The Archives at the Factory

Where were you?

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9/11 will never just be another day.  Every year I think it will get a little easier to forget and move on and it doesn’t.  Every year I am reminded of what almost was.  I am not one to live a life full of regrets or fear.  But 9/11 is the one day every year that haunts me.

I was 6 years old the first time I saw the Twin Towers.  I was driving across the Tappen Zee bridge from Connecticut with my Mom when I saw them glistening in the sunlight overlooking the water.  They were a sight to behold especially to me.  Prior to that moment the tallest building I had seen was the 6 story section 8 apartment building I lived in with my newly divorced Mom.  I would see them hundreds of times as a kid growing up in Connecticut who would travel to Brooklyn or Jersey regularly to visit family or see Mets games.  They were a major part of my childhood and I appreciated them every time I came across the bridge. (more…)

Ways To Save Money On College

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It is back to school time! That wonderful time of year when parents shell out hundreds of dollars for new clothes, school supplies or supplying a college dorm room.

Each year the College Board issues a Trend in College Pricing report, and each year the trend is upward. And every year the message from the Board is the same: don’t worry, there’s plenty of financial aid available. (more…)

The Finance Factory Podcast Episode 5

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In this episode I interview Algenon Cash, managing director at Wharton Gladden.

Wharton Gladden is a boutique investment banking firm focused on small to middle market real estate deals, and equity and debt opportunities for private companies across a wide range of industries.

We discuss the founding of his company, what drives him and his company.  Interesting opportunities he sees in his industry and mistakes he has made along the way.  We discuss his favorite books and have a little fun in the lightning round.  I hope you enjoy this episode of The Finance Factory Podcast. (more…)

A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Cryptocurrency Galaxy

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Navigating the World of Cryptocurrency:

In The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy the characters visit the planet Magrathea which is home to the planet building industry.  Bitcoin is much like Magrathea and the Alt-coins in the cryptocurrency universe are like the planets that get built.

What are Alt-coins?

Altcoins are cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. Altcoin is a combination of two words: “alt” and “coin”; alt is short for alternative and coin as to do with currency; together they imply a category of cryptocurrency that is alternative to Bitcoin itself.

The majority of altcoins are forks of Bitcoin and are slight changes to the underlying Blockchain. Altcoins are the later alternative cryptocurrencies launched after the immense success Bitcoin had after its release in 2009. After the Bitcoin became a success, many other peer-to-peer digital currencies have emerged in an attempt to imitate it.

In General, altcoins are alternatives to bitcoin because they tend to improve and solve the Bitcoin protocol’s limitations and features. Alternative currencies aim to be better substitutes to Bitcoin, or serve different niche markets. (more…)

Regret! What is it Good For?

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“Regrets are idle; yet history is one long regret. Everything might have turned out so differently” – Charles Dudley Warner

Regrets we all have them. Many people think about the what could have been if only they had done this or that. Regrets can be very destructive to your financial life. I’m not saying that mistakes are bad. Quite the opposite, everyone makes mistakes the detrimental part is when you don’t learn from the mistake and let regret creep in.

The next time you begin to have a life regret or financial regret I want you to think about Ronald Gerald Wayne. Don’t know who Ronald Wayne is? That’s OK I will share a little bit about his story. Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs are known as the founders of a little company called Apple. I know crazy right? Well what if I told you that Ronald Wayne was the third founder of Apple. How could you have never heard of a 10% co-founder of Apple? (more…)

Market Volatility! It’s What They Do!

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There is a funny GEICO commercial that says Moms call at the worst times as the guy is fighting his way through a Mission Impossible like scenario. The commercial ends with It’s What They Do. I was recently reminded of this commercial the other day when I heard volatility in the markets is near all time lows. The markets are supposed to go up and down it’s what they do.

It is fair to say that volatility in the stock market is in rare territory these days, particularly at the lower end of historical norms. The VIX has never logged a close below 9 but is currently down near the lowest levels in history.


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6 Ways To A More Fulfilling Retirement

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Picture this—it’s Friday afternoon, your work is done, and you have the weekend ahead of you. But what makes this weekend different than any other weekend is that a two-week vacation is following it. You wish your colleagues well, they express similar thoughts, and you head toward freedom.

Of course, you’re excited! Travel, new experiences, time away from the mundane, and time to recharge.


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8 Ways Blockchain Will Change the World

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In part one we discussed the basics of Bitcoin and Blockchain. Now we will look at some interesting places Blockchain may revolutionize the future and a couple of places it is making a difference today. Digital currencies, like Bitcoin, are interesting for the future. However, I am more excited about what Blockchain can and will do in the future. I will look at 8 potential uses for the technology and how I think it will change how many things are done today.


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