Podcast
The Blunt Dollar
Hosted by Ignacio Ramirez Moreno, CFA · EN
Finance doesn’t have to be boring or sugarcoated. It’s time for a show that tells it like it is. The Blunt Dollar is where real conversations meet real finance, hosted by Ignacio Ramírez Moreno, a fixed-income advisor, CFA charterholder, and LinkedIn content creator who isn’t afraid to ask the tough questions.
Each episode brings candid, thought-provoking discussions with investors, traders, analysts, and market thinkers who cut through the noise and get to the truth behind money, markets, and investing.
Whether it’s exposing the myths of the financial world, exploring the hidden forces shaping markets, or breaking down the latest trends in a way that actually makes sense, The Blunt Dollar delivers raw insights, straight talk, and a touch of humor.
New episodes drop every other week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Want to hear a story that needs to be told? Reach out to thebluntdollar@outlook.com, and let’s make it happen.
35episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Sebastian Lewis: 46 Stocks Created Half of All Market Wealth
2w ago00:37:47Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Blunt Dollar, I sit down with Sebastian Lewis from Vanguard, one of the most influential investment firms in the world.We explore Sebastian’s journey from Morgan Stanley during the dot-com era to a 15-year career at Sanford Bernstein and ultimately to Vanguard, where he helps bring investment research and market insights to financial advisors across Europe. Along the way, we dive into indexing, investor behavior, market concentration, and some of the most fascinating research shaping how we think about investing today. 📈 Why indexing remains one of the most misunderstood concepts in investing and why the active versus passive debate is more nuanced than most people think🧠 The behavioral mistakes investors keep making, from performance chasing and panic selling to the emotional traps that destroy long-term returns🌍 Why market concentration is normal, what history teaches us about dominant companies, and why diversification matters more than ever📚 The groundbreaking research of Besenbinder and what it reveals about the tiny number of stocks responsible for most wealth creation in financial markets🚀 Sebastian’s career journey through Morgan Stanley, Sanford Bernstein, and Vanguard, plus his advice for young professionals looking to build a successful career in financeIf you like indexing, behavioral finance, and evidence-based investing, this one's for you.Oh, and if you haven't already... subscribe to The Blunt Dollar for more raw and honest finance conversations.New episodes drop every other week! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.And last, but not least, don't forget to follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-ramirez-moreno-cfa/Enjoy the episode!Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Listeners should consult a qualified financial professional before making any financial decisions.
Transcribe →Thomas Veillet: From Trading Floors to YouTube Fame
3w ago00:48:57Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Blunt Dollar, I sit down with Thomas Veillet, one of Switzerland’s most recognizable financial voices and a pioneer in making markets understandable, entertaining, and brutally honest.With more than three decades in finance and thousands of market columns under his belt, Thomas shares how he went from trading floors to building a media brand that challenges the traditional tone of financial commentary. From waking up at 4 AM to read global markets to reinventing himself after leaving institutional banking, this conversation is packed with insights on discipline, storytelling, and staying authentic in a highly competitive industry. 💡 How Thomas transitioned from institutional trading to becoming a leading financial storyteller and media personality📚 Why simplicity, storytelling, and humor are powerful tools for explaining complex financial markets🚪 The bold decision to walk away from banking in 2009 and build an independent career from scratch📱 The evolving role of media, AI, and social platforms in shaping investor behavior and financial education🔥 Real lessons on passion, consistency, burnout prevention, and how to build a lasting career in financeIf you like market insights, career reinvention stories, and honest conversations about finance media, this one's for you.Oh, and if you haven't already... subscribe to The Blunt Dollar for more raw and honest finance conversations.New episodes drop every other week! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.And last, but not least, don't forget to follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-ramirez-moreno-cfa/Enjoy the episode!Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Listeners should consult a qualified financial professional before making any financial decisions.
Transcribe →Gina Martin Adams: Why Models Fail And How To Adapt
4w ago00:49:11Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Blunt Dollar, Ignacio sits down with Gina Martin Adams, Chief Market Strategist at HB Wealth and one of the most recognizable voices in financial markets.After more than two decades on Wall Street spanning firms like Wells Fargo and Bloomberg, Gina shares how she built a disciplined, model driven approach to understanding markets and why combining macro, technicals, fundamentals and behavioral insights is essential for navigating modern investing. 📊 How Gina built a systematic framework blending macro, technicals and fundamentals to cut through market noise and identify real signals🧠 Why investor psychology and sentiment are often the most powerful indicators when trying to identify major market bottoms⚠️ The biggest mistakes strategists make including relying too heavily on a single discipline and ignoring price behavior📉 How risk has evolved in today’s markets from concentration risk in mega cap stocks to policy driven volatility and shifting portfolio dynamics🚀 Career lessons for the next generation of market strategists including why developing your own process and intellectual patience matters more than copying othersIf you like market psychology, systematic investing frameworks and deep conversations about how strategy is really built inside Wall Street firms, this one's for you.Oh, and if you haven't already... subscribe to The Blunt Dollar for more raw and honest finance conversations.New episodes drop every other week! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.And last, but not least, don't forget to follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-ramirez-moreno-cfa/Enjoy the episode!Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Listeners should consult a qualified financial professional before making any financial decisions.
Transcribe →Andrew Wells: Why The Bond Market Still Matters
May 2600:48:10Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Blunt Dollar, Ignacio sits down with Andrew Wells, Chief Investment Officer at Sanjak Alpha and a veteran fixed income investor with decades of experience navigating bond markets, hedge funds, and ETFs. Andy shares his journey from small town Texas to running trading desks and hedge funds, while breaking down how today’s bond market is fundamentally different from the last four decades of falling interest rates. 🔎 Why the bond market may ultimately challenge the Fed and why cutting rates into strong markets and persistent inflation could be a dangerous experiment📊 The hidden complexity of fixed income and why active management tends to outperform in bonds while most equity managers struggle to beat the index⚠️ Liquidity risk, credit spreads, and the illusion of safety in bonds including lessons from the 2008 financial crisis and the brutal bond drawdowns of 2022🧠 How professional investors think about risk management, preventing drawdowns, and why sequencing of returns matters more than most investors realize🚀 Career advice for young professionals including the importance of intellectual humility, handling criticism, and why communication will still beat machines in the age of AIIf you like fixed income insights, macro thinking, and honest conversations about how markets really work, this one's for you.Oh, and if you haven't already... subscribe to The Blunt Dollar for more raw and honest finance conversations.New episodes drop every other week! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.And last, but not least, don't forget to follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-ramirez-moreno-cfa/Enjoy the episode!Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Listeners should consult a qualified financial professional before making any financial decisions.
Transcribe →Leyla Kunimoto: Why Liquidity Is An Illusion
May 1900:50:50Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Blunt Dollar, Ignacio sits down with Leyla Kunimoto, co founder of Accredited Investor Insights, one of the most candid and independent voices analyzing private markets today. Drawing from conversations with hundreds of LPs and exposure to more than 75 deals, Leyla shares what really happens behind the scenes in private equity, venture, and private credit. 💡 Why an LP decided to speak publiclyLeyla explains why she launched Accredited Investor Insights after struggling to find unbiased information as a retail LP and how her newsletter aims to level the playing field between fund managers and investors.📊 How LPs actually evaluate funds and managersFrom track records and underwriting assumptions to spotting overly aggressive projections, Leyla breaks down the key signals she looks for before allocating capital.💰 The truth about DPI and why everyone is obsessed with itWhy distributions to paid in capital became the most important metric in private equity today and why IRR alone can be misleading.🔍 Continuation vehicles, NAV loans, and the liquidity debateA candid discussion about the tools GPs use to generate liquidity, when they make sense, and when they might be masking deeper issues inside funds.🚀 The future of private markets and advice for the next generationLeyla shares her outlook on democratization, blockchain based ownership of fund stakes, and why communication skills and judgment will matter even more in the age of AI.If you like private markets, LP perspectives, and honest conversations about how capital really flows behind the scenes, this one's for you.Oh, and if you haven't already... subscribe to The Blunt Dollar for more raw and honest finance conversations.New episodes drop every other week! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.And last, but not least, don't forget to follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-ramirez-moreno-cfa/Enjoy the episode!Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Listeners should consult a qualified financial professional before making any financial decisions.
Transcribe →Diego Parrilla: Understanding Risk In An Uncertain Financial World
May 1201:00:45Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Blunt Dollar, I sit down with macro thinker, engineer, and investor Diego Parrilla to unpack the hidden fragilities of today’s financial system and what they mean for investors. From his engineering roots to his career across global banks and hedge funds, Diego brings a unique lens to markets, combining physics, macro, and options theory to challenge conventional thinking.We dive deep into his famous Anti Bubbles framework, the structural debt trap facing global economies, and why inflation may be less of an accident and more of a policy choice.💡 Diego’s journey from mining and petroleum engineering to trading and macro investing, and how engineering thinking shapes his view of markets📉 The concept of Anti Bubbles and why some assets become artificially cheap while others inflate into dangerous bubbles🏦 Why global debt levels may have already passed the point of no return and what that means for central banks and monetary policy🔥 Inflation as a stealth default and how governments quietly dilute purchasing power over time🌍 The future of the US dollar, gold, volatility, and how investors can build portfolios designed to survive and thrive in a fragile financial systemIf you like macro, market structure, and big picture investing frameworks, this one’s for you.Oh, and if you haven't already... subscribe to The Blunt Dollar for more raw and honest finance conversations.New episodes drop every other week! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.And last, but not least, don't forget to follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-ramirez-moreno-cfa/Enjoy the episode!Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Listeners should consult a qualified financial professional before making any financial decisions.
Transcribe →Elias Korosis: The Dangerous Arrogance That Quietly Destroys Top Funds
May 500:45:30Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Blunt Dollar, I sit down with Elias Korosis, Global Investment Partner at Federated Hermes Private Equity and Chair of Invest Europe. From starting his career as a scriptwriter for educational cartoons to becoming one of the leading voices in European private capital, Elias brings a rare combination of storytelling clarity and institutional insight.We dive into the realities behind Europe’s investment narrative, challenge some of the biggest myths in private equity, and unpack the structural issues that matter far more than headlines. This is a conversation about perception versus reality, discipline versus arrogance, and what it truly takes to succeed in private markets today.💡 The Hollywood gap and why global investors often misunderstand Europe’s true economic dynamism📊 The truth about IRR, DPI, and how return metrics can distort the real picture for LPs⚖️ Where fee structures and incentives can break alignment between GPs and LPs🧠 The hidden risks of GP arrogance and how overconfidence quietly destroys long-term performance🚀 Why the next generation of investors must combine technology mastery with strong human judgmentIf you like private equity deep dives, institutional investing insights, and honest conversations about what really drives returns, this one's for you.Oh, and if you haven't already... subscribe to The Blunt Dollar for more raw and honest finance conversations.New episodes drop every other week! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.And last, but not least, don't forget to follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-ramirez-moreno-cfa/Enjoy the episode!Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Listeners should consult a qualified financial professional before making any financial decisions.
Transcribe →Andrew Hollingworth: Great Companies Priced Like Bad Ones
Apr 2800:42:00Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Blunt Dollar, I sit down with Andrew Hollingworth, founder of Holland Advisors and manager of the VT Holland Advisors Equity Fund, a boutique investment firm built around long-term ownership of exceptional businesses. Andrew is a Buffett disciple with a contrarian streak who left the traditional institutional world to build a fund that ignores benchmarks, avoids groupthink, and focuses relentlessly on misunderstood companies run by aligned owner-managers.We explore Andrew’s investing philosophy, how he thinks about sustainable competitive advantages, and why he believes most investors are far too diversified to outperform. From studying the history of great businesses to identifying rare “supernatural compounders,” Andrew shares the mental models and frameworks that guide his decision-making.✅ Why most investors are too diversified and how concentration drives performance✅ The operate, generate, allocate framework for analyzing businesses✅ How to spot real competitive advantages and long-term compounders✅ Why owner managers and capital allocators matter more than flashy growth✅ Lessons from Buffett, Munger, and Nick Sleep that shaped Andrew’s thinkingIf you like value investing, business analysis, and deep conversations about long-term compounding, this one’s for you.Oh, and if you haven't already... subscribe to The Blunt Dollar for more raw and honest finance conversations.New episodes drop every other week! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.And last, but not least, don't forget to follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-ramirez-moreno-cfa/Enjoy the episode!Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Listeners should consult a qualified financial professional before making any financial decisions.
Transcribe →Anastasia Buyalskaya: Why Your Brain Sabotages Your Investments
Apr 2100:33:06Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Blunt Dollar, I sit down with Anastasia Buyalskaya, behavioral scientist and professor at HEC Paris, whose work sits right at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and financial decision making.With a background that spans finance, academia, and advisory work, Anastasia brings a rare perspective on how our brains actually behave under pressure and why even the smartest investors are still vulnerable to bias, stress, and habits they don’t even realize they have.We dive deep into how behavior shapes financial outcomes and why understanding psychology may be just as important as understanding spreadsheets.🧠 Why stress literally changes how your brain processes risk and decisions📊 The truth about habits, including why the “21 day rule” is a myth🎯 How context cues like news alerts, apps, and screens silently shape investor behavior🎮 The rise of gamification in investing and how it may be pushing people toward more risk💡 Why reference points, anchors, and identity signals influence how we interpret markets and moneyIf you like behavioral finance, decision making psychology, and understanding the hidden forces behind market behavior, this one's for you.Oh, and if you haven't already... subscribe to The Blunt Dollar for more raw and honest finance conversations.New episodes drop every other week! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.And last, but not least, don't forget to follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-ramirez-moreno-cfa/Enjoy the episode!Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Listeners should consult a qualified financial professional before making any financial decisions.
Transcribe →Greg King: The Hidden Tech War Reshaping Wealth Management
Apr 1400:49:43Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Blunt Dollar, I sit down with Greg King, Senior Director and Head of Wealth Management at FactSet, to unpack how technology, AI, and data are fundamentally reshaping the wealth management industry.With nearly three decades at FactSet, Greg has witnessed the evolution from spreadsheets to smart systems firsthand. We dive into what digital transformation really looks like inside large financial institutions, how AI agents are changing advisor workflows, and why trust remains the ultimate currency in finance even in a digital-first world.🧠 How AI agents are transforming advisor workflows and saving hours of client prep time📊 Why data quality and integration are the real foundation of successful digital transformation🤝 The evolving role of advisors from portfolio managers to full-service financial concierges🚀 What wealth platforms must get right to stay competitive in 2026 and beyond🌍 Why staying curious is the most powerful career advantage in finance todayIf you like AI in finance, wealth management innovation, and real-world insights from industry leaders, this one's for you.Oh, and if you haven't already... subscribe to The Blunt Dollar for more raw and honest finance conversations.New episodes drop every other week! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.And last, but not least, don't forget to follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-ramirez-moreno-cfa/Enjoy the episode!Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Listeners should consult a qualified financial professional before making any financial decisions.
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