Life
30 Years in America – Edition 2024
On the 30th Anniversary of my family's arrival in the United States from Soviet Russia, I reflect on my time here. After recounting the hard early days in a new country when I was "fresh off the boat", I offer perspective on how America has changed since I arrived. What I see now is, in some ways, more troubling than what I found all those years ago as a new immigrant.
Expanding Perspectives Through Travel – From Spain to the UK
My brother Alex, my son Jonah, and I went to a conference in Switzerland. We saw this as an opportunity to turn the bookends of the trip into a small European vacation.
Broadening the aperture of how you look at life
The interview took place in April 2023 at Temple Sinai here in Denver. The focus of the discussion was on my book Soul in the Game: The Art of a Meaningful Life. The living characters of the book are from my family, so having them in the audience was a bit surreal.
How Not To Lose a Job That’s Yours
Imagine withdrawing a job offer two days after it was made. This is exactly what we did. This letter about how not to lose a job that's yours, contained insights and lessons that could go beyond the intended recipient and could help anyone who is looking for a job.
Embrace Good Problems: Advice to Young People Today
A 22-year-old daughter of a friend, for the first time in her life, has hit a brick wall. I told her that, as frustrating as her life may seem right now, she is having a good problem; and happiness in life comes from having good problems.
Chess Saga Continues
With Hannah’s passion for chess growing and the lockdowns easing, we discovered the wonderful world of chess meetups.
Hidden costs of living in Switzerland
After a recent trip to India, the contrast with Switzerland was stark. But there are hidden costs of living in Switzerland as well.
The Real Country of Contrasts: Our Unforgettable Trip to India
My daughter Hannah and I went to a trip to India. We visited a small part of this large country, the most populous in the world.
The trip to Europe that wasn’t about Europe
As I am looking back at this trip, it was really not about Europe, the lakes, the ice cream that we had every evening, or the museums. The best experiences were the conversations we shared while we strolled the streets or had over dinner.
Inspiring Stories & Hard-Won Life Lessons: Introducing My New Book
My newest book, Soul in the Game, is now live and available for purchase. It has nothing to do with investing, but has everything to do with something far more important: living a meaningful life.
Turning a PBS Interviewer into Interviewee
I was interviewed on PBS Newshour about the insanity that is happening in the NFT market. I can sum up my thoughts in one sentence: NFTs, just like cryptocurrencies, are not just a technology of the future, but a speculative bubble induced by excess global liquidity in the present.
Soul in the Game – The Art of a Meaningful Life
This is my newest book. It has nothing to do with investing. In fact, it is a deeply personal collection of inspiring stories and hard-won lessons that weave together insights from classical composers, ancient Stoics, and contemporary thinkers. It's a tapestry of practical wisdom that has helped me overcome some of my greatest challenges - in work, family, identity, and health.
Let’s Keep Humans At The Heart Of Hiring Practices
The Financial Times recently published an article about my travails in recruiting. After sharing the article, I expand on what I learned about recruiting, teams, and culture since becoming CEO of IMA.
Winning the Ovarian Lottery
“At least a billion people on earth at this moment who would consider their prayers answered if they could trade places with you.” – Sam Harris
Rooting For The Underdog
For the longest time, my son Jonah would beat his younger sister Hannah at just about everything. That all changed when we watched The Queen's Gambit earlier this year.
Unconditional Love
I recount the first time I felt fear. Not the fear of losing my own life, but the fear a parent feels when their kids are at risk. I remember this harrowing episode, and what it taught me about being a parent.
Interview with Indiana University Students
In this interview with Indiana University MBA and MsF students, I take a deep dive into my approach to investing.
My Interview with World Class Performer
In early 2021, I was interviewed by the website WorldClassPerformer.com. What follows are a series of questions about my background, influences and habits.
Go Ahead, Covet Your Neighbor’s Wife.
I recently asked another value investor if he wanted Warren Buffett's success. While this may seem like a rhetorical question, the truth is many value investors are quietly envious of Buffett.
Girls’ Gambit
It all started after my daughter, Hannah, watched The Queen’s Gambit for a homework assignment. She told me I had to watch it. I did, and loved it. But then Hannah said, “Dad, let’s play chess!”
Don’t Be a Sophist
I discuss how to use a Stoic technique to help manage the emotions that come with the stock market.
