Market Mondays Ep. 295: Bitcoin, Gold & Silver Crash — What Now? War Stocks & How to Sell a Business

Date: February 3, 2026
Hosts: Earn Your Leisure (EYL Network) & Ian Dunlap
Featured Guest: Mikey Taylor

Overview

This episode of Market Mondays dives deep into current investment turbulence with a focus on dramatic pullbacks in Bitcoin, gold, and silver, what’s next for “war stocks” like defense tech, strategies for trading amid volatility, and a special segment on the realities of selling a business with entrepreneur and mayor Mikey Taylor. The Market Mondays crew unpacks the root causes of recent market drops, discusses optimal entry/exit strategies for quality assets, and addresses complex ethical questions around investing. Energetic, witty, and unfiltered as always!

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Market Recap: Layoffs & the Price of Entry (05:00–13:44)

• Major Job Layoffs: US government (307,000), UPS (78,000), Amazon (30,000), Intel (25,000), Microsoft (15,000).
  • Ian: “For every job loss that is created in the market, it takes 10 Nvidia GPUs to replace it. Start doing the math.” (05:10)
• Lesson on Market Timing: The best asset is only as good as your entry price. Both Michael Saylor (MicroStrategy) and Tom Lee are cited for poor timing on crypto purchases.
  • Ian: “When anyone tells you it doesn’t matter where you buy the asset, it’s a load of bullshit.” (05:59)
  • MicroStrategy underwater after 7 consecutive months of negative returns on Bitcoin purchases.
• Dangers of Averaging Up: Buying more as a price rises inflates your average cost—painful during downturns.
  • Ian: “Stop buying great assets at bad prices.” (07:56)

2. Trading Strategies During Uncertainty (13:44–16:23)

• Futures Trading Edge:
  • Ian: “Trade the Asian session first, then the London, then American close for 90 days straight. Skip the volatility, hit your target, $11,650 in 90 days if you use 23 contracts and hit 40 ticks per day.”
• The Urgency of the Volatility Window:
  • Ian: “You have a small finite window to take advantage of volatility... Either you’re going to be dedicated or be left behind.” (15:05)

3. Oracle, OpenAI, and the AI Ecosystem (17:02–27:52)

• Oracle’s $50B Fundraise: Hosts debate if it’s time to buy. The consensus: not yet.
  • Dunlap: “Oracle is one of the biggest underperformers in tech... They haven’t figured out how to make money off the investment yet.” (20:05)
  • C: “So it’s not a time to buy Oracle?” Ian: “Hell no.” (27:18)
• OpenAI Directionless:
  • OpenAI’s leadership/style (Sam Altman) is causing concern among major partners (Nvidia, Microsoft, AMD).
• Is It an AI Bubble?
  • C: “If I give Ian a thousand dollars, he gives you a thousand, and you give me a thousand… what are we doing?” (26:16)
• Key Tech Stocks: Microsoft, Nvidia, Palantir, TSMC, AMD, Eli Lilly, and Amgen recommended as stronger alternatives over Oracle.

4. Historic Crash: Gold & Silver (27:55–34:18)

• Gold Down 15%, Silver Down 30%—Largest Drop in Decades: Blame placed partly on new Fed chair and general market manipulation by large institutions.
• Long-term Thesis on Gold:
  • C: “Gold has increased 2,700% over the last 50 years; the dollar has decreased 85% in value. No need to panic on the gold side.” (33:52)
  • Ian’s Preferred Re-Entry: “Reenter gold at $4,219, silver at $63.33.” (32:57)
• Institutional Profit-Taking: Both hosts and institutions look for re-entry after quick runups and heavy liquidations.

5. War Stocks & Palantir: Profits vs. Principles (34:29–42:49)

• Palantir’s Q4 Earnings: $1.4B quarter, split between government contracts (esp. defense) and commercial partnerships.
  • Ian’s Outlook: End of year target $243.39 (35:14)
• Ethical Debate: Is investing or trading in morally questionable companies complicit?
  • Dunlap: “At some point, do we feel complicit for investing in companies that mean us harm? But every multi-billion-dollar company has blood on their hands, allegedly.” (39:12)
  • Hosts agree it’s nearly impossible to find a pure company, but urge at least some consideration.
• Trading vs. Ownership: Trading is less “complicit” than owning—but contributes to volume and liquidity.

6. Bitcoin’s 40% Crash: What Now? (43:12–51:18)

• Current Price & Narratives: At ~$78,000 after a brutal drop. Debates swirl around whether it’s going to $60K, $30K, or lower due to negative headlines (including claims about Epstein’s early involvement).
• Four-Year Cycle Still Valid: Price patterns seen as following historical norms, with likely buying opportunities ahead.
  • Ian: “I have bitcoin going to $63,305 as a good place to get in.” (45:12)
  • C: “Never buy at an all-time high… Look for distressed quality assets. Same as real estate.” (46:49)
• Long-Term View:
  • B: “An easy 25% gain is around the corner. Just hold for the long term.” (48:48)
  • Hosts agree: odds are this is NOT the last time we see prices under $100,000, but “not going back to 20,000. You should have listened the first time.” (49:44, 50:07)
• Related Assets: Robinhood and Coinbase also see impacts as Bitcoin drops; Robinhood flagged as “interesting for a rebound” once crypto stabilizes.

7. Trading & Taking Profits (71:42–81:29)

• Profit-Taking Example: Rashad details a live options trade on SanDisk (SSD manufacturer):
  • Entry, exit, and re-entry for further profit—as high as 100–130% gains within a few days.
  • D: “If I get up 100%, I take profit… let my profit run.” (74:29)
• Principle: Always know your exit, don’t get greedy, and rotate gains into safer assets (indexes, blue chips) once major targets are hit.

8. Interview: Selling a Business & Career Transition w/ Mikey Taylor (82:01–109:31)

Selling the Brewery (83:22)

• When to Sell a Company:
  • Mikey: “When you bring on investors, you need to answer: how are they making money? Sometimes it’s timing, sometimes it’s luck.” (83:22)
  • Sold to a major at a local industry top—multiples dropped after.

Pivoting to Real Estate & Politics (84:38–88:55)

• Moved out of beer to avoid betting on “lightning striking twice.”
• Entered real estate, then local politics to have practical, tangible community impact; stressed difference between local and national politics.

The New Fed Chair & Real Estate Volatility (88:55–95:32)

• Fed as Referee, Not Stabilizer: New chair may be more “hands off,” increasing volatility and risk but reducing artificial bubbles.
  • “Usually what happens is we try to protect pain on the front end and it becomes worse on the back end.” (90:17)
• US Debt & Solutions: Only real path seen is to “grow your way out,” with AI/tech possibly boosting GDP, but no political will for spending cuts or tax hikes.

Entrepreneurship & Scaling (97:11–99:51)

• Execution > Idea: Pair visionaries with operators, build a team even at upfront expense; “delay your gratification, build the team, and what you experience on the back end is much larger.” (98:27)

Commercial Real Estate Outlook (100:29–104:58)

• Office is “getting hit hardest,” but will survive via hybrid work. “Buying opportunity” for offices at deep discounts; industrial and retail remain strong.

Building Legacy, Business Priorities (108:06–111:06)

• Legacy: “Instill good character and values in your kids—what you put in them is more important than just assets.” (108:25)
• Business Focus: Top five things to drive ROI: sales, money management/accounting, tracking (EOS/traction), culture, leadership.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ian (on entry price): “The asset that you buy is only as good as the price in which you enter it.” (05:58)
• Rashad (on gold): “Gold has increased 2,700% over the last 50 years and the dollar has decreased…No need to panic.” (33:52)
• Ian (on Oracle): “Out of this race, Oracle is one of the biggest underperformers in tech... Now is not the time to gamble with non-exceptional companies.” (20:04, 26:53)
• D (on profit taking): “If I get up 100%, I take profit—let my profit run.” (74:29)
• Mikey Taylor (on entrepreneurship): “At the end of the day, investing should be boring. You have to establish and hold to your buy/sell discipline.” (85:49)
• Ian (on AI job loss): “For every job lost, you only need 10 Nvidia GPUs to replace the efficiency of an office worker. That’s scary as hell.” (67:21)

Important Timestamps for Key Segments

• Layoffs & Market Recap: 05:00–13:44
• Futures Trading Tips: 13:44–16:23
• Oracle, OpenAI, AI Bubble: 17:02–27:52
• Gold & Silver Crash: 27:55–34:18
• Palantir, Defense Tech Ethics: 34:29–42:49
• Bitcoin Cycle/Crash: 43:12–51:18
• Profit-Taking Strategies & Options: 71:42–81:29
• Selling a Business/Mikey Taylor Interview: 82:01–109:31
• Commercial Real Estate Outlook: 100:29–104:58

Investment Outlooks & Price Targets

• Bitcoin: $63,305 entry flagged as key; long-term positive, but don’t buy the high.
• Gold: Re-entry at $4,219; expect return to $5,200+ over time.
• Palantir: Target $243.39 by year’s end; strong Q4, but avoid moral attachment.
• Oracle: “Hell no”—wait for much lower ($113–$137) before reconsidering.
• Eli Lilly: Target $1,288.99 before year’s end; best in class as competitors drop off.

Entrepreneurship Takeaways

• Know your exit both in stocks and business. Sometimes the best move is to take profit and rotate to safety.
• Build a team— execution is what matters, not just the “idea.”
• Treat leadership and culture as strategic assets, not afterthoughts.
• On scaling: “Delay your gratification, build the team, and you’ll experience a much better outcome.”

Closing Thoughts

This episode covered immense ground: how to navigate wild market swings, the evolving landscape of tech and AI, the mechanics of both stock and business exits, and the human side of ethical investing. The crew is adamant: greatness in investing is about patience, discipline, and clarity on entry, exit, and purpose—not hype or emotion.

Hosts’ Parting Insight:
“Either you’re going to be dedicated or be left behind. Don’t blow your money trying to look rich. Buy great assets at the right price, and just hold. The rest sorts itself out.”