Lagniappe

The guys once again turn their attention to Jerome Powell, Janet Yellen, and what the Fed will do in the wake of the recent bank failures. They dive into the global effects of those collapses including what happened with Credit Suisse and then look at what we can learn from the cyclical nature of human behavior. Key Takeaways [03:59] - How do banks actually work? [09:09] - How does the government...

No doubt, you’ve heard about the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. But do you know how it happened? Or why? Greg and Doug Stokes give these answers and more about how the government stepped in and what the biggest bank crash since 2008 means for the economy moving forward. Key Takeaways [01:41] - How the demise of Silicon Valley Bank really started in the COVID era [06:24] - What a bank run looks l...

This week’s guest is Jim Cobb, a New Orleans defense attorney and the author of the award-winning book, Flood of Lies: The St. Rita's Nursing Home Tragedy. Jim won two high-profile cases defending the owners of nursing homes in St. Bernard, LA and Hollywood Hills, FL. The trio discusses these trials, the state of today’s judicial system, and even Jim’s under-the-radar New Orleans restaurant recomm...

Back in the studio, the Stokes Brothers catch up after the Mardi Gras break. They examine why bad economic news is good news for the market and vice versa, and why the real estate market across the country has come to an abrupt halt. Key Takeaways [00:22] - Good news is bad news for the market and bad news is good news [05:28] - Is now the right time to lock in long-term bonds? [08:09] - A deep di...

In this week’s episode, the guys welcome on Rob Koyfman, CEO and co-founder of Koyfin. His company offers live market data and powerful analytical tools in a modern, intuitive format. Rob, an expert at taking the macro perspective, discusses emerging markets, inflation, efficiency in the tech sector, and making industry-leading data available for everyone, no matter the size of the portfolio. Key...

As the Stokes Brothers prepare for Mardi Gras in New Orleans, they reluctantly continue their ongoing conversation about the Fed and inflation. They’ll also look at rolling 30-year returns and delve into the legacy of Charlie Munger and the uneasy future of crypto. Key Takeaways [00:35] - The calm before the New Orleans Mardi Gras storm [03:16] - An update on inflation [09:06] - Shelter and the an...

The Stokes’ consistently lean toward the optimistic side of thinking, but this week, they’ll take a look at data/opinions on both sides of the coin.  The guys examine the national focus shifting away from the Fed and toward corporate profit margins, why companies becoming more efficient is a bullish sign for the economy, and how diversification is the right strategy no matter the economic outlook....

In this week’s episode, Greg and Doug Stokes focus on the long-term success of the stock market and not getting caught up in the next big thing.  They’ll also take a look at tech companies shedding excess employee luxuries, the cyclical nature of trendy investment sectors, and the dichotomy of how inflation/employment news is viewed.  Key Takeaways [01:15] - Corporations are shedding excess luxuri...

While the negative narratives swirl, Doug and Greg Stokes look at the actual data to find encouraging signs in the markets.  The guys also examine the latest tech layoffs and what they mean for the macro economy and they question why people listen to “investor gurus" and why pessimism is seen as a sign of intelligence today.  Key Takeaways [01:15] - High-growth tech companies are very sensitive to...

Could we be looking at a year with a soft landing where inflation comes down without major economic pain? Greg and Doug dive into the potential of that outcome and the Fed’s role in it. They also look back on the EU energy crisis and its fear-based narratives and discuss how emotions/human nature affect the cycles of investment.  Key Takeaways [01:30] - The potential for a soft landing  [02:50] -...

Happy New Year from Stokes Family Office. In this 1-year anniversary episode, Greg and Doug recap 2022 and look forward to 2023. They dig deeper past the forecasts and narratives to find factual reasons to be optimistic. The guys also discuss the importance of diversification across sectors and why pre-election years are historically bullish.  Key Takeaways [01:10] - A recap of 2022 [05:19] - A hi...

This week’s guest is Perth Tolle, the founder of Life + Liberty Indexes and creator of the Freedom 100 EM Index (FRDM index). This freedom-weighted equity strategy is the first of its kind and uses personal and economic freedom metrics as primary factors in its investment process. Doug and Greg chat with Perth about how/why she came up with the ETF, how the strategy performs vs. the market cap-wei...

The Holidays bring lots of gifts, and one that we look forward to each year in the financial world is the upcoming year’s forecasts. On this week’s episode, Greg and Doug examine and discuss 2023 outlooks from several of the world’s largest asset managers. The guys take stock of a wild 2022, give their own predictions for next year, and debate how recency bias annually plays into these prognostica...

In this week’s episode, Greg recounts his recent trip to Buenos Aires, from the food, geography, and people to their current financial situation. He speaks on the local impact of their economic struggles as well as investment opportunities and their incredible opportunity to make changes. The guys also delve into year-end tax planning which is especially important this year due to the performance...

What effect does the character of a CEO have on a company’s performance?  In this episode, Doug and Greg talk to Dan Cooper, Founder & CEO of ROC Investments. After working with Presidents, CEOs of large public companies, philanthropists, and extraordinary leaders from around the world, Cooper founded his firm with a character-based investment strategy, creating a model to quantify the character a...

The cryptocurrency industry is one of the most volatile and unpredictable industries in the world. In just a few short years, the industry has gone from being relatively unknown to being worth billions of dollars.  The recent drama surrounding the FTX cryptocurrency exchange is a cautionary tale for the industry. It is a reminder of how quickly things can go wrong in the Wild West world of crypto...

In this episode, Doug and Greg take a little break from the usual marketing discussion and talk about some other exciting things, basketball, and football. They are joined today by Scott Kushner. Scott is a leading expert on New Orleans sports and a columnist for The Times-Picayune. He is also the co-host of the Polk and Kush podcast, covering New Orleans' teams with a bend away from stats and bol...

There has been a lot of talk about the possibility of a recession in recent months. While it is impossible to know for sure what the future holds, there are still silver linings to be found. In this episode, Doug and Greg talk about how global investment managers view the market, how the Federal Reserve is at the center of the market's action, and the silver lining in today's economic climate. Key...

Recent years have been tough on the economy. Many challenges have led to a slowdown in the global economy. Despite the negative impact of the economic slowdown, there are still reasons to be optimistic. Tough times don't last forever, and the economy will eventually recover. In this episode, Doug and Greg talk about what financial experts have to say about inflation, the slowdown of today's econom...

The stock and bond markets have seen some wild swings over the past few weeks. This has caused large drawdowns in the stock and bond markets and a great deal of pain for international economies. While the increasing declines in the market may have a negative impact in the short run, they are likely to have a positive impact in the long run. In this episode, Greg and Doug talk about how people feel...

The stock market has been on a roller coaster ride this year, and unfortunately, it has mostly been going down. This has made a lot of people very anxious about their investments and future. Bonds have also been performing poorly, adding to the anxiety. How should investors respond to current market conditions? In this episode, Greg and Doug talk about how stocks and bonds have performed poorly th...

A growing number of experts believe that a recession is looming on the horizon. This week, Greg and Doug look at the importance of being prepared for the dips while remaining focused on the brighter days to come. Key Takeaways [00:21] - Recent headlines on the global economy. [06:01] - What surveys say about the economy and the market. [11:17] - What analysts have to say about the current state of...

The market has continued to be volatile over the last month. This situation has left many investors wondering what they can expect in the coming weeks and months. Despite speculation surrounding investment banks, the financial market, and the housing market, many experts believe there is potential growth in the long term. In this episode, Greg Stokes and Doug Stokes talk about the market performan...

Historically, leaders communicated with their employees in a transactional and hierarchical manner. However, these tactics no longer work in today's environment. The traditional, command-and-control leadership style is no longer as effective. What leadership techniques do effective leaders employ in the modern business and working environment? In this episode, Doug and Greg talk with Michelle John...

Inflation is commonly discussed in terms of its impact on commodity prices. However, its effects go much deeper than that. Businesses, the stock market, and even interest rates are affected by it. As inflation ripples through the economy, what is the federal government doing to deal with this problem? In this episode, Doug and Greg talk about inflation trends and their associated risks. They speak...