Meditations of an Investor

Maximilian breaks down the difference between a great company and a great investment. The discussion digs into profitability and competitive advantages as well as why both are essential to a good company. These ideas are brought to life through examples like Microsoft Excel, toll bridges and airports. Along the way, the conversation challenges common misconceptions about absolute profits, oil comp...

In this episode, Maximilian draws sharp lines between investing, speculation, and gambling, using concrete examples like roulette odds, rental apartments, and an Investment in the Coca-Cola company to show what actually creates value and what only relies on price movements. He explains why cash flow, expected value, and assets that “produce something” matter more than short-term price movements, a...

Maximilian explains how he started investing without his own capital by using bank financing in real estate, separating price from value and patiently waiting for rare mispricings in one Vienna neighborhood. The episode shows why real investing is less about speed and more about valuation skill, psychological discipline, and the courage to act when an exceptional opportunity appears. This podcast...

This episode explores mental models like discounted cash flow, margin of safety, and why ignorance, uncertainty and imperfect maps are unavoidable parts of decision-making. Using real-estate and business examples, it shows why long-term investing is less about prediction and more about judgment under ignorance and uncertainty. This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute i...

This episode examines how scarcity shapes behavior and why financial independence facilitates ethical choices. A practical conversation on how to think about different life-paths, choosing optimal strategies, and building robustness instead of chasing quick wins. This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. The hosts may hold positions in assets mentione...

This episode explores how every success is part luck, part input. Using concrete examples from markets, games, and real life, it shows why short time horizons amplify randomness while long horizons allow skill and judgment to play out. A clear argument for focusing on controllable actions, avoiding overconfidence, and choosing games where patience actually compounds. This podcast is for educationa...