Podcast Summary: "Geopolitical Risk Is Spiking. Here's Why You Should Do Nothing."

The Stacking Benjamins Show | SB1828 | April 13, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of The Stacking Benjamins Show dives into fears around geopolitical risk, inflation, market volatility, and surging oil prices—and why most investors should stay the course instead of making knee-jerk changes to their financial plans. Hosts Joe Saul-Sehy, OG, Doug, and Chris break down why geopolitical headlines feel scary, but history shows the stock market tends to recover from shocks. The crew also shares a practical three-bucket investment planning system and fields community updates and trivia, all while keeping their trademark light-hearted, approachable tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Geopolitical Risk & Market Volatility

[11:21–32:36]

• Current news climate: The hosts acknowledge headlines dominated by war, oil spikes, tariffs, and inflation, all of which can spook investors.
• Historical perspective:
  • Markets are volatile by nature, but this is normal, not exceptional.
  • Pullbacks and intra-year drops (commonly up to 14% from that year’s high) are expected even in “normal” years.
  • Geopolitical shocks (wars, oil crises) are typically temporary. Historically, markets recover post-crisis.

Doug [12:59]:
“Volatility is totally normal. Volatility sounds like a scary word. So I'm going to just change it and say variability … If you had a plus 23 day and you know the average is 10, we got to have a zero to offset the plus 23 to get back to average 10. Right?”

• Technical vs. fundamentals:
  • Technical analysis (watching charts) can feel dramatic, but fundamentals matter more. Most big companies are still sound, with growing corporate earnings and, now, meaningful bond yields.
  • The “apocalypse du jour” is ever-present, but business drives on.

Chris [16:56]:
“There’s always something that is ... ending everything as we know it. This time is different, you know, whatever. But underneath all of that are people who run companies whose only goal it is is to make money for their company.”

• Market leadership is broadening:
  • Unlike prior years where AI/tech led, more sectors and companies are performing well—a sign of a healthier market.

2. Diversification & Capital Flows

[18:59–25:00]

• Broad-based, diversified investments capture global capital flows automatically—whether sectors rotate, regions shift, or regulations change.
• The market naturally reallocates to efficient opportunities (e.g., ‘nearshoring’, overseas labor), so investors don’t have to preemptively jump from sector to sector.
• Sprinkle in some international, small-cap, and even “fixed income” exposure to benefit from this constant global rebalancing.

Doug [24:08]:
“As you think about this, ... by being invested in diversified, broad-based type of stuff, you are capturing all of that movement all of the time. You don’t have to guess, you don’t have to be the guy or gal in charge of like, wait, is it time to sector rotate ... No, it’s doing it automatically for you.”

3. Media, Social Feeds & Investor Anxiety

[25:12–32:36]

• The “worry machine”:
  • Social media and 24/7 news are engineered to maximize your attention (and ad dollars), keeping fear top of mind.
  • This reinforcement can make short-term noise feel existential, even when it’s not.

Doug [27:18]:
“Every single solitary thing that you interact with has one purpose, and that purpose is to keep you in that platform for as long as possible. ... Their job isn't to preach the good news. Their job is to preach chaos.”

• Key advice:
  • Don’t confuse headlines with strategy.
  • If your goals haven’t changed, your plan likely shouldn’t either.
  • Volatility is the price of admission for long-term growth—it isn’t the true risk; inflation and outliving your savings are.

Chris [30:23]:
“Don’t confuse the headlines you see every day with strategy. News is short-term, plans are long-term. Check your plan, not your phone.”

4. Do Nothing: The Power of Staying Put

[32:00–32:36]

• Doing nothing in the face of scary headlines is hard, but effective.

OG [32:23]:
“If I was branding something right now, I would see like, keep calm, carry on.”

Joe [32:29]:
“That is deeply unsatisfying, OG—and incredibly effective.”

[40:00–48:51] Segment: Three-Bucket Investment Strategy with Anna Allum

• Bucket 1: Foundation

  • Emergency fund and any expenses needed in the next 1–2 years.
  • Provides a buffer against market swings in riskier assets.

• Bucket 2: Bridge

  • Medium-term goals—big purchases known but at least 2+ years away (e.g., car, home renovations).
  • Should be safely invested; not as risky as long-term, not as cash-heavy as the foundation.

• Bucket 3: Engine

  • The growth engine; long-term, diversified investments for retirement and big, distant goals.
  • This is where most long-term growth comes from.

• Goal-based planning:

  • Match your assets (and investments) to specific goals and timeframes. The farther the goal, the more it can be in the “engine.”

Anna Allum [45:01]:
“This isn't really expense-based. This is more so goal-based. ... It's not necessarily that we're asking you to put your assets into each category ... but also where those goals land for you and updating that as you see fit.”

• Pro tip:
  • As you approach major expenses (e.g. tuition), move money into safe vehicles several years ahead of time to avoid sequence of returns risk.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Volatility reframed:

  Doug [12:59]: “Volatility sounds like a scary word ... I'm going to just change it and say variability.”

• Media and anxiety:

  Doug [27:18]: "Every single solitary thing that you interact with has one purpose ... to keep you in that platform for as long as possible."

• Strategic simplicity:

  Chris [30:23]: “Don’t confuse the headlines you see every day with strategy. News is short-term, plans are long-term. Check your plan, not your phone.”

• Doing nothing as a strategy:

  Joe [32:29]: “That is deeply unsatisfying, OG—and incredibly effective.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [11:21] – Main topic begins: Geopolitical risk, investing fears, and historical market context
• [12:59] – Volatility, variability, and what’s “normal” for market pullbacks
• [16:56] – Focusing on company fundamentals vs. just technicals
• [18:59] – Sector rotation and the logic behind broad diversification
• [24:08] – Capital efficiency and how markets (and investors) adjust
• [25:12] – How media/social channels amplify anxiety
• [30:23] – Headline news vs. solid strategy; staying the course
• [32:29] – Summing up: “Do nothing” as the right approach
• [40:00] – Three-Bucket Investment Strategy with Anna Allum
• [45:01] – Aligning buckets/goals, practical homework for listeners

The Takeaways (from Joe and Doug, [55:11])

1. Times of geopolitical risk are the worst time to make moves in your portfolio.
   – As deeply unsatisfying as it is, staying put is nearly always the correct move.

2. Stocks work if you leave them alone.
   – Long-term returns come from patience; churn and attempts to “outguess” the news work against you.

3. Diversification and goal-based planning win.
   – Plan your buckets according to your life, not the cycles of panic in the headlines.

Quick Hit – Podcast Tone & Extras

The entire episode blends useful financial insight with the show’s quirky, freewheeling humor and fun rapport—references to sports, movies, and running jokes about college applications and family birthdays enhance the friendly atmosphere.

For Further Learning or Feedback

• Read the referenced Michael Kitces blog post (linked in show notes at stackingbenjamins.com).
• Download the free investment “scorecard”: stackingbenjamins.com/scorecard
• Sign up for The 201 newsletter for deeper dives on the show’s topics.

This summary covers all essential themes, practical tips, and memorable quotes for listeners—whether they missed the show or want a concise reference guide to the episode’s wisdom.