Equity Mates Investing Podcast

AI has rattled public SaaS stocks, but private markets may be taking a more measured view. Schroders’ Claire Smith joins us to unpack how private equity is assessing AI risk, why boring businesses can be beautiful, and how Australian investors can access small private companies globally. In this episode: 00:00 - Is AI Killing Software? 03:04 - Introducing Claire Smith 05:02 - SaaS Sell-Off: Public...

Bond markets are flashing warning signs and investors are finally taking inflation seriously again. Bryce and Ren unpack why soaring bond yields matter for your portfolio, how energy prices are driving global inflation fears, and why Trump only really fears the bond market. Then the boys’ mortgage broker Chris Bates drops in to break down the Australian budget changes that could completely reshape...

AI is everywhere in markets, but is it actually changing how great investors pick stocks? Bryce and Alec sit down with Armina Rosenberg, co-founder and portfolio manager at Minotaur Capital, to unpack how her team uses AI across idea generation, research, financial modelling, thesis validation and risk management. From spotting structural change across thousands of articles to testing whether SaaS...

Big moves at the top of the ASX, inflation heating up in the US, and a beaten-up healthcare names under the microscope. In this episode, Bryce, Alec and Mr. Beat-Up unpack BHP overtaking Commonwealth Bank, CSL’s brutal fall from grace, and whether TransMedics’ organ transplant technology can justify the risk after its share price has been cut by two-thirds. In this episode: 00:00 — Intro & Wel...

The space economy isn’t some far-off sci-fi bet, it’s already a US$630 billion industry powering the way we communicate, navigate and forecast weather. Bryce and Ren are joined by Betashares investment strategist Hugh Lam to unpack falling launch costs, satellite internet, data-as-a-service, defence, tourism, SpaceX hype and why ETFs may offer a diversified way to access the theme. In this episode...

The Federal Budget has landed, and two of Australia’s biggest investing sacred cows — negative gearing and capital gains tax — are in the firing line. Bryce and Ren unpack what the changes mean for property, shares, startups and long-term investors, before reviewing the community portfolio, debating Catapult, Berkshire and TSMC, adding Bitcoin to the mix, and closing with a practical 101 on gearin...

Whether it’s an inheritance, separation payout, work bonus or lucky Powerball moment, a lump sum can change your financial trajectory...if you make the right calls. Bryce and Alec are joined by Dylan Pargiter-Green from Bold Wealth to unpack the emotional, practical and tax considerations that come with sudden wealth, and why the best move might be taking a breath before doing anything. If you’d l...

Apple and Commonwealth Bank are squaring off over the future of payments, AI-linked stocks are still ripping, and the Equity Mates community portfolio gets a new ASX stock pitch. Plus, Riley brings the data on dollar cost averaging in Australia and proves that even God, with perfect market timing, still loses to simply getting invested and staying invested. In this episode: 00:00 - Intro & Fin...

Centuria co-CEO Jason Huljich joins Bryce and Ren to unpack how higher rates hit REITs, why construction costs can support rents, and where Centuria is finding opportunities across office, industrial, data centres, healthcare, agriculture and retail. Thank you to Centuria for sponsoring this episode and helping us keep all of our content free. If you want to learn more about Centuria’s range of AS...

Markets have roared back at record speed, big tech earnings are still doing ridiculous things, and investors are once again being reminded why staying invested matters. Bryce and Alec unpack the Iran-driven market wobble, Australia’s rate rise and looming budget, before diving into results from Alphabet, Berkshire Hathaway and Eli Lilly, plus the long-term numbers showing shares can absolutely hol...

From gas taxes to housing affordability and gambling reform, Senator David Pocock lays out a clear argument: Australia’s biggest problems aren’t unsolvable, they’re just not being tackled long-term. We unpack why policy short-termism is costing Australians, where vested interests hold influence, and what a more ambitious, future-focused Australia could look like. Chapters: 00:00 – Introducing Davi...

Bryce and Alec are back with their May portfolio update, looking back on April’s performance across their core ETFs, satellite stocks, income sleeve, crypto and active managers. It’s a strong month on paper, but the real story is underneath the surface: Spotify’s sharp post-earnings drop, TSMC’s monster quarter, and Alec’s growing conviction that infrastructure could play a bigger role in an incom...

Private credit has gone from niche to one of the fastest-growing parts of investing, but most people still don’t fully understand how it works, why borrowers use it, or where the risks sit. In this episode, Bryce and Alec sit down with Balmain’s Henry Holm to unpack the private credit boom in Australia, why banks have stepped back, how non-bank lenders create value, and what investors should look...

Bryce, Ren and Simon unpack how Amazon, Google and Meta are shifting billions offshore while keeping tax bills low in Australia, why the Elon Musk v Sam Altman courtroom battle matters far beyond tech gossip, and whether Mr Beat Up's 65% "catalyst" stock is a buying opportunity or a fair reflection of deeper structural risks. In this episode: 00:00 Welcome & Special Co-Host 01:06 Big Tech Tax...

From switching brokerage platforms to gearing, kids’ investing accounts, super catch-up contributions and the age-old mortgage-versus-investing debate, this listener mailbag covers the real questions investors are wrestling with right now. Bryce is joined by financial adviser Matt Ingram to work through how he’s positioning portfolios in a volatile market, where he’s seeing opportunity, and the pr...

Software stocks have been smashed as AI hype reshapes the market narrative, but is this a structural shift or a classic overreaction? Bryce and Alec sit down with ECP’s Jared Pohl to unpack what’s really changed, what hasn’t, and where investors should be looking. From moats beyond code to why some SaaS names may come out stronger. Thank you to ECP Asset Management for sponsoring this episode and...

It’s the end of an era at Apple, with Tim Cook stepping down after a remarkable run that turned the company into a multi-trillion-dollar giant. Bryce and Alec unpack what Cook leaves behind, whether Apple’s AI future is being underappreciated, and why serial founder Brad Jacobs has investors backing him again with QXO. Plus, they open up the portfolio playbook to answer community questions on gear...

A former sneaker darling reinventing itself as an AI compute business, a Saudi-backed golf league reportedly burning through cash at an eye-watering rate, and a practical look at how Bryce is trying to bring more structure to his stock picking. It’s a sharp reminder that markets can get irrational fast and that having a repeatable investment process matters when the noise gets loud. In this episod...

Markets started the year strong, then geopolitics hit. With war tensions, oil volatility, and rate expectations shifting fast, the portfolio challenge is already testing conviction. But the real game is what happens next. Will Bryce, Alec, Cam and Ally seek the relief rally or draw down deeper? In this episode: 00:00 – The $25K portfolio challenge explained 00:39 – Meet the competitors (and one st...

Bryce and Ren break down Aston Martin’s cash crunch, check in on a community portfolio that’s outperforming, and hear a timely pitch for an EV ETF as fuel prices reshape consumer behaviour. Then Luke Laretive returns with a sharp portfolio review full of lessons on concentration, overlap and investing young. In this episode: 00:00 Episode Preview & Intro 01:46 Iran War Market Impact 04:44 Asto...

You’re working hard to build wealth, but what happens if you can’t earn an income tomorrow? In this episode, we go deep on life insurance, income protection, and everything in between with insurance specialist Phil Thompson (Skye Wealth). From real-life claims to common mistakes (including relying on super), this is a practical guide to protecting your biggest asset: your ability to earn. If you'd...

Markets ripped higher on hopes of a fragile ceasefire, but beneath the relief rally there’s still plenty of chaos to unpack. Bryce and Allly Selby dig into Bill Ackman’s audacious bid for Universal Music, a wild Wall Street research mission through the Strait of Hormuz, and a community question on how to talk to retired parents about super during volatile markets. Then they finish with a rapid-fir...

Bryce and Alec sit down with Magellan Investment Partners’ Ryan Joyce to unpack why some of the best opportunities can be found in the world’s biggest, most familiar companies. From TSMC and Booking Holdings to Dollar General and Apple, this is a masterclass in quality, patience, valuation discipline and the power of backing businesses with durable moats. In this episode: 00:00 – Why the best inve...

While uncertainty rattles markets, X is buzzing with bold stock calls and 10x claims. In this episode, we break down what’s actually moving markets, where the risks are building, and whether the hottest stocks online are real opportunities, or just noise. Plus, community member Ash pitches a Mag7 stock for the Community Portfolio. In this episode: 00:00 Market Shake-up: Housing, War & Super Ch...

If the last decade was about buying growth at any price, this episode is a reminder that valuations still matter. Tobias Bucks (Ausbil) returns to Equity Mates to explain why the next winners may come from overlooked global small caps tied to electrification, defence, data centres and the rebuild of the grid. In this episode: 0:00 What Tobias has changed his mind on 3:14 Growth investing biases an...