Kirk Spano discusses the coronavirus and it's impact on the US and global economy and what investors can do today to prepare for opportunities to come.

IBM is down over 30% on the year, does that make it a great buy? The biggest challenge is that of opportunity cost. For those seeking a strong yield with upside potential, Enbridge appears to be a more compelling choice. Brian and Adam discuss the decision making process.

Oil prices have taken a beating recently and related equities have been hit even harder. Should investors run away or jump and potential opportunities? Kirk and Brian pull the curtain back to see what's really going on and how investors can potentially benefit.

NVIDIA recently issued a revenue warning for investors. What's going on? Is this a reason for concern or a great opportunity in hiding? Brian and Mark discuss this and more.

Deflation is the real enemy to fear. Thanks to an aging demographic and soaring debt, it is almost inevitable. In addition, stocks and real estate are greatly overvalued. What's the answer? Kirk and Brian discuss all the above and more. 

Why is Energy Transfer being treated so poorly by the markets? Should investors stay away or jump at the opportunity? Brian and Ray talk through the pros and cons and how to make investment decisions like this.

Apple stock is down and concerns are high for many investors. Mark and Brian discuss why the extreme negative market sentiment is way overdone and where investors can look to find an optimistic future.

Stocks, gold, and crypto all seem to be covered in bad news and beaten down prices. When can investors expect things to turn around? Brian and Avi discuss what sentiment is saying about the future of these markets and how investors can potentially benefit.

Apple stock has lost around 1/4 of it's value, how concerned should investors be? According to Victor, Apple is still a great company but the days of amazing growth are over and Watch and Services are not enough to fill the gap.

William (Travis) and Brian discuss what the crowded trades appear to be in today's markets, what to be careful of, and what opportunities the market may currently be offering investors.

Today, MPLX is one of the best high-yield income investments you can make because the market is ignoring its excellent and fast improving fundamentals. Brian and Adam talk about how to understand this investment and its potential.

According to Dividend Sensei, AbbVie is the Apple of the pharma world. Thanks to a powerful pipeline and great management it has the potential to return 700% over the next 10 years.

Trade wars are scaring investors away from China. Are fears of trade wars and distrust of the Chinese government worth missing out on the "Amazon of China?"

Apple is worth $1 Trillion, but is it actually worth more? Investing city thinks it could be. (Note: This interview was recorded prior to Apple's recent earnings and therefore market cap numbers will reflect older numbers. The valuation process and findings still hold true.)

If you could only invest in 5 stocks, which 5 would you pick? That was the question I challenged Dividend Sensei with. As expected, he did not disappoint. 

Netflix is a high growth stock that can be hard to value. Victor shows us how best to value the company and why the stock is still a bargain.

The world is changing and the stock market is finally catching up. Kirk and Brian discuss where the dangers lie and where to look for opportunity.

Government Policy has played a huge role in 2018 including tax reform, regulation reform, and trade wars. Chris talks to Brian about how to make sense of it all and where to find opportunities.

Did you miss out on Netflix? iQIYI is often called the Netflix of China and some say this is a second chance at one of the greatest investments in the last decade.

Brad Thomas is a highly respect REIT analyst, in today's show he talks to Brian about why Tanger Factory Outlets is his favorite investment opportunity.

Bloomberg predicts electric vehicle sales will grow 54x by the year 2040. Brian and Matt discuss how we get there and how investors can capitalize.

iQIYI is often referred to as the "Netflix of China." Is that an accurate depiction and can they withstand the growing threat of Tencent?

3M has generated annual returns of 12.3% for 30 years and is expected to do the same for the next decade. Brian and Dividend Sensei discuss the greatness that is 3M.

Is the dividend offered by Philip Morris worth the risk? Revenues continue to fall as the yield continues to climb. Ian and Brian discuss the pros and cons.

Doug joins Brian to discuss recent predictions that gold would one day reach $50,000. Along the way, Doug shares why he thinks a major market event is awaiting us this fall.

Are there opportunities for investors as utility stocks face a downturn? Ray Merola joins Brian as they look for look for an answer.

Bram de Haas explores the odd valuation comparisons between Netflix and Disney. The market seems to be getting something really wrong, which company stands to benefit most?

Victor takes an honest look at the bull and bear case for Tesla and concludes the negativity around Tesla is extreme (just like the opportunity).

Ray Merola shares his bullish thesis for Energy Transfer and discusses how much their success rides on leader Kelcy Warren.

Apple has begun to follow Microsoft's lead in building out its services revenues to help diversify beyond iPhone.

Mark Hibben discusses how he thinks Apple is easily worth $240 before even factoring in expected future product releases.

Why AT&T is already near worst-case scenario prices and a clear buy for yield seekers.

Do you know the four core criteria that Warren Buffett uses to pick is stock opportunities? Brian and David discuss them here. Enjoy!

Eric Parnell discusses recent events in Italy and what investors can expect going forward.

Andres Cardenal talks us through what makes NVIDIA such an amazing company for stockholders to love.

Adam Galas the "Dividend Sensei" tells us how to safely earn 12-15% per year with his all-time favorite high-yield dividend stock.

Elliott Wave expert Avi Gilburt shares his coming expectations for gold.

The tides begin to turn for Berkshire after several years of struggles in its core business lines.

You've probably heard of AAII before, perhaps you're even a member, but do you realize how much value is really available there? This is not a sponsored episode, but an opportunity to help investors better understand great resources that are available. In the end, Wayne even offers to give away memberships to people who want them. More info on how at the end of the show. Enjoy! Links: aaii.com 

Guru Ron, the man who knows everything about everything, answers my questions on the Fed, Money Supply, LIBOR, and Inflation.

This podcast focuses on two questions: How do you buy and sell digital currencies? Should you? Some links mentioned: Coinbase - How I buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. Coinbase is a U.S. based exchange and very professional. I can then store them on Coinbase, send them to a paper wallet, or send them to other exchanges to buy other digital currencies. Shapeshift.io and Changelly.com are great places for converting from one currency to another. Bittrex is another U.S. based exchange that offers access to a large number of currencies. I probably buy most of my digital currencies by buying Bitcoin or Ethereum on Coinbase, then transferring them to Shapeshift, Changelly, or Bittrex. I then can use them to buy other currencies. Coinmarketcap.com is the standard for seeing coin pricing, finding coin websites, finding markets/exchanges, etc. Myetherwallet.com is where I create my Ethereum (can also be used for ERC20 tokens built on Ethereum platform) paper wallets. Always be careful to make sure you go to the right sight as there are many phishing scams out there. Bitcoinpaperwallet.com is where I create my Bitcoin paper wallets. Always be careful to make sure you go to the right sight as there are many phishing scams out there. As mentioned in the podcast, I think prices (August 2017) are very inflated in the digital currency space right now and expect a major correction/crash at some point.  I don't know when this will happen (and *could* be wrong), but I fully anticipate it will. That will mark the best time to buy. The age old wisdom of averaging in and being sober holds true. This is all for information purposes, no investment advice.

I hope you enjoy the show! A few links to resources mentioned: https://coinmarketcap.com/ Digital Gold (Book) The Internet Of Money (Book) Want to hear more on digital currencies? Shoot me an email: brian @ investor in the family . com Have a great week and don't forget to subscribe! - Brian P.S. FYI - Book links are Amazon affiliate links, you pay same price, but I get a small %. Win-win.

Join us at the June 2017 DIY Investing Summit! Hear from nine top investors from Seeking Alpha as we discuss the outlook for the second half of 2017 plus lots of timeless investing wisdom.   http://diyinvestingsummit.com   The summit is free for a limited time and begins Tuesday, June 27th.   http://diyinvestingsummit.com

Join us at the June 2017 DIY Investing Summit! Hear from nine top investors from Seeking Alpha as we discuss the outlook for the second half of 2017 plus lots of timeless investing wisdom.   http://diyinvestingsummit.com   The summit is free for a limited time and begins Tuesday, June 27th.   http://diyinvestingsummit.com

Join us at the June 2017 DIY Investing Summit! Hear from nine top investors from Seeking Alpha as we discuss the outlook for the second half of 2017 plus lots of timeless investing wisdom.   http://diyinvestingsummit.com   The summit is free for a limited time and begins Tuesday, June 27th.   http://diyinvestingsummit.com

Join us at the June 2017 DIY Investing Summit! Hear from nine top investors from Seeking Alpha as we discuss the outlook for the second half of 2017 plus lots of timeless investing wisdom. http://diyinvestingsummit.com   The summit is free for a limited time and begins Tuesday, June 27th.   http://diyinvestingsummit.com”

Join us at the June 2017 DIY Investing Summit! Hear from nine top investors from Seeking Alpha as we discuss the outlook for the second half of 2017 plus lots of timeless investing wisdom. http://diyinvestingsummit.com   The summit is free for a limited time and begins Tuesday, June 27th.   http://diyinvestingsummit.com”

Join us at the June 2017 DIY Investing Summit! Hear from nine top investors from Seeking Alpha as we discuss the outlook for the second half of 2017 plus lots of timeless investing wisdom.

Join us at the June 2017 DIY Investing Summit! Hear from nine top investors from Seeking Alpha as we discuss the outlook for the second half of 2017 plus lots of timeless investing wisdom.

Join us at the June 2017 DIY Investing Summit! Hear from nine top investors from Seeking Alpha as we discuss the outlook for the second half of 2017 plus lots of timeless investing wisdom.

Join us at the June 2017 DIY Investing Summit! Hear from nine top investors from Seeking Alpha as we discuss the outlook for the second half of 2017 plus lots of timeless investing wisdom.

Join us at the June 2017 DIY Investing Summit! Hear from nine top investors from Seeking Alpha as we discuss the outlook for the second half of 2017 plus lots of timeless investing wisdom.

Join us at the June 2017 DIY Investing Summit! Hear from nine top investors from Seeking Alpha as we discuss the outlook for the second half of 2017 plus lots of timeless investing wisdom.

Join us at the June 2017 DIY Investing Summit! Hear from nine top investors from Seeking Alpha as we discuss the outlook for the second half of 2017 plus lots of timeless investing wisdom.

Welcome to Episode 6 of the "Becoming Buffett" Series! This week we discuss the 1970 letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. Buffett's annual letters book: http://amzn.to/2ogVi4U Some brief notes: 1970  First letter signed by Buffett Very diverse earnings across various operations Bank had record earnings Insurance had some setbacks but still excellent returns Textile became more and more difficult and broke-even Highlights the value of diversifying Overall BH return of ~10% This is far better than would have been the case if BH had remained exclusively devoted to the textile business Again, reinforces why strategic diversification can be so valuable Continue to face strong headwinds in textile operations Actively working to make the most of the situation, including costly decisions to BH and employees Are we willing to make an honest assessment of our “business (household)” and make appropriate changes? Ex: cut expenses, take a step of faith and try to start a new income stream, etc. New insurance division will take years before a real evaluation can be made (long-term mindset) How long are we willing to wait for an investing thesis to play out? What if an investment loses money for 3 years, then returns 20%+ for 10 years straight, would that be worth the wait? Surety business Operated at a significant underwriting loss Contractor’s bond field was a disappointment Even Buffett and BH make investments that don't’ appear to work out, nobody is perfect at this! Launched a new business/subsidiary out of National Indemnity (insurance operation) and plan to open a new one in 1971 BH began launching new companies/subsidiaries This is a new method, methods so far: Full acquisitions Common stocks (no longer) Starting new businesses What options are on the table for you and I? Buffett is quick to celebrate his operational managers and give them credit Strong management is central to his acquisition philosophy Are you surrounding yourself with people smarter than you? Are you trusting your capital to people smarter than you? Are you humble enough to admit and act on this? Bonus: Would you hire yourself to manage your business? http://investorinthefamily.com/  

Interview with Chris Rawley   Not a farmer Did not grow up in the ag world Military - Navy Went to work in real estate First alt investing was real estate Worked in different industries Few years ago became enamored in ag as asset class Ag is an asset class that is taken for granted Crowdfunding act of 2012 for investors Pooling small $ together to buy larger assets Allowed retail crowdfunding for non-accredited investors A number of real estate funds focusing on apt buildings, etc Created “harvest returns” about a year ago Put money in private placements of ag Have investors w existing land and make the opportunity available for investors Focused on the production side (crops, land, etc) HR focused on accredited investors Non-accredited by end of the year Reasons to invest in ag World population Urbanization - arable land is shrinking Wealthy populations shift from plant protein to animal protein, more ag devoted to protein Returns Farmland has outpaced S&P, reits, gold, since 1970 The underlying land Price of crops has increased Operations of the land Tangible Like real estate Real land Returns positively correlated to inflation Common investment for large institutions Very challenging to access these investments There are some farmland and timberland REITs Problem: correlated with greater stock market There are some funds but have really high minimums ($250K) Liquidity is a double-edged sword Allowing on the marketplace: Confidence in management team Location, trends Expected returns Regulatory environment Act of 2012 SEC published rules for Big learning curve regarding regulation How will you validate yourself to a skeptical market? Why is ag a good investment? Why crowdsourcing a safe/good idea? Learning curve on the farmer side Looking for people raising $500K-$2M Sale/leaseback deals Provide creative financing opportunities How much of portfolio? ~5-15% https://www.harvestreturns.com/ http://investorinthefamily.com/  

Welcome to Episode 5 of the "Becoming Buffett" Series! This week we discuss the 1969 letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. Buffett's annual letters book: http://amzn.to/2ogVi4U Some brief notes: 1969 Proceeds from funds temporarily utilized in marketable securities were able to fund major purchase of 1969 (The Illinois National Bank and Trust Co.). Used money from stock investments to make an acquisition Perhaps someday we could take money out of an IRA or other account and acquire a company? Allocating capital into securities like this allowed BH to see annual returns of more than 10% as compared to the return in textile operations of only 5% Buffett saw that BH’s core business was struggling and diversified into stronger sectors (insurance, stocks, etc) Do you have a metric or means for measuring the total return on capital for your household, factoring in all data points (ex: your salary, raise, investments, etc.)? “We anticipate no further purchases of marketable securities, but our search for desirable acquisitions continues.” Any such acquisition would be dependent upon obtaining proper financing. BH was open to borrowing in order to take advantage of the right opportunity, how do you feel about that for yourself? Textile business is struggling, slowdown greater than expected and recovery for the sector appears dependent upon Federal Gov intervention Insurance company continues to perform wonderfully New California operation will take a few years before an intelligent verdict can be made about operating results Yet another reminder to be patient with investments when the buy thesis is still intact When was last time you were patient (meaning years) in waiting for an investment to finally materialize? What is your patience threshold? Years? Months? Weeks? Acquired a bank Bank is operating at peak profits and performance BH bought a bank performing at the top of it’s game, did not go into details as to the price of acquisition. Was okay buying at it’s peak because of value it could bring to BH overall and in future. Don’t have to limit ourselves to companies that are struggling (often mindset in value investing) http://investorinthefamily.com/  

Welcome to Episode 4 of the "Becoming Buffett" Series! This week we discuss the 1968 letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. Buffett's annual letters book: http://amzn.to/2ogVi4U Some brief notes: 1968 “Immediately after year end, we purchased all of the stock of Sun Newspapers, Inc. and Blacker Printing Company, Inc., which represents an initial entry into the publishing business.” Working hard to improve operating earnings in textile ares They aren’t just abandoning the investment at the first sign of trouble, willing to be patient to allow thesis to play out. Letter now divided into three sections: textile operation, insurance operations, and marketable securities/acquisitions Could you have one more income stream 3 years from now? Insurance operations going well Investment income increased substantially in 1968 Capital gains from common stock investments “The insurance companies continue to seek new areas for expansion” Could you make ONE great investment this year that could reward you for years to come? Marketable securities/acquisitions Funds were held in common stocks as a temporary investment while waiting for acquisition or expansion opportunities Bought Sun Newspapers, Inc. and Blacker Printing Company, Inc. as entries into the publishing industry “This purchase, while small, has the potential for future expansion.” Is there a local, private company you could buy an interest in (or buy outright)? Let’s stretch our thinking in regard to the options available to us as investors Management of insurance and publishing companies continued under existing leadership after acquisition Quality mgmt is a big deal to Buffett Is it for you? Are YOU a quality manager of your business (household)? The benefits of great management is that you now have super talented people working to make you money; work to surround yourself with people smarter than you! http://investorinthefamily.com/  

Welcome to Episode 3 of the "Becoming Buffett" Series! This week we discuss the 1967 letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. Buffett's annual letters book: http://amzn.to/2ogVi4U   Some brief notes: “Our goal is to obtain a reasonably stable and substantial level of earning power commensurate with the capital employed in the business.” Negative: Sales were down, sharp drop in prices, sales and profits down substantially, depressed conditions in textile markets, curtailed production 15% Positive: one sector doing well due to “attempting to establish product lines away from areas of direct competition” P8, para1: spending money internally for the purpose of future increased cash flows P8, para4: conducted research and made tough decision to close a quality plant that had lack of demand for product What are we a slave to financially? Your job? What do you need to cut and stop throwing money into? P8, para7: broader investment philosophy (insurance companies) You can have time as an investor if you are focused on the long-term This was BH’s first move toward diversification: textiles and insurance This was a slow process, could you research and add one company per year to your BH? As you acquire more capital, where will you allocate it? P9, para2: mgmt continues to be alert to new opportunities for capital allocation They were poor investors from 1956-66 (pre-Buffett), had basically no ROI on invested capital for 10 year period Can you relate to that? Acknowledged the reality and are learning from it. Keeping liquid money in stocks as they wait for the right capital allocation/investment opportunity Will not hesitate to borrow money to take advantage of attractive opportunities http://investorinthefamily.com/ 

Welcome to Episode 2 of the "Becoming Buffett" Series! This week we discuss the 1966 letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. Buffett's annual letters book: http://amzn.to/2ogVi4U   Some brief notes: 1966 “It has always been among the goals of BH to maintain a strong financial position.” Remember, we are business owners. The management of our family’s finances and investment is a business. We must not make the mistake of degrading our situation with false mindsets that lead us to any other thinking. The term “personal finance” seems almost inane (boring and worthy to be ignored), but the term “corporate finance” has the air of grandeur. We cannot make that mistake. The management of our personal finances is a business endeavor that must be taken seriously In Buffett’s 1966 letter (not signed by Buffett) we see why. This is the letter that plants the seeds for the birth of BH as we now know it The meat of the letter is the company’s intentions to have a strong financial position and be poised to act when acquisition opportunities arise Is the same true for YOU and ME? Another point I want to make is the chart I mentioned last week showing the companies that BH has acquired since 1965. I count 59 companies over 50 years. How does that compare to your portfolio? Why don’t we buy like this? The Entrepreneur to Mutual Fund of Mutual Funds continuum The less info we have, the more diversified we should be Knowledge/understanding = conviction = concentration of assets http://investorinthefamily.com/ 

This week we launch our new series "Building Berkshire." It's time we all make a mindset shift in how we view our investing.  Buffett's annual letters book: http://amzn.to/2ogVi4U http://investorinthefamily.com/  

Biotech update from Bret Jensen. http://investorinthefamily.com/  Outperforming market in 2017 after 18 month bear Big uptick in M&A in Jan 3 big deals Feb and Mar have been fairly flat Lots of resistance technically Need an uptick in MA or earnings to break through Expect the uptick to happen in MA Watch Trump’s actions and not words Has appointed 2 free market minded people (FDA, Proposed to double fees for drug approval Watching repeal and replace of ACA Needs to happen before tax and regulatory reform Expect the repeal to happen by April or May Ocular Therapeutix (OCUL) Trigger event in July, new product for cataract surgery Insider buying Omerisk (OMER) OMS721 Priced at just over $10 w PTs in the $30 Next trigger event in few years

I lay out my plan for the next phase of Investor in the Family. This is possibly the most excited I've been about a project since starting the company, listen in to find out what's up. http://investorinthefamily.com/  

The biggest news and updates from the investing world over the past week, plus some potential big next steps for Investor in the Family Radio. http://investorinthefamily.com/  

An update on the biggest, most relevant investing and economic news for the week of March 6, 2017. http://investorinthefamily.com/  

A run down of major investing and economic news for the week of February 6, 2017. http://investorinthefamily.com/ http://diyinvestingsummit2017.com/  

Chuck Carnevale is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked Chuck was why he thinks so many DIY investors struggle and what they can do about it. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. *Chuck's full interview is available for free today. Chuck's advice on how to avoid investing struggles and failures... A portfolio is like a bar of soap, the more you handle it the smaller it gets. Have the mindset as becoming a shareholder/partner in the business. Doesn’t judge an investment sooner than 3-5 years. Great investments take decades. More... This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Chuck's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Chuck and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Rida Morwa, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi, and Colorado Wealth Management Join Chuck at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in Chuck's interview: BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY), Aflac (NYSE:AFL), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), Church & Dwight (NYSE:CHD), AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV), Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH), Target (NYSE:TGT), AT&T (NYSE:T), Medtronic (NYSE:MDT), PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG), Franklin Resources (NYSE:BEN), T. Rowe Price (NASDAQ:TROW), S&P 500 (NYSEARCA:SPY) Additional Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.

(click to enlarge) Brad Thomas is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, two of the questions I asked Brad about was his biggest investing victory of 2016 and what his "State of the Markets" address would be going into 2017. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. *Brad's full interview is available for free today. Brad's biggest victory and "State of the Markets"... CorEnergy (CORR) is a small-cap, energy focused REIT that was trading at a large discount. Resulted in an ~160% return. Home runs are great, but prefers to hit singles and doubles. Real estate is a long-term investment. Owns real estate for the predictable income and modest price appreciation. Believes Trump will have a big impact on real estate in U.S. Trump will extend the life cycle for U.S. real estate for 5+ years. More... This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Brad's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Brad and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Rida Morwa, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi, and Colorado Wealth Management Join Brad at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Additional Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.

Bret Jensen is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, two of the questions I asked Bret what his "State of the Markets" address to DIY investor would be and how is he positioning himself for 2017. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. Bret's "State of the Markets" and positioning for 2017... Expects 2017 to be a lot like 2016 with lots of unknowns in the world. China and the new administration are both bit question marks. Biotech and Pharma gains are sustainable as they exit a bear market. The market is fairly to slightly overvalued, domestic small caps should do well. Infrastructure and yield stocks are overvalued. More... This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Bret's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Bret and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Rida Morwa, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi, and Colorado Wealth Management Join Bret at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in Bret's interview: Amicus Therapeutics (FOLD), Ocular Therapeutix (OCUL), Adamas Pharmaceuticals (ADMS), ACADIA Pharmaceuticals (ACAD), Synergy Pharmaceuticals (SGYP), Exelixis (EXEL), Cara Therapeutics (CARA), Aerie Pharmaceuticals (AERI), Health Insurance Innovations (HIIQ), Biotechnology (IBB), and S&P 500 (SPY) Additional Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.

Dividend House is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked Dividend was what her personal investment philosophy is and how it practically looks as she builds here portfolio. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. Dividend's personal investment philosophy and portfolio consctruction... Dividend is a "financially conservative, dividend growth investor." Prefers to never sell if possible. Views portfolio as a house with stock groupings that represent foundations, walls, roof, garden and even dog house. Focuses on income contribution as opposed to weigting in portfolio. More... This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Dividend's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Dividend and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Rida Morwa, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi, and Colorado Wealth Management Join Dividend at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in Dividend's interview: Flower Foods (FLO), S&P 500 (SPY) Additional Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.

Damon Verial is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked Damon was what was his biggest mistake and biggest victory of 2016. We then go deeper to see what lessons he learned from both. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. Damon's biggest mistake and victory from 2016 (and lessons learned)... Traded with too little capital in his risk heavy account. Got flagged as a pattern day trader and lost account that was performing well. Noticed a trend in NUGT that led to 200% gains in 3 weeks. How to identify tradable patterns. The challenged of capitalizing on these patterns. More... This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Damon's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Damon and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Rida Morwa, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi, and Colorado Wealth Management Join Damon at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in Damon's interview: Gold Miners Bull 3x (NUGT), Gold Miners (GDX), HSBC (HSBC), TJX (TJX), S&P 500 (SPY) Additional Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.

Mark Bern is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked Mark was how is he positioning his portofolio for 2017. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. How Mark is positioning for 2017... Mark is currently fully hedged. Has built a special spreadsheet to model hedge values. Adding no new positions at present, but hopes 2017 will bring the opportunity to do so. Using DDM (double discount model) for valuation. More... This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Mark's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Mark and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Rida Morwa, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi, and Colorado Wealth Management Join Mark at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in Mark's interview: Gilead (GILD), S&P 500 (SPY) Additional Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.

William Koldus is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked William was what his biggest victory from 2016 and accompanying lessons learned. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. William's biggest victory from 2016 (and lessons learned)... Was well positioned for the inflationary trade in 2016. QE led to one of the worst downturns in commodity history, opposite everyone's expectations. Went from deflation (2011-15) to inflation (2016-). When fear builds it's natural to want to stay away from out of favor assets. More... This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on William's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with William and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Rida Morwa, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi, and Colorado Wealth Management Join William at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in William's interview: Sun Edison (SUNEQ), Peabody (BTUUQ), Tech Resources (TCKRF), US Steel (X), Westmoreland Coal (WLB), Bank of America (BAC), Chesapeake (CHK), S&P 500 (SPY) Additional Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.

Mark Hibben is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked Mark was what his top advice would be for DIY investors. We also discuss his personal investment philosophy, most influential investing books read, and more. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. Mark's top advice for DIY investors... There is no substitute for going through the primary documents of a company. Doing your homework is easier if you already have a base knowledge to build from in the industry. Focus your efforts on a few companies. Ignore what the market believes and focus on intrinsic value. More... This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Mark's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Mark and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Rida Morwa, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi, and Colorado Wealth Management Join Mark at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in Mark's interview: AMD (AMD), Nvidia (NVDA), Tesla (TSLA), Apple (AAPL), Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM), Magna (MGA), Microsoft (MSFT), S&P 500 (SPY) Additional Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.

Avi Gilburt is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked Avi how he is positioning himself for 2017. What is he excited/concerned about? Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. How Avi is positioning for 2017... Looking for a minimum of 2500 in S&P 500 in 2017. If GDX can break above August 2016 highs, could reach $60-70 in next 12-18 months. Likes emerging markets, still bearish on bonds. More... This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Avi's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Avi and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Rida Morwa, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi, and Colorado Wealth Management Join Avi at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited ti me) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in Avi's interview: Gold Miners (GDX), S&P 500 (SPY) Additional Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.

Double Dividend Stocks is one of the 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked Dividend was what he considered to be his biggest mistake and victory from 2016, and what he learned from them. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. http://diyinvestingsummit2017.com/ Dividend's biggest mistake and victory from 2016 (plus lessons learned)... Was too conservative in February when oil stocks were bottoming out. Should have stayed focused on fundamentals and not let fear and sentiment influence too much. Began looking for obscure stocks traded on the pink sheets (OTC). He found some great opportunities there. Also began looking into monthly dividend stocks to help smooth out his income. More... This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Dividend's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Dividend and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Rida Morwa, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi and Colorado Wealth Management. Join Dividend at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in Dividend's interview: North State Telecom (NORSB), Golar LNG (GMLP), Gaslog (GLOP), S&P 500 (SPY) Additional Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing, including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.  

Ian Bezek is one of the 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked Ian was how he is positioning himself for 2017. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. http://diyinvestingsummit2017.com/ How Ian is prepping for 2017... Ian likes consumer staples after the 5% decline in 2016. Analysts are negative on them for 2017 which he considers a bonus. He likes the yield on telecom stocks in the UK. Internationally he likes Mexico and Chile. Is nervous regarding energy stocks. More... This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Ian's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Ian and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Rida Morwa, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi and Colorado Wealth Management. Join Ian at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in Ian's interview: Hormel (HRL), Brown-Forman (BF.B), McCormick (MKC), Exxon (XOM), Chevron (CVX), Mexico (EWW), Washington Trust (WASH), International Bancshares (IBOC), Pacific Airports (PAC), Gilead (GILD), S&P 500 (SPY) Additional Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing, including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.  

Eric Parnell is one of the 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked Eric was about his personal investment philosophy and how it looks practically as he builds his portfolio. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. http://diyinvestingsummit2017.com/ Eric's investment philosophy... Eric takes an "absolute return hedged strategy" as his guiding philosophy for investing. This generates positive returns in all market environments. He gives equal priority to all asset classes. The key is in how they are blended together in his portfolio. He refuses to accept that 50% declines "just happen" when the market crashes. A non-correlated group of assets is key for protecting against major downside risk. More... This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Eric's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Eric and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Rida Morwa, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi and Colorado Wealth Management. Join Eric at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in Eric's interview: Pfizer (PFE), Merck (MRK), Gilead (GILD), Medtronic (MDT), Bristol-Myers Squipp (BMY) Additional Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing, including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.  

Doug Eberhardt is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked Doug was what would be the main points of a "State of the Markets" speech to DIY investors. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. http://diyinvestingsummit2017.com/ Doug's "State of the Precious Metals Markets..."   Precious metals are currently in a small bull market but will likely top out this year. Expects a major, deflationary credity contraction (likely China related) that will put significant downward pressure on gold. His ideal buy price is $900, but after this deflationary cycle, expects gold to reach "undreamed of heights." More...   This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Doug's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Doug and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Rida Morwa, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi and Colorado Wealth Management. Join Doug at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in Doug's interview: Gold (GLD), Silver (SLV), Gold Miners Bull 3x (NUGT), Junior Gold Miners Bull 3x (JNUG), 20 Year Treasury (TLT), S&P 500 (SPY) Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing, including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.

Chuck Carnevale is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked Chuck was what his top advice would be for DIY investors. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. http://diyinvestingsummit2017.com/ Chuck's top advice for DIY investors... Focus on fundamentals and don't trust stock prices. Concentrate your portfolio (20-25 stocks) so you can actually have time to to research and follow them properly. At the same time, make sure to stay diversified enough to protect your money. Don't get caught up in hype, don't chase prices. Do yourself a favor and look at companies without the stock price in mind. "Inactivity strikes us as intelligent behavior." - Warren Buffett More... This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Chuck's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Chuck and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Rida Morwa, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi, and Colorado Wealth Management Join Chuck at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in J's interview: Blackberry (BBRY), Aflac (AFL), Mcrosoft (MSFT), Lockheed Martin (LMT), Church & Dwight (CHD), AbbVie (ABBV), Cardinal Health (CAH), Target (TGT), AT&T (T), Medtronic (MDT), PPG Industries (PPG), Franklin Resources (BEN), T Rowe Price (TROW), S&P 500 (SPY) Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.

Chris DeMuth is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked Chris was how he is positioning himself for 2017. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. http://diyinvestingsummit2017.com/ How Chris is prepping for 2017... Looking for ideas with hard catalysts. As markets get more expensive, investments require harder and more compelling evidence. Has big positions in Rite-Aid (RAD), BNCCorp (BNCC), and Bob Evans (BOBE). Believes that a double digit market decline could be on the horizon and wants to be ready. This is a good time to be comfortable with cash and value flexibility. A good idea to be more liquid than marginal counterparty. This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview is full of detailed tips on Chris's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Chris and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. These are better than transcripts, they get to the point and capture all of the highlights. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Rida Morwa, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi and Colorado Wealth Management. Join Chris at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in Chris's interview: Rite Aid (NYSE:RAD), BNC Corp (OTCQX:BNCC), Bob Evans (NASDAQ:BOBE), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), Valeant (NYSE:VRX), Ocean Shore (NASDAQ:OSHC), Biotechnology (NASDAQ:IBB), S&P 500 (NYSEARCA:SPY) Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing, including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.  

Chris DeMuth is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked Chris was what would be the main points of a "State of the Markets" speech to DIY investors. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. Chris's "State of the Markets..." Markets are fully priced Overall market cap is 1.25x of GDP Markets historically don't do well at these levels We also have a bursting bond bubble Credit is tightening What we "think we know" about stocks may be changing due to shifts in the bond market This bull market will suck everyone in before it's done A dramatic environment does not warrant a dramatic response Be sure to always underpay Look for individual situations where people are panicking and not paying attention Would be in cash if there are no compelling ideas This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview if full of detailed tips on Chris's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with Chris and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. These are better than transcripts, they get to the point and capture all of the highlights. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Rida Morwa, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi, and Colorado Wealth Management Join Chris at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. http://diyinvestingsummit.com/ Companies mentioned in Chris's interview: Rite Aid (RAD), BNC Corp (BNCC), Bob Evans (BOBE), Amazon (AMZN), Tesla (TSLA), Valeant (VRX), Ocean Shore (OSHC), Biotechnology (IBB), S&P 500 (SPY) Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.

J Mintzmyer is one of 25 Seeking Alpha Contributors participating in the 2017 DIY Investing Summit. In the summit, one of the questions I asked J was what his top advice would be for DIY investors. Below is an excerpt from the interview and a summary of his response. J's top advice for DIY investors... The more you invest, the more you realize you're fallible Limit your allocations to speculative investments (no more than 20-30% of portfolio) Don't let someone else dictate your style Never invest money you think you'll need in 3-5 years Try to limit your emotions as best as possible Your investments should be based on fundamentals (ex: earnings? cash flow? etc) and should be a story you believe in If the story changes, sell; don't try to hang around and get lucky If price drops and fundamentals are intact, don't panic Remember why you bought This is just a small excerpt of what's covered in the interview. The interview if full of detailed tips on J's core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Enjoy the full interview with J and other top investors on Seeking Alpha. Registration for the summit is now open and free for a limited time. Don't like audio/video interviews? If you prefer to read content as opposed to watch and listen, detailed summary sheets have been created for every interview as an optional add-on. These are better than transcripts, they get to the point and capture all of the highlights. Full list of summit contributors: Chris DeMuth, Bret Jensen, Rida Morwa, Brad Thomas, Eric Parnell, Ian Bezek, Richard Lejeune, Richard Berger, Aurelien Windenberger, Doug Eberhardt, Dividend Sensei, Ralph Baker, Lawrence Fuller, Double Dividend Stocks, Mark Bern, Mark Hibben, Dividend House, Rida Morwa, J Mintzmyer, William Koldus, Damon Verial, Avi Gilburt, Shailesh Kumar, Chuck Carnevale, Adam Aloisi, and Colorado Wealth Management Join J at the DIY Investor Summit (free for a limited time) where he shares detailed tips on his core investment strategies, top advice for DIY investors, and specific ways he's positioning for 2017. Companies mentioned in J's interview: Golar LNG Partners (GMLP), Teekay Corporation (TK), S&P 500 (SPY) Disclosure: This article is for information purposes only. There are risks involved with investing including loss of principal. Brian and Investor in the Family make no explicit or implicit guarantee with respect to performance or the outcome of any investment or projections made. There is no guarantee that the goals of the strategies discussed by Brian and Investor in the Family will be met.

This week we dive into one of the most significant threats to global trade: currency valuations. Will the U.S. and Chinese tensions lead to a currency war? How has the Mexican peso responded to foreshadowed Trump policies? Should we even care? I hope you enjoy the podcast. Don't forget to sign up for the DIY Investing Summit, created in partnership with Seeking Alpha. If you enjoy this podcast, you'll think the summit is the best thing ever. http://diyinvestingsummit2017.com/

Overview Even people who warned of big corrections if Trump were elected are now calling for bigger gains to come The volatility index (VIX) fell to it’s lowest level in 2.5 years last week The crude oil volatility (OVX) fell to two year lows Treasury yields (10-year) have jumped above 2.5% (up from 1.36%) The S&P 500 recently traded at 22.3 times what it’s companies earned in previous 4 quarters Higher than 92% of readings since 1929 The previous 9 times when trailing price/earnings valuations topped 22 times, the index saw pullbacks avg 2.6% 3 months later and 6.2% after 6 months Sentiment has improved, but data says household spending has not The US economy may be “humming along” but it needs a new catalyst to show investors we aren’t at the peak of the current cycle - Nicholas Colas, Convergex For now sentiment is enough, but in 2017 the new administration will need to deliver The IPO market was down big in 2016 and could be poised to rebound in 2017 Says Kathleen Smith of Renaissance Capital She estimates the pipeline to be 250 companies strong (were 275 in 2014) Spigot could open in mid-Feb Of note, Snapchat has filed to go public Thanks to a new accounting rule, many companies will report better looking profits The rule lets companies use stock based compensation benefits ot reduce their income tax and boost earnings Have questions? Let me know: brian @investorinthefamily.com Visit http://investorinthefamily.com/ to become a better investor today. Never miss any more great content: http://investorinthefamily.com/get-great-content/ Disclaimer: All readers must be fully responsible for and make their own investing decisions. Nothing on this article or website is to be considered formal advice or recommendation.

Overview Bank for International Settlements (central bank for central banks) posed the question, “A paradigm shift in the markets?” US elections have produced big changes in the markets based on expectations of strong growth in economy and corporate profits, and higher inflation Problem, expectations are so strong they border on certainty Assuming Trump platforms will be enacted as he presented them and promptly Most expect: GDP growth of 2% after inflation Interest rates (10-yr Treasury note) to 3% from 2.59% US stocks should return single digit % This tight range in consensus expectations has led two sage market observers (David Rosenberg and Doug Kass) to invoke Rule #9 of Bob Farrell (Merrill Lynch’s legendary former market guru) “When all forecasters and experts agree, something else is going to happen” Especially striking? VIX (measures risk) and hovers near year’s lows This serene confidence is also evident in high-yield bond market where investors are not asking for much for the risk they bear (half that of last February) Consensus assumptions: Trump will follow through on some of his plans on day one (ex: declare China a currency manipulator) Note: China does not meet the four criteria of the US to be declared a currency manipulator China has actually been liquidating foreign assets in an attempt to stabilize the yuan China has been experiencing what is akin to a bank run as individuals are trying to move money overseas Concerns of confrontation in South China Sea to test Trump administration Chinese warship seized an underwater survey drone used by US Navy last week Assume Trump’s fiscal plans will sail through Congress, especially his tax cuts Assume oil prices will continue recovery as opposed to another drop in prices Bottom line, there is strong assumption that the positives from November’s elections will come to pass and quickly, but the history of 2016 is that what was expected didn’t happen and what couldn’t happen did This suggests risks ahead My thoughts: I continue to believe caution is very wise at this stage Caution, not fear Fundamentals clearly say there is higher probability of something bad happening than something good Be extra strict with what you’re willing to buy Save cash so you can be nimble to when opportunities arise (fall in markets) REALLY hard to sell when things are “good” REALLY hard to be patient I am wrestling with this with my portfolio, I have positions I’m still waiting to develop, I have hopes for them, I want to keep my activity low, but the markets and good judgment say “caution” Other news The Economist wrote about the fall of Aleppo Main point: as America has stepped back, the vacuum has been filed not by “responsible” countries for the greater good, but the likes of Russia and Iran which are both very anti-US and the West as a whole By failing to stand up for what is supposedly believes in, America and the West just showed the world that it’s values are just words and can be ignored without consequence My thoughts: The world is fracturing As the West looks inward to “heal” economies (unsuccessfully) the “bad guys” are filling the void Increases concerns over increasing global conflict More reasons for caution Have questions? Let me know: brian @investorinthefamily.com Visit http://investorinthefamily.com/ to become a better investor today. Never miss any more great content: http://investorinthefamily.com/get-great-content/ Disclaimer: All readers must be fully responsible for and make their own investing decisions. Nothing on this article or website is to be considered formal advice or recommendation.

Overview Shareholders owe a debt of gratitude to Trump as Dow approaches 20K (in reality a number with little meaning) US equities have grown in value by almost 7% since the election This all reflects perceptions and expectations, not yet realities This is a “hope and faith based rally” The outlook for growth and inflation shouldn’t change anytime soon since fiscal policy won’t change until next year at the earliest Regulatory changes that can be implemented by executive order would be the most immediate and potentially most powerful changes For the markets, this means more mediocre global growth, subdued inflation, tamped down volatility, more accommodative monetary policy from central banks Even so, the “animal spirits” of investors have been aroused The boost from a Trump presidency may be bigger for main st than wall st Berezin from BCA Research things that rising protectionism my hurt global economy, the effect on US will likely be modest since we’re a relatively closed economy. Exports are only 12% of GDP. Doesn’t makes sense for China or Mexico to put up barriers w US since it would hurt their jobs According to Berezin, Trump’s tax cuts would offset any new tariffs and/or new tariffs would shift sales to domestic producers which would boost employment. In this way, tariffs would not hurt capital investment, domestic producers may have to boost spending to bring production back to US BUT trade agreements are also about politics and protectionism may benefit US at expense of other nations. This could lead to international breakdown. Of note: China, South Korea, Vietnam S&P 500 profits may not benefit from tax cuts as much as many think since effective tax rate is already 25%, much lower than statutory rate of 35%. As for infrastructure spending, likely not that many projects that are “shovel ready” Doug Ramsey from Leuthold Group thinks the current market momentum and sentiment could carry things for 4 to 6 more months As for interest rates, Fed-funds futures are pricing in two .25% increases for 2017. Probability of being at .75-1% by June is 50+% and 1-1.25% by Dec at 50+%. Continues to be heavy liquidation in US Treasuries by foreign monetary authorities In the last 12 months, total Treasuries held at NY Fed is down $186B to $2.8T. That is consistent with ongoing decline in China’s foreign currency reserves which have declined by $1T from their 2014 peak of $3T as Beijing attempts to slow/stop the decline in the value of their currency the Yuan. The surge in Treasury yields has not impacted the stock market negatively at this point, but some still have doubts in the ability of heavily indebted economies to absorb higher interest costs I’ve had two friends reach out to me for stock picks in the last three days. http://investorinthefamily.com/ http://investorinthefamily.com/amazon

Overview What will happen to the White House press briefing room in Trump Administration? Trump’s last press conference was in July Favors addressing public directly, through Twitter and YouTube Not obligated to hold press conferences FDR preferred radio JFK preferred television No recent President has been as openly derisive of press as Trump Has called press: scum, lowlifes, the lowest form of life Will corporate America co-opt the press tactics of Trump? Wouldn’t most CEOs rather avoid “facing the press” in the wake of a bad quarter? Why not just Tweet an explanation directly 2016 word of the year: “post-truth” World where objective facts matter less in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief Apparently, those in corporate PR are fielding questions from clients about how to adapt their communication style for the “age of Trump.” Change is in the air and big corporations know it Pew survey in October: 5% of people have “great deal of trust” in media 33% in military 24% in medical scientists 4% in business leaders 3% in elected officials Trump did not invent this scenario, the internet did Push for 24 hours news Growing illiteracy Shortening attention spans Ease of social media Click bait headlines Customizable newsfeeds What you want to know trumps what you ought to know Shrinking civil discourse Shrinking common ground among Americans Trump knew the media could not afford to NOT cover him Welcome to a post-truth era where facts matter less Think for a moment what the world can do with that Stocks took a breather last week but rotation toward domestic growth is intact Brent crude has surged in price Expectation of rising inflation lifted 10-yr treasuries to 17 month high Rising inflation must be accompanied by rising growth All eyes are on 2017 to see whether that growth comes Meanwhile, China has been outperforming the US markets An inward looking US is good for China looking for an opportunity for a power grab For more: http://investorinthefamily.com/

Podcast Overview: S&P, Dow, Nasdaq, Russell all at record highs last week BofA Merrill Lynch survey of global fund managers: Expect global real economy to strengthen over next 12 months: In october 19% agreed with this, after election 35% do Global inflation expectations vaulted to the highest level since 2004 Is all this optimism as sign the bull market will continue or that we’ve reached peak? Are current stock market gains stealing from 2017? Goldman Sachs strategist expects Trump tax reforms to lead to the repatriation of $200B Could be used to pay down raising company debt levels Nonfinancial companies are sitting on $1.6T in cash (12% of assets as opposed to avg of 7%) Goldman expects companies to spend $2.6T of cash in 2017 52% on capital exp, R&D, and mergers 48% on buybacks and dividends Small cap stocks that could benefit from infrastructure spending are stealing attention from multinationals that could be hit by strong dollar Market is behaving like Trump will fulfill promises they like and break the ones they don’t like AAII survey showed bullishness jump from 23.7% to 50% in just three weeks Demand for put relative to calls on SPY shrank to July 2016 levels Too early for bulls or bears to draw conclusions The S&P traded at 28 times earnings in 1999 but “only” 17 times today Stock market cap is 200% of GDP (very high) and interest rates are at record lows and rising fast Can things get more favorable? Concerns over what Trump will do with trade partnerships continues “Protectionist” policies could harm US economy Retaliation from trade partners could be a problem Find more at Investor in the Family.

AT&T is buying TimeWarner, we think. Should T shareholders celebrate or fear this deal? What are the chances of the deal making it past regulators and becoming a reality? I sit down with Adam, the Dividend Sensei to discuss more. A quick overview: How much debt will the Time Warner deal add to AT&T? Will this debt load, in addition to DirectTV debt be manageable? How will the acquisition impact future free cash flow for AT&T? What new markets is AT&T expanding into? What does all this mean for the future of AT&T's dividend? Will this solve AT&T's "dumb pipe" problem? Will this make AT&T the new king of content? Did AT&T structure the deal to offer best value for shareholders? And more... Companies Mentioned: AT&T (T), Verizon (VZ), Time Warner (TWX)