How I Snuck Into Fox News and Got Away with it
Some called it the greatest punk rock swindle of all time
It was in 2007 when I walked into the Fox News studios to appear on a show called Forbes on Fox.
Fox News copywriters describe the show as “a fast-paced, half hour financial show with guests from the editorial staff of Forbes magazine, who debate the issues that impact your personal finances.”
That’s essentially what it is, although calling it “fast paced” is a bit of a stretch.
Still, it was pretty exciting to be invited to the show to speak about some of my top stock picks. After all, I was still a novice and really had only been doing proper stock analysis for about 2 years. And while I definitely felt a bit of that “imposter syndrome,” as all of the other guests were seasoned analysts and financial media gurus, I squashed that feeling of inadequacy, put on my very out-of-date suit, and strolled into that place the way Vince McMahon used to stroll into the ring at WWE events.
The Greatest Punk Rock Swindle of All Time
When I arrived in the Green Room, I could tell that I was not in my element. After all, who was I to be giving investment advice - and debating that advice - with these guys? Especially Steve Forbes, the heir to the Forbes Publishing dynasty and former presidential contender in 1996 and 2000.
Here I was. Just some rando from Baltimore who never studied finance or economics, and really never had that much interest in the stock market at all. I just saw a career opportunity that had the potential to pay quite well, so I took it. And in my defense, I was actually pretty good at it.
By the end of my first year as an investment newsletter writer and analyst, my portfolio boasted a year-end gain of 79%. That’s unheard of. Even most hedge funds only delivered an average year-end gain of around 10% that year.
Imagine being super wealthy, handing over your boatloads of cash to a hedge fund manager, and only having a 10% gain to show for it. Meanwhile, a guy like me, with hardly an ounce of real world experience, delivered a year-end gain just shy of 80%.
After that first year, a lot of people thought I was a genius. I wasn’t, though. To be honest, my early success was the result of little more than doing some very basic research on various industries and companies coupled with a fair amount of good timing and luck.
In any event, when the producers of Forbes on Fox got wind of me, they invited me to be a guest on their show.
Of course, what they didn’t know was that just three years prior to that invite, I was working as a touring musician for the band Dog Fashion Disco. I’m pretty sure had they seen this picture, they never would’ve reached out.
It’s funny, but right after I appeared on Forbes on Fox, my best friend, Carlos Batts, enthusiastically called me from his North Hollywood apartment to tell me that I had just pulled off one of the greatest punk rock swindles of all time. To this day, I take great pride in that comment.
Of course, the truth is, I wasn’t as confident as I came across on television. Everyone I know who saw the show told me how impressed they were with how I held my own against those veteran analysts. I should’ve pursued a career as an actor.
Anyway, after the show, all the analysts and guests returned to the Green Room where I felt like I had been transported back to my middle school days, when all the cool kids either ignored me or tried to bully me. In the case of the latter, it was one of the analysts (I don’t recall his name), who wanted to continue the debate, but on a more technical level.
I think he was trying to figure out just how much I knew about finance using technical analysis questions and a little bit of mockery of my focus on socially-responsible investing. I was outed! But the funny thing is, I still had a killer track record that year, despite it only being my first. And it was that knowledge that allowed me to skate through his arrogant inquisition, holding my head up high, even while wearing that suit that should’ve been retired ten years prior.
Yes, those are shoulder pads from the suit my parents bought me after graduating from college in in 1993. How embarrassing!
In any event, while the inner workings of finance can be quite complicated and somewhat convoluted, the truth is, you don’t have to have to be Warren Buffett to make a decent chunk of change in the markets. In fact, you don’t even need to play the stock market. There are a number of investments that you can make without a broker or even much knowledge about the stock market at all. One of my favorites is an online investment platform that allows you to invest in solar power projects all over the world, and earn monthly income from those investments.
Introducing Energea
Last week, I laid out my bullish case for solar. If you didn’t read it, you can check it out here, but the basic premise is this: there is no energy sector growing faster than solar. And throughout my career, I’ve found no opportunities greater than those connected to fast-growing markets. Solar investments helped a lot of my early readers make a lot of money, and they can help you do the same.
To be sure, those who played the solar sector at the dawn of its rise from niche player to owning a 7% share of the U.S. energy mix, did very well. One company in particular that I recommended back in November, 2017, First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR), saw a meteoric rise shortly after it went public, delivering gains in excess of 1,128%.
To put that in perspective, a one-time investment of $5,000 turned into more than $60,000 in less than a year.
To be fair, gains like that are quite uncommon for retail investors in the public markets. And for the most part, as a regular, everyday retail investor, you’re unlikely to see many, if any, gains like what we witnessed with First Solar.
I don’t say this to be defeatist, by the way. It’s just an observation of truth. But you can still make some decent coin from another solar investment that operates outside of the public markets. This, thanks to a company called Energea, which allows individual investors, regardless of net worth, to invest in some of the most profitable solar projects in the world. Right alongside some of the wealthiest people in the world.
Here’s how it works …
Energea acquires and constructs solar projects, all across the globe, using capital it raises from its various offerings. This capital comes from ultra-wealthy investors, financial institutions, and individual investors like yourself.
Once these projects are operational, they generate revenue by selling the electricity they produce. That revenue is first used to pay operating expenses, which include, but are not limited to: maintenance, insurance, regulatory compliance, and financial auditing. After that, the remaining cash is distributed to shareholders every month.
Now while an investment in an Energea project isn’t going to make you a millionaire, it does have the potential to provide you with up to 20 years of steady income.
I’ve personally invested in one of Energea’s projects. It’s a portfolio of solar power plants providing electricity to thousands of small businesses and households in Brazil. Here are some pictures …
Over the past year, this portfolio has delivered an average yield of 5.6%. And the cherry on top is that I’m making money while also helping to make the environment a little cleaner for future generations.
This is what I’m talking about when I say “doing well by doing good.”
Of course, like any investment, there are risks. So you shouldn’t invest a single dollar unless you can afford to lose that dollar. This is something you’ll hear me say a lot. Still, historically speaking, Energea’s solar projects carry far less risk than investing in a single solar stock on the open market.
You check out Energea for yourself here.
Obligatory legal stuff …
No statement or expression of opinion, or any other matter herein, directly or indirectly, is an offer or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities or financial instruments mentioned. While I believe the sources of information to be reliable, I in no way represent or guarantee the accuracy of the statements made herein. Jeff Siegel and the Conscious Capital Report do not provide individual investment counseling, act as an investment advisor, or individually advocate the purchase or sale of any security or investment. I am not a registered investment advisor; nor have I been compensated for this publication, or ongoing coverage. Subscribers should not view this publication as offering personalized legal or investment counseling. Investments recommended in this publication should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company in question. Unauthorized reproduction of this newsletter or its contents by Xerography, facsimile, or any other means is illegal and punishable by law.