As 2026 kicks off with big headlines (AI bubble? trade wars? geopolitics?), Alex Thompson from Viola Private Wealth joins Ren to zoom out and discuss why good investing fundamentals don’t change, even when the world does.

They unpack what’s driving markets, why private markets are becoming more relevant, and the simple portfolio disciplines Alex uses to keep clients on track.

In this episode:

02:46 How will 2026 be different to 2025?

10:53 Is AI a bubble? The role of leverage, debt markets, and why the answer matters less than portfolio design

13:57 Private markets explained and why companies are staying private longer

21:08 How Alex builds portfolios

35:56 The golden rules for 2026

Ready to secure your financial future? Viola Private Wealth delivers bespoke strategies designed for high-net-worth individuals and families. Managing significant wealth should not feel overwhelming. For tailored advice and practical, long-term results, visit www.violaprivatewealth.com.au.

———

Want to get involved in the podcast? Record a voice note or send us a message 

And come and join the conversation in the Equity Mates Facebook Discussion Group.

———

Want more Equity Mates? Across books, podcasts, video and email, however you want to learn about investing – we’ve got you covered.

Keep up with the news moving markets with our daily newsletter and podcast (Apple | Spotify)

———

Looking for some of our favourite research tools?

• Download our free Basics of ETF handbook
• Or our free 4-step stock checklist
• Find company information on TIKR
• Screen the market with GuruFocus
• Track your portfolio with Sharesight

———

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Equity Mates Investing acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

———

Equity Mates Investing is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re back with Essentials, breaking down how we actually invest.

In this episode, Bryce and Ren explain their core & satellite approach, why low-cost index funds form the foundation of their portfolios, how dollar cost averaging removes emotion from investing, and the simple framework they use to find and assess individual stock ideas.

Timestamps:

01:16 Core & satellite explained

02:33 Building the core

04:25 Why beating the market is so hard

06:22 Bryce’s core portfolio

08:14 Ren’s core portfolio

08:42 Dollar cost averaging

13:06 The satellite portfolio

14:00 Finding stock ideas

17:54 The 4-step checklist

23:17 Do you even need a satellite?

Links mentioned:

• Hear Ren unpack his portfolio in depth in this recent episode here.
• For stock market news we follow Tickr and Gurufocus.
• Find out 4-Step Stock Checklist here.
• Check out The 12 Steps to Get Started Investing special podcast series launching Tuesday 13th January here.

Ready to secure your financial future? Viola Private Wealth delivers bespoke strategies designed for high-net-worth individuals and families. Managing significant wealth should not feel overwhelming. For tailored advice and practical, long-term results, visit www.violaprivatewealth.com.au.

———

Want to get involved in the podcast? Record a voice note or send us a message 

And come and join the conversation in the Equity Mates Facebook Discussion Group.

———

Want more Equity Mates? Across books, podcasts, video and email, however you want to learn about investing – we’ve got you covered.

Keep up with the news moving markets with our daily newsletter and podcast (Apple | Spotify)

———

Looking for some of our favourite research tools?

• Download our free Basics of ETF handbook
• Or our free 4-step stock checklist
• Find company information on TIKR
• Screen the market with GuruFocus
• Track your portfolio with Sharesight

———

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Equity Mates Investing acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

———

Equity Mates Investing is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re continuing our 2026 Essentials series with the seven rules of great long-term investing: the principles Bryce and Ren come back to every year, no matter what markets are doing. They break down the habits, mindsets and structures that matter most if you want to build wealth over decades, not chase fads or headlines.

In this episode:

02:13 Rule #1: Always think long-term

03:23 The Lehman Brothers example

04:40 Rule #2: Your savings rate matters more than returns

05:22 Why small changes compound

07:25 Rule #3: Diversification

08:32 Rule #4: Keep costs low

09:10 The Buffett fee example

13:29 Rule #5: How to look for great companies

16:21 Rule #6: Fads fade, competitive advantages last

18:18 Buffett “moats” and Helmer’s Seven Powers explained

21:36 Rule #7: Why automation beats willpower

Want to go deeper? We’ve put together our Equity Mates Summer Reading List, featuring many of the books and thinkers that shaped our seven rules: https://x40s1z0ymjt.typeform.com/e

Ready to secure your financial future? Viola Private Wealth delivers bespoke strategies designed for high-net-worth individuals and families. Managing significant wealth should not feel overwhelming. For tailored advice and practical, long-term results, visit www.violaprivatewealth.com.au.

———

Want to get involved in the podcast? Record a voice note or send us a message 

And come and join the conversation in the Equity Mates Facebook Discussion Group.

———

Want more Equity Mates? Across books, podcasts, video and email, however you want to learn about investing – we’ve got you covered.

Keep up with the news moving markets with our daily newsletter and podcast (Apple | Spotify)

———

Looking for some of our favourite research tools?

• Download our free Basics of ETF handbook
• Or our free 4-step stock checklist
• Find company information on TIKR
• Screen the market with GuruFocus
• Track your portfolio with Sharesight

———

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Equity Mates Investing acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

———

Equity Mates Investing is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re kicking off the new year sharing the essentials for kickstarting investing in 2026. In the next four episodes Bryce and Ren go back to basics and beyond to help you build long-term wealth with simple, repeatable habits.

In this episode:

01:00 What this series covers

02:30 Why we're investing in 2026

06:01 Compounding refresher

08:48 Time in vs timing the market

10:19 The risk of not investing

13:18 Why we love stocks

17:13 How great companies can work for you

21:00 Amazon case study

23:00 Why consistency beats perfection

Ready to secure your financial future? Viola Private Wealth delivers bespoke strategies designed for high-net-worth individuals and families. Managing significant wealth should not feel overwhelming. For tailored advice and practical, long-term results, visit www.violaprivatewealth.com.au.

———

Want to get involved in the podcast? Record a voice note or send us a message 

And come and join the conversation in the Equity Mates Facebook Discussion Group.

———

Want more Equity Mates? Across books, podcasts, video and email, however you want to learn about investing – we’ve got you covered.

Keep up with the news moving markets with our daily newsletter and podcast (Apple | Spotify)

———

Looking for some of our favourite research tools?

• Download our free Basics of ETF handbook
• Or our free 4-step stock checklist
• Find company information on TIKR
• Screen the market with GuruFocus
• Track your portfolio with Sharesight

———

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Equity Mates Investing acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

———

Equity Mates Investing is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our last Equity Mates Investing episode for 2025, Daniel Kelly, Chief Investment Officer at Viola Private Wealth, joins us to unpack how professional investors think about portfolio construction. We dive into Viola's methodologies for manager selection and building an “all-weather” portfolio that can hold up across times of turbulence and change.

In this episode:

• The Core Squared Satellite model and why Viola runs two “cores” instead of one

• How to think about liquidity (and why most investors get it wrong)

• The five alternative asset classes Viola uses to diversify risk

• The red flags that instantly rule fund managers out

• Where Daniel sees opportunity and risk heading into 2026

Ready to secure your financial future? Viola Private Wealth delivers bespoke strategies designed for high-net-worth individuals and families. Managing significant wealth should not feel overwhelming. For tailored advice and practical, long-term results, visit www.violaprivatewealth.com.au.

———

Want to get involved in the podcast? Record a voice note or send us a message 

And come and join the conversation in the Equity Mates Facebook Discussion Group.

———

Want more Equity Mates? Across books, podcasts, video and email, however you want to learn about investing – we’ve got you covered.

Keep up with the news moving markets with our daily newsletter and podcast (Apple | Spotify)

———

Looking for some of our favourite research tools?

• Download our free Basics of ETF handbook
• Or our free 4-step stock checklist
• Find company information on TIKR
• Screen the market with GuruFocus
• Track your portfolio with Sharesight

———

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Equity Mates Investing acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

———

Equity Mates Investing is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Alister Coleman, managing partner at Folklore Ventures, joins us to unpack how an early-stage VC identifies standout founders, world-class products and long-run opportunities (even when it’s just “two people and a laptop.”)

In this episode:

• What Ansarada taught Folklore about sticky products and misunderstood markets

• How Auror became one of NZ’s quiet breakout successes in retail loss prevention

• Why frontier tech like Hullbot and Kry10 show Australia’s edge

• The coming AI bubble… and why Alister is still leaning in

Ready to secure your financial future? Viola Private Wealth delivers bespoke strategies designed for high-net-worth individuals and families. Managing significant wealth should not feel overwhelming. For tailored advice and practical, long-term results, visit www.violaprivatewealth.com.au.

———

Want to get involved in the podcast? Record a voice note or send us a message 

And come and join the conversation in the Equity Mates Facebook Discussion Group.

———

Want more Equity Mates? Across books, podcasts, video and email, however you want to learn about investing – we’ve got you covered.

Keep up with the news moving markets with our daily newsletter and podcast (Apple | Spotify)

———

Looking for some of our favourite research tools?

• Download our free Basics of ETF handbook
• Or our free 4-step stock checklist
• Find company information on TIKR
• Screen the market with GuruFocus
• Track your portfolio with Sharesight

———

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Equity Mates Investing acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

———

Equity Mates Investing is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re joined by Arden Jennings, co-head of Emerging Companies at Ausbil and portfolio manager for their small and micro cap funds.

Arden explains why he thinks 2026 will be the year for Aussie Small Caps, and what companies might grow into household names over the next couple of years (or decades!).

In this episode:

• Why small caps are back and where Arden sees the best opportunities
• Spotting upgrades and avoiding blow-ups
• And how he’s thinking about themes like AI, mining services and Life360 for 2026

For more information about Ausbil and important disclosures, including Ausbil’s disclaimer, please refer here.

Ready to secure your financial future? Viola Private Wealth delivers bespoke strategies designed for high-net-worth individuals and families. Managing significant wealth should not feel overwhelming. For tailored advice and practical, long-term results, visit www.violaprivatewealth.com.au.

———

Want to get involved in the podcast? Record a voice note or send us a message 

And come and join the conversation in the Equity Mates Facebook Discussion Group.

———

Want more Equity Mates? Across books, podcasts, video and email, however you want to learn about investing – we’ve got you covered.

Keep up with the news moving markets with our daily newsletter and podcast (Apple | Spotify)

———

Looking for some of our favourite research tools?

• Download our free Basics of ETF handbook
• Or our free 4-step stock checklist
• Find company information on TIKR
• Screen the market with GuruFocus
• Track your portfolio with Sharesight

———

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Equity Mates Investing acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

———

Equity Mates Investing is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re continuing Best of the Best, our series profiling some of Australia’s top investors and the processes behind their performance.

Today we’re joined by Anshu Sharma, portfolio manager and co-founder of Loftus Peak, to unpack how a pure-play disruption investor thinks about Nvidia, AI, semiconductors, GLP-1 drugs and more.

In this episode:

• How Loftus Peak finds long-term structural trends (and filters out short-term hype)
• Which trends are still early in their disruption lifecycle
• The process edge: building a 3–5 year view, strict valuation discipline and knowing when to walk away

Ready to secure your financial future? Viola Private Wealth delivers bespoke strategies designed for high-net-worth individuals and families. Managing significant wealth should not feel overwhelming. For tailored advice and practical, long-term results, visit www.violaprivatewealth.com.au.

———

Want to get involved in the podcast? Record a voice note or send us a message 

And come and join the conversation in the Equity Mates Facebook Discussion Group

———

Want more Equity Mates? Across books, podcasts, video and email, however you want to learn about investing – we’ve got you covered.

Keep up with the news moving markets with our daily newsletter and podcast (Apple | Spotify)

We’re particularly excited to share our latest show: Basis Points

• Listen to the podcast (Apple | Spotify)
• Watch on YouTube
• Read the monthly email

———

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Equity Mates Investing acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

———

Equity Mates Investing is a product of Equity Mates Media. This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re continuing Best of the Best series and today we’re joined by Julia Weng, portfolio manager at Paradice Investment Management, who has consistently beaten the ASX 200 in large-cap Aussie equities.

Julia breaks down how she navigates banks, miners, defensives and the repeatable process behind Paradice’s edge.

In this episode:

• Why return-on-capital and aligned management teams drive Paradice’s stock picking

• How Julia builds conviction: expert calls, field research and evidence over hype

• The advancements in robotics and automation being overshadowed by AI-hype

Ready to secure your financial future? Viola Private Wealth delivers bespoke strategies designed for high-net-worth individuals and families. Managing significant wealth should not feel overwhelming. For tailored advice and practical, long-term results, visit www.violaprivatewealth.com.au.

———

Want to get involved in the podcast? Record a voice note or send us a message 

And come and join the conversation in the Equity Mates Facebook Discussion Group.

———

Want more Equity Mates? Across books, podcasts, video and email, however you want to learn about investing – we’ve got you covered.

Keep up with the news moving markets with our daily newsletter and podcast (Apple | Spotify)

———

Looking for some of our favourite research tools?

• Download our free Basics of ETF handbook
• Or our free 4-step stock checklist
• Find company information on TIKR
• Screen the market with GuruFocus
• Track your portfolio with Sharesight

———

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Equity Mates Investing acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

———

Equity Mates Investing is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're kicking off Best of the Best, our series profiling some of Australia’s top investors and the processes behind their performance. Today we’re joined by Andrew Mitchell, founder and senior portfolio manager at Ophir Asset Management.

Andrew explains how true small-cap specialists uncover opportunities most investors never see, and the hard, unglamorous research that sits behind Ophir’s track record.

In this episode:

• How Ophir builds conviction: customers, suppliers, ex-staff and on-the-ground research

• “Pounding the rock”: daily stock theses, avoiding drift and constant re-checks

• The most underrated investing skill: self-awareness and checking your ego at the door

Ready to secure your financial future? Viola Private Wealth delivers bespoke strategies designed for high-net-worth individuals and families. Managing significant wealth should not feel overwhelming. For tailored advice and practical, long-term results, visit www.violaprivatewealth.com.au.

———

Want to get involved in the podcast? Record a voice note or send us a message 

And come and join the conversation in the Equity Mates Facebook Discussion Group.

———

Want more Equity Mates? Across books, podcasts, video and email, however you want to learn about investing – we’ve got you covered.

Keep up with the news moving markets with our daily newsletter and podcast (Apple | Spotify)

———

Looking for some of our favourite research tools?

• Download our free Basics of ETF handbook
• Or our free 4-step stock checklist
• Find company information on TIKR
• Screen the market with GuruFocus
• Track your portfolio with Sharesight
• 
  

———

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Equity Mates Investing acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

———

Equity Mates Investing is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. 

Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every year, Andrew Brown comes on to make big calls about markets, and then actually fronts up at the end of the year to see how he went. In this episode, he reviews his 14 bold predictions for 2025 and unpacks where he nailed it, where he missed it, and the investing lessons in between.

We cover:

• US equities, bond yields and why the macro calls went sideways

• AI euphoria vs reality (who made money and who didn’t

• Chinese tech’s big comeback vs booze stocks’ continued hangover

• Small caps, luxury and global car makers under real pressure

• His worst call (Novo Nordisk) and best call (China tech)

Andrew also digs into recency bias, why politics mattered less than you think, and why getting out of the ASX and into global markets has never been more important.

Listen to Andrew's 2025 Predictions in full here.

———

Want to get involved in the podcast? Record a voice note or send us a message 

And come and join the conversation in the Equity Mates Facebook Discussion Group.

———

Want more Equity Mates? Across books, podcasts, video and email, however you want to learn about investing – we’ve got you covered.

Keep up with the news moving markets with our daily newsletter and podcast (Apple | Spotify)

• Listen to the podcast (Apple | Spotify)
• Watch on YouTube
• Read the monthly email

———

Looking for some of our favourite research tools?

• Download our free Basics of ETF handbook
• Or our free 4-step stock checklist
• Find company information on TIKR
• Research reports from Good Research
• Track your portfolio with Sharesight

———

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Equity Mates Investing acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

———

Equity Mates Investing is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.