Author, Investor, Speaker, Mentor
On September 10, my friend John Ma passed away at the age of 50 after a 10-month battle with brain cancer. Today at his funeral, I read the following eulogy: You could always count on John. Whatever happened, whatever the circumstances, John always seemed to know what to do. Whether he was your son, your … Continue reading A Eulogy For John
When the NBA Players Association voted to resume play, one of the reasons was to give its players a greater voice on social justice issues. Tonight, the Milwaukee Bucks exercised that voice by electing not to play in their scheduled game, triggering a cascade that resulted in the cancellation of all scheduled NBA and WNBA … Continue reading Statement by the players of the Milwaukee Bucks
Anyone who has ever run a company knows that it is critical to control wage costs. How often have you been discussing a job candidate’s salary request and said, “I think we should pay more than they’re asking”? In our mind, there is an unwritten rule that says, “Pay people as little as you can … Continue reading Higher Wages = Higher Profits
One of the many divisive issues of the current time is the concept of “cancellation.” For the sake of argument and expedience, I’m going to use the old rhetorical chestnut and cite Merriam-Webster: “To cancel someone (usually a celebrity or other well-known figure) means to stop giving support to that person. The act of canceling … Continue reading The Cancellation Conundrum
One of the puzzling aspects of Donald Trump’s presidency is his inability to follow a coherent long-term strategy. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, strong economic conditions would have made any conventional president a shoo-in for re-election. All Donald Trump would need to do is to stay quiet and avoid saying anything other than, “Are you … Continue reading The Martingale Presidency
If you’re like me, endless Zoom calls and the inability to work out at your regular gym may have produced a “Quarantine 15” effect on your weight and fitness. For those who are fortunate enough to afford both a treadmill and the space to set it up, I offer a solution: The Zoom Treadmill, or … Continue reading The Zoom Treadmill (Treadzoomer? Zoommill?)
One year ago today, my ruptured Achilles tendon was surgically repaired. When people ask me about it, I tell them that there is a real good news/bad news element. An Achilles tendon rupture is pretty much the worst sports injury that you can completely recover from. It’s generally considered to have a 1-year minimum recovery … Continue reading Achilles Tendon Surgery Recovery: 1 Year Update
“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then suddenly.” (Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises) Donald Trump’s presidency appears to have been a long series of attempts to prove the truth of his 2016 statement, “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I … Continue reading If Donald Trump Loses, His Racism Will Be The Cause
Many companies like to say that they invest in diversity. But the truth is, they treat investing in diversity far differently than their other investments, and that’s a problem. Problem #1: They don’t have an investment thesis with a target return. When companies make investments, they generally have an investment thesis that spells out the … Continue reading Investing In Diversity
There are many more Americans today (June 29, 2020) that are vocally supporting the fight against racial discrimination than there were on May 24. While this development is welcomed by most long-time activists, it’s only human that some of them might think silently to themselves, “It’s about damn time.” It’s natural and intuitive to resent … Continue reading Why You Should Welcome Bandwagon Jumpers And Fair-weather Friends