15 Minutes of Finance

This week’s Market Friday recap covers IPOs, ADRs, international investing, crypto regulation, geopolitical risk and the continued AI industrial revolution. Our term of the day is IPO, which stands for initial public offering. SK Hynix was already publicly traded in South Korea, but the company completed a massive U.S. public offering of American Depositary Receipts and began trading on the Nasdaq...

The market was closed Friday for the 250th anniversary of American independence, but investors still had plenty to digest from a surprising week. Blue chip stocks finally came alive as companies like Apple, McDonald’s, Walmart, and Johnson & Johnson gained ground. Technology and memory chip stocks struggled, while the Dow extended its winning streak to four consecutive weeks. Despite the rotat...

“A rising tide lifts all ships” means that when the overall stock market is moving higher, many individual stocks tend to rise along with it. But can the current technology-driven rally continue, or are investors becoming too dependent on a small group of major companies? In this episode, we discuss Kevin Warsh’s first interest-rate decision as Federal Reserve chair and why we believe keeping rate...

Most small business owners spend almost all of their time working in the business, but not enough time working on the business. In this episode, we sit down with Sam Slater, a former Google executive with over a decade of experience in design strategy, to talk about how entrepreneurs and solo-preneurs can get clear, identify the real problem, and create a plan for moving forward. Sam helps small b...

The stock market had a rough week, with all three major indexes finishing lower despite a stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs report. The economy added 172,000 jobs, unemployment remained steady at 4.3%, and investors immediately began reassessing the outlook for interest rates. Why would a strong jobs report hurt stocks? In this video, James explains how stronger employment can keep inflation concer...

The stock market is back at all-time highs, with the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all closing at new records. The S&P 500 also posted its 9th straight week of gains, but as exciting as this moment feels, it is important to remember: this too shall pass. In this Friday market recap, James breaks down why investors should avoid getting too emotional when markets are up or down, how the AI revolu...

The Dow closed at a record high today while the S&P 500 wrapped up its 8th straight week of gains, showing just how strong momentum has been despite constant concerns about inflation, interest rates, and global uncertainty. Nvidia once again crushed earnings, raised its dividend to $0.25 per share, and announced an $80 billion share buyback program. Even though the stock dipped after earnings,...

“In the short run, the market is a voting machine. In the long run, it is a weighing machine.” – Benjamin Graham Markets had a strong week but closed Friday in the red. Was it headlines, politics, or the Middle East? Maybe partly. But the bigger story may be interest rates and Treasury yields staying elevated, making lower-risk investments like Treasuries more attractive than stocks in the short t...

The market just hit a new all time high, with the S&P 500 pushing toward 7400 and the Nasdaq closing its 5th straight week of gains. So what happens next… are we heading for a melt up or a pullback? In this video, we break down: Why the market feels great right now… and why that can change fast. The latest jobs report and what it means for the economy. How AI is driving massive spending and ea...

James discusses news for the week, current conditions for the market, and an anecdote about emotional investing consequences.

In this conversation, Brandon sits down with Karen Calderon aka The Money Chica, a certified financial coach whose brand centers on helping people feel clear, confident, and in control with their money. They talk about budgeting, behavioral finance, scarcity mindset, cultural differences in financial literacy, credit card debt, and why financial clarity has to come before trying to fix everything...

Is the 2026 stock market sitting on the edge of something bigger? In this video, we talk through why it feels like we are at the precipice, with major uncertainty surrounding the economy, inflation, mortgage rates, real estate, oil prices, and the war in Iran. We break down how all of these forces connect and why investors are watching every new headline so closely. We also explain PCE and Core PC...

Volatility is back in a big way. Large daily market swings are becoming more common, and investors are navigating an environment where sentiment can shift quickly. In this interview, Brandon and James break down why the stock market has become more volatile and how different generations approach risk differently. They discuss the rise of high-risk investing, including cryptocurrency-only portfolio...

Brandon sits down with Brittany Cohen, Esq., Attorney at Law at Peaceful Warrior Law, APC in San Diego, California, for an important conversation about estate planning, trusts, probate, and protecting your family. Brittany’s boutique law practice focuses on estate planning, trust creation, elder law, Medi-Cal planning, asset protection, tax reduction planning, personal injury, and more. In this in...

This week, James breaks down stock market news and events this week. Nvidia sank after strong earnings, the Dow dropped over 500 points, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq also moved lower. Inflation data (PPI and Core PPI) came in hotter than expected. One of the biggest takeaways has nothing to do with headlines. It has to do with fees. James shares that he has now seen four separate portfolios charging...

This week felt like a free fall at times, the kind of tape that makes you question everything, and then the market turned around and finished Friday on a much better note. In this episode, James breaks down what happened, why weeks like this are exactly when investor behavior matters most, and how to keep your decision making grounded when headlines and intraday swings get loud. One of the biggest...

Selling real estate doesn’t have to mean handing a big check to the IRS. In this episode of 15 Minutes of Finance, we break down 1031 exchanges: What they are, how they work, and how real estate investors can legally defer capital gains taxes when selling investment property. We’re joined by Adam Nishikawa, a 1031 Qualified Intermediary, who walks us through: - What qualifies for a 1031 exchange -...

James covers market news, trumps new fed pick Kevin Warsh, and goes over earnings reports, stocks he bought, and investing habits that will make you rich or poor. All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

Next week could be one of the most important market weeks we’ve seen in a while, and it may set the tone for the next few months. In this episode, James breaks down why the market reacted so sharply to Trump’s latest headlines involving Greenland, NATO, and rising geopolitical uncertainty, and why moments like this often create opportunity for long term investors. When fear spikes, prices drop, an...

If you’re a small business owner, you’re not just running a business, you’re moving through stages. And the strategy that works in the beginning is not the same strategy that works when you’re growing, and it’s definitely not the same strategy once you’ve reached a plateau. In this episode, Brandon breaks down the three stages of small business growth and explains how to maximize each phase so you...

Stock Market Update and 2026 Outlook is here. In this episode of 15 Minutes of Finance, we break down the biggest financial news moving markets right now, then dive into why financial stocks such as banks, insurance, and financial services could be one of the best sector opportunities heading into 2026. We cover how the Federal Reserve, interest rates, inflation, and credit conditions can influenc...

In this episode, James sits down with a successful investor who built a location independent career and now lives abroad while working remotely. They break down how geographical arbitrage makes it possible to dramatically lower your cost of living, upgrade your lifestyle, and accelerate your wealth building at the same time. From affordable luxury housing and world class food to international trav...

In this episode, Brandon and James recap the market as we head toward the end of the year and discuss overall investor sentiment going into 2026. They break down what the S&P 500 has done over the past year, explain the idea behind the Santa Claus rally, and talk about what to realistically expect from the market and the economy next year. The conversation also covers tariffs and why their imp...

In this episode James covers the latest market and economic news, breaks down a LinkedIn discussion he had about the S&P 500, and explains why waiting is sometimes the best move for investors. He also revisits his stock pick on Warner Brothers Discovery and how Netflix is set to acquire them and what that means for investors. #investing #marketnews #15minutesoffinance #economy #S&P500All I...

James Breaks down the 5 ways investment professionals get information before YOU, the retail investor, and how you can start getting information just as fast as them! That way, you can make informed decisions off the data, instead of off their headlines! 15 Minutes of Finance is your quick, easy to understand take on markets, taxes, and making smarter financial decisions! The show is produced by W...