In this episode, we continue to address racism and the Black Lives Matter movement from an Edmonton perspective. We go on to discuss the political ads running on Facebook and Mark’s personal decision to not fact check or censor Donald Trump’s tweets. The trends we’ve been watching the past week include the impact of limited internet access on rural households, how general pessimism about our economy could be wrong, and how Peleton could be driving more innovation that we think. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.If you aren’t in the Reformed Millennials Facebook Group join us for daily updates, discussions, and deep dives into the investable trends Millennials should be paying attention to.For specific investment questions or advice visit Gold Investment Management.Links mentioned.Friday’s 15,000 person anti-racism rally at the Legislature grounds came with a call for change. For anyone who has friends or family members with a case of “whataboutism” when it comes to George Floyd or the protests please share the cartoon below. Did you know that you can see all the ads any Facebook page is running? There is even added transparency of total ad spend from political groups. Link.As the anti-racism protests continue, Donald Trump and Joe Biden spend millions of dollars a week to position themselves in front of different population segments in advance of the November 3rd election.CBC in Saskatchewan recently wrote about how the Coronavirus crisis highlights internet access inequality. It turns out that in North America only 71% of households have access to the internet at home as opposed to 86% in Europe and 17% in Africa. Link(from pg. 38 of How COVID-19 is changing the world a statistical perspective by CCSA)Meanwhile, for those connected to the internet, there are important new inventions happening right before our eyes. Benedict Evans talking about how new inventions (like Peloton) often look like expensive toys. LinkIf you’ve been forwarded this email click the subscribe now button to receive our weekly email on the investable trends Millennials should be paying attention to. Prediction(35:00) - Canada and more specifically Alberta are going to return to all-time highs. We will benefit from the return of manufacturing from China, our world-class immigration system, the relative affordability, etc. Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

Grand Theft Life

#44 - Your Implicit Bias, Facebook’s Stance on Political Ads, the Handicap of No Internet Access, & Peloton Driving Innovation.

In this episode, we address racism, the chaos taking place in the United States and why the stock market is largely decoupled from record-high unemployment. We go on to discuss censorship on social media and whether Twitter went too far with Donald Trump’s tweets. Lastly, making the bull case for Canada’s economy and why it might be one of the most well-positioned countries for recovery. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.If you aren’t in the Reformed Millennials Facebook Group join us for daily updates, discussions, and deep dives into the trends millennials should be paying attention to. For specific investment advice visit Gold Investment Management.Links mentioned. Local Atlanta Rapper speaks out about the protests. Data highlighting systemic racism. This is old data from Canada but you can compare this to average median household income based on ethnicity in the United States here. A better understanding of how privilege works. Twitter hides Donald Trump’s tweet for glorifying violence. ✔@TwitterCommsWe have placed a public interest notice on this Tweet from @realdonaldtrump.  12:17 AM – May 29, 2020The sentiment of global tweets was the saddest day in the history of Twitter on May 29th. This is concerning because of Rene Girard’s idea of mimetic desire. A great article on the psychology of money and why long term optimistic investors are likely to prevail. LinkIf you’re interested in following “moonshot” innovations check out what Josh Wolfe is doing at Lux Capital. Prediction.Canada is relatively well-positioned to make a strong economic recovery. For one, it’s in the political best interest for the stock market to do well, but also because our interest rates are still positive, we’re neighbors to a country with the strongest military on earth and based on the economic collapse of South American countries our oil is looking more and more attractive to the US. (listen to the last 10 minutes of the episode for more details) Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

Systemic Racism, The Bull Case For Canada’s Economy, Twitter Censorship & Sentiment Analysis

In this episode, we’re diving into the world of podcasting. We talk about how the evolution of media consumption and hardware innovation led us here, whether the opportunities are in podcasting, and how creators are making money. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.If you aren’t in the Reformed Millennials Facebook Group join us for daily updates, discussions, and deep dives into the trends millennials should be paying attention to. For specific investment advice visit Gold Investment Management. Links mentioned:The case for podcasting as a trend to jump on. LinkThe easiest way to get started with a podcast. LinkHow to get your first 1,000 true fans. LinkInvesting in podcasting. LinkHow Joe Rogan is the New Mainstream Media. Link”If you want to understand why podcasting is killing, he says, you first need to appreciate the world-changing, brain-rewiring transformation in how we consume information.”Prediction:Spotify will take over 25% of podcasting listener share by 2022 (currently ~10%). Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

Is there money in podcasting?

This week we cover another step towards the return of sports with “The Match”. We also chat about the implications of a world where companies will allow work from home options indefinitely, what it means for the world that China is making dissent illegal, and finally whether hotels or vacation rentals are likely to come out ahead in a post-COVID travel environment. Links Mentioned: Shopify, Twitter, and Square among those offering indefinite work from home options. Facebook says people who opt-in will get paid less depending on where they live. LinkChina moving to impose a law that would criminalize dissent in Hong Kong. LinkNearly 1/3 of Americans plan to take a summer road trip, 36% state low gas prices as a reason. via Gasbuddy. LinkA precursor to our Thursday morning episode on podcasting: https://alexdanco.com/2019/10/17/the-audio-revolution/Prediction: Alberta's economy benefits from a reluctancy to travel (a net exporter of vacationers) and Airline prices go up to support low demand. Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

"The Match", Work From Home Goes Permanent, China Criminalizes Dissent, and Post-COVID Travel, Hotels vs Rentals.

In this episode, we cover the exciting trend of e-sports, gaming, and the idea of a metaverse. With the mobile gaming market growing at an average compounded growth rate of almost 30% since 2012 it’s impossible to ignore. More recently, with the Starwars May the 4th experience and the Travis Scott mini-concert both held inside Fortnite, many investors are starting to wonder if the metaverse is already here. We explore if that’s the case, and if not what other companies might be set to benefit from a trend towards a virtual world. If you aren’t in the Reformed Millennials Facebook Group join us for daily updates, discussions, and deep dives into what’s going on in the world right now.Listen on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.Links mentioned:https://twitter.com/ballmatthewhttps://www.matthewball.vc/all/themetaversehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2020/04/17/fortnite-metaverse-new-internet/Prediction:The “metaverse” will be the single biggest investment opportunity for the Millennial generation. Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

Investing In the Metaverse: What It Might Look Like, Games as a Service, E-Sports, and the Most Likely to Win.

In today’s episode of Reformed Millennials, they guys recap the week in the news. As we eclipse the 2-month duration of the pandemic, the news has not slowed down. The topics range from Jay Powel’s interview on 60 minutes to Trump’s 120 tweets per day down to the most important tech trends stemming from the Softbank annual performance report andBen Evans weekly newsletter. https://www.ben-evans.com/benedictevans/2020/5/4/covid-and-cascading-collapsesTrump has gone fully into blaming Obama to scar Joe Biden. #ObamagateWhen asked what it is: He failed to make any sense at all. Like always.Trump has also done more work saving the energy industry than the whole 30 million dollar Alberta Energy Taskforce…Links that don’t suck:Value looks cheap on a relative basis, but doesn’t scream totally cheap on an absolute basis.By Wesley GrayWhat’s the bull case here for stocks? By Daniel McMurtrieThe real difference between value and growth investors lies not in whether they care about value, but where they believe the investing payoff is greaterBy Aswath Damodaran People suffering from sudden, unexpected catastrophe are likely to adopt views they previously thought unthinkable.By Morgan HouselIt’s a crisis and we’re all just trying our bestBy Myles UdlandWhat if we get a Covid-19 vaccine and half the country refuses to take it?By Kevin RooseOnward to GreatnessBy Dasarte YarnwayIf you bought the Dow on a random day, what is the probability of being down 10% in the future?  What about being down 20%?  What about 30%?By Nick MaggiulliYoung Bulls and Old BearsLatest Thing to Vanish From Store Shelves: The Golf PushcartHiking to the Bottom of the Grand Canyon Is the Trip of a LifetimeFree Porsche Museum entry and virtual tours on Instagram - FerdinandAn Inflection Point For Both Stocks And Bonds10 Good Movies You Can Stream Right Now Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

Softbank's Coronavalley and Trumps 120 Tweets

In this episode, we cover a lot of ground from the first professional sports league to restart with UFC 249, to the Bitcoin halving happening tomorrow. Tune in for opinions on other noteworthy events from the previous week including Elon Musk’s second appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast, where teens are spending the most time online, and insight on why so many companies are deciding to raise money right now. If you aren’t in the Reformed Millennials Facebook Group join us for daily updates, discussions, and deep dives into what’s going on in the world right now.Listen on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.p.s. If you’re interested in Disney earnings or the streaming video-on-demand space, check out our Thursday episode from last week. Here are the timestamped highlights. Links Mentioned:Elon Musk’s most recent appearance on Joe Rogan Experience. Coinbase crashing May 9th.Shanghai Disney, which closed since Jan. 25, will be the first major theme park to reopen since the Covid-19 shutdowns. Details on the Bitcoin halving. Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

Bitcoin Halving, Portnoy Wins Goodell's All-In Challenge, UFC 249, Elon Musk on JRE, and more.

In this episode, we discuss the recent Q2 Disney earnings. We cover the history of television and all the ways the brand has made money over the years. This is to give context to how they compare to the pureplay streaming services like Netflix. Will they be able to weather the COVID-19 storm and continue to leverage their IP like no one else in history?? 2:00 - History of T.V. and affiliate advertisers.6:30 - The effect of zero marginal cost distribution.10:30 - Disney Land Shanghai and their parks business. 19:20 - Why killing affiliate deals in 2012-2014 was so important. 24:30 - Is it overvalued or undervalued compared to Netflix?38:00 - Prediction for Disney as a bet on the future of entertainment.Dave’s thoughts on Disney:Other links mentioned:A brief history of T.V. and affiliate fees.Alex Danco - Netflix, Positional Scarcity, and the Red Queen’s Race.Disney+ and the Disney Universe. Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

Q2 Disney Earnings Report and Why They Might Be Undervalued vs Netflix

In this episode, we summarize some of Warren’s thoughts from the Berkshire Hathaway meeting. We dive further into Facebook and reasons why they might be poised to thrive in upcoming years. We also talk a bit about what big-box retail bankruptcies would mean to a grocery-anchored REIT. Finally, we riff on possible answers to Patrick Collison’s question, "Looking back from 2040, what's the largest CapEx-heavy new company that will be founded in 2020-2025?" Let us know your thoughts in the group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ReformedMillennials/If you aren’t in the Reformed Millennials Facebook Group join us for daily updates, discussions, and deep dives into what’s going on in the world right now.Listen on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.Links Mentioned:Recording of Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting.Ben Thompson from Stratechery on FacebookMore than half of mall-based department stores could be closed in two years.Benchmark of Facebook CPM's across different retail segments.Chart of the week:Prediction*:Facebook Portal is the most underrated hardware tech from big 5. *informational purposes only, not financial advice - disclaimer at end of the podcast. Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

Berkshire Hathaway Meeting Summary, Death to High CapEx, Facebook Portal, & Big Box Retail Outlook.

In this episode, we discuss the recent mega-trend that is at-home fitness. We chat about the companies that were ready and waiting to take advantage of gym closures like BetterMe and Peleton. We explore ideas for trainers/influencers to take advantage of new platforms and even venture a guess of what the future of fitness will look like post-corona. For context on the story:Other links mentioned:Global news article - “dumbells are the new toilet paper”At-home fitness trend data - (eg. global searches for “weights” up 300%Obe fitness Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

Peleton Hardware or Freelytics Type Apps, Who Is Leading The At Home Fitness Trend?

In this week’s edition of Last Week Tonight, we discuss why Facebook could be considered undervalued at its current price. We also talk about the scientific advancements Bill Gates suggests we will need to make to stop coronavirus. We round out the discussion talking about Travis Scott’s recent performance inside Fortnite, and what this glimpse into the future could tell us. If you aren’t in the Reformed Millennials Facebook Group join us for daily updates, discussions, and deep dives into what’s going on in the world right now.Links Mentioned:Jio - Facebook’s own announcement of the 10% stake they took in the India-based telecom company now worth $57B.The First Modern Pandemic - Bill Gates outlines the scientific advances we need to stop COVID-19. (published April 23rd)How This All Happened - One of Morgan Housel’s best articles ever. The current context is Bill Gates’ comparison to the innovation spawned from WW2. (published Nov 18th, 2018)Astronomical - Travis Scott debuted his new single and held a mini-concert inside Fortnite on Thursday, in front of 12m gamers. Chart of the week: GoWithin - monitors the effects of COVID-19 on e-commerce. Prediction*:1. $FB is undervalued compared to Google*informational purposes only, not financial advice - disclaimer at end of the podcast. Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

Gates’ Steps To Reopen, the Case For $FB Being Undervalued, Fortnite Becomes the Metaverse

In this episode, we do a deep dive into the big ideas covered in the “Bill’s Brain” Netflix docuseries. We talk about everything from toilets and vaccines to nuclear power and education. Interestingly, after watching the same series we came out with two very different takeaways. If you’re an anti-vaxxer, change the channel.For context to our conversation about his critics:Other links mentioned:His TED talk warning of a looming pandemic. His thoughts on Nuclear. Him talking about toilets.His book reviews. The book from the current Microsoft CEO. Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

What You Can Learn From Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates

Listen on Spotify, Apple, or Google Podcasts.In this week’s edition of Last Week Tonight, we discuss and analyze a number of recent investor letters. Most notably being what Jeff Bezos published on behalf of Amazon, but also the letter from Andressen Horowitz, Howard Marks, and even the March letter from Sequoia. If you aren’t in the Reformed Millennials Facebook Group join us for daily updates, discussions, and deep dives into what’s going on in the world right now.Links Mentioned:R.I.P Good Times Letter - A slide deck from the now-infamous emergency meeting Sequoia held with portfolio founders in October 2008.The Coronavirus Black Swan of 2020 - Sequoia’s updated and public version from March 5th, 2020. It’s Time To Build - Marc Andressen’s take on the current state of innovation from April 18th.The Amazon Letter to Shareholders. Howard Marks's most recent memo to Oaktree Capital clients, Calibrating. Paul Krugman’s book - Arguing with Zombies: Economics, Politics, and the Fight for a Better FutureBrian Grazer’s books - Face to Face & A Curious MindChart of the week:www.rt.live - The most recent project from Instagram co-founder, Kevin Systrom. The website tracks the Rt (virality factor) of coronavirus in each specific state. Prediction*:1. AMZN is worth $2T before 2021*informational purposes only, not financial advice - disclaimer at end of the podcast. Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

Is America The Greatest Country In The World? - Investor Letter Analysis Including Amazon, Howard Marks, & “It’s Time To Build” From Marc Andreessen.

In this episode, we discuss the secret sauce behind the now infamous Dave Portnoy. In the midst of a crisis, he has thrown the entire Barstool Sports company on his back and become the internet sensation we didn’t know we needed. We chat about the early days of Portnoy handing out fliers, comparing his come up to Kevin Hart, and even some predictions on what’s next for “El Presidente”. Safe to say you can skip this episode if you’ve never heard of the Call Her Daddy podcast. For context on the story:Other links mentioned:James Altucher’s post on how to get an MBA from Eminem. The early years of Barstool.Most popular podcasts chart. Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

The Secret Sauce Behind King Of Quarantine Social Media, Dave Portnoy

In this week’s edition of Last Week Tonight, we discuss a wide range of topics including why a global oil production cut was necessary. We chat about the massive shift to online grocery over the past few weeks and who is currently owning that space. We cover yet another video-on-demand subscription service, Quibi, and whether Tesla will be one of the companies that benefit from the aftermath of coronavirus.If you aren’t in the Reformed Millennials Facebook Group join us for daily updates, discussions, and deep dives into what’s going on in the world right now.Links Mentioned:If you’re someone who is currently filling their safe full of gold listen to Chad Carscarilla on the Invest Like the Best podcast. He gives some great insight into three potential economic recovery scenarios and what assets are likely to do the best in each. LinkWill forfeiting our personal data and privacy be necessary to fight the virus? LinkWalmart leaps ahead of Amazon in Shopping app downloads. (see chart below)  LinkChart of the week:Predictions*:1. Gaming IS the new metaverse, Amazon will continue to make acquisitions in this space. (they will leave grocery to Walmart)2. High volatility but no parabolic shifts in the market or oil prices. 3. We will continue to hand over more and more of our data for marginal improvements in our lives.Bonus: Quibi sees moderate success, gets acquired.*informational purposes only, not financial advice - disclaimer at end of the podcast. Get on the email list at reformedmillennials.substack.com

Oil Production Cut, Walmart Dominates Online Grocery, Quibi Launch, Data Privacy, and Tesla Prediction

It's hard to keep up with innovation in technology. Every Wednesday, join Broc and Joel, long-time friends and entrepreneurs in the Tech/Finance world, as they discuss the latest, most noteworthy in tech trends. grandtheftlife.substack.com