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The Motley Fool
David Gardner, co-founder of The Motley Fool, is among the most respected and trusted sources on investing. As a best-selling author, hugely successful stock picker, and financial authority, David has led The Motley Fool’s growth into a worldwide investment and financial advisory services company.
Each week David shares his insights into today's most innovative and disruptive publicly traded companies -- and how to profit from them by following his signature “Rule Breaker Investing” principles.
August Mailbag: Invest Me In My Motley
“Invest me in my motley; give me leave to speak my mind, and I will through and through.” — As You Like It, Act 2 Scene 7 Today we give David leave to speak his mind on a rich bag of email correspondence. And from discounted cash flow analysis to turfgrass management, from index funds to cryptocurrency, this colorful patchwork of questions is as motley as they come!
48:5830/08/2017
The Motley Fool Investment Guide
Way back in 1996, we released the first edition of The Motley Fool Investment Guide. Our aim then, as it is now, was to educate, amuse and enrich individual investors, and to show how anyone can take control of their own finances. Today we’re announcing a brand new, completely revised edition for 2017 and beyond. Who is it for? Where should you position your dollars today? Why is a book better than the internet? All that and more on today’s show! Thanks to Harry’s for supporting The Motley Fool. Get your Free Trial Set – go to Harrys.com/fool
27:3323/08/2017
Great Quotes, Vol. 6: Call Me Not Fool Till Heaven Hath Sent Me Fortune
Today we go back to the bottomless well of great quotations. Whether touching on culture, games, brand, or indeed investing, we like to keep this podcast Motley! These 5 quotes (plus a few) will leave you with new thoughts and new perspectives to take with you on your Foolish journey.
30:5816/08/2017
The Market Cap Game Show
Today David picks up the long, skinny, game show microphone to play host in our first ever Market Cap Game! Contestant and special guest, Matt Argersinger will compete against you, dear listener. Your prize for winning will be bragging rights and free use of the #IBeatMatt hashtag on Twitter!
28:4309/08/2017
Great Company Culture, Vol. 3
Make your organization’s corporate culture more engaging, rewarding, happier, more productive… more Foolish! David welcomes back return guests Kara Chambers and Lee Burbage.
47:1302/08/2017
July Mailbag: Netflix Up 100X
What is Amazon-safe? Is there an Amazon killer? Why does the market go up over time? And hey, did I just hear NFLX pop a hundred-bagger? The end of the month brings us to the RBI mailbag episode, where David gives his irreverent take on these questions and more.
39:4026/07/2017
Stock Stories, Vol. 1
This week David offers a new take on the term “story stocks.” He and a few of his fellow Fools share some of their favorite stock stories. Some will make you laugh, some cry, and all are Motley.
44:2719/07/2017
Tallying 5 Brexit Stocks 1 Year In
It’s been just over a year since Britain decided to leave the European Union and David made five Brexit-inspired stock picks. While those were meant as long-term picks (3 years at least), it’s fun to check on their progress. The FTSE 100 (or Footsie) is up since then. How we doin’?
24:0612/07/2017
Racing to the Top: An Interview with McKenna Haase
David interviews McKenna Haase, a 20-year-old student, race car driver, entrepreneur, and Rule Breaking investor. They discuss how she started racing, what it is like to be one of the only females in her sport, and how she balances racing, school, and her two companies. Plus McKenna shares some of her favorite stock picks and investing heroes.
26:0905/07/2017
June Mailbag: Sailing On The S&P 500
It's the end of June and you've outdone yourselves again! Our mailbag is full and we've got a packed show. Today David tackles how to build a new portfolio from scratch, considers whether to sell or add to losers, and attempts to solve an ancient, riddle that left Plato pondering. All that and more on this week's mailbag. Thanks to Harry's for supporting The Motley Fool. Get your Free Trial — go to Harrys.com/fool
37:2028/06/2017
5 Stocks Riding The Bull Market
Let's face it, the stock market has been a raging bull for a long time now. It can't go on forever, right? It might even crash, and hard! So, what's a Rule Breaker to do? Pick 5 stocks that are hitting all-time highs, of course! Because great companies are worth owning. Because today's highs will be tomorrow's memories. And, well, because that's just the way we roll.
20:3021/06/2017
We Have Met The Enemy
By now you have heard the news of the shooting at a Congressional baseball practice here in Alexandria, just a few blocks from us here at Fool HQ. In response, David urges us to maintain independent thinking, civility, a motley influence, and the humility that is the core of Foolishness.
17:4416/06/2017
Market Drops vs. 10-Year Pops
Are you concerned by the “market drop” we experienced over the last few days? If you’re a Rule Breaking Investor, chances are it hit you pretty hard, and that can be painful. But if you’re a Rule Breaking Investor, chances are you’re also going to be holding some of the best companies for a decade or more, and that is sure to cheer you up. As David has said before, and will say again, “Stocks always go down faster than they go up, but they always go up more than they go down.”
26:3914/06/2017
Into The Future! With Zack Kanter
You may not yet be familiar with Zack Kanter, but the self-described entrepreneur, speaker, futurist, writer, amateur chef, and all-around nerd is someone you should get to know if you’re curious about the future. Today Zack is here to talk with David about why Ford and Geico should fear the autonomous car, how an entrepreneur like you could improve the news, and Amazon’s path to becoming the world’s most valuable company. Sponsored link: www.casper.com/fool, code: fool
38:0407/06/2017
May Mailbag: Why Great Leaders Matter, Sometimes
It is the last day of the month, which means, as always, it’s mailbag time! Today David looks at the Great Man Theory vs. the Cultural View of investing, whether to invest a little bit at a time or in big lump sums, and why the market’s P/E ratio shouldn’t guide your investing decisions. Plus, another misattributed quote and quite possibly a dirty joke! Get $25 off your first purchase at bombfell.com/fool
32:5231/05/2017
10 Life Lessons From Guy Kawasaki
The sun is settling in, the pool is almost open, grills are heating up... That’s right: ‘tis the season for graduation speeches! Any day now, successful alumni will be returning to their alma maters to dole out optimism and advice to bright-eyed, graduating seniors. One such speech from back in 1995 is worth revisiting, and today David does just that with special guest, Guy Kawasaki. Join us as we look ahead from the past in this, our 100th episode! Thanks to Harry’s for supporting The Motley Fool. Get your Free Trial Set – go to Harrys.com/fool.
35:5824/05/2017
Why Warren Buffett Shouldn't Buy Amazon
When Warren Buffet was asked on CNBC why he still isn’t buying Amazon – a company he greatly admires – he quipped, “Stupidity.” But why should the greatest investor of our time regret sitting out on a single company that sits outside the framework of his self-ascribed circle of competence? Buffett doesn’t need to be a Rule Breaker. That’s for you and me, fellow Fools! Thanks to Slack for supporting Motley Fool Answers. Learn more at slack.com.
22:3117/05/2017
Why We Misunderstand Each Other
Nick Epley is a social psychologist and the author of "Mindwise: Why We Misunderstand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want." Today David speaks with Nick about the errors we make when we try to understand each other, why we fail at The Newlywed Game, and the dangers of anthropomorphizing stocks. Thanks to Harry’s for supporting Motley Fool. Get your Free Trial Set – go to Harrys.com/fool
37:2010/05/2017
Check-In: 5 Winners in a Thinking World
This time last year, David picked “5 Winners in a Thinking World,” highlighting 5 companies for the Information Age (or is it the Internet Age?). As always, these were meant as long-term picks (3 years at least), but today we’re checking in to see how they’ve doing in year one. Did you buy shares? Are you doing a happy-dance?
22:2003/05/2017
April Mailbag: How To Get Your Questions Answered
Our mailbag is an embarrassment of riches! So many great questions that we can’t possibly get to them all, which is indeed a great problem to have. After a quick guide on how to get your questions answered, both here and elsewhere at The Fool, David takes on how many stocks make the perfect portfolio, how much cash to save for the next down market, how to add to winners, and much more.
37:4326/04/2017
5 Stocks For April The Giraffe
Spring is here! The air is warming, cherry trees have peaked, and showers are bringing flowers. But if you Google “April” today, your first page of results will be all about April the Giraffe and her brand new, web-cam-friendly calf. David doesn’t mention any of this specifically in today’s show, but he does pick 5 stocks that he thinks will go giraffishly up. We’ll check back in 3 years to see how these stocks have performed, and to see if anyone remembers our long-necked YouTube sensation. Thanks to Warby Parker for supporting Motley Fool. Order your FREE Home Try-On's at http://www.warbyparker.com/fool
28:4319/04/2017
Foolish Superheroes
In the early years of The Motley Fool, an unlikely opportunity came knocking. This is the tale of how David almost became the next Warrior Princess -- and a lesson in how keeping the long game in mind will help you in life, in business, and in investing.
17:2612/04/2017
Old, New, Borrowed & Blue
“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue (and a silver sixpence in her shoe)” traditionally refers to what a bride should wear on her wedding day for good luck. No wedding bells here today, but we’re borrowing the old, familiar rhyme to rein in an otherwise disparate collection of Rule Breaking investing thoughts. Spoiler alert: At the end, David will be talking about his beloved – and blue – alma mater. Thanks to Audible for supporting our podcast. Get a free audiobook with a free 30 day trial at audible.com/fool.
25:1005/04/2017
March Mailbag: Introducing the Divvy-Pop
Today's mailbag is overstuffed with your excellent contributions! We talk about how to keep cool in the face of big losers, relay a life-hack to make you happy, debut a new investing term, and even leave you with a tune worth whistling. All this and more in the March mailbag!
40:2029/03/2017
How David Beats Goliath
This week we look at Malcolm Gladwell’s 2009 New Yorker article, “How David Beats Goliath” and extract three inspiring investing lessons. Gladwell spells out the hidden advantages of being the “underdog” in a way well-suited to our Rule Breaker investing style. Thanks to Audible for supporting our podcast. Listen to Audible's new original series: Ponzi Supernova. Details at audible.com/ponzi. Audible and Amazon Prime members listen free.
31:3822/03/2017
Deborah Meier’s Habits of Mind
Often the best way to improve our investing is to improve our thinking. And to improve our thinking, it’s often helpful to reach outside of the disciplines of investing and business. Today we delve into the teachings of education reformer, Deborah Meier, and the “5 Habits of Mind” that she believes should be taught to all 21st Century students. Perhaps these habits should be taught to 21st Century investors as well!
27:4615/03/2017
Gotta Know The Lingo
From the earliest days of The Motley Fool, our mission has been to "Educate, Amuse & Enrich." Today we double-down on the "Educate" with an exploration of some commonly used financial terms. Guest analysts Andrew Fredrickson, Abi Malin, Aaron Bush, and Jim Mueller join David to define and discuss net profit margin, cash flow vs. net income, dividend yield, burn rate, and spiffy-pop!
42:4008/03/2017
Mental Tips, Tricks & Lifehacks, Vol. 3
Today we present a third installment of tips, tricks and lifehacks—to help you be a better you. Find a hidden superpower in your Kindle app, improve your investing while learning to draw, achieve your goals by ignoring them, and much more! Do you have a favorite mental tip or trick? Share it with us on Twitter @RBIPodcast.
29:4201/03/2017
February Mailbag: Recipes for Resilience
February may be a short month, but our mailbag is as full as ever, overflowing with great questions and comments from you, our dear listener. Today we tackle why our biggest losers are the stocks we never buy, why predicting the future is getting more difficult, and much more. Plus, David reveals some of his favorite books to inspire and improve your investing.
40:1522/02/2017
5 Stocks The World Needs Right Now
In a world of “fake news” and “alternative facts,” the political climate seems ever more chaotic and unpredictable. But as investors, by definition, we take a long-term view. And we look to businesses and innovators, not politicians, to bring us into the future. Today, David picks 5 companies that are likely to help us through these troubled times -- and become ever more valuable for doing so.
24:4915/02/2017
Looking Back: Last Year's Bear Market Picks
This time last year, David picked “5 Stocks to Feed the Bear,” highlighting 5 smaller companies with low risk ratings. Though these were meant as long-term picks (3 years at least), today we’re checking in to see how they’re doing so far. Spoiler alert: we’re kind of hoping you bought a few shares!
23:4308/02/2017
Campfire Stories, Vol. 2: The Early Days
After last year's Portrait of the Investor as a Young Man, David goes even further back, seeking insights and investing lessons from his early youth. So gather back around the campfire for a few stories and lessons from these formative years. We look back to days of school projects, theater companies, baseball characters and mishaps abroad. Through it all, we learn that as we stumble through this human experiment, character counts, and optimism is justified.
31:4301/02/2017
January Mailbag, Plus: Your "Don't Make Me Think" Stocks
There are plenty of riches in this month's mailbag, including your thoughts on David's biggest losers, how to score your "Golden Ticket" to FoolFest, and how David switches hats when choosing stocks for Rule Breakers or Stock Advisor. Plus, a lightning round of your picks for "Don't Make Me Think" stocks.
35:1125/01/2017
Great Stocks Don't Make You Think!
In March of 2008, David had just read a wonderful book on information architecture and website design by Steve Krug, entitled. "Don't Make Me Think." Turning lessons learned about design towards his home turf of investing, this inspired David to publish an essay titled, "Great Stocks Don't Make You Think!" Today we revisit that essay, the lessons learned at the time, and reflect on what we've learned in the years that have passed since.
20:0718/01/2017
David's Biggest Losers, Vol. 2
Last year around this time we released a two-part podcast entitled David's Biggest Losers. Let's make that a tradition here and talk about another half-dozen stocks that have performed poorly over the past 3 years. We don't like to dwell on failure—and indeed can learn a lot more by studying our wins—but it's good to eat some humble pie once in a while and remember that we don't have to win them all to win the game.
41:5711/01/2017
Great Quotes Vol. 5: A Fool To Make You Merry
Happy New Year! In 2017, as always, we predict that the market will go up. But these great quotes will help you face the coming market, regardless of what it does. And if our prediction is wrong, we'll just "wait for a warm day and shoot off the next one!"
21:4104/01/2017
December Mailbag: Market Highs & Tight Shorts
In this final mailbag of 2016 we answer your questions about picking stocks when the market is at all-time highs, what to do when "buy what you know" steers you wrong, how to navigate a short squeeze, and more. Plus, a little flattery from one of our favorite CEOs! This week’s podcast is brought to you by Foolanthropy: Learn more at give.fool.com.
35:2228/12/2016
Why We Invest – Plus, Jack Bogle Interview
Our newly founded Holiday Tradition here at Rule Breaker Investing is a re-reading of David’s 2010 essay entitled Why We Invest. But first, as special a gift to us all, a brief and illuminating cameo with the living investing legend, Jack Bogle. Jack gives us his recipe for great investing success, his thoughts on investing in our current political climate, the importance of character over success, and much more. It’s a perfect holiday blend of investing wisdom!
23:1321/12/2016
Love Letter To Jack Bogle
December is a month of gratitude here at Rule Breaker Investing. With that in mind, we’re spending today’s episode talking about and, more importantly, listening to Jack Bogle. As the creator of the Index Fund, the founder of Vanguard, and an all-around stand-up guy who has dedicated his life’s work to helping people invest better, you might say that Jack is the ultimate Rule Breaker. Certainly his accomplishments are worth singing about. So indeed, we will!
31:4614/12/2016
5 Stocks To Put Under The Tree
As the holidays approach, you may be looking for an extra special present for the children in your life. For the gift that truly keeps on giving, today’s show brings you five kid-friendly stocks that are good to hold for the next five years or longer. And never to pass up a teaching moment, David also shares some advice on how to talk about each of the companies those lucky kids will now own. Spoiler alert: The stock you’re probably most expecting is not on the list!
33:1907/12/2016
Entrepreneur Month Extra: 10 Commandments of Entrepreneurship with Guy Kawasaki
Guy Kawasaki is currently the Chief Evangelist of Canva, an online tool with the mantra of democratizing graphic design. But his resume goes much deeper. From his early days at Apple to his venture capital firm to his bestselling books, Guy has a long history of helping startups succeed. In this RBI Extra episode, we break down some conventional wisdom with Guy's 10 Commandments of Entrepreneurship.
35:5803/12/2016
November Mailbag: Investing in the Great Recession
Uh oh, it's both mailbag day and the close of November's Entrepreneur Month. How can we possibly do both? I guess it's time for another RBI Extra episode! Today we answer your questions on investing in the Great Recession, Stock Advisor vs. Rule Breakers, and games for the holidays, and we also address concerns over David's diction. Then, on Saturday watch your feed for a special episode with tech evangelist, Guy Kawasaki.
25:1030/11/2016
Entrepreneur Month Extra: Getting Things Done Primer With David Allen
As a professional, at any given time, you probably have 150-220 action items and 30-100 projects on your plate. That’s a lot – in fact too much – to keep in your head. Your brain, it turns out, is a terrible office! Fortunately, with a little help you can build an external brain that’s designed to simplify your complicated life. In this RBI Extra, we get down to GTD basics with David Allen’s 5 steps to help you get your “stuff” under control.
23:4126/11/2016
Entrepreneur Month: Organize Your Business With David Allen
David Allen did not set out to become a productivity guru, but with the release of his book, Getting Things Done, in 2001, he became just that. You may well be familiar with his methodology – in fact we hope you are, and that it has improved your life dramatically! After hearing a bit of his “super hero origin story,” today we’ll talk to David about some additional tips and insights specifically for entrepreneurs. Also, stay tuned this weekend for a special RBI Extra episode where we’ll get down to the basics of GTD with David Allen.
29:0423/11/2016
Entrepreneur Month: The Power of Hospitality with Danny Meyer
Danny Meyer is famous for opening more than a dozen highly successful New York restaurants. And those restaurants – from Union Square Café to Shake Shack – are famous for their hospitality. More than mere service, hospitality is a measure of how a dining experience makes us feel. Today Danny speaks with David about how to differentiate your business in the age of plagiarism, how to glean entrepreneurial ideas from Seinfeld, how to pronounce Zagat, and more. Plus, an update on 5 lesser-known Rule Breaker stocks David picked on the show last year!
38:1216/11/2016
Entrepreneur Month: Tom Gardner's Tips For Business Owners
Today it's David's brother Tom in the spotlight! Not only is Tom a fellow co-founder of The Motley Fool, he's also made it his life's passion to study businesses and the ambitious people who build them. With a little Fool history, a dose of brotherly rapport, and an obligatory mention of Strat-O-Matic Baseball, Tom Gardner brings his top 5 tips for entrepreneurs.
38:0809/11/2016
Entrepreneur Month: How to Succeed on Kickstarter
We hereby declare November Entrepreneur Month here at RBI! First up: Stonemaier co-founder Jamey Stegmaier is known as a master of the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform. His new book, A Crowdfunder’s Strategy Guide builds off of his already successful blog to help entrepreneurs make the most of Kickstarter. To kick of Entrepreneur Month, David talks with Jamey to geek out over board games and learn about how to go from zero to millions in croudfunding dollars.
38:0202/11/2016
October Mailbag: USA Core Values
It’s the end of another month, and here at RBI, that means mailbag! We touch on the new Fool School, the Cubs’ run for the World Series, and then look at retirement strategies with Motley Fool Answers’ host, Robert Brokamp. But first, with your help, David spells out his Core Values for the US of A – which might just explain why this election cycle has been so disturbing. Thanks to Criquet for supporting The Motley Fool. For 20% off your first purchase, go to criquetshirts.com/fool and use the promo code “fool”.
39:1926/10/2016
Non-Political Pre-Election Special
After a few years of brutal campaigning, the U.S. presidential election is upon us! Always the Rule Breaker, David’s take on politics is decidedly non-political. Taking the long view, we’ll apply some systemic thinking and reach all the way back to Dickens for some perspective and inspiration. And be sure to listen to the end for your homework assignment!
34:1919/10/2016
Mental Tips, Tricks & Lifehacks, Vol. 2
Today we return to the subject of mental tips and tricks, and a few Lifehacks to boot. Get things done in two minutes, win a drink at ro-sham-bo, and make all your photos picture perfect! Do you have a favorite mental tip or trick? Share it with us on Twitter @RBIPodcast.
25:0412/10/2016