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Becoming a Recession-Proof Investor
Invest in body, mind and soul. And also: infrastructure.
Moshe Modeira
April 16, 2024
Commerce & Capital is a weekly ode to first principles thinking, leading with integrity, learning with humility & executing with confidence.
Format
Hey Friends
Entrepreneurship and the startup world is built around the culture of the hustle.
The grind.
Pushing yourself to the very edges of your mental, physical and spiritual limitations in order to maximize your business potential.
Think about the startup narratives we celebrate.
The rogue coder who pulls all-nighters fuelled by pizzas, cigarettes and Red Bulls.
The metrics-obsessed founder who is an unapologetic workaholic, a neurotic hermit who misses weekends, holidays and special occasions with reckless abandon — at great cost to personal life and family relationships.
This is how I lived my 20s and 30s. Gordon Gekko Greed Is Good mantra ringing in my ears, emulating the ascent of Gary Vaynerchuk over the last 17 years becoming the living embodiment of the hustle and grind entrepreneur class. Launching fashion brands and consumer products. Building teams. Pitching investors. Buying ads. Creating communities.
But when you step back you realize that these are war stories — not universal blueprints for success. They’re business highlights that may evince a fleeting sense of inspiration, but the reality for most entrepreneurs is a slow, precipitous decline in health, a flickering candle burning at both ends.
I once upon a time would give speeches about “why sleep is overrated.”
I loved to break down the fact, to whoever would hear it, that if we all adhered to eight hours a day of sleep — extrapolated to 75 years of life — it would mean we had slept 25 of those years! Of course, the subtext being that 1/3 of our extant life spent in a dream-state seems, on the surface of it, incredibly counter-productive.
But then my health hit a wall in my mid-30s.
I was in and out of hospital. I almost died.
I stopped partying. I stopped drinking. I started paying attention to dieting and exercise in ways that I had never before, accepting that fitness is a way of life, a life journey, not a destination or a place to finally arrive and stay at.
Turns out I’m human — and not some invincible hustle-bot.
Turns out sleep is kind of a big deal when it comes to recharging our batteries.
Turns out that the fuel you put into your body affects everything else. Turns out that gut health is important, and that it works in tandem with your brain in ways we are only now beginning to explore.
Turns out that attention to physical fitness, diet, strength training and training for flexibility / mobility becomes exceedingly more important as you get older.
Here's the big subversive truth lurking beneath the surface of every edition of Commerce & Capital: your health is your true wealth.
This newsletter is a celebration of success mindset, of gaining personal agency and autonomy, of reaching financial freedom, breaking down the process of entrepreneur life design — but it’s also a Trojan Horse for the fact that none of this matters if our default toggles aren’t set to mind/body/soul.
No amount of money made in the markets or through business can buy back a healthy body once you’ve run it into the ground or neglected it.
No amount of money can buy back a sharp mind that’s been dulled by years of chronic sleep deprivation, or years of undisciplined drug and alcohol abuse.
Billion-dollar ideas seldom come to anyone when they’re too physically and mentally exhausted to chase them.
The big subversive truth lurking beneath the surface of every edition of Commerce & Capital: your health is your true wealth.
Your health is the invisible latticework of your success.
It's the foundation upon which you build your empire.
Strong foundations allow you to weather storms, to adapt to changing markets, to seize opportunities when they present themselves. A weak foundation – one riddled with the cracks of fatigue and illness – makes you vulnerable to collapse at the first sign of pressure.
Hustle without health is a recipe for burnout, not breakthroughs.
The message I’m endeavouring to impart in today’s Hey Friends is that investing in your health is critical. It’s also accessible, within your grasp. It's a series of actionable steps you can take right now, starting today.
Become a sleep hacker, ruthlessly optimizing your nightly routine for maximum rejuvenation. Prioritize real, whole foods that nourish your body and fuel your brain. Move your body with intention, whether it's a heart-pumping gym session or a mindful walk in nature.
Buy a smartwatch. They really are game-changers.
Getting into the gym or onto a yoga mat at least once every 48 hours isn't just a luxury for the privileged few. It’s a baseline requirement for anyone serious about building in 2024.
Because here's the ultimate truth: your health is the undergirding of your creativity and resilience, your silent partner in every successful venture, the unsung hero behind every startup or brand.
In the end, the greatest wealth you'll ever accumulate is a body and mind that can keep pace with the relentless demands of living a life worth living, a life of love, a life of abundance, a life that you love — and thus, you find yourself possessing a love for life.
A rare thing, in these times.
The most important thing, it turns out. Having a love for life.
Onwards and upwards,
Moshe Modeira
Editor-In-Chief
Today’s Sponsor: Clarity Construction
Design and Build with confidence. Clarity Construction and their roster of top industry experts are with you — every step of the way.
Thought of the Week: On Investor Mindset
Some years ago, in the middle of putting together a creative pitch to one of Canada’s largest online brokerages, my agency’s research team came across an interesting data point.
At this point in history, the legacy of Nike’s Jordan brand is well known. Nike Air Jordan shoes, and its legions of rabid fans and obsessed collectors, and the intensely competitive micro-economy that cropped up around the brand is a huge point of pride in the Nike’s legendary connection to young fans, past and present. Michael Jordan, after a story-book Hall of Fame career in the NBA, and becoming a household name and global icon in the process — still has to point to his commercial partnership with Nike as being the principle means by which he gained billionaire status.
After conducting market surveys looking to understand customer buying habits more deeply, and create useful customer personas that could be referenced for future campaigns, we found that many sneakerheads, many Jordans collectors, some with collections worth upwards of 50k USD — owned not a single penny of Nike stock.
One of the working assumptions shared by agency and client was that the mostly Gen X and Millennial survey participants would show a measurable overlap between Nike stock ownership and Jordan shoe collection. Expectedly, collectors were very enamoured with physical product collection, and all argued vociferously for the tangibility and immediate enjoyability of shoe ownership — versus the abstract feeling of owning a stock certificate.
The conversation about whether Nike is an ethical company, a stock worthy of a conscious investor owning — we will save for another day. Nike, for the time being, remains a popular blue-chip purchase, trading at $93.10 USD per share as of this writing.
I found this data discrepancy to be a perfect example underlining why investor mindset needs to be taught from the time we are six years old — not as a specialist education track, or in university / grad school for the first time.
There needs to be a pendulum swing in the other direction when it comes to allowing ourselves permission to deploy investor mindset — especially during these uncertain times that do demand so much courage to do so.
I’m talking to my rich friends as well, and they’re a lot of you. Most people, regardless of economic status, are feeling tired, frazzled, bamboozled and hoodwinked by a financial system that was never built to be particularly equitable or just or kind or democratic — only to appear to be so.
There is ample opportunity for all of us to completely reshape the financial markets by adopting a deliberate, hands-on market investor mindset.
Forward thinking investors of all ages, alongside younger generations, can leverage digital literacy and financial education to become successful, data-driven participants in the capital markets.
Mission: Integrating Swiss Design
Turning attention back to HeroPage, a shop page builder / marketing automation SaaS being ideated, developed and launched later this year by myself and OG Bratlist Media co-founder Irwine Duncan — let’s talk about Swiss Design.
Our thought has been that by incorporating the design principles of this particular movement into HeroPage’s architecture, we could create a user-friendly intuitive micro-SaaS that empowers entrepreneurs and businesses large and small to launch visually stunning, shoppable landing pages in minutes.
But why Swiss Design?
Swiss Design is a design movement that emerged from Switzerland in the early 20th century, pioneered by artists, graphic designers, and architects like Max Bill, Josef Müller-Brockmann, and Richard Paul Lohse. It’s a popular design style applied to various physical and digital graphic applications, including posters, physical signage, websites and product packaging. Swiss Design is a hyper-minimalist style that emphasizes functionality, clarity, and legibility, and is characterized by:
Examples of Swiss Design
Grid systems: Using a grid system to structure layouts, ensuring order and balance in the design.
Sans-serif typefaces: Clean and simple fonts like Helvetica and Arial, commonly preferred for their readability.
Asymmetrical layouts: While balance is important, compositions are not always perfectly symmetrical.
Examples of Swiss Design
Bold use of negative space: Empty space is used intentionally to create hierarchy and emphasis on elements.
Limited color palettes: Typically uses a restricted color scheme, often black, white, neutral, muted colors.
Focus on photography: Photographs are often used for their visual impact, realism and ability to communicate information .
Emphasis on stunning photography in Swiss Design
Swiss design principles prioritize clarity, functionality, and visual communication. This makes it an effective style for conveying information in a clear and concise way. It's also versatile, timeless and user-centered, prioritizing the user’s experience by focusing on crystal clear messaging.
Examples of Swiss Design
By incorporating these principles into the HeroPage vision, our aim in the coming months is to launch a user-friendly and intuitive platform that actually empowers users to build effective landing pages quickly — without getting too bogged down in design complexities, and worse yet having to choose between dozens to hundreds to sometimes thousands of templates.
Life Design: Video Editing in 2024
We're in a golden age of content creation. The tools have become democratized, and everyone is now expected to build a media empire. But there's a hidden challenge lurking in the shadows: video editing.
It's not magic, but it might as well be. Raw video footage is a lump of clay – with editing, you sculpt it into a compelling story that can captivate an audience.
You don't need to become a Hollywood-level editor. Just 20 hours of focused learning can take you from novice status to being able to make decent videos.
But with so many editing platforms out there, where does one begin?
The landscape can at first glance appear daunting, but as usually happens, a few editing suites have risen to the top as the unofficial "big 4" in video editing: CapCut, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Final Cut Pro X.
Essentially, I’m giving you permission to ignore all other editing platforms, with a special tip of my cap to CapCut, the newest kid on the block.
Why these four? Let's break them down.
CapCut: CapCut is free, intuitive, easy to use and bursting at the seams with features. It's absolutely perfect for beginners. CapCut is owned by ByteDance, the same Chinese company that owns TikTok. The platform is clearly the result of having last-mover advantage: when you have had sufficient runway to study the mistakes of your competitors — and really tweak your product to address those gaps.
Premiere Pro: Adobe’s Premiere Pro is the Hollywood industry standard, boasting unmatched power and flexibility. Color grading, motion graphics, comprehensive VFX – Premiere Pro is what I personally use, and the program can handle it all. But Premiere also has the steepest learning curve, and is the most expensive by far.
DaVinci Resolve: Black Magic Design’s DaVinci Resolve is a full-blown post-production suite with a legendary color grading system. Think "Game of Thrones" level color correction at your fingertips. DaVinci Resolve is a beast, admittedly the editing software I have used the least. It shines brightest in the hands of color snobs who want to create a statement with light / hue in all of their videos.
Final Cut Pro X: Finally, there's Final Cut Pro X. Exclusively for Apple users, FCPX features a sleek UX that's perfect for editing narrative-driven content like podcasts, short films documentaries. Hyper- intuitive editing that allows for an easier workflow and less bandwidth given to learning — the most painful aspect of Premiere Pro.
There's no single "best" editor – it depends on your needs and budget. The key, as always, is to experiment. Download trials, watch tutorials and find the tool that feels like an extension of your creative vision.
Video editing is about mastering the art of storytelling by arranging footage, text, animations, graphics and audio files into logical, complementary sequences. Learning the core editing techniques – cuts, transitions, pacing, audio – will take a surprisingly important place in your creative life over the next generation.
Commerce & Capital: Urban Infrastructure
Rethinking Investments: Building a Future-Proof Portfolio with Impact
The investment landscape is evolving. Today's investors are increasingly looking to align their financial goals with values like sustainability and social responsibility. This trend, alongside the growing importance of infrastructure and logistics, presents a unique opportunity to build a resilient and impactful portfolio.
Beyond Growth Stocks: Diversification with Stability: While high-growth tech stocks can be tempting, true portfolio strength comes from diversification. Consider the stability offered by urban infrastructure technology companies and logistics and supply chain businesses. These sectors provide essential products and services with less vulnerability to market fluctuations — even during economic downturns and pandemic lockdowns.
Investing in the Future: Urban Infrastructure Technology: Think smart grids optimizing energy use, intelligent transportation systems reducing traffic congestion, sustainable water management solutions — these are the innovations shaping the future of modern cities. By investing in urban infrastructure technology companies, you're not merely chasing ROI; you're supporting critical developments that ensure the smooth functioning of the places we live, work, and play.
Logistics & Supply Chain Companies: The seamless movement of goods is the lifeblood of the global economy. Logistics and supply chain companies play a crucial role in getting products from producers to consumers. Investing in this sector provides exposure to a vital industry that has historically shown itself to be recession-proof.
Building a Symbiotic Future: Impact and Stability: Investing in urban infrastructure technology and logistics offers a win-win. These sectors not only provide stability during uncertain times but also contribute to a more sustainable and efficient future. You can achieve financial success while aligning your investments with social and environmental responsibility.
Infrastructure and Logistics Are Bastions of Stability in a Volatile World: Uncertainty seems ever-present in today's markets. This makes stable investments even more crucial. Urban infrastructure and logistics companies offer a safe harbour. They provide essential services like energy, transportation, and efficient goods delivery - needs that persist regardless of economic fluctuations.
Investing in a Stable Foundation: By investing in the companies that provide these necessities, you're building a resilient portfolio. No matter what economic storms come, the demand for these services will remain strong.
CTA: A Multifaceted, Layered Investment Approach
The time to rethink your investment strategy is now. By incorporating impact investing, ethical considerations, and a focus on stable sectors like urban infrastructure and logistics, you can build a portfolio that reflects your values and weathers any storm — creating a financial future that is both prosperous and sustainable for generations to come.
Join the Conversation!
Have questions about this week’s Commerce & Capital, or want to share your thoughts on infrastructure investing, ethical considerations, and portfolio strategy? Hit us up in the comments section.
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Confronting Dr. Gundry On Lectins | Inflammation & Leaky Gut - Dr. Mike: This is a spirited debate about diet, lifestyle choices and interpretation of data and the responsibility involved in the dissemination of that data to the general public. The turmoil of the pandemic led me personally in the direction of being more critical and mindful of all medical information. I don’t agree with every stance Dr. Mike Varshavski has ever held, the same for Dr. Steven Gundry. But there is so much to be learned from this discussion, and also an absolute clinic in what it means to disagree with someone respectfully and graciously.
Talking to camera just got easier for everyone - Quick & Easy - Sean Kitching: I have been following Sean Kitching for years because of his empathetic, accessible, Aussie folksiness and his clear obsession with the process of content creation and videomaking. Few video creators break down the How and the Why as effectively as Sean does, and it’s garnered him a healthy following over the last five years. Catch this one when you can, as on-camera skills are becoming a vital node for personal development. Despite my experience helping others build YouTube channels and committing to the art of video storytelling, I myself still struggle mightily when the record button is turned on — I’ll be working to get better at it for the rest of my life.
Spend $250k on real estate in emerging markets - My Latin Life on X: My travels in Latin America over the last several years made me aware of a small but influential coterie of creators sharing LatAm news updates, cultural observances, questions, humour, food and also ways to improve the quality of life for local Latin Americans — and also, expats and nomads. My Latin Life is one of those creators. Rewiring our investment brains to think differently after years of programming is a tough uphill climb. As aforementioned in past editions, Latin American investment should no longer to be overlooked, especially as Canadians and Americans searching for new frontiers of opportunity.
Spend $250k on real estate in emerging markets
Get 4 condos in 4 different countries for $62,000 each
Now you have income stream in 4 different currencies
— My Latin Life 🌴 (@MyLatinLife)
3:11 PM • Apr 11, 2024
This Message Will Self-Destruct in 33 Seconds - Tomasz Tungusz, LinkedIn: Where do you stand when it comes to the question of attention span? Tomasz Tungusz posits some of the latest statistics when it comes to declining attention rates being observed globally. I personally have always preferred long-form content — newsletters, podcasts, documentaries, books — but their is a growing sentiment amongst many time-strapped people of TLDR (too long didn’t read) and now TLDW (too long didn’t watch).
📚 Book Shelf
The Diet Myth: The Real Science Behind What We Eat by Tim Spector. The science behind fitness and nutrition has long fascinated me, especially because it can be such a lonely individual battle as we all have unique health profiles. This book sat in my library for some time before I recently delved in. The key to health is becoming critically aware of the complex world of microbes existing in all of our guts —and figuring out everything there is to know about optimizing the gut-brain connection.
Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert Sapolsky. I have spent a great deal of my years on this planet wondering why humans do the things they do, why humans act in ways that seem in complete dissonance with their professed desires. A brilliant educator colleague of mine (Joel, you rock) recommended reading Robert Sapolsky and my reaction is - wow. This book is a 700+ page deep-dive into human behavioural research that will make you go “hmm” every couple paragraphs.
How to Make a Few Billion Dollars by Brad Jacobs. This one made it into my library this week after seeing a dear old friend recommend it this past week. I’m enjoying the underlying thesis thus far: you don’t have to be a complete dickbag in order to make money. Looking out for others, looking to be the rising tide that lifts all boats around you is the real path to inordinate business success.
📰 Articles
Likely Market Reaction after Iran attacks Israel - Reuters: The aftermath of this monumental realpolitik development (possible full-scale war in the Middle East) from a market investment standpoint is definitely worthy of consideration. On a personal note, as a Jew, I do support Israel’s right to exist, and defend itself. I have tried to stay respectfully neutral about the politics surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict, and Israel’s relationship to it’s neighbours in the Middle East. Things may seem very bleak at the moment, but in reality - real people on the ground are uniting. The messages of love and support I received from Iranian / Persian friends this week — Merci! 🙏 — filled me with hope for the near future. Peace is achievable in the long run, I truly believe that — once we step back and embrace the basic human reality of each other’s right to exist.
See y’all next week 🙏 Would love to hear your thoughts! Leave your comments below.
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