An essay in a series on business, values, and investing In my first essay in this series, I posed a question that I couldn’t answer. “Who is best positioned to act as the moral arbiter in values-based investing?” Asset managers, ratings agencies, regulators, advisors, or investors themselves? I still cannot answer this question. Over the …
An inquiry into the intersection of business, values, and investing I am considering a new business venture under the Valhalla banner: Valhalla Investment Services, a registered investment advisor differentiated by a values-based approach to portfolio construction. This idea has been simmering since I first got into the financial services business in 1998. My initial time …
Over the past week, I had a few instances where I had an immediate reaction: “Wittgenstein’s Ruler.” In each case, the person with whom I was speaking offered a similar reaction of, “Huh?” I retraced my steps and restated my thinking. But, I think the idea of Wittgenstein’s Ruler is so important, and Wittgenstein’s story …
I am sitting at Holger’s soccer practice. I made a note a week ago to write a blogpost about some recent activities. I have been thinking about the recent losses of people that were present for me during different times in my life: my high school friend, Dan Becker, my college friend, Matt Shaner, and …
I had a great conversation with some friends and colleagues earlier about the role MRF files might play into the practice of healthcare policy from numerous standpoints. We also explored the challenges native to these efforts. We also investigated the work of researchers in this space. I think there is a good opportunity to contribute …
If the cell is the basic unit of life – the living tool that forms the organism – then what is it “designed” to do? Well, first it has evolved to be autonomous, to survive as an independent living unit. This autonomy depends, in turn, on organization – on the cell’s interior anatomy. A cell …
Things in State College are good. I have previewed on this blog that I am establishing a new advisory firm, in addition to my consultancy with ThorCo. My partner and I have been adding some nice clients and are pleased to see the pipeline full from our own relationships and referrals from past clients and …
While business people generally know the fourth quarter of every year as “Q4,” health benefits professionals, in particular, observe a disproportionate share of work during this period that probably seems most analogous to the workload of a CPA as April 15 approaches. When you consider Q4 as the renewal months of November, December, and January, …
I love the business of insurance brokerage and employee benefit advisory. I wrote a blog post about it here. Even though I stepped away from agency leadership last year, as I relayed here, I continue to consult with some employers, insurance agencies, and other organizations (e.g. biotechnology firms). But, I miss being “in the mix” …
We enjoyed a lovely trip to Denmark this summertime. I wanted to share some photos but have been delayed due to some travel detours, etc. We arrived in DK on a trip we planned about a year earlier. We were sad to miss the companionship of friends, who were unable to join due to an …