Kerry Lutz's--Financial Survival Network

In the mining industry, it takes a solid vision and drive to revisit and revive an abandoned project. Stephen Stewart, CEO of QC Copper and Gold joined us to discuss the latest developments at the company’s Opemiska Copper Mine Complex, and why the project is on the fast track to success. Production ended back in 1991, as the copper price made it uneconomical to continue. Now, higher copper and gold prices along with new technology is breathing new life into Opemiska. In one drill hole alone, QC found 18 g/t gold over 9 meters and 100 meters of .5% copper eq. Stephen expressed surprise at the gold discovery, since the project had never produced gold at this grade before.

He is confident that production could begin during the current bull market cycle that has seen copper hitting all time highs. (currently trading at US $4.32). Capex will be low compared to comparable new projects. The onsite infrastructure is quite good, with an onsite power station and close by access to highway and rail.

All things considered, Stephen’s business model of using the latest technology to revive and eventually reopen shuttered mines is set to pay big dividends.

www.qccopper.com Tickers : OTCQB : QCCUF - TSXV : QCCU

Summary:

To grasp the the current circumstances in China, we have Daniel Joseph on the podcast today—an individual that has previously lived in China for quite some time—to update us on the socioeconomic situation. As a nation, China seems to be deviating from some of the tactics that made them so successful historically—such as being able to access specific resources and utilizing these freedoms. Tune in to hear about why China has failed to reign as a world power, and some of the current happenings contributing to their limitations as a country.

Highlights:

-When it comes to China, Daniel Joseph can give accurate depictions on what is happening

-In many parts of China, building infrastructure isn’t quite as stable. Therefore, disasters considered rare in the US are more common over there

-Sometimes a picture is painted such that China is invincible, which is not the case

-It also seems as if China aims to be a tier two country at times, and doesn’t necessarily want to be the best

-Moving away from the free market and rolling back political freedoms—deviating from things that make them successful

-China has been issuing new regulations on the tech industry

-Outlawed private tutoring—they are moving away from practices that got them to where they are now

-Trust in China is taking a big hit; they have not been transparent or participating in the dialogue around major health problems

-The Three Gorges Dam is having a worse rainy season than last year. China continues to have flooding/infrastructure issues that aren’t going to cease overnight, even if they take the necessary steps to stop them

-What we see with China is the expert class failing globally

-China will be worse off now that we are out of Afghanistan

-It often takes financial incentive to get individuals to comply with a regulation

-Middle class poses problems for communism

Useful Links:

https://financial survival network.com/

http://theglobaldashboard.com/

Summary:
Investors alike are asking: where are the markets heading, and what is the Fed going to do? Today, we have Jim Welsh on the podcast to give us some insights about what is happening and what is to come in the ever-changing market. He provides useful insight on what is going on in regard to the treasury, thoughts on Afghanistan and the repercussions that may follow, and what to expect out of the dollar as currencies around the world shift.

Highlights:
-Where are the markets heading? What is the fed going to do?
-Everyone talking the loudest are not voting members on the fed this year
-The fed is in somewhat of a box; QE purchases were intending to stimulate demand in the housing market, but housing prices and rents are going up
-People who use ‘tightening’ to describe what is about to happen are missing the math behind the process
-Treasury had a balance of $1.6 trillion—since March, it has gone down to $400 million
-Treasury yields have come down
-We are going to see an avalanche of issuance in the fourth quarter—when does congress raise the debt ceiling?
-Lack of effective supply in the treasury market has allowed treasury yields to come down, which is going to switch dramatically in the fourth quarter
-Markets are anticipating higher rates; Welsh believes the trend is going to be higher
-Inflation is going to be anything but transitory; either way, higher consumer prices are in the future
-Companies don’t have to worry about market share because all companies are in the same boat
-It was only a matter of time before the Taliban took over Afghanistan—it was just a question of when
-There are going to be repercussions for many years
-Have we turned the corner from the health issues that have been facing the world? The current wave of infection should likely peak soon and then recede—we should hopefully see cases come down soon
-If rates go up, this will most likely not lead to a stock market crash
-We will still see liquidity flowing in—just slightly less over time
-The dollar will probably benefit and strengthen in the next 12 months
-Gold and the gold stocks are at a make or break point
-Dollar strength comes from being better than other currencies, but in Europe, a crisis will most likely not come to bear
-There is so much liquidity, and people are trying to park it to get a positive rate anywhere they can
-Bank reserves are part of M2 money supply, and the money in the reserves isn’t getting into the economy
-If bank reserves turn into bank loans, then this has positive implications for economic growth and inflation

Useful Links:
Financial Survival Network
Macro Tides

Summary:
Where is money flowing from, and where is it going? Today, Jerry Robinson and I get on the podcast to address this question in regard to foreign affairs, cryptocurrency, and the precious metals. Robinson and I discuss some of our most universal pointers for building wealth, which at its core is achieved by diversifying your investments. Tune in to hear specific examples of how this sort of investing looks on a larger scale, and to learn how you can acquire more information and resources on this topic.

Highlights:
-Where is the money flowing from, and where is it going?
-Understanding money flow allows you to view the world from another perspective
-China’s fortunes have shifted recently. For years, they have outsmarted the US and have been underestimated by Washington
-The top media outlets spent five whole minutes talking about Afghanistan last year. This year, there is breathless reporting on Afghanistan
-The US has miscalculated China’s ambitions, as well as in other military missions around the world
-China is negotiating new deals with Afghanistan, and using their soft power to do so
-Immanuel Kant’s saying that ‘commerce prevents war’ is relevant in this circumstance
-China is using economics, while the US is using brute force and creating more enemies
-China is a producer, while the US is an expert consumer. We need to get ready to call ourselves #2 in reference to them
-Robinson’s outlook on crypto is that it is an asset class. If you’re going to be in the asset class—which you should—you should be limited in how much you expose yourself to
-Social media presents a full blown display of the ignorance around investing
-People often look at asset classes and think they are only going up; thus, they opt to go all in, which isn’t necessarily a good idea.
-Put a nickel out of every dollar into the best cryptocurrencies every two weeks
-We expect Bitcoin to reach a new high by the end of the year, because Bitcoin plays out according to a cycle—which is quite discernible
-It will probably fizzle out between Q1 and Q2 in 2022
-Gold and silver remain in long term up-trends
-New long term down trends arise for SIL and GBX
-In times of mass inflation, gold and silver are the hedges
-Gold and silver have not lost their inflationary statuses, but this year has produced a bit of an unpredictable outcome
-Follow the trends/money/in-flows, and prioritize these above mere opinion
-There used to be a connection between inflation and interest rates
-Rising prices are most likely going to accelerate over the next 50 years, so it is necessary to take action now to protect your finances. Washington is not changing their thinking, so we must change ours
-The only way to protect yourself is to have a financial plan rooted not in opinion, but in real logic and history
-Don’t go all in on one thing—the government can alter rules at any time, so it is important to diversify your investments

Useful Links:
Financial Survival Network
Follow the Money

Summary:
Today we have the creator and owner of Practical Wealth Advisors, Curtis May, on the podcast to discuss how you can build your wealth without the assistance of Wall Street. As a close friend of the Financial Survival Network, May also promotes the idea that Wall Street’s goals do not align with the financial freedom most people are seeking. Rather than just utilizing various tactics and strategies, May advises than you have a structured plan and an awareness of the principles that will get you to your financial end goal. Tune in to get information on how you can acquire some of this advice, and to hear from an individual that can create a plan to fit your needs.

Highlights:
-We’ve been somewhat anti-Wall Street since the start
-Curtis May is the the creator and owner of Practical Wealth Advisors
-Wall Street doesn’t always have your best interest—how can one build their wealth without the assistance of Wall Street?
-Two schools of thought when it comes to money: the accumulation theory (what they sell you) and corporate finance, which closely resembles what actually plays out
-It is important to be aware of the two different games being played
-Investing is a plan—not a product or procedure
-Most people use tactics and strategies but lack an overall plan, which is typically to become financially free. This, however, is not Wall Street’s goal for you.
-May’s purpose is to teach people how to become financially free, and the steps to take to get there
-In terms of goal setting, May tries to ask people what they want, and why. Most people know what they don’t want, but it is sometimes more difficult to pinpoint what they do want
-May’s ideal structure is ‘wealth in a decade’ which entails financial freedom in ten years or less—he is focused on teaching people the principles
-Find out their goals, but give them principles to work with so that they don’t repeat the same mistakes over and over again
-May specializes in risk-factors and defense (i.e. stable will and insurance) creating a wealth coordination account
-Saving should be safe, accessible, and guaranteed
-As your knowledge goes up, your risk goes down; Wall Street is all about risk tolerance and accumulation
-Risk means probability of loss
-May assures that the client is a good fit for the company, followed by a financial questionnaire, an assessment of what they’re doing now, and if what they are doing will take them to where they want to be
-May goes off of a membership model so that the clients can learn—almost like being part of a club

Useful Links:
Practical Wealth Advisors
The Practical Wealth Show
Financial Survival Network

Summary:
Myself and former attorney Scott Reib get on the podcast today to discuss how people in the legal sphere clear up misinformation and minimize risks for various tasks. Ultimately, it comes down to getting professional, legal advice when you are operating a business rather than performing an internet search. Each circumstance is unique, and it is crucial to consult a professional that can point you in the right direction, and serve as a second pair of eyes. Tune in today to get indispensable advice from Scott Reib, who is published and currently offers consultation on this topic.

Highlights:
-There are so many statements about what people think the law is, and all too often, they are wrong
-How do attorneys clear up misinformation and calculate/minimize risks for various endeavors?
-Scott used to have an hourly model that didn’t work quite as well
-He switched to a subscription model so that clients can call him whenever rather than resorting to the internet or other resources
-A lot of people start businesses as proprietors without and LLC, or create an LLC incorrectly and lack a proper agreement
-Other times, people have very poor contracts with ambiguous/conflicting language or holes
-People lack to protect their brand, neglecting to trademark or copyright it—which results in this content getting pirated
-Siri does not necessarily hold the answers to complex legal questions. Every answer depends upon the particular circumstance
-There are so many simple things that attorney’s don’t think of, and it’s helpful to have a second pair of eyes to correct you when something is wrong. You can’t wear all of the hats.
-Legal advice you get for free is worth exactly what you paid for it
-Make sure you’re never running multiple businesses out of one entity, and keep your hard assets in a holding company
-Running with one LLC is good, but it does not protect all of your assets
-Make sure you have all the insurance you can afford

Useful Links:
Financial Survival Network
Reib Law
5 Proven Strategies To Shatterproof Your Business

Summary:
Is flipping houses the way to go, or is commercial real estate a more opportunistic pursuit? Listen to today’s episode to listen to myself and Mike Sowers discuss some of the benefits in flipping commercial real estate—and get insider tips on how to do this effectively. Sowers emphasizes the value in focusing on deals that add significant value to a property; one must consider what it is going to be worth to someone who will occupy it, as well as what comparable properties sell for. Sowers breaks down some of the strategies for mitigating risk within this industry, and provides an economical justification for investing in properties such as office spaces.

Highlights:
-It is possible to get higher returns investing in commercial real estate?
-Is flipping houses all it’s cracked up to be? It is a great first step for many investors. However, you don’t have to go into flipping houses to start—you can go directly into flipping commercial and skip decades of steps.
-There are a lot of sectors of commercial real estate, which can be broken into four categories
-Within the categories, there are different niches
-Sowers’ business is interested in deals that will add significant value to the property
-Only buying properties where you can create value that worth more than it costed to create the value
-There are two ways to sell/value real estate: what is it going to be worth to someone who is going to buy/occupy it? What do comparable properties sell for?
-A financial buyer/tenant values properties differently
-It can be beneficial to buy multi-tenant properties that have problems (i.e. property/people problems, partnership disputes, etc.)
-Focus on properties where you can increase the income stream
-Good strategies and system mitigate risk
-Sowers is particularly interested in the suburban office sector, because it has a much higher perceived risk than real risk
-From a demand standpoint, apartments feel less risky to invest in, but from an economic standpoint they pose a much higher risk
-How does this play into the work-from-home setting? Some of these shifts are taking place, but they’re not as extreme as people think they are. This transition actually makes it a good time to buy office spaces at lower costs, and still rent them out for a higher cost.
-There are different incentives you can offer to get people to decide to lease (i.e. free rent for a small period of time)
-Sowers targets small business owners
-Being able to accurately predict the future value of a property and estimating the costs to do so are both required to be able to successfully flip commercial real estate
-The active and passive partners have different roles in the process and maintain a symbiotic relationship

Useful Links:
Financial Survival Network
Mike's Book
Get in touch with Mike

Summary:
All of the madness is coming to a head in the housing market, so today, Wolf Richter and I get on the podcast to discuss what exactly is happening with buying and selling homes as a result of the current economy. San Francisco in particular is experiencing an interesting circumstance: seasonality is returning, which has been absent for most of the pandemic. We are seeing a rising market as well as individuals eagerly spending more money, which is stimulus driven. Tune in to hear about the interesting dichotomy between the economy and housing market, and what is to come in this industry.

Highlights:
-All of the madness is coming to a head in the housing market
-People are reducing their asking prices—how can this be?
-Every local market is different. In San Francisco, it is dominated by condos and has not gone anywhere in three years in terms of price. House prices have sky rocketed with a medium price at $2 million, dropping by 8% in July
-Seasonality is returning, which we have not seen throughout the pandemic
-Medium price dipped for single family houses, and for condos it jumped
-The volume fell quite a bit; prices dipped a bit from the peak
-There are very elevated prices at the moment, and this poses an issue as incomes do not match
-Drops in prices bring buyers out
-A lot of supply is coming on the market — this is the most new houses we’ve seen on the market since 2008
-Mortgage rates are still extremely low by historical standards. If mortgage rates go up, what will happen to the market?
-The Fed is already talking about tapering its asset purchases, which will likely happen this fall. This affects mortgage rates and long term interest rates
-The trend now is buying rental homes close together, which is more efficient than having single family homes scattered
-In a rising market, foreclosures are extremely rare
-We don’t have the situation of short sales
-Does the shadow inventory still exist?, or have banks flushed this out This is pretty much gone, according to Wolf.
-The carrying costs of vacant homes are very high, so this will probably bring more properties to the market
-What does the housing market tell us about the broader economy? Every time there is a shortage within the economy, we see prices rise.
-People are still eagerly spending money, which is stimulus driven
-States are sitting on a lot of money they haven’t spent yet, which will be put to use soon
-We are in an overstimulated economy - red-hot demand with supply constraints

Useful Links:
Financial Survival Network
Wolf Street

Summary:
John Rubino and I discuss what’s new with precious metals, Afghanistan, and lockdowns on today’s episode. Gold and Silver recently fell hard—going in the opposite direction as stocks—but miners are still making decent profits and it is an ideal time for the operation sector. We delve into the US’ exit from Afghanistan, which went so poorly because soldiers were removed prior to American citizens and millions of dollars worth of military gear. This has a number of negative implications going forward, and could pose threats to the US government. Furthermore, Rubino and I investigate the newest COVID lockdowns in France and Australia, and the protests that shed light on thoughts around the new variants and what to expect in the near future.

Highlights:
-Looking at what happened with gold and silver: they had a flash crash
-The precious metals fell hard, but stocks did not - asset classes going in opposite directions, and one of them had to be wrong.
-The new COVID variant gives the fed the excuse to continue with QE and artificial and low interest rates, even in the face of higher inflation
-Miners are still making good money, so it’s a good point in time for the precious metals operation sector
-With Afghanistan, this is perhaps the worst we’ve ever seen. Rubino says that our exit from Afghanistan was poor because we removed soldiers prior to American citizens and millions of dollars worth of military gear
-This sends a message to other predators around the world that they have somewhat of a free hand now
-There is an opportunity for other governments to get what they want with not as much risk. Militarily, this is terrifying.
-This circumstance may remind one of the 1970s
-We really could use leadership, which seems to be absent at the moment
-With the current leadership in the US, there are many other distractions - we place much focus on domestic terrorism, racism, etc. that don’t fit within other larger military issues
-The Darwin Effect: people sense weakness, and take advantage of it, and this is how geopolitics works - you get what you can.
-We have to lump the US in with the group of predators in the world - there has to be a balance of power such that no one indulges their predatory instincts
-There’s going to be a big fight on divvying up Afghanistan, and the US will not be running the show
-We’ve created the conditions for turmoil and for fairly extreme things to happen
-Geopolitical circumstances, inflation, and labor shortages contribute to these conditions
-There are a lot of low probability events that contribute to a high probability event
-Ongoing demonstrations in Australia and France over lockdowns
-Primarily middle class protestors - these are the people most frustrated by these lockdowns
-The government put no emphasis on therapeutics in regard to COVID treatment/vaccination
-80% of people who perished from COVID had Vitamin C deficiencies
-There is a desire to eliminate the control group so that we will only know what will happen if people are vaccinated

Useful Links:
Financial Survival Network
Dollar Collapse

Summary:
Today on the podcast, Octavio Marenzi and I discuss the struggle to learn from history in addressing the ongoing issues in Afghanistan—to which no empire has been able to prevail. We discuss the financial consequences of this defeat; Marenzi expresses that we will perhaps see a period where it is increasingly difficult to get large military budgets passed. For defense contractors, it is a massive gain to not win, and we see that corporations and governments have their own overarching interests and agendas. We recap fluctuations in Gold and Bitcoin, and Marenzi provide useful insight into the future of these currencies and responses to expect from the Fed.

Highlights:
-Setback for the US and western civilization - humiliating withdraw of the United States
-It was inevitable once we decided to stay there
-The only thing we learn from history is that we don’t learn from history.
-Comparing the fall of Carpel to the fall of Saigon
-Other empires have been involved here - the Soviet met their final defeat from Afghanistan
-Even Alexander the Great met his undoing in this area
-No empire has been able to conquer it, and it is somewhat similar to the China/Vietnam situation
-throughout history, the Chinese have always been concerned about maintaining power internally rather than externally
-We would think that defense stocks would skyrocket
-In one day of war, they can make more money during a year of peace
-Marenzi thinks we are going to see a period where it is very difficult to get large military budgets passed
-Military spending is perhaps going to be significantly curtailed
-The US will probably be more careful from here on out with getting involved in foreign matters
-The US could have withdrawn at a different time
-Afghanistan has never been an advanced economy, and the nation building seemed to be flawed from the very beginning
-Perhaps the goal was not to win, but to earn as much money as possible
-For defense contractors, it is a massive gain
-Corporations and governments have their own interests and agendas, and the more military hardware they can sell—the better
-We have never seen so much money spent with so little results - what is the return on investment? It seems to be much less than zero
-What’s next? Joe Biden has been weakened by this, and has undermined many alliances around the world. He seemed to be the steady hand in foreign policy, but has now found himself in the worst debacle in American foreign policy
-As long as the Fed keeps buying bonds, the market will go up because of the wall of cash coming in monthly. At some point, the fed will have to rethink this but it doesn’t seem as if we’re close to this yet.
-Marenzi predicts we will probably go back and replay the last year in terms of vaccine mandates and lockdowns
-Is gold going to go higher? It seems to be stepping sideways, and has not necessarily followed the inflation pattern
-Maybe we should put our money in crypto? It seems to give gold some competition
-Central banks around the world will perhaps become more skeptical of cryptocurrencies, and will not give up the ability to print money very easily
-Governments will either shut cryptos down, or regulate them very heavily—we will ultimately come back to gold

Useful Links:
Financial Survival Network
Opimas

Summary:

How can businesses re-connect with customers as the world opens and we exit the health emergency of the last year and a half? Today, John Paul Mendocha comes on the podcast to address how to effectively engage with your clients in the current economic and cultural climate. We dive into meaningful customer outreach, and John presents the benefits of using communication platforms—specifically Slack—to provide valuable information to clients and give top tier service. Tune in to receive advice on customer relations that will help your business thrive during this time of transition.

Highlights:

-How can businesses re-connect with customers as the world opens and we exit the health emergency of the last year and a half?

-What do we tell our clients?

-Mistakes people make are losing contact with their customers and getting enveloped by the current problems. We need a clear message to the marketplace that we are moving forward and ready to do business

-Talk about what you can do for customers and move forward that way today

-Effective customer outreach required - find out the best way to get in touch with them

-John gives a great example: he has a Slack channel with his customers, which makes them feel like they are part of a community as it allows them to communicate with one another

-One can invite their best customers to learn about Slack - they can receive information in a ‘narrowcast.’ This is an opportunity for businesses to engage more with customers

-It is important to be subtle: don’t weave your product or mission statement into every message; be intentional and only share useful information

-Slack is a method of externalizing to marketplaces

-Ultimately, Slack is well suited for the current cultural and economic climate: it allows us to ease back into establishing close relationships between businesses and clients while still providing top tier communication and services.

-Acknowledge problems that need to be solved, and be open to talking about them and coming up with solutions

-When you’re in a business relationship, you need to take 100% responsibility for the communication

-If you have a social media, post consistently throughout the week with some posts based on business, and others focused on researched topics, values, etc.

-Share positive and intriguing findings

-Ask yourself: How many different ways can I engage with the customer/prospect?


Useful Links:

Financial Survival Network

Position to Win

Slack

Summary:
If your business operates on a web platform, it is crucial to possess a thorough understanding and appreciation of cybersecurity; this is a practice that can either make or break your business. Today I speak with bestselling author Robert Siciliano about the precautions one can take to evade cyberattacks and identity theft, which are incredibly common in the digital realm of business. Proper cybersecurity and a knowledge of how to deal with attacks/attempted attacks can save you and your business a load of trouble in the long run. Tune in to find out more.

Highlights:
-It is important to know what precautions to take to avoid identity theft
-Bestselling author Robert Siciliano tells us that ransomware is an epidemic: it affects healthcare, manufacturing, etc.
-Businesses are paying millions of dollars in ransom
-The bad guys have gotten very skilled in what they do, especially in terms of organization. They function as legitimate businesses. Team members are able to get access to usernames and passwords, and get people to click links so that they can operate from the inside
-They gain access to the insides of networks and then stop these networks from functioning
-Insurance companies end up paying for this ransom
-Everyone needs proper security awareness/appreciation training
-Cybersecurity insurance is the fastest growing sector of insurance
-Any computer with valuable data should have at least two backups

Useful Links:
Safr.me
Financial Survival Network

Summary:
Everyone eventually wants to transition out of their business and retire, and it can be difficult to sell a business off—you need specialized knowledge to do so. Today we hear from Ahmie Bahm, a financial advisor with clientele of business owners trying to transition to retirement. The sooner that business owners prepare for the inevitable transition, the better, and Ahmie explains the criteria for a successful exit/succession that every business owner ultimately experiences.

Highlights:
-Everyone eventually wants to transition out of their business and retire, and it can be difficult to sell a business off
-Ahmie is a Financial advisor with clientele of business owners trying to transition to retirement
-It is good to help business owners sooner rather than later to deal with the inevitable transition
-In most cases, the SBA is not part of the transition process—it’s about following a time-strategic recipe to transition effectively
-It’s not if you’re going to leave the business; it’s when
-The criteria for a successful exit/succession is maximizing the bound, mitigating taxes, making sure you can cash flow your life into old age, and making sure you stay in control of the process
-Family businesses fail by not having the right people involved/an insufficient management team, and not having the resources to deal with different problems that arise
-Generational conflicts can come up and it is critical to know how to deal with these
-It is good business to constantly be running your business for sale
-When you start your business, it is imperative to have an exit strategy
-The best successes occur with business owners that stay out of the middle: they can still be the leader, but every decision cannot revolve around them
-Keeping the eventual exit in mind pushes owners to look to the future
-It is important to make sure that your accounting is done properly, and to consider that the buyer is the professional—they will determine what contributes/takes away value

Useful Links:
Financial Survival Network
Interchange Capital Partners

Summary:
Today, Mish walks us through some of the effects of the lockdowns and the variant on the economy. We talk about stimulus checks, and some of the negative impacts on businesses and the economy in turn—everything is down in the real economy at the moment. Mish also highlights the significance of inflation: the disruption in the supply chain is real and it’s affecting everything. We talk about some of the indicators of these phenomena, and other interesting insights that allow us to better understand the current obstacles in the market.

Highlights:
-Mish talks to us about what is happening with DOW and Nasdaq, and how the fed will do whatever it takes to ensure that the economy will not falter—which translates to buying stocks.
-Is the Delta variant going to bring down the stock market and economy?
-There could be more pressure in terms of proving that you’re vaccinated
-The market is dismissing the Delta variant because it is concerned with the fed
-In the real economy, everything is down, but the stimulus should bring it up
-With the iminent end of stimmies, will we see a rebound in hiring?
-Investing is something that people have become involved in during COVID in light of receiving stimulus
-September and October are dangerous months for the stock market
-Big banks want employees back; tech companies are okay with remote working
-People are still hiring with many incentives, and the labor shortage is still very much as play—especially in hospitality
-Inflation is still at play as well—the disruption in the supply chain is real and it’s affecting everything
-Mish uses sugar as a barometer for inflation—it is a lead indicator
-Inflation is something that people should not forget about, and the impact on the market could be more significant than anything
-Mish says Bitcoin and Ethereum are the grandma and grandpa of crypto, but that the whole space is going to continue to be exciting
-We have had seven crashes in Bitcoin, and we don’t know if this one is over or not

Useful Links:
Financial Survival Network
Mish Schneider on Twitter
MarketGuage

Summary:
Michael Busler, Professor of Finance at Stockton University, gives us a crash course on the current economic situation in the United States—probing into some of the root causes of different problems and changes we are seeing today. We dive into inflation that has worsened due to disruptions in the supply chain as well as health circumstances over the last year and a half. Michael explains, however, that there are a number of other causes for inflation. If the government returns to some of the basic principles our nation was founded upon, perhaps we can re-create the economic prosperity we were historically known for.

Highlights:
-On the good side, the economy is growing very well, and is somewhat dependent upon the virus
-The problem at hand is inflation - prices are up about 5% over the span of a year
-Inflation is caused by disruptions in the supply chain
-Business has not caught up with the supply yet and this is why prices are rising
-Some say as soon as things open up fully, supply will increase and inflation will diminish
-There are, however, other causes for inflation such as fossil fuels
-The federal reserve has increased the money supply by over 20% in the last year and they are keeping interest rates near zero
-The federal government spent $3 trillion more than they took in as revenue last year as well as this year (government deficit spending)
-Companies that are re-opening are trying to get workers to come back, but many of them are making more on unemployment. Thus, businesses are pushed to raise wages which drives up labor costs astronomically
-Wages going up pushes prices up
-Will the federal reserve be able to raise its interest rates?
-The stock market is doing so well because corporate profits are up due to remote working
-Companies need capital so that business can expand and we avoid stagflation
-We don’t want attempts to reduce inflation to bring about a recession
-If we go back to some of the basic principles of the United States, our economy could prosper like it once did
-Four basic principles: individual freedom, individual responsibility, low rates of taxation, limited role for government
-The current administration is contradicting these principles; the government wants to take care of everyone and encourage social responsibility. The government is not motivated by profit, so costs go up

Useful Links:
Financial Survival Network
Michael Busler Twitter
Funding Democracy, the economics of freedom

Summary:
What is infinite banking, and how can we use it to build wealth? Today, Jim Oliver comes on the podcast with me to discuss how you can utilize a money pool to buy cash flowing assets—this gives your money the potential to grow tax-free and to be accessible tax-free. This approach to infinite banking emphasizes financial freedom; if you are in control of the money, it’s likely that you’re also the one making it. Tune in to learn about some of the opportunities you could have through infinite banking, and get direct insight from Jim, the founder of CreateTailwind.

Highlights:
-How can you effectively be your own bank and finance your own cash-flowing projects?
-We are using a money pool to buy cash flowing assets
-Infinite banking has a lot to do with paying off debts, but in this case we are emphasizing financial freedom
-Some people start with as little as $20k a year, and some start with millions
-What are the administrative costs? There really aren’t any because they use a special insurance contract that is designed for high cash value
-The money can grow tax-free and is accessible tax-free
-The money can be put to work very quickly
-Creating velocity of money by using it over and over again
-You are in control, and whoever is in control of the money makes the money

Useful Links:
Create Tailwind
Financial Survival Network
Breakaway Wealth Podcast

Summary:
Today, I speak with Craig Hemke to discuss what’s new with gold, the repo market, and the real economy. Supply and demand have played a large role within the latest decline in gold and silver, and Craig breaks down some of the changes in the market within the last few years. We see time and time again that nothing ever goes straight up in a trend line, and that these trends are ever-changing. We also talk briefly about crypto, emphasizing the benefit to owning multiple types of currencies in the shifting market.

Highlights:
-What is going on with the price of gold, the Repo market, and the real economy?
-What is behind the latest decline in gold and silver? It’s a multi-faceted answer—supply and demand for the future’s contract plays a large role.
-Why is there so little demand? This has to do with the people that are buying contracts and transitory effects
-Repo demand was rising, but so was the demand for everything short-term
-When you hear about the dollar going up, they are referring to the dollar index
-if we slow the creation of dollars, then the dollar relative to the Euro looks slightly better
-Expecting to see a taper of QE
-Nothing ever goes straight up in a trend line; trends are always changing, and this is especially relevant to gold.
-The idea of having an expiration date on a currency isn’t feasible
-Have we hit the physical floor again?
-We have spent a year with market participants getting used to a particular level within long-term consolidation—once it moves out of this, it will shift very quickly
-Have cryptos become the new gold?
-We should be able to own multiple currencies rather than adhering to a binary
-The argument for/against Bitcoin hasn’t necessarily changed

Useful Links:
Financial Survival Network
TF Metals Report
@TFMetals on Twitter

1. The takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. This is really the talk of the town this morning. This does not affect the stock market directly, but it makes traders and investors question their confidence in the current administration. I personally believe the Federal Reserve controls the market action with their current QE $120 billion/month program. 

2. Options expiration for August is on Friday. As you should all know by now, this is a week of institutional game playing. It's also a week where you will hear a lot of rumors, geopolitical events and lots of ridiculous up/down grades. Expect the unexpected. Watch Tesla and see what they do to it. This is the real shark week. 

3. Gold/Silver they were hammered in June during options ex. Nick said not your normal gold slam. Big traders were in there driving it down. More upside now to 1840 potentially. The miners stopped leading and still are not. Mining stocks are negative today while gold is up $9.

4. Cryptos have had a good move. They’re up slightly and now Bitcoin is at resistance. It’s a nice retrace, but wait for the pattern. 

5. Inflation is back with a vengeance. Commodities made lifetime moves. You can see the inflation on the charts. Inflation is here to stay. The lockdowns are the catalyst when the global economy shutdown. Gold, lumber, food, copper, etc had huge moves. Watch the price of copper. Copper tells all. And so was lumber. Copper topped in May and has pulled back a bit. Next wave coming in 2023-2024.

6. These policies are the exact opposite of what the economy needs. Lot’s of market volatility. You need to be a stock picker. Next year or two will be very tough. People have gotten used to raging bull markets. 

7. Dollar has been strong and it bottomed out in May and has been making higher lows. Within the next 10 years it will lose its reserve status. Will the US stop cryptos? 

8. Europe is a disaster. European banks’ charts are extremely weak. Look at Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse. There’s a problem in the European bank. Their bond market has been killed by negative. 

Summary:
Today I speak with Eric Hadik who has been spot on with precious metals predictions for years, and has unmatched insight in this field. Eric walks us through the 40 year cycles of currency wars that have taken place throughout history that allow us to comprehend what happens in the markets over time. We come to the premise that gold needs to look for something to drive it higher or lower in its current position, and finally discuss stocks and oil.

Highlights:
-Spot on with precious metals predictions for years—and
-Started by looking at gold from a very broad perspective
-in 2015 Eric describes 40 year cycles of currency wars throughout history
-Gold and paper money = opponents
-Inflationary numbers will continue to come out but also taper a bit
-Gold needs to look for something else to drive it higher or lower
-One of the biggest burden is that interest rates are going to start to take up a bit
-Stock market due for a second correction in August and September
-Precious metals and stocks set their major highs and lows very closely
-20% of publicly traded stocks aren’t making any money             -Oil - lowering/stabilizing

Useful Links:
INSIIDE Track Trading
Financial Survival Network

Summary:
Today, Ben and I cover one of the most feared three letter words amongst American citizens: the IRS. It is important to remember that we have remedies and rights when dealing with the IRS, and numerous people get in trouble merely because they don’t understand some of the rules and processes. We want to make sure you don’t find yourself in this situation! Tune in today to hear about how you can exercise your rights and handle your taxes in a way that is painless, legal, and will save you unnecessary stress.

Highlights:
-IRS - one of the most dreaded three letter words
-As US citizens we have remedies and rights when dealing with them - IRS taxpayer Bill of Rights
-You could think you’re doing everything right on your taxes and miss a rule you weren’t aware of
-Many people get in trouble merely because they don’t understand the process
-Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to the IRS
-It is important to get people educated and informed
-You should never deal with them directly on any major matter. Tax law regulation and rule has nothing to do with common sense, so it is not a good idea to try and use basic rationality to communicate with them on your own.
-The IRS is limited to what they can do, and it is important to keep them limited (no in-home audits)
-It is important for businesses to have restricted areas for employees/customers only
-the IRS is trained on how to read/listen to people, and must decide whether they are trustworthy
-the IRS needs more employees because many of the current ones are not auditors—they do the daily entries

Useful Links:
Golden Tax Relief
Financial Survival Network

Summary:
Are we losing freedom as a product of health issues and government mandates? In today’s podcast, George and I tackle freedom, health, and finances to collectively consider the cost-benefit analysis of government involvement: how does this affect our overall well-being and happiness? We get into the financial consequences of some of the current world issues, in which the government’s deficit spending may reflect quantitative easing—which could result in continual inflation. Tune in today to get an interesting perspective on some of the most pressing global considerations right now, and to probe into what health and wealth mean in an era of immense change and regulation.

Highlights:
-Are we losing freedom? Is it the biggest casualty of the health issues we’ve seen over the years?
-We are encouraging people to think about what wealth is
-From an economic standpoint, goods and services make money count
-When you look at policies, we must ask ourselves if they produce more or fewer goods and services
-We make ourselves poorer if policies produce fewer
-Even if you have a substantial net worth, limitations on where you can go/what you can do de-value these assets.
-Freedom and health go hand in hand
-If you are a proponent of increased government involvement for the sake of safety, you must ask yourself: at what point will you believe the government has gone too far
-At a certain point, you must do a cost-benefit analysis
-there is a point where the government can take away so much of our freedom to where the costs outweigh the benefits
-Everything being done right now by governments in the name of health does not necessarily promote overall happiness and well-being.
-At what point is life not worth living? We can keep ourselves safe for the rest of our lives by separating from the outside world, but is that life worth living?
-We could see a scenario where the dollar goes up on the DXY, but that doesn’t mean that the cost of general goods will go up or down—nor will the stock market necessarily go up or down
-From a financial standpoint, people need to consider what is going to happen with government spending
-Dollars come out of economy and are re-distributed
-What has happened in 2020 and 2021? Consumer price inflation
-Is the government going to continue deficit spending?
-Quantitative easing (QE)
-Government deficit spending may resemble QE—must increase to achieve the desired effect on the economy, which puts it in a state of comatose
-General goods/necessities will increase in price
-Real estate - ideal to own at 30 year fixed rate mortgage
-CDC’s control over eviction moratoriums
-Foot in the door theory - when people accept a smaller request, they are more likely to accept a larger request later
-Foot in the door theory holds for things like COVID guidelines
-Is this circumstance simply the global elite using the foot in the door theory?

Useful Links:
George Gammon
Financial Survival Network

Summary:
Is the gold slam over, or is there still more to go? Today, Chris and I comment on the recent ding to the metals as well as updates on the dollar and Bitcoin to catch up on currency. As expected, there is a lot of panic around the circumstances of the metals, but this is a ‘golden opportunity’ to buy. The dollar is back up to resistance trying to break out, and could perhaps rally about 2% from where it is now. In the case of Bitcoin, it’s back on an up trend now, and can be projected by way of technical analysis. Tune in to get clued up on all things currency and to hear Chris give us some valuable insight on trends in monetary value.

Highlights:
-It’s been a bloodbath in the gold markets
-Metals are getting clobbered—gold was down 5% at one point
-A lot of people are nervous; gold has fallen so much in the last month and a half and has many selling
-While people are panicking, it’s a ‘golden opportunity’
-This should resolve to the upside eventually, but it has to work itself up
-Gold has been trading sideways and drifting lower, which is a strong pattern
-Since last August, we’ve seen Silver trade sideways
-This is a great opportunity for precious medals investors to add to their stacks
-These patterns point to higher prices
-Based on the patterns, it will probably take 1-2 years to see their break-out in run
-What’s going on with the dollar? When you look at the chart, it has been trying to put in a bottom for all of 2021
-dollar is back up to resistance, trying to break out
-we could see the USD rally about 2% from where it is now
-Chris thinks the dollar will be topping out at the next resistance level
-What are we seeing with Bitcoin? Is the damage over? Bitcoin corrected about 54% from the highs. It has been trading sideways, trying to carve out a bottom
-Which way is this pattern going to break? It’s back into an up trend now
-We can use technical analysis to figure out where this upside is going to start
-Fibonacci extension can tell us where the next resistance level is going to be

Useful Links:
The Technical Traders
Financial Survival Network

Summary:

In today’s episode, I speak with angel investor Jonathan Hung to discuss many of the inside tips and tricks of successful entrepreneurs. Jonathan highlights the importance not of the individual entrepreneur themselves, but of the team that ultimately must grow and evolve as the business does such. If you are interested in hearing about the development of startups, up and coming trends in tech, and the tools needed for you and your business to thrive, then tune in to today’s podcast.

Highlights:

-Jonathan is an angel investor and managing partner at Unicorn Venturing Partners
-From working in so many sectors, what is the biggest lesson you’ve learned? Jonathan says it’s not about one individual—it’s about the team. Jeff Bezos didn’t build Amazon by himself.
-Can you have a start-up company without a strong overarching personality that can turn your vision into a reality
-differences between public and private companies
-with private companies, who your leaders/executives are are so important
-The world is a big place with many people who like different things
-Hiring is an important skillset to have as an entrepreneur
-Leaders need to build a team; the team changes as the company grows
-Looking for business models that can scale to a larger level
-Entrepreneurs aren’t necessarily the smartest—they have grit and relentlessness
-What trends are emerging in tech? What companies are evolving to fit these trends?
-1/3 workers are looking to change jobs/transition
*Data mining
-How do you allocate valuation? It depends - services, tech, etc.
-Best way to dabble in angel investing - don’t do it by yourself. It’s also about networking and recognize that it’s okay not to be the smartest person and to seek out other expertise

Useful Links:

Financial Survival Network

Jonathan Hung

Summary:

Today, Martin and I talk government and crypto—in the face of the national debt, the US is depending on the cheapening of dollars to pay back debt that has grown exponentially in the last decade. Additionally, we face other probing questions in looking at Europe’s 2030 agenda. Ending democracy and implementing shared power between nations would have many interesting implications, and we dive into some of these. We discuss IMF and the push to create a universal digital currency, which would be above all laws and change cryptocurrency as we know it. Tune in to listen as we implore possibilities in crypto for the coming years, and the interplay between debt, governing strategy, and digital currency.

Highlights:

-DOW - a bull market everyone loves to hate, and Marty called it

-Over the years, Martin has dealt with a lot of government in the analytical field

-We can’t continue to borrow year after year without the intention of paying back

-National debt has more than doubled within a decade; government has the intention of paying back with cheaper dollars

-This is now coming to a head

-The problem is not the US, but Europe

-Europe went to negative interest rates in 2014 - 7 years later they are still unable to stimulate the economy

-Pension funds are insolvent

-Martin’s solution: stop this and re-design it, but for freedom

-8 points for 2030 agenda - ending democracy, US no longer a superpower, shared power between nations - one world government idea

-Heat map is dark red for Europe

-Many people untrained in the field are now suddenly climate activists and experts. Those who aren’t necessary qualified are making these big decisions

-Handing the power of the US to the UN is off the wall

-Schwabb says democracy has to go - keep in mind checks and balances on human rights

-European Commission that makes laws does not stand for election—neither does the head of the EU
-When we see Biden and $6 million proposals, it’s because we are looking to modern monetary theory—borrowing is not feasible anymore

-Government spending increasing by buying all the government bonds in Europe

-"we can just print more money and it won’t cause inflation”

-Assets, real-estate, art, etc. retains value and are going up drastically

-DOW going up dramatically and people still analyzing it with old-school methods

-Where is crypto headed?

-You have to be careful…there is a group above the UN (FAFT) that is concerned with money laundering and wants it to drop *know your client

-Ending the idea that somehow cryptocurrency is out of the government

-Pushing hard to create an IMF digital currency - all cryptocurrencies would be devolved into this new IMF coin. Why? This would replace the dollar as reserve currency

-Martin: opposed to IMF because it is not an elected body, and is outside the jurisdiction of countries—they are above all law internationally. Period.

-What’s going on with the gold flash crash? They lost their targeted gold

-They are tracking every ounce of gold—where it comes from/goes. They realize gold is an escape valve and have been trying to restrain it as much as possible

-This isn’t to take away inflation; this is about money and control. They don’t want any competition—it’s about power

-Half the world is acquiring gold at the same time, which might be problematic

-Communism failed because it didn’t have the entire world

-The reset scam will fail—the only way they could pull it off is if they could get Russia and China involved

-Three Gorges Dam and Chinese flooding—if the dam goes, much of the Chinese economy goes with it

-The climate change argument is serious because the UN is using this to promote the one government idea - climate change must be fought by a unified government

-We still have regional/cultural differences

-History repeats itself

-Miami becoming financial capital of US—what is going to happen to New York?

-People can’t be evicted; land lord can’t collect rent

-Will all private housing become government housing? This would essentially make New York a ghetto

-This system doesn’t function this way—it only would be able to do so by the communist regime

Useful Links:

Armstrong Economics

Andy and I get on the podcast today to debrief the flash crash in Gold; 24,000 contracts were dumped and prices drastically went down. This was intended to produce a major shock factor in the market. This makes for an excellent buying opportunity as markets do not always behave this way, and the price will most likely shoot back up again due to the high demand. We talk inflation, debt, and the realization of modern monetary theory—all of which are worth thinking about in the current economic state.

Notes

-Flash crash in Gold - went down $100/oz - has been bouncing around

-Andy Scheckman - milesfranklin.com

-What is going on with Gold/Silver?

-24K + contracts dumped - $4B worth

-It is a poor idea to dump that many contracts at one time, but it is done for effect

-There is no more manipulated market than the metals market

-This is a heck of a buying opportunity because markets don’t behave this way

-The price is most likely going to shoot back up because of the high demand

-Month-in, month-out, the big losers are speculators, who do the same thing over and over again and aren’t afraid to lose

-the government is the one accommodating loser

-$27 trillion in debt

-Less workers, high inflation-

-the only way you can manipulate a market over time is if you push it in the direction it’s moving

-Bloomberg - gold is going lower because the economy is getting stronger

-Fear of lending money out into an economy - banks are swimming in liquidity

-Wells Fargo pulling away from lines of credit

-The best things in life are transitory

-Inflating will get much worse

-People should be reigning in their debt

-People should be putting gold and silver away, not increasing their debt

-Purchasing power is being destroyed

-full modern monetary theory

We have seen this before but it turns around very quickly

Important Links:

www.FinancialsurvivalNetwork.com

www.MilesFranklin.com