tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20457559598645431642024-03-05T02:14:59.171-08:00Alfidi Capital BlogThe official "blog of bonanza" for Alfidi Capital. The CEO, Anthony J. Alfidi, publishes periodic commentary on anything and everything related to finance. This blog does NOT give personal financial advice or offer any capital market services. This blog DOES tell the truth about business.Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comBlogger4185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-1850413958968848462024-02-27T08:36:00.000-08:002024-02-27T08:36:32.953-08:00The Haiku of Finance for 02/27/24<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-distress-office-multifamily-property-debt-soar-480-2024-2" rel="nofollow">Office building loans</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Lenders can't afford re-set</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/analysis-hawkish-fed-impedes-regional-110437699.html" rel="nofollow">Regional banks bust</a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-46393221860139909262024-01-28T18:53:00.000-08:002024-01-28T18:53:22.740-08:00The Limerick of Finance for 01/28/24<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-houthi-attacks-shipping-inflation-124d5445bec8ce6864112e3095646308" rel="nofollow">Red Sea shipping is no longer safe</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Houthi rebels seek targets to strafe</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ships must take longer route</div><div style="text-align: left;">Rising costs will break out</div><div style="text-align: left;">Feel the pinch as your wallet will chafe</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-76975091024949811092024-01-28T18:40:00.000-08:002024-01-28T18:40:27.790-08:00The Haiku of Finance for 01/28/24<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_value_chain" rel="nofollow">Global value chain</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.oecd.org/industry/global-value-chains/" rel="nofollow">Holistic trade policy</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/global-value-chains" rel="nofollow">Bankers catch the wave</a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-6486529096680315602023-12-31T11:18:00.000-08:002023-12-31T11:18:11.561-08:00The Limerick of Finance for 12/31/23<div style="text-align: left;">Economy glowing red hot</div><div style="text-align: left;">Stock market keeps rising a lot</div><div style="text-align: left;">We finished the year</div><div style="text-align: left;">No recession is near</div><div style="text-align: left;">Growth forecasts hit right on the dot</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-688274370839446642023-12-31T10:45:00.000-08:002023-12-31T10:45:19.046-08:00The Haiku of Finance for 12/31/23<div style="text-align: left;">Strong economy</div><div style="text-align: left;">Profits and growth all around</div><div style="text-align: left;">Everything is green</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-30732179848036091022023-11-29T19:18:00.000-08:002023-11-29T19:18:18.618-08:00The Haiku of Finance for 11/29/23<div style="text-align: left;">Cyber disclosure</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2023-139" rel="nofollow">New rule to report breaches</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Four days to file form</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-85833886077691763442023-10-30T20:50:00.001-07:002023-10-30T20:50:38.587-07:00The Haiku of Finance for 10/30/23<div style="text-align: left;">Spooky interest rates</div><div style="text-align: left;">Fed policy causing fright</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bond investors scream</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-52739158546273316272023-09-24T19:18:00.000-07:002023-09-24T19:18:11.892-07:00The Haiku of Finance for 09/24/23Shareholders conflict<div>Protracted fight hurts share price</div><div>Short window to buy</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-21200649014901509592023-08-31T10:59:00.003-07:002023-08-31T10:59:51.032-07:00The Haiku of Finance for 08/31/23<div style="text-align: left;">Vendor sends a bill</div><div style="text-align: left;">Must have cash to cover cost</div><div style="text-align: left;">Pay the invoice now</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-5286190190618691302023-07-31T18:34:00.000-07:002023-07-31T18:34:47.762-07:00The Haiku of Finance for 07/31/23<div style="text-align: left;">Blockchain meets failure</div><div style="text-align: left;">No workable solutions</div><div style="text-align: left;">Abandon that tech</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-90191008599644161062023-06-30T22:30:00.000-07:002023-06-30T22:30:28.865-07:00The Haiku of Finance for 06/30/23<div style="text-align: left;">Merger bet as art</div><div style="text-align: left;">Long target and short buyer</div><div style="text-align: left;">Hedging goes both ways</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-91013333957590807422023-06-28T19:49:00.002-07:002023-06-28T19:49:37.209-07:00The Haiku of Finance for 06/28/23<div style="text-align: left;">Commodities move</div><div style="text-align: left;">Geopolitical shocks</div><div style="text-align: left;">Global markets churn</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-36847395068294681402023-05-31T16:40:00.000-07:002023-05-31T16:40:38.701-07:00The Haiku of Finance for 05/31/23<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/us-debt-ceiling-deadline-talks-05-31-23/index.html" rel="nofollow">Vote on debt ceiling</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Markets await the outcome</div><div style="text-align: left;">Everything at risk</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-11702014966742883912023-05-31T10:36:00.000-07:002023-05-31T10:36:30.614-07:00Technology Invasion 2018<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It has been a few years since I witnessed a remarkable public event in San Francisco. It was not an ordinary tech conference or seminar series. It was literally an invasion. The invaders were not your ordinary conquering horde from way back in ye olden days of yore. These aspiring techies were positive go-getters looking for something productive in the next chapter of their lives.<br />
<br />
There is a huge job shortage in tech these days, with tens of thousands of available positions going unfilled. Plenty of organizations and partnerships want you (yes you, dear reader) to get in on this tech action. The <a href="https://www.cyberthreatalliance.org/">Cyber Threat Alliance</a> is one starting point for anyone who wants to learn about how fighting online threats demands a high degree of cooperation across industries. Building your own Linux box qualifies as a job skill. Being the one person on a cybersecurity volunteer committee who actually does the work sounds like a success story that predates the cybersecurity field. Lockheed Martin's Cyber Kill Chain is a good reference for anyone in the field. The <a href="https://blog.paloaltonetworks.com/category/canon/" rel="nofollow">Palo Alto Networks Cyber Security Canon</a> is a similarly good reading list, and <a href="https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/">Palo Alto's Unit 42</a> is good for current threat intelligence. I have no idea whether the <a href="https://www.securityroundtable.org/">Security Roundtable</a> experts actually sit at a round table, but they probably know more about fighting cyber threats than the legendary knights of King Arthur's round table.<br />
<br />
The cyber career bonanza is not limited to security. Product managers determine what to build, coordinate across job functions to get the product completed, and then sell it with evangelizing optimism. Product execution requires tradeoffs between time, budget, and functionality; two out of three is typically good enough, given capacity limitations.<br />
<br />
Wanna grow your startup? Of course you do. Every execution is a trade-off between time available, budget constraints, and product functionality. Getting two out of those three right is typically good enough. The simple math of "frustration equals expectation minus results" is humbling for every startup launching a product. Startup founders are always a little bit crazy to launch something radically new. They should take the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_Interest_Inventory" rel="nofollow">Strong Interest Inventory</a> before founding a startup to figure out if the entrepreneurial path is right for them. Right path or not, product launches confer lifetime transferable skills upon the launchers.<br />
<br />Founders do not need to be lawyers but they must know the law. Know current case law on corporate finance and private equity (check out the <a href="https://www.pli.edu" rel="nofollow">Practising Law Institute</a> for case studies). Document everything from day one because VCs will ask to see your paperwork during their due diligence phase. Your corporate structure is your first business decision, so you had better have a standard equity structure with agreed roles and control authorities if you are serious about raising outside capital. Delaware C-corporation law is robust and predictable in the eyes of VC and private equity investors. Assigning all IP to the corporation via a proprietary inventions information and assignment agreement with technical employees will prevent your tech developers from ripping off your ideas. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It is sad that America's military veterans are not tapped in to the right insider networks (Stanford, Harvard, Google, etc.) that feed the tech and finance sectors. That holds them back from key careers. Bad leadership is common in startups and our veterans would bring the discipline that startups need. The magic formula for a founding team would be veteran founders teaming up with elite network contacts.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Funding pitches to investors can be fun and rewarding (yes, I'm serious). Professional VCs understand that startups lose money and are prepared for long relationships. It's easy to say that founders should find out how VCs behaved with other startups during hard times but such knowledge is not always publicly available. The founding team that has enough of a stake to work through hard times and a critical mass of competence at the start will have an advantage, even if the starting team is not the same team that makes it to the exit event. <a href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/356063/gallup-q12-employee-engagement-survey.aspx" rel="nofollow">Gallup Q12</a> model questions will help founders understand whether their team is engaged.<br />
<br />
I said all of this without telling you much about who these people were or what they represented in 2018. I met some of them through <a href="https://vetsintech.co/">VetsinTech</a> (big clue right there). They're still around today in San Francisco and other tech clusters around the country. They are my kind of people. Get to know them, just in case you end up working for them someday.<br />
<br />
<i>Author's Note: I am gradually working through a backlog of writing material that I have gathered since 2018. It will take me some time to get caught up to the present day.</i></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-81439074950721943092023-04-17T18:43:00.000-07:002023-04-17T18:43:49.568-07:00The Haiku of Finance for 04/17/23<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/04/17/debt-ceiling-crisis-kevin-mccarthy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Debt ceiling standoff</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Taunt the global bond market</div><div style="text-align: left;">Risking the dollar</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-51670492703469978442023-03-30T18:23:00.000-07:002023-03-30T18:23:48.219-07:00The Haiku of Finance for 03/30/23<div style="text-align: left;">Un-stuck supply chain</div><div style="text-align: left;">Goods freely flowing worldwide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Dream of all shippers</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-13842970730256141722023-02-27T18:30:00.000-08:002023-02-27T18:30:26.322-08:00The Haiku of Finance for 02/27/23<div style="text-align: left;">Crypto is worthless</div><div style="text-align: left;">Wonder why people own it</div><div style="text-align: left;">They all got swindled</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-497615359695456102023-01-30T20:19:00.002-08:002023-01-30T20:19:50.462-08:00The Haiku of Finance for 01/30/23<div style="text-align: left;">Crypto will plummet</div><div style="text-align: left;">No hope for fraud exchanges</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blockchain just a waste</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-55254761385098719562022-12-25T19:02:00.000-08:002022-12-25T19:02:01.562-08:00Another Limerick of Finance for 12/25/22<div>Markets will soon end the year</div><div>With open trades still yet to clear</div><div>Adding up all the gains</div><div>Takes a whole lot of brains</div><div>Closing bells are all we need to hear</div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-25897979224414891822022-12-25T18:52:00.000-08:002022-12-25T18:52:15.510-08:00The Limerick of Finance for 12/25/22<div style="text-align: left;">There may be a Santa Claus rally</div><div style="text-align: left;">Adding gains to the annual tally</div><div style="text-align: left;">Jolly laughs all around</div><div style="text-align: left;">Trading desks hear that sound</div><div style="text-align: left;">Markets due to climb out of a valley</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-40285121245544280622022-12-22T18:44:00.000-08:002022-12-22T18:44:45.660-08:00The Haiku of Finance for 12/22/22<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/21/business/ftx-alameda-research-cooperating/index.html" rel="nofollow">Multiple fraud pleas</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Alameda team stole cash</div><div style="text-align: left;">Crypto clients mad</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-75836342158851132082022-11-28T18:33:00.001-08:002022-11-28T18:33:47.364-08:00The Haiku of Finance for 11/28/22<div style="text-align: left;">More crypto failures</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bag holders getting roasted</div><div style="text-align: left;">Exchanges are toast</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-56721008665589360212022-10-30T18:28:00.003-07:002022-10-30T18:28:58.503-07:00The Haiku of Finance for 10/30/22<div style="text-align: left;">Halloween spending</div><div style="text-align: left;">Candy price inflation time</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sweet time to profit</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-91764274659080557782022-09-29T19:30:00.001-07:002022-09-29T19:30:54.393-07:00The Haiku of Finance for 09/29/22<div style="text-align: left;">Converging crises</div><div style="text-align: left;">Monetary policy</div><div style="text-align: left;">No easy fixes</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045755959864543164.post-2624248711117022012022-08-15T17:09:00.000-07:002022-08-15T17:09:50.836-07:00The Haiku of Finance for 08/15/22<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/15/economy/china-pboc-cuts-rates-weak-economy-intl-hnk/index.html">China facing doom</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Real estate rolling collapse</div><div style="text-align: left;">Middle class wipeout</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script expr:src='"http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/AlfidiCapitalBlog?i=" + data:post.url' type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Anthony Alfidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11420163177787702821noreply@blogger.com