The Big Picture

OCTOBER 12, 2023

In August of 2022, I explained how Amazon became ordinary. Today I want to discuss how they have become bad. Since I first discussed the companies that lost my affection during the pandemic nearly two years ago, Amazon continues to stand out as delivering an ever-worsening set of experiences. I wanted to wait until after the (faux retail holiday) Prime Day(s) ended before sharing a few tales of further (to use Cory Doctorow’s phrase) “ Enshittification.” There are many problem

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Abnormal Returns

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Markets Retail investors love T-bills. (economist.com) You can't attribute changes in yields to any single factor. (economist.com) Finance VC activity is at multi-year lows. (venturebeat.com) Europe has an IPO problem. (ft.com) Facial recognition Like it or not, face search engines are coming. (npr.org) Five insights from "Your Face Belongs to Us: A Secretive Startup’s Quest to End Privacy as We Know It" by Kashmir Hill.

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Financial Advising Engineering Retail Media 278

The Big Picture

OCTOBER 12, 2023

My morning train WFH reads: • Here’s What We Do and Don’t Know About the Effects of Remote Work. Three years into a mass workplace experiment, we are beginning to understand more about how work from home is reshaping workers’ lives and the economy. ( New York Times ) • The economy has been strong. Why are economists so eager to predict it will tank?

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Ethics Financial Services Economy Management 130

Abnormal Returns

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Books Walt Hickey talks with Taylor Lorenz author of "Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet." (numlock.com) A Q&A with Tom Wheeler author of "Techlash: Who Makes the Rules in the Digital Gilded Age?" (vox.com) Annie Duke talks with Jay Van Bavel co-author of "The Power of Us: Harnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation, and Promote Social Harmony.

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It's the time of year to give our close process some TLC. Join us in this one hour webinar where we discuss how to adopt leading practices and infuse technology into the month-end close process to improve our experience and increase our productivity during month-end and quarter-end close. Learning Objectives: This course's objective is to understand how the month-end close can be improved with automation and adoption of leading practices.

Accounting

Discipline Funds

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Here’s a Tweet (do we still call them Tweets?) from Paul Krugman which is getting a lot of flak. As I noted last month, he’s mostly right, but just explaining this in a bad way. After all, if you strip out most of the things people need in everyday life then yes, inflation is low. Heck, if we just stripped out everything from the index then inflation is 0%.

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Economy Distribution 128

A Wealth of Common Sense

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Kevin Young joined me again this week to discuss questions ranging from expected returns in corporate bonds, the best month to invest a lump sum, setting up an account to pay for your child’s healthcare costs, where pensions fit into a financial plan and how to allocate assets from life insurance. Further Reading: Income Alpha 13% per year might sound like a lot but that’s an increase of $180 the first year (.

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Healthcare Financial Planning Insurance Accounting 119

Wealth Management

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Recent Nareit research looked at actively-managed real estate funds, REIT balance sheets and the state of ESG among publicly-traded real estate investors.

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Healthcare Management 122

Advisor Perspectives

OCTOBER 12, 2023

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (CPI-U) released for September puts the year-over-year inflation rate at 3.70%. The latest reading keeps inflation below the 3.75% average since the end of the Second World War for the fourth straight month. However, inflation remains above the 10-year moving average which is now at 2.70%.

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Wealth Management

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Sid Yenamandra's new company, RegVerse, has introduced its first product, Avery, a generative AI regulatory technology.

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Speaker: Sierre Lindgren

Fraud is a battle that every organization must face – it’s no longer a question of “if” but “when.” Every organization is a potential target for fraud, and the finance department is often the bullseye. From cleverly disguised emails to fraudulent payment requests, the tactics of cybercriminals are advancing rapidly. Drawing insights from real-world cases and industry expertise, we’ll explore the vulnerabilities in your processes and how to fortify them effectively.

Assets

Trade Brains

OCTOBER 12, 2023

KPIT Technologies Vs Tata Elxsi : Who doesn’t like Nature? The greener the better we feel, breathe, and freshness. Embracing ourselves with nature will benefit our livelihood for good. Climate Change has wreaked havoc across the world and Companies are moving towards a greener future by adopting Solar, Thermal, and Nuclear as a source of energy replacing fossil fuels.

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Planning Engineering Healthcare Manufacturing 105

Wealth Management

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Quotient Wealth Partners, a new RIA created by other Goldman PFM defectors, adds more advisors, as does Meridian and Advisors Capital.

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Trade Brains

OCTOBER 12, 2023

WomenCart IPO Review : WomenCart is coming up with its Initial public offering. This is an SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) which is going to be listed on NSE SME. The IPO will be open for subscription on 16th October 2023 and closes on 18th October 2023. This article will provide a comprehensive WomenCart IPO Review, including an in-depth analysis of the company’s financials and the strengths and weaknesses of WomenCart.

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Wealth Management

OCTOBER 12, 2023

The founder of law firm Kelley Hunt & Charles discusses legal changes in the way we do business and perspectives on diversity and inclusion.

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Speaker: Aaron Berson

Managing spend is more than a cost cutting exercise – it's a pathway to smarter decisions that unlock efficiency and drive growth. By understanding and refining the spending process, financial leaders can empower their organizations to achieve more with less. Explore the art of balancing financial control with operational growth. From uncovering hidden inefficiencies to designing workflows that scale your business, we’ll share strategies to align your organization’s spending with its strategic g

Management

Calculated Risk

OCTOBER 12, 2023

With the release of the CPI report this morning, we now know the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), and the contribution base for 2024. From Social Security: Social Security Announces 3.2 Percent Benefit Increase for 2024 Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for more than 71 million Americans will increase 3.2 percent in 2024 , the Social Security Administration announced today.

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Retirement Taxes 104

Wealth Management

OCTOBER 12, 2023

The program offers advisors a unique opportunity to support student-athletes in understanding and navigating decisions around their new income.

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NAIFA Advisor Today

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Are your small and mid-size business clients having trouble attracting and keeping key employees? Jordan Skog , J.D., CLU, ChFC, CFP, Senior Advanced Market Consultant at Allianz Life , has some great ideas for using Indexed Universal Life products in compensation strategies that are uniquely appealing to highly sought key employees.

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CFP Consulting Clients Marketing 98

Wealth Management

OCTOBER 12, 2023

The founders of Beverly Hills Private Wealth discuss their motivations to leave Merrill, their transition to independence and experience as one of the first RIAs to choose Goldman Sachs Advisor Solutions as their custodian.

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Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

Accounting

Tobias Financial

OCTOBER 12, 2023

The Latino community is making significant strides in the U.S. economy, with projections indicating a remarkable growth in purchasing power over the next few years. While this progression is noteworthy, it’s essential to recognize the challenges faced by Latino individuals in achieving financial stability. Despite the positive statistics, disparities in income, workplace discrimination, and lower inheritance rates persist, impacting long-term wealth accumulation.

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Financial Planning Planning Wealth Accumulation Strategic Planning 98

Wealth Management

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Carefull, the the financial monitoring and collaboration technology, helps families and advisors protect aging seniors.

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Validea

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Market timing is extremely difficult, evidenced by Stanley Druckenmiller’s conviction last year to short the dollar, only to be taken aback when the dollar index rose more than 2%. An August report from Morningstar reiterates how hard market timing can be, and shows the wide discrepancy between investment funds’ total returns and the average returns that investors actually receive, cites an article in the Financial Times.

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Marketing Marketing Investing Investments 98

Wealth Management

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Workers in the US are increasingly concern about potential cuts to Social Security benefits in the coming decade.

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Speaker: Ashley Harlan, MBA

What if your role as a fractional CFO went beyond operational support to actively shaping the future of your clients’ businesses? 💼 ✨ In this session, discover how fractional finance professionals can position themselves as architects of growth, guiding their clients toward sustainable success and preparing them for full-time financial leadership.

Clients

Clever Girl Finance

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Women and investing is a topic that doesn’t get mentioned often enough, but it is extremely important. Women’s financial plans are unique, so their investing strategies should be, too. Find out more about women and investing, and discover ideas for creating your own investment plan. Table of contents Why women investors are amazing 5 Tips for how women can invest smartly Expert tip: Don’t rush the investing process Why are women investors important?

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Investing Investments Risk Tolerance Accounting 98

Wealth Management

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Funds targeting opportunistic and value-add situations are sitting on billions and waiting for deals to materialize, reports Bisnow. Several real estate associations sent a letter to Fed Chair Jerome Powell asking for a stop in rate hikes. These are among the must reads from the real estate investment world to wrap up the week.

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Investing Investments 105

Integrity Financial Planning

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Some people can’t stand the cold of winter. They’ll do anything to get away from it. If you are retired and you’re looking for a winter escape, check out these possible destinations. Each one has warmth, beauty, and ample opportunities for relaxation and exploration. Hawaii, USA Hawaii, the tropical paradise of the United States, is an ideal winter getaway for retirees.

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Financial Planning Retirement Planning Retirement Planning 97

Advisor Perspectives

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Amazon.com Inc.’s next big thing might be lurking in the expensive supply chain apparatus that’s helped transform its e-commerce business into a juggernaut.

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Speaker: Abdi Ali, Sr. Lease Accounting Consultant

Join this insightful webinar with industry expert Abdi Ali, who will discuss the challenges that can arise from managing lease accounting with spreadsheets! He will share real-world examples of errors, compliance issues, and risks that may be present within your spreadsheets. Learn how these tools, while useful, can sometimes lead to inefficiencies that affect your time, resources, and peace of mind.

Accounting

Clever Girl Finance

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Many of us are guilty of having a scarcity mindset when it comes to money, which holds us back from achieving financial abundance. You might believe that there isn’t enough money to go around or that you have to work extra hard for every penny you earn. But changing your mindset about money can improve your life in huge ways. Table of contents Financial abundance meaning Why is adopting a financial abundance mindset so important?

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The Irrelevant Investor

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Today’s Compound and Friends is brought to you by the iShares Semiconductor ETF: See here to learn more about iShares Semiconductor ETF On today’s show, we discuss: The new kings of Wall Street aren’t banks. Private funds fuel corporate America Wall Street isn’t sure it can handle all of Washingtons bonds Listen here: Charts: Recommendations: The Prestige Tril.

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Banking 88

Advisor Perspectives

OCTOBER 12, 2023

The latest Underlying Inflation Gauge full data set for September is 2.9%, down 0.1% from last month, while the prices-only measure is 2.2%, down 0.2% from last month. Current Headline CPI is now 3.7% and Core CPI is 4.2%.

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