Summary3 min read

Becker Business Podcast — Episode Summary

Episode Title: Palantir, Blackstone, & Rude People 11-4-25
Host: Scott Becker
Release Date: November 4, 2025

Main Theme

This episode of the Becker Business podcast features Scott Becker reflecting candidly on three separated topics from the week: the volatile performance of Palantir as a personal stock holding, a business update on Blackstone’s current challenges, and personal insights into dealing with rude people. The overall theme blends practical investment discussion with the emotional realities of dealing with criticism as a public-facing entrepreneur.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Palantir: Personal Stock Holding and Performance

Scott shares that Palantir has been his best-performing stock over the year—up roughly 170% year to date.
Despite its strong annual performance, the stock dropped by 9% following its latest earnings release.
Scott humorously reflects on the classic trap of individual stock picking and the illusion of market savvy:
- Quote: “Of course, this always happens when I try and choose individual stocks and they do well, I think I’m smarter than I am. I should stick to index funds.” [00:31]

2. Blackstone: Current Situation in Private Equity

Scott explains that he isn’t an investor in Blackstone personally but recognizes its stature as the largest private equity and alternatives asset manager (over $1 trillion AUM).
The company is down 16% year to date, facing challenges including:
- Lowered fee percentages as they adjust asset mixes—no longer achieving the 2% fees they previously commanded
- Fewer exits in the current market, which harms profitability since exits are major revenue drivers for private equity.
- Quote: “Exits are where private equity funds really clean up… the exit market is soft.” [01:06]
The segment offers quick, practical insights into structural shifts in private markets.

3. Encounters with Rude People

Scott pivots to a more personal topic, recounting a recent 24-hour period filled with encounters with particularly rude and condescending people.
He contrasts this with the “wonderful life” of being around mostly kind, positive individuals.
These experiences serve as a reminder about the necessity of resilience, especially when in the public eye or leading as an entrepreneur:
- Quote: “It also teaches me that I need to have a thick skin. If I'm going to put myself out there and be on media and be an entrepreneur and all those kinds of things.” [01:34]
Scott shares this as a relatable business lesson about criticism, acknowledgment, and growth.
He closes with his trademark optimism and gratitude, encouraging resilience and thanking listeners:
- Quote: “This was one of those 24-hour periods where I get lambasted. It is what it is. God bless America. Gentlemen, start your, start your engines and thank you so much for listening. And I should say, ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. God bless you all.” [01:56]

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

[00:31] “Of course, this always happens when I try and choose individual stocks and they do well, I think I’m smarter than I am. I should stick to index funds.” — Scott Becker
[01:06] “Exits are where private equity funds really clean up… the exit market is soft.” — Scott Becker
[01:34] “It also teaches me that I need to have a thick skin. If I'm going to put myself out there and be on media and be an entrepreneur and all those kinds of things.” — Scott Becker
[01:56] “This was one of those 24-hour periods where I get lambasted. It is what it is. God bless America. Gentlemen, start your, start your engines and thank you so much for listening. And I should say, ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. God bless you all.” — Scott Becker

Important Segments & Timestamps

[00:00–00:31] Palantir stock story
[00:32–01:24] Blackstone business update
[01:25–02:18] Dealing with rude people & personal reflections

Tone & Style

Scott delivers the episode with characteristic candor, humor, and resilience—providing business insights but also touching on the emotional side of entrepreneurship and public life. There’s a blend of pragmatic market updates with an honest acknowledgment of personal frustrations and life lessons, making this a relatable and concise business commentary episode.

For listeners who missed the episode:
You’ll get actionable updates on major business names like Palantir and Blackstone, blended with an empathetic look at handling criticism, all in Scott’s direct and relatable style.

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Transcript1 lines

[00:00]
A
This is Scott Becker with the Becker Private Equity and the Becker Business podcast. Today's discussion, we're going to focus on Palantir, Blackstone and rude people, three different subjects. Don't try and attach the rude people concept to Blackstone and Palantir. They're totally unrelated. So here's the deal with Palantir. Palantir is the best stock that I hold and this is the way it goes. It's up about 170% year to date, or something like that. Course, yesterday earnings came out and it's now down 9% today. And of course, this always happens when I try and choose individual stocks and they do well, I think I'm smarter than I am. I should stick to index funds. Second is Blackstone and Blackstone I'm not an individual investor in. Blackstone's the biggest private equity family fund, alternative assets fund. More than a trillion in the assets under management, it is down 16% year to date. They're seeing lower fee percentage points that they're getting as they slightly mix their change of assets, so not as much of the 2% they used to get. They're also not seeing exits. And exits are where private equity funds really clean up management fees, pays the bills, and then exits are where they make a lot of money. The exit market is soft, so that's number two. The third subject is I have the wonderful life where I truly visit with so many nice people and so many really positive people. And then I go with periods of time in the course of just a few 24 hours where I hear from some of the rudest, meanest and condescending people ever. And what it teaches me is, yes, of course I think maybe I should adjust something I'm doing when I get that. But it also teaches me that I need to have a thick skin. And if I'm going to put myself out there and be on media and be an entrepreneur and all those kinds of things. This was one of those weeks or one of those 24 hour periods where I get lambasted. It is what it is. God bless America. Gentlemen, start your, start your engines and thank you so much for listening. And I should say, ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. God bless you all. Thank you for listening. Listening, Palantir, Blackstone and such rude people. Thank you for listening.