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Ep. 547: Erik Wahl Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio

Erik Wahl
Erik Wahl

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My guest today is Erik Wahl, the author of “The Spark and The Grind,” “Unthink,” and “Unchain the Elephant.” Starting from an early age Erik was never encouraged in the arts but rather encouraged in his reading, writing and athletics. He believed that if he got straight A’s he would be successful later on in life. Things generally worked out for him–until the Dot-com bubble hit. He was devastated and realized he needed to figure out a new way to live.

The topics are his books The Spark and the Grind: Ignite the Power of Disciplined Creativity, Unthink: Rediscover Your Creative Genius and Unchain the Elephant: Reframe Your Thinking to Unleash Your Potential.

In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss:

  • Dot-com bubble
  • 2008 crisis
  • Routine and structure
  • Misconceptions of overnight success
  • Embracing the grind
  • Mental agility

“I was very content with my trading success but it really had nothing to do with my knowledge, with my insight, with my acumen at reading markets. It had to do with everything was going north at that point until it went south, and it crushed me.” – Erik Wahl

“Structure creates freedom.” – Erik Wahl

“Growth and comfort cannot co-exist.” – Erik Wahl

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Ep. 545: Mark Weatherford Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio

Mark Weatherford
Mark Weatherford

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My guest today is Mark Weatherford, an American cyber security professional who has held extremely high positions in both the public and private sector. He was appointed the first deputy under secretary for cyber security at the US Department of Homeland Security from 2011-2013. Mark brings a wealth of experience and insight into a subject that all of us should be worried about in this day and age. He gives examples of how things are unfolding in regards to the cybersecurity and steps we can take to try and mitigate risk.

The topic is cyber security.

In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss:

  • Cyber hacking
  • Hillary Clinton server scandal
  • Podesta hacking
  • Cyber security
  • “Model what you admire”
  • Partisanship in cyber security
  • Game theory

“We are very rapidly virtualizing the technology… This virtualization, these clouds, can actually be a catalyst for better security.” – Mark Weatherford

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Ep. 541: Vanessa Van Edwards Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio

Vanessa Van Edwards
Vanessa Van Edwards

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My guest today is Vanessa Van Edwards, author of Captivate. Vanessa jokes that she is a recovering awkward person and learned in college that she could apply systems thinking to people skills. Once she started making formulas around communicating with others, she found there was more people like her.

The topic is her book Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People.

In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss:

  • Bringing the unconscious to the conscious
  • Confidence and lack of confidence
  • Introverts, extroverts and ambiverts
  • First impressions
  • Conversational spark
  • What makes a great presentation

“Expecting greatness creates greatness.” – Vanessa Van Edwards

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Ep. 539: Susan Peirce Thompson Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio

Susan Peirce Thompson
Susan Peirce Thompson

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My guest today is Susan Peirce Thompson, the author of “Bright Line Eating.” This is a podcast all about “aha” moments. Most have no understanding of how their bodies take in, and absorb food. Susan’s BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) is to make sure that all those who want to put forth the effort of losing weight and keeping it off have a road map.

The topic is her book Bright Line Eating: The Science of Living Happy, Thin & Free.

In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss:

  • BHAG
  • Sugar is an addiction
  • How to handle withdrawal from sugar
  • Drinking calories vs. eating calories
  • The radish study
  • Willpower is a finite resource
  • Regulating task performance

“Hunger is not satisfied by eating.” – Susan Peirce Thompson

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Ep. 535: Brad Rotter Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio

Brad Rotter
Brad Rotter

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My guest today is Bradley Rotter, a visionary investor who has pioneered investment in many new alternative investments classes beginning with Hedge Funds in 1982 while speculating on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. He traded Government Bonds for EF Hutton on Wall Street before returning to Chicago to the Board of Trade.  Bradley moved to San Francisco in mid 80’s to be close to the technology fountainhead of the Bay Area. He is best known for famous quote in 1995 “this internet thing is going to be big”. Bradley was awarded the Investor Dealers Digest Private Deal of the Year Award in 1996 for an innovative securitization which precede an IPO on Nasdaq Bradley has made numerous VC and PE investments, with a particular focus on internet and technology and spanning from hedge funds to satellites.

The topic is Bitcoin and Venture Capital.

In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss:

  • Venture capitalism
  • Turtles
  • Efficient market theory
  • Mobile infrastructure
  • Desalination

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Ep. 533: Donald Hoffman Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio

Donald Hoffman
Donald Hoffman

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My guest today is Donald Hoffman, a cognitive scientist at UC Irvine. He studies how our visual perception, guided by millions of years of natural selection, authors every aspect of our everyday reality. His research is about uncovering the underlying secrets of human perception. Donald has discovered clues that point to our subjective nature of reality. According to Donald, we actively create everything we see. Donald started to learn how to program at a very early age. This is what got him thinking: Are we just machines, or actual humans?

The topic is cognitive psychology.

In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss:

  • Are we robot or human?
  • Evolution
  • Reality vs. Perception of reality
  • Natural selection
  • Pushing theories to their limits

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Ep 531: Mark Rzepczynski Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio

Mark Rzepczynski
Mark Rzepczynski

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My guest today is Mark Rzepczynski. Prior to co-founding AMPHI, Mark was the CEO of the fund group at FourWinds Capital Mgmt. Mark was also President and CIO at John W. Henry & Co., an iconic Commodity Trading Advisor. Mark has headed fixed income research at Fidelity Management and Research, served as senior economist for the CME, and as a finance professor at the Univ. of Houston Baer School of Business.

The topic is Trend Following.

In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss:

  • Controlling volatility
  • Style diversification
  • Long term vs. Short term managers
  • Simplicity beats complexity
  • Quant trading

“Price is primal.” – Mark Rzepczynski

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