policy and two on statecraft. He was the editor of the Encyclopaedia Britannica entry on “diplomacy.”  He is a sought-after speaker on a wide variety of foreign policy issues.

Ambassador Freeman is Chairman of the Board of Projects International, Inc., a Washington-based business development firm that specializes in arranging international joint ventures, acquisitions, and other business operations for its American and foreign clients. After his retirement from government, he served concurrently as co-chair of the United States China Policy Foundation, president of the Middle East Policy Council, and vice chair of the Atlantic Council of the United States.

Chas Freeman is married to the Hon. Margaret Van Wagenen Carpenter.  He has three children by a previous marriage, eight grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

Chas Freeman:

Website - https://chasfreeman.net/

WTFinance: 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfn
iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Interview recorded - 7th of November, 2024

On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming back Andy Schectman. Andy is the President of Miles Franklin Precious Metals Investments.

During our conversation we discussed his current thoughts on the economy, why FED rate cuts aren't leading to lower yields, financial repression, BRICs and risk of a new axis of power, BRICS currency and more. I hope you enjoy!

0:00 - Introduction
1:40 - What is Andy current seeing in economy & markets?
12:54 - FED rates cutting, bonds increasing
14:37 - Financial repression
22:37 - BRICS and risk of a new axis?
38:00 - BRICS currency backed by gold
44:19 - One message to takeaway?

Prior to starting Miles Franklin, Ltd. in 1989, Andrew became a Licensed Financial Planner, specializing in Swiss Franc Investments and alternative investments. At Miles Franklin Ltd., a company that has eclipsed $5 billion in sales, Andrew has developed an operation that maintains trust, collaboration, and ethical behavior, superior customer service and satisfaction to better serve their clients. He is responsible for overseeing the firm’s operations and business functions; including strategy and planning, account management, finance, and new business.

Andy Schectman 

Website - https://www.milesfranklin.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/milesfranklinco
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-schectman-0895854/

WTFinance - 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfn
iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Interview recorded - 9th of November, 2024

On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming on Ted Seides. You have probably heard Ted before as he is the founder of Capital Allocators, a podcast I very much enjoy and the author of the recently released book “Private Equity Deals: Lessons in investing, dealmaking and operations from private equity professionals”.

0:00 - Introduction
1:47 - What does great capital allocation look like?
3:00 - Influence for writing the book?
4:28 - Why is private equity less understood?
7:53 - Difference between VC, private & public investing?
9:22 - Different types of PE
12:07 - Type of deals?
13:02 - Coming to the forefront?
15:32 - State of PE market?
17:32 - Challenge exiting?
20:40 - PE performance
12:20 - Interesting PE stories?
24:30 - Incentivising performance
26:10 - Negative stories?
27:50 - Final goal of PE?
28:38 - Where is the industry going?
29:45 - Carried gains tax
30:40 - One message to takeaway from book?

Ted Seides, CFA is the founder of Capital Allocators, an ecosystem that includes podcasts, gatherings, and advisory. Ted launched the Capital Allocators podcast in 2017. The show reached 20MM downloads as of August 2024 and has been recognized as the top institutional investing podcast.

Alongside the podcast, Ted created Capital Allocators Summits with friend and industry veteran Rahul Moodgal to bring together industry leaders to connect and learn. He developed Capital Allocators University to teach senior professionals non-investment disciplines that are essential to investment success. He also advises managers on business strategy and allocators on investment strategy.

In March 2021, Ted published his second book, Capital Allocators: How the world’s elite money managers lead and invest that distills key lessons from the first 150 episodes of the podcast. In October 2022, he was honored as Citizen of the Year at With Intelligence’s inaugural Allocator Prizes.

Ted is also the author of the recently released book "Private Equity Deals: Lessons in investing, dealmaking, and operations from private equity professionals".

Ted Seides:

Website - https://www.capitalallocators.com/
Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Private-Equity-Deals-Dealmaking-Allocators-ebook/dp/B0CNW5P8N8/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tedseides

WTFinance - 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfn
iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Interview recorded - 22nd of October, 2024

On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming back Clive Thompson. Clive has years of experience in the wealth management industry & a unique insight into central banks.

During our conversation we spoke about the current state of the economy, FED weakening, decreasing interest rates, how the FED are losing control of the bond market, people are losing their jobs and more. I hope you enjoy!

0:00 - Introduction
1:40 - Currently seeing in the economy?
7:08 - FED seeing workforce weakness?
9:40 - Who is buying gold?
12:10 - Decreasing interest rates positive?
13:45 - FED losing control of bond market?
22:57 - Yield rising linked to debt?
25:54 - Underinvestment of precious metals
28:34 - What is happening with silver?
32:14 - One message to takeaway from conversation?

Clive has 47 years of experience in finance & wealth management. This encompasses structuring and advice relating to quoted investments, Private Equity investments, family businesses, tax, residency, real estate, inheritance, Wills, legal, lending, Trusts, Companies and Foundations and all kinds of personal and private advice. He has been actively involved for decades in the arena of Trust structures. This often involved negotiating and discussing the contracts relating to the sale of family companies.

Clive's latest position before retirement was as Managing Director in the Anglophone Private Clients Department of Union Bancaire Privée, UBP SA, based in Geneva. He was responsible for wealth management services provided to a small number of wealthy English and French speaking families.

Clive continues to remain very active in the world of wealth, with a strong focus on Private Equity, and direct Equity Investing via the global stock markets. His passion is the financial analysis of Balance Sheets, P&Ls, Cash Flow and business projections. Clive loves examining business opportunities, like Private Equity, and digging into the fundamentals of quoted companies to achieve a market beating performance.

Clive Thompson - 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/clive-thompson-661997251/
Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9aye4wQ8Ok

WTFinance - 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfn
iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Interview recorded - 23rd of October, 2024

On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming back Gerald Celente. Gerald is the Founder/Director of the Trends Research Institute and Publisher of the Trends Journal with a 40-year track record of identifying, tracking and forecasting trends

During our conversation we spoke about the current outlook of markets, how it is a rigged game, killing peace deals, concentration of wealth, collapse of the economy, precious metals and more. I hope you enjoy!

0:00 - Introduction
0:47 - Current outlook
5:10 - Back to 2019
9:17 - Rigged game
12:10 - Killing peace deals
13:24 - How to help average person?
19:58 - Won’t give up without a fight
22:46 - Unemployment rising?
27:59 - Concentration of wealth
30:50 - Precious metals
37:04 - One message to takeaway?

Gerald Celente is the Founder/Director of the Trends Research Institute and Publisher of the weekly Trends Journal magazine. He is the author of the highly acclaimed and best-selling books “Trend Tracking” and “Trends 2000” (Warner Books). 

With a 43-year track record of identifying, tracking, and forecasting trends, Celente is world-renowned as today’s #1 Trend Forecaster. Celente has earned the reputation as a trusted name in trends for his many accurate forecasts; among them, the 1987 Stock Market crash, Dot com bust, “Gold Bull Run,” “Panic of ‘08,” the rise of organic foods, and the popularity of gourmet coffee long before Starbucks was a household name. Celente, who developed the Globalnomic methodology to identify, track, forecast, and manage trends, is a political atheist. Unencumbered by political dogma, rigid ideology, or conventional wisdom, Celente, whose motto is “Think for Yourself,” observes and analyzes current events forming future trends for what they are – not for how he wants them to be. A true American Patriot, Celente owns three pre-Revolutionary stone buildings on the most historic corner in America, where the seeds of Democracy were sown, Colonial Kingston, New York’s first Capitol. Self-described as a “Warrior for the Prince of Peace,” Gerald Celente is also the Founder “Occupy Peace & Freedom,” a not-for-profit movement to honor the Constitution and Bill of Rights and restore Freedoms.

Gerald Celente - 

Journal - https://trendsjournal.com/
YouTube -  @gcelente  
Twitter - https://twitter.com/geraldcelente

WTFinance -

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfn
iTunes -https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-fatseas-761066103/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Interview recorded - 18th of October, 2024

On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming Michael von der Schulenberg. Michael has had a very interesting life, working for the United Nations and OSCE, including as UN assistant Secretary-General, in many of the world’s trouble spots, such as in Haiti, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, the Balkan, Somalia, Sierra Leone and the Sahel. Michael is now a member of the European Parliament.

During our conversation we spoke about the current geopolitical turmoil, rejected Ukraine peace treaty, possibility of a ceasefire, NATO expansion towards Russia, EU regulation, the UN and how it hasn't lost its relevance. I hope you enjoy!

0:00 - Introduction
2:31 - Current view of geopolitics
4:11 - Peace treaty on the table
7:37 - Ceasefire
8:37 - NATO expansion influenced Russia?
10:09 - Biden impact wars
12:43 - BRICS pushing together
14:23 - EU isolating foreign policy
16:30 - EU risk of being isolated?
18:27 - EU government similar to China?
20:55 - EU regulation?
23:30 - Perfect European Union
29:50 - UN charter avoided war?
34:20 - UN lost its relevance?
40:35 - One message to takeaway from conversation?

Michael von der Schulenburg, former UN Assistant Secretary-General, escaped East Germany in 1969, studied in Berlin, London and Paris and worked for over 34 years for the United Nations, and shortly the OSCE, in many countries in war or internal armed conflicts often involving fragile governments and armed non-state actors.

These included long-term assignments in Haiti, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Sierra Leone and shorter assignments in Syria, the Balkan, Somalia, the Balkan, the Sahel, and Central Asia.

In 2017, he published the book On Building Peace – rescuing the Nation-State and saving the United Nations, AUP.

Michael von der Schulenberg -

Website - https://michael-von-der-schulenburg.com/

WTFinance -

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfn
iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Interview recorded - 21st of October, 2024

On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming back Jeff Snider. Jeff is at the forefront of modern money and monetary science, specifically the Euro dollar market and its impact globally. He is also the host of the Eurodollar University.

During our conversation we spoke about whether the economy is in a recession, the consumer struggle, why rate cuts don't do anything, bond market explosion, economic growth and more. I hope you enjoy!

0:00 - Introduction
1:30 - Is the economy in a recession or strong?
4:53 - What is below the surface of the economy?
9:35 - Consumers struggling
13:36 - Back to the mean?
17:01 - Average person to continue to struggle
21:18 - Rate cuts don’t do anything
26:53 - Fiscal spending help economy?
31:33 - Consumer sentiment drives economies
35:05 - Bond market explosion?
37:55 - Change occurs after breakages
44:20 - Economic growth
48:25 - One message to takeaway from our conversation?

Jeff Snider is one of the foremost experts on the global monetary system, specifically the eurodollar money system, and all aspects of its misunderstood inner workings and how they impact global markets, commerce, and economy. His podcast - Eurodollar University - aims to educate the public on the evolution and nature, and nuances of the eurodollar system and true monetary principles. He is a regular contributor to Real Clear Markets and a columnist for the Epoch Times, and is active on Twitter as well as He has been a guest on countless programs including MacroVoices, and Real Vision for his insights into the Eurodollar system, LIBOR, and repo/securities lending markets., etc.

Jeff Snider - 

YouTube -  @eurodollaruniversity  
Website - https://www.eurodollar.university/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_AIP

WTFinance - 

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfn
iTunes -https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-fatseas-761066103/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Interview recorded - 16th of October, 2024

Rick Bootcamp -  http://bootcamp.ruleclassroom.com

On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming back Rick Rule. Rick is the Former President & CEO of Sprott U.S. Holdings with decades of experience in the commodities business.

During our conversation we spoke about the outlook for the economy, the unaffordable pension plans, concentration of wealth, Trump tariffs, China's rise, base metals, resource underinvestment and more. I hope you enjoy!

0:00 - Introduction
1:08 - Rick’s outlook on the economy?
2:42 - Low interest rates that major driver?
9:22 - Governments can’t afford pensions
11:42 - What does future look like?
14:08 - Concentration of wealth
18:01 - Trump tariffs
20:10 - Will capital continue to be rewarded?
22:00 - Base metals
24:20 - China opaque credit
25:40 - Resource underinvestment
29:20 - Right return for project
31:00 - US Shale
35:22 - Miners to benefit?
38:10 - Resource M&A
39:55 - Cutting costs
42:00 - One message to takeaway from conversation?

Rick began his career 47 years ago in 1974 in the securities business and has been involved in it ever since. He is known for his expertise in many resource sectors, including agriculture, alternative energy, forestry, oil and gas, mining, and water. In 1990, Rick founded the business now known as Sprott US Holdings” merging in into Sprott Inc. ( SII) in 2011. He retired from Sprott Inc., in 2021, and resigned from the board of directors in 2023, but remains Sprott’s largest shareholder. IMr. Rule is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences, and a frequent contributor to numerous media outlets including CNBC, Fox Business News and BNN. Mr. Rule is actively engaged in private placement markets, through originating and participating in hundreds of debt and equity transactions.

Rick Rule - 

Twitter - https://twitter.com/RealRickRule
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-rule-1058921a/
Website - https://ruleinvestmentmedia.com/
Seminar - https://opptravel.zohobackstage.com/TheRuleSymposiumonNaturalResourceInvesting2024#/?affl=WTFinance

WTFinance -

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfn
iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas