The Optimistic Investor

As a 20-year-old, if you put $3.47 a day into a low-cost index fund and leave it alone to grow until you are 65, you could reach millionaire status.InTrack Portfolio Manager Tyler J. Gardner argues that if you can afford daily lattes, you make enough money to invest. It's a common misconception that investing is only for the wealthy. Tyler points out that many people are simply unaware of how little you have to contribute when you're younger to see phenomenal returns when you're older.  In this episode of The Optimistic Investor, we dispel even more myths. For example, you're not too young to start investing. In fact, the earlier you start, the better, thanks to compound interest.  You also don't have to be a genius. Although many of us are not taught investing in school or at home, there are a lot of resources available these days. However, Tyler warns us to be careful when it comes to trusting information online. Production Manager and "Resident Millennial" Clara Moses even hops on to discuss her experiences with investing and what she's learned about how to spot a scam. Bottom line: investing isn't an all or nothing game. Give this episode a listen and think about where you could start your investing journey if you haven't yet. From there, if you have any questions, please contact InTrack. The team is happy to help, no matter what age you are!https://www.intrackinvest.com/contact

You may have heard the buzzword "longtermism" being used a lot lately, but what does it mean? It is defined as an ethical stance which gives priority to improving the long-term future.Myron R. Sopher, InTrack's Managing Partner, has returned from an enlightening trip to Alaska and is back behind the mic to tell us all about it! In this episode, Myron revisits the topic of climate change and how the effects are very present in the Alaskan environment. He gained a lot of knowledge and insight after spending time with naturalist guides and residents that he shares with listeners, such as the way Alaskans use their natural resources wisely and how they function as a clan rather than separate families. Of course, he ties all of this back to ESG investing and other things we can all do now to impact the long-term future. To see pictures from Myron's trip, head to the InTrack blog by clicking here.

Did you know the Po River, the longest river in Italy, is dropping by as much as 2.7 meters below the 0 gauge, and as a result, more than 100 towns in the region are rationing water?In this episode, Tom Parris, President of ISciences, joins us to discuss the connection between water scarcity and other aspects of climate change. ISciences is a work for hire consultancy that has been in business since 1997. They have four overlapping practice areas that all share a common theme of doing geospatial data analytics over large geographic territories: water and climate, human security, corporate sustainability, and satellite remote sensing and related science. InTrack's Managing Partner, Myron R. Sopher, leads us through the conversation with Tom, talking about some some of the challenges resulting from water scarcity and how to best combat them, in Tom's professional opinion.  We have plenty of content regarding environmentalism on our website if you'd like to learn more.https://www.intrackinvest.com/investment-opportunities

The dollar value of funds being used in the decentralized finance space was less than a billion just two years ago. Now, it's over 200 billion.This is why Mike Taormina, Head of Institutional Business at the Index Cooperative, argues that everyone should educate and expose themselves to decentralized finance (DeFi). Tyler J. Gardner, InTrack's Portfolio Manager, asked his friend Mike to join him for this episode of The Optimistic Investor and share his expert opinion on the topic. They discuss the differences and similarities between DeFi and traditional finance, as well as the history of blockchain technology and where it might be headed in the future. Cryptocurrency still feels quite risky and even user-unfriendly to some, but Mike predicts that this will improve over time. As more and more Millennials and Zoomers enter the finance world, DeFi only becomes more and more relevant.  If you have any questions about traditional or decentralized finance, feel free to contact InTrack and ask them.https://www.intrackinvest.com/contact

April 22, 2022, marks the 52nd anniversary of Earth Day!In celebration of this, InTrack's Managing Partner, Myron R. Sopher, and Partner & Portfolio Manager, Matthew D. Johnson, recorded this special episode of The Optimistic Investor. What's on their minds this Earth Day? For starters, how energy is generated, how it is stored, and what they think these processes will look like in the future. They also revisit the topic of green hydrogen.  Click here if you'd like to take the quiz mentioned in this episode: https://www.earthday.org/the-clean-energy-quiz/ Please contact InTrack if you'd like to discuss investing in green hydrogen:https://www.intrackinvest.com/

Although we're often told that those over 55 don't have a very high risk tolerance, this is not always the case. In fact, Millennials are known to be the most risk averse generation because of all the market volatility they have already witnessed in their lifetimes. Of course, it's hard to speak on behalf of entire generations, but InTrack's Managing Partner, Myron R. Sopher, and Portfolio Manager, Tyler J. Gardner, spend this episode of The Optimistic Investor discussing some trends they've noticed in people both young and old. For example, we all have access to so much information now, but this is not always as helpful as it may seem. Being so tuned in can make us reactive, which can lead to fast, emotion-based financial decision making. No matter your age, or how much you think you know, you may benefit from seeking financial advice. Visit the InTrack website to learn more. https://www.intrackinvest.com/

During the first podcast of the year, Managing Partner Myron Sopher and Portfolio Manager Tyler J. Gardner discuss the unavoidable: taxes. They question how involved each individual needs to be in their own accounting, and when it's the right time to seek assistance from a financial professional. Overall, they agree that this is the perfect season for both reflecting on the past and preparing for the future. It's also crucial to talk about these topics with your family (something that's easier said than done these days). Despite the uncertainty that many of us are still feeling in 2022, at InTrack, we're experts at finding silver linings and staying optimistic. To learn more, visit the InTrack Investment Management website.www.intrackinvest.com/investment-opportunities

Did you know that over 60% of both Millennial and Gen Z consumers prefer to buy from sustainable brands? More and more studies are showing results suggesting that the younger generations are reflecting their values in their money decisions. In this episode of The Optimistic Investor, InTrack's Managing Partner Myron Sopher introduces the company's new Portfolio Manager, Tyler J. Gardner. The two financial professionals discuss the trends they've seen among young investors. Tyler's background in education gives him a unique perspective on this topic and leads to him sharing some insightful information. Click the link below to visit the company's website and learn more about Tyler, InTrack Investment Management, and socially responsible investing in general.https://www.intrackinvest.com/team/tyler-gardner

In this episode, Myron Sopher, Managing Partner at InTrack Investment Management, discusses how hydrogen can be used as an alternative energy source and why so many individuals and companies are focused on its bright future. For starters, green hydrogen produces about twice the amount of energy as petroleum. This has the ability to impact every facet of our lives and the state of the environment. For more optimistic news on how you can positively impact the world with your investments, visit the InTrack Investment Management website.www.intrackinvest.com/investment-opportunities

For better or worse, we're not talking about seaside snacks in this episode of The Optimistic Investor. Instead, Myron Sopher, Managing Partner at InTrack Investment Management, discusses how some trends we are seeing in bodies of water correlate with climate change. These topics include the Atlantic killifish evolving to survive up to 8 times the lethal dose of pollution, salmon dying before spawning due to chemicals from old tires being released into the water, and shipping on a global basis being responsible for 2.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Myron also touches on what companies and industries are doing about all this and what that means for socially responsible investors.Learn more about socially responsible investing by visiting the InTrack Investment Management website.www.intrackinvest.com/investment-opportunities

Did you know that 70% of financial plans never get followed through on? In this episode, we discuss why this is and what exactly is preventing people from reaching their goals.  InTrack's certified money coach, Brett Peltzer, sheds light on how our past can create unhelpful behavioral patterns related to money and stop us from making the best decisions for our future financial wellbeing. 

In this episode of The Optimistic Investor, Myron Sopher, Managing Partner at InTrack Investment Management, discusses why the investing world has turned its focus to sustainability, SRI, and ESG over the past few years. He also goes into his own personal interest in the topic, as well as how he helps InTrack's clients who are interested in reflecting their unique values in their own portfolios. Learn more about InTrack Investment Management by visiting their website.https://www.intrackinvest.com

In this episode, Myron discusses trends he's noticed in the past year, such as more saving, less spending, and more discipline when investing. The pandemic has made many people reflect on what's most important to them. This is a great time to rebalance both your priorities and your portfolio. Currently, some of Myron's optimism is coming from the increasing popularity of socially responsible and impact investing. He reminds us that your financial gain and personal values do not have to be mutually exclusive. 

Did you make any financial resolutions when the ball dropped at midnight? In this episode of The Optimistic Investor, Myron encourages us to maintain that enthusiasm toward being involved in your personal finances throughout the entirety of 2021.

With the holidays FAST approaching, Myron Sopher, Managing Partner at InTrack Investment Management, lays out the financial tasks you should cross off your list before welcoming 2021 with open arms. 

In our first episode of The Optimistic Investor, Myron Sopher, Managing Partner at InTrack Investment Management introduces himself and discusses how he can stay optimistic about investing and society in general even during the most trying times. We also discuss his passion for socially responsible investing, something InTrack often helps their clients with.Learn more about InTrack Investment Management by visiting their website.https://www.intrackinvest.com