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 best message I received all day in the usual flood of reader submissions … Hello Mr. Kennon, I am 24 yr old who has saved/invested incessantly since I was 18, and my portfolio just recently breached 6 digits! I have always had a similar mindset to you when it comes to the future value…
In our discussion of how much money it takes to rank among the top 1% of wealth in the United States, we uncovered the fact that roughly 80 out of every 100 members of the “new elite” in the United States – those with at least $5 million to $10 million in liquid net worth…
Mental Model: Addition Through Subtraction Sometimes, in order to make something better, or work more effectively, you must take something away. This principle is called addition through subtraction. The theory behind addition through subtraction is that reducing components and complexity can add value if you make something: Simpler Faster More reliable More profitable Less expensive…
There is a great story about legendary British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, that goes something like this: At a dinner party one night, a drunk Churchill asked an attractive woman whether she would sleep with him for five million pounds. “Oh my, Mr. Churchill … I suppose, but we would have to discuss the terms,”…
This evening we had a Belgian Waffle party. Before we get to the good stuff (for you foodies, anyway), let me say: Stop what you are doing right now and go buy the KitchenAid Pro Line Waffle Baker Waffle Maker. It is the greatest waffle maker I have ever used, ever owned, or probably every will own.
Of the many stupid things to do in life, one of the most foolish is to the fall for the “too nice to use” trap. The moment I hear anyone, whether friend or family member, business associate or stranger, talk about how they “never use” something, I want to grab them by the shoulders and explain the mental models behind their actions.
If any of you remember the television show Boston Legal, each episode ended with two main characters, great lawyers Denny Crane and Alan Shore, having drinks and cigars on the balcony discussing the cases and events of their day. They were best friends that took time to block of a private area of their lives that…
There are three ways to make a lot of money in business. Typically, most businesses that are successful at making money do it in one by focusing on one of three models. They either: Sell many things at a low price Sell few things at a high price Sell many things at a high price By way of example, let’s look…
Steven Pinker makes a number of lucid, persuasive arguments about culture and its role in human development in his masterpiece The Blank Slate. He posits: The phenomena we call “culture” arises as people pool and accumulate their discoveries, and as they institute conventions to coordinate their labors and adjudicate their conflicts. When groups of people separated by…
I have done it! My champion in Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, Azrah Gestahl, has reached Level 100 Conjuration, Level 100 Destruction, and Level 100 Enchantment. My overall Level is 47, so I’m about to hit the soft cap of 51 that the gaming forums say is in place. I’m in the process of creating a set of ultimate weapons and armor, upgrading my old “Ganon’s” series to a new, “Lord Ganon’s” series en homage to the legendary villain of The Legend of Zelda series. This allowed me to create a situation that got the mathematical cost of all destruction spells, regardless of their power, to zero. Infinite power. Unlimited magic.