The Important Part: Investing with Liz Thomas

A 20x markup. Vertical integration across manufacturing, retail, and insurance. One company controlling 80% of the market. Most investors would see Luxottica's dominance of the eyewear market and walk away. Dave Gilboa and his co-founders saw the opportunity of a lifetime. In this episode, Warby Parker's co-CEO breaks down the strategic decisions that turned a business school insight into a multi-...

We're witnessing the most profound shift in global finance since the 1970s, and Jan van Eck, CEO of VanEck knows why. As a third-generation trendspotter, he shares the family recipe for identifying macro shifts before anyone else notices. His father predicted gold would break free in 1968, and it rocketed from $35 to $800 an ounce. Now Jan sees the next breakout: countries abandoning the dollar, w...

In this special, live recording of The Important Part, SoFi’s Head of Investment Strategy Liz Thomas asks the question many investors are thinking about: when – if ever – will the markets cool off? She sits down with two of the top critical thinkers in the world of finance: Tom Lee, Co-founder and Head of Research at Fundstrat, and Michael Lewis, the New York Times bestselling author of Moneyball,...

Think your investment losses are about bad stock picks? Think again. Certified financial therapist Erika Wasserman reveals why 90% of your financial decisions are driven by emotion, not logic, and how your seven-year-old self still controls your money mindset today. Whether you’re panic-selling during market dips, avoiding money conversations with your partner, or wondering why you can't seem to b...

What will 2026 bring for your portfolio? From precious metals to interest rates and tech stocks, we’re kicking off the new year by answering some of your most pressing questions. In this bonus episode of The Important Part, SoFi’s Head of Investment Strategy Liz Thomas brings deep research and thoughtful insight to this year’s economic outlook.  For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

We're taught that smart people get the right answer. The gold star. The A+. But Bobby Parmar, professor of business administration at the University of Virginia and author of Radical Doubt: Turning Uncertainty into Surefire Success, argues that this conditioning sabotages our most important decisions. In this episode, Bobby shares why doubt isn't the enemy of good decision-making, it's the foundat...

What does it actually take to break into finance? Mario Ismailanji, Senior Investment Strategist at SoFi, shares his unconventional path from philosophy major to finance professional, including the impulsive late-night decision that changed everything. He shares why critical thinking beats perfect credentials, how to filter through the noise in a world of constant headlines, and why your portfolio...

What happens when entrepreneurial ambition collides with the demands of your relationships? In this revealing conversation, renowned VC Brad Feld and philanthropist Amy Batchelor share what they’ve learned during 35 years of marriage: including the late-night moment when Amy said “I'm done” after a decade of 100-hour work weeks, and the honest reckoning that followed. From navigating income dispar...

What separates billion-dollar bets from billion-dollar disasters? Wall Street Journal columnist and author Tim Higgins has spent two decades covering the world's boldest CEOs: from Elon Musk betting his entire fortune on electric cars, to Mark Zuckerberg wagering Meta's future to escape Apple's “perfect mousetrap.” In this episode, Tim reveals the patterns behind high-stakes tech decisions, explai...

CNBC contributor and portfolio manager Jenny Harrington shares how she risked nearly everything by draining her IRA to build her investment firm, had a baby the day the market hit its lowest in 2009, and convinced her husband to join her with zero safety net–all during the worst financial crisis in recent history. Jenny reveals why the “boring” dividend strategy everyone overlooks kept her clients...

Beth Pinsker thought she was ready for anything. As a certified financial planner, MarketWatch columnist, and retirement expert, she understands what it means to plan for the future. Then her mom got sick — and suddenly, everything she thought she knew went out the window. In this powerful episode, Beth opens up about the painful choices she faced, the moment she nearly crossed a line, and the thr...

Dan Ives—Wall Street's most colorfully dressed tech bull—shares why the AI party is just getting started. As Managing Director and Global Head of Technology Research at Wedbush Securities, Dan predicts that autonomous vehicles will be so widespread, your kids won't need driver's licenses by 2029, and, he thinks, humanoid robots will be in millions of homes. Unlike the late '90s dot-com bubble buil...

This episode originally aired on September 12, 2024. So you’ve graduated college and landed your first job. But along the way, no one told you about what a 401k is, or how to make a large home goods purchase, or even how to start making your money work for you. To make sure you don’t fumble, SoFi’s Head of Investment Strategy and Host Liz Thomas welcomes back Brandon Copeland, retired NFL player,...

This episode originally aired on Feb 20, 2024. Steve Young is most well known for his NFL accolades, but since his retirement from the 49ers he’s built another type of empire as Partner, Chairman and Co-founder of private equity firm, HGGC. In this episode, SoFi's Head of Investment Strategy Liz Thomas sits down with Steve to discuss his career transition into business, what it takes to evaluate a...

How does one start a career in investment strategy? For that matter, what IS an investment strategist? In this special episode, host Liz Thomas gets on the other side of the mic in conversation with Brian Walsh, a.k.a. “Dr. Money,” Head of Advice and Planning at SoFi. Brian and Liz discuss her career evolution, from early career pivots, to what she does as an investment strategist, to how to commu...

Anthony Noto’s path to becoming CEO at SoFi was anything but linear. But along the way, he learned the lessons and wisdom that helped him lead SoFi to where it is today. In this special episode, host Liz Thomas sits down with SoFi CEO Anthony Noto to talk about his ambitious goals for the company. Anthony and Liz discuss how his time at West Point shaped his leadership style and values, his decisi...

Benjamin Franklin once wrote that “nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” And with tax season’s arrival, being certain about what you owe and planning ahead will save you both frustration and funds. In this episode, we discuss all things taxes with Brian Walsh, a.k.a. “Dr. Money,” Head of Advice and Planning at SoFi. Brian talks about tips for preparing for tax season, how to...

The ratification of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, or ECOA, 50 years ago marked the end of illegal lending practices that discriminated against borrowers based on their race, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, and source of income. Financial inequality, however, is still a persistent issue in the United States. One solution to this ongoing issue is closing the education gap wh...

Conventional wisdom claims that mixing emotions with financial decisions can lead to poor, even impulsive decisions. But what if we instead viewed emotions as super powers that we can harness to not only make wiser, but more meaningful choices for ourselves and our financial goals? In this episode, we sit down with Brian Portnoy, author and founder of the financial advisor coaching and e-learning...

To kick off 2025, SoFi’s Head of Investment Strategy Liz Thomas dives into listeners’ biggest questions about the year ahead, such as: what happens if liquidity coming out of markets decreases? How will the Fed respond if inflation rates remain high? Is buying gold a good investment in 2025? Get thoughtful insight on all of these questions and more in this special bonus episode. For more, read Liz...

Consumer spending is the heart of the US economy—more specifically, spending by high-income, or luxury, consumers. These luxury consumers are optimistic about the economic landscape, and how and what they spend their money on reflects this attitude. But while not everyone can spend like a luxury consumer, can their attitudes provide economic insight for the rest of us? Just in time for the holiday...

AI, BioTech, Robotics – these are technologies that will change the world. But how and where do the opportunities live within these sectors? Where are investors taking their big bets? This episode, we’ll hear from Cathie Wood, Founder, CEO, and CIO at ARK Investment Management, LLC. Ark’s funds are known for taking big bets on “disruptive innovation,” meaning tech companies at the forefront of inn...

The market may go up, down, or even sideways, but one thing remains constant—Brian Belski is the Biggest Bull on Wall Street. Brian joins SoFi’s Head of Investment Strategy and Host Liz Thomas to talk about what’s making him confident in the resiliency of the current bull market. Brian is famous for his positive view on markets and is a frequent commentator on CNBC, Fox Business, and Bloomberg. He...

For many, their wedding day is the day they’ve dreamt of since childhood. What people haven’t dreamt of is the cost of making that dream a reality, let alone how to pay for it. In this episode, SoFi’s Head of Investment Strategy and Host of The Important Part Liz Thomas talks with Tim Chi, CEO of The Knot Worldwide. Tim shares insights about financial planning for weddings from his extensive backg...

So you’ve graduated college and landed your first job. But along the way, no one told you about what a 401k is, or how to make a large home goods purchase, or even how to start making your money work for you. To make sure you don’t fumble, SoFi’s Head of Investment Strategy and Host Liz Thomas welcomes back Brandon Copeland, retired NFL player, founder, and now author of the new book, ‘Your Money...