Mail Bag: How Would You Convert a Pile of Money Into Passive Income?
Here’s a good question for beginners about how one might think about converting an asset base, or pile of cash, into a stream of passive income.
Joshua Kennon is a Managing Director of Kennon-Green & Co., a private asset management firm specializing in global value investing for affluent and high net worth individuals, families, and institutions. Nothing in this article or on this site, which is Mr. Kennon's personal blog, is intended to be, nor should it be construed as, investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell a security or securities. Investing can result in losses, sometimes significant losses. Prior to taking any action involving your finances or portfolio, you should consult with your own qualified professional advisor(s), such as an investment advisor, tax specialist, and/or attorney, who can help you consider your unique needs, circumstances, risk tolerance, and other relevant factors.
The Honey Bee Dance and Why You Should Know It
The honey bee dance, also known as the honey bee waggle dance, is one of the most amazing things found in nature. To understand why it is so important, you need to appreciate how much we depend on the honey bee, how complex its hive behavior is, the specialization of tasks, and the ways in…
The 7 Great Cult Beliefs That Have Arisen Throughout Human History
Warning: This is the working essay I promised to release earlier tonight. It deals with certain common cult beliefs that arise throughout human history and civilizations. It contains mature themes, images, and concepts. It was written for myself as a way to process and understand these recurring patterns. Due to the length of the essay, I…
It’s Working! The Potted Roses Are Growing!
They are growing! It’s working! The pink rose bush released a flush of roses today after only having one or two flowers, which I had cut for my desk. It’s gotten much bigger than it was only a week ago. I wasn’t sure if it would work in the spot because it isn’t getting as…
What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Before You Bought Your First House?
Here is a great question about first home buying and what to expect … Dear Joshua, I’ve learned a lot over the years reading your content, and I value your in-depth research and nuts-and-bolts discussions on a lot of the subjects you talk about. With that, I have some questions about home ownership. My wife…
After Yesterday’s Projects and Distractions, I Need to Work This Afternoon
Yesterday was reasonably productive, but not in the things I needed to get done. I blame the rose project. My obsession has grown to the level of total infatuation. It’s a thing now; just like investing, cooking, writing, and music. At least it’s not a really expensive hobby like horse racing. To give you…
Don’t Silent Trust Funds Constitute a Massive Loophole in Financial Aid Calculations?
My morning was spent reading the New Hampshire Bar Journal, Winter 2010 edition because I was interested in a piece by Joseph F. McDonald, III called Migrating Trusts to New Hampshire: The “Why” and the “How”. New Hampshire, along with a very few other states, allows the existence of something known as a “silent trust” or “quiet trust”. It made me realize: I think a person could use these to drive a truck through the college financial aid process.
I Picked Up Two New Types of Rose Bushes
After planting the easy Knockout Roses, which are looking better and better with each passing day (they started as tiny sticks of wood and have blossomed so quickly I hardly recognize them), I made the leap into the more “serious”, higher maintenance rose families this afternoon. I went to my local nursery and bought two…
Living in a Culture Where One Politically Incorrect Slipup Can Cost You Your Career
This is one of those deep, working essays that many of you won’t want to read that deal with understanding the underlying structure, changes, and direction of society. It is a response to a question by commentator Frat Man left on this thread. He asked: Hey Joshua, I had a question for you. As every…
This Is the Kind of Business Behavior That Disgusts Me
How can people do this and live with themselves? This is the sort of thing that if I were running a company, I don’t care if we made millions of dollars a year in profit doing it, I’d shut it down. I believe it is immoral. Sure, it breaks no laws that I know of but it strikes me as ethically wrong. It is the reason we need stronger consumer protection laws in the United States. I believe it preys on the ignorant; the people who don’t know any better and who are trying to secure their future.