Becker Business Podcast Summary
Episode: Why Do the Stocks That I Invest In Always Get Crushed?
Host: Scott Becker
Date: October 14, 2025
Episode Overview
In this short and candid episode, Scott Becker humorously examines his ongoing frustrations with personal stock picking, airing a relatable lament: why do the individual stocks he invests in so often perform poorly? He uses a recent, painful example from his own portfolio to reflect on the broader challenges of beating the market, ultimately reiterating his preference for more conservative strategies such as index funds and treasury bonds.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Personal Story of Stock Loss
- Scott opens with a self-deprecating observation about his own character flaws and investing outcomes.
- He discusses a real-time loss, citing one specific holding—Steer Labs—which experienced a sharp 15% drop the morning of the recording ([00:28]).
2. The Emotional Rollercoaster of Individual Stock Picking
- Scott admits to his daily habit of checking the “biggest losers” and “biggest gainers” in the stock market, both to inform his writing and out of personal curiosity ([00:20]).
- This routine, while practical, often leads to discouragement when his chosen stocks underperform so drastically.
3. Lessons Learned: Why Index Funds and Bonds Are Safer
- From long experience, Scott stresses that picking individual stocks is exceedingly difficult and often unrewarding for those without insider information.
- He jokingly notes that “unless you’re an insider trader like a congressman or something like that, [stock picking] seems to be very, very difficult” ([00:52]).
4. Investing Philosophy
- While Scott admits to occasionally buying individual stocks, experiences like the current one push him back toward index funds and U.S. treasury bonds—a strategy he frames as more reliable for the average investor ([00:48]).
- His tone is light, self-aware, and candid, keeping the segment accessible for both new and experienced listeners.
Notable Quotes & Moments
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“One of the stocks that I own directly is Steer Labs. I wake up this morning and always sort of scanning the biggest losers, the biggest gainers…one of my stocks, Steer Labs, is down, I think, 15% today. That’s just a horrendous, horrendous day. It is what it is.”
— Scott Becker [00:28]
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“This is one of the reasons why I largely stick to investing in index funds and treasury bonds, because the ability to pick individual stocks, unless you’re an insider trader like a congressman or something like that, seems to be very, very difficult.”
— Scott Becker [00:52]
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“Why are the stocks that I invest in always getting crushed? It is what it is.”
— Scott Becker [01:14]
Timestamped Segment Highlights
- [00:00] Introduction and gratitude for listenership
- [00:20] Scott’s morning routine for market monitoring
- [00:28] Details of the Steer Labs loss
- [00:48] Reasoning for sticking to index funds and treasury bonds
- [00:52] Humorous reflection on difficulty of stock picking
- [01:14] Closing remark echoing the episode title
Conclusion
Scott Becker’s frank reflection on the challenges of individual stock investing makes for an approachable, entertaining episode. Through humor, self-awareness, and real personal anecdotes, he underscores why most investors might be better off with less risky, broad-based investments—unless, of course, they have access to privileged information, a tongue-in-cheek jab at those with inside access. This episode offers both a moment of solidarity for frustrated investors and a gentle nudge toward prudent investment strategies.
