Feature 2021

43. Keeping Younger Investors Engaged with Seth Wunder

Personal Finance, , , , , , ,

Following the bursting of the dot com bubble in 2000 that stretched all the way into 2002, the American public developed this feeling that the stock market was rigged against them. And considering how many company insiders and those in the know on Wall Street were revealed to have been selling at a time when they were still encouraging retail investors to keep buying, I’d say that sentiment certainly had some merit. 

But what also followed that seminal moment in investing history was nearly two decades of inactivity, indifference, and outright hatred of the stock market, mostly by a generation of younger investors, who at the time were in their 20’s and early 30’s, and in some cases, never returned to the markets in a meaningful way.

On this episode, Malcolm Ethridge sits down with Seth Wunder, Chief Investment Officer at Acorns, to discuss ways to keep younger investors engaged and interested in the stock market. Malcolm and Seth also share anecdotes from their own respective investing journeys, as well as some advice for parents wondering how and when to introduce investing to their children.

Seth discusses: 

  • Why prioritizing financial education helps make wealth building tools more accessible to everyone
  • When to start talking to your children about investing
  • Why the lows in trading after the pandemic highs shouldn’t deter you from long-term investing
  • What types of investments young investors want to avoid and why they’re interested in Environmental Social Governance
  • And more

Resources: 

Connect With Seth Wunder:

Connect With Malcolm Ethridge:

About Our Guest:

Seth Wunder is the Chief Investment Officer of Acorns, the app designed specifically for novice investors. Before joining Acorns, Seth founded and served as a Portfolio Manager for multiple different asset managers in Los Angeles and New York. He is also a chartered financial analyst and spent the beginning of his career focused on the technology sector at Morgan Stanley as an Equity Analyst.



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Feature 2021

42. How To Negotiate For Better Compensation with Kwame Christian

Personal Finance, , , , , , , , , ,

In the past couple of years, much has been made of the so-called Great Resignation, and workers of all ages, demographics, and geography leaving their company for greener pastures, in the form of a substantial raise, signing bonus, and maybe even a better equity package. 

But with all of the noise that has been made about the end result – the new job with the better pay and perks – not a lot has been said about exactly how to go about making your demands. And for those who have no intentions to find a new team but feel that they are certainly being underpaid compared to peers at the same company, it could still be a good time to be talking to a manager about getting to parity.

In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge sits down with Kwame Christian, the CEO and Founder of the American Negotiation Institute, to discuss best practices for negotiating your compensation with your employer. Malcolm and Kwame both share some of their own tips, as well as their favorite books and other resources on negotiation in general.

Kwame discusses: 

  • The golden rule for negotiating with an employer
  • Some of the most common fears people have about asking for what they want in a negotiation
  • Why fear over-complicates negotiations
  • How the American Negotiation Institute simplifies the negotiation process
  • And more

Resources: 

Connect With Kwame:

Connect With Malcolm Ethridge:

About Our Guest:

Kwame Christian is the Founder, CEO and Managing Director of The American Negotiation Institute, and is the host of the Negotiate Anything podcast. He is a lawyer, professor and best-selling author of Finding Confidence in Conflict, inspired by his TED Talk with the same name that has over 250,000 views. His best-selling book has helped numerous individuals overcome their fear, anxiety and emotions associated with difficult conversations using the Compassionate Curiosity™ Framework. Kwame has trained individuals worldwide and is a highly sought after keynote speaker.

Earlier in 2020, Kwame was the recipient of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs Young Alumni Achievement Award and in 2021, the Moritz College of Law Outstanding Recent Alumnus Award. Graduating from the Ohio State University, he is the only person to win alumni awards in consecutive years from the law school and the masters of public affairs program. Kwame is a business lawyer at Carlile, Patchen & Murphy LLP, and serves as a professor for the Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law in its top-ranked dispute resolution program and Otterbein University’s MBA program. He is a contributor for Forbes and his LinkedIn learning course, How to Be Both Likable and Assertive, was the most popular course on the platform in July 2021.



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Feature 2021

41. African-Americans’ Contribution to the Modern Internet (Part 2) with Albert White

Personal Finance, , , , , ,

***We’re bringing you part two of Malcolm’s conversation with Mr. Albert E. White about African-Americans’ lesser known contributions to the modern internet. ***

Through the years, a small handful of individuals have all taken credit for bringing us what we know as the modern internet. However, it is possible for more than one of those stories to be accurate, as the modern internet is the combination of several simultaneous discoveries made by a few pioneers, alliterating on the same idea of a more connected world. 

In fact, it is impossible to crown one singular person or entity with the discovery, as the internet was the work of dozens of pioneering scientists, programmers, and engineers who each developed new features and technologies that eventually merged to become the internet we know today. But with all of the credit and acclaim that has been paid to names like Licklider, Vinton Cerf, Bob Kahn, and Al Gore, little is known about the small group of African American businessmen who made a sizable contribution to bringing the internet to the masses. 

In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined by Albert E. White, author of the new book, “Race For The Net,” which chronicles the events and experiences of his former organization, Network Solutions Inc., and the two years in the 90s where they controlled access to the internet. Malcolm and Albert dive into the history of technology and talk about some of the lesser-known African American pioneers who made contributions to the modern internet.

Albert discusses:

  • The contributions of African Americans  to the modern internet
  • Highlights from his book, “Race For The Net”
  • How his former organization convinced individuals and small businesses that the internet was something to be taken seriously
  • The reasons his former organization made the pivotal decision to sell Network Solutions Inc
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect With Albert White:

Connect With Malcolm Ethridge:

About Our Guest:

Albert E. White has been an advisor to some of the most successful CEOs in the country with over 30 years of business and finance experience. He has a broad area of expertise in technology, healthcare, energy, disaster services, the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence. He is a known visionary in identifying market niches. Mr. White has been the CEO of two energy companies and has been successful in growing businesses in both domestic and international markets.

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Feature 2021

40. African Americans’ Contributions to the Modern Internet (Part 1) with Albert E. White

Personal Finance, , , , , ,

Through the years, a small handful of individuals have all taken credit for bringing us what we know as the modern internet. However, it is possible for more than one of those stories to be accurate, as the modern internet is the combination of several simultaneous discoveries made by a few pioneers, alliterating on the same idea of a more connected world. 

In fact, it is impossible to crown one singular person or entity with the discovery, as the internet was the work of dozens of pioneering scientists, programmers, and engineers who each developed new features and technologies that eventually merged to become the internet we know today. But with all of the credit and acclaim that has been paid to names like Licklider, Vinton Cerf, Bob Kahn, and Al Gore, little is known about the small group of African American businessmen who made a sizable contribution to bringing the internet to the masses. 

In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined by Albert E. White, author of the new book, “Race For The Net,” which chronicles the events and experiences of his former organization, Network Solutions Inc., and the two years in the 90s where they controlled access to the internet. Malcolm and Albert dive into the history of technology and talk about some of the lesser-known African American pioneers who made contributions to the modern internet.

Albert discusses:

  • The contributions of African Americans  to the modern internet
  • Highlights from his book, “Race For The Net”
  • How his former organization convinced individuals and small businesses that the internet was something to be taken seriously
  • The reasons his former organization made the pivotal decision to sell Network Solutions Inc
  • And more!

Resources: 

Connect with Albert White:

Connect with Malcolm Ethridge:

About Our Guest:

Albert E. White has been an advisor to some of the most successful CEOs in the country with over 30 years of business and finance experience. He has a broad area of expertise in technology, healthcare, energy, disaster services, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence. He is a known visionary in identifying market niches. Albert has been the CEO of two energy companies and has been successful in growing businesses in both domestic and international markets.

 

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Feature 2021

39. What Happens To Your Equity When Your Company Goes Private

Personal Finance, , , , , , , , ,

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, by now you have certainly heard about Elon Musk’s plans to buy Twitter and take it from a public company to a private one.  Oftentimes, there are many things that will change when a company goes private. And that is especially true with it comes to existing shareholders.

In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge uses Twitter as a case study to talk about what happens to you as both an employee and an investor when the company you have an interest in suddenly goes private. Malcolm also shares his advice on what employees of publicly traded companies should consider as soon as their company announces plans to go private.

Malcolm discusses: 

  • The process of taking a public company private and what makes Elon’s Twitter takeover unique
  • The differences between public and privately owned companies
  • What happens to existing shareholders when the company goes private
  • The tax impact to shareholders when a company goes private
  • And more

Connect With Malcolm Ethridge:

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Feature 2021

38. Developing Passive Investment Income as a Tech Professional with Christopher Nelson

Personal Finance, , , , , , , ,

Tech professionals are some of the best paid and most in-demand workers around the globe. And in exchange for that great pay and other incentives, it is not uncommon to log back-to-back (to back to back to back) 50, 60, or even 75-hour work weeks; ultimately leading to a burnout. One of the ways to stave off that burnout is to ensure that you have a secondary source of income to rely on if and when you feel the need to walk away for a while. 

In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined by Christopher Nelson, Principal and Co-founder of Wealthward, as they discuss the importance of developing secondary sources of income. Malcolm and Christopher share some of their own recommendations for how tech professionals can be intentional about their career choices, as well as the appeal of real estate as a means to generate passive income.

Christopher discusses: 

  • The ways in which having a secondary source of income can give you options as a tech professional
  • Being intentional about your career decisions 
  • The difference between thinking like an investor and thinking like a spectator
  • Understanding the true value of the equity you receive as compensation
  • And more

Resources:

Connect With Christopher Nelson:

Connect With Malcolm Ethridge:

About Our Guest:

Christopher Nelson is the Co-Founder and Principal of Wealthward Capital, a private equity investment firm. Wealthward Capital invests in cash flowing and institutional grade assets. His focus is meeting with operators and finding the next investment. When not out looking for opportunities, Christopher is spending time with investors educating them on building thriving passive income portfolios.

Christopher is a twenty plus year technology executive (2 x IPOs), real estate investor, educator, and author. He has built professional services practices, run small businesses and helped take Splunk (SPLK) through an IPO and grow to a billion-dollar company. Christopher has a proven track record of building strong partnerships, win-win negotiations and finding great opportunities where others are not looking.

 

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Feature 2021

37. Finding Liquidity for Your Illiquid Shares with Vieje Piauwasdy

Personal Finance, , , , , , ,

If you’ve ever worked for a startup, then you know it can feel a bit like watching paint dry, waiting for the company to reach its light at the end of the tunnel, going public, and allowing you to finally cash in on all of your hard work and contribution. In many cases, it can take more than 10 years. And since the average tour of duty for a mid-level software engineer at a tech startup is just north of two years, it is fair to say not many are sticking around long enough to see the paint finish drying.

But what of their stock options? One of the main drivers of tech workers deciding to go work for untested and unproven startups rather than one of the more established incumbents with all of their fringe benefits, is for the potential financial rewards of getting in early and helping to build something from the ground up. 

In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined by Vieje Piauwasdy, Senior Director of Equity Strategy at Secfi to discuss the various solutions out there to provide employees of private companies with the liquidity they need to exercise and take ownership of their shares before an IPO. Malcolm and Vieje share their own experiences counseling startup employees with illiquid shares, as the importance of developing a plan for what to do with those shares long before the company IPOs.

Vieje Piauwasdy discusses: 

  • Creating a plan to manage your cash flow in the years leading up to an IPO
  • The difference between recourse and non-recourse loans 
  • The value of exercising your stock options early
  • The importance of diversification when managing your stock options
  • And more

Connect With Vieje Piauwasdy:

Connect With Malcolm Ethridge:

About Our Guest:

Vieje Piauwasdy is the Senior Director of Equity Strategy at Secfi. As an equity compensation and taxation expert, he guides startup employees through the complexities of private company equity to ensure that no money is left on the table. Prior to joining Secfi, Vieje spent years at PwC, where he specialized in tax reporting and strategy for hedge funds, private equity funds, and asset managers.

 

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Feature 2021

36. Taking the Emotion Out of Investing with Daniel Crosby

Personal Finance, , , ,

The underlying theme of the stock market and the way it functions is that we are all rational actors in a rational world, acting on the very same publicly available information at the very same time. But the reality is that we are all irrational beings, living in an irrational world. We frequently do things that are against our best interests, such as selling off stocks during market crashes or worrying about cutting our spending only when we have plenty of money.

In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined by Daniel Crosby, Chief Behavioral Officer at Orion Advisor Solutions, to discuss the ways our emotions often hurt us when it comes to managing our personal finances. Daniel and Malcolm discuss various techniques to protect yourself from acting on your impulses in times of financial stress, as well as their take on the true value financial advisors offer their clients in helping them to generate long term wealth.

Daniel Crosby discusses: 

  • Recency bias and how it can affect our decision making as investors
  • Financial life hacks designed to help you avoid your emotional impulses
  • The role that extreme loneliness plays in our decision making process
  • The importance of financial advisors and their value to clients beyond investment management
  • And more

Resources: 

Connect With Daniel Crosby:

Connect With Malcolm Ethridge:

About Our Guest:

Educated at Brigham Young and Emory Universities, Dr. Daniel Crosby is a psychologist and behavioral finance expert who helps organizations understand the intersection of mind and markets. Dr. Crosby recently co-authored a New York Times Best-Selling book titled, Personal Benchmark: Integrating Behavioral Finance and Investment Management.

He also constructed the “Irrationality Index,” a sentiment measure that gauges greed and fear in the marketplace from month to month. His ideas have appeared in the Huffington Post and Risk Management Magazine, as well as his monthly columns for WealthManagement.com and Investment News. Daniel was named one of the “12 Thinkers to Watch” by Monster.com and a “Financial Blogger You Should Be Reading” by AARP. When he is not consulting around market psychology, Daniel enjoys independent films, fanatically following St. Louis Cardinals baseball, and spending time with his wife and two children.

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Feature 2021

35. Common Tax Pitfalls to Avoid When Managing Your Equity with Daniel Hodgin

Personal Finance, , , ,

When it comes to your equity, every decision, whether it’s to do something with your shares, or to do nothing at all, comes with a tax consequence. But sometimes, the consequences of that action or inaction, are less obvious, until it’s a year later, the tax bill is due, and you have no idea how you ended up in this mess.

And while paying more taxes is simply a function of making more money, there is obviously something to be said for being proactive and doing your best to mitigate that tax bill, no matter how inevitable it may seem.   

In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined by Daniel Hodgin, founder and CEO at Silicon Valley Tax Group, to discuss common tax traps and pitfalls to avoid when managing your equity compensation. Together, Malcolm and Dan break down the nuances of RSUs, ESPPs, and ISOs, and share some of their own rules of thumb for anyone who receives equity as a part of their total compensation each year. 

Dan Hodgin discusses: 

  • Keeping track of your cost basis to avoid reporting mistakes 
  • The importance of keeping ESPP shares with your company’s broker
  • Critical factors to consider when acting on your stock options
  • How to navigate exercising your ISOs without exceeding the AMT crossover point
  • And more

Connect With Daniel Hodgin:

Connect With Malcolm Ethridge:

About Our Guest:

Dan started his career in the field of taxation at Mohler, Nixon, & Williams, LLC. There, under the tutelage of some of the most respected tax specialists in the Bay Area, he worked on thousands of tax returns for a variety of client types. As his career progressed, Dan became a specialist in the area of high-net worth individuals and his clients included some of the world’s wealthiest people. It was working with those clients that gave Dan the exposure to some of the most complicated tax situations and allowed him to become the tax expert that he is today.

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Feature 2021

34. The Importance of Negotiating Your Equity with Brooke Harley

Personal Finance, , , , , , , , ,

Unsure whether and how to ask for more equity when negotiating your new compensation package? The 30 minutes you spend negotiating your new employment agreement could change the course of your entire future, and negotiating for more equity can be the driving force for that change.

In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge sits down with Brooke Harley, Founder and CEO of Class Rebel, to shed light on compensation negotiations and explain ways to ask for more equity. Brooke discusses Class Rebel’s role in preparing their students and arming them with the foundational key terms and concepts that make up an equity agreement.

Brooke discusses: 

  • The potential long term impact of equity negotiations
  • The importance of understanding the basics of stock option plans and how they work
  • The value of seeking out a competing offer
  • Understanding what’s negotiable in an equity offer and what’s not
  • And more

Resources:

Connect With Brooke Harley:

Connect With Malcolm Ethridge:

About Our Guest:

Brooke Harley is the founder and CEO of Class Rebel, an online class e-learning company that offers classes focused on wealth, building angel investing, and the basics of managing equity.

She also has an MBA in finance and earned a JD from York University before founding Class Rebel. Brooke has worked as a corporate attorney as well as a venture investor and startup board member.

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