To truly thrive in investing, nurturing the right side of your brain and strengthening your investment acumen is critical. By cultivating and harnessing your creative edge, you can unlock the ability to see the bigger picture and make informed investment decisions. Exploring opportunities in certain uncertainties and volatile landscapes becomes a captivating endeavor driven by the pursuit of gaining an edge in investing. However, as an investor, stepping back and grasping the entire landscape proves invaluable, as it pushes you to delve into the depths of businesses, understand their culture, and meet their customers. This immersive process enables you to build a tangible understanding of the businesses you invest in, enhancing your competitive advantages and opening doors to alternative investment opportunities. By blending imagination, curiosity, and expertise, you pave the way for unrivaled insights and success in the dynamic world of investing.
Christopher is the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer, and co-founder of East Coast Asset Management. He also serves as an adjunct associate professor at the Heilbrunn Center of Graham and Dodd Investing at Columbia Business School, where he teaches Security Analysis.
Christopher's investment philosophy and passion for investing are something you can't miss!
What You Will Learn:
[01:53] Christopher's background, how he began investing and ended up as an adjunct professor
[06:44] Some of Christopher's most esteemed and favorite guest speakers over the years
[09:47] Nurturing the right side of your brain to be more creative and see the bigger picture
[15:31] Principles on how to strengthen your investment acumen
[18:45] How Christopher works as a professor to help his students cultivate exploration of the right side of the brain
[23:28] Investing in certain uncertainties and volatile investment environments.
[27:47] What Christopher looks for when investing and his process of making investment decisions
[30:27] Six principles to help you factor in Capital Allocation across geography in your decision-making process
[35:51] Is there an edge in investing that makes it worth pursuing?
[38:25] How understanding business through the eyes of an operator makes you a better investor
[41:43] The power and importance of expressing culture in every detail of your business
[47:41] Christopher's perspective on where valuations are and what is keeping him awake at night
[53:47] How to leverage AI for transformation and enhancing your competitive advantages
Books mentioned in this episode:
The Matter with Things by Iain McGilchrist
Lila: An Enquiry into Morals by Robert M. Pirsig
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig
Poor Charlie’s Almanack by Charles T. Munger
Stay Connected:
Christopher Begg
Website: https://www.eastcoastasset.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherbegg/
Standout Quotes:
“In investing, stepping back and seeing the whole picture is so valuable.”- Christopher Begg [10:10]
“The certain uncertainties are wonderful little models to see the fractal that exists across many systems.”- Christopher Begg [23:53]
“As investors, we think we know everything there is about a business, but we have to go out and meet with these businesses, understand them, meet their customers and build tangible understanding of what the business and culture is”- Christopher Begg [33:19]
“You can't outsource judgement; tohave judgement is to touch the source material.” - Christopher Begg [33:48]
