The Meb Faber Show

In episode 227 we welcome our guest, Alex Smereczniak, Co-Founder and CEO of 2ULaundry. In today’s episode, we’re talking about re-thinking the laundry and dry cleaning business. Alex cut his teeth in the business with a student-run startup at Wake Forest. We get into what he saw with existing startup models trying to scale the laundry business, and why he thought the model needed to be approached in an entirely different way. We discuss scaling the business and 2ULaundry’s differentiating factors of pick up and delivery scheduling, vertical integration, and launching in markets where there is little competition, but room to scale. As the conversation winds down, we cover what 2ULaundry has done to navigate during the COVID-19 pandemic. All this and more in episode 227 with Alex Smereczniak. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 226 we welcome our guest, Vineer Bhansali, CIO of LongTail Alpha. In today’s episode, we’re talking current markets and tail risk hedging. We get into what has been going on in markets, and talk about asymmetric portfolio construction. We discuss recent market liquidity, and how it is the worst Vineer has seen in his career. We cover tail risk hedging, and walk through some examples of how to implement, and how different techniques fare in various environments. All this and more in episode 226 with Vineer Bhansali. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 225 we welcome our guest, Eric Crittenden. In today’s episode, we’re talking managed futures and trend following. We get into investor behavior, and the challenges of getting people to allocate to managed futures, despite the data that shows they should. Eric has come up with a creative way to re-frame the conversation around managed futures to help investors break through, and deepen their understanding. We even walk through Standpoint’s managed futures process. We cover portfolio construction and what the allocation looks like right now. All this and more in episode 225 with Eric Crittenden. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 224 we welcome our guest, Eric Kinariwala, Founder and CEO of Capsule. In today’s episode, we’re talking disruption of the $425 billion pharmacy industry.   We hear about the experience that sparked the idea for Capsule. We cover the state of the industry, and the feedback Eric received about the poor experience friends and doctors are having with the current pharmacy model.   We then dig into the company, delivering an easier and better way for people to get and manage medications, and the customer experience that is inspired by a loving and overbearing mother.   All this and more in episode 224 with Eric Kinariwala. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 223 we welcome our guest, Steven Jorgenson, Managing General partner of Starbridge Venture Capital. Strap in and let your imagination run wild…In today’s episode, we’re talking about the space industry.   We cover the space economy. There’s a lot more to it than just the launch sector. We dig into microgravity, and the opportunity it offers research and development. We chat about terrestrial market applications, and we even walk through a few investments in the portfolio.   If that isn’t enough, Steven lays out a timeline for the space industry over the next decade and beyond; it may leave you feeling that we’ll be living a sci-fi novel in the not too distant future.   All this and more in episode 223 with Steven Jorgenson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 222 we welcome our guest, Dakin Sloss of Prime Movers Lab. In today’s episode, we’re talking venture capital and investing in breakthrough scientific startups.   We get into the way Prime Movers Lab thinks about its place in the venture capital ecosystem and why Dakin believes the least useful thing they provide is capital. We talk about assessing entrepreneurs and companies and looking for founders who don’t give up.   Dakin even gives us insight into some of the innovative companies in the portfolio, those executing on ideas from space transit to sustainable aquaponic farming.   All this and more in episode 222 with Dakin Sloss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 221 we welcome our guest, Chris Davis of Davis Advisors. In today’s episode, we’re talking stocks and investor behavior. We begin with Chris’s background and transition into some of his early lessons about investing and compound returns. We hit on investor behavior and trying to keep investors behaving in their own best interests. We discuss current markets, owning durable and resilient businesses, and the thinking behind the fundamental process at Davis. We even get into some thoughts about opportunities in markets today, from financials to energy. All this and more in episode 221 with Chris Davis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 220 we welcome our guest, Andrew Beer of Dynamic Beta Investments. In today’s episode, we’re talking hedge funds and replication. We kick things off with some background that includes Andrew’s start in the industry with Seth Klarman’s Baupost Group in 1994. We discuss replication strategies, what Dynamic Beta is doing to try to outperform hedge fund portfolios, and most importantly, how they are doing it. We talk about the firm’s equity long/short and managed futures strategies, understanding key hedge fund allocations, and what the funds look like right now. As the conversation winds, down we chat COVID and what the future might look like for liquid alts. All this and more in episode 220 with Andrew Beer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 219 we welcome our guest, Sir Paul Collier. In today’s episode, we’re talking economics and capitalism. We kick things off by covering some instances of the derailment of capitalism. We go all the way back to the mid-1800s to Bradford England’s industrial rise, the ensuing health crisis, and how capitalism responded. We walk forward to talk about the divide between metropolis and provincial cities, and the new class divide. We discuss psychological and economic issues facing what professor Collier refers to as, “left behind countries.” We then shift to a thoughtful discussion of prescriptions to these problems, and the factors that need to work in harmony to create common purpose. All this and more in episode 219 with Sir Paul Collier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 218 we welcome our guest, Adam Karr. In today’s episode, we’re talking stocks and investment process. We cover Orbis’ investment philosophy, and the relentless focus on companies trading at a discount to intrinsic value through a bottom-up analysis process. Adam offers thoughts on the current environment and why he thinks this looks more like the .com bubble, rather than the aftermath of the global financial crisis. We get into some of the opportunities in the market today and discuss emphasizing companies with balance sheet strength and thinking in terms of long-term, normalized earnings power. All this and more in episode 218 with Orbis Investments’ Adam Karr. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 217 we welcome our guest, Mary Wheeler, Founding Managing Director of BioRock Ventures. In today’s episode, we get into biotech and venture capital. We cover Mary’s deep background that ultimately influenced her investment focus on biotech. We cover her fund, BioRock Ventures, investing in biopharma startups, her core investment criteria, and keeping an eye out for companies serving unmet need areas. We touch on some key differences between biotech focused VC investing vs. other areas of VC. Mary even shares some insight into a company in her portfolio that has focused resources on potential COVID19 applications. All this and more in episode 217 with BioRock Ventures’ Mary Wheeler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 216 we welcome our guest, David Samra, a managing director of Artisan Partners and founding partner of the Artisan Partners International Value Team. In today’s episode, we discuss David’s background and what led him down the path of value investing. We cover the characteristics that drive Artisan’s framework and investment process. With the recent market selloff in mind, we walk through some industries that are offering value right now, from travel and leisure to energy, and where Artisan has been deploying cash. As the conversation winds down, we talk high-level about the asset management industry and deploying value strategies. All this and more in episode 216 with Artisan Partners’ David Samra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 215 we welcome our guest, David Chan, COO and a founding team member of FarmTogether. We discuss the FarmTogether platform and making farmland investing more accessible. We cover farmland as an asset class, some history about the fragmented nature of farmland ownership, and the relatively small 2-3% ownership stake that is in institutional hands. We cover the broad models of farmland ownership, and a real-world example of how a deal actually works on the FarmTogether platform. As we get deeper into the conversation, we hear some thoughts on sustainability and the role regenerative agriculture can play in reducing agriculture’s carbon footprint. All this and more in episode 215 with FarmTogether’s David Chan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 214 we welcome our guest, Jake Gibson, founding partner of Better Tomorrow Ventures. We discuss startup investing in the world of fintech. We get into some of the opportunities going forward, from disruption in products, user experience and distribution models, to how some non-fintech companies may be able to start leveraging the fintech infrastructure to integrate financial services into other products. We touch on the next wave of fintech, banking as a service, and a future that may evolve into a far deeper set of automated financial services that greatly reduce friction and improve the experience for the consumer. Stay tuned to the end to hear some detail about Jake’s new fund, focused on pre-seed and seed stage fintech companies. All this and more, in episode 214 with Jake Gibson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 213 we welcome our guest, David Sanderson, founder and CEO of Reelgood. We get into David’s frustrating experience of juggling multiple streaming services and how that ultimately led him to launch Reelgood. We talk about the buildout of the product and how important data management and processing is to product implementation. Later on, we chat about the bet he and his company made on fragmentation in the streaming market, and one of the greatest challenges he has faced with his company. Don’t miss this great episode with Reelgood founder and CEO, David Sanderson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 212 we welcome our guest, Eric Satz, the founder and CEO of AltoIRA. Eric shares the frustration he experienced trying to make private investments in his retirement account, and how that led him down the path of solving the problem and ultimately the launch of his company, AltoIRA. We discuss alternative investments and the case for holding them in retirement accounts. We get into the nuts and bolts of how AltoIRA works and where it is going in the future. As we wind down, we chat about having an understanding what is out of your control and shifting focus to doing your absolute best on what you can control. All this and more, in episode 212 with Eric Satz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 211 we welcome our guest, Julie Novack, the CEO and co-founder of PartySlate. We discuss the party planning industry and how PartySlate is bringing something entirely different to the table with its content-rich platform and transparent crediting. We get into the frustration Julie faced logging hours online trying to plan a high-profile cancer research gala, and how that experience ultimately led to the idea behind her company. We talk about the business model, growth plans, and her experience with startup incubator, Techstars. Julie even offers thoughts on the future and some major trends she’s seeing take shape in the event planning industry. All this and more, in episode 211 with Julie Novack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 210 we welcome our guest, Jonathan Treussard, Partner, and Head of Product Development at Research Affiliates. We discuss what’s currently going on in the world around us and how rapidly things are changing. We cover the idea of “nowcasting,” and how it’s different from the type of forecasting and opinion that prevalent, often unhelpful, and sometimes downright detrimental to investment decision making. We talk about Research Affiliate’s stance on valuations, emerging markets looking attractive, and having discipline when it comes to analyzing data to form a sensible guide to forward looking expectations. We get into factor investing, value investing’s underperformance, and the behavioral struggle investors have with it. As we wind down, we chat ESG investing, and hear a candid take on the industry’s approach in helping investors prepare for retirement. All this and more, including some of Jonathan’s thoughts on ESG investing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode we welcome our guest, Andrew Schulz, co-founder and CEO of NoiseAware. We discuss the miserable experience that led to the fresh idea behind NoiseAware’s smart sensor and noise-monitoring technology. We get into the product, use case, and the idea that customers can now have hard data on noise levels at their property, empowering them to be proactive if noise is out of hand, or defend against false noise complaints. We talk about building the company out of Dallas and access to resources the team has had along the way, and we even dive into growth potential for the company as they set sights on international markets. Don’t miss this and more in episode 209. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 208 is a Mebisode. Meb reads a recent piece that highlights the data and reality of market drawdowns, underperformance, and some statistics that illustrate that investors may not be prepared to face the reality of how long underperformance can last. Tune in for this and more in episode 208, including how Meb frames his market expectations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices