August 18, 2023
Last week, I went to a Dodgers game with my son. It was Orel Hershiser Appreciation Night, and the legendary pitcher was being admitted into the Dodgers’ Hall of Fame. For those who don’t know, Orel was a fresh-faced rookie when the Dodgers called him up to the majors in 1983. During his time in LA, Hershiser excelled, becoming a three-time All-Star and winning the Cy Young award. And then, there was ‘88, a fairytale playoff run that cemented his reputation as a baseball immortal. Anyways, at the game last week, a host of Dodgers greats from the past were […]
August 11, 2023
Years ago, a very dear friend and mentor said to me, “Kid, the most successful people I know are the angriest. And you are the angriest person I have ever met.” On face value, I took that as a compliment, as being told you’re successful usually is. But it’s what he said next that still sticks with me to this day. “But you will never reach your true potential until you solve for that,” he went on. You will never reach your true potential until you solve for that. It completely rattled me at the time, opening my eyes to the […]
August 4, 2023
“Thank you,” Andre said. “For what?” I said. “For calling me out and holding me accountable,” he replied, putting his hand on my shoulder and looking at me with a knowing smile. “You are a true friend.” My client and dear friend, Andre, is a chef. He’s one of the best, thriving professionally with endless accolades. But he was struggling personally, his weight ballooning. He was out of control. One night, while at a charity event, I saw him eating and drinking with abandon. Now, to keep it in perspective, he had quit smoking a year earlier. Andre blamed his weight gain […]
August 1, 2023
Stock Market In July, stocks continued their favorable run, turning bear to bull in 2023. For the month, the market’s three major indices performed as follows: S&P 500 3.1% The Dow 3.4% Nasdaq Composite 4.1% For the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite, July marked the fifth-straight month of gains, the longest green streak in approximately two years. Year-to-date (through July 31st), the market’s major indices have performed as follows: The Dow 7.3% S&P 500 19.5% Nasdaq 37.1% Through the first seven months of 2023, the S&P 500 registered its best start of any year since 1997, while the Nasdaq saw its highest-gaining […]
July 28, 2023
Always try to put yourself and those around you in a position to win. Recently, one of my wife’s friends asked me while the kids were swimming in her pool, “Now what is it that you do again?” “I work with a small select group of individuals and business owners with regard to their financial affairs,” I replied. The conversation continued and I explained who we were and our methodology.. This particular family was with UBS and not happy with their service. So, with no “sales” material or “selling,” this family asked me if I could work with them. “Why […]
July 21, 2023
I am simply amazed by what we can learn from our kids. As a father, I am VERY protective of my kids. I know you may be, too. But when it comes to my son, I have been even more protective, especially with the move and a lot of what he has been dealing with. We had some friends over the other day. One of their boys, Tim, used to be a close friend of my sons until an incident occurred a couple of years ago. I then “banished” that boy from his friendship circle and wouldn’t allow my son to […]
July 14, 2023
The year was 1990. I had my first job when I was only 13, working at a Baskin Robbins in Los Angeles. The ice cream shop was close to my house so I would ride my single-speed black Schwinn bicycle to work every day. I loved it; the feeling of independence, the feeling of making my own money, being my own man. There is just no other feeling like that. Maybe you can relate? One evening, my boss decided to let me close the shop. I remember it like yesterday; the privilege of being able to be the last person there, counting […]
July 7, 2023
Never do anything for anyone… expecting that they will do something for you in return. Never give… While keeping in the back of your mind that you may receive. Don’t do for others… with the hope that they will do for you. Instead, do things for others because you want to, because you feel it, and it brings you joy. Stop thinking of relationships… as transactional. Look, you shouldn’t allow people to take advantage of you. Only surround yourself with people that have your back, and you have theirs. And it’s perfectly alright to remind those around you that relationships […]
June 30, 2023
Prior to 1959 and prior to Fidel Castro taking power in Cuba, the country was not the impoverished pariah state that we now know it as. In fact, Cuba’s capital, Havana, was a dazzling and dynamic city. Casinos, lounges, and luxury hotels lined the coastlines, with celebrities like Ava Gardner, Frank Sinatra, and Ernest Hemingway regular visitors. Havana was such a hot spot for international jet setters and vacationers that for just $50 (a couple of hundred dollars today), you could buy a roundtrip ticket from Miami to Havana, including hotel, food, and a few shows. Consider that, pre-Castro, Cuba […]
June 23, 2023
“I think I need to remove one of my girls from our estate plan,” she said. “She is out of control and has now revoked all of our access to her therapist,” my client continued, trying not to cry. “She is 18 now and has that right, but we have been trying to get her the help she needs.” “I don’t know what happened. She was always such a happy kid.” I simply listened. Then, when she was ready, I went over what could be done and her options. And I was there for her as she wept, describing what was […]