March 31, 2023
In 1973, Charles R. Schwab decided to disrupt an industry and challenge its limits. Until then, his chief focus was putting out a subscription-based investment newsletter, Investment Indicator. But in 1973, Schwab and his partners formed Charles Schwab & Co., focusing on providing investments to the common person. Only two years later, that served to be prescient as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission essentially deregulated financial services with the Securities Acts Amendments of 1975. Before that act, securities could only be bought through a salesman, who often drove up the price and pushed riskier investments to earn more. But […]
March 24, 2023
Lazy people do a little work and think they’ve worked hard. Hard workers work hard and think that they’re being lazy. I heard that from a coach some time ago, and it always stuck with me. And I feel that this message is more important than ever. We need to share this with our kids, friends, family, team – everyone. And there is no getting past your work ethic. There are no shortcuts or magic tricks. Of course, we want to work smarter, recharge the batteries, enjoy the ride, etc., too. But no matter what you want to achieve in […]
March 17, 2023
“Are you enjoying the move and living in Arizona?” I asked my daughter. “No,” she responded. “Really? Nothing at all?” I replied. “I guess I like my school and our house,” she said, pensive. But I liked my old school better and our old house more.” If you want honesty, just ask a kid. Wouldn’t it be great if we adults could answer questions the same way kids do? Ask a question, and get an honest, uninhibited answer. Nothing else. No fluff. No agenda. Just unabashed truth and you know exactly where you stand. As I’ve gotten older, I notice […]
March 10, 2023
What if I…? How about if I tried…? What if I changed…? Have you ever asked yourself those questions? We probably all have. It’s simple human nature to lament that we’re not living up to our personal potential. We regret our shortfalls; ponder opportunities lost. Those lingering questions echoing through your head may sound something like: What if I got up at 5 am instead of 6 so I could go to the gym? What if I only had alcohol on the weekends? How much better would my day be if I went to bed an hour earlier? How would […]
March 1, 2023
Stocks Stocks finished the last day of February in the red, which was indicative of a month that saw losses for the three U.S. equity benchmarks. For the month of February, the stock market’s three major indices performed as follows: Dow -4.2% S&P 500 -2.6% Nasdaq -1.1% Inflation Inflation took an unexpected turn through January, disappointing what was hoped to be a deflationary trend. For the month, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 0.5% month-over-month, rising 6.4% on an annual basis. That outpaced forecasts, which had anticipated that 0.5% monthly increase but only a 6.2% annual CPI increase. Furthermore, […]