ON MIKE’S MIND
For some, Valentine’s Day passed with new, warm memories created.
For others, with a sigh of relief.
For others still, those who aren’t in a relationship, they may have felt they missed out.
Life is full of challenges and opportunities and I always say you can’t win if you’re not on the field - whether that field is the field of love or finances.
Teddy Roosevelt said it best in his famous “Man in the Arena” speech. In it, TR proclaimed that the credit does not belong to critics in the bleachers, but rather “to the man who is actually in the arena," who “does actually strive to do the deeds, who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions.”
To the man who isn’t afraid to test his mettle and attempt great things.
This is where I believe love and money share something in common…
The reward for staying in the game, through all the bumps and lumps you may take, can be among the most meaningful rewards in life.
If you are in a relationship, then by staying in the arena - I hope you had a warm and happy Valentines Day.
If are an investor, similarly, you can only win by staying on the field and our goal at the Club is to help you have many happy wins and triumphs!
So I want to invite you once again to join as a Premium Member of the Co/Investor Club before the rates go up 83% — so you can be “on the field.” and participate in the private investments which we are privy to.
And may we all have many victories on both fields.
To Our Co/Prosperity,
Mike
THE MARKETS
Despite a hot CPI report of 3%, markets handled it well, posting a strong recovery relative to last week
S&P 500: +1.44%, DJI: +0.56%, NASDAQ Composite: +2.58%
VIX settled at 14.79 this week, despite a blip following the CPI report
The 10-year yield stayed relatively flat, falling only 1.5 basis points this week to 4.478
After last week’s bloodbath, cryptocurrencies were given
BTC: +0.92%, ETH: +4.95%, XRP: +14.33%
Airbnb’s, +20.52%, earnings overperformed estimates and stated they want to be the “Amazon of Travel”
Created with TradingView
Stories The Club is Watching
WISE WORDS
"Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you." - Charlie Munger, “Poor Charlie’s Almanac”
Reflections on the Week…
Earlier this week, we had the pleasure of sitting down with the CEO of a firm that we hope to bring to you for an upcoming lunch at the club. It was one of those conversations that reminded us why leadership matters. Even the best business model can falter under poor leadership, while a top-tier management team can steer a struggling company toward success. But what separates the truly great leaders from the rest? It often comes down to a simple but overlooked truth: the best managers love their business, not themselves. Let’s take a walk down memory lane, looking at the management of Costco over the years and where it’s heading.
We must start with Jim Sinegal, the co-founder of Costco. Born into humble beginnings during the Great Depression, Sinegal came from a hard-working family and worked his way up from grocery bagger to Vice President of FedMart. Over 25 years with FedMart, he lived and breathed the warehouse retail business. After a short stint with Price Club and learning from his mentor, Sol Price, Sinegal co-founded Costco.
"Sol taught us that business was more than just making money—you have a contract with the communities where you do business. That social contract was a concept that we embraced in developing Costco." – Jim Sinegal
Sinegal’s leadership style was built on frugality, employee investment, and long-term thinking. He took a modest CEO salary, flew coach, and ensured employees were well compensated—believing that a well-paid, motivated workforce was key to Costco’s success. Under his leadership, the stock grew tenfold over 15 years, and the principles he implemented continue to shape the company today.
That brings us to Craig Jelinek, who, much like Sinegal, worked his way up from the ground floor. He started as a food stocker at FedMart before joining Costco in 1984. Over the years, he climbed the ranks, eventually becoming CEO. Jelinek was known for his hands-on approach, regularly visiting warehouses, engaging with employees, and ensuring operations ran efficiently.
"If you keep the consumer and your employees and do the right thing, things have a way of working out for you. You build trust with your employees, you build trust with your consumer – which is really just common sense and good business – but I think that’s probably what we learned the most. Just always do the right thing." – Craig Jelinek
And that brings us to Costco’s current CEO, Ron Vachris. Like his predecessors, Vachris started at the bottom—this time as a forklift driver at Price Club—and climbed the corporate ladder. His leadership style mirrors Costco’s ethos: practical, hands-on, and employee-focused. Known for his accessibility, he keeps his workspace near the elevators at Costco’s Issaquah headquarters, fostering constant interaction with employees. Though still early in his tenure, Costco’s stock has already risen 48% since he took the helm—a promising start for the next chapter of the company’s leadership.
Of course, we all know that one friend or family member who pours their heart into a business but struggles to make it truly thrive. And sure, some industries demand a more ruthless, profit-driven approach. But it only takes a few key examples—Sam Bankman-Fried, Jeffrey Skilling, or Adam Neumann—to see how self-indulgence at the top can unravel even the most promising ventures. Leadership fueled by personal ambition rather than a genuine love for the business and its people often leads to reckless decision-making, deception, and, ultimately, collapse. In the end, it’s not just about having a smart strategy—it’s about leading with a passion for what you do, and a commitment to something bigger than yourself.
The Savvy Investor…
How Tech is Changing the Value Investing Game
Top Value Stock Recommendations for February
A New Hedge Fund Breaking the Rules and Conventions
Hedge Funds Pocketing Most of the Profits
Impact of Trade Uncertainty on the Wine Industry
A Dozen Takeaways from Phillip Fisher and Walter Schloss
Publisher’s Note:
As Mike mentioned above, love may be in the air this week…
But for singles, it’s less and less online and more in person.
Some major dating apps are experiencing slow-downs as AI-powered apps (Iris,) video-first dating platforms (Snack) and niche dating apps (Her, Seeking, Feeld) are growing.
I’ve had a foothold in the dating industry for 20 years. Also, my son - a data engineer - was an early hire at Hinge which eventually sold for about a cool billion. I’ve also done some consulting work for Seeking (the world’s largest Sugar Daddy site, so THAT was interesting).
The trend that seems most important to me right now is the move toward in-person events and slow dating as Gen Z prefers actual relationships over casual swiping.
These trends, plus the rise of AI, tell me one important thing: the overwhelming presence of tech is making real human connections and genuine trust communities ever more important and valuable.
Which is yet another reason, IMHO, for you to join the Premium Membership level of the Co/Investor Club.
Anyone who knows Mike, our Founder, knows that integrity and deep personal relationships drive him and his success — and could be driving your success and growing your circle of trust more as well.
The Co/Investor Club is expanding into ACTIVE co-investing with top investors across several asset classes - so the financial upside is extremely promising.
We may not be able to get you a date on Farmers Only, Vampire Passions, Clown Dating or Gluten-Free Singles (yes, those are all real but don’t go rushing to sign up all at once)…
But we WILL be welcoming you into a community of investors where you can learn, share your wisdom and connect with others who share you values.
You will also, importantly, gain extraordinary investment opportunities, like the Shaq’s Big Chicken deal which we ran in December.
To get first dibs on these opportunities, you need to upgrade to Premium Membership.
As a community, we are in this together.
And we are in it to win, in so many ways.
Adam
Publisher, The Co/Investor Club
p.s. Please go here to learn more about the many benefits of becoming a Premium Member of the Club now - while we still have our 83% discount for current subscribers.
And have a great week!
If you have not already upgraded your membership…
Chat with Mike
Whether you’re an executive with investment opportunities or a college student looking to network, we would love to chat with you! Email our Founder, Mike Pruitt, at mp@coinvestorclub.com with questions and ideas or schedule a meeting.
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