ON MIKE’S MIND
Billionaire David Geffen, founder of Geffen Records and of Dreamworks SKG is famous for saying, “I have no talent except for being able to enjoy and recognize it in others.”
In these days of influencers and creators who claim instant expertise on everything from geopolitics to crypto, I feel that I am closer to Geffen.
And I mean specifically when it comes to investing.
I saw the opportunity with Hooters when I put togther the team to buy it, build it up and resell it years later for a profit.
Recently, because of our friends at Branded, we were shown the Big Chicken deal, Shaq’s family company, and gained access to that.
Whether it’s microcaps or private rounds, our personal network of founders and investors make a mightly lens through which to see promising investment opportunities — no matter what the White House or Beijing is doing that day.
We have the experience.
We have the data.
We have the caution and the relationships.
In this way, I like to think we are like David Geffen. We may not be the best “singer on stage” - but we can spot them pretty darn well.
We source the best in class opportunities in order to put odds in your favor.
To Our Co/Success,
Mike
THE MARKETS
I’m sure I don’t need to tell you, but this week was… hectic
S&P 500: +9.64%, DJI: +8.60%, NASDAQ Composite: +11.70%
International markets, however, did not recover: FTSE 100: +2.09%, Hang Seng: -8.49%, Nikkei 225: -0.58%
Supposedly, bond vigilantes were the straw that broke the camel’s back before Trump capitulated on tariffs
The 2-year yields rose 30 basis points to 3.97, while the 10-year sharply rose 50 basis points to 4.50
The VIX index saw a high of 57.52 before falling to a more “modest” 37.56
Crypto saw a selloff similar to equities this week Bitcoin
BTC: +2.36%, ETH: -7.62%, XRP: +0.90%
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WISE WORDS
"Knowing what you don't know is more useful than being brilliant. Acknowledging what you can't do well keeps you from major mistakes. Stay within your circle of competence, and when you're unsure where the edges of that circle are, ask yourself if you truly understand the business at hand."
-Charlie Munger
Reflections on the Week…
Frankly, this week was exhausting to watch.
And experience.
Every time I thought I knew where the wind was blowing… whoosh! It went the other way.
There was a moment I was sitting in my office diving deep into a new investment opportunity, refining my model, and trying to rationalize an appropriate discount—when I looked down and saw that I had missed the announcement of the 90-day tariff delay by 30 minutes.
I’m tired, Mr. Trump. I need a 90-day break from this nonstop news cycle of on-again, off-again trade threats and volatility whiplash.
So reader, today, instead of breaking down the headlines, I want to tell you a story. A story about change.
Once upon a time… tequila wasn’t considered a luxury product in the U.S. It was seen as a harsh, bottom-shelf liquor—something you’d take in a shot, not savor in a glass.
Enter John Paul DeJoria, a self-made entrepreneur best known as the co-founder of Paul Mitchell hair products. DeJoria had no experience in the spirits industry, but he had an eye for branding, a strong network, and an instinct for building value where others overlooked it. With his partner Martin Crowley, who had discovered a small producer in Jalisco, Mexico, crafting smooth, high-quality tequila in hand-blown bottles, they saw potential—but lacked the industry know-how to scale it.
That’s when they found Ed Brown, a seasoned executive from Seagram’s with decades of experience in the alcohol business. Brown was initially hesitant, but once he saw the quality of the product and the boldness of their vision, he joined the team.
It was a game-changer.
Brown didn’t just bring operational knowledge, he brought credibility, distribution expertise, and a roadmap for transforming a niche product into a global brand. Together, they positioned Patrón as a lifestyle symbol, targeting high-end bars, luxury venues, and celebrity circles. They weren’t selling just tequila anymore—they were selling prestige.
The result? Patrón became a billion-dollar brand, reshaped the U.S. tequila market, and was eventually acquired by Bacardi in 2018 for $5.1 billion.
I love stories like these because they remind us that ingenuity isn’t enough. It takes perspective, humility, and the courage to ask for help. No one builds something great alone. The right partnership—especially one that fills in your blind spots—can take a good idea and turn it into an extraordinary one.
And in a week that’s felt like a rollercoaster for investors, traders, and business leaders alike, that’s the quiet truth that cuts through the noise: you don’t have to predict every move the market makes—but you do need to know what you’re great at, and who you can trust to help with the rest.
The Savvy Investor…
Hypothetical: How much would an iPhone cost to make in the US
QVC looks to branch out from retirees to Gen Z using TikTok
T-Shirts Might Be the New Eggs
Taking Down the Texas Lottery by Force
With a New Deal Coming - Iran’s 2015 Nuclear Deal’s Impact on Oil Markets
Publisher’s Note: No Gentle Panda
3D Chess?
Or chaos?
Genius or idiocy?
Reshaping a debt-laden economy or sinking it?
Trump, this last week, put on the suit of the American Economy as an 800 pound gorilla.
But quickly learned we are not the only powerful beast in the room.
The bond market, turns out, knows how to throw a punch.
And now all eyes are on China, no gentle panda.
The economics will shake itself out.
But like a troop of mountain gorillas, humans are social beings.
We depend on each other for help in troubled times.
We require good will to function smoothly.
A display of power by one gorilla may cow the others.
For a short while.
But it also makes itself a target for the up and comers.
Whatever the economic hits or gains this “restructuring” of global trade creates, the market on good will toward Washington has plummeted.
This is no longer, for now, a game of partners, but a Game of Thrones.
Winter is here.
- Adam Gilad, Publisher.
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