Will Dreams Crumble Again?
Welcome to issue #15 of The Davem Dish. Every two weeks I share what actually works in investing based on my 20 years of wins, losses and expensive lessons. You’ll also get my thoughts on solopreneurship and life in general because the same principles apply — keep it simple, stay consistent and focus on what matters.
Like many I had a passing interest in investing during my teenage years — the allure of wealth and being self-made — but it wasn’t until the summer of 2000 when I was working between semesters as a janitor for $6/hr that my interest became more of a rational obsession. Every work break the building electricians would take over the TV to watch CNBC.
“Look at these charts — all they do is go up! This is easy money, I’m going to be able to retire early!”
They weren’t alone. Everyone was a genius during the dot-com bubble. Electricians, teachers, dentists — all getting rich on paper.
Then the bubble burst. Everyone that was a genius went back to their day jobs with a much smaller portfolio and a feeling of “what could have been”.
The crash also haunted me. Not because I lost money — I had no money to invest. But because what was so seemingly easy became exceptionally difficult.
I wanted to know the answers to basic questions:
How do you know what a company is worth? When should you buy and when should you sell?
The “answers” depended on which CNBC expert you believed that day. But those aren’t real answers. Just promoted opinions.
So I set out to find the answers myself.
The Long Education
While finishing my marketing degree and getting my foot in the door in Corporate America, I learned to invest the old fashioned way — reading countless books and testing different strategies to see what worked for me.
My corporate journey was frankly… uninspiring. I started where a lot of people with marketing degrees start — business development. Cold calling small businesses. Then on to managing construction contracts, other procurement roles, and enterprise risk management. None of these roles “lit” me up though and I realized early on I didn’t have much interest in climbing the corporate ladder.
Instead, I used every spare minute to work on my true passion — investing. In fact, on multiple occasions I got reprimanded for doing investment research on my company computer. I did it anyway.
As I was improving my investing framework, I started another project that most would call insane — playing blackjack regularly. Not gambling for fun, but as another investment vehicle. I developed a strategy that provided a slight edge and had a goal to make a 10% return. And over time I made low five-figure profits. But it wasn’t easy and there were many ups and downs.
The same emotions and psychological barriers that wreck portfolios also show up at the card table. I found it difficult to stay disciplined and ‘stick with the plan’. I wouldn’t push my winning streaks. I would get nervous and cash out too early. I would hold on to losses, hoping for a miraculous recovery. I wouldn’t bet big even when the math was clear.
I finally realized the problem isn’t finding good investment opportunities. It’s systematizing decisions so emotions can’t sabotage you.
From Corporate Nobody to Business Owner
The pandemic changed my trajectory. My corporate job went remote which made it more tolerable. I moved to Colorado. Then I was offered a voluntary severance right as I had the chance to co-found a coaching and consulting business.
I knew nothing about entrepreneurship, but you learn quickly when there’s no safety net. The tactics aren’t that difficult, though. It’s the mindset shift necessary to be successful. When you’re an employee, you have an employee mindset. You’re given structure and told what to do. You get a consistent paycheck. And there is always someone else to blame if things don’t go well.
As an entrepreneur, you have the ability to control your schedule, who you work with, and what you want to offer. But there isn’t a consistent paycheck for just showing up. You have to provide value and generate revenue. You also have to re-wire your brain. Abundance not scarcity, opportunities not problems, positivity over pessimism. There is no one to blame except you. Entrepreneurship is not easy but once your owner mindset clicks there is no going back.
Within a year we replaced our corporate salaries and now run a multiple six-figure business.
Why I Started Davem Advisors
Twenty-five years after the dot-com crash, I’m watching the same movie with different actors.
Speculative companies with no earnings or cash to speak of skyrocketing. Everyone is a genius again.
Rampant media conjecture about another bubble.
Will the current market crash like the dot-com bubble? I don’t know for certain and neither does anyone else.
But I do know that I started with zero and built a seven-figure portfolio using a systematic approach that works in any market. Now I want to help you do the same.
My mission is simple. To help other investors where I didn’t have help. To show you how to cut through the noise, where to look for the information that actually matters, what to do with it and how to develop systems to confidently think for yourself.
I started documenting my thoughts with this newsletter, The Davem Dish. A way to clarify and reflect on my experience. Funny thing, my first newsletter was actually about two decades ago when I first formulated my investing framework. I was excited about it and sent an email to a few “trusted” colleagues. The response? One of the reprimands for misusing company resources.
The thing about good ideas, though, is that they don’t stay buried forever. This time I have much more experience and insight to draw from.
I started writing five months ago with no audience. I didn’t import a subscriber list. I started from zero. I wanted to build a business and community from scratch.
In the current era of finfluencers and rampant misinformation, I want to build a community of like minded individuals who want to focus on the data, not the drama. A place where we can learn from each other and build each other up, while leaving the bold predictions, guarantees and get rich quick schemes behind.
The financial services industry wants you dependent. Investing is complex and you should trust us.
I want to teach you a process so effective you’ll never need to trust anyone else with your financial future again.
If I can do it, so can you.
Join me and let’s make sure you never end up holding the bag. I’m excited for what’s ahead!
What I Offer:
Davem Dish Newsletter (twice a month):
No hot tips or predictions. Just profitable insights and observations from my two decades of experience.
Paid subscribers receive:
24/7 access to my watchlist and portfolio
Real-time opportunity alerts as conditions present
Access to community chat and monthly live calls
Private Coaching:
Learn my exact framework along with tools to build your portfolio with confidence. Sessions are tailored to your individual needs and goals. Contact me for details.
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The content provided are personal opinions and presented for educational purposes only, as of the date published or indicated. Davem Advisors LLC is not a bank, licensed securities dealer, broker or investment advisor. Displayed returns are unaudited. Nothing stated constitutes a recommendation or advice as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. You alone are solely responsible for determining whether any investment, strategy or service is appropriate for your objectives. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the risk of loss.