The Meb Faber Show - Better Investing
The Idea Farm
The Idea Farm
Ready to grow your wealth through smarter investing decisions? With The Meb Faber Show, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and investment fund manager, Meb Faber, brings you insights on today’s markets and the art of investing. Featuring some of the top investment professionals in the world as his guests, Meb will help you interpret global equity, bond, and commodity markets just like the pros. Whether it’s smart beta, trend following, value investing, or any other timely market topic, each week you’ll hear real market wisdom from the smartest minds in investing today. Better investing starts here. For more information on Meb, please visit MebFaber.com. For more on Cambria Investment Management, visit CambriaInvestments.com.
11h ago
Today’s guest is David McWilliams, an economist, podcast host and author. David worked at the Central Bank of Ireland, UBS and BNP Paribas and is the founder of the Kilkenomics Festival, a unique blend of economics and stand-up comedy. His book is called The History of Money: A Story of Humanity , which is my favorite book from 2025. In today’s episode, David walks through the evolution of money over the last 5,000 years. He explains why money is a foundational social technology that is central to every aspect of our civilization, from the political to the artistic. He delves into historical anecdotes—from clay tablets in Mesopotamia to Gutenberg’s printing press to Martin Luther’s disruptive influence on the church. Throughout the episode, he emphasizes that economists need to do a better job helping people understand money and its role in navigating modern economic principles. (0:00) Starts (1:26) David explains the Kilkenomics Festival (3:41) David McWilliams on "Money, The History of Money, A Story of Humanity" (9:55) Evolution and trust in money throughout history (26:28) Impact of the Gutenberg printing press and Martin Luther (36:42) Historical perspectives on speculation and losing money (43:18) Future of economics, storytelling, and equity culture differences (49:18) Educating youth on finance and investing ----- Follow Meb on X , LinkedIn and YouTube For detailed show notes, click here To learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com ----- Sponsor : Learn more about Alpha Architect and important information about the fund: funds.alphaarchitect.com/aaua Follow The Idea Farm: X | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok ----- Interested in sponsoring the show? Email us at Feedback@TheMebFaberShow.com ----- Past guests include Ed Thorp , Richard Thaler , Jeremy Grantham , Joel Greenblatt , Campbell Harvey , Ivy Zelman , Kathryn Kaminski , Jason Calacanis , Whitney Baker, Aswath Damodaran , Howard Marks , Tom Barton , and many more. ----- Meb's invested in some awesome startups that have passed along discounts to our listeners. Check them out here ! ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant ( https://thepodcastconsultant.com ). ----- Ad Disclaimer: This information does not constitute advice or a recommendation or offer to sell or a solicitation to deal in any security or financial product. Certain information contained herein has been obtained from third party sources and such information has not been independently verified by The Idea Farm. No representation, warranty, or undertaking, expressed or implied, is given to the accuracy or completeness of such information by The Idea Farm or any other person. While such sources are believed to be reliable, The Idea Farm does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information. The Idea Farm does not undertake any obligation to update the information contained herein as of any future date. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 12
Today’s guest is Rick Rieder. Rick oversees more than $2 trillion in assets as the Chief Investment Officer of Global Fixed Income at BlackRock. He also heads the Fundamental Fixed Income business and the Global Allocation Investment Team. In today’s episode, Rick discusses the current state of the markets, focusing on year-end dynamics, free cash flow at big-tech companies, and the evolving economic landscape since Liberation Day. He explains both what he expects the Fed to do and what he thinks they should do, and how that relates to portfolio construction. The discussion also explores the differences between gambling and investing, lessons from tennis that apply to investing, and much more. (0:00) Starts (1:31) Rick Rieder's market thoughts (4:23) Market sentiment and cash flow impacts (7:18) Small caps, M&A potential, and broad economic concerns (17:12) Interest rate forecasts (21:13) BINC ETF and fixed income outlook (24:28) Gambling vs. investing (31:36) Perspectives on precious metals and technological investment implications (35:27) Investing advice for young people and 2026 outlook ----- Follow Meb on X , LinkedIn and YouTube For detailed show notes, click here To learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com ----- Sponsor : AcreTrader is an investment platform that makes it simple to own shares of farmland and earn passive income, and you can start investing in just minutes online. For more information, please visit acretrader.com/meb . Follow The Idea Farm: X | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok ----- Interested in sponsoring the show? Email us at Feedback@TheMebFaberShow.com ----- Past guests include Ed Thorp , Richard Thaler , Jeremy Grantham , Joel Greenblatt , Campbell Harvey , Ivy Zelman , Kathryn Kaminski , Jason Calacanis , Whitney Baker, Aswath Damodaran , Howard Marks , Tom Barton , and many more. ----- Meb's invested in some awesome startups that have passed along discounts to our listeners. Check them out here ! ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant ( https://thepodcastconsultant.com ). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 5
Today’s guest is Nick Maggiulli. Nick is the COO for Ritholtz Wealth Management. He writes over at Of Dollars at Data and is the author of two books: Just Keep Buying and The Wealth Ladder . In today’s episode, Nick discusses the parallels between financial and medical advice, the differences in asset ownership across wealth levels, and the importance of adapting financial strategies over time. He also explores wealth mobility, the role of luck in wealth accumulation, and the challenges of diversification versus concentration in investment strategies. (0:00) Starts (1:38) Nick explains the wealth ladder (6:48) Asset composition across wealth levels (13:48) Human capital and wealth data analysis (19:33) Diversification vs. concentration (22:44) Behavioral finance and investment strategies (25:56) Real estate ownership and investment timing strategies (36:26) Fun investing stats (44:51) Nick's most memorable investment ----- Sponsor : Alpha Architect - Learn more about Alpha Architect and important information about the fund: funds.alphaarchitect.com/caos ----- Follow Meb on X , LinkedIn and YouTube For detailed show notes, click here To learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com ----- Follow The Idea Farm: X | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok ----- Interested in sponsoring the show? Email us at Feedback@TheMebFaberShow.com ----- Past guests include Ed Thorp , Richard Thaler , Jeremy Grantham , Joel Greenblatt , Campbell Harvey , Ivy Zelman , Kathryn Kaminski , Jason Calacanis , Whitney Baker, Aswath Damodaran , Howard Marks , Tom Barton , and many more. ----- Meb's invested in some awesome startups that have passed along discounts to our listeners. Check them out here ! ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant ( https://thepodcastconsultant.com ). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 21
Today’s guest is Antti Ilmanen, Global Co-head of the Portfolio Solutions Group at AQR Capital Management. In today’s episode, Antti discusses the complexities of investment returns, the importance of understanding both objective and subjective expectations, and the dangers of relying on past performance as a guide for future investments. We explore the current state of the US market, the role of diversifiers in portfolios, and the behavioral biases that affect investor decisions. Antti also contrasts the behaviors of bond investors, which tend to be more contrarian, and equity investors, which tend to extrapolate. (0:00) Starts (1:13) Humility in forecasting market expectations (8:26) Comparing institutional and retail investor behavior (24:33) Sentiment analysis in markets (36:18) Bond vs. equity investor mindsets (48:11) Liquid vs. illiquid alternative investments (56:26) The diversification benefits of trend following ----- Follow Meb on X , LinkedIn and YouTube For detailed show notes, click here To learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com ----- Follow The Idea Farm: X | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok ----- Interested in sponsoring the show? Email us at Feedback@TheMebFaberShow.com ----- Past guests include Ed Thorp , Richard Thaler , Jeremy Grantham , Joel Greenblatt , Campbell Harvey , Ivy Zelman , Kathryn Kaminski , Jason Calacanis , Whitney Baker, Aswath Damodaran , Howard Marks , Tom Barton , and many more. ----- Meb's invested in some awesome startups that have passed along discounts to our listeners. Check them out here ! ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant ( https://thepodcastconsultant.com ). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 11
Today’s guest is Chris Clark. Chris was a biotech PM for 10 years at RS Investments, managing $4.5 billion. In today’s episode, Chris discusses the complexities of the biotech sector, which has suffered a dramatic drawdown the past few years. He begins by explaining how biotech works, why it’s such a unique sector, and what has kept investors and companies frozen the past few years. He also explains the different perspectives of venture capitalists and public market investors, the current regulatory environment and how AI may reshape drug development. (0:00) Starts (1:20) Biotech industry overview (18:09) Can you be a quant in biotech? (25:09) Biotech market cap distribution and benchmark underweighting (34:47) Addressing biotech volatility, market outlook, and non-pro investing tips (47:02) Private vs. public biotech investments (1:01:32) Global biotech markets (China) (1:09:48) AI and regulatory impact on biotech (1:21:14) US healthcare spending (1:33:48) Chris' most memorable investment ----- Follow Meb on X , LinkedIn and YouTube For detailed show notes, click here To learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com ----- Follow The Idea Farm: X | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok ----- Interested in sponsoring the show? Email us at Feedback@TheMebFaberShow.com ----- Past guests include Ed Thorp , Richard Thaler , Jeremy Grantham , Joel Greenblatt , Campbell Harvey , Ivy Zelman , Kathryn Kaminski , Jason Calacanis , Whitney Baker, Aswath Damodaran , Howard Marks , Tom Barton , and many more. ----- Meb's invested in some awesome startups that have passed along discounts to our listeners. Check them out here ! ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant ( https://thepodcastconsultant.com ). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 7
Today’s guest is Joe Davis, Vanguard’s Global Chief Economist and Global Head of Vanguard’s Investment Strategy Group. His latest research on megatrends is covered in his book, Coming Into View: How AI and Other Megatrends Will Shape Your Investments . In today’s episode, Joe explains why the coming decade for the U.S. economy will be shaped by a tug-of-war between AI and demographics-driven deficits. While the most likely outcome is optimistic (the benefits of AI offset demographic pressures), the next most likely outcome is pessimistic (AI fails to meet our expectations and growth tumbles, putting pressure on the government’s balance sheet). Joe emphasizes the need for investors to prepare for non-consensus outcomes and embrace diversification to navigate this uncertain future. Listen to Joe’s first appearance on the show in February 2020. (0:00) Starts (1:40) AI's impact on the economy (7:26) Megatrends and technological change (19:18) Financial market signals, narratives, and nonconsensus outcomes (25:23) Comparing hype in AI stocks, gold, and economic scenarios (32:44) Historical technology cycles (41:48) The role of international bonds in a diversified portfolio (47:47) AI's impact on financial advisors (55:10) The future of automation & AI ----- Sponsor : AcreTrader is an investment platform that makes it simple to own shares of farmland and earn passive income, and you can start investing in just minutes online. For more information, please visit acretrader.com/meb . ----- Follow Meb on X , LinkedIn and YouTube For detailed show notes, click here To learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com ----- Follow The Idea Farm: X | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok ----- Interested in sponsoring the show? Email us at Feedback@TheMebFaberShow.com ----- Past guests include Ed Thorp , Richard Thaler , Jeremy Grantham , Joel Greenblatt , Campbell Harvey , Ivy Zelman , Kathryn Kaminski , Jason Calacanis , Whitney Baker, Aswath Damodaran , Howard Marks , Tom Barton , and many more. ----- Meb's invested in some awesome startups that have passed along discounts to our listeners. Check them out here ! ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant ( https://thepodcastconsultant.com ). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 31
Today’s guest is Kathryn Kaminski, Chief Research Strategist at AlphaSimplex, where she’s also the co-portfolio manager for the firm’s Managed Futures Strategy and Global Alternatives Strategy. She also co-authored the book Trend Following with Managed Futures: The Search for Crisis Alpha . In today’s episode, Meb and Katy discuss the tough year for managed futures strategies, which have experienced the 2nd largest drawdown in the last quarter century. Katy walks through the history of drawdowns and recoveries since 2000, explaining investors who have been patient in the past have been rewarded when the strategy recovers. She emphasizes managed futures’ ability to serve as a diversifier to stocks, revisits her research on crisis alpha, and touches on the rise of managed futures ETFs as a way for investors to get exposure to this asset class. Listen to Katy’s first appearance in May 2021. (0:00) Starts (1:05) Katy's thoughts on managed futures in 2025 (3:31) Lessons from past drawdowns (10:04) The patience premium (17:10) Follow the trends (22:12) Crisis Alpha revisited (26:01) Managed futures accessibility and ETFs (29:35) Replication methods (35:02) Implementing AI ----- Follow Meb on X , LinkedIn and YouTube For detailed show notes, click here To learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com ----- Follow The Idea Farm: X | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok ----- Interested in sponsoring the show? Email us at Feedback@TheMebFaberShow.com ----- Past guests include Ed Thorp , Richard Thaler , Jeremy Grantham , Joel Greenblatt , Campbell Harvey , Ivy Zelman , Kathryn Kaminski , Jason Calacanis , Whitney Baker, Aswath Damodaran , Howard Marks , Tom Barton , and many more. ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant ( https://thepodcastconsultant.com ). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 28
Today’s guest is Peter Levin, co-founder of Griffin Gaming Partners, the largest singularly focused gaming investment vehicle in the world. Peter was previously the CEO and co-founder of Nerdist Industries, which was acquired by Legendary Entertainment. He began his career at CAA, had a stint at Disney, sold a company to UFC, and was also an early advisor and investor to Rovio aka Angry Birds. In today’s episode, Peter discusses the evolution of the gaming industry, highlighting the dominance of gaming IP. He touches on the rise of indie games, the impact of AI on the space and why he avoids trends like esports, AR and VR. (0:00) Starts (1:47) Peter Levin's background in gaming (5:37) Gaming's transition to mobile gaming and post-2000s developments (13:49) Comparison of gaming industry to traditional media and the rise of indie gaming (20:45) Changes in gaming revenue models (27:30) VR and AR challenges (35:50) Using a Data-driven approach to invest in gaming startups (47:00) Impact of AI on game development (56:32) Peter's most memorable investment ----- Follow Meb on X , LinkedIn and YouTube For detailed show notes, click here To learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com ----- Follow The Idea Farm: X | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok ----- Interested in sponsoring the show? Email us at Feedback@TheMebFaberShow.com ----- Past guests include Ed Thorp , Richard Thaler , Jeremy Grantham , Joel Greenblatt , Campbell Harvey , Ivy Zelman , Kathryn Kaminski , Jason Calacanis , Whitney Baker, Aswath Damodaran , Howard Marks , Tom Barton , and many more. ----- Meb's invested in some awesome startups that have passed along discounts to our listeners. Check them out here ! ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant ( https://thepodcastconsultant.com ). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
