Market Mondays #298: Market Cheat Code—Spotting Exploding Stocks, Navigating Turbulence & The Real AI Bubble Talk

Earn Your Leisure (EYL Network) | February 24, 2026

Episode Overview

In this wide-ranging episode, hosts Rashad, Shoddy, and market expert Ian Dunlap dissect the state of the markets as fears of an AI bubble loom, stocks face corrections, and global uncertainties mount. The trio unpacks timeless investment strategies, emerging opportunities, and critical cautionary tales for both traders and long-term investors. Live audience questions drive honest dialogue about holding through market pain, finding explosive growth, and avoiding Wall Street traps. Key insights cover the future of AI, job displacements, navigating new tariffs, entrepreneurship exit pitfalls, and the reality behind viral business headlines.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Long-Term Mindset Amid Market Corrections

• Historic Returns Outweigh Near-Term Panic

  • Despite recent drops, mega-cap stocks have delivered enormous gains over the last decade:
    • Nvidia: 4,000%
    • Tesla: 2,000%
    • Meta: 1,000%
    • Amazon: 500%
    • Google: 350%
    • Microsoft: 180%
    • Apple: 85%
  • "Even though in light of the market falling apart, if you're holding for a 10 year period, there are massive returns to be had." — Ian (08:09)

• Amazon & Job Disruption

  • Amazon's push to automate all warehouse and driving roles by 2030 using AI/robotics signals major shifts for the economy.
  • "By 2030, Amazon is going to replace all factory workers, which is incredibly scary for the economy and those who work in those fields." — Ian (08:09)

2. Is This an AI Bubble... or Just Disruption?

• Tariffs & Geopolitical Unrest Amplifying Fears

  • New tariffs, court challenges, and global headlines compound investor anxiety.

• Pattern Recognition in Pullbacks

  • Historical parallels: Last year's AI pullback triggered mega-cap dips mid-year, but patient investors were rewarded by year-end rebounds.

• "It's a lot... we can't ignore that. There's a lot of uncertainty and people that's, you know, nervous." — Shoddy (13:23)

• "A combination of tariffs and AI disruption, geopolitical unrest, growing debt, consumer debt... if you don't know a lot about the markets, you can feel like something is off." — Ian (15:34)

3. Investment “Cheat Codes” — Risk & Timing

• Trade Only Your Best Months
  • "Take three months, that is your least busy time of the year and only trade those three months." — Ian (17:20)
  • Focus on trading when you perform best to avoid burnout and achieve higher returns.
• Key Risk Metrics
  • VIX: 21–29 signals a down market
  • Fear & Greed Index: Below 40, look for intraday shorts
  • 125-Day Moving Average: Below = bearish, above = bullish
  • Add RSI (Relative Strength Index) to spot overbought/oversold conditions
• Never Chase All-Time Highs
  • "Buying stocks at all time highs to me is like buying a house over the asking price." — Shoddy (32:42)
  • The win is on the entry (buying well below value).

4. How to Actually Build Wealth in the Market

• Ian’s Five Ways to Get Rich from the Markets:
  1. Concentrate on 4 stocks for 10 years
  2. Build a business and trade; invest business profits
  3. Allocate 10–20% of revenue to marketing
  4. Invest in companies changing the world
  5. Become world-class at something (e.g., timing your entries)
  • "For me, it was... being able to determine the price of when to buy into an asset alone." — Ian (43:00)
• Rashad’s #6: Watch Market Mondays.

5. Spotting Explosive 10X Growth Stocks

• Crucial Signs:
  • Competitive edge in a niche market (90%+ market share)
  • Revenue compounding 25–50%+ year-over-year
  • High insider and institutional ownership (check Yahoo Finance, CNBC)
• "Dominate a niche first, like Nvidia did with gaming." — Ian (49:20)

6. Wall Street’s Myths vs. Reality

• Dispelling Lies:
  1. The standard advice given to retail isn’t what big money follows
  2. “Focus on safety, not growth” is misleading—insiders seek high returns
  3. Diversification is always safer—actually, concentration pays if you’re skilled
  4. "Investing is boring"—but 10–15 year holds can be life-changing
• "Retail can’t beat the market"—false; many outperform with the right skills.

7. Audience Q&A: Real-World Investing Dilemmas

• Invest at All-Time Highs? Reset Retracement?
  • Never invest at all-time highs; always wait for pullbacks based on quantitative markers.
  • "Anytime someone tells you that an asset will continually run up forever...they're selling you a scam." — Ian (40:32)
• Dollar Cost Averaging vs. Timing
  • "Dollar cost averaging without price basis is the equivalent of that (blind diversification). You always want to buy based on price." — Ian (93:56)
• When to Sell Big Winners?
  • Take profits if you need a “liquidity event,” not out of fear about a quality company's future.
  • "If you're young...1600% return...If you need a liquidity event, yes, but...I wouldn't worry about that." — Ian (101:07)

8. Notable Market Opportunities & Watchlist

AI-Proof Stocks (Non-Tech, Defensive Plays):

• Walmart (technological innovation in retail)
• Amgen, Eli Lilly (pharma leaders)
• Lowe’s (home improvement demand)
• Caterpillar (infrastructure/energy)
• Monster Energy (category leader with 56,000% return)
• Cloudflare (AI-adjacent, cybersecurity utility)

"If we are going into an AI bubble or AI disruption, these are the companies that are safe from that bubble." — Ian (72:48)

AI/Cybersecurity Update

• **Short-term pain in cybersecurity (e.g., CrowdStrike, Cloudflare) after cloud code security headlines, but leaders remain solid for the long run.

Mega Cap Outlook

• Hold for the long term—emerging markets may be trendy, but U.S. innovation dominates.
• Microsoft—analyst targets remain strong for 2026, and its growth engines are intact.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Market Cycles & Calmness Amid Chaos:

"Every time we go to these companies there's a level of calmness...The reason that the people...feel so calm is because they know what's down the road. They can see the innovation."
— Rashad (09:35)

On Entrepreneurship, Exits, and VC Pitfalls:

“Often the exit is for the investor, and not for you as the founder.”
— Ian (04:58)

On Timing & Burnout:

"I think it's a better use of your time to take three or four months to trade and say after these three or four months my season is concluded...Opposed to trying to trade year round and ending up with a lower return."
— Ian (17:20)

On The Real Wealth Game:

“There's another room...another room in this investment game. There's another room where guaranteed returns, making an investment for the return and then making companies go public via SPAC and getting $5 billion on the exit.”
— Shoddy (63:22)

On Holding Through Volatility:

“If all things point to the direction, when bitcoin is at $200,000, you'll be happy that you bought it at 80,000.”
— Shoddy (41:04)

Segment Timestamps

• [08:09] — “Investment Fact of the Week”—10-year mega-cap returns & Amazon AI disruption
• [12:51] — AI bubble fears, tariffs, market pattern recognition
• [17:20] — Trading tip: Only trade your best months to reduce burnout
• [30:08] — The Risk Matrix every trader should use
• [32:42] — Never buy stocks at all-time highs; importance of the purchase price
• [43:00] — Five ways to get rich in the market—including concentration, business reinvesting, and unique skill
• [48:00] — Three signs a stock is about to 10x
• [56:10] — The three lies Wall Street tells retail investors
• [68:23] — Best AI-proof (defensive) stocks in current market
• [76:30] — Finding advantages in (single) stock futures
• [88:25] — Audience question: Is it time to “drop the bag” on Nvidia?
• [93:56] — Dollar cost averaging vs. waiting for a pullback—always buy on price
• [101:01] — When should you sell long-held winners? (Meta, 1600%+ gain)
• [102:38] — U.S. Debt Spiral & Spending—global comparison and Ray Dalio’s new world order
• [110:20] — Invest Fest $125k Pitch Competition: why and how to apply

Episode Takeaways

• Hold your winners for the long term; aim to buy quality at discounted prices.
• Don’t chase recent highs—base investments on hard numbers, moving averages, and actual price discounts.
• Recognize that much Wall Street “wisdom” keeps retail investors average—concentration pays off with discipline.
• Fear, uncertainty, and new technologies like AI mean volatility, but also enormous opportunity for the informed and patient investor.
• Look for industry dominance, strong inside ownership, and essential products to spot future “exploding” stocks.
• In market and business, the real game is often behind the headlines—understand deal structures, exits, and equity pitfalls.
• Risk management and an unemotional, rule-based approach are crucial in turbulent times.
• For aspiring entrepreneurs, resources like Invest Fest and focused competitions can provide real opportunities, but beware investor “gotchas.”

For more actionable insights and direct Q&A, catch Market Mondays live each week. As Rashad says: “Watch Market Mondays. The level of information...the amount of millionaires, multi-millionaires, thousandaires that have been made because of executing on information that’s been given—there’s nothing like it.” [44:32]